Developers of lab space for biotech startups are moving ahead with a downtown Baltimore project that aims to create more than 100 jobs over the next four years. City officials last week approved a $200,000 convertible loan for operators of 4MLK Connect Labs, which will offer 35,000-square-feet of flex lab space for early stage biotech and life sciences companies in the University of Maryland BioPark’s newest building. The city loan and a $2 million loan from the state Department of Commerce will cover the purchase of specialized lab equipment and be tied to performance and job creation goals. The lab operator and borrower is a joint venture of an affiliate of Wexford Science & Technology, the building’s developer, and a subsidiary of Ventas. Such projects are critical for the state to attract life sciences companies and remain competitive in the sector, said Maryland Commerce Secretary Kevin Anderson. “We have tremendous innovation coming from our universities and our private sector and this new space will help those ideas to grow from the lab to the marketplace,” Anderson said in an announcement of the project. The lab developer expects to attract emerging companies in the life sciences, computational, engineering and energy industries with at least 100 full-time employees by the end of 2028. If the job and other goals are met, all outstanding deferred principal and accrued interest will be forgiven on the city loan, which was approved last week by the city Board of Estimates through the Baltimore Development Corp. Colin Tarbert, BDC president and chief executive officer, said state-of-the-art lab space can help build the city’s life sciences ecosystem and attract national attention. It’s part of a joint city/state effort to spur economic growth, generate tax revenue and build the region as a hub for scientific and technological advancement. The lab will open in 4MLK, a newly constructed eight-story building at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Baltimore Street developed by Wexford Science + Technology. Related Articles Boosters of the project say the building was designed to provide much-needed wet laboratory space for researchers and companies and foster collaboration between the University of Maryland, Baltimore and the University of Maryland Medical Center. The flex lab space will be subleased to a developer-formed joint venture to operate, manage, staff and sub-lease to early stage companies. The 14-acre park, located on the west side of the university’s campus, is expected to include nearly 2 million square feet of lab and office space in a dozen buildings at full build-out.

The Prime Minister has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, calling for the deal to be turned into a “lasting political solution” to the crisis in the region. The deal, announced on Tuesday night, will see hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed militants Hezbollah suspended for 60 days, with both sides withdrawing from southern Lebanon. Brokered by the US and France, the agreement is designed to provide a permanent end to the conflict, US President Joe Biden said following the announcement. But Israeli ministers insisted it would resume strikes on Lebanon if Hezbollah breached the terms of the ceasefire, while the deal does not affect Israel’s continuing war with Hamas in Gaza. In a statement, Sir Keir Starmer described the deal as “long overdue”, saying it would “provide some measure of relief to the civilian populations of Lebanon and northern Israel, who have suffered unimaginable consequences during the last few months of devastating conflict and bloodshed”. He said: “Now, this deal must be turned into a lasting political solution in Lebanon, based on Security Council Resolution 1701, that will allow civilians to return permanently to their homes and for communities on both sides of the border to rebuild. “The UK and its allies will continue to be at the forefront of efforts to break the ongoing cycle of violence in pursuit of a long-term, sustainable peace in the Middle East. “We must see immediate progress towards a ceasefire deal in Gaza, the release of all hostages and the removal of restrictions on desperately needed humanitarian aid.” The announcement of the deal follows a day of intense Israeli air strikes in Beirut, with local authorities saying at least 24 people were killed in the bombardment while Hezbollah continued to fire rockets into northern Israel. Recommending the ceasefire to his cabinet, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the deal would isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus more on Iran , which supports both Hamas and Hezbollah and has staged attacks on Israel in recent months. