Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi has quit Prime Minister Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) after failing in his bid to claim the ODM presidential ticket. Mudavadi made an unsuccessful appeal for a change to the ODM constitution which states that the party leader is automatically the candidate for the presidency, in order that he might run on the ODM ticket instead... 2012-04-27

The Israeli government's budget deficit is likely to grow this year. Recently-announced spending hikes have reaffirmed our view that the political will to persist with planned fiscal consolidation measures has faded. Moreover, domestic pressure on the government to keep spending high remains pronounced, a consideration that is likely to prove particularly significant with parliamentary... 2012-04-26

Algerian Minister for Maghreb and African Affairs Abdelkader Messahel and Libyan Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Mohamed Abdelaziz signed an agreement on April 16 to improve security along the borders separating the two countries. Relations between Algiers and Tripoli are returning to normal after months of tensions, as Libyan officials described Algeria's decision to grant... 2012-04-27

According to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Namibia is one of the most successful countries in the world in terms of reducing the prevalence of and death rate caused by malaria. From 2001 to 2011, the number of malaria cases dropped from 624,384 to 15,906, while over the same period deaths from the disease fell from 1,681 to only 10. The WHO director general, Margaret... 2012-04-30

Kuwait's balance of payments position is unlikely to come under any pressure in the foreseeable future, despite the economy's heavy reliance on income from hydrocarbon exports. With oil trading at historically high levels throughout 2011 and the early months of 2012, and demand from emerging markets likely to support prices in the years ahead, the possibility of a sustained downturn... 2012-04-26

The Nigerian government has cancelled the contract of two accounting firms, Akintola Williams and Co and Adekanola and Co, which were involved in auditing its fuel subsidy payments. The contract cancellations followed the revelation of massive corruption in the state-run scheme, according to the finance ministry. The country suffered a loss of US$6.8bn over three years due to mismanagement... 2012-04-27