President Trump’s Asia trip kicks off with peace deal between Cambodia and Thailand and a trade framework with China, before meeting with President Xi Jinping on Thursday. The massive U.S. military build up in the Caribbean waters off the coast of Venezuela is causing concern from Caracas to the U.S. Congress, Venezuelan troops conduct drills on their beaches this weekend. And federal workers face growing financial strain as the government shutdown threatens holiday travel and food benefits.
Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
<
p class=”readrate”>Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Dana Farrington, Tara Neil, Kelsey Snell, Mohamad ElBardicy and Alice Woelfle .
<
p class=”readrate”>
<
p class=”readrate”>It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Christopher Thomas
<
p class=”readrate”>
<
p class=”readrate”>We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
Ryan Murphy has found success adapting true crime stories and high-profile events, which often results in backlash from the subjects of his shows.
Murphy’s sprawling TV universe started out with shows such as Nip/Tuck, Glee and American Horror Story. As the producer continued to find success, he expanded by taking on projects that highlighted real stories — starting with American Crime Story. The anthology show has chronicled the murder trial of O.J. Simpson, the killing of designer Gianni Versace and the sex scandal involving former President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky.
From there, Murphy created the American Sports Story spinoff, which focused on the rise and fall of former NFL player Aaron Hernandez in its first season. Murphy’s most controversial spinoff has been the Monster anthology series. In 2022, the limited series centered on Evan Peters‘ portrayal of Jeffrey Dahmer, which received backlash from the families of the serial killer’s victims.
Peters, meanwhile, opened up about how his mental health was affected after taking on the complicated role. “I’m going to take a little break from darker roles and explore the light,” he told Variety in December 2022. “It would be interesting to me to play something that is a little closer to home, a little more mundane and to explore the details of those kinds of experiences.”
Season 2 faced similar backlash after Erik Menendez slammed Murphy’s portrayal of him and brother Lyle Menendez. Murphy, however, stood by his work and even claimed that Monsters created renewed support in the Menendez case, which ultimately led to them being resentenced to 50 years to life, which now makes them eligible for parole under California’s youthful offender law.
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of every time a show’s subject called Murphy out — and how he defended his work:
‘American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson’
Ray Mickshaw/FX
The People v. O.J. Simpson reexamined the late athlete’s high-profile trial after he was arrested and subsequently charged in 1994 with the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. In one of the most talked-about verdicts of all time, O.J. was famously acquitted of the murders in 1995, but he was found liable for Ron and Nicole’s deaths in a civil trial three years later.
Brown and Goldman’s respective family members called out American Crime Story for not consulting them. Former detective Mark Fuhrman, who was involved in the case, also called his portrayal untruthful.
‘American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace’
FX
The Versace family broke their silence on the show in a January 2018 statement, which read, “The Versace family has neither authorized nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming TV series about the death of Mr. Gianni Versace. Since Versace did not authorize the book on which it is partly based nor has it taken part in the writing of the screenplay, this TV series should only be considered as a work of fiction.”
Murphy stood up for his show by defending the journalist whose work inspired the project.
“The book that we based our show off of, that we own, Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth, has been out for nearly 20 years,” he said in a statement that same month. “And it’s a work of nonfiction. It’s been scrutinized and vetted for close to two decades. And a lot of if not all of Maureen’s reporting in that book was on the record, and it’s been sourced out, and we had our own sources.”
‘Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’
Ser Baffo/Netflix
The first season of Netflix’s hit show debuted in 2022 and focused on Peters’ portrayal of Dahmer. Monster, which also starred Niecy Nash, came under fire after the families of Dahmer’s victims revealed they weren’t consulted for the show.
Eric Perry, a relative of victim Errol Lindsey, claimed in a September 2022 statement that the show was “retraumatizing [the families] all over again.”
“I want people to understand this is not just a story or historical fact, these are real people’s lives,” the statement continued. “[Lindsey] was someone’s son, someone’s brother, someone’s father, someone’s friend that was ripped from [our] lives.”
Murphy, for his part, previously said he and his team reached out to over 20 victims’ families and friends during their three and a half years of research and that “not a single person responded to us in that process.” He elaborated in a November 2022 profile about how he took Dahmer’s story on to address the racism and homophobia that defined the case because “it was the biggest thing I’ve ever seen that really sort of examines how easy it is to get away with things with the white privilege aspects.”
“What are the rules now? Should we never do a movie about a tyrant?” he added at the time.
‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’
Miles Crist/Netflix
When Monsters premiered in September 2024, episodes 4 and 5 received critical and fan praise for how they approached Erik and Lyle’s claims that they killed their parents in self-defense following years of alleged physical, emotional and sexual abuse. However, the show received backlash for other inaccuracies about the Menéndez brothers, including the insinuation that they were in an incestous relationship.
“I believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies rampant in the show,” read a statement from Erik that was shared via Lyle’s Facebook page at the time. “I can only believe they were done so on purpose. It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.”
Murphy, meanwhile, questioned the backlash against the show when it played a part in the Menendez case receiving renewed public support. “We gave them their moment in the court of public opinion,” he told Variety one month later. “Basically, we did give them a platform.”
Murphy and the Menendez brothers intimately worked out their differences about the show amid the inmates’ successful attempt to get resentenced.
‘American Love Story’
Arnaldo Magnani/Getty Images
Before American Love Story even premiered on FX, Murphy was criticized by the Kennedys for his plans to dramatize Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr.‘s story after their deaths in a 1999 plane crash. Kennedy Jr.’s nephew Jack Schlossberg accused Murphy in June 2025 of “grotesque[ly]” profiting off his late uncle’s death.
“Lately, my news feed has been filled with pictures of my uncle, John F. Kennedy Jr., a great man,” Schlossberg wrote via Instagram in June. “For those wondering whether his family was ever consulted, or has anything to do with the new shows being made about him, the answer is no. And there’s really not much we can do.”
Schlossberg continued: “For that matter, [JFK Jr. is] considered a public figure, so there’s not much we can do. I hope those making these shows about him take seriously what he stood for in his life, all that he achieved in it. And that they donate some of the profits [that] they’re making.”
In response, Murphy called out the “inflammatory” criticism and how it came before the show was released.
“I thought it was an odd choice to be mad about your relative that you really don’t remember,” Murphy said on Gavin Newsom’s “This Is Gavin Newsom” podcast one month later. “The days of civil discourse are over, and it’s very hard. And you kind of either get into the muck or you try and rise above it.”
‘Monster: The Ed Gein Story’
Anthony Perkins in ‘Psycho’, Joey Pollari in ‘Monster: The Ed Gein Story’.Everett Collection; Courtesy of Netflix
Anthony Perkins‘ son Osgood Perkins had some choice words for Murphy’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story after its onscreen depiction of his late father.
Osgood, told TMZ in October 2025 that he hadn’t seen season 3 himself and “wouldn’t watch it with a 10-foot pole.” The Longlegs director had concerns about the creative liberties the show was taking when it came to including Anthony (Joey Pollari) and his role in Psycho, which was inspired by Ed Gein‘s crimes.
Osgood addressed how the true crime genre has been turned into “glamorous and meaningful content” while being “reshaped in real time by overlords.” He referred to scripted shows such as Monster as “increasingly devoid of context and that the Netflix-ization of real pain is playing for the wrong team.”
Connie Britton is reportedly engaged to David Windsor after nearly six years of dating.
According to a report by People, published on Sunday, October 26, a representative for Britton, 58, confirmed to the outlet that she is set to tie the knot with her producer boyfriend.
The outlet also published a photo of the Friday Night Lights alum, who met Windsor at a mutual friend’s 50th birthday party in November 2019, with a ring on her left ring finger while kissing Windsor at LAX Airport on Friday, October 24.
Us Weekly has reached out to a representative for Britton for comment.
The actress spoke about the first time she saw Windsor, who has worked on TV series including This Is Us and Not Dead Yet in the past, during a January 2023 interview for Sirius XM’s Radio Andy. “I’m talking to my friend and he looks past me and he sees David across the room and he is like, ‘There’s someone here you have to meet,’” she told host Andy Cohen at the time before adding that she will “never forget” seeing Windsor in that moment despite not formally meeting him at the party.
Britton explained during the episode that she had to leave the party early to put her son Yoby to bed, “My friend was like, ‘Wait, wait, wait. I wanted to introduce you to David!’ I’m like, ‘You know what, just have him email me,’” she said. (Britton adopted Eyob “Yoby” from Ethiopia in 2011.)
She noted, however, that Windsor sent her a message the following day, and the pair’s first public sighting was recorded by the Daily Mail who published photos of the duo leaving a West Hollywood restaurant together in September 2021. The couple attended HBO’s Emmy’s Party’s red carpet together one year later.
