Flying Sunday June 14, 2009.

June 14, is “Freedom Day” in Malawi. I have the current Malawi flag, so I am flying it today.

The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast and Mozambique, which surrounds it on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. The name Malawi comes from the Maravi, one of the original Bantu tribes to inhabit the area.

In 1891 Malawi was colonized by the British who ruled the country until 1964. Upon gaining independence it became a single-party state under the presidency of Hastings Banda, who remained president until 1994, when he was ousted from power. Bingu Mutharika, elected in 2004, is the current president. Malawi has a democratic, multi-party government. Malawi has a small military force that includes an army, a navy and an air wing. Malawi's foreign policy is pro-Western and includes positive diplomatic relations with most countries.

Malawi is among the world's least developed and most densely populated countries. The economy is heavily based in agriculture, with a largely rural population. The Malawian government depends heavily on outside aid to meet development needs, although this need (and the aid offered) has decreased since 2000.

The old flag of Nyasaland when a British colony.

Malawi Supreme Court overturns “Madonna and Mercy” ruling.

Madonna was allowed to adopt a second child from Malawi in June 12 judgment after the country's Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling in a case that has been criticized by local rights groups.

Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo said Madonna had shown an interest in helping Malawi orphans and that 4-year-old Mercy James would have a better life with the star.

He said a lower court had erred in turning down the adoption request because Madonna was not resident in Malawi.

"We find the judge in the lower court to have dwelled so much on media reports on the issue of residence and to us this was not evidence enough to deny Madonna a chance to adopt Mercy James. We therefore grant Madonna the adoption order," Munlo said.

"Madonna has shown that she is bold, and compassionate enough to come forward to adopt Chifundo James."

It is nice also to be able to fly the flag for Mercy and Madonna today.....God Bless them !