Iran says it "categorically rejects" US claims that it is behind attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had blamed Iran for the "unprovoked attacks" on Thursday. He added that the US had made its assessment based on intelligence about the type of weapons used. But Iran dismissed the claim as "unfounded". A senior Iranian official had earlier told the BBC that "Iran has no connection" with the explosions. Dozens of crew members were rescued after the blasts on the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous and the Front Altair, owned by a Norwegian…

Amid heightened tensions between Iran and the US, the risk that one incident could escalate to a full-scale conflict is high. While the US military and its partners are capable of handling Iran on the battlefield, a conflict seems unlikely to bring political change in Tehran Late at night somewhere not far from the coast of Iran, US sailors sleep on board ship when suddenly a dull thud reverberates through the hull and shocks them awake. An Iranian mini-submarineor possibly a dronehas wound its way through layers of defenses, struck the side of the warship and water is flooding in.…

President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to take 100 million Nigerians from poverty to prosperity in the next 10 years. Mr Buhari made this promise in his speech at the inaugural June 12 Democracy Day celebration on Wednesday in Abuja. The president said his administration would ensure rapid and positive growth in the economy to move Nigeria away from poverty. “Our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to grow by 2.7 per cent this year. “Our external reserve has risen to 45 billion dollars, enough to finance over nine months of current equal commitments.” Buhari said his administration has laid a…

Former Nigerian heads of state and presidents were absent at the venue of 2019 Democracy Day celebrations on Wednesday. The former leaders including Messers Yakubu Gowon, Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, among others, were absent at the event which held at Eagles’ Square in Abuja. Former military leaders Messers Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalam Abubakar were also absent. President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier declared June 12 Nigeria’s Democracy Day. The inaugural celebration, which took place Wednesday, had in attendance numerous pro-June 12 supporters. The government’s decision was in recognition of the place of late Moshood Abiola in Nigeria’s democratic history. Mr Abiola…