Britton’s 2023 interview with Cohen also touched on her growing adoration for Windsor. “I have an amazing man in [my] life now and he is definitely stepping into that more paternal role,” she told Cohen, 57, at the time. The interview also revealed that Windsor is divorced following a previous marriage and shares two children, a son named Archie and a daughter named Tilly, with his ex.
For her part, Britton married her ex, investment banker John Britton, in 1991 and the pair divorced in 1995.
The Nashville alum offered further insight into her affection for Windsor during an interview with Parade in March. “What I was really looking for was a partnership where there’s constant growth, on both sides, and a sort of deepening of each other,” she told the outlet at the time. “And therefore [a] deepening of who I am — and for him, who he is.”
Britton continued, “It’s not just, like, ‘Oh, I found true love.’ It’s that I found somebody who I can walk on a journey with that is going to be constantly ever-changing, but also ever-deepening.”
She also noted that she had previously been looking for a relationship that encouraged her to be a “better mom” while also enhancing her acting career and place in the world.
Adrian Peterson has been arrested after allegedly driving while under the influence … TMZ has learned. According to online records, Peterson was arrested in Sugar Land, Texas around 10 AM local time Sunday. He was booked on one charge of DWI and…
PRETORIA-(MaraviPost)-Two young cousins Tshiamo Moramaga (22) and Baleseng Moramaga (21) were found shot dead early Sunday morning, October 26, 2025, in Mamelodi East, Extension 17, Pretoria.
This publication understands that deceased bodies were discovered around 6:15 AM on Sompisi Street, both with gunshot wounds to the head.
They lived together in Mamelodi East and were known to often go out together for weekend grooves.
Shot dead
This publication also understands that on the night of the incident, they met a man who allegedly spent a large sum of money on them.
However, after the outing, the two reportedly changed their plans and did not go with him as initially agreed.
The man is believed to have followed them and later shot them near their home.
Late cousins
Neighbours reportedly heard one of the girls screaming, “Please leave me alone, you’ll make a mistake,” followed by gunshots.
Police have since launched an investigation into the matter.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-NBM Development Bank Limited (NBMDBL), a development finance institution and subsidiary of National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc, has secured a grant of about £900,000 over a period of three years from the Scottish Government through its investment vehicle, The African Lakes Company Limited (ALC).
From the grant, NBMDBL will manage ALC special fund aimed at supporting women-led enterprises over a three-year period.
According to NBMDBL General Manager, Bernard Masi the first tranche of the grant for £265,000 is to be disbursed within the month of October.
“This is a matching grant designed to provide patient capital, including equity to women owned businesses thereby scaling up their business activities. The funding shall be availed to businesses operating in various sectors namely Agribusiness (mechanization and value addition), health, education, ICT, mining, energy and tourism,” he said.
Masi described the grant and partnership as a strong endorsement of the Bank’s impact in supporting entrepreneurs.
“We just don’t provide capital, we create viable SME businesses and provide hope to many entrepreneurs in these turbulent times,” said Masi.
ALC Managing Director, Bobby Anderson confirmed about the funding and expressed excitement to be working with the NBMDBL.
“We expect this new partnership between ALC and NBMDB will grow in the years ahead. Working together will be vital as we will provide debt and equity investment to existing businesses led by women who are seeking access to capital to grow.”
“In this way we hope our joint project, led by the dedicated staff of NBMDBL on the ground rather than by a foreign NGO, will contribute significantly to Malawi’s development goals,” said Anderson.
On the sidelines of the partnership, last weekend NBM plc officials, led by Chief Operating Officer Masauko Katsala had an audience with the Scottish First Minister John Swinney to give a brief on the strides made in supporting SMEs in the country.
Others who attended the meeting included Masi and NBMDBL Chief Operating Officer Esnat Kamudoni.
TMZ may collect a share of sales or other compensation from links on this page. The annual Amazon Holiday Beauty Event is back and better than ever. Through November 2, you can save big on all the skincare you’ve been dying to try … or the…
In the unfolding political drama surrounding the upcoming election for the speakership positions in Malawi’s National Assembly, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has faced criticism for its choice not to rally behind Catherine Mzumara, the United Transformation Movement (UTM) vice president and Northern Region bloc’s favored candidate for First Deputy Speaker.
However, a deeper look into the political landscape reveals that DPP’s decision to nominate Victor Musowa from Mulanje Bale instead is not only strategic but also grounded in political principle and alliance realities.
It is essential to understand the nuances of party loyalty, alliance commitments, and political pragmatism to appreciate why the DPP’s stance is justified and even commendable.
