The Common Pulse

 B y   Mutunga Tobbias / The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / NOVEMBER2025. The Etosha National Park in northern Namibia has long stood as one of Africa’s most breathtaking wildlife sanctuaries, a shimmering salt pan surrounded by semi-arid savanna that supports elephants, lions, rhinos, and countless other species. Yet in recent months, the park’s tranquil rhythm has been violently disrupted by a series of wildfires that tore through large swathes of grassland and bush. The flames, fueled by prolonged drought, high winds, and extreme heat, left a scar on the landscape that has reignited debate about conservation practices, climate change, and the fragile balance between nature and tourism in southern Africa’s ecological crown jewel. The wildfire season in Etosha has been growing more unpredictable, with 2025 bringing some of the most intense fires recorded in years. Sparked initially in late September by lightning strikes and worsened by human negligen...

  By   Justin Kirangacha| The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / NOVEMBER2025. The tension between the United States and China has evolved far beyond military or ideological rivalry, becoming an intricate struggle for dominance in the technological and economic spheres. Today, technology and trade are not merely sectors of growth, but weapons of influence, tools of containment, and instruments of national pride. From semiconductor chips to artificial intelligence, and from trade restrictions to intellectual property battles, this rivalry has become the defining feature of global geopolitics in the 21st century. It has reshaped alliances, redefined the meaning of economic security, and infiltrated domestic politics in both Washington and Beijing. At the heart of this conflict lies technology, the new oil of our era. Semiconductors, the tiny brains behind modern computing, are now treated like strategic assets on par with nuclear materials. For the United S...

  By   Justin Kirangacha| The Common Pulse/latest news /US/ Kenya/Abroad/Africa / NOVEMBER2025. When Tanzania’s National Electoral Commission announced that President Samia Suluhu Hassan had secured an overwhelming 97–98% of the vote in her reelection, the country was immediately plunged into a heated debate over the credibility of the process and the future of its democracy. While the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), celebrated the result as a reflection of the people’s trust in Suluhu’s leadership and her steady hand in navigating both domestic and regional politics, opposition parties, civil society groups, and international observers voiced deep skepticism. They questioned whether such a staggering margin could truly represent the will of a diverse and politically aware nation or whether it symbolized a tightening grip of power under the guise of stability and continuity To understand the magnitude of the controversy, one must look beyond the final figures an...

  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...