Morocco takes step towards 1st nuclear reactor Morocco, the only North African country that has no oil or gas of its own, on Thursday approved creation of an agency to ensure nuclear plant safety, helping advance slow-moving plans for its first nuclear reactors. Authorities last year said the country's first two 1-gigawatt nuclear reactors would come into operation after 2020 and that the first international tenders for the plants would be launched between 2011 and 2014. World Bank expects economic growth in Algeria to reach 4.1% The World Bank (WB) expects Algeria's economic growth to stand at 4.1% in 2011 and 2012, compared with 2.4% in 2010, according to a WB report. Current account balance will remain positive to stood at +6.2% of GDP in 2011 and +3.4% in 2012, against +4.6% in 2010, the WB said in its latest report “Global Economic Prospects 2011.” Concerning the country's current account balance, the World Bank has significantly raised its forecasts. In its 2010 January report, WB forecast a ratio of +2.7% for 2010 and +5.6% for 2011. In the Middle East and North Africa, Algeria is one of the few countries to maintain a ratio of positive current account balance in relation to GDP, the World Bank report shows. Germany Sentences 2 Libyan Spies Two Libyan citizens were sentenced in a Berlin court for spying on members of the Libyan opposition living in Europe from August 2007 until they were arrested in May 2010. A 43-year-old officer for the Libyan intelligence service, identified as Abdel A., was sentenced to two and a half years in prison while his accomplice, Adel Al., 47, was sentenced to a term of one year and 10 months. Abdel A. was convicted of overseeing a network of informal collaborators who systematically spied on Libyan opposition members living in Germany and Western Europe. Adel Al. worked as one of these informers reporting to Abdel A. Tunisia Stocks Slump to Year-Low as Troops Deployed to Tunis Tunisian stocks fell to the lowest level in almost a year after troops were deployed on the streets of Tunis and the interior minister was fired amid protests that left at least 21 people dead since last month. The Tunindex lost 2.8 percent to 4,593.88, the lowest since Jan. 25 at 10:42 a.m. in the capital Tunis. That brought the four-day drop to 12 percent. Sudan Government Regrets Abduction of Bulgarian Pilots And a Local in Darfur The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has regretted the abduction of the three Bulgarian pilots and a Sudanese citizen who are working with the World Food Programme (WFP) in Darfur region. The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khalid Musa, said that the abduction happened at Um Sholaya area, near Morni which is 75 kilometers far south eastern Genaina city, while they doing a humanitarian mission pertinent to the distribution of relief materials at the area. He said that the concerned authorities are doing their best to pursue the abductors and to free the kidnapped pilots as soon as possible.
