Madonna opens Malawi school project

KASUNGU, Malawi (AP) — Schoolchildren joined by hundreds of villagers danced around pop diva Madonna and serenaded her with praise songs on Tuesday as she inspected school blocks she helped to construct in the central Kasungu district.

"Zikomo! (Thank you!)" said the singer as the Malawians people danced around her at Nkoko Primary School where she worked with the non-profit organization, BuildOn, to build classrooms.

Madonna initially planned to build a $15 million 500-bed Raising Malawi Academy for girls, before changing plans to help fund several community schools to benefit more Malawians. She arrived in Malawi Monday to tour the 10 school wings she has helped to build.

"I love Malawi, I am committed to help end poverty here," she said.

Madonna is the "biggest global philanthropist" Malawi has ever had, said Trevor Neilson, president of the Global Philanthropy Group that is managing the pop star's projects in Malawi. She is exploring more projects she can work on in Malawi, said Neilson.

Madonna's efforts have provided new classrooms for more than 4, 000 children who previously were learning under trees.

"Madonna is happy that the communities are appreciating her efforts," he said.

Madonna has been joined on her tour by her two adopted Malawian children, David Banda and Mercy James, both now eight.

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Malawi treason suspects released on bail

BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — A lawyer in Malawi says 11 top government officials and former Cabinet ministers who were charged with treason for an alleged coup plot have been released on bail.

Defense lawyer Kaleken Kaphale said Thursday that the suspects were released on bond of about $18,000 each and they also had to surrender travel documents. No date was set for the next court hearing in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi.

Prosecutors believe the suspects conspired after the death of President Bingu wa Mutharika to undermine his deputy, Joyce Banda, and prevent her from becoming president.

Banda, now president, had fallen out with Mutharika, who wanted his younger brother, Peter, to take over after his scheduled retirement in 2014. Peter Mutharika is among those charged with treason.

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Strike ends in Malawi with pay rise

BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — The Malawi government has agreed to raise public workers' salaries by 60 percent, ending a two-week old strike, a union leader said.

Civil Service Trade Union (CSTU) president Eliah Kamphinda Banda told a press conference in the capital, Lilongwe, Thursday that his team has agreed with the

government negotiating team to end the strike. Banda called on all civil servants to return to work Friday.

According to the agreement, lowest-paid civil servants get a 61 percent pay hike while the highest paid have been given a 5 percent salary increase.

Earlier in the day, police in Lilongwe and the commercial capital of Blantyre used tear gas to break up demonstrations by hundreds of school

children. The students, from public primary and secondary schools, had gone two weeks without attending classes following the public workers' strike.

"We are marching to State House because we are not learning. ... We are tired of not attending classes for two weeks," said 15-year-old Ella Chilenje in Blantyre.

The civil servants say last May's 49 per cent devaluation of the Malawi currency, the kwacha, has eaten into their buying power.

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