26th International Population Congress opens in Morocco

October 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The Muslim population in the world stands at 1.57 billion, and India has the third largest number of Muslims at over 160 million after Indonesia and Pakistan. Muslims constitute 23 percent of the 6.8 billion global population, according to a new study in 232 countries and territories.

October 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - An estimated 1.57 billion Muslims of all ages live in the world today, representing 23 percent of the global population of 6.8 billion, according to a new study of more than 200 countries. India is estimated to have the third largest Muslim population of over 160 million after Indonesia with more than 200 million and Pakistan with nearly 175 million.

September 9th, 2009 LONDON - The Iraqi journalist, who threw his shoes at former US President George W. Bush to vent his anger, has been flooded with offer of cars, wives and money as he prepares to get out of jail.

September 5th, 2009 WELLINGTON - New Zealand-born Indians and Chinese living in Wellington have been credited with helping the capital in its quest to become an international city. According to an Asia NZ Foundation report by Auckland University's Wardlow Friesen, India and China have close links with the city, as one-third of Indians and Chinese living in Wellington are New Zealand-born.

August 15th, 2009 Correction: Yves Saint Laurent Morocco house storyLOS ANGELES — In an Aug. 13 story about the Morocco home of late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent being for sale, The Associated Press, relying on information from Christie's Great Estates, erroneously identified the broker.

August 13th, 2009 Yves Saint Laurent's house in Morocco up for saleLOS ANGELES — The Tangier, Morocco, cliffside home of the late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent is up for sale. Christie's Great Estates, a subsidiary of the auction house, said Wednesday that broker Residence Helvetia of Marrakech is offering Saint Laurent's Villa Mabrouka, or House of Luck.

August 10th, 2009 LONDON - Max, the world's oldest dog, living in Louisiana, US, recently celebrated his 26th birthday with a special party. The terrier-cross, who has a veterinary birth certificate to confirm his age, was said to be awaiting the official green signal from Guinness World Records.

July 28th, 2009 Norway, Morocco in row over track champion's kidsOSLO — The Norwegian ambassador to Morocco denied on Tuesday that he breached his diplomatic duties by helping the children of a Moroccan Olympic cross-country champion return with their mother to Norway. The custody dispute over the children of Khalid Skah, the Olympic 10,000-meter gold medalist in 1992, has triggered a diplomatic fight between the two countries.

July 28th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan would be the fourth most populated country in the world in 2050 if its population continues to grow with the current rate, The United Nations Population Division has said. Pakistan would add another 335 million people to its current population and would thus overtake Brazil and Indonesia as the world's fourth most populated nation in the coming 40 years.

July 12th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has expressed his displeasure over a dance performance presented by an artist at the World Population Day function held at the Prime Minister Secretariat. Gilani has directed his staff to avoid such activity at official functions in the future.

June 16th, 2009 UK: Hard to eradicate risk some allies use tortureLONDON — Britain has abandoned some attempts to gather intelligence from detainees held overseas for fear they may be abused, the foreign secretary said Tuesday. But David Miliband also said he could not guarantee that Britain's allies would refrain from abusing detainees.

June 12th, 2009 Morocco holds local elections, test for new partyRABAT, Morocco — Moroccans voted nationwide Friday in local elections viewed as a test for a new, pro-monarchy party that aims to boost reform and involvement in politics in the North African kingdom — despite likely widespread abstention and fears of electoral fraud. The vote is an important milestone because town officials yield significant power and budgets in Morocco, a solid U.S.

May 9th, 2009 Chair of IOC evaluation team to return to MadridMADRID — The head of the International Olympic Committee team evaluating Madrid's 2016 bid will return to the city late Thursday, a day after leaving for government business in Morocco. Nawal el Moutawakel left the IOC evaluation commission meetings on Wednesday and traveled to Morocco, where she is sports minister, after King Mohammed VI called a meeting of the council of ministers.

May 1st, 2009 UN backs Western Sahara informal talksUNITED NATIONS — The U.N. Security Council on Thursday unanimously backed informal talks on the future of disputed Western Sahara ahead of a new round of negotiations, but rejected calls by some members for human rights monitors to be deployed in the mineral-rich territory.

April 30th, 2009 Saudi crown prince in Morocco after surgery in USRABAT, Morocco — Moroccan national television reports that Saudi Crown Prince Sultan has arrived in the north African kingdom after undergoing surgery in the United States. The crown prince, who is also Saudi Arabia's defense minister, left for treatment in New York in February.