Caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil departed for Cairo to extend an invitation to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to attend the socio-economic summit scheduled to take place in Beirut in January, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

As wrangling between political parties over ministerial portfolios continues to delay the government formation, a senior Lebanese politician told al-Hayat daily on Monday that the government has a set of delicate tasks ahead that it should handle as follows:

Controversy over the allocation of the justice ministry for the Lebanese Forces continues, amid reports saying that President Michel Aoun believes he made many concessions in the LF’s interest when he conceded the position of deputy premier, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.

The six-month stalled formation of the government saw “positive” signals on Friday that relapsed later during the day when President Michel Aoun insisted on naming the justice minister in the new government.

President Michel Aoun received visiting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday at the Presidential Palace in Baabda where talks highlighted bilateral ties between the two countries, the State-run National News Agency reported.

The latest positive political momentum heralding a near formation of the government faces a setback and raises fears of new difficulties that could delay the lineup further.

The Free Patriotic Movement said the party has made several “concessions” so that no political party, mainly the Lebanese Forces, gets excluded from the government, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

Two individuals have died and more than sixteen were wounded when a hot water tank exploded in the southern town of Nabatieh, the National News Agency reported on Thursday.

NNA said the explosion took place at a sweets factory that killed a woman. A man sustaining serious injuries had succumbed to his wounds after he was taken to hospital.

President Michel Aoun affirmed on Thursday that the formation of Lebanon’s government has become imminent, telling reporters “it is just round the corner.”

Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria, accompanied by the Swedish Minister of the Elderly and Social Affairs, and the Swedish Ambassador to Lebanon, Jurgen Lindstrom, toured the neighborhoods of Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp where she was briefed on the “dire situation of the residents,” the National News Agency reported Thursday.

At the camp, Princess Victoria was received by Director-General of the UNRWA, Claudio Cordone. The visit was preceded by a tour for a Swedish press delegation around the camp to take photographs of the living conditions in which the refugees live.