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the announcement offered “hope” and must become “a turning point that builds momentum towards a lasting peace across the Middle East”. He said: “The UK was the first G7 country to call for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah in September and we have worked relentlessly since with our allies and partners to apply pressure to end this conflict since. “We strongly urge all parties to use this agreement to open a pathway to a lasting peace.” While aid organisations have welcomed the ceasefire, they have also called for it to be made permanent and extended to the conflict in Gaza. Amelia Whitworth, head of policy, campaigns and youth at the children’s charity Plan International UK, welcomed news of the deal. She said: “It is essential that all parties respect this ceasefire so that vital humanitarian aid can be delivered to the children and families that desperately need it.” Ms Whitworth added: “Today’s agreement must act as a vital step towards a sustained, permanent ceasefire – both in Lebanon and across Gaza and the wider Middle East region. “The horror must stop immediately, all children deserve to enjoy their childhood free from the threat of violence.” Paras Tamang, global humanitarian director at ActionAid, echoed her comments, saying the ceasefire would provide “temporary relief” for civilians but was “not an acceptable long-term solution to the crisis”. Mr Tamang said: “Whilst air strikes may stop for a while, the fallout from these attacks will continue to be felt for years to come. “More humanitarian aid is needed to help the hundreds of thousands of people who have lost everything.” According to the UN, more than 3,700 people, including 240 children, have been killed in Lebanon since the latest round of fighting began in October 2023, while around 900,000 have been displaced.Prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday gave a clarion call for unity and brotherhood in the country in his final Mann ki Baat episode of the year, and urged people to “annihilate the feeling of division and hatred in the society” while he hailed the upcoming Kumbh Mela as a unique scene of unity in diversity. Modi also announced that a special website named constitution75.com has been created to connect the citizens of the country with the legacy of the Constitution. As the Prime Minister informed his audience of the preparations for the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj from January 13, he hailed the spiritual festival as a manifestation of India’s diversity where there is no discrimination against anyone and everyone is treated equally. “The speciality of the Maha Kumbh is not only in its vastness. The speciality of the Kumbh is also in its diversity. Crores of people congregate for this event. Lakhs of saints, thousands of traditions, hundreds of sects, many akharas, everyone becomes a part of this event. There is no discrimination anywhere, no one is big, no one is small. Such a scene of unity in diversity will not be seen anywhere else in the world. Therefore, our Kumbh is also the Maha Kumbh of unity. This time’s Maha Kumbh will also bolster the mantra of Maha Kumbh of unity.” “Let me tell all of you; when we participate in the Kumbh, let us bring along this resolve of unity with us. Let us also make a resolve to annihilate the feeling of division and hatred in society. If I have to say it in a few words, then I will say Mahakumbh Ka Sandesh, Ek Ho Poora Desh... The message of the Mahakumbh, let the whole country be united... and putting it in another way, I will express Ganga Ki Aviral Dhara, Na Bate Samaj Hamara... Like the uninterrupted flow of the Ganga, let our society be undivided. Friends, this time in Prayagraj, devotees from the country and the world will also be witness to the digital Maha Kumbh,” the PM added. This is the second time in as many months that the PM has spoken about unity and peace in society. On November 11, speaking virtually at the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Vadtal, Gujarat, Modi urged for collective action to safeguard national integrity. “Unity among citizens and integrity of the nation is important to make India a developed nation by 2047. Some forces are working to divide our society on the basis of caste, faith, language, social status, gender, and the rural-urban divide. We must recognise the gravity of these attempts by those who seek to harm our nation, understand the threat they pose, and work collectively to defeat such divisive acts,” Modi said. The PM also informed that for the first time an AI chatbot will be used at the mega carnival of humanity. “With the help of digital navigation, you will be able to reach different ghats, temples, and akharas of sadhus. The same navigation system will also help you reach parking spaces. For the first time, an AI chatbot will be used in the Kumbh event. All kinds of information related to the Kumbh will be available in 11 Indian languages ​​through the AI ​​chatbot. Anyone can ask for any kind of help through this chatbot, either by typing text or by speaking in. The entire fair area is being covered with AI-powered cameras,” the PM said. If a person gets separated from one’s kith and kin during the Kumbh, these cameras will help find them and devotees will also get the facility of a digital lost and found centre, the PM added. He spoke of how devotees will also be provided information about government-approved tour packages, accommodation and homestays on their mobile phones and a facility to click selfies with #EktaKaMahakumbh. As the government is making mega plans to celebrate 75 years of the installation of the Constitution — which has also been at the centre of major political battles in the recent past between the Congress and the BJP — the Prime Minister in his Mann ki Baat announced that a special website has been created to bring the common people closer to the spirit of the document. “On January 26, 2025, our Constitution is completing 75 years. It is a matter of great honour for all of us. The Constitution, handed over to us by our