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Rising Tensions in the Gulf as Iran Threatens Oil Blockade

                                     An aerial view of the Iranian shores and Port of Bandar Abbas in the strait of Hormuz Iran has escalated regional tensions by declaring it will block all oil shipments from the Middle East if U.S. and Israeli attacks persist, prompting a stark warning from President Donald Trump of a far stronger American military response.  The Revolutionary Guards’ vow to halt “one litre of oil” from leaving the region has already rattled global markets, contributing to falling crude prices and surging equities as investors brace for potential disruption in the Strait of Hormuz—a vital chokepoint for global energy supplies. Trump responded by threatening unprecedented retaliation should Iran follow through, insisting the U.S. would strike “much harder” to ensure oil exports remain uninterrupted.  Despite the heated rhetoric, he expressed confid...

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Tanzania Appoints Loyalist as Prime Minister Amid Post-Election Turmoil

 

FILE PHOTO: Tanzania’s Minister for Finance Mwigulu Nchemba, holds up a briefcase containing the Government Budget for the 2025/2026 fiscal year in the National Assembly in Dodoma, Tanzania June 12, 2025.


Tanzania’s political landscape shifted sharply this week as President Samia Suluhu Hassan appointed former finance minister Mwigulu Nchemba as the country’s new Prime Minister, following a disputed presidential election on October 29 that has sparked deadly unrest.

Parliament confirmed Nchemba’s nomination in a near-unanimous vote, underscoring the dominance of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. Rights groups report that hundreds of protesters were killed in post-election clashes, while opposition figures allege the toll could exceed 1,000. The government has dismissed these figures as exaggerated and has not released an official death count.

Nchemba, a longtime ally of Hassan and a cabinet member under her predecessor John Magufuli, pledged to “work diligently” in his new role. His appointment is seen as a move to consolidate Hassan’s power after her landslide victory, which opposition parties denounced as rigged due to the exclusion of key challengers.

Despite the unrest, Tanzania’s government projects 6% economic growth in 2025, driven by major infrastructure projects in transport and power generation. However, the violence has cast a shadow over these ambitions, raising questions about stability and governance in one of East Africa’s largest economies.

The international community, including the United Nations Human Rights Office, has expressed concern over the scale of the violence and urged transparency in reporting casualties. Meanwhile, Hassan has vowed to unite the country and restore calm, though tensions remain high across major cities.


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