Malawi's vice president has challenged the president by visiting with family members of those killed in last week's violent anti-government protests, according to AP. Joyce Banda challenged President Bingu wa Mutharika to follow through on his earlier threats against protesters during her Wednesday visits to two families. She said: "I am ready to be crashed, to be smoked out, if that is as a result of my sharing the pain of the poor." Last week's protests over complaints of bad governance, and persistent fuel and foreign exchange reserve shortages left 19 people dead. She says the victims were "innocent young men trying to eke out a living." Banda was expelled from the Mutharika's ruling party last year after falling out with the president over her alleged presidential aspirations. -- SPA
