The Common Pulse

  By   Justin Kirangacha| The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / OCTOBER2025. When President William Ruto met Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye in Nairobi, it wasn’t just another diplomatic courtesy call, it was a carefully choreographed moment of African connection, symbolism and substance. The Senegalese leader had travelled to Kenya as chief guest for the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Kitui County, an invitation that already signalled Kenya’s intention to deepen its relations with West Africa. The two young presidents, both seen as modern, reform-minded figures, used the meeting to underline a shared vision for a more integrated, self-reliant Africa. What unfolded over those few days reflected not only bilateral friendship but a wider ambition to strengthen continental solidarity in a time when Africa is redefining its global standing. At the centre of their meeting was a decisive agreement to abolish visa restrictions between Kenya and Senegal. From now ...

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...

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. 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. When the internet coughs, the world holds its breath. This week, a massive and unexpected outage rippled across the digital landscape, plunging dozens of major websites, apps, and online services into temporary darkness. The cause was traced to a widespread failure in Amazon Web Services (AWS), the cloud computing juggernaut that quietly powers much of the internet’s infrastructure. What began as scattered user complaints on social media soon escalated into a full-scale digital blackout that reminded everyone how dependent the modern world has become on the invisible machinery of cloud networks. The scale of the outage was staggering. From e-commerce platforms and streaming services to banking apps and news websites, disruptions hit users in nearly every continent. It wasn’t just a few sites slowing down or freezing; entire networks were rendered inaccessible. Millions of users...

 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. For years, the dream of regime change in Venezuela has rested on one faint hope, that the military, the very institution that sustains Nicolás Maduro’s rule, would one day turn its guns around and sweep him from power. Opposition leaders have prayed for it, Washington has banked on it, and countless Venezuelans have whispered about it in dark corners, believing that only the army could end their misery. But as a menacing U.S. naval buildup looms just offshore and diplomatic pressure intensifies, one stubborn truth remains, Maduro is virtually coup-proof. His regime, through years of paranoia, patronage, and purges, has perfected the art of internal control, transforming the military from a potential threat into a pillar of loyalty. The Anatomy of a Dictatorship To understand Maduro’s hold, you have to understand the machinery Hugo Chávez built before him. When Chávez, himself a ...