Hi-tech mosque

Morocco's King Hassan II was preparing last night to inaugurate the world's most modern mosque, equipped with a laser pointing towards Mecca and a massive sliding roof to let in the sun, AFP reports from Casablanca. The Hassan II mosque, on reclaimed land jutting into the Atlantic, covers 10 hectares (25 acres) and can hold 100,000 faithful, with 20,000 inside its main prayer room, where women will be separated from men on two mezzanines.

Leading article, page 25