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In celebration of International Podcast Day, these well-known ‘casters are more than plugged into the platforms … they’re fully dialed! Are you ready to tap into the talking trend? Keep in mind, with high ratings and mega followings … comes…
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The federal government has shut down for the first time since 2019, with President Trump threatening mass layoffs and facing criticism for using government resources to blame Democrats. More than two million federal workers are bracing for uncertainty as the shutdown drags on, with some agencies warning employees they may not be brought back once it ends. And President Trump told top military commanders he wants to use troops against “enemies within” and plans to deploy National Guard forces to Democratic-led cities.
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p class=”readrate”>Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Kelsey Snell, Emily Kopp, Krishnadev Calamur, Mohamad ElBardicy and Alice Woelfle.
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p class=”readrate”>It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Lindsay Totty
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p class=”readrate”>We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
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Kirsten Dunst and husband Jesse Plemons may be household names courtesy of their extensive Hollywood careers, but that doesn’t mean their own children are huge fans of their varied movie roles.
“I mean, they’ve seen Jumanji and Spider-Man,” Dunst, 43, exclusively told Us Weekly while attending the Roofman premiere in Los Angeles on Monday, September 29. “Every time I’m like, ‘Do you want to watch Like Mike?’ they’re like, ‘No.’ So… Small Soldiers, my kids like, too.” (Plemons starred in 2002’s Like Mike, a kids comedy about a boy who dreams of becoming a famous basketball player.)
She then clarified, “One of my kids likes [it].”
The Civil War star shares Ennis Howard, born in May 2018, and James Robert, born in May 2021, with fellow actor Plemons. The pair got engaged in 2017 and expanded their family before eventually tying the knot in Jamaica in 2022.
Kirsten Dunst Doesn’t Allow Her Kids to Have Electronics at Home
Dunst and Plemons recently starred alongside one another in the hit film Civil War — a last-minute cameo on behalf of her husband that had the pair working opposite each other in what can be described as an intense exchange.
“It happened during rehearsal that the actor dropped out, and Jesse was there [in Atlanta, where the movie was filmed] with the kids,” the actress told Seth Meyers during an April 10 appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers. “And I suggested him.”
She added at the time of her husband’s unruly character, “Nobody wants to play this role. It’s very intense.”
“I will say, it helps that I feel like we’ve seen Jesse over the years, both play good guys and bad guys, and we know him to be a good guy,” Meyers responded at the time. “You’re right, if it was some actor I’d never seen before, I would be, like, repulsed every time I saw him ever since. So I feel like Jesse took one for the team.”
“He really did,” Dunst agreed. “He’s a brilliant actor.”
Dunst’s kids are likely to be unfamiliar with her latest film, Roofman, as well. Starring Channing Tatum as escaped convict and professional thief Jeffrey Manchester, the film follows Tatum’s character after he finds solace inside a Toys “R” Us, managing to evade arthritis for months before he falls in love with Dunst’s character, Leigh Wainscott, a divorced mom.
When asked what drew her to the role, Dunst made it clear that it had less to do with the story itself and more to do with who was involved in telling it.
“To be honest, working with Derek Cainfrance,” Dunst told Us of the chance to create alongside the film’s director. “I love his movies, and I love acting in his films and I wanted to be a part of that process. So he could have asked me to do anything, and I would have worked with him.”
Kirsten Dunst Has ‘Very Tense’ Scene With Jesse Plemons in ‘Civil War’
Based on a true story, Dunst also had a chance to meet the real-life Leigh Wainscott in preparation for the role — an experience she said helped her better portray her in the film.
“She has a lot of grace,” Dunst said. “And she’s so, you know, forgiving of what happened and still talks to Jeff. And she was just very giving of her presence — her natural presence. So that’s something that I could take with me in portraying Leigh.”
Dust also dished on what it was like to work alongside Channing.
“He’s lovely,” she gushed of her costar. “He’s a wonderful guy, and also just a very present actor and really kind.”
Roofman hits theaters nationwide on October 10.
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Selena Gomez opened her wedding album to reveal new details about her three Ralph Lauren gowns.
Following her Saturday, September 27, wedding to Benny Blanco, Gomez, 33, took to Instagram on Tuesday, September 30, to share a carousel of images that focused on her single ceremony design and two reception designs.
The first four photos captured the pop star’s high-neck, double-faced silk satin custom Ralph Lauren Collection halter gown with embroidered multi-dimensional lace artistry at the collar. One particularly stunning black and white snap in the mix showed the bride standing in a garden as her gown’s train was splayed across the grass. Another photo went in on her petite bouquet filled with white Lily of the valley blooms.
