Author: starconnect
By SCM Correspondent WASHINGTON — The United States on Friday brokered a trilateral framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon, a significant diplomatic development aimed at halting decades of border hostilities, restoring Lebanese sovereignty, and systematically curbing the influence of Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah. At a signing ceremony in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the State Department, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood alongside Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad and Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter to formalize what all sides described as a difficult but essential “first step” toward a lasting regional peace. The agreement, described by Israeli officials as a…
Admin I Friday, June 26, 2027 LAGOS, Nigeria – Fidelity Bank Plc has again reinforced its leadership in small and medium-scale business banking as it emerged the winner of the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) Service Ambassadors Award for the Highest Impact on MSMEs Accessing Credit for the First Time. The award recognises the Deposit Money Bank that has successfully onboarded previously unbanked or credit excluded Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises across Nigeria, reflecting Fidelity Bank’s sustained commitment to deepening financial inclusion, improving access to credit and supporting enterprise growth. Speaking on the recognition, Divisional Head, Small and Medium-scale…
By SCM Staff Writer WASHINGTON — In what Western diplomats are calling a fragile but highly significant step toward regional stabilization, Israel has agreed to pull back its military forces from designated portions of southern Lebanon. The framework agreement, hammered out over months of quiet mediation, was formally signed in Washington tonight, marking a rare diplomatic breakthrough between two neighbors technically locked in a state of war for decades. The deal is structured as a “pilot” program, designed to test the viability of a permanent security arrangement along the volatile border. Under its terms, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) will…
By SCM Reporter A COMMUNITY has been plunged into chaos after a prominent holy man allegedly posted explicit videos of married female congregation members directly into a church WhatsApp group chat. Bishop James Ogwo, the high-profile founder of All Christian Miracle Ministries in Enugu Ezike, is at the absolute center of a storm that has left families fractured, a community reeling, and thousands of believers questioning their faith. What was meant to be a digital sanctuary for prayer requests and scripture readings instantly transformed into a viral nightmare when the explicit clips were broadcast to hundreds of unsuspecting parishioners.…
PBy SCM Diplomatic Correspondent WASHINGTON —In a stunning geopolitical development that could fundamentally reshape the landscape of the Modern Middle East, representatives from Israel, Lebanon, and the United States gathered at the State Department today to sign a historic trilateral framework agreement aimed at establishing lasting peace and security along one of the world’s most volatile frontiers. The ceremony, though deliberately understated given the fragile nature of the accord, featured the U.S. Secretary of State, Israel’s Ambassador to Washington, and Lebanon’s Ambassador to the United States affixing their signatures to a document that many regional experts deemed impossible just…
BY SCM REPORTER I 26 June 2026 A HORRIFIC multi-vehicle smash on a major East London highway has left two teenagers dead and a 16-year-old boy fighting for his life in hospital. Emergency services rushed to the scene on the eastbound carriageway of the busy A13 in Newham at around 8:15 PM last night (Thursday, 25 June) following reports of a catastrophic pile-up. Paramedics, police, and firefighters battled to save the victims, but despite the desperate, heroic efforts of first responders, two young men—aged just 18 and 19—were tragically pronounced dead at the roadside. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the…
By SCM Reporter LOKOJA — A major legal storm has hit the Nigerian political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections, as the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja has set aside its earlier judgment which compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party. The ruling, delivered on Friday morning by the presiding judge, Honourable Justice Isah Dashen, followed an application filed by an unregistered association known as the Peace Movement Party (PMP). The PMP had approached the court claiming a prior right to the “victory sign” symbol, which…
Admin I Friday, June 26, 2026 A TWISTED former foster carer who transformed his home into a “hellish afterschool club” to groom and abuse vulnerable children has been jailed for 31 years. Bradley Dilsworth, 69, operated as a wolf in sheep’s clothing in Walthamstow, presenting himself as a friendly, trustworthy neighbor while secretly subjecting young victims to horrific sexual abuse. The monster’s reign of terror finally came to an end yesterday at Isleworth Crown Court, where a judge handed down the massive three-decade sentence. It followed his conviction in May at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 22 counts of horrific…
Admin I Friday, June 26, 2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – As part of activities marking the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT) on Friday intensified its advocacy against substance abuse with a sensitisation programme at Government Secondary School, Lugbe, Abuja, where over 300 students were educated on the devastating consequences of drug abuse. The awareness campaign formed part of NACAT’s sustained efforts to discourage drug use among young people and promote healthy lifestyles through preventive education in schools across the Federal Capital Territory. Addressing the students during the interactive session, NACAT’s…
HBy SCM Reporter I June 26, 2026 JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said on Friday that its forces had carried out an airstrike in southern Lebanon, killing seven Hezbollah operatives who were allegedly transferring weapons near Israeli positions. According to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the strike targeted a structure in the El Manzala area, located near the heavily monitored border security zone. The military asserted that the building was being utilized by Hezbollah as a combined combat and observation post to plan and execute attacks against Israeli soldiers operating in the area. ”The terrorists’ actions at…