(Pic from the New Microfinance)

Just a roundup of microfinance stories for your Saturday ...

*There's always plenty to find at Microcapital if you weren't aware of it. See stories on the Asian Development Bank giving 100 million to rural finance development in Nepal and more on Bill Gates newish interest, or at least support, for microfinance.

*From ReliefWeb, a story on how microfinance is helping tsunami survivors get back on their feet.

*The Grameen Foundation has announced recent microfinance award winners, including groups in Nigeria and Boliva.

*TMC Net looks at a study on mobile banking for the poor in South Africa.

*Visa is encouraging banks in the Middle East to partner with microfinance institutions.

*The Globalization Institute lambasts the UK's Department of International Development for not taking microcredit seriously.

*Some more skeptical and critical looks at microfinance at Forbes in a piece called 'Easy Money' ...

*A story on the Seattle roots of microfinance.

*The Global Microcredit Summit in halifax, Canada starts tomorrow with Muhammed Yunus as a headline speaker.

*And I think I linked to this story before, but someone brought it to my attention again ... see this piece on 'Microcredit at the Crossroads' at Law and Public Policy from Wharton College.