US Ambassador to Lebanon Stresses Need for New President
According to Naharnet, “U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea on Tuesday stressed the need to elect a new Lebanese president, warning that procrastination and betting on time are not in Lebanon’s interest, the National News Agency said.” [Naharnet]

Zeina Fares Joins Advisory Board of the Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies at UNC
As announced via social media, the Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill welcomed alum, Zeina Fares, to its advisory board. [Facebook]

Flash Flooding After Heavy Rain
According to Naharnet, “Heavy rains on Tuesday caused powerful flashfloods in Jounieh, Kaslik and Kfar Hbab in the Keserwan district, trapping motorists in their vehicles and causing major damage, media reports said. The rains also submerged Jbeil’s old souks.” [Naharnet]

Mikati Reported to Call for Cabinet Session Next Week
According to Naharnet, “Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati will call for a caretaker cabinet session and the date may be next week, MTV reported on Tuesday.” [Naharnet]

Head of ISF Issues Memo Granting Police Authority to Issue Arrests
According to L’Orient Today, “ISF head Imad Osman issued a memo granting the police the authority to issue arrest warrants, even in the absence of any instructions from the public prosecutor’s office. The memo is being seen as an attack against justice.” [L’Orient Today]

AbiNader writes, “A food desert is commonly defined as a geographic area where residents have few to no convenient options for securing affordable and healthy foods . . . At this point, Lebanon has certainly become a beggar state. Remittances from overseas remain the most important lifeline for many, if they can navigate the opaqueness of the banking system and Central Bank rules. Without an executive government and a parliament unable to elect a new president, the country is languishing. While those with means survive, more than 75% of the population remain in poverty, unable to sustain a quality of life with adequate access to food, education, medicines, and social services. State institutions, the banking sector, and public services are all in disarray . . . Given its political structure, the very nature of assistance to Lebanon gets called into question when well-intentioned initiatives and programs – like the ESSN cash-assistance program that is actionable and immediate – prove susceptible to corruption. When Lebanon’s friends outside the country are seemingly more concerned about Lebanon’s future than its current leadership, a deeper dilemma emerges regarding how much change it will take for Lebanon to become a viable, sovereign, and self-sufficient state. We’re still waiting for that answer.”

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