Doctors who treated Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika... (Associated Press) 
 
 In the end, Joyce Banda, who had held onto her post of vice president despite falling out with Mutharika, moved to take charge Saturday, holding a news conference at which she was flanked by Cabinet ministers, the army commander national police chief and announced a period of mourning for her predecessor. The Malawi government only confirmed the president's death on Saturday, two days after the leader of the impoverished southern African country died and a day after it was announced by doctors. The delay in announcing Mutharika's death and allowing Banda to step in led to speculation politicians were squabbling over succession. She also said preparations were being made to bring Mr Mutharika's body back from South Africa, where he was taken after his cardiac arrest. She was expelled from the ruling Democratic People's Party (DPP) and formed the People's Party. There had been speculation that the late president's inner circle was trying to circumvent Malawi's constitution to prevent Ms Banda from taking over and instead install his brother, Foreign Minister Peter Mutharika. Banda, 62, takes over a country in which shortages of sugar, fuel and other commodities have created long, restive lines at shops and service stations. Joyce Banda, who is not related to the dictator, recently joined protest marches in this still conservative country in support of women's right to dress as they please.
– A milestone for southern Africa today, by way of Malawi: Joyce Banda was sworn in as president to become the first female leader in the region, reports the BBC. Banda takes over from Bingu wa Mutharika, who died of a heart attack on Thursday but whose death was confirmed by the government only today. Why the delay? The AP and BBC suspect a power struggle over who would succeed him. Banda had been his vice president since 2009, but the two had become fierce political enemies. She apparently won out over the late president's brother, the foreign affairs minister. Banda will serve out Mutharika's term, which ends in 2014.