Lebanese brace for all-out war with Israel

+ the neuroscience of mixed emotions US Edition - Today's top story: A weakened Hezbollah is being goaded into all-out conflict with Israel – the consequences would be devastating for all [View in browser]( US Edition | 29 September 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Happy Sunday − and welcome to the best of The Conversation U.S. Here are a few of our recently published stories: - [Does Hezbollah represent Lebanon? And what impact will death of longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah have?]( - [Brown bananas, crowded ports, empty shelves: What to expect if there’s a big dockworkers strike in the US]( Lebanon being dragged into Israel’s war in Gaza has been a major fear since the conflict began on Oct. 8, 2023, the day after Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel. That fear has come much closer to reality in recent days as Israel significantly stepped up its attacks on Lebanon-based Hezbollah, including the successful assassination of the group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Hundreds of Lebanese have been killed in recent days, and thousands have been forced to flee their homes. Notre Dame’s Asher Kaufman has been helping us cover the war’s impact on Lebanon for close to a year now. In his latest story – readers' top pick from last week – the historian and expert on Lebanon-Israel relations [explains what led to this moment](. He describes how the calculations that have avoided all-out war until now may have changed and the devastating consequences for all involved − especially the Lebanese. “Such a war would wreak havoc in Lebanon and Israel, and might also drag Iran and the United States into direct confrontation,” Kaufman writes. “In doing so, it would also fulfill the apparent wishes of the Hamas gunmen who murdered around 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7 in the hope that a heavy-handed Israeli response would draw in more groups across the region.” [ [The latest on philanthropy and nonprofits. Sign up for our weekly Giving Today newsletter](. ] Bryan Keogh Managing Editor Readers' picks [A weakened Hezbollah is being goaded into all-out conflict with Israel – the consequences would be devastating for all]( Asher Kaufman, University of Notre Dame Israelis and Lebanese face similar predicaments: Their well-being is being sacrificed for military priorities. - [Sri Lankans throw out old guard in election upset: What nation’s new Marxist-leaning leader means for economy, IMF loans]( Vidhura S. Tennekoon, Indiana University Anura Kumara Dissanayake touted his victory as a ‘fresh start’ for the South Asian nation, two years after it came to the brink of economic collapse. - [Why do people still back Trump, after everything? 5 things to understand about MAGA supporters’ thinking]( Alex Hinton, Rutgers University - Newark Despite Trump’s criminal record and other controversies, his supporters still see him as someone who is tough on immigration and good for the economy, an anthropologist who studies polarization finds. - [How sheriffs define law and order for their counties depends a lot on their views − and most are white Republican men]( Mirya Holman, University of Houston; Emily Farris, Texas Christian University There is a long history of sheriffs reinforcing social inequality − both informally and by using formal powers of their office - [A brief history of former presidents running for reelection: 3 losses, 1 win and 1 still TBD]( Graeme Mack, University of Richmond History illustrates that voters become galvanized and change their party allegiance when former US presidents run for a nonconsecutive term. Editors' picks [Mixed emotions – neuroscience is exploring how your brain lets you experience two opposite feelings at once]( Anthony Gianni Vaccaro, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Bittersweet experiences aren’t uncommon. Do people ever truly feel both positive and negative at the same exact moment, or do we just switch quickly back and forth? - [US home insurance rates are rising fast – hurricanes and wildfires play a big role, but there’s more to it]( Andrew J. Hoffman, University of Michigan Insurers are raising rates quickly, and it’s not just in California and Florida. They’re often shrinking coverage at the same time. - [Lebanese civilians are fleeing the south, fearing an Israeli invasion − a look back at 1982 suggests they have every reason to worry]( Mireille Rebeiz, Dickinson College Israel’s attempt to eliminate militant Palestinians in Lebanon led to slaughter of civilians, economic and political chaos and the creation of Hezbollah. - [Drug prices improved under Biden-Harris and Trump − but not for everyone, and not enough]( C. Michael White, University of Connecticut Both Trump and Harris seek to lower drug costs for patients. What headway have they made on realizing this goal? - [Autoworkers, Boeing machinists, cannabis drivers: Labor unions are mobilizing in new and old industries alike]( Robert Forrant, UMass Lowell US workers in general are finding themselves in an increasingly precarious position. News Quiz 🧠- [The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation Test your knowledge with a weekly quiz drawn from some of our favorite stories. This week, questions on pinky fingers, disconnected phones and recycling. - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Giving Today]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Follow us on social media: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon]( • [LinkedIn]( • [Instagram]( • [Facebook]( • Or [get one daily text from us]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you [facts and analysis to help you make sense of our complex world](. We can give away all our articles without any ads or paywalls thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](