The latest, verified reporting on events across Panama and beyond. This section covers breaking stories, developments, and essential daily news.
Panama’s return to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is a major moment for the country’s football profile and national pride. The tournament’s North American setting could also help bring stronger regional fan support.
Alianza FC reached another Panamanian final after beating Veraguas United on penalties, setting up a showdown with bicampeón Plaza Amador. Coach Jair Palacios says discipline and belief have carried his team to the title match.
Peru has officially set a June 7 runoff between Keiko Fujimori and Roberto Sánchez after a long count confirmed the first-round results. The vote comes after a fragmented election marked by delays, disputes and widespread anti-establishment sentiment.
Panamanians watched the National Lottery Sunday draw on May 17, 2026, as weekly results were released for players across the country. The draw remains a familiar part of Panama’s weekend routine and a closely followed public event.
Panama City has advanced a plan to allow certain restaurants and commercial venues to stay open until 2:00 a.m. during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The proposal now heads to the City Council and includes permit fees, QR-code verification and noise-control rules.
Panama households are spending a growing share of their income on food, fuel and utilities as prices keep rising. For many workers, the average salary no longer stretches far enough to cover basic monthly needs.
Divers rescued the ship’s engineer from a vessel that sank off Puerto Caimito, while the search continues for the missing captain. Nine other crew members were already brought to safety.
Colombia has accredited 1,188 auditors and observers for its May 31 presidential election as officials seek to bolster confidence in the vote. The move comes amid campaign violence and President Gustavo Petro’s criticism of the election technology.
Eight years after hearing their national anthem on football’s grandest stage for the first time, Panama will have the chance to relive that surge of national pride at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Having …
Azuero’s water crisis in Herrera and Los Santos has become a costly routine, with more than 100,000 people relying on cistern trucks after contamination crippled treatment plants. Emergency spending has topped $2 million as the region waits for a lasting fix.
Panama is advancing tax reforms tied to economic substance rules, but the bigger test is whether the country can also remove domestic barriers to real business activity. The outcome could shape investment, competitiveness, and Panama’s international standing.
The University of Panama has launched its 2027 admissions calendar, with virtual registration opening June 30 and results due in mid-January. Foreign applicants will follow a separate document process through SIREXUP before registering in SIUP.
Chicken has become Panama’s leading household protein as families respond to higher beef prices and steady poultry availability. Per capita consumption reached 115 pounds in 2025, while domestic production also continued to grow.
The La Joyita prison massacre trial is detailing how a split inside the Bagdad gang led to a deadly internal attack that killed 13 inmates in 2019. Prosecutors are presenting forensic, witness and documentary evidence in a case expected to last for months.
Parque Lefevre residents are demanding sidewalks, drainage and the reopening of the Andrés Gesto child care center after key projects were removed from the city’s investment plan. The dispute is now moving into the municipal and comptroller arenas.
Deputy Juan Diego Pérez Barboni is pushing to lower criminal responsibility ages for serious juvenile crimes while criticizing stalled anti-corruption bills in the Assembly. He also defended his Taiwan trip and said the Panama Canal must remain under Panamanian control.
Several new political groups in Panama have begun collecting signatures to qualify as parties for the 2029 general elections. The process is being watched closely as Martín Torrijos’ new project and the possible party transformation of Vamos could reshape the field.
Panama’s accounting profession is using its annual celebration to call for stronger ethics, more technology, and a bigger role in governance. The message reflects how CPAs are being pushed to become strategic advisers in a more complex economy.
Panama’s cuisine is changing through fusion and faster techniques, raising questions about what is lost when traditional recipes are simplified. The debate centers on preserving culinary memory while allowing the country’s food culture to evolve.
Panama’s tax rules give individuals and companies a formal path to petition the DGI, challenge decisions, and seek account corrections. Deadlines and appeal rights can be decisive when tax balances are disputed.