The Common Pulse

 B y   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / NOVEMBER2025 A Giant of Science, a Complex Legacy The world of science is marking the passing of James Dewey Watson, the American molecular biologist who, together with Francis Crick, helped unlock one of the most profound secrets of life: the structure of the molecule known as DNA. He died at the age of 97 on November 6, 2025, after a brief illness in hospice care in East Northport, New York. Watson’s career spans triumph and controversy, brilliance and missteps. He co‑discovered the elegant double‐helix configuration of DNA in 1953, shared the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, shaped the direction of molecular biology for decades, and later faced sharp criticism for statements on race and genetics that many found unacceptable. His story is a reminder that scientific breakthroughs live within human context with all its complexity. From Chicago bird‑watcher to scientific prodigy ...

By   Justin Kirangacha| The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. India’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, better known as the RSS, has long been one of the most controversial and influential organizations in modern Indian politics. Once banned after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi by a Hindu nationalist, the RSS was for decades a movement confined to whispered networks and underground training camps. Today, it stands tall in the open sunlight, no longer shy about its ambitions or its ideological reach. The RSS is not just a cultural group or a political influencer, it is the beating heart of a Hindu nationalist vision that has reshaped India’s social, religious, and political identity. What was once a shadow organization now casts a long silhouette over the Indian state itself. From Secret Meetings to Public Mobilization The RSS was founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, a doctor who believed that India’s weakness under colonial rule stemmed ...

 B y   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. The tale of Nicolas Puech is one of luxury, trust and betrayal, a story that reads like a parable of wealth mis-management and the fragility of power behind closed doors. A fifth-generation heir to the prestigious Hermès dynasty, Puech once held an estimated 5.7 % stake in the company his forebear,  Thierry Hermès, founded in 1837, a stake reportedly worth over €12 billion at its peak. Yet in recent years, he has insisted that his immense fortune has vanished, slipping away through the hands of a trusted advisor who isolated him from friends and family, siphoned off assets, and concealed the truth. The saga raises profound questions about the nature of trust, governance in ultra-wealthy families, and the checks and balances that even the most powerful can lack. Heiress, Heir and Outsider Puech was born in 1943 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, into the Hermès family, the son ...

  By   Justin Kirangacha| The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. When Barack Obama first rose to prominence on the world stage, his story was instantly intertwined with Kenya, the land of his father. But beyond the personal connection, there existed another link, a man whose name carried political weight and revolutionary energy across Kenya and Africa: Raila Amolo Odinga. To understand Raila through the eyes of Obama is to explore not only a political kinship but also a reflection of two men shaped by struggle, hope, and the unrelenting belief in change. Both sons of Luo heritage, both molded by the power of oratory and the pain of division, both symbols of transformation in systems that often resist it. Obama’s perspective of Raila has always carried a careful balance of admiration, distance, and historical respect. During his presidency, he often spoke about democracy, accountability, and the need for African leaders to embrace institution...

B y   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. Raila Odinga’s passing is more than the end of a single life, it is the closing of a chapter in modern African political history, one that has shaped how citizens, parties, and states negotiate power, justice, and identity across the continent. Known affectionately as Baba, Raila was at once a symbol of persistent opposition, a pragmatic dealmaker, a skilled orator, and a patient survivor of political persecution. His death sent immediate shockwaves through Kenya, where thousands poured into the streets to mourn, and it is already radiating outward across East Africa and the continent at large, provoking questions about succession within Kenya’s opposition, about the future of reformist coalitions, and about the durability of political movements that were so closely identified with his personality and moral authority. Who Raila Odinga was Raila Odinga’s life reads like a condensed h...

By   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. Kenya awoke this week to a silence it had never known before, a silence heavy with memory and meaning, a silence that comes when a voice that shaped the soul of a nation falls quiet. Raila Amollo Odinga is gone, and with him passes an era, a vision, and a fire that burned for justice, democracy, and unity. His death is not just the loss of a man, it is the closing of a chapter that began before independence and stretched into the heart of modern Kenya. Raila was never merely a politician, he was a symbol, a bridge between generations, a man who embodied the struggle of a people who refused to be forgotten. From the days he stood beside his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, watching the long and painful birth of a nation, to his final years as an elder statesman and moral compass, Raila’s life was intertwined with Kenya’s destiny. His name was whispered in prison cells, chanted in stadium...

