MACHINGA-(MaraviPost)-A 14-year-old pupil from Mpiranjala Primary School in Machinga, identified as Ivy Patsidya, has died after being struck by lightning on Sunday evening.
The chairperson of the area’s disaster risk committee under Senior Chief Mchinguza, Asima Kapalepale, confirmed the tragic incident.
He explained that the teenager was on her way back from the well where she had gone to fetch water when the lightning struck her.
Kapalepale said the area had experienced a heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds at the time of the incident.
He described the event as a devastating loss for the family and the community, especially given the young girl’s age and the circumstances under which she died.
The local disaster risk committee has since urged communities to exercise caution during stormy weather conditions, particularly when children are moving outdoors.
They have also appealed to parents and guardians to monitor the whereabouts of young people during severe rainfall to prevent similar tragedies.
Education authorities in the area have expressed sadness over the sudden loss of the pupil, noting that her death comes at a time when students are preparing for end-of-term activities.
Community members have also called for increased awareness on lightning safety measures as rainfall patterns continue to become unpredictable.
The matter has been reported to relevant authorities, and funeral arrangements are underway as the community mourns the death of the young learner.
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LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Health rights activists and national HIV stakeholders have urged government and partners to maintain strong financing and focus on the HIV and AIDS response, warning that gains made over the years must not be reversed.
Speaking during World AIDS Day commemorations, health activist Mazuko Matemba stressed the need for continued investment in HIV programmes.
He said HIV and AIDS must remain a key priority for government, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and communities, noting that the disease still has no cure and continues to affect young men and women.
At the same event, National AIDS Commission (NAC) Executive Director Beatrice Matanje announced that Malawi has reached HIV epidemic control.
She said the country has successfully achieved the 95-95-95 global treatment targets—with 95% of people living with HIV diagnosed, 95% of those diagnosed on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment virally suppressed.
Matanje further highlighted a significant decline in national HIV prevalence among adults aged 15 and above, dropping from over 14% in the late 1990s to 7.3% in 2020, reflecting the impact of sustained national interventions.
Despite this progress, activists are calling for consistent financial support and commitment to ensure Malawi maintains these milestones.
They warn that without continued focus from all sectors, the country risks losing the gains made in controlling the epidemic.
The call comes as Malawi aims to strengthen its HIV prevention, treatment and community support systems to sustain the progress achieved so far.
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BANGKOK-(MaraviPost)-A 65-year-old woman in Nonthaburi, on the outskirts of Bangkok in Thailand has shocked her family when she knocked from inside her coffin after being declared dead.
Chonthirat Sakulkoo, who had been unwell for two years, was cared for by her brother, Mongkol Sakulkoo. When she was found unresponsive, Mongkol assumed she had passed away and began preparations for her cremation.
“All the documents had been issued, and we placed her in a coffin,” Mongkol explained.
However, before the cremation, Mongkol took Chonthirat to Chulalongkorn University Hospital to fulfill her wish to donate organs, but the hospital refused to accept her without an official death certificate.
At the Wat Rat Prakongtham crematorium, staff also insisted on a doctor’s certification before proceeding. It was during this discussion that Chonthirat suddenly knocked from inside the coffin.
Mongkol, surprised, asked to have the coffin opened, where family members were stunned to see her eyes slightly open and knocking.
Watch the video…
Doctors later diagnosed Chonthirat with acute hypoglycaemia, a condition that causes dangerously low blood sugar and can mimic death-like symptoms.
She is now receiving proper medical care at Bang Yai Hospital.
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SALIMA-(MaraviPost)-Parliamentary Chairperson of Health, Anthony Masamba, has urged Members of Parliament (MPs) and key health stakeholders to translate dialogue into decisive action as he delivered his closing remarks at a high level meeting on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) on November 29, 2025.
Speaking before lawmakers, officials from the Reproductive Health Directorate, facilitators and other resource persons, Masamba commended participants for a productive day of engagement, saying the discussions must now fuel tangible change in policy, budgeting and community level interventions.
He stressed that the issues tackled women’s sexual and reproductive health rights, access to quality services and safe abortion care remain fundamental to women’s wellbeing and the nation’s development agenda.
These issues, he said, continue to determine the future of millions of women and girls in Malawi.
Masamba highlighted that while progress has been made in some Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as access to safe drinking water, the country still lags significantly on SDG 3, which targets reduced maternal mortality and universal access to reproductive health services, including family planning.
He reminded participants of five core truth development cannot be achieved without prioritizing women and girls reproductive health is central to women’s participation in national progress,autonomy over childbearing empowers women in all aspects of life, access to SRHR services is essential and the poor and marginalized remain the most excluded from vital reproductive health care.
Addressing Malawi’s international commitments, Masamba cited the Maputo Protocol, to which the country is a signatory, as a cornerstone for protecting women’s rights including access to healthcare and reproductive autonomy.
He also referenced the SADC SRHR Strategy, describing it as a strong guiding framework for integrating quality services, information and rights based approaches across the region.
On the recent High Court ruling related to unsafe abortion, Masamba said the decision presents an opportunity for sober reflection.
He urged stakeholders to assess the ruling’s implications, engage in broad consultations and consider policy pathways that safeguard the rights, dignity and health of all Malawians, especially vulnerable groups.
