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Two bus crashes in separate locations in Morocco have claimed 27 lives, including those of a German and Dutch tourist, the state news agency reported.

Michael Hoey put his rivals to the sword, including fellow Irishman Damien McGrane, in being presented with a ceremonial dagger as his prize for winning the Hassan II Trophy in Morocco.

There was not even the proverbial man and his dog on hand to witness Damien McGrane move to a two-stroke lead with a 65 on the opening day of the Hassan II Trophy in Agadir.

Four birdies in his last five holes gave 40-year-old Irishman Damien McGrane an early three-stroke lead at the Hassan Trophy in Morocco today.

After being laid-up in bed earlier this week with back spasms, Mark Murphy is now boldly targeting success in this week’s Hassan II Trophy in Agadir.

Shane Lowry has never played Augusta National but believes it would be easier to play a round of golf on next month’s Masters venue than to tee up on this week’s host Hassan II Trophy course at Agadir.

Next year’s European Tour has been confirmed with the Irish Open switching from late July to the end of June, but with a venue yet to be announced.

Saudi Arabia’s heir to the throne Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdel Aziz has died abroad after an illness, national TV reported. He was 85 years old.

In the past few years, Morocco has transformed itself into a modern and exciting sunshine getaway. Catherine Shanahan’s only complaint? Four days simply wasn’t enough.

DAVID HORSEY overcame Rhys Davies and Jaco Van Zyl in a three-man play-off to win the Hassan Trophy in Agadir.

England’s David Horsey remained on course for a second European Tour title by picking up three shots over the first eight holes of his final round to claim the outright lead at the Hassan Trophy in Agadir.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON produced a mixed second round at the Shell Houston Open in Texas, but his three-under-par 69 ensured he remains in the hunt for victory.

IRELAND’S Peter Lawrie holds a three-stroke lead after the first round of the Trophee Hassan II in Agadir, Morocco after a superb eight-under-par 64 at the Golf Du Palais Royal.

Ireland’s Peter Lawrie holds a three-stroke lead at the end of the first round of the Trophee Hassan II in Agadir after a superb eight-under-par 64 at the Golf Du Palais Royal.

MEMBERS of Killarney Golf & Fishing Club who feared the withdrawal of 3 as sponsors of the Irish Open would set the club back €1 million can rest easy.

Ryanair is to cut by 30% the number of flights it operates from Germany's Frankfurt Hahn airport blaming an €8 travel tax imposed by the Berlin government.

JANUARY and February are good months to get away from it all. For two Corkmen, this meant spending two months rowing 5,500km across the Atlantic.

A CORK man who attempted to cross the Atlantic by row boat last year has decided to repeat the exercise in 2010 – in the opposite direction.

A Ryanair plane was forced to make an emergency landing earlier today after fears there was a fire onboard.

A WOMAN accused of hiring a hitman to kill her partner and his two sons wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions asking him to drop the case against her for the good of her family, a jury at the Central Criminal Court has heard.

A woman accused of hiring a hitman to kill her partner and his two sons wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions asking him to drop the case against her for the good of her family a jury at the Central Criminal Court has heard.

Ryanair has announced 14 new routes across Europe to be launched in October.

The ISEQ-index of Irish shares made some gains this morning with a 37.47-point boost to 9601.90.

Aer Lingus has introduced six new European routes to its winter schedule and twenty-five new flights a week from Dublin and Cork on existing routes.

More than 1.4 million passengers travelled through Dublin Airport in January, it was revealed today.

IT WAS time, I figured, to revisit my favourite North African country, so Mum and I set off for a one-week trip.

Two buses collided on a motorway linking Marrakech and Agadir in Morocco, killing 23 people and injuring 63 others, 11 of them seriously, Morocco’s official MAP news agency reported.

A bus carrying French tourists collided with another vehicle and swerved off the road in Morocco, killing eight and injuring 30 others.

Former world champion Colin McRae is the overall leader in the Dakar Rally, after winning his second special stage on day five between Agadir and Smara.

Former world champion Colin McRae is tonight the overall leader in the Dakar Rally, after winning his second special stage on day five between Agadir and Smara.

Former world rally champion Colin McRae was on course to win his second special stage of the Dakar Rally after dominating day five between Agadir and Smara.

American Robby Gordon won his second special stage on the Dakar Rally to reclaim the overall lead on day four as Britain’s Colin McRae dropped down the order.

New charter airline Eirjet kicked off operations yesterday. The firm will operate three aircraft from next summer, servicing Dublin, Cork and Shannon. Its first service links Shannon with the Moroccan resort of Agadir.

IRELAND’S Stephen Browne carded a second round of three under par 67 to remain well in contention for his second European Challenge Tour title of the season at the Attijari Wafa - Tikida Beach Moroccan Classic.

Rescue teams were combing the rubble of mud-and-stone houses today after a massive earthquake killed more than 550 people in a desperately poor region of northern Morocco.

A powerful earthquake struck northern Morocco overnight, toppling houses and killing at least 86 people. It was feared the toll could rise to at least 200.

A Moroccan court today sentenced four men to death for their involvement in a wave of near-simultaneous suicide bombings in May that killed 32 bystanders.

The two Irishmen who were drowned in Agadir in Morocco have been named.

Two Irish insurance salesmen have died in a drowning accident while on a trip to Morocco.

The two Irishmen who drowned in Agadir in Morocco last night worked for Acorn Life Insurance in Moynalty, Co Meath.

One of the two Irish businessmen who drowned in Morocco was believed to have been married. The other was single.

One of two Irishmen who reportedly drowned during a business trip to Morocco was in his twenties, according to reports.