Former Ambassador David Hale Interviewed by L’Orient Today
In a L’Orient Today interview,  former US Ambassador to Lebanon, Ambassador David Hale, said, “Without the election of a president, the legislation on key reforms, so far pending, cannot be realized . . . Only the Lebanese leaders can make things happen . . . Even if a presidential vacancy is bad, electing the ‘wrong president’ would be worse.” [L’Orient Today]

Medicines and Baby Milk in Limited Supply Amid Recent Surge of Lira Rate
According to Naharnet, “The head of the Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon, Joe Salloum, warned Wednesday that the dramatic surge in the dollar exchange rate on the black market has led to ‘a near-complete halt of the delivery of medicines and baby milk to pharmacies’.” [Naharnet]

Corniche al-Nahr Branch of Crédit Libanais Bank Site of Scuffle
According to L’Orient Today, “A scuffle broke out on Tuesday in a branch of the Crédit Libanais bank in Corniche al-Nahr, Beirut, during an action led by a depositor, accompanied by activists, to recover his blocked savings from the bank, the Cry of the Depositors group confirmed to L’Orient-Le Jour.” [L’Orient Today]

AbiNader writes, “We all have our stories of Lebanon during the holiday season – at least of the end of year celebrations. My first visit was in 1974 as I was returning to Lebanon from North Yemen (at the time), having served as Peace Corps Training Director in Sanaa. And I thought New York knew how to show off during the holidays! Lights, music, comradery, and a waning feeling of better days to come – despite the growing presence of refugees in the country – were the hallmarks of the season, regardless of affiliation.” 

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Khatlab writes, “Joseph Ibrahim Nehmeh, like many other people born in Mount Lebanon, left his homeland for Rio de Janeiro at the end of the 18th century.”

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