The family of Elias Hasrouni, an ex-Lebanese Forces official who was abducted and killed in the southern town of Ain Ebel, on Wednesday met with caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi.

“The minister has information that is being followed up in the case and today we were reassured that things are on the right track to achieve justice,” the family said after the meeting.

An explosion was heard at dawn inside the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Helweh in the southern city of Sidon, the state-run National News Agency said.

The explosion resulted from “a hand grenade that was hurled near a school belonging to the UNRWA agency in the camp’s al-Fawqani street,” NNA said, adding that the incident caused no casualties.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi criticized Wednesday Lebanon's leaders who are calling for dialogue instead of electing a president.

"They are hiding behind dialogue and consensus, while there is only one constitutional solution," al-Rahi said, stressing that the solution is to elect a president in parliament.

Hezbollah and Amal have reportedly responded to two questions, included in a letter that the French embassy had sent to the Lebanese MPs, regarding the required qualifications of the future president.

Al-joumhouria newspaper reported Tuesday that it had learned from the Shiite Duo's sources that Amal and Hezbollah have told French special presidential envoy for Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian that they will attend the dialogue.

Four residents of the town of Kahale on Tuesday headed to a military intelligence department to give their testimonies regarding the deadly clash with Hezbollah members on August 9.

A statement issued by Kahale’s municipality, residents and dignitaries said the four men testified as witnesses.

Former minister Jihad Azour has met Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi and Amal MP Ali Hassan Khalil, on a four-day visit to Lebanon, MTV said Tuesday.

Azour also met former Democratic Gathering bloc MP Nehme Tohme, the media outlet reported.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri arrived Tuesday at Beirut's airport to take a helicopter that will transport them to the drilling rig in Block 9.

Mikati, Berri, caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad and caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamiyeh visited the Transocean Barents drilling rig which will start within a few days searching for gas in Block 9 offshore Lebanon.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has criticized those rejecting a Lebanese dialogue proposed by France, his circles told An-Nahar newspaper, in remarks published Monday.

The sources quoted Berri as saying that it would have been better for the opposition MPs to respond to French envoy Jean Yves Le Drian's call for a dialogue, instead of "betting on other options."

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday slammed those who “have been blocking the election of a president for the past 11 months, accusing them of “violating the constitution, destroying the republic, impeding economic and financial life, fragmenting authorities and impoverishing and forcing the people to emigrate.”

UNRWA says it has received reports that another school compound has now been taken over by armed groups in the Ain el-Helweh Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon.

“This brings the total number of schools taken over by armed groups in the camp to eight, risking the start of the school year in time for 5,900 children,” UNRWA warned.