The carousel’s remaining images revealed a first look at her two reception gowns: a second custom Ralph Lauren Collection halter-style silk lace dress with 300 hand-shaped lace flowers and a hand-painted corset, plus a flirty custom Ralph Lauren Collection tulle gown with a sweetheart neckline that was worn as she and Blanco, 37, took to the dance floor for their first dance.
Benny Blanco Makes Adorable 1st Comment After Selena Gomez Wedding
Gomez and Blanco, whose real name is Benjamin Joseph Levin, tied the knot in Santa Barbara, California, after Us Weekly confirmed in the lead up that the pair’s festivities would kick off with a rehearsal dinner on Friday, September 26.
A source told Us in the week prior, “It will be a huge, A-list, star-studded wedding planned by Mindy Weiss.”
Gomez shared a first glimpse of her nuptials one day after the ceremony was staged, taking to Instagram with a carousel of loved-up Polaroid snaps and romantic videos packed with PDA. “🤍 9.27.25 🤍,” she captioned her first social media post.
In her most recent share, the Only Murders In the Building star also offered a peek into her reception, which Us confirmed on Monday, September 29, was filled with Persian rugs and florals aligned to a brown, white and red color scheme. One of Gomez’s photos captured her and Blanco, a music producer, walking along a Persian rug arm-in-arm and flashing wide grins.
Selena Gomez Shares Stunning Pics From Her Bachelorette Party
Another photo from Gomez’s new Instagram post captured the couple’s wedding cake which was shaped as a love heart with the words, “Just married,” written beside a bride and groom cake topper. As Gomez and Blanco posed beside their wedding cake, the pair held glasses of bubbles to toast their magic moment.
Us confirmed earlier on Tuesday that Gomez is “radiating joy” since tying the knot with Blanco. A source told Us exclusively, “Selena had nerves before doing her first look with Benny, but from that moment on, she was radiating joy. You could tell how happy she was, and she did not stop smiling or crying tears of joy the entire day.”
The insider added that once Gomez’s wedding wrapped, she “kept saying this was the best weekend and day of her life and how much it meant that everyone was there for them.”
Gomez and Blanco were married in front of 150 guests including famous friends including Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Cara Delevingne, and her Only Murders costars Martin Short, Steve Martin and Paul Rudd.
The pair got engaged in December 2024 after dating for roughly one year and forming a friendship that spanned several years. Blanco also produced multiple tracks on the singer’s 2015 album, Revival.
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There’s nothing spooky about this Halloween house — Swifties in New Orleans have updated their annual Halloween display to include Travis Kelce proposing to Taylor Swift! Check it out — the ‘Skeleton House,’ as it’s nicknamed, shows Travis…
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Tom Holland sat down for a panel recently and made it quite clear that he and Zendaya are still on the road to marriage … after an interviewer called her his “girlfriend.” When an off-camera reporter says, “I brought my daughter and she got to…
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LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawians are reeling from a sharp fuel price hike just days before Peter Mutharika is set to be sworn in as the country’s next president.
With the September 16, 2025, elections behind them, many are asking a pressing question: who is legally responsible for decisions taken in the interim period between an election defeat and the formal handover of power?
Malawi’s Constitution provides a clear answer.
Section 83(3) states: “The President shall hold office for five years, but shall continue in office until his or her successor has been sworn in.”
This ensures that even after losing an election, the incumbent president continues to wield full executive authority until the incoming president formally takes the oath.
Following the September elections, President Lazarus Chakwera legally remains head of state and chief executive until Mutharika’s scheduled swearing-in on Saturday, October 4, 2025.
This includes full oversight of economic, administrative, and regulatory decisions, such as the recent adjustments in petrol and diesel prices announced by the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA).
History confirms this practice in Malawi.
When Bakili Muluzi completed his second term in 2004, he remained fully in office until Bingu wa Mutharika was sworn in.
In 2012, after Bingu’s sudden death, Joyce Banda assumed the presidency immediately, but until her formal swearing-in, the late president was still legally head of state.
In 2014, after losing to Peter Mutharika, Joyce Banda remained president until the swearing-in ceremony, continuing to make administrative decisions despite public criticism and allegations of political maneuvering.
These examples show that Malawi consistently applies the principle that incumbents retain full authority until their successors are sworn in, even in tense or controversial circumstances.
Malawi is not alone in this.