Constitution makers, has stood the test of time in every sense of the term. The Constitution is our guiding light, our guide. It is on account of the Constitution of India that I am here today, being able to talk to you. This year, on Constitution Day, the 26th of November, many activities have commenced that will go on for a year. A special website named constitution75.com has also been created to connect the citizens of the country with the legacy of the Constitution,” the PM said. “In this”, Modi added, “you can read the Preamble of the Constitution and upload your video. You can read the Constitution in myriad languages; you can also ask questions pertaining to the Constitution. I urge the listeners of Mann Ki Baat, school-going children, college-going youth, to visit this website and become a part of it.” Modi also touted the ministry of information and broadcasting’s upcoming WAVES Summit in New Delhi that the ministry wants to turn into India’s flagship entertainment conference, akin to what the Cannes Film Festival is to France. “A great opportunity is on the way to showcase India’s creative talent to the world. Next year, for the first time, the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit, that is, WAVES Summit is going to be organised in our country. All of you must have heard about Davos, where the world’s economic giants gather. Similarly, in the WAVES Summit, giants from the media and entertainment industry and people from the creative world will come to India. This summit is an important step towards making India a hub of global content creation. I feel proud informing you that the young creators of our country are also joining with full enthusiasm in the preparations for this summit. When we are moving towards a $5 trillion economy, our creator economy is bringing in a new energy. “I would urge the entire entertainment and creative industry of India -- whether you are a young creator or an established artist, associated with Bollywood or regional cinema, a professional from the TV industry, an expert in animation, gaming or an innovator in entertainment technology -- to be a part of the WAVES Summit,” he said. The WAVES Summit was earlier scheduled to be held in Goa alongside IFFI in November but was rescheduled to four months later. Modi also told the country about the first Bastar Olympics that concluded earlier this month and saw the participation of 165,000 players from seven districts. “You will also be happy to know that this is taking place in the region which was once a witness to Maoist violence,” he said. The events included athletics, archery, badminton, football, hockey, weightlifting, karate, kabaddi, kho-kho, and volleyball. “Bastar Olympics is not just a sports event. It is a platform where development and sports are merging together, where our youth are honing their talent and building a new India,” he said.

Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen have targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment on Thursday took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. An uneasy calm settles over Syrian city of Homs after outbreak of sectarian violence HOMS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s new security forces checked IDs and searched cars in the central city of Homs a day after protests by members of the Alawite minority erupted in gunfire and stirred fears that the country’s fragile peace could break down. A tense calm prevailed Thursday after checkpoints were set up throughout the country’s third-largest city, which has a mixed population of Sunni and Shia Muslims, Alawites and Christians. The security forces are controlled by the former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led the charge that unseated former President Bashar Assad. The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they asked for — and got — the retraction of an independent monitor's warning of imminent famine in north Gaza. The internationally Famine Early Warning System Network issued the warning this week. The new report had warned that starvation deaths in north Gaza could reach famine levels as soon as next month. It cited what it called Israel's “near-total blockade” of food and water. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, criticized the finding as inaccurate and irresponsible. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the famine-monitoring group, told the AP it had asked for and gotten the report's retraction. USAID officials tell The Associated Press that it had asked the group for greater review of discrepancies in some of the data. Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in Congress plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. They want to push through long-sought changes such as voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections. That's after an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Democrats say they are willing to work with the GOP but want any changes to make it easier, not harder, to vote. Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out NEW YORK (AP) — A lot of Americans, after an intense presidential election campaign, are looking for a break in political news. That's evident in cable television news ratings and a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they've found the need recently to cut down on their consumption of political and government news. That's particularly true among Democrats following President-elect Donald Trump's victory, although a significant number of Republicans and independents feel the same way. Cable networks MSNBC and CNN are really seeing a slump. That's also happened in years past for networks that particularly appeal to supporters of one candidate. New York to charge fossil fuel companies for damage from climate change ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Large fossil fuel companies would have to pay fees to help New York fight the effects of climate change under a bill signed by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. The governor signed the new law Thursday. It requires companies responsible for substantial greenhouse gas emissions to pay into a state infrastructure fund for repairs or projects that help avoid future damage from climate change. Lawmakers approved the bill earlier this year. It's meant to make big oil and gas companies contribute to the cost of repairs after extreme weather events or for resiliency projects. Such projects may include restoring coastal wetlands or upgrading roads, bridges and water drainage systems. Legal challenges to the new law are expected. Aviation experts say Russia's air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns Aviation experts say that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured. Azerbaijan is observing a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the crash. Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons yet unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy battlefield losses KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in Russia's Kursk region and face logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks. The intelligence agency said Thursday that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units. Ukraine's president said earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed and wounded in the fighting in the Kursk region. It marked the first significant estimate by Ukraine of North Korean casualties several weeks after Kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Why this Mexican American woman played a vital role in the US sacramental peyote trade MIRANDO CITY, Texas (AP) — Amada Cardenas, a Mexican American woman who lived in the tiny border town of Mirando City in South Texas, played an important role in the history of the peyote trade. She and her husband were the first federally licensed peyote dealers who harvested and sold the sacramental plant to followers of the Native American Church in the 1930s. After her husband's death in 1967, Cardenas continued to welcome generations of Native American Church members to her home until her death in 2005, just before her 101st birthday.Student protesters enter Somoy TV owner’s offices, journos sacked

Walmart's DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump's election victoryMaupay also had a dig at Everton when he departed on loan to Marseille in the summer and his latest taunt has further angered the Premier League club’s supporters. The 28-year-old said on X after Sean Dyche’s side had lost 2-0 to Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park on Sunday: “Whenever I’m having a bad day I just check the Everton score and smile.” Former boxer Tony Bellew was among the Toffees’ supporters who responded to Maupay, with the ex-world cruiserweight champion replying on X with: “P****!” Maupay endured a miserable spell at Everton, scoring just one league goal in 29 appearances after being signed by the Merseysiders for an undisclosed fee in 2022. He departed on a season-long loan to his former club Brentford for the 2023-24 season and left Goodison for a second time in August when Marseille signed him on loan with an obligation to make the deal permanent. After leaving Everton in the summer, Maupay outraged their fans by posting on social media a scene from the film Shawshank Redemption, famous for depicting the main character’s long fight for freedom.

Alberta NDP concerned postal strike plan could hinder upcoming byelectionDUBLIN — The report has been added to offering. The regtech industry in Canada is expected to grow by 18.7% on annual basis to reach US$499.93 million in 2024. The regtech industry is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 11.9% during 2024-2029. The regtech in the country will increase from US$421.13 million in 2023 to reach US$877.60 million by 2029. This report provides a detailed data centric analysis of regtech industry, covering market opportunities and risks. With over 50+ KPIs at country level, this report provides a comprehensive understanding of regtech market dynamics, market size and forecast, and market share statistics. The RegTech landscape in Canada is rapidly evolving, driven by technological advancements and increasing regulatory pressures. As organizations seek to enhance their compliance capabilities, the demand for innovative RegTech solutions will continue to grow. While challenges such as funding limitations and regulatory complexity persist, opportunities for collaboration and growth abound. By embracing advanced technologies and fostering partnerships, the Canadian RegTech sector is well-positioned to become a global leader in regulatory innovation, benefiting organizations, regulators, and consumers. Recent Regulatory Technology (RegTech) trends in Canada reflect a dynamic landscape focused on enhancing compliance across various sectors. Example – A notable example is RegTech Canada, an organization that connects RegTech innovators with financial institutions and regulators. They facilitate partnerships and knowledge sharing to enhance compliance solutions, showcasing the collaborative efforts driving RegTech advancements in Canada’s regulatory landscape. For more information about this report visit ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world’s leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

