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  <TITLE>Lebanon.com Newswire - Local News December 18 1998</TITLE>
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  News from Beirut December 18&nbsp; 1998
  ...<A HREF="http://www.lebanon.com/search/index.htm"><IMG BORDER="0" ALT="Search Lebanon.com"
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<H2>
  Parliament gives Hoss' government confidence vote
</H2>
<P>
After two days of criticism from MPs, Prime Minister Salim Al-Hoss and his
new cabinet won parliament's vote of confidence late last night. Of the 116
deputies present, 85 voted for the new government and 31 abstained.
<P>
The new opposition mainly took the shape of blocs belonging to former Prime
Minister Rafik Al-Hariri (11), former Minister of the War Displaced Walid
Jumblatt (9), and Hizbullah deputies (8). Three other MPs from the north,
Ahmad Karameh, Omar Miskawi and Ahmad Fatfat, also joined the opposition.
<P>
Opponents of the new government mainly centered their criticisms of the
ministerial policy statement on its lack of detail, with the bulk of the
criticism coming from the parliamentary blocs of Hariri and Jumblatt.
<P>
The last to speak before the actual vote, Prime Minister Hoss reiterated
his goal of improving the economy and stamping out corruption. Hoss also
insisted his statement had avoided criticizing the previous administration
as mush as possible.
<H2>
  Lahhoud receives greeting messages from world leaders
</H2>
<P>
President Emil Lahhoud today held a meeting with Prime Minister Salim Al-Hoss
at Baabda. Discussions centered on recent local and regional developments.
<P>
Lahhoud today received greeting messages on the occasion of Christmas and
Ramadan from Moroccan King Hassan II, South African President Nelson Mandela,
the President of Zambia, and the Prime Minister of Bahrain.
<P>
The president earlier held talks with the head of the Higher Shiite Council
Sheikh Mohammed Mahdi Shamseddine who visited Baabda accompanied by his deputy,
Sheikh Abdel Amir Qabalan. After the meeting, Shamseddine voiced support
to the new president calling on more cooperation between all Lebanese authorities
and institutions.
<H2>
  Hoss invited to visit Turkey
</H2>
<P>
Prime Minister Salim Al-Hoss today received the Turkish Ambassador to Lebanon,
Nazem Demlo at the Grand Saray. Demlo handed the premier an official invitation
to visit Turkey.
<P>
The premier later held talks with a papal delegation including the head of
the Papal Delegation in the World, Robert Stern, its representative in the
US, John Faris, and its representative in Lebanon, Issam Bshara.
<P>
Hoss also received a letter today from the Secretary General of the Arab
League Issmat Abdel Majid that tackled the current strike on Iraq in addition
to recent regional developments.
<H2>
  Hariri heads to Damascus for talks with Khaddam
</H2>
<P>
Former Prime Minister, Beirut MP Rafik Al-Hariri this morning headed to Damascus
for talks with Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam on the latest
developments in Lebanon and the region.
<P>
During his visit to the Syrian capital, Hariri will also meet a number of
high-ranking Syrian officials after having lunch with Khaddam at his residence.
<H2>
  Lebanese and Palestinians condemn strike against Iraq
</H2>
<P>
In the Palestinian Refugee Camp of Mar Elias, a joint Lebanese-Palestinian
meeting was held this morning in protest and strong denunciation to the current
military aggressions against Iraq.
<P>
A sit-in was also organized by the Arab National Forum in front of the UN
House in downtown Beirut this afternoon to protest the sanctions and military
actions against Iraq.
<P>
In Sidon, political groups demonstrated after prayers at the al-Quds mosque.
The Fatah Movement also organized a strike in the Palestinian Refugee Camp
of Ain Al-Helwa expressing solidarity with Iraq.
<P>
Similar solidarity meetings and sit-ins were organized by political groups
in Iqlim Al-Kharroub and the Western Bekaa.
<P>
Prime Minister Salim Al-Hoss yesterday denounced the US-led air strikes on
Iraq and parliament endorsed Mr. Hoss' statement in a unanimous vote. Hoss
urged the United States to stop this aggression and to show commitment to
a fairer Middle East policy.
<H2>
  University students strike in solidarity with Iraqi people
</H2>
<P>
Students in all faculties of the Lebanese University across the country today
held a strike to protest the US-British aggression against Iraq and its people.
They were also joined by students from the Arab University and the University
of Balamand.
<P>
For a second day today, students at the American University of Beirut and
the Lebanese American University continued their solidarity strike with the
Iraqi people. They held banners and displayed pictures of dying Iraqi children
and sang songs of solidarity for the Iraqi people.
<P>
The AUB Iraqi Cultural Club printed leaflets calling for solidarity between
all Arab people and condemned the US violations and assaults against Iraq
and its sovereignty. "Bill go to Monica", "Stop US Fascism", "From Washington
to Baghdad, Happy New Year", and "Thanks Fox for Your Gifts" read banners
condemning Operation Desert Fox in front of AUB main gate. LAU students also
distributed leaflets urging the government, religious authorities and Arab
and Islamic countries to take action against the attack.
<H2>
  One civilian killed and another wounded in Israeli shelling on Shaqra
</H2>
<P>
One Lebanese civilian was killed and another wounded in Israeli shelling
of the village of Shaqra. Around 12 shells, originating from Israeli positions
in the occupation zone, fell on the village last night killing Mohsen Khalaf,
17, and wounding Mahmud Deeb. The bombardment also destroyed the house of
Mohsen's father.
<P>
Meanwhile, Israeli occupying troops today continued their attacks on southern
villages. Shells targeted this morning the outskirts of Haddatha, Ayta Al-Jabal,
Harees, Kafra, Yater, Baraasheet and Jabal Al-Zaatar. The bombardment caused
damage in the house of Lebanese civilian Atef Nasser.
<P>
For its part, the Lebanese Resistance retaliated by attacking Israeli outposts
in the hills of Rshaf and Haddatha scoring direct hits in the operations
according to statements by the resistance.
<H2>
  Three ministers meet in Tripoli to discuss contaminated water problem
</H2>
<P>
In light of the absence of an immediate solution to the problem of contaminated
water in Tripoli and Mina, three ministers today held a meeting at the city's
government house to deal with the issue.
<P>
Minister of Electricity and Water Resources Suleiman Traboulsi, Minister
of Public Works Najib Meeqati, and Environment Minister Arthur Nazarian met
with North Governor Khalil Al-Hindi in the presence of Deputy Fayez Ghoson
and a number of municipality figures and dignitaries in the city. The meeting
formed a committee to tackle the problem immediately.
<P>
Laboratory tests had indicated that drinking-water supplies for Tripoli and
Mina were being polluted by olive-oil residue discharged by olive-oil presses
around the area. For the past two weeks, Tripoli residents have been buying
bottled water for drinking and domestic use.
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