  By   Peninah  Mbula/ The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. Raila Odinga Dies in India: The End of an Era in Kenyan Politics The world woke up in shock as news broke that former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga  one of Africa’s most influential political figures has died at 80 years old while in Kerala, India . Reports from AP News and Reuters confirm that Raila suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a morning walk at an Ayurvedic retreat and was rushed to Deva Matha Hospital , where he was pronounced dead. For decades, Raila Odinga was more than a politician he was a movement. From the streets of Nairobi to the corridors of power, he embodied Kenya’s struggle for democracy, equality, and reform. His voice, often defiant and fearless, inspired generations and reshaped Kenya’s political landscape. Sources from The Star and NDTV reveal that Raila had traveled to India for rest and medical care following prior health conc...

   By   Peninah  Mbula/ The Common Pulse/latest news/ Europe/china/ /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. Nike CEO Elliott Hill's First Year: Wall Street Grades His Comeback Plan a B In October 2024, Elliott Hill returned to Nike as CEO, bringing over three decades of experience to steer the company through a challenging period marked by declining sales, increased competition, and shifting consumer preferences. A year into his tenure, Hill's "Win Now" strategy has yielded mixed results, earning a solid "B" grade from Wall Street analysts. Strategic Shifts and Early Wins Hill's approach focused on revitalizing core sports segments, particularly running and basketball, while reestablishing wholesale partnerships and reducing promotional activities to reinforce Nike's premium brand image. Notably, the running division experienced a 20% growth, and wholesale revenues saw an uptick, especially after rekindling relationships with major retailers like...

  By   Peninah  Mbula/ The Common Pulse/latest news/ Europe/china/ /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. 5 Powerful Entrepreneurship and Leadership Lessons from Doug Lebda The Man Who Revolutionized Online Lending The world of fintech was built by innovators who saw what others missed  and few embodied that spirit better than Doug Lebda , the visionary founder and CEO of LendingTree . His journey from a frustrated homebuyer in the 1990s to leading one of the most transformative digital lending platforms offers timeless lessons for every entrepreneur and leader. Doug Lebda’s sudden death in a tragic ATV accident sent shockwaves through the tech and finance sectors. But even in his absence, his philosophy, grit, and drive continue to inspire countless business leaders and dreamers across the globe. Here are five defining lessons from Doug Lebda’s incredible entrepreneurial story. 1. Turn Frustration into Innovation Doug Lebda’s idea for LendingTree was bor...

By   Peninah  Mbula| The Common Pulse/latest news/ Europe/china/ /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025.  “Shockwaves Through Fintech: LendingTree’s Visionary Leader Dies in ATV Crash” When the news broke that Doug Lebda , founder and longtime CEO of LendingTree, had died in an ATV accident over the weekend at his family farm in North Carolina, the fintech world   and beyond  went silent.  At 55, his sudden loss leaves a vacuum in a company he built from frustration to financial powerhouse   and a legacy filled with both inspiration and questions. A Self-Made Disruptor Lebda launched LendingTree in 1996 after struggling through the opaque mortgage process himself.  His aim? To create a marketplace where consumers could compare loan offers  a radical idea then, now an industry norm.  Under his leadership, LendingTree expanded into credit cards, insurance, auto loans, and personal finance tools. Lebda also co-founded Ty...

  By   Justin Kirangacha| The Common Pulse/latest news/Ethiopia/Eritrea /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025.  “A Star Wears Her Hat No More: Diane Keaton Passes at 79” When Hollywood lost one of its most original voices, the world took a collective breath. Diane Keaton, the quirky, fearless, unforgettable icon, died on October 11, 2025, at the age of 79.  Her passing leaves an emptiness in film, fashion, and hearts everywhere. Legacy in Frames: From The Godfather to Annie Hall Roots & Rise Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles in 1946, she adopted “Keaton” as her stage name as she moved into the world of theatre and film.  She broke out early with The Godfather (playing Kay Adams), and went on to collaborate with Woody Allen in Annie Hall (1977), a role that earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress.  Range & Reinvention Her filmography reads like a masterclass in versatility: she moved effortlessly between comedy ( The First Wives Cl...