Food or education? Public spending choices are never easy.

But in Malawi, one of the world's poorest countries, the choices are particularly stark.

The government has made "food security" - which means making sure people have enough to eat - the top priority for government spending.

Read entire article by Nils Blythe.

Women in developing countries will be the most vulnerable to climate change, a report from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has warned.

The agency said there was a disproportionate burden on those women and called for greater equality.

They do most of the agricultural work, and are therefore affected by weather-related natural disasters impacting on food, energy and water, it said. Read full article from BBC.

NKAYA, 11 September 2009 (IRIN) - Degradation of the environment is reaching alarming levels in Nkaya in southern Malawi, where people have to walk ever greater distances to collect firewood and water. Mayi Chambo, a village head in Nkaya, blamed charcoal makers for the deforestation. This is her story.

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: October 20, 2009

Fresh results from the world's first successful test of an experimentalAIDS vaccine confirm that it is only marginally effective and suggest that its protection against HIV infection may wane over time.

Yet the findings are exciting to scientists, who think that blood samples from the trial may show how to make a vaccine that does a better job. View complete article HERE.

West Hollywood, California (Thursday, October 15, 2009) - The 25th Annual AIDS Walk begins and ends in West Hollywood this Sunday, benefiting AIDS Project Los Angeles and other AIDS service organizations across Los Angeles County.

Read entire article...

"The debate over foreign aid often pits those who mistrust "charity" against those who mistrust reliance on the markets. Jacqueline Novogratz proposes a middle way she calls patient capital, with promising examples of entrepreneurial innovation driving social change." Listen to this talk by Jacqueline Novogratz featured on TED Talks. HERE.

Excess food will be distributed to Zimbabwe

From Chifundo Malidadi in LILONGWE

MALAWI will export several tonnes of maize to Zimbabwe, part of its 80 000 tonne surplus of the grain. Some of that will be exported to Kenya, ravaged by a drought this year. Agriculture ministry officials did not give the breakdown of the expected exports.

The move is likely going to trigger a fresh wave of protests among Malawians who feel the embattled leader Robert Mugabe should not benefit from the tiny southern African country’s sound economic policies.

Full NYTimes Article...

What would an AIDS vaccine mean to the world?

In some ways, it would outshine a cure for the common cold. After all, even if the cold and its stealth wingman,pneumonia, kill more people, they don’t do it quite so grimly. Read the full article in the new york times.

Exploring Malawi's Musical Heritage

Deep Roots Malawi, directed by filmmaker Kenny Gilmore, hopes to record the country's musical past and present.

Watch a clip from the film.

courtesy BBC

Malawi Inflation Slows

LILONGWE (Reuters) - Malawi's headline inflation slowed to 7.8 percent year-on-year in August from 8.0 percent in July due partly to weaker food price pressures, the National Statistical Office (NSO) said on Wednesday.

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