Chombo satisfied with Bullets Women’s season after derby win over Wanderers Queens

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women’s coach Maggie Chombo has expressed satisfaction with her team’s performance in the current National Bank Premiership season, describing it as a positive foundation for the future.

Chombo made the remarks after her side edged Mighty Wanderers Queens 1-0 in a closely contested Blantyre derby played on Saturday afternoon at Mpira Stadium.

The Bullets mentor said although the season did not start as planned, the team showed great improvement as the campaign progressed, particularly in the second round of the league.

She explained that the slow start in the first round was a learning phase for the squad but the response in the second round has given her confidence heading into the next season.

The match was decided in the second half when Triza Chiwere found the back of the net in the 58 minute, scoring the only goal in what proved to be a tight and physical derby encounter.

Chiwere’s goal sealed Bullets Women’s second victory over Wanderers Queens this season, having also beaten their rivals 1-0 in the first round meeting.

Chombo praised her players for their discipline and determination, noting that derby matches are always difficult regardless of league position.

On the other hand, Mighty Wanderers Queens head coach Thom Kazembe admitted his side still needs more work ahead of the upcoming season.

Kazembe said the team is in a rebuilding phase and promised that Wanderers Queens will return stronger and more competitive next season.

He also raised concerns over officiating, saying improvements are needed to ensure the league maintains high standards and fairness.

Despite the defeat, Kazembe remains optimistic, stressing that the challenges faced this season will help shape a better team in the future.

Following the result, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women’s sit third on the National Bank Premiership table with 31 points from 16 matches, while Mighty Wanderers Queens are seventh with 23 points from the same number of games.


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EU calls for restraint as US strikes Venezuela, Maduro captured

BRUSSELS-(MaraviPost)-The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has called for restraint and respect for international law following the US strikes in Venezuela, where President Nicolas Maduro was captured.

Kallas emphasized that the EU has repeatedly stated Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition.

In a statement, Kallas said she had spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the EU’s ambassador in Caracas, ensuring the safety of EU citizens in Venezuela is the bloc’s top priority.

“Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected,” she urged.

The EU’s position comes after US President Donald Trump announced the capture of Maduro and his wife, flown out of the country.

Venezuela’s government denounced the “military aggression” by the US, declaring a national emergency.

International reactions

  • Mexico condemned the US operation, calling for UN intervention and respect for international law.
  • Colombia urged de-escalation, prioritizing regional peace.
  • Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa supported the US action, labeling Maduro a “narcochavista”.

The EU has not recognized Maduro’s disputed 2024 election victory, imposing sanctions on Venezuelan officials for undermining democracy.

European Council President Antonio Costa echoed Kallas’ call for de-escalation, emphasizing respect for international law and UN principles.


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Museveni promises new roads to decongest Kampala: 2026 Uganda Polls

KAMPALA-(MaraviPost)-A sea of enthusiastic supporters has gathered at St. Joseph Secondary School Naggalama in Mukono district, eagerly awaiting the arrival of President Yoweri Museveni, the NRM Presidential Candidate, for his second rally of the day.

The President kicked off his campaign tour of the Greater Mukono sub-region earlier today, with his first rally held in Kayunga, setting the tone for a busy day of politics and promises.

Museveni is expected to address the crowd on his vision for Uganda’s future, building on the gains made during his previous terms in office.

The rally comes ahead of the January 15, 2026, polls, where Ugandans will head to the polls to elect their next president.

Mukono District is considered a strategic battleground, with NRM leaders expressing confidence in improved performance in 2026 .

In his previous rallies, Museveni has emphasized the importance of infrastructure development, particularly in decongesting Kampala city.

He has pledged to construct alternative road corridors that bypass Kampala, reducing chronic traffic congestion in the capital.

The President has also highlighted the need for improved regional connectivity, citing projects like the Kayunga-Kangulumira-Jinja road and the Mukono-Katosi (Bakunja) road.

Museveni’s campaign is built around the theme of “Protecting the Gains,” emphasizing the progress made under his leadership.

The NRM leader has urged voters to support his bid for re-election, citing the party’s achievements in promoting peace, stability, and economic growth.


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Maduro ousted: US forces capture Venezuelan leader, flies him out of country

US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States has carried out a “large scale” strike against Venezuela, resulting in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform, stating that the operation was conducted in conjunction with US law enforcement.

According to Trump, Maduro and his wife have been “captured and flown out of the country”.

The Venezuelan government has confirmed that Maduro and his wife are missing, with Vice President Delcy Rodriguez demanding “proof of life”.

The strikes, which began around 2 a.m. local time, targeted multiple locations across northern Venezuela, including the capital city of Caracas.

Reports indicate that at least seven explosions were heard, and low-flying aircraft were seen in various parts of the city.

The US has accused Maduro of running a “narco-state” and rigging the 2024 presidential election.

Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, has denied these allegations, claiming that the US is attempting to take control of Venezuela’s oil reserves.

The operation is reportedly part of Operation Southern Spear, a US military campaign targeting alleged criminal networks in Venezuela.

The US has deployed significant military assets to the region, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.

Venezuelan opposition sources suggest that Maduro’s capture may be a “negotiated exit” with the US.

However, the Venezuelan government has denounced the military aggression, declaring a state of emergency and vowing to resist.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced that Maduro and his wife will face charges related to narcoterrorism in the US.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that Maduro will stand trial on criminal charges in the US.

Trump is scheduled to hold a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to provide further details on the operation.


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Trump’s snatching of Maduro shows a new level of unrestrained global power

Analysis by Nick Paton Walsh, CNN

Expressions of unbridled power don’t come blunter than abducting a sitting president from his capital in the dead of night.

