Author: starconnect
By SCM Foreign Reporter JERUSALEM — An ambitious legislative effort by right-wing lawmakers to permanently ban the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from visiting thousands of Palestinian detainees held in Israeli facilities collapsed in the Knesset, following an internal political boycott that derailed the controversial bill. The vote, which failed 41 to 36 in its first reading, leaves the Israeli government bound by a recent landmark Supreme Court ruling ordering the immediate resumption of international humanitarian inspections. The political defeat exposes deepening fractures within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition while reigniting a fierce global debate over…
Admin I Monday, June 29, 2026 BRUSSELS — A prominent group of Belgian Jewish community members has launched a rare and public appeal demanding that Belgium and the European Union impose strict sanctions on Israel, accusing the Israeli government of operating with “impunity” amid escalating regional warfare and alleged human rights violations. In an open letter addressed to both national and continental leadership, the collective called for immediate diplomatic and economic penalties in response to Israel’s military campaigns in the Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem. ”Israel should not continue to enjoy impunity over its actions,”…
By SCM Reporter KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — An Israeli drone strike tore through a makeshift camp for displaced Palestinians in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, local medical officials said, killing at least two people and wounding 28 others. The strike, which hit a densely packed cluster of tents, underscores the persistent danger facing civilians despite a fragile, multi-month ceasefire intended to halt the heaviest fighting of the conflict. The attack occurred in an area packed with thousands of families who had fled successive waves of military operations over the course of the long war. According…
Admin I Monday, June 29, 2026 HOUSTON, Texas — Gabriel Martinelli was the 96th-minute savior as five-time World Cup kings Brazil narrowly escaped total humiliation in a baking-hot Houston. In a dramatic battle of wits, Carlo Ancelotti’s Samba boys produced a heart-stopping, come-from-behind victory to sink an incredibly brave Japan side two goals to one, booking a ticket to the tournament’s final sixteen. For nearly an hour, it looked like the biggest shock in modern football history was written in the Texas stars. The Japanese Samurai Blue, playing with the tactical discipline of a chess grandmaster, absolutely stunned the…
By SCM Reporter ABUJA, Nigeria—A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately generate and release a fresh access code to the leadership of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), led by Chief Akin Ricketts, to facilitate the political association’s registration process. Presiding Judge, Justice Peter Lifu, directed the electoral umpire to release the vital access code to the recognized Protem Secretary of the association within 72 hours of the judgment. In his judgment, Justice Lifu held that INEC acted unlawfully by issuing the initial access code to one Umar Ardo, whom the…
Admin I Monday, June 29, 2026 ABUJA, Nigeria – Acting General Secretary of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Samson Adamu, on Monday heaped plaudits on the leadership of Nigeria Football Federation, led by Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau MON, following his inspection of the ongoing NFF-FIFA Players’ Hostel and new training pitches situated at the Package B of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. Adamu said he was impressed by the scale and quality of the mammoth infrastructure, describing it as a legacy investment that would shape the future of Nigerian football. According to him, the facility will provide…
By Maxwell Ajibola I Monday, June 29, 2026 OSOGBO, Osun- Dance is an ancient language in the heart of Yorubaland. It is a ritual that encodes history, grace and cultural balance. When a leader steps into the public square, his steps are watched closely. The rhythm of his feet must match the heavy, thumping heart of his people, and his hands must beckon prosperity. In the middle of this, it is clear that our governor is not dancing well. What we see at the state capital no longer answers the needs of the people. In politics, there are two…
Admin I Monday, June 29, 2026 LAGOS, NIGERIA — In a high-profile engagement aimed at strengthening institutional collaboration between the executive arm of government and the judiciary, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, June 29, 2026, hosted the President of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, at the Lagos House, Marina. The courtesy call comes at a pivotal moment for the appellate court, coinciding with a historic special sitting in Lagos organized to commemorate the Court of Appeal’s Golden Jubilee—marking 50 years since its establishment. Receiving the President of the Court…
By SCM Business Desk I June 29, 2026 WASHINGTON — For the third consecutive year, global efforts to eliminate the practice of burning off excess natural gas have faltered. In 2025, oil and gas operations worldwide flared an estimated 167 billion cubic meters of natural gas, according to data released in the World Bank’s 2026 Global Gas Flaring Tracker. The wasted fuel, valued at roughly $54 billion, represents the highest level of atmospheric flaring observed since 2019. The surge underscores a widening gap between international climate commitments and the operational realities of energy production. Gas flaring occurs during oil extraction…
Admin I Monday, June 29, 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – Union Bank, in partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), commemorated the 2026 World Environment Day with a symposium at the Lekki Conservation Centre in Lagos, calling for stronger collaboration to confront climate change, advance conservation and equip young people to lead a more sustainable future. The gathering brought Union Bank together with leading stakeholders for frank discussions on environmental sustainability, climate action and shared responsibility, in keeping with this year’s World Environment Day theme, “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future.” The conversation reflected a growing global consensus,…