In the United States, outgoing presidents maintain authority until January 20, issuing executive orders, granting pardons, and managing foreign policy.
However, the “lame-duck” period carries risks, as seen in Donald Trump’s final weeks in 2020, when sweeping pardons and challenges to election results exposed potential abuses of transitional power.
Zambia and Kenya provide additional lessons.
When Edgar Lungu lost to Hakainde Hichilema in 2021, he remained in office until the handover.
Kenya’s post-election transitions in 2007–2008 revealed how delays or manipulations during transition can spark conflict.
These cases highlight a universal principle: legitimacy flows from constitutional order, not merely election outcomes.
While transitional authority ensures continuity, it can also be misused.
Out-of-office incumbents can make last-minute policy changes or shield allies from accountability, potentially leaving the incoming administration with contentious decisions and the public with unanswered questions.
The recent fuel price hike in Malawi exemplifies this tension: legally approved by the outgoing Chakwera government, but politically and socially sensitive as it impacts citizens before the new president assumes office.
To protect democracy and limit abuse during transitional periods, Malawi could consider reforms.
Parliament could legislate that significant economic or administrative changes—such as fuel price adjustments, international borrowing, or high-value contracts—be limited between election results and the swearing-in.
A panel of Parliament, judiciary, and civil society could monitor decisions during transitions to ensure necessity and public interest.
Reducing the time between election declaration and swearing-in, as done in Zambia, minimizes the risk of controversial decisions.
Outgoing presidents must also be guided by law and integrity, recognizing that their final acts shape both legacy and national stability.
As Peter Mutharika prepares to take office on October 4, 2025, the caretaker fuel price adjustments underscore the dual reality of transitional governance: it is both constitutionally essential and politically sensitive.
Malawians should take this moment to reflect on the importance of legal continuity, the risks of lame-duck power, and the reforms necessary to ensure that transitions strengthen, rather than strain, democracy.
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KINSHASA-(MaraviPost)-Former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, has been sentenced to death and ordered to pay US$30 billion in damages.
He is said to be living in exile in South Africa.
Kabila, who served as president from 2001 to 2019, left the DRC in 2023 but recently visited Goma in the east of the country, an area controlled by the M23 rebel group.
The former president went on trial in absentia in July for allegedly supporting the Rwanda-backed rebels, who seized large swaths of territory in eastern Congo earlier this year.
A military tribunal in Kinshasa, presided over by Lieutenant General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi, convicted him of treason, crimes against humanity, murder, sexual assault, torture, and insurrection.
“In applying Article 7 of the Military Penal Code, it imposes a single sentence, namely the most severe one, which is the death penalty,” Katalayi declared when delivering the verdict.
In addition to the death sentence, Kabila was ordered to pay nearly 50 billion dollars in damages to the state and victims.
Analysts warn the ruling could deepen political and regional divides in the vast, mineral-rich central African nation, which has endured decades of conflict.
Kabila held power for almost two decades and only stepped down after violent protests against his rule.
Since late 2023, he has mostly resided in South Africa, though he appeared in rebel-held Goma in May.
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American women’s tennis star Coco Gauff advanced to the quarterfinals of the China Open in Beijing on Monday, September 29, but not before a tense mid-match clash with Swiss opponent Belinda Bencic over accusations of “mind games.”
The incident went down in the second set, with Bencic leading 6-4, 2-3 and serving at break point.
After Bencic dropped the previous point with a poor drop shot that Gauff, 21, chased down for a winner, the Swiss star snapped at Gauff’s player’s box, telling them to “shut up” and claiming they had celebrated before her serve.
“I treat your team with respect, you treat my team with respect,” Gauff shot back during the exchange, adding that her camp had not cheered before Bencic’s serve.
Coco Gauff Felt ‘Mentally Overwhelmed’ Before Early Wimbledon Exit
“They told me she said, ‘Shut up,’” Gauff said in her post-match press conference. “I didn’t hear it, so I can only go based off of what they said. For me, I was telling her to be respectful.”
Bencic attempted to explain the heated interaction during her post-match comments.
“When the point is over, it’s no problem, I don’t care,” Bencic, 27, said. “But when I’m going to the line ready to serve, they don’t need to cheer.”
Bencic managed to hold for 3-3, then broke Gauff in the following game as the American double-faulted three times in frustration.
“Immediately after that, next game I was frustrated, threw three doubles,” Gauff admitted. “But after that I was just like, ‘OK, I don’t want to lose anymore after this point.’”
The tension escalated again when Bencic brought her complaints to the chair umpire during the next changeover, with Gauff arguing back.
