Senate Democrats are threatening a partial government shutdown unless Republicans agree to new limits on immigration enforcement by Friday’s deadline. A protest at an ICE family detention center in South Texas turned confrontational as demonstrators demanded the release of a five-year-old boy and his father taken from Minnesota and held at the facility hundreds of miles away. And despite pressure from President Trump to lower interest rates, the Federal Reserve is holding steady to fight lingering inflation and rising prices.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Kelsey Snell, Susanna Capelouto, Rafael Nam, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas, Ava Pukatch and Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Stacey Abbott.
KAMPALA-(MaraviPost)-Uganda’s army chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has rejected allegations that troops attacked Barbara Kyagulanyi, the wife of opposition leader Bobi Wine, during a raid on their home.
Wine said soldiers threatened his wife at gunpoint and seized documents and electronic devices, sparking widespread concern and outrage.
Barbara Kyagulanyi later alleged from hospital that officers assaulted her while demanding to know Wine’s whereabouts, adding that she was left with physical and psychological trauma.
Kainerugaba dismissed the allegations, stating that his soldiers “do not beat up women” and are only looking for her “cowardly husband”.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups and opposition politicians, who accuse the government of using the military to suppress dissent.
The Uganda Law Society has denounced the “ongoing wave of detentions, torture and enforced disappearance” of opposition leaders and supporters, calling for an end to violence and intimidation.
Bobi Wine, who is in hiding, has accused the government of trying to silence him and has thanked supporters for keeping him safe.
Lazarus Chakwera attends Eid al-Fitr Prayers at Mchoka Primary School Ground
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Former President Lazarus Chakwera’s recent call alleging that the arrest of senior Malawi Congress Party (MCP) officials is politically motivated is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.
The man who presided over a regime notorious for arbitrary arrests and detentions, often without evidence or due process, has the audacity to lecture President Peter Mutharika on governance and human rights. It’s time for Chakwera to shut up and reflect on his own record.
During his five-year tenure, Chakwera’s administration was marked by a string of politically motivated arrests, targeting critics, opposition figures, and perceived enemies of the state.
The list of victims is long and includes notable figures such as Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, Late Saulos Chilima, Alfred Gangata, Ben Phiri, Henry Mussa, Roza Mbilizi, Peter Mukhito, Jean Mathanga, Henry Mathanga, Norman Chisale, Linda Kunje, Martha Chizuma, Rayneck Matemba, Mzomera Ngwira, Enock Chihana, Bon Kalindo, Patricia Kaliyati, Sameer Suleman, Charles Mchacha, Leonard Chimbanga, Levy Luwemba, Newton Kambala, Kamlepo Kalua, Kennedy Luwemba, Fegus Lipenga, Grace Kaphale, Ben Chitsonga, Godfrey Itaye, Henry Macheso, Elvin Mwapasa, Stanley Chirwa, Joseph Mwanamvekha, James Chuma, Henry Njoloma, Elvis Thodi, and many others.
Not a single one of these individuals was convicted, because, as President Mutharika pointed out, the arrests were made without sufficient evidence.
The same cannot be said of the current administration, which has taken a more measured approach, ensuring that law enforcement agencies act on clear evidence before making arrests.
The five MCP officials who were recently arrested including Vitumbiko Mumba, Richard Chimwendo Banda, Jessie Kabwila, Moses Kunkuyu, and Ezekiel Ching’oma, are being held on charges that are being investigated and will be tried in court.
Chakwera’s claim that the arrests are politically motivated is not only baseless but also an insult to the intelligence of Malawians.
His regime’s record on human rights and governance is a matter of public record, and he should be the last person to lecture anyone on the rule of law.
The people of Malawi remember the terror and intimidation that characterized his administration, and they will not be swayed by his empty rhetoric.
It’s time for Chakwera to take a long, hard look in the mirror and confront the demons of his past.
He should acknowledge the damage his regime inflicted on the country and its people, and seek redemption rather than trying to score cheap political points.
The Mutharika administration has shown restraint and commitment to the rule of law, and it will not be swayed by baseless allegations from a man with a tainted past.
To Lazarus Chakwera, we say: shut up and reflect on your own record.
The people of Malawi deserve better than lectures from someone who presided over a regime of terror and repression.
The current administration will continue to uphold the rule of law and ensure that justice is served, without fear or favor.
The list of victims of Chakwera’s regime goes on and on, and it’s time he took responsibility for his actions. The people of Malawi will not forget, and they will not forgive.
It’s time for Chakwera to retire from the scene and let those who are committed to democracy and the rule of law take the reins.
In conclusion, the arrest of the MCP officials is a matter for the courts, and it’s not for Chakwera or anyone else to prejudge.
The Mutharika administration has shown commitment to justice and the rule of law, and it will not be swayed by baseless allegations.
Chakwera should shut up and let justice take its course.
European leaders brace for President Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum, as new tariff threats and talk of acquiring Greenland overshadow talks on affordability. The Justice Department issues subpoenas to Minnesota’s top Democratic leaders, as state officials accuse the Trump administration of weaponizing immigration enforcement and creating fear in immigrant communities. And the Supreme Court hears a high-stakes case over President Trump’s attempt to fire a Federal Reserve governor, a move that could upend a century of precedent and rattle financial markets.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Rebekah Metzler, Gigi Douban, Krishnadev Calamur, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
And our Supervising Producer is Michael Lipkin.
(0:00) Introduction (02:24) Trump’s Speech in Davos (06:07) DOJ Subpoenas For Minnesota (09:49) SCOTUS Federal Reserve Case
As world leaders gather in Davos, President Trump escalates pressure on allies with new tariff threats, renewed talk of acquiring Greenland, and plans for a sweeping new “Board of Peace” that could reshape global diplomacy. Three people die in six weeks at the country’s largest immigration detention center in El Paso, raising urgent questions about medical care, oversight, and the role of private contractors. And Indiana completes one of the most improbable turnarounds in college football history, capping a perfect season with a national championship win over Miami.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Dana Farrington, Alfredo Carbajal, Russell Lewis, Mohamad ElBardicy, Alice Woelfle.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
And our Supervising Senior Producer is Vince Pearson.
(0:00) Introduction (01:58) Trump’s World Stage (05:51) El Paso Detention Deaths (09:17) Indiana College Football Champions
Protests intensify in Minneapolis after a second ICE-related shooting, as President Trump threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota. Venezuela’s top opposition leader brings her Nobel Peace Prize to Washington to press her case with President Trump, even as the U.S. signals support for an interim leader. And President Trump unveils what he calls a new healthcare plan, leaning on cheaper insurance with limited benefits as Congress debates the future of ACA subsidies.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Cheryl Corley, Tara Neill, Diane Webber, Mohamad ElBardicy and Alice Woelfle.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
Our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.
(0:00) Introduction (1:57) Trump and Minnesota (05:29) Venezuela’s Opposition (09:20) Trump’s Healthcare Plan
