Author: starconnect
By SCM Correspondent WARRI, Delta – The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the Federal Government’s digital transformation policy, particularly regarding procurement reforms, as part of efforts to promote transparency, efficiency, and accountability. Speaking during a Stakeholders and Service Providers Sensitisation and Training Workshop held in Warri, Delta State, the Director of the Procurement Department at the NDDC, Dr. Chuks Osuji, stated that the initiative was designed to educate key stakeholders on recent reforms and the transition to a fully digitised procurement framework. Target participants included government officials, procurement officers, consultants, contractors, private-sector vendors, and…
Admin I Wednesday, May 06. 26 LAGOS, Nigeria – Union Bank of Nigeria has been named winner of the Best SME Growth Banking Initiatives Award (2025) at the Nigeria National SME Business Awards, organised by the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON) in partnership with the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment. The recognition arrives at a moment when the relationship between Nigerian banks and Nigerian small businesses is being quietly redefined. Awards in this space have historically rewarded scale and product breadth. The ASBON criteria, by contrast, ask a more…
Admin I Wednesday, May 06.2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – Polaris Bank, Nigeria’s leading digital retail and commercial bank, has proudly facilitated the launch of the NACCIMA Export Support Call Center, a vital initiative designed to provide comprehensive support to Nigerian exporters, especially those operating in the non-oil sector and enhance their ability to access global markets. This partnership marks a significant step in the Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s export ecosystem. Chris Ofikulu, Executive Director of Polaris Bank, in his address, emphasised the Bank’s commitment to empowering Nigerian businesses for global markets. He highlighted the importance of the NACCIMA Call…
By SCM Staff Writer JAKARTA, Indonesia — A devastating collision between a passenger bus and a fuel tanker truck on the Indonesian island of Sumatra has left at least 16 people dead and four others seriously injured, local authorities and state media reported. The horrific crash occurred along a notorious stretch of highway known for its winding roads and unpredictable transit conditions. According to initial reports from the state news agency Xinhua, the passenger bus, packed with commuters, collided head-on with a large fuel tanker. The sheer force of the impact ripped through the bus, crushing the vehicle’s frame…
By Our Tech Reporter SHANGHAI — In a tech-saturated global economy where artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the workplace, a court in Hangzhou, China, has drawn a definitive line in the sand: automation cannot be used as a legal excuse to throw human workers onto the unemployment line. The landmark ruling, first reported by Fortune, centers on a worker in Hangzhou—a prominent Chinese technology hub and home to e-commerce giant Alibaba—who was dismissed from their position after their employer automated their job functions. The company then offered the employee an alternative role with significantly lower pay. The Hangzhou court…
By Our SCM Health Contributor NEW YORK — A newly released undercover video has sparked fresh debate over the transparency of corporate pharmaceutical research during the pandemic era. In a series of secretly recorded conversations published by the conservative media watchdog outfit O’Keefe Media Group (OMG), a high-ranking regulatory scientist for Johnson & Johnson appeared to sharply criticize the rigor of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine safety trials, alleging that early products were brought to market without exhaustive long-term data. The footage features Joshua Rys, identified as a lead regulatory scientist for Johnson & Johnson, speaking to an undercover…
By Our Religion Correspondent VENICE, ITALY — It is a sound that has echoed through the historic canals of Venice for centuries: the solemn, resonant chime of a church bell calling the faithful to reflection. But visitors to this year’s prestigious Venice Biennale were left rubbing their eyes in sheer disbelief this week when they realized exactly what—or rather, who—was making that holy racket. In a stunt that has completely split the art world down the middle, a naked female performer transformed herself into a living, breathing, swinging church bell clapper. Dangling completely starkers and upside down from the rafters…
By SCM Reporter BOSTON – If your New Year’s resolution to hit the gym has already fallen by the wayside, look away now. There is a new fitness influencer on the block, and it doesn’t need protein shakes, activewear, or even oxygen to put your workout routine to absolute shame. Meet the all-new, fully electric Atlas robot from Boston Dynamics. In jaw-dropping footage released by the robotics pioneer on their official channels (@bostondynamicsofficial), the humanoid machine is seen performing a series of mind-bending calisthenics that would leave even the most seasoned yoga instructors and Olympic gymnasts green with envy.…
By Foreign Affairs Correspondent ISLAMABAD — Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has publicly thanked US President Donald Trump for his decision to temporarily pause “Project Freedom,” a highly contentious American naval initiative aimed at guiding stranded commercial vessels through the volatile Strait of Hormuz. The pause comes directly in response to diplomatic interventions from Pakistan and other key regional allies, notably the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who feared the operation was bringing the region to the brink of a wider maritime war. Taking to the social media platform X, Prime Minister Sharif expressed deep appreciation for the sudden shift…
By SCM Reporter An ordinary afternoon in a Moscow suburb nearly turned into an unimaginable tragedy for one young family this week. A two-year-old boy is recovering in a Russian hospital after managing to lodge an open safety pin deep inside his nasal cavity—sparking a frantic, high-stakes medical emergency that has left doctors issuing an urgent warning to parents worldwide. The drama began when the adventurous toddler, whose identity has been withheld by authorities, found the stray sewing item. With the lightning-fast speed known all too well by parents of two-year-olds, the boy curiously shoved the metal pin directly…