He reaffirmed Parliament’s readiness to continue collaborating with health advocates, government agencies and civil society to ensure that the rights of women and adolescents are protected and promoted.
Masamba however challenged participants with a critical question, “How many of you have done costing for safe abortion care and can submit it to Government and Parliament for inclusion in the national budget?”
He emphasized that without concrete costing and budget alignment, the country risks stalling progress on vital SRHR commitments.
Masamba ended his remarks by wishing all participants good health and safe travels, reminding them that the true value of the meeting lies in ensuring that the recommendations made are implemented collectively.
Masamba is Malawi Congress Party (MCP) legislator for Mchinji North East constituency with journalism and public health backgrounds.
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Irish influencer Niamh Cullen’s husband, Jamie Gill, died weeks after their first wedding anniversary.
“The unimaginable has happened. Our worst nightmare. My beautiful husband has been taken from us,” Cullen wrote via Instagram in November 2025, announcing Gill’s death at age 33. “[He was] the light of my life. I was the luckiest to be loved and adored by you Jamie. I love you endlessly, not just now, but eternally.”
Cullen married Gill, who maintained a relatively private profile, exactly one year earlier.
“6 months married (last week) we only realized today,” Cullen captioned a set of Instagram selfies in May 2025. “In sickness and in health JJ, I love you forever. You’re my inspiration everyday.”
Keep scrolling for Cullen and Gill’s complete relationship timeline:
2017
The social media star revealed via Instagram that they met at Bingo Loco, a local bingo hall.
“8 years ago today. I’m so happy you picked up my card at Bingo Loco and changed your plans to come with us to Metropolis Festival,” Cullen wrote via Instagram in October 2025, celebrating their dating anniversary. “I still remember that warm, fuzzy, excited feeling like it was yesterday ✨. So grateful for everything that’s followed since, hopeful for better days and more memories to be made.”
At the time, Cullen was still living with her ex-boyfriend and asked to remain friends with Gill. Their bond turned romantic the next year.
July 2021
During an appearance on the “Good Glow” podcast, Cullen revealed that she and Gill had recently moved in together.
“I’m feeling super good. I’m in a really good place, [and] I’m living with my boyfriend, Jamie,” she said. “We’re excited.”
The “Unveiled” podcaster further gushed that Gill was a complete “gentleman” when they met.
December 2022
Courtesy of Niamh Cullen/ Instagram
Gill popped the question after several years of dating.
“And it went a little like this,” Cullen wrote via Instagram, sharing a snap of her diamond engagement ring.
November 2024
“I simply have no words,” she wrote via Instagram, sharing pics from their destination wedding. “Our wedding day 🕊️. Just the beginning of the [photo] spam.”
When Cullen and Gill embarked on their honeymoon to Italy, he subsequently got sick and was hospitalized for 10 days.
“Just two weeks before Christmas, Jamie underwent major surgery, where doctors discovered a cancerous tumor,” Cullen wrote via Instagram the next year. “Our world shattered in an instant, but we stayed strong. Jamie bravely faced 10 rounds of chemotherapy. There were ups and downs along the way, but nothing could have prepared us for what followed after his 10th session.”
The couple got legally married in Dublin in December.
August 2025
Courtesy of Niamh Cullen/ Instagram
Cullen took a social media hiatus amid Gill’s health struggles.
“Life has been interesting enough. We’ve had some stuff going on at home. I know we will share in time, but at the moment, it’s not my story alone to share,” she told VIP Magazine. “My husband has just been having some struggles with his health. We’re just taking it day by day. I’m trying to be busy but also spend time at home with Jamie.”
Later that month, Cullen shared throwback pictures of the couple from a Kylie Minogue concert the year before.
“This time last year [we were] going to see Kylie, Jamie still talks about it. After that, celebrating our first night in the house, we didn’t have a clue what was ahead,” Cullen wrote via Instagram. “But this makes me excited and hopeful that better days are coming. Life is short. Always make sure you are having a big ball. It’s something we always did together and will continue to do it soon.”
Fall 2025
Gill was hospitalized with pneumonia and sepsis, leading doctors to confirm that his cancer had returned.
“My blood still runs cold, but I know this: My husband is a fighter,” Cullen wrote via Instagram on November 14. “We will not give up.”
November 2025
Cullen marked her first wedding anniversary via Instagram amid Gill’s cancer recurrence.
“I can’t believe it’s already our one year wedding anniversary. I was too emotional over the weekend to even look through our photos or think about posting,” she wrote via Instagram on November 10. “Happy anniversary to my amazing, brave, and resilient husband ❤️🩹 You make my world a better place.”
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi’s media fraternity is mourning the loss of veteran broadcaster Gerald Nyamatcherenga, who died on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at the age of 67.
Nyamatcherenga, a former employee of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), had a distinguished career spanning over three decades.
Born on September 10, 1958, Nyamatcherenga joined MBC on February 2, 1983, and served for 17 years before leaving in July 2000.
During his tenure, he made significant contributions to the development of broadcasting in Malawi.
After leaving MBC, Nyamatcherenga worked as a communications consultant in several countries, including Swaziland and Rwanda.
He was a seasoned professional with expertise in communication strategy development and implementation, having worked on various donor-funded projects in Africa and Asia.
Nyamatcherenga’s death has been met with an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and friends, who remember him as a dedicated and passionate broadcaster.
His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of broadcasters in Malawi and beyond.
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