How old was Jimmy Carter when he died? Inside former president’s final days at home in hospice careVoice cloning is an emerging technology powered by artificial intelligence and it's raising alarms about its potential misuse. Earlier this year, New Hampshire voters experienced this firsthand when a deepfake mimicking President Joe Biden’s voice urged them to skip the polls ahead of the primary. The deepfake likely needed only several seconds of the president's voice to create the clone. According to multiple AI voice cloning models, about 10 seconds of an actual voice is all that is needed to recreate it. And that can easily come from a phone call or a video from social media. "A person's voice is really probably not that information-dense. It's not as unique as you may think," James Betker, a technical staff member at OpenAI, told Scripps News. Betker developed TortoiseTTS, an open-source voice cloning model. "It's actually very easy to model, very easy to learn, the distribution of all human voices from a fairly small amount of data," Betker added. How AI voice cloning works AI models have been trained on vast amounts of data, learning to recognize human speech. Programs analyze the data and train repeatedly, learning characteristics such as rhythm, stress, pitch and tone. "It can look at 10 seconds of someone speaking and it has stored enough information about how humans speak with that kind of prosody and pitch. Enough information about how people speak with their processing pitch and its weights that it can just continue on," Betker said. Imagine a trained AI model as a teacher, and the person cloning the voice to be a student. When a student asks to create a cloned voice, it starts off as white noise. The teacher scores how close the student is to sounding correct. The student tries again and again based on these scores until the student produces something close to what the teacher wants. While this explanation is extremely simplified, the concept of generating a cloned voice is based on bit-by-bit, based on probability distributions. "I think, at its core, it's pretty simple," Betker said. "I think the analogy of just continuing with what you're given will take you pretty far here." There are currently some AI models that claim to only need two seconds of samples. While the results are not convincing yet, Betker says future models will need even fewer voice samples to create a convincing clone.

NoneWhat to know about ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah

Israeli attorney general orders probe into report that alleged Netanyahu's wife harassed opponents

Oppo A5 Pro 5G launched, offers MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC and 6000mAh batteryNew coach Chris Holtmann has been tasked with rebuilding DePaul to the point where it can return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004. Northern Illinois coach Rashon Burno knows what it takes to steer DePaul to the NCAAs because he was the starting point guard on the 2000 team that made the tournament -- the Blue Demons' only other NCAA appearance since 1992. Perhaps they can compare notes Saturday afternoon when Burno leads the Huskies (2-3) back to his alma mater as DePaul (5-0) hosts its sixth straight home game in Chicago. Last season, Burno's NIU squad helped accelerate DePaul's need for a new coach -- as the Huskies waltzed into Wintrust Arena and owned Tony Stubblefield's Blue Demons by an 89-79 score on Nov. 25. The Huskies built a 24-point second-half lead before coasting to the finish line. Can history repeat for NIU? There's just one problem with using last year's game as a potential barometer for Saturday's rematch: Almost no players on this year's teams were part of last year's squads. At DePaul, only assistant coach Paris Parham remains as Holtmann had the green light to bring in an all-new roster. UIC graduate transfer Isaiah Rivera (16.0 ppg, .485 3-point rate) and Coastal Carolina transfer Jacob Meyer (15.4 ppg, .406 on 3s) lead a balanced attack that focuses on getting half its shots from beyond the arc. At NIU, Burno retained only two players who competed against DePaul last year -- Ethan Butler and Oluwasegun Durosinmi -- and they combined for three points in 26 minutes in that game. The Huskies' main players used the transfer portal to join such programs as Kansas, Wisconsin, Penn State, Colorado State, James Madison, Georgia State and Niagara. With every starting job open, Butler has jumped into the lineup and produced 11.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. Transfers Quentin Jones (Cal Poly) and James Dent (Western Illinois) pace the Huskies with 14.4 and 14.0 points per game. NIU is on a two-game losing streak, most recently a 75-48 home defeat at the hands of Elon on Wednesday. Holtmann hopes to have Arkansas transfer Layden Blocker for Saturday's game. Blocker missed Tuesday's 78-69 win over Eastern Illinois with a quad injury. With the combo guard unavailable, point guard Conor Enright handed out a career-high 11 assists in a season-high 38 minutes. "We need (Blocker)," Holtmann said. "I don't want to play Conor 38 minutes." --Field Level Media

