BREAKING NEWS

Morocco's new cabinet held up over key jobs

RABAT - A bid by the moderate Islamist party PJD to finalize the line-up of a power-sharing cabinet in Morocco has been held up, mainly by opposition from King Mohammed's circle, sources said on Friday.
PJD (Justice and Development) won most seats in a Nov. 25 election which the king had brought forward by nearly a year in an effort to stave off the revolts sweeping the Arab world.
King Mohammed then appointed PJD leader Abdelilah Benkirane as prime minister-designate, allowing him to start talks with coalition partners for a new government.
The election followed reforms proposed by the palace to narrow the king's sweeping powers in favor of elected officials in response to protests pressing for a British or Spanish-style monarchy.