Author: Sebastian Pieper

Colombia felt the ground shake violently on August 10 when a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck. Ten days later, central Peru recorded another significant tremor. Costa Rica then experienced noticeable seismic movements this Monday. The rapid succession has left many wondering whether in Panama more earthquakes could be part of an alarming new pattern. Scientists who monitor these events say the data tells a different story, one that remains firmly within historical norms. More Earthquakes in Panama within Global Statistical Context The Institute of Geosciences at the University of Panama keeps a close watch on worldwide seismic data. Their records show…

After 21 years of uncertainty, Honduran activist Marcia Martínez finally found her sister through social media, a reunion that seemed impossible during two decades of silence. Her story took center stage Tuesday in Panama City, where families, human rights organizations, and United Nations representatives gathered to confront the growing crisis of missing migrants across Central and South America. The regional meeting, organized by Panama’s Ombudsman’s Office, brought together voices from across the hemisphere to address disappearances that occur as people travel through dangerous corridors toward the United States. For many families, the gathering represented a rare opportunity to demand answers…

Roughly 930,000 residential customers won’t see their power bills spike in early 2026 after Panama’s Cabinet Council approved B/.65.8 million in fresh contributions to keep Panama electricity tariffs stable for low-consumption households. The funding, authorized through two resolutions, targets families using under 300 kilowatt hours each month and prevents distributors from passing discount costs back onto those customers. The decision represents one of the largest social protection measures in the country’s energy sector. How Panama Electricity Tariffs Shield Vulnerable Consumers The stabilization framework depends on two separate funds with distinct purposes. The Fondo de Estabilización Tarifaria, known as FET, received…

Panama’s government confirmed Monday, August 24, that the digital tax halted after intense public criticism, with Economy and Finance Minister Felipe Chapman acknowledging that citizens’ opinions must be weighed carefully. The proposed expansion of the 7% ITBMS sales tax to international digital platforms like Netflix, Uber, and Amazon won’t move forward in the short term, Chapman told reporters. Why the Digital Tax Halted After Citizen Outcry The pushback centered on how the tax would hit everyday users. Streaming subscriptions, ride-hailing fares, and online purchases would have become more expensive as companies passed the 7% charge directly to consumers. Analysts and…

A remote stretch of northern Kenya became the scene of a deadly aviation accident Wednesday when a Eurocopter EC130 carrying six tourists and a pilot crashed near Mount Ololokwe, killing all seven people aboard. The Kenya helicopter crash happened at 9:13 a.m. local time in an area popular with hikers and safari visitors roughly 350 kilometers north of Nairobi, according to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority. Among the dead were José Alberto Suárez, 55, president and general manager of three Telemundo stations in Florida, and Michele Sensi-Contugi, director of Ecuador’s National Intelligence Center, along with Sensi-Contugi’s wife, Stephany Hollihan, a…

A pregnant woman shot in Caimitillo lost her life after suffering a bullet wound, but medical teams managed to deliver her baby through an emergency cesarean section. The newborn remains in delicate condition while doctors monitor the child closely. The shooting occurred in the Panama province community of Caimitillo, and authorities have opened an investigation to determine exactly what happened. Emergency Cesarean and the Newborn’s Fight for Survival Emergency responders and hospital staff acted quickly after the woman arrived with a gunshot wound. Because she was in advanced pregnancy, doctors performed a cesarean section in an attempt to save the…

A single conversation at a Christian summer camp changed the trajectory of Madeline Miller’s life. The 23-year-old, who represents Panama Miss World at the 2026 international pageant, credits a counselor’s simple yet profound words with transforming how she understood her own worth after years of bullying. “Dear Madeline, your world is not defined by the cruelties of the world. God has already given you a mission and a purpose.” [Translated from Spanish] The Head-to-Head Challenge Platform Miller’s speech came during the Head-to-Head Challenge, one of the fast-track competitions embedded in the Miss World format. This segment gives national ambassadors a…

Three young Panamanians who trained in industrial maintenance now spend their days assembling machines and repairing equipment at a company with more than four decades in the textile printing business. Anferni Hoquee, Rosalyn Mina and Víctor González embody a promising shift in technical education Panama, where hands-on training at the Instituto Técnico Superior Especializado (ITSE) is creating a direct pipeline into private sector employment. Their journey began in April when the trio started professional internships at T-Shirts Interamerica, S.A., a Panamanian firm specializing in screen printing, digital printing, embroidery and engraving. The placement came through the Formación Colaborativa Academia Industria…

Panama’s Ministry of Economy and Finance has drafted legislation that would extend the country’s digital tax , 7 percent ITBMS tax (VATax) or even 10% ITBMS, to a sweeping range of online services, from video streaming platforms to business software and automated digital tools. The proposed digital services taxation framework, which officials expect to present before the National Assembly, aims to close what the government describes as a long-standing inequity between local merchants and foreign digital providers operating from outside the country. Yet the true scope of the bill goes far beyond the retail apps that tend to dominate public…

Griselda Hernández sets her alarm for 3:30 a.m. not to catch a flight or start a long commute, but to fill her water tank. That brief window before sunrise is the only time her home in Amelia Denis de Icaza receives running water, part of a deepening Panama water shortage that has forced thousands of residents across the capital district to restructure their lives around a resource most city dwellers take for granted. Across more than 20 communities in Panama City and San Miguelito, families now receive water for as little as four to six hours each day, almost exclusively…