Author: starconnect
By SCM International Desk I Wednesday, August 26, 2026 TEHRAN — Iran and Oman have reached a preliminary agreement establishing a framework to manage traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, officials from both nations announced in a joint statement on Tuesday. However, Iranian officials quickly cautioned that the diplomatic development does not signal an immediate reopening of the critical maritime chokepoint, which remains shuttered to commercial passage. Iran’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that the strategic waterway will remain fully closed until the United States lifts its naval blockade and all parties strictly abide by the terms outlined in the preliminary…
Admin I Wednesday, August 26, 2026 LAGOS – Zenith Bank Plc hosted the 10th edition of its International Trade Seminar on Non-Oil Export on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, marking a decade of sustained advocacy for the diversification of Nigeria’s economy. The virtual event brought together policymakers, regulators, exporters, manufacturers, investors and development partners from across Africa and beyond, all focused on one question: how Nigeria can earn more from what it sells to the world. Held under the theme “Unlocking Value and Harnessing Growth”, the seminar examined how Nigeria can move beyond exporting raw commodities to building competitive value…
By SCM International Desk I Tuesday, August 25, 2026 NEW YORK — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a sharp condemnation on Tuesday regarding actions by Israeli authorities to unlawfully enter and occupy the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Kalandia Training Centre in occupied East Jerusalem. In a strongly worded statement, Mr. Guterres called the unauthorized entry and construction activities at the facility “wholly unacceptable” and urged the Israeli government to vacate the premises immediately. ”I condemn in the strongest terms today’s actions by the Israeli authorities to unlawfully…
By SCM International Desk I Tuesday, August 25, 2026 OTTAWA — The economic standoff across North America took a sharp turn for the worse as Canada announced a sweeping retaliatory tariff package targeting 27.6 billion CAD ($19.9 billion USD) worth of American goods. Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne declared that Ottawa will impose counter-tariffs of 15%, 25%, or 50% on over 700 U.S. products starting at 12:01 a.m. on September 8. The targeted list spans key cross-border commodities, including steel and aluminum, dairy products, agricultural machinery, household appliances, electronics, and paper products. ”Canada will match incoming U.S. measures dollar…
By SCM International Desk I Tuesday, August 25, 2026 NASHVILLE, Tenn. — International music icon, prolific songwriter, and celebrated philanthropist Dolly Parton has died peacefully at her home in Nashville, Tennessee. She was 80 years old. Her passing comes just one year after the loss of her beloved husband of 59 years, Carl Thomas Dean. She was also preceded in death by her father, Robert Lee Parton, Sr. (2000), and her mother, Avie Lee Caroline Owens (2003). Spanning seven extraordinary decades, Parton’s career transcended country music to touch millions through acting, playwrighting, authoring books, and landmark philanthropy. Her legendary wit,…
Admin I Tuesday, August 25,2027 PORT HARCOURT – The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has called for increased investment in agriculture and other sustainable sectors to secure the future of the Niger Delta region. Speaking on Resource Control during the Nigeria Bar Association’s 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, stated that while oil had been a blessing to the nation and had contributed significantly to development, the region could not afford to remain dependent on it indefinitely. He stressed the need for stakeholders to ask fundamental questions about the…
By Emmanuel Thomas l Tuesday, August 25, 2026 ABUJA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Department of State Services (DSS) to launch an immediate, coordinated rescue operation following a deadly mass abduction and killing in Niger State. In a press statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described the attackers as “enemies of peace and humanity” who will “not go scot-free.” Condolences were extended to affected families, alongside assurances that the Federal Government stands firmly with the Niger State…
By SCM International Desk I Tuesday, August 25, 2026 WASHINGTON — In a dramatic escalation of financial pressure against Tehran, United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent formally announced the launch of “Operation Economic Outcast.” The multi-pronged campaign aims to sever Iran’s remaining global trade routes, choke off its credit channels, and force third-party nations into a stark choice: cease all commercial relations with Iran or face complete exclusion from the American financial system. The campaign represents one of the most aggressive uses of secondary economic enforcement by the White House to date. Under the new operational mandate, the U.S.…
By SCM International Desk I Tuesday, August 25, 2026 WASHINGTON — The State Department announced a reward of up to $10 million for actionable intelligence targeting high-ranking commanders within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and senior officials in the immediate circle of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The move, executed through the Diplomatic Security Service’s Rewards for Justice program, signals a sharp escalation in Washington’s strategic campaign to disrupt Tehran’s foreign operations, intelligence apparatus, and internal leadership mechanisms. Officials stated that the bounty aims at individuals responsible for planning, directing, and executing asymmetric military operations, cyberattacks,…
By Emmanuel Thomas l Tuesday, August 25, 2026 MOWE, Nigeria — Law enforcement authorities in southern Nigeria have dismantled an illegal human trafficking syndicate operating an illicit “baby factory,” safely rescuing two heavily pregnant women and four young children from a residential compound outside the commercial capital of Lagos. The raid, executed early Monday morning by operatives of the Mowe Division of the Ogun State Police Command, marks the latest crackdown on black-market baby-selling rings in Africa’s most populous nation. Six suspects were taken into custody during the operation, including a medical nurse accused of facilitating transactions. According to…