Author: starconnect
By SCM International Desk I Thursday, Sept 03, 2026 WASHINGTON — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated, long-range aerial strikes against two major air bases in the Persian Gulf hosting Western military assets. In official statements issued via state media, the IRGC Aerospace Force asserted that it deployed a mix of one-way attack drones and tactical ballistic missiles targeting Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. According to the IRGC, the broad strikes targeted and destroyed critical infrastructure within both installations. The…
By Emmanuel Thomas l Thursday, Sept 03, 2026 ABUJA — The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has successfully hosted the fourth edition of its annual Talent Hunt Hackathon, convening software developers, tech innovators, and startups to drive solutions for digital inclusion and technical accessibility. Held under the theme “Technology Without Barriers,” this year’s edition gathered bright minds across Nigeria to push the boundaries of innovation, focusing on building accessible digital tools to bridge the nation’s digital divide. Themed Technology Without Barriers, the 4th Annual Innovation Hackathon targeted tech startups, software engineers, and digital innovators across Nigeria The Core…
Admin I Thursday, Sept 03, 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – Stanbic IBTC Insurance has successfully met and been verified as compliant with the new minimum capital requirements introduced under the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025, marking a significant milestone in the company’s growth journey and reaffirming its position as one of Nigeria’s leading life insurance providers. The affirmation places Stanbic IBTC Insurance among a select group of operators to clear one of the most consequential regulatory transformations in the history of Nigeria’s insurance industry. NAICOM’s exercise, which began in August 2025 and closed on July 31, 2026, tested…
Emmanuel Thomas l Thursday, Sept 03, 2026 ABUJA, Nigeria — A deepening controversy over digital candidate submissions has thrust Nigeria’s election management body back into the spotlight. The opposition Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of illegally “smuggling” 10 unauthorized individuals onto its official candidate nomination portal, bypassing statutory party endorsement channels. In a formal statement, NDC officials asserted that the party never collected or submitted the mandatory statutory candidate documentation—known as Form EC9E—for the ten individuals published by INEC for state assembly seats in the southeastern state of Anambra. The party is…
By Emmanuel Thomas l Wednesday, Sept. 03, 2026 ABUJA — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has strongly denied allegations made by the leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) claiming that the commission unlawfully removed its validly nominated candidates for certain State House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra and Benue States and replaced them with unauthorized names. Describing the claims as entirely unfounded, the electoral body clarified that it possesses documentary evidence, including duly signed nomination forms from the party’s executive leadership, which refutes the party’s assertions. In an official statement released on September 1, 2026, and signed…
By SCM International Desk, Wednesday, Sept 02, 2026 TEHRAN — The Iranian government issued a scathing statement on Wednesday condemning a series of U.S. military airstrikes across its southern provinces. Tehran accused Washington of hitting critical civil infrastructure and a wedding gathering, marking a sharp escalation in a multi-month conflict that had briefly lulled under a fragile tacit understanding. Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the strikes, which took place Tuesday evening, targeted several civilian areas and service facilities. Affected regions included telecommunications towers and public utilities in the coastal and southern provinces of Khuzestan, Sistan and Baluchestan,…
By SCM International Desk I Wednesday, Sept 02, 2026 CANBERRA, Australia — Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Australia will officially recognize the State of Palestine, formalizing the landmark decision at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Speaking at a news conference in Canberra, Mr. Albanese confirmed that Australia will collaborate closely with the international community to help actualize a sovereign Palestinian state. The decision marks one of the most substantial shifts in Australian foreign policy in decades, breaking from a long-standing position that Palestinian statehood could only be achieved through direct, negotiated peace talks between…
Admin I Wednesday Sept 02, 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – Arridex has signed a definitive agreement to establish the Ghana Node of its Africa Distributed Additive Manufacturing (ADAM) Network, officially launching the continent’s first borderless manufacturing network. With the designation of Sodah Engineering and Logistics Limited, a wholly Ghanaian-owned engineering and logistics company, as the exclusive ADAM Network node partner in Ghana, this strategic milestone formally connects Ghanaian and West African industry to Arridex’s flagship Omnifactory hub in Lagos, unlocking access to on-demand advanced manufacturing capabilities that support local critical industries such as mining, energy, manufacturing, maritime and defence…
Titus Eleweke, Editor, South East Sept 02, 2026 AWKA — Human rights lawyer and lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has warned residents of the South-East against boycotting future elections, describing such directives as destructive to the geopolitical zone’s socio-economic and political interests. In an official statement released on Wednesday titled “Ala-Igbo at a Crossroads: Jettisoning Electoral Boycott Before It Becomes Another Tragedy,” Ejiofor called on Ndigbo to reject directives urging voter abstinence, warning that political disengagement weakens the region’s influence within Nigeria’s democratic framework. ”Any directive advocating an electoral boycott, under whatever…
By SCM Sport Reporter at Deepdale DEEPDALE turned into a theater of nightmares as a star-studded Bristol City side put on a blistering display to seal a emphatic 3-1 victory over a floundering Preston North End. The star men in red and white produced moments of magic to dismantle the hosts, extending Preston’s dismal start to the EFL Championship campaign and leaving North End rooted to the bottom without a single point from four matches. The Robins flew out of the traps and stunned the home crowd in just the fourth minute. City star Scott Twine—always a threat in…