Vice President Dr Jane Ansah will tomorrow, Friday, attend the Women’s Day of Prayer at the Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC) from 9am, demonstrating her commitment to the country’s spiritual growth and women’s empowerment.
The event is expected to draw large crowds of women from various faith-based organizations and denominations, all converging to pray for peace, unity, and development in Malawi, creating a powerful display of solidarity and faith.
Dr Ansah’s attendance is seen as a significant gesture of support for the women’s movement, underscoring her dedication to promoting gender equality and uplifting women in Malawi, and is expected to galvanize the women’s movement.
Ansah
The Women’s Day of Prayer is an annual event aimed at promoting unity, peace, and reconciliation among women and the nation at large, through prayers, hymns, and messages from various religious leaders, offering a chance for collective introspection and spiritual renewal.
The event is open to all, and organizers have urged women and men alike to attend and pray for the nation, making it a unique opportunity for Malawians to come together and seek divine guidance for the country’s progress and prosperity.
Malawi’s Magomero Community College is poised to forge a transformative partnership with Nottingham Trent University (NTU) in the United Kingdom, a collaboration that could eventually open doors for social welfare students to access opportunities in the British job market. Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Mary Navicha led a Malawian delegation this week in negotiations over a proposed memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening social services through research, training, and capacity building.
Professor Neil Mansfield, NTU’s Executive Dean of Research, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, noting the university’s willingness to offer PhD programmes for Malawian students and to develop institutional links with Magomero Community College. He highlighted the potential for the partnership to upgrade the college’s academic offerings, enabling it to deliver degrees that align with UK standards. “We are interested in the areas the Minister has raised, and our experience working in Uganda, Kenya and other countries allows us to look forward to this partnership,” Mansfield said.
Navicha in UK
Minister Navicha emphasised the mutual benefits of the collaboration, calling for expertise to modernise Malawi’s social services while offering NTU access to the country’s rich oral and practical traditions. “We need your expertise to modernise our services, but as a country we offer a rich oral and practical history based on people’s lived experiences that would boost the university’s research and academic profile,” she stated. She underscored the administration’s commitment to empowering communities through increased investment in social services, pointing to critical areas needing support, including persons with disabilities, individuals with albinism, the elderly, and efforts to keep girls in education. She also noted the gap in mental health services, describing NTU’s potential contribution as a “game changer.”
NTU Deputy Vice-Chancellor Sarah Speight confirmed that the agreement aligns with the university’s global outreach strategy, adding that Navicha’s visit came at a pivotal moment as NTU develops programmes focused on local and indigenous knowledge systems. During her visit, the Minister delivered a lecture to social work students at the NTU Graduate School, inviting them to experience firsthand the challenges and rewards of delivering social services in resource-limited settings in Malawi.
The memorandum of understanding is scheduled for signing in May, marking a significant step toward international cooperation in social welfare development.
The Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed an electoral petition filed by Bright Msaka, who was contesting the parliamentary victory of Honorable Tulinje Muluzi for the Machinga Likwenu Constituency.
Msaka approached the court seeking to challenge the election results that declared Muluzi the winner. Following deliberations, the appellate court ruled the application lacked merit, striking it out and ordering Msaka to cover the legal expenses associated with the case.
Muluzi
This ruling, which includes an order for costs, signifies that Msaka must bear the financial burden of the proceedings. As the decision was handed down by the nation’s highest judicial body, it is final and binding, bringing a definitive end to the legal dispute over the constituency’s seat.
Tensions are escalating in the Middle East, with the US shutting down embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Lebanon following drone attacks, while Israel launches new strikes on Iran and Beirut.
This has sent oil and gas prices soaring, with Brent crude hitting $80 a barrel, as investors weigh the disruption to oil supplies coming through the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil shipments pass.
The US has urged Americans to leave 14 countries in the region, citing serious safety risks, as the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran intensifies, with US embassies across the Middle East shifting into emergency footing.
The conflict has claimed hundreds of lives, predominantly in Iran, and raised concerns about the potential for prolonged warfare, with Iran responding to Israeli strikes by targeting US allies in the Gulf region.
The international community is urged to address this escalating crisis and facilitate de-escalation to restore regional and global stability, as diplomatic missions reduce and governments issue travel warnings.
The US Embassy in Beirut has halted its work until further notice, and the US has announced temporary closure of the Lebanon Embassy, citing ongoing regional tensions.
The situation remains volatile, with reports of explosions and airspace closures across the region, and global markets reacting to the escalating conflict.
National Bank of Malawi plc has confirmed that its Platinum Employee Recognition Award winners have safely returned to Malawi after regional airspace closures disrupted their planned trip to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
The eight outstanding employees and their respective spouses departed on Saturday, 28 February 2026, under the Bank’s Platinum Employee Recognition Award programme.
The all-expenses-paid trip was in recognition of their exceptional performance, innovation and commitment to service excellence.
However, following the closure of airspace across parts of the Middle East due to escalating regional conflict, global flight operations were significantly disrupted.
Several countries temporarily shut their airspace, while a number of international airlines suspended or cancelled flights, affecting travel plans across the region.
Speaking on the development, NBM plc Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager Akossa Mphepo-Hiwa said the Bank acted promptly once the situation became clear.
“In light of the prevailing uncertainty, and with the safety and well-being of our employees as a top priority, the Bank resolved to seek an alternative destination for the Platinum Employee Recognition trip and will communicate further details in due course,” she said.
She added that the employees have since returned home safely and that the bank remains committed to ensuring the recognition programme proceeds once the situation stabilizes.
The Platinum Employee Recognition Award is one of the bank’s flagship staff motivation initiatives, aimed at celebrating high performance and reinforcing a culture of innovation and service excellence across its operations.