'Democracy and freedom': Jimmy Carter's human rights efforts in Latin AmericaKosovo's ethnic Serb party says its ban from a parliamentary election is 'political violence'A ceasefire deal that could end more than a year of cross-border fighting between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group won backing from Israeli leaders Tuesday, raising hopes and renewing difficult questions in a region gripped by conflict. Hezbollah leaders also signaled tentative backing for the U.S.-brokered deal, which offers both sides an off-ramp from hostilities that have driven more than 1.2 million Lebanese and 50,000 Israelis from their homes. An intense bombing campaign by Israel has killed more than 3,700 people, many of them civilians, Lebanese officials say. But while the deal, set to take effect early Wednesday, could significantly calm the tensions that have inflamed the region, it does little directly to resolve the much deadlier war that has raged in Gaza since the Hamas attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that killed 1,200 people. Hezbollah, which began firing scores of rockets into Israel the following day in support of Hamas, has previously said it would keep fighting until there was a stop to the fighting in Gaza. Here’s what to know about the tentative ceasefire agreement and its potential implications: The agreement reportedly calls for a 60-day halt in fighting that would see Israeli troops retreat to their side of the border while requiring Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon. President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the deal is set to take effect at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday (9 p.m. EST Tuesday). Under the deal, thousands of Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers are to deploy to the region south of the Litani River. An international panel lead by the U.S. would monitor compliance by all sides. Biden said the deal “was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Israel has demanded the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations. Lebanese officials have rejected writing that into the proposal. Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz insisted Tuesday that the military would strike Hezbollah if the U.N. peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL , does not provide “effective enforcement” of the deal. A Hezbollah leader said the group's support for the deal hinged on clarity that Israel would not renew its attacks. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Qatari satellite news network Al Jazeera. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state” of Lebanon, he said. The European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said Tuesday that Israel’s security concerns had been addressed in the deal also brokered by France. After months of cross-border bombings, Israel can claim major victories, including the killing of Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah, most of his senior commanders and the destruction of extensive militant infrastructure. A complex attack in September involving the explosion of hundreds of walkie-talkies and pagers used by Hezbollah was widely attributed to Israel, signaling a remarkable penetration of the militant group. The damage inflicted on Hezbollah has come not only in its ranks, but to the reputation it built by fighting Israel to a stalemate in the 2006 war. Still, its fighters managed to put up heavy resistance on the ground, slowing Israel’s advance while continuing to fire scores of rockets, missiles and drones across the border each day. The ceasefire offers relief to both sides, giving Israel’s overstretched army a break and allowing Hezbollah leaders to tout the group’s effectiveness in holding their ground despite Israel’s massive advantage in weaponry. But the group is likely to face a reckoning, with many Lebanese accusing it of tying their country’s fate to Gaza’s at the service of key ally Iran, inflicting great damage on a Lebanese economy that was already in grave condition. Until now, Hezbollah has insisted that it would only halt its attacks on Israel when it agreed to stop fighting in Gaza. Some in the region are likely to view a deal between the Lebanon-based group and Israel as a capitulation. In Gaza, where officials say the war has killed more than 44,000 Palestinians, Israel’s attacks have inflicted a heavy toll on Hamas, including the killing of the group’s top leaders. But Hamas fighters continue to hold scores of Israeli hostages, giving the militant group a bargaining chip if indirect ceasefire negotiations resume. Hamas is likely to continue to demand a lasting truce and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in any such deal. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas offered a pointed reminder Tuesday of the intractability of the war, demanding urgent international intervention. “The only way to halt the dangerous escalation we are witnessing in the region, and maintain regional and international stability, security and peace, is to resolve the question of Palestine,” he said in a speech to the U.N. read by his ambassador.