APRNEWS - Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou has given a strong signal that he is ready to leave office in 2021 when his current term of office expires. Issoufou became president in 2011 and secured re-election in 2016.

APRNEWS - An athletic billionaire, a marijuana advocate, a gruff coup leader, and a candidate jokingly labelled the "strongest man on earth".

The 68 candidates for prime minister in Thailand's upcoming election on March 24 have diverse platforms and backgrounds.

APRNEWS - Felix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo pardoned three prominent political prisoners and 700 regular ones on Wednesday, a good will gesture signalling a break with a predecessor who had scores of his opponents jailed.

APRNEWS - Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika returned home on Sunday after receving medical treatment in a Swiss hospital, the Algerian presidency has confirmed, amid protests against the ailing president's bid for a fifth term in office.

Bouteflika has landed at a military airport south of the capital and quickly departed in a convoy after spending two weeks in a Swiss hospital.

APRNEWS - Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido defied the threat of arrest to return home on Monday, arriving at Caracas international airport where he was met by cheering supporters, television footage showed.

APRNEWS - Spain, France, UK and Sweden announced Monday that they are recognising Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's interim president after an eight-day deadline for President Nicolas Maduro to call elections were not met.

APRNEWS - Nigeria's government has denied suggestions that the suspension of the country's top judge on corruption charges was linked to next month's election.

President Muhammadu Buhari replaced Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen on Friday, sparking claims he had breached the constitution and was trying to manipulate the judiciary.

APRNEWS - The Democratic Republic of Congo goes to the polls this week in elections which could see the country emerge from 17 years of conflict-ridden rule under controversial President Joseph Kabila.

Twenty-one candidates are running to replace Kabila, whose hand-picked successor Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary is one of the front-runners.

APRNEWS - Nigeria’s main opposition candidate, Atiku Abubakar signed an election peace pact on Wednesday, saying a ‘communication lapse’ had prevented him from participating in the initial process with other candidates.

APRNEWS - Prime Minister Theresa May faced a no-confidence vote on Wednesday after dozens of MPs from her own Conservative Party called for one in the wake of her desperate decision to delay a vote on Brexit she was certain to lose.