News on Morocco

Culture clash: European art provokes Muslims

2010-03-14T17:15:15Z

<div id="subtitle">Conflict between European artists and Muslims fuels concern about a clash of civilizations</div><div><p>With the West locked in conflicts across the Muslim world, why would anyone throw fuel on the fire?</p><p>A small group of Europeans have been doing just that — provoking death plots and at least one murder by turning out art that derides the Prophet Muhammad and the Quran in ...

Ex-terror suspect suing government: reports

2010-03-13T13:15:25Z

<div><p>A Moroccan-born Montrealer who spent nearly two years behind bars for suspected terror ties, is suing the Canadian government for 24.5 million dollars.</p><p>Media reports said Adil Charkaoui filed a civil suit in Quebec Superior Court on February 22 targeting several Canadian federal go...

US dismayed after Morocco expels Americans

2010-03-12T11:00:23Z

<div id="subtitle">US airs 'dismay' over American expulsions from Morocco for alleged proselytizing</div><div><p>The U.S. ambassador to Morocco has expressed dismay over the expulsion of Americans accused of trying to convert Moroccans to Christianity in the North African kingdom.</p><p>The episode, involving several other foreign nationals, threatened to overshadow U.S. praise on Friday for Morocco's recent steps ...

US envoy disappointed by Morocco expulsions

2010-03-12T07:16:00Z

<div><p>The US ambassador to Morocco voiced disappointment on Friday at the recent expulsions of foreign nationals accused of proselytism, including some legal American residents.</p><p>"We are discouraged and saddened to learn of the Moroccan government's recent expulsion of a certain number of foreigners, including a number of Americans legally residing in Morocco," <...

Morocco warns of tough line after missionaries expelled

2010-03-11T12:15:50Z

<div><p>The Moroccan government warned Thursday it would take a tough line against proselytisers two days after 20 foreign Christian missionaries were expelled.</p><p>Communications Minister Khalid Naciri said the government would be "severe with all those who play with religious values".</p><p>The Christians were expelled after religious authorities accused...

Morocco takes tough line after missionaries expelled

2010-03-11T11:16:09Z

<div><p>The Moroccan government said Thursday it would take a tough line against proselytisers, in a warning issued two days after 20 foreign Christian missionaries were expelled.</p><p>Communications Minister Khalid Naciri Naciri said the government would be "severe with all those who play with religious values".</p><p>The Christians were expe...

Morocco to be first Arab nation in EU summit

2010-03-05T13:16:59Z

<div><p>Morocco will this weekend become the first Arab country to hold summit-level talks with the European Union when it meets the 27-nation bloc in Spain, which holds the EU presidency, officials said.</p><p>The meeting starting Saturday in the southern city of Granada will be a...

Frequent Fliers: TWG Tea's Taha Bouqdib

2010-03-05T05:30:18Z

<div><p>Taha Bouqdib is the president of TWG Tea, a global tea retailer that specializes in luxury blends. He lives in Singapore and travels extensively for work. He spoke to Reuters about managing his travel.</p><p>Q: How many flights a year do you estimate you take each year? Which is your most frequent route?</p><p>A: "I fly around 40 times a ...

Rights group urges Morocco to release ex-officer

2010-03-02T11:30:44Z

<div><p>A rights group appealed to Morocco to release a 72-year-old French-Moroccan former officer sentenced to 12 years in jail for divulging a state secret, in a letter sent Friday to King Mohammed VI.</p><p>Human Rights Watch (HRW) asked the king to examine the case of Kaddour Terhzaz, currentl...

Moroccan police dismantle 'terrorist network'

2010-03-02T07:16:08Z

<div><p>Moroccan police have dismantled a terrorist network that was "active in several towns" of the north African kingdom, the state security service announced Tuesday.</p><p>The network included six members who "were planning to commit terrorist acts inside the national territory," the security service said in a statement, without saying when the arrests took place.</p><p>"Within the framework of efforts by secu...

Morroco police to probe minaret collapse: agency

2010-02-21T09:45:42Z

<div><p>RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco's government ordered a police investigation into the collapse of a centuries-old mosque that left 41 people dead, state news agency MAP reported on Sunday.</p><p>The Lalla Khenata mosque's minaret collapsed in the old Bab el Bardiyine...

Mosque collapse raises questions over maintenance

2010-02-20T16:15:46Z

<div><p>Criticism mounted Saturday over the apparent lack of maintenance of an 18th-century mosque in central Morocco, a day after its minaret collapsed, killing 41 people and injuring 76 others.</p><p>Rescuers ended their search midday in the central city of Meknes, concluding all the victims buried in the rubble had been accounted for. The bodies of the dead were handed over to fam...

Morocco minaret collapse raises maintenance questions

2010-02-20T16:15:45Z

MOROCCO MINARET COLLAPSE

2010-02-20T09:45:19Z

Relatives carry the body of a victim of the collapsed minaret near the damaged mosque in Meknes, Morocco Saturday Feb. 20, 2010. Moroccan King Mohammed VI on Saturday ordered experts to check the safety of the country's historic mosques as the death toll from the collapse of a centuries-old minaret rose to 41 people, the official news agency sa...

Death toll after Moroccan minaret collapse now 41

2010-02-22T08:09:55Z

&lt;div id="subtitle"&gt;Death toll rises to 41 after Moroccan minaret collapse&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Moroccan King Mohammed VI on Saturday ordered experts to check the safety of the country's historic mosques as the death toll from the collapse of a centuries-old minaret rose to 41 people, the official news agency ...

Morocco minaret collapse raises questions

2010-02-20T08:15:38Z

Morocco minaret collapse leaves at least 41 dead

2010-02-20T08:15:37Z

<div><p>The collapse of a historic minaret in the central Moroccan city of Meknes has killed at least 41 people, injuring 76 others, an official said Saturday updating the casualty toll.</p><p>Rescuers were searching the rubble for other possible victims after the minaret of the Bab Berdieyinne mosque in Meknes' old quarte...

Residents angry over Moroccan minaret disaster

2010-02-22T08:07:04Z

&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;RABAT (Reuters) - Rescuers on Saturday dug out the last corpse of more than 40 worshippers crushed to death when a 400-year-old Moroccan mosque minaret collapsed, officials said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;"The authorities wrapped up the rescue operation and they had cle...

MOROCCO MINARET COLLAPSES

2010-02-20T06:16:01Z

In this frame from TV rescuers are at the scene after a minaret collapsed during Friday prayers at a crowded mosque in the old town of the historic Moroccan city of Meknes, killing dozens of people and injuring dozens more, the Interior Ministry said Friday Feb 19 2010. Officials blamed the accident on heavy rain that had weakened the minaret at the Bab Berdieyinne Mosque, according to an official communiq...

Morocco minaret collapse 'kills 40'

2010-02-20T03:15:25Z

<div><p>The collapse of a minaret in a historic mosque has killed at least 40 people, injuring 71 others, in the central Moroccan city of Meknes, a local official said Saturday.</p><p>Among those injured in Friday's collapse of the minaret of the Bab Berdieyinne mosque in the old town quarter of Meknes, 51 people have alre...