First and foremost, political parties operate within frameworks of alliances, shared goals, and mutual support. The Northern Region bloc, a coalition of about 37 MPs, endorsed Mzumara reflecting their regional interests and political alignment.
However, it is crucial to note that Mzumara’s party, UTM, had not entered into any formal political alliance with the DPP.
In fact, UTM actively campaigned against the DPP’s president, Peter Mutharika, thereby positioning itself as a political adversary rather than a partner.
This antagonistic posture by UTM makes it strategically and ethically untenable for the DPP to support Mzumara’s candidacy.
Political alliances are not merely about convenience; they are about shared visions and reciprocal support.
The DPP has commitments to other political actors and blocs, particularly those in the Northern Region who have chosen to ally with it.
The Northern Region bloc’s support for Mzumara is complicated by the fact that not all members of this bloc are in alliance with the DPP.
Those who have allied with the DPP have an expectation of mutual support on critical votes and appointments.
Supporting a UTM candidate who is from a party that vigorously campaigned against DPP’s leadership would be a betrayal of trust and alliance solidarity.
Moreover, the DPP’s official slate, with Sameer Suleman for Speaker of Parliament and Victor Musowa for First Deputy Speaker, reflects a carefully negotiated balance that respects existing alliances and political realities.
Musowa’s nomination is not a rejection of the Northern Region’s interests but an assertion of the party’s right to promote candidates within the framework of its alliances and political strategy.
It is a reminder that political support is a currency that must be earned through cooperation and shared objectives, not demanded unilaterally.
Calling on the DPP to support Mzumara simply because she enjoys the endorsement of part of the Northern Region bloc overlooks the complex nature of political affiliations.
It ignores that the Northern Region bloc is not monolithic; it contains MPs who have chosen different political paths.
Those who have allied with the DPP naturally expect the party to support their candidates, and it is reasonable for the DPP to honor these alliances.
Conversely, UTM, as a party that has positioned itself in opposition to DPP’s political agenda, cannot reasonably expect support from the DPP on such a critical leadership position.
Furthermore, the DPP’s stance encourages political clarity and accountability.
It sends a message that political parties must stand by their alliances and that political support is not a given but contingent on mutual respect and cooperation.
This clarity is vital for the health of Malawi’s multiparty democracy, where political actors must navigate alliances strategically rather than opportunistically.
If the DPP were to support Mzumara simply to appease the Northern Region bloc without regard to alliance dynamics, it would set a precedent for unstable politics where loyalties are fluid and unreliable.
The decision also reflects political maturity and respect for democratic processes within parties.
The DPP has nominated candidates it believes best represent its interests and those of its allies.
By standing firm behind Victor Musowa, the party asserts its agency and independence. This is important in a political environment where coalition-building and negotiation are constant.
It demonstrates that the DPP is not merely reactive to external pressures but proactive in shaping its leadership and political future.
Additionally, urging the Northern Region bloc that entered into alliance with the DPP to support the party’s candidates while allowing UTM to pursue its own interests is a balanced approach.
It respects the diversity of political representation in the Northern Region and acknowledges that political unity does not mean uniformity.
Each party and alliance must chart its course according to its principles and strategies.
The DPP’s position encourages political actors to honor their alliances and respect the decisions of other parties, fostering a more predictable and stable political environment.
The backdrop of UTM’s vigorous campaigning against Peter Mutharika during previous elections cannot be ignored.
Such active opposition naturally strains any prospects for cooperation or support in parliamentary leadership contests.
It would be politically naive and counterproductive for the DPP to overlook this history in the interest of short-term gains.
Political credibility and consistency demand that parties reward loyalty and hold accountable those who have opposed them.
The Democratic Progressive Party’s decision not to support Catherine Mzumara for First Deputy Speaker is a principled and pragmatic choice rooted in the realities of political alliances and party loyalty.
Supporting a vice president of a rival party that campaigned vigorously against DPP’s leadership would undermine the trust and cooperation that underpin political alliances.
The DPP’s nomination of Victor Musowa reflects respect for alliance commitments within the Northern Region bloc and a strategic assertion of party independence.
This stance promotes political accountability, stability, and clarity in Malawi’s multiparty democracy.
Rather than viewing the DPP’s position as divisive, it should be appreciated as a demonstration of political integrity and the complex negotiations that keep democratic politics vibrant and functional.
Let those in alliance with DPP support each other, and let UTM pursue its own path; this is the essence of healthy democratic pluralism.
