Panama’s National Assembly approved a law on March 19, 2026, regulating debt-collection agencies and limiting calls and emails to specific hours. The measure aims to curb intrusive contact while implementation details are still pending.
Telemetro reports gasoline prices in Panama on March 19: 95-octane at 0.95 centavos/liter and 91-octane at 0.89 centavos/liter. No confirmed new rates for March 20 were published.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is meeting President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, a meeting timed just before the president’s trip to China.
President José Raúl Mulino rejected accusations by a local unit of Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison over arbitration setbacks tied to canceled port contracts, calling the claims “outrageous.”
A UPI analysis published March 19, 2026 examines how the cost of capital shapes infrastructure choices in Panama and Paraguay, and outlines implications for project selection and financing.
CK Hutchison has vowed to pursue “all legal remedies” after ports in Panama were seized, the South China Morning Post reports. The dispute raises questions about trade continuity and investor confidence.
The Alcaldía de Panamá held a March event at Estadio Santa Rita de Santa Ana providing medical care, hygiene, clothing, food and grooming to women living on the streets, combining services with encouragement to pursue stable housing and reintegration.
Reuters reports that U.S. crude is being routed more often through the Panama Canal to Asia as the Iran crisis reshapes trade flows, underscoring the canal’s key role in global energy logistics.
Priority Ambulance announced it has launched medical transportation services and is headquartered in Panama City, the company said in a news release. Further operational details were not disclosed.
Singapore energy firm Sinolam has filed an arbitration request against Panama under the Panama–Singapore Free Trade Agreement, the company said. Details on claims and forum remain limited.
Panama City mayor Mayer Mizrachi inaugurated two bridges and two parks in Las Mañanitas—projects aimed at improving safety, accessibility and recreation in the Génesis and El Nazareno sectors.
Video from Iran’s Red Crescent shows rescue workers pulling survivors, including a child, from rubble after a reported US-Israeli air attack in Iran, raising humanitarian concerns.
A drone attack launched from Sudan struck inside Chad, killing at least 17 people, including mourners at a funeral and children nearby, in a worrying spillover of violence.
Al Jazeera argues Beijing’s muted response to events involving Iran shows China prioritises core interests over close partners, with implications for global alliances and regional ties.
CAF’s Appeal Board has awarded Morocco the 2025 AFCON title after stripping Senegal of the championship; Morocco’s federation said the ruling “upholds rights and integrity.”
Archaeologists in Panama uncovered pottery, gold jewelry and funerary offerings in a 1,000-year-old tomb in the Rio Grande area; lead archaeologist Julia Mayo said the burial belonged to a high-status individual.
Al Jazeera reports Israel struck Iran’s South Pars and Iran attacked Qatar’s Ras Laffan, actions that escalate an energy crisis and heighten regional tensions with possible global market effects.
Al Jazeera argues a war involving the US, Israel and Iran is unlikely to end with a clear victor; a negotiated arrangement allowing each side to claim core goals is the likeliest outcome.
Gas prices rose after Israel struck Iran’s main gas field and Iran retaliated by attacking Qatari gas facilities, raising concerns about supply disruptions and market volatility.
Iran’s regional ambitions are being squeezed by military limits, economic pressure and internal fragility, forcing a more constrained and cautious approach with broader geopolitical implications.