The Common Pulse

B y   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / NOVEMBER2025 The upcoming G20 Summit in Johannesburg has quickly become one of the most politically charged global gatherings of the decade, not because of the usual debates over trade, climate, or digital economies, but because of a boycott led by U.S. President Donald Trump. His decision to snub the summit, citing allegations of “white genocide” in South Africa, has ignited a firestorm of diplomatic tension, racial discourse, and questions about the integrity of multilateralism in a divided world. What was supposed to be a celebration of South Africa’s growing diplomatic stature as a host nation has now turned into a test of both its resilience and its international image. Trump’s boycott announcement came in the middle of a heated U.S. political season, where his administration has doubled down on nationalist rhetoric, protectionist trade policies, and sharp skepticism toward global institution...

B y   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / NOVEMBER2025 The United States has entered yet another painful chapter of political brinkmanship as the federal government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025, continues to ripple through every layer of public life. What started as a familiar standoff in Congress over budget priorities has quickly evolved into one of the most consequential shutdowns in modern history. The current impasse is no longer just about fiscal restraint or partisan messaging, it has become a slow-motion crisis that exposes the fragility of America’s administrative machinery, the growing disconnect between government and citizen, and the deep fissures defining U.S. politics in this decade. The shutdown has brought Washington to a grinding halt, forcing tens of thousands of federal workers into furloughs, freezing critical services, and constraining basic operations in sectors that citizens depend on daily. Agencies from ...

B y   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. Diwali, often referred to as the Festival of Lights, holds a special place in the hearts of millions of people worldwide. Celebrated predominantly by Hindus, but also embraced by Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists, this festival transcends religious boundaries to become a symbol of joy, renewal, and spiritual triumph. It is a time when homes are illuminated with lamps, families come together in harmony, and communities participate in shared rituals that have been passed down through generations. Diwali’s essence lies not only in its dazzling visual splendor but also in its deeper meanings of victory, hope, and the triumph of light over darkness. The origins of Diwali are rooted in a rich tapestry of mythology, history, and cultural traditions. One of the most widely recounted stories is that of Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after a fourteen-year exile and his victory over the demon king Rava...

 B y   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. When President Donald Trump vowed to intervene against drug smugglers in Colombia, it marked not just another declaration in America’s long war on drugs but a significant widening of U.S. counternarcotics operations across Latin America. What began as a campaign focused on intercepting cocaine-laden vessels at sea has evolved into a strategy that places entire governments under threat of U.S. action. Colombia, once heralded as Washington’s closest ally in the fight against narcotics, has once again become a flashpoint in the geopolitical struggle over sovereignty, security, and control of the hemisphere’s most lucrative illicit trade. Trump’s renewed attention to Colombia did not emerge in isolation. It sits atop a decades-long legacy of U.S. involvement in the Andean region, where billions of dollars have been poured into eradication campaigns, military assistance, and intellig...

   By   Justin Kirangacha| The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. Among the countless monuments scattered across China, few evoke such visceral disgust as the kneeling statues of Qin Hui and his wife, Wang. Every day, in Hangzhou’s West Lake, visitors spit, curse, and sometimes slap the life-sized bronze figures, their heads bowed in eternal shame before the tomb of Yue Fei, the legendary Song dynasty general they betrayed. This daily ritual of contempt is not merely an act of cultural theater, but a living reminder of how treachery, hypocrisy, and political cowardice can echo through the ages long after empires fall and dynasties crumble. The story of Qin Hui is a study in disgrace, a political fable about power’s corrosion of the soul, and a warning carved in metal about the enduring memory of betrayal. Qin Hui was born in 1090, during the Northern Song dynasty, and rose through the imperial bureaucracy as a talented scholar and offici...

 B y   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. For more than a decade, Viktor Orbán has stood at the helm of Hungary, shaping the country in his own image and earning a reputation as one of Europe’s most controversial leaders. Since 2010, Orbán’s rule has been defined by a relentless consolidation of power, a populist rhetoric that pits him against what he calls liberal Western elites, and a carefully constructed narrative of defending Hungary’s sovereignty from foreign influence. But now, the man who has long appeared invincible is facing the most formidable challenge of his political life. The Hungarian electorate, weary of economic stagnation, corruption allegations, and the creeping erosion of democratic institutions, appears more divided than ever. Orbán’s grip on the country, once unshakable, is showing signs of strain. The End of Political Comfort Orbán’s ruling party, Fidesz, has dominated Hungarian politics for fif...

  By   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. Across the United States, a new battleground is forming between the federal government and local authorities over one of the most divisive and emotional issues in modern America,  immigration enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released a comprehensive list of what it calls “sanctuary jurisdictions,” counties, cities, and even entire states accused of defying or obstructing federal immigration mandates. The publication of this list has ignited fierce debates about sovereignty, constitutional boundaries, human rights, and the balance between local governance and national security. The move represents not only a political flashpoint but also a test of how far the federal government can go to impose its immigration agenda on unwilling localities. Sanctuary jurisdictions, in their simplest definition, are local or state governments that limit coopera...

  By   Mutunga Tobbias| The Common Pulse/latest news/US/Qatar /Israel/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025.   Breaking Centuries of Tradition For centuries, the Church of England, like much of the wider Anglican Communion, operated within a framework that excluded women from its highest ranks of leadership. Although women had long played vital roles in parish life, missionary work, charity, and education, the formal recognition of their leadership within the ecclesiastical hierarchy remained a distant dream. That changed when Sarah Mullally emerged not only as one of the most dynamic figures within the modern Anglican Church but also as a trailblazer, becoming the first female to take on a leading episcopal role at the heart of the English establishment. Her story is not just about breaking barriers, but about reshaping an ancient institution for a new age, intertwining faith, compassion, and social engagement in ways that challenge traditional definitions of religio...

  By   Mutunga Tobbias| The Common Pulse/latest news/US/Qatar /Israel/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025.   A Shocking Incident That Shook the Faithful In the heart of the United States, where church communities often stand as sanctuaries of peace, a tragic shooting left members of a Mormon congregation reeling in grief. The attack, devastating in its suddenness, forced families to bury their loved ones while struggling to make sense of an act of senseless violence. Faith leaders quickly came forward with words of comfort, vigils were held, and prayers filled the air. Yet in the aftermath of this chaos, one decision by the Mormon Church sparked an entirely different conversation: a donation made not to the victims, but to the family of the shooter. Compassion in the Wake of Tragedy At the core of many religious teachings lies the principle of compassion. The Mormon Church, officially known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has long emphasized forgiv...