MANGOCHI-(MaraviPost)-Police in Mangochi have arrested a 40-year-old man, identified as Milambo Umali, for allegedly murdering his biological father following a heated land dispute at Ndembo Village, Traditional Authority (T.A) Chimwala, in Mangochi District.
According to Mangochi Police Spokesperson Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi, the shocking incident occurred on October 25, 2025, after an argument erupted between the two family members over the use of family land.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the dispute started when the father, who has since died, objected to his son’s decision to lease part of the land to another person for farming.
The disagreement quickly escalated into violence, during which Umali reportedly struck his father several times with a hoe handle on the left side of his body.
The elderly man later complained of severe pain and weakness and was rushed to Mtima Bi Health Centre, where he received outpatient treatment.
However, his condition worsened overnight, prompting relatives to take him to Mangochi District Hospital, where medical personnel pronounced him dead upon arrival.
A postmortem examination revealed that the cause of death was internal injuries sustained during the assault.
Police have since taken Umali into custody and he is expected to appear in court soon to answer a charge of murder, contrary to Section 209 of the Penal Code.
Inspector Daudi has since urged members of the public to resolve disputes peacefully and avoid resorting to violence, especially in family-related matters.
“We continue to appeal to communities to seek dialogue or mediation through traditional or legal channels whenever disagreements arise, rather than taking the law into their own hands,” said Daudi.
The suspect Umali, hails from Gwaza Village, (T.A) Chimwala in Mangochi District.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s civil rights group under the banner Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) has commended President Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM) for keeping promise by appointing Enock Kamzingeni Chihana as Malawi’s Second Vice president saying the act is in line with the law.
In an interview with The Maravi on Monday, HRCC Board Chairperson Robert Mkwezalamba criticized some of the society including IMF and world bank for contributing towards Chihana’s swearing-in delays while raising concerns given the economic situation of the country.
But Mkwezalamba stated that “As a sovereign state, we are within our mandate to practice what our law allows us to do otherwise these bodies should have first supported the removal of the provision in our constitution so that it should not be utilized”.
“While people may be right to raise the financial implication of the decision, we need to realise that it is provided for in the constitution and that it’s being implemented for the common good”.
He added, “Having been promised a lean cabinet it means the Office of the President has to work diligently hence two vice Presidents and a Minister of State compliments that strength.
“On the other hand the north came out in large numbers to register and they did vote, without promoting regionalism, it may be obvious majority voted DPP because it had not hidden the fact that it had partnered with AFORD, the region has been longing for recognition and one wouldn’t blame them of they found favour in this partnership, as such we have a responsibility and duty to honour their choices and decisions.?”
Mkwezalamba says further, “This why as HRCC, in the spirit of promoting peace, unity and equal representation in matters of state, salutes APM for keeping the campaign promise of getting Aford in government.
“It is one thing to make commitments or promises and another to keep them, hence we need to commend APM for this”.
Mkwezalamba assures, “Our role and duty as CSOs and citizens as well as the international organisations is to monitor the roles and responsibilities that will be assigned to the 2nd Vice President and see if they are working for Malawians.
“If no progress is made, we will get back to APM to scrap the position as he is the only one mandated to appoint or un-appoint anyone to that position”.
He therefore called on Chihana to help APM work and deliver for the people, “While he is the direct beneficiary of the position, it is important to recognize that his appointment is on behalf of his people and in respect of sound democracy governance.
“We applaud Chihana for taking a gamble in withdrawing his candidature as president which indirectly saved resources for MEC and the country given the multitude presidential candidates we had”.
Mkwezalamba observes, “Chihana tdeserves appreciation for being responsible and more importantly leading afford to all elections with great vigor and energy since the denise of his father.
“Chihana has promoted the democratic space and it’s time for him to now deliver as 22nd vice President”.
He however cautioned APM to strongly monitor Chihana and youthful Minister of State Alfred Gangata, “To ensure sanity and that they are not overshadowing the 1st Vice President, because they are all in the same office of President”
“I’ve interacted with Chihana and Gangata as they are proven to be fit for these post to deliver.They need to be checked to ensure that there is sanity in the office of the President.
He added, “This ensuring that the First Vice President Jane Ansah does her job with minimal influence or interference from Chihana and Gangata.
“Their job descriptions should be laid down clearly! Otherwise we remain ready and committed to support and work with them to deliver for the people of Malawi”.
Mutharika is yet to appoint other cabinet ministers including Education, Health, Local Government, Youth and Sports, Natural Resources and Climate, Gender, Homeland Security, Lands, Mines and Energy.
