Kenya Minute.
Thursday, 24 September 2026
Kenya’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Thursday, 24 September 2026
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Kenyan press · Place

Middle East

2026-04-242026-09-24

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. July 2026
  2. The Standard

    … The move comes amid renewed tensions in the Middle East, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route. …

    3 months 8p.c fuel VAT relief to cushion consumers
  3. The Standard

    … The move comes amid renewed tensions in the Middle East, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route. …

    State extends reduced fuel VAT to October as Middle East tensions bite
  4. Citizen Digital

    … Ramaphosa met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday, a French diplomatic source said, noting that the two found "broad convergence of views" on crises in the Middle East and the Democratic Republic of Congo. …

    France hosts South Africa's Ramaphosa for talks, war remembrance
  5. The Standard

    … According to the World Bank, the Middle East tensions have intensified inflationary and external pressures.Last April, transport and food prices rose year on year; as such, the sustained increase in the cost of food is expected to worsen Kenya's fight against poverty. …

    World Bank says over 2.4 million Kenyans risk falling into poverty in 2026
  6. Citizen Digital

    … In recent years, it has emerged as one of the Middle East’s foremost arenas of geopolitical competition, as regional powers seek to consolidate their political, military, and economic influence across the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. …

    Race for influence: Will Somalia become next arena of regional rivalry?
  7. Citizen Digital

    … The institution noted that the conflict in the Middle East has intensified inflationary and external pressures. …

    2.4 million Kenyans risk falling into poverty by end of December 2026 - World Bank
  8. Capital News

    … The port has also emerged as an important alternative gateway for cargo and transshipment services as some shipping operators diversify routes in response to security concerns affecting parts of the Red Sea and the wider Middle East. …

    Mombasa and Lamu Ports to Receive 48 Cargo Vessels Over Next Two Weeks
  9. Citizen Digital

    … Alex Wong/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) Audio By Vocalize Oil prices extended a surge on Wednesday as the Middle East crisis burst back into the spotlight with US forces launching fresh strikes on Iran after an attack on …

    Oil prices extend rally as US strikes on Iran revive geopolitical fears
  10. The Standard

    … Backed by modern cold-storage facilities that preserve quality from harvest to shipping, they grow basil, rosemary, thyme, and other high-value herbs bound for supermarket shelves and restaurant kitchens across Europe and the Middle East. …

    How tech-savvy women are ruling herbs export market
  11. Citizen Digital

    … Iranians knew little about the younger Khamenei when he was named to the lifetime post shortly after a US-Israeli airstrike killed his father Ali Khamenei, supreme leader since 1989, at the start of the Middle East war. …

    Mojtaba Khamenei: Iran's unseen leader shadowed by late father

Today

  1. Ruto says UN inconsistency erodes trust in global order

    President William Ruto told the UN General Assembly that inconsistent application of international law and unequal power within the UN are undermining trust in the multilateral system, and that credibility depends on whether rules are applied consistently rather than invoked selectively.

    12 hours ago · Capital News →

  2. Ruto urges UN reform to give Africa permanent Security Council seat

    President William Ruto challenged the post-World War II global order at the UN General Assembly, arguing that institutions created in 1945 no longer reflect modern geopolitical realities and must be reformed to grant Africa a permanent voice in decisions on war, peace and economic governance. Ruto highlighted that Africa's 54 UN member states, representing over a quarter of the General Assembly, have no permanent seat on the Security Council, where five nations hold permanent power that the other 188 do not.

    13 hours ago · Capital News →

Yesterday

  1. Global LPG costs rise, cooking gas prices expected to increase

    International prices for propane and butane, the main gases used to produce cooking gas, have risen, with butane prices increasing 25.8 per cent and propane prices rising 23.2 per cent in August; Kenyans will likely pay more for liquefied petroleum gas starting next month, adding pressure on households relying on LPG for cooking.

    23 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

  2. Houthis accuse Saudi Arabia of strikes amid territorial gains

    Yemen's Houthis have accused Saudi Arabia of launching deadly strikes killing civilians and prisoners, as the Iran-backed group seizes strategic Red Sea territory. The UN forecasts over 230,000 displaced in coming months, with hundreds already dead and thousands fleeing the Houthi takeover.

    23 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Tuesday 22 September

  1. Kenya, UNODC establish multi-agency team against cybercrime and trafficking

    Kenya and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime have agreed to establish a multi-agency team to develop a national strategy combating cybercrime, maritime crime, drug abuse, and border control weaknesses. President Ruto committed to advancing Kenya's ratification of the UN Convention against Cybercrime and deepening cooperation on law enforcement training and treatment standards.

