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This month on Inside the Middle East
October 5, 2012 -- Updated 1526 GMT (2326 HKT)
This month Inside the Middle East journeys to Morocco
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- This month, Inside the Middle East journeys to Morocco
- Frustration is mounting as half of those between the ages of 15 and 29 are either unemployed or out of school
- The program meets several young rappers to hear some of the sounds of Morocco's urban rage.
Editor's note: Each month, Inside the Middle East takes you behind the headlines to see a different side of this diverse region.
(CNN) -- This month, Inside the Middle East travels to Morocco, a North African kingdom located on the western edge of the Arab world. Host Leone Lakhani visits the bustling commercial hub of Casablanca, which for many recalls the film classic starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. But modern-day Casablanca, like the rest of Morocco, is much different than the movies.
In a nation where nearly half of those between the ages of 15 and 29 are either unemployed or out of school, frustration at the lack of opportunities is mounting.
Some young Moroccans took to the streets over the past year to protest these realities while others took to the recording studio to speak out - both of which come with risk. One Moroccan rapper, El Haqed, was imprisoned earlier this year because of his lyrics. The program meets several young rappers - from Casablanca to Tangiers - to hear some of the sounds of Morocco's urban rage.
The program also journeys to the southern stretches of Morocco's Atlantic coastline, to the traditional Berber city of Agadir.
Berbers were the first inhabitants of North Africa, and many still follow older customs and practice ancestral crafts. One of these - a beauty oil made from Argan tree seeds - is quickly becoming all the rage among celebrities and high-end shoppers in the West. Lakhani sat down with one Moroccan who is helping to produce the oil - and jobs for women in the country.
And what trip to Morocco would be complete without tasting the nation's world-famous cuisine? The team heads north to Fes, Morocco's culinary capital, to receive cooking lessons from Lahcen Beqqi, a top chef who has figured out how to blend traditional cooking with modern techniques.
Watch the October show at the following times (all GMT):
Wednesday, October 3: 1030, 1730
Saturday, October 6: 0530, 1930
Sunday, October 7: 1230
Saturday, October 13: 1230
Sunday, October 14: 0530, 1930
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