President Donald Trump has shown in a 74-word social media post that he can act decisively, suddenly and perhaps recklessly, in pursuit of his varied and varying foreign policy goals, with little regard for precedent, consequence or it seems, international law.

The operation to take Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife from their heavily guarded location in Caracas to – presumably – face the American court system, does follow a predictable albeit extreme pattern for what the US calls a fugitive, with a $50 million bounty on his head.

But there is a grave exception here: Maduro is a head of state, whose nation is prey to various ongoing US political objectives. Whatever the indictments say, this will always feel political.

Successive White Houses have wanted to remove Venezuela’s left-leaning, yet autocratic and at times violent, regime – whether for fighting drug trafficking, or for their oil, or for regional alignment.

The second Trump term promoted an end to Maduro’s role as kingpin of a vast regional narco-trafficking network as key to its rationale. But they ran into a paradox when suggesting Maduro just leave power: He could not be both the kingpin and a man who could walk out on his role at the drop of a hat.

The evidence that Maduro was top of the regional tree was also not as substantial as the White House would have hoped. Yes, Venezuela undoubtedly permitted drug trafficking from its airspace and shores, with the top, global cocaine producer Colombia just over the border. But Mexico and Colombia’s cartels were bigger players – yet seemed to attract less US military focus.

Deep in the heart of this action lies Washington’s wider ambitions for greater control of its near-abroad, for what they have termed an updated Monroe Doctrine.

A pliant Venezuela is better for US hydrocarbon markets, but most importantly provides a place to which millions of Venezuelans currently seeking refuge in the United States can return.

But as it stands, what comes next is not clear – or whether there is an immediate successor, willing to stomach the same risk of abduction. It also remains to be seen this ignites anti-American fury, or ushers in days of celebration at the end of a dictatorship that has mismanaged Venezuelans’ economy into freefall.

Maduro’s departure is a win for Trump, but chaos or collapse after him would be a cascading loss. The plan for “what next” is more important than the staggering display of US might over Caracas’ skies on early Saturday morning.

Originally posted on CNN


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My Take On It: The Good, the Bad, and the Downright Ugly of 2025, Part III

                                     

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“Open up prayer for all governmental leaders and their institutions so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation.” —1 Timothy 2:2

The year 2025 continues to be a year where the country and the world is losing many of its greats – forming what we call the Bad. It is also the year many disastrous and Downright Ugly things have happened, right along there with the Good. Among those we have lost in 2025 are relatives, nationals, and international icons. While this week we outline the Downright Uglies of 2025, a section is reserved for the Bad. Losing loved ones or icons are Bad and unbearable experiences.

This week, as the year draws to its twilight, the Mayombo clan weeps again; this time with the loss of our brother, cousin, uncle, and friend, Ronald Mtisunge Mbekeani; he is the second from the clan to breathe his last. Earlier this year, we lost Rogers Zamachetcha Mbekeani.

From the international scene, former New York Congressman Charles Wrangle passed away this year. Others are musician Marianne Faithful, Brandon Clackson (husband to TV personality Kelly Clackson), Dolly Parton’s husband Carl Dean, a song writer and married to the singer for 60 years, died early in 2025. Phil Robertson, Ruth Buzzi, Uche Ujeh, David Lynch, and Diego Jota were all lost to us in 2025.

Three very gruesome killings took place in 2025. These include the slaying by gunshot of a Republican Party activist, an actor/director and his wife, and Hanukkah celebrants in Australia.

On September 10, 2025, an assassin gunned down, Charles James Kirk. He was an American right-wing political activist, entrepreneur, and media personality. He co-founded the conservative student organization Turning Point USA in 2012, and was a member of the Republican Party, and a highly influential figure in the Make America Great Again (MAGA) Movement. The assassination took place while Kirk was speaking at an outdoor campus debate at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Twenty-two year old Tyler James Robinson, from Washington, Utah later surrendered to Police.

Acclaimed director, producer, screenwriter and actor Rob Reiner and wife Michele Reiner (née Singer), were found dead in their Brentwood, California, home on December 14, 2025. Their son Nick has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The cause of death was from knife wounds.

The shocking headline read: At least 15 killed in mass shooting at Hanukkah event on Sydney’s Bondi Beach. The assassins turned out to be a pair of father-and-son duo who used two “basic” improvised explosive devices that were found at the scene of the slaying. Among the dead was Rabbi Eli Schlanger, assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and a key organizer of the event.

This killing took Australians by surprise as mass shootings are rare in Australia. It also took place during the annual Jewish festivity and celebration of Chanukah by the Sea, an event celebrating the start of Hanukkah. Meanwhile,Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday called the shooting a “targeted attack against Jewish Australians” and a “terrorist incident.”

“An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian,” Albanese said in a statement posted on social media. “There is no place for this hate, violence and terrorism in our nation. Let me be clear. We will eradicate it.”

Turning to the US, let us continue to seek God’s face and pray, especially for President Donald Trump. The American leader is a gifted, highly admired gifted, and skillful communication professional. Let us pray that in 2026 President Trump uses his skills to bring global and national unity and peace beyond measure – in Europe, in the Middle East, in Latin America, and everywhere.

Let us pray that he uses his communication skills to bring an end to divisive, corrosive hatred, and racism. Let us pray, praising the LORD our God, that President Trump will bring about lasting respect for the rule of law and order within and even outside the USA.

Lastly, as the USA marches toward its celebration of the 250th Anniversary of Independence, let us pray that Mr. Trump will genuinely lead America to be the loveable country this land of the brave and free, land of opportunity continues to be the true bulwark of democracy it has been all these years. Let us pray, believe, and hold to be true that with God’s Mighty Hand, this President of the United States can do it.

Yes, he can, by God’s grace!


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