China has denounced U.S. actions aimed at disrupting its ties with Panama, according to Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zhao Zhiyuan during his meeting with Panamanian Ambassador Miguel Lecaro.
Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino announced Thursday that his nation had sent formal notice to China about leaving the Belt and Road Initiative. Mulino stated the decision bore no connection to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's recent Panama visit.
The Chinese government issued a stern response to Panama's planned withdrawal from the Belt and Road memorandum of understanding. Zhao said China "firmly opposes the United States wantonly undermining China-Panama relations and smearing and sabotaging Belt and Road cooperation through the...
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele offered the United States access to his country's mega-prison for housing convicted criminals, including American citizens, in exchange for payment. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated the United States would explore this proposal.
The Terrorism Confinement Center, known as CECOT, began operations in February 2023 amid El Salvador's state of emergency to fight gang violence. The facility can accommodate 40,000 prisoners.
Journalists who visited CECOT report stricter conditions than those at Guantanamo Bay. Inmates face severe restrictions: they cannot read, write, or contact family members. They live in small cells with bare metal bunks, must speak in whispers, and rarely leave their...
Kenya faces growing tensions between its security agencies and citizens amid recent criticisms of law enforcement. Security experts warn these conflicts threaten national stability and public safety.
The National Intelligence Service leads Kenya's security framework alongside the Defence Forces and National Police Service. These organizations work to protect the nation's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and citizens' rights under Article 238 of the Constitution.
Critics have accused security forces of incompetence, forced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings. These allegations strain relationships between law enforcement and communities, raising concerns about social cohesion. Security analysts point to risks of civil unrest...
Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga is poised to become the next African Union Commission Chairman, with the decisive election approaching in just over a week. Reports indicate he has secured endorsements from more than half of the eligible voting countries at the AU summit, yet his supporters remain cautiously reserved—a stark departure from their typically confident demeanor during past campaigns.
This measured response stems from previous electoral disappointments that have left deep scars on Odinga's base. His supporters remember instances when victory appeared certain, only to slip away in the final moments. The trauma runs deep enough that many constituents have refrained from premature celebrations, breaking their...
A power struggle has emerged between former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his successor, Kithure Kindiki, for influence over Kenya's Mount Kenya region. The rivalry intensified after Kindiki made recent public appearances in Nyeri and Embu counties, seen as testing political waters before President William Ruto's anticipated visit amid growing regional dissent.
President Ruto's absence from Mount Kenya has sparked speculation that he entrusted Kindiki with rebuilding Kenya Kwanza's declining support. Yet Kindiki faces strong resistance from Gachagua, who maintains substantial regional sway. During his recent tour, Kindiki attended a boda boda summit in Embu and commissioned road projects in the Kieni constituency, though these...
Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga seeks to secure the African Union Commission chairperson position, marking a potential shift from his previous five unsuccessful presidential bids. The election will take place during the 38th Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa on February 15-16.
Odinga faces competition from Djibouti's Foreign Affairs Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and Madagascar's former Foreign Affairs Minister Richard Randriamandrato. His campaign team claims support from 28 nations, putting him close to the required two-thirds majority among the 48 eligible voting members.
The race carries significant implications for Kenyan politics. President William Ruto has actively supported Odinga's candidacy, viewing it as an opportunity...
At the regional summit in Tanzania, Rwandan President Paul Kagame blamed the Democratic Republic of Congo for escalating conflict in its eastern region and stressed that Rwanda would defend itself against mounting border threats.
Speaking at the EAC-SADC Joint Summit in Dar es Salaam, Kagame rejected accusations of Rwandan involvement in the violence. "DR Congo cannot just tell us to keep quiet when they mount a security problem against our country. Nobody can tell us to shut up," Kagame said.
The high-stakes meeting, led by Kenyan President William Ruto and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, proceeded without DR Congo's President Félix Tshisekedi, who sent Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde as his representative. Burundian...
East Africa faces pivotal agricultural challenges in 2025 despite vast resources and opportunities for growth. The region holds more than 280 million people, including 30 million pastoralists and agro-pastoralists, with extensive arable land, livestock, and rich biodiversity.
Recent threats have emerged through droughts, floods, landslides, and destructive pests like Desert Locusts and Fall Armyworms. Limited technology adoption, climate change, conflicts, and rising food costs have hindered development across the region.
The Food and Agriculture Organization reports that 864 million people experienced severe food insecurity in 2023, representing 10.7 percent of the global population. Africa accounts for 58 percent of these cases...
Regional leaders at a joint East African Community and Southern African Development Community summit demanded an immediate ceasefire in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo Thursday, responding to mounting violence in the region.
The Dar es Salaam gathering, led by EAC Chair William Ruto of Kenya and SADC Chair Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, ordered defense chiefs to meet within five days. These military leaders must create plans to enforce the ceasefire, secure Goma, and reopen critical routes, including Goma Airport.
Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu warned summit attendees about their historic responsibility. "History will judge us harshly if we remain still and watch the situation worsen day by day," she said, emphasizing...
