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.

Signs of a breakthrough in the government formation started to emerge, most importantly is the end of a “political breakup” between the Lebanese Forces and Free Patriotic Movement after Wednesday’s meeting between FPM chief Jebran Bassil and LF Minister Melhem Riachi, Ashraq al-Awsat daily reported Thursday.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri received Wednesday evening at the Center House Sweden Crown Princess Victoria, her spouse Daniel and the accompanying delegation, Hariri’s media office said.

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil held talks on Wednesday with his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Jaafari where they discussed bilateral relations between the two countries.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon said in a statement on Wednesday that Ibrahim al-Amin, editor-in-chief of al-Akhbar daily, has satisfied the sentence imposed on him by the Contempt Judge Nicola Lettieri on 29 August 2016.

The fine of €20,000 was received by the Registrar of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on 14 August 2018, it said.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri intensifies efforts to ease obstacles hampering the formation process and has therefore held series of meetings with related parties.

The Kataeb parliamentary bloc has submitted a draft law suggesting that lifelong salaries for lawmakers be terminated, a move described as beneficial for Lebanon's treasury.

President Michel Aoun received Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari on Tuesday at the Baabda Presidential Palace, the National News Agency reported.