    22 September 2026 · The Standard →

Sunday 20 September

  1. Iran conveys blockade conditions to US via mediators

    Iran's top negotiator said Tehran has communicated its conditions to Washington through mediators for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which it has blockaded during the Middle East war. The country says it will not lift the blockade unless its conditions are met and US commitments are honoured.

    20 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

  2. World leaders gather as UN struggles amid Trump criticism

    Nearly 130 heads of state meet for the UN General Assembly with the organization facing attacks from Trump, who has reduced America's contributions and withdrawn from dozens of UN bodies. Chinese leader Xi Jinping will skip the gathering to hold one-on-one talks with Trump in Washington.

    20 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

  3. Trump returns early from Camp David amid Middle East tensions

    U.S. President Donald Trump cut short a weekend at Camp David to return unexpectedly to the White House on Saturday as tensions rose in the Middle East. No official explanation was given for the change, though forecasts showed rain and thunderstorms were expected in the Camp David area on Sunday.

    20 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

  4. Germans vote in state elections amid pressure on Merz

    Germans voted Sunday in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state elections where far-right and far-left gains threaten Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government. Merz, who has been in power for 16 months, cancelled a UN General Assembly trip to prepare for potential fallout after the AfD dealt his CDU a significant defeat in Saxony-Anhalt two weeks ago.

    20 September 2026 · The Standard →

  5. Government defends G-to-G fuel import arrangement as crisis response

    Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi defended the Government-to-Government fuel deal, stating it was introduced to address a severe US dollar shortage that threatened fuel supplies and economic stability when President Ruto's administration took office in September 2022. At the time, fuel stations were operating with minimal or no stocks and refined petroleum products accounted for approximately Sh65 billion of the country's import bill.

    20 September 2026 · The Standard →

Saturday 19 September

  1. Gachagua claims vindication over Kenya fuel G-to-G deal concerns

    Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua says recent remarks by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni about Uganda buying petroleum through middlemen in Kenya have vindicated his longstanding criticism of Kenya's Government-to-Government fuel procurement arrangement.

    19 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

  2. Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish leaders demand independence from UK

    The leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland signed a joint agreement in Cardiff on September 14, 2026 declaring their right to self-determination and shared pursuit of independence from the United Kingdom, rejecting Westminster's refusal to authorise referendums. The agreement has drawn attention and support across former British colonies in Africa, where it mirrors arguments colonial administrations once used to delay self-rule, with Kenya drawing parallels to its own independence struggle that lasted nearly eighty years.

    19 September 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 17 September

  1. WRC final round in Saudi Arabia cancelled over Middle East conflict

    The International Automobile Federation announced that the final round of the World Rally Championship in Saudi Arabia in November has been cancelled due to regional developments, though the Middle East Regional Rally Championship will proceed as planned.

    17 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

  2. Saudi Arabia accuses Houthis of drone attack on Mecca

    Saudi Arabia accused Yemen's Houthis of launching a "cowardly" attack targeting Mecca, the Islamic holy city, which the Houthis rejected as a lie. The accusation follows escalating tensions as the Iran-backed Houthis have seized Yemen's Red Sea coast and declared a maritime blockade on Saudi ships.

    17 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Monday 14 September

  1. Yemen's Houthis: Iran-backed group controlling Red Sea coast

    The Houthis, an Iran-backed armed group belonging to Yemen's Zaidi Shia minority, have seized the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait and now control Yemen's Red Sea coast and significant northern territory including the capital Sanaa. The movement, also known as Ansar Allah and named after late spiritual leader Badreddin al-Houthi, rose in the 1990s in response to alleged sectarian discrimination against Zaidis in Yemen's impoverished north.

    14 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Saturday 12 September

  1. US marks 25th anniversary of September 11 attacks

    The United States commemorated the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks with a ceremony in New York, notably absent President Donald Trump, who instead paid respects at the Pentagon and linked the subsequent "war on terror" to his current conflict in Iran.

    12 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Friday 11 September

  1. Xi advocates Global South cooperation at BRICS and SCO summits

    Chinese President Xi Jinping is attending the BRICS summit in New Delhi following the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, with both multilateral engagements focused on galvanizing solidarity and cooperation across the Global South. The BRICS and SCO members jointly account for more than half the world's population and about 30 percent of the global economy.

    11 September 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 9 September

  1. Africa's aircraft fleet set to more than double by 2045

    Boeing's 2026 Commercial Market Outlook projects Africa's commercial aircraft fleet will grow from 755 to 1,625 planes over the next 20 years, driven by rising passenger traffic expected to grow nearly six per cent annually. Of nearly 1,200 newly delivered aircraft, 870 will be single-aisle jets for domestic and regional networks, while cargo freighters are forecast to increase from 60 to 150.

