Lebanon's parliament approves country's first budget since 2005
Lebanon's parliament on Thursday approved the first state budget in 12 years, a vital step towards reforming the fragile economy and preventing rising debt spinning out of control.
Successive governments have failed to pass annual budgets due to a string of political crises since the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.
"(Passing the budget) is a fundamental step on the state's path to reinstating order in the public finances," Minister of Finance Ali Hassan Khalil said after the vote.