“No one’s talking to you, she’s talking to me, OK?,” Bencic retorted. “ Your team is chanting! I’m too old for these mind games!”
From there, the momentum shifted. Gauff broke serve in the next game, forced a second-set tiebreak, and held on before running away with the third set to complete a 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 victory.
Despite the heated words, the players shook hands at the net and Gauff made a point to downplay the confrontation afterward.
Gauff explained that the fiery moment actually worked in her favor as the match progressed.
“I was able to just buckle down,” she said. “I think it was almost good for me in a way “I think I can play sometimes a little bit better when I’m annoyed, more so not with myself but with something else.”
Emotional Coco Gauff Credits Simone Biles’ Support for Win at US Open
Gauff added, “She’s entitled to how she felt and I’m entitled to how I respond. I obviously have a lot of respect for Belinda. She’s a great player, coming back and playing great tennis as a mom. Yeah, I obviously wish today didn’t happen, but it is what it is.”
The American also noted that the mostly empty Beijing stadium amplified the noise from both benches.
“With no real crowd noise, it probably made the situation seem bigger than it was,” Gauff said.
The win not only sent Gauff into the quarterfinals on Thursday, October 2, where she will face Germany’s Eva Lys, but also secured her place in the season-ending WTA Finals in November.
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Style power couple Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz Beckham are bringing serious heat to fall fashion, starring in Express’ new Icons of Style 2025 campaign.
The campaign, which dropped on Tuesday, September 30, was designed to celebrate 45 years of the brand, reintroducing signature pieces with bold, modern updates — such as rich burgundy corduroy, crepe Portofino shirts, winter-friendly ensembles and layers in must-have colors.
Brooklyn, 26, and Nicola, 30, serve as the faces of the release, which celebrates confidence, creativity and self-expression while “spotlighting modern suiting, festive sequins and versatile pieces designed to carry you from everyday moments to holiday celebrations,” according to a press release.
Photos of the fashionable duo were captured by the Morelli Brothers at Milk Studios in Los Angeles. In one image, Brooklyn wears the Textured Houndstooth Wool-Blend Topcoat ($298.00) which features notched lapels, a three-button front and horizontal flap hand pockets.
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Nicola brings her own flair to the campaign, modeling a Velvet Corduroy Long Slim Blazer ($148) which is a sleek tailored piece that is fully lined with flap hand pockets and bold peak lapels, paired with a matching flared trouser pant ($88) for an elevated, coordinated look.
In a stunning photo of the lovebirds, Brooklyn donned the Brushed Wool-Blend Double Pocket Oversized Cardigan ($118), gazing into the camera as his leading lady wowed in a Cable Knit V-Neck Tunic Sweater ($98) as well as the High Waisted Faux Leather Wide Leg Pant ($98).
Nicola was also a vision in the brand’s Satin Leopard Sweetheart Sleeveless Drop Waist Midi Dress ($128), featuring a corset bodice with boning for a flattering fit in addition to a back zipper closure and adjustable spaghetti straps.
“Distinctively stylish. Unapologetically themselves. Iconic in every way. The It couple of the moment reinvents signature Express style for today,” the website states about their campaign.
Brooklyn and Nicola renewed their wedding vows this past August after tying the knot in April 2022. The pair began dating in October 2019.
“I always love the opportunity to work with Brooklyn on campaigns,” she told People about their collaboration. “It never feels like work when we’re together, and I feel so lucky we get to share these experiences.”
Brooklyn echoed her sentiments, sweetly adding, “Working with Express on this campaign was great, and getting to shoot it with my wife made it even more special.”
The dynamic duo even shared how they love to coordinate ensembles — when the time is right. “For certain events, we’ll go to fittings together,” she told the outlet. “I see couples coordinating outfits and it feels authentic.”
Brooklyn chimed in, “We always make sure we feel connected in what we’re wearing.”
Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz Coordinate in Valentino at 2023 Met Gala
Just days ago, Brooklyn — the eldest child of David and Victoria Beckham — addressed long-running rumors about drama within his family.
He set the record straight while competing in the Ryder Cup Celebrity All-Star Match on September 24, also giving a shout-out to his wife for being his rock.
“Everyone is always going to say rubbish,” Brooklyn told the Daily Mail. “I just try and do this, play some golf with some friends. It’s good fun.”
“There’s always going to be people saying negative things but I have a very supportive wife,” Brooklyn added. “Me and her, we just do our thing. We just keep our heads down and work. And we’re happy.”
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