Prayers 4 the Earthquake & Tidal Wave S.E. Asia victims

[MIKE BURN]

Quote:

---

(BBC/London), Sunday, 30 January, 2005, 08:45 GMT



Thousands of people have demonstrated in support of a Moroccan newspaper which claimed that the tsunami was an act of divine retribution.



The newspaper of Morocco's Islamic party, PJD, said the disaster showed God's displeasure with South-East Asia's sex tourism industry.



The Attajdid newspaper said that Morocco could face a similar disaster to the devastating tidal wave if it did not stamp out immorality.



The articles have been condemned on Moroccan television and have prompted calls for censorship of the press.



The PJD said that 5,000 people took to the streets of the capital, Rabat, in support of the party.



A counter-demonstration called by human rights groups failed to materialise.



The BBC's Pascale Harter says there is widespread fear among moderate Moroccans that support for radical Islamic opinions is growing.

---

[MIKE BURN]

Today the Tsunami death toll officially climbed above 300,000.

[MIKE BURN]

Tsunami warning issued after quake off Indonesia







(CNN) Monday, March 28, 2005 Posted: 1750 GMT (0150 HKT)



Thailand issued a warning about possible tsunamis after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 8.2 hit off Indonesia today. The quake struck along the same fault line as the one that caused December's deadly tsunami. The Sri Lankan government warned that if this quake causes a tsunami, it could reach Sri Lanka's shores in about three hours.