Author: starconnect
By SCM International Desk I Tuesday, September 01, 2026 JERUSALEM — Senior Israeli military officials have privately issued stark warnings to top political leaders, cautioning that a dramatic escalation in settler attacks against Palestinians threatens to ignite a full-scale, uncontrollable armed conflict across the occupied West Bank. According to military assessments, defense chiefs fear a impending mass-casualty event perpetrated by extremist Israeli settlers could break the fragile restraint of the general Palestinian population. Such an event, intelligence analysts warn, risks driving millions of civilians who have so far remained on the sidelines directly into armed retaliation, effectively opening a…
By SCM Sports Desk I Tuesday, September 01, 2026 ABUJA — In a strategic move to restore Nigeria’s football prestige on the global stage, Super Eagles head coach Éric Sékou Chelle has officially announced the appointment of Bright Osehai Ozebagbe and Ortega Deniran as his assistant coaches for the Olympic Eagles. The duo will join the Franco-Malian tactician on the technical bench as Nigeria launches its qualifying campaign for the football event of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The appointments were confirmed in a statement released in Abuja by Kola Daniel, Special Adviser on Media to the Office…
By SCM International Desk I Tuesday, September 01, 2026 TEHRAN — Iran has issued a sharp warning of direct military escalation, promising a broad and “multiplied” response against United States military bases and regional interests following a new round of American strikes on Iranian territory. A senior Iranian military official quoted by the state-linked Tasnim News Agency said Tehran would “definitely respond” to the American bombardment, threatening that future strikes by Iranian forces would carry far greater intensity than the initial U.S. offensive. “U.S. bases and interests across the region will quickly come under Iranian fire,” the military source…
By SCM International Desk I Tuesday, September 01, 2026 NEW YORK — A 32-year-old Bank of America vice president was killed late Monday afternoon in a sudden, unprovoked knife attack near Times Square, authorities said. The violence—occurring in broad daylight in one of Midtown Manhattan’s busiest hubs—ended when police officers fatally shot the assailant following a tense standoff. The victim, identified by authorities and bank officials as Erin Piacenti of Chester, New Jersey, was walking near Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street shortly before 4:30 p.m. when she was stabbed in the abdomen. Piacenti was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where…
By SCM Sports Desk, September 01, 2026 ZURICH — International soccer’s governing body on Tuesday accepted the mass resignations of senior officials at the Nigeria Football Federation, avoiding an immediate ban from international competition and clearing the way for a joint effort to rebuild the nation’s troubled football governance. Following high-level talks at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, global soccer officials agreed to collaborate with Nigerian sports authorities and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to construct a binding roadmap for short-, medium-, and long-term structural reforms. The summit was led by Mallam Shehu Dikko, chairman of Nigeria’s National Sports Commission,…
By SCM International Desk I Tuesday, September 01, 2026 WASHINGTON — United States military forces launched targeted air strikes against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) positions inside Iran at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time today, defense officials announced. The retaliatory action comes in direct response to repeated Iranian attempts to harass and interdict commercial maritime vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as recent aggressive action directed at American service members deployed across the Middle East. According to preliminary statements from the Department of Defense and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the strikes focused on key IRGC operational installations,…
By Emmanuel Thomas l Tuesday, September 01, 2026 ABUJA — The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has expressed deep concern over the continued detention of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, cautioning the Federal Government and security agencies against actions that could be perceived as politically motivated persecution. In an official statement signed by its Secretary-General, Nafiu Baba Ahmad, the Council reminded the authorities that Nigeria remains a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law, where every citizen—irrespective of political standing—is entitled to fundamental rights and the presumption of innocence. The SCSN emphasized…
Admin I Tuesday, September 01, 2026 ABUJA, Nigeria – The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has launched the NASENI xceler8 Programme, a strategic accelerator initiative designed to help Nigerian innovators transform scientific and engineering breakthroughs into commercially successful businesses. The programme is being implemented by the NASENI Innovation Hub in partnership with AfriLabs, Africa’s largest network of innovation and technology hubs. The initiative aims to accelerate 100 innovators, refine 100 Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), and create at least 400 direct and indirect jobs across four cohorts. Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr.…
Admin I Tuesday, September 01 LAGOS, Nigeria – Interswitch, one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies, has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing inclusion, empowering talent and celebrating impactful leadership through its sponsorship and participation at the 2026 Women in Marketing & Communications Conference and Awards (WIMCA). Held on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos, the 12th edition of WIMCA brought together leading professionals, executives, brands, and organisations across the marketing, communications, and broader business ecosystems. Themed “Grow, Give, Glow: Building Resilience for Distinction,” the event featured conversations around resilience, mentorship,…
By Admin I Tuesday, September 1st, 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – Nigerian companies increased business activity at a much faster pace in August amid greater success in securing new orders. In turn, purchasing and employment also rose, although the pace of job creation was only muted. Meanwhile, inflationary pressures ticked higher. The headline figure derived from the survey is the Stanbic IBTC Purchasing Managers’ Index™™ (PMI). Readings above 50.0 signal an improvement in business conditions on the previous month, while readings below 50.0 show a deterioration. The headline PMI rose to 54.3 in August, up from 52.5 in…