By SAM F. GHATTAS, Associated Press Writer  BEIRUT, Lebanon - Lebanon's president on Friday named moderate pro-Syrian lawmaker Najib Mikati as prime minister, breaking a political deadlock and reviving chances for holding parliamentary elections next month. The announcement came two days after Prime Minister-designate Omar Karami ended his efforts to form a Cabinet after nearly seven weeks. Mikati, an opposition-backed former public works minister, won the position after President Emile Lahoud polled legislators or their representatives from the 128-member parliament. Lahoud consulted with the speaker of parliament about the results and then summoned Mikati to the presidential palace and asked him to form the next government, said presidential spokesman Rafik Shalala.

By Nadim Ladki  BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud began consultations with parliamentarians on Friday to name a new prime minister to lead the country to a general election set for May. Political sources said the selection of the new prime minister was now a two-horse race between outgoing Defense Minister Abdel Rahim Mrad, a staunch ally of Damascus, and the more moderate former minister Najib Mikatti, a wealthy businessman with close ties to Syria. Lebanon has been without a government since Feb. 28, two weeks after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri plunged the country into its worst political crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.

(Reuters) - Lebanon's pro-Syrian political coalition was in disarray on Thursday, with a key figure saying he could no longer work with President Emile Lahoud, another top ally of Damascus. Tensions boiled over a day after Prime Minister Omar Karami stepped down after he failed to agree a cabinet with pro-Syrian allies, deepening the worst political crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. With Syrian forces streaming out of Lebanon in line with an April 30 deadline for an end to Damascus's 29-year-old military and intelligence presence, its allies in Beirut are increasingly squabbling over how to move forward.

Patriarch Youssef Dargham El Khazen

He was the first De Khazen family member to become Maronite Patriarch In a series of three members had the same position during the 18^th and 19^th century (the other two members were Patriarch Toubia Kaiss El Khazen and Patriarch Youssef Raji El Khazen).