    9 September 2026 · The Standard →

  2. US sanctions all remaining Iranian airlines and support firms

    The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 36 targets supporting Iran's aviation sector, including 27 Iranian airlines and service providers in the UAE, Turkey, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan, as Washington escalates economic pressure in its conflict with Tehran.

    9 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Sunday 6 September

  1. Yemen clashes kill over 140 in weekend fighting

    Fighting between Yemeni government forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels in southwest Yemen killed more than 140 combatants between Saturday midday and Sunday morning, with military sources reporting 84 government troops and 57 rebel fighters killed. The clashes are part of days-long fighting over control of a Red Sea gateway, with more than 300 combatants and some civilians killed since the Houthi offensive began Thursday.

    6 September 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 3 September

  1. DCP MPs claim Ruto targeting Magadi lithium after Tata shutdown

    Members of Parliament allied to the Democracy for Citizens Party have accused President William Ruto of using regulatory concerns as a pretext to push Tata Chemicals out of Lake Magadi, alleging the government is targeting lithium and oil deposits in the area. The MPs demanded immediate reversal of Tata Chemicals Magadi's suspension, warning it threatens jobs and local livelihoods.

    3 September 2026 · Capital News →

  2. Xi urges Middle Eastern countries to oppose external interference

    Chinese President Xi Jinping, on his first visit to Cairo in a decade, urged Middle Eastern countries to oppose "external interference" and said Beijing was ready to work with regional states to safeguard maritime shipping amid the US-Iran conflict.

    3 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Tuesday 1 September

  1. Chinese president Xi visits Egypt amid US-Iran tensions

    Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Egypt on Tuesday for a two-day visit as both countries face potential US sanctions over financial links to Iran. The trip comes amid a months-long Middle East war that began with US and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28, and as Washington threatens expanded sanctions against Tehran's backers and partners.

    1 September 2026 · The Standard →

Monday 31 August

  1. Opinion: Trump, Netanyahu, Putin lead declining empires

    An editorial argues that the United States, Israel, and Russia—led by Trump, Netanyahu, and Putin respectively—are struggling empires engaged in prolonged wars, internally unstable despite appearances, and losing global credibility by ignoring international law.

    31 August 2026 · The Standard →

Sunday 30 August

  1. CUBE Studio launches LED volume tech studio in Nairobi

    British filmmaker James Hakesley and Kenyan-born Roy Kimani's virtual production company CUBE Studio is bringing LED volume technology to Nairobi to reduce production costs and expand creative possibilities for Kenyan filmmakers. The technology uses large LED screens and game-engine software to display fully rendered digital environments in real time, allowing filmmakers to blend performers with settings during production rather than in post-production.

    30 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →

  2. Kenya should leverage renewable energy for industrial growth

    An opinion piece argues that as renewable energy becomes a larger share of global electricity generation, Kenya should use its clean-energy advantage—over 90 per cent of the country's electricity comes from renewable sources—to develop industrial capacity, exports, and jobs, with international partnerships like those with Dubai helping to provide technological expertise and capital access.

    30 August 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 28 August

  1. Iran open to diplomacy if US ends pressure campaign

    Six months into a war with the United States, Iran says putting diplomacy back on track is possible if Washington abandons its pressure campaign. A ceasefire was agreed in April and a memorandum toward a peace deal was signed in June, but no final agreement has been reached, and the US has since declared "economic warfare" against Tehran.

    28 August 2026 · The Standard →

  2. Canada welcomes US on language, exempts seafood from tariffs

    Canada's trade minister welcomed the US withdrawal of positions on French language and Canadian culture in trade talks, as Ottawa announced retaliatory duties of 15–50 percent on US goods effective September 8, while exempting seafood products from those counter-tariffs.

    28 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Thursday 27 August

  1. Kashmir's handwoven carpet industry declines as youth abandon craft

    Once Kashmir's top export until the 1980s, the handwoven carpet industry is experiencing steady decline as younger generations abandon the painstaking craft due to long hours, low wages, and changing aspirations, with recent wars adding further pressure to the trade.

    27 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Wednesday 26 August

  1. CS Kagwe urges Kenya to add value to Sh397bn meat sector

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has called on Kenya to unlock its meat industry's potential through value addition, processing, and technology investment, warning that exporting live animals instead of finished products exports jobs to other countries. Kenya produced 613,627 tonnes of meat valued at Sh397 billion in 2024, with beef accounting for 260,000 tonnes.

    26 August 2026 · Capital News →

Middle East — Kenyan press coverage · Kenya Minute