Malawi: Malawi president quits ruling party in graft row

Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika quit the ruling party on Saturday after his crackdown on corruption in the impoverished southern African country sparked a political rift with factions loyal to his predecessor. Wa Mutharika, who last month accused United Democratic Front (UDF) party chairman and former Malawi President Bakili Muluzi of plotting with party officials to kill him, chose national anti-corruption day to announce his resignation from the party.