Lebanon’s government holds budget meeting, 1st in months

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s government is holding its first meeting in three months to discuss the budget as talks with the International Monetary Fund over the country’s economic meltdown were poised to continue. The developments Monday are part of an effort to steer Lebanon out of its worst economic crisis in history. The meeting came after the powerful Hezbollah and its main Shiite ally ended their boycott of the Cabinet’s meetings on the budget and a recovery plan. Lebanon’s economic crisis, which began unfolding in late 2019, is rooted in years of mismanagement and corruption by the same political class that has been in power for years.