by thenational.ae -- An evening dress for milk formula, children's clothes for cooking oil – as they watch prices soar in crisis-hit Lebanon, parents are taking to bartering online to survive. Tens of thousands of people across the social spectrum have lost their job or part of their income due to Lebanon's worst economic crisis in decades. As the Lebanese pound has plunged to historic lows, many have reverted to non-cash transactions to get hold of vital goods now prohibitively expensive in the supermarket. On Facebook, a group called "Lebanon barters" has attracted 12,000 users in just two weeks. Among them, Zeinab, 25, is looking to swap a black evening dress for milk formula and two packets of nappies for her 11-month-old baby boy. "I've never asked for anything from anyone, so I thought bartering would be better," she told Agence France Presse. "I'd feel more comfortable if I swapped something I didn't need for what I really do."

Until very recently, her family lived a "good" life, said the make-up artist from the northern city of Tripoli. But then the financial crisis hit, turning their lives upside-down. Her husband's employer closed shop and the novel coronavirus pandemic prevented her from seeing clients. As the economy nose-dived, diapers suddenly cost nearly three times as much, and the price tag on milk formula almost doubled. "We're now spending the small amount we managed to save, but I don't know what we'll do when it runs out," Zeinab said.

by politicallore.com -- In September, the United Nations will hold its 75th General assembly, and one of its VPs will be a female diplomat from Lebanon. According to Monday vote’s results, the Middle East country’s representative at the UN won the vote for the position. Amal Mudallali who is the Lebanese ambassador to the UN noted she is ‘looking forward’ to work as one of 21 assistant heads of the global forum in September. Meanwhile, current president of the UNGA extended his my sincere congratulations to all vice presidents of the 75th GA. He also addressed the current crisis, saying he avails of this opportunity to express the solidarity with the UN member states who are fighting the novel pathogen. Mrs Mudallali said she looks forward to the task while writing on Twitter.Alongside Lebanon, Jordan and Libya from the region also won the vote.

BEIRUT (AP) — The Lebanese judge who issued a ruling banning foreign and local media from interviewing the U.S. ambassador in Beirut resigned Tuesday, according to state media. Judge Mohammad Mazeh was referred to questioning by the Judicial Inspection Board for the ban, which caused an uproar in Lebanon. Mazeh issued the ban Saturday, a day after Ambassador Dorothoy Shea told Saudi-owned TV station Al-Hadath that Washington has “great concerns” over the role Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, has in the embattled Lebanese government. Critics viewed Shea's comments as foreign interference in Lebanese affairs, but the judge’s ruling was met with a swift backlash in the country, where the media is often divided along sectarian politics but enjoys more freedom than other countries in the region. Many described Mazeh's ruling as partisan, and said it undermined press freedoms. Minister of Information Manal Abdel-Samad said no one has the right to curtail the press and matters related to the media should be handled relevant authorities, not the courts.

Lebanon is in the throes of a critical economic and financial crisis. In her interview, Shea said successive governments have mismanaged the economy and accused Hezbollah of siphoning off public funds for its own purposes. She accused the group, which backs the current government and has strong representation in Parliament, of blocking needed reforms. Mazeh was referred to Lebanon's Judicial Inspection Board to be questioned on his controversial ban. He threatened to resign if questioned, suggesting the measure was undermining judicial independence. Shea had called the ruling “unfortunate and a distraction" from the country's economic woes and vowed she would not be silenced. After meeting with Foreign Minister Nasser Hitti on Monday, she said a page has been turned. She had earlier said the government had apologized to her for the ruling. The court ruling remains in effect but appears unlikely to be enforced.

by reuters — Lebanese security forces are investigating an explosion 11 days ago that took place near the convoy of former Prime …