Author: starconnect
Alex Ekubo (1986–2026) By SCM Reporter LAGOS, Nigeria – The Nigerian film industry, better known as Nollywood, has been plunged into deep mourning following the shock announcement of the death of one of its brightest stars, Alex Ekubo. The actor, a staple of romantic comedies and high-stakes dramas, reportedly passed away at the age of 40 after a private and courageous struggle with Stage 4 liver cancer. Sources close to the star suggest that Ekubo had been receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital, keeping the severity of his illness away from the glare of the paparazzi. Despite his reputation…
BY BLAISE UDUNZE I Tuesday, May 12.2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – When the word “xenophobic” is talked about, most affected African countries tend to focus on the pains being experienced by their citizens in South Africa. For a moment, it calls for Nigeria and the rest of the African continent to pause and ask, how did we get here? One apt way to confirm these inimical factors, the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, recently acknowledged this uncomfortable reality when he urged African leaders to address the domestic failures driving mass migration across the continent. Speaking amid renewed anti-foreigner tensions,…
By Emmanuel Thomas LONDON — The foundations of Sir Keir Starmer’s administration underwent a seismic shift today as a third government minister tendered their resignation, turning a difficult morning for Downing Street into a full-blown existential crisis for the Prime Minister. In a coordinated blow that has left the Cabinet reeling, Alex Davies-Jones announced her departure early Tuesday afternoon. Her exit follows the resignations of two high-ranking colleagues earlier today, all occurring in the immediate wake of a tense, closed-door Cabinet meeting where the Prime Minister reportedly sought to reassert his authority over a fractured party. In a resignation…
By SCM REPORTER I 12 May 2026 TEHRAN is standing on the brink of going nuclear after hardline Iranian MPs threatened to build an atomic bomb if Donald Trump orders a fresh wave of strikes. In a chilling escalation that has sent shockwaves through the West, the Iranian parliament’s National Security spokesperson, Ebrahim Rezaei, warned that the regime is ready to flip the switch on “90 per cent enrichment”—the magic number needed for a weapons-grade warhead. The terrifying ultimatum comes as the Middle East teeters on the edge of all-out war. President Trump, currently locked in a high-stakes game…
Admin I Tuesday, May 12.2026 LAGOS, Nigeria – At a time when conversations about youth development are becoming increasingly urgent, Boys Aid Network is choosing to confront a question many institutions have quietly ignored: who is intentionally preparing the next generation of boys for the realities of leadership, responsibility, and manhood? On Thursday, May 14, 2026, the organisation will convene educators, mentors, advocates, parents, and students at the Local Government Training School, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, for the 2026 International Boy’s Day Conference, a gathering designed not simply as another youth event, but as a bold intervention into the future…
By Titus Eleweke, Editor, South East AWKA, Anambra – Here comes a man, Ossy Onuko, embarking on a second term in office , a man many describe as possessing the Midas touch, turning every responsibility entrusted to him into visible success. A transformational leader endowed with vision, energy, and administrative competence, his name is Dr .Ossy Onuko, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA). He has continued to redefine urban governance and development in Awka Anambra State capital. Stakeholders across Awka and Anambra State, having closely followed his achievements over the…
By Emmanuel Thomas LONDON, UK – The 2024 victory of the Labour Party was built on a broad but shallow foundation. While Labour secured a massive majority of seats, it did so with only 33.7% of the popular vote—the lowest for a majority government in history. While figures like Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham are circling, there is a deep fear within the party that a messy leadership contest during a period of economic instability would lead to a total wipeout in a general election The 2026 results suggest that this coalition has fractured. The surge…
By Admin I Tuesday, May 12.2026 Fidelity Bank Plc has reported a 45 percent increase in gross earnings for the 2025 financial year, as the lender’s shareholders’ funds crossed the N1 trillion mark following sustained balance sheet expansion and fresh capital injection. Analysis from the audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2025, reveals that the bank delivered robust results across key financial metrics, including Gross Earnings, which stood at N1.5 trillion, up from N1,04 trillion reported in 2024. Net Interest Income rose to N831.3 billion, compared to N629.7 billion in 2024, reflecting the bank’s stronger earnings…
By SCM Staff Writer JERUSALEM — In a historic and polarizing move that mirrors the legal gravity of the 1960s, the Israeli Knesset voted overwhelmingly on Monday night to establish a special military tribunal with the power to impose the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of participating in the October 7, 2023, attacks. The legislation, which passed with a 93-0 majority in the 120-seat parliament, marks the most significant shift in Israel’s use of capital punishment in over sixty years. The law is specifically designed to prosecute the estimated 3,000 Hamas-led militants and collaborators who breached the Gaza border…
By Our Correspondent in Abuja In a sweltering courtroom in Abuja, the high-stakes drama of a failed military uprising took a turn for the supernatural this week. As the Nigerian government continues its crackdown on alleged traitors, the trial of six men accused of plotting to overthrow the state has moved from the barracks to the prayer mat. Central to the day’s proceedings was a startling video confession from the sixth defendant, Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir. Looking into the camera of investigators, the Islamic cleric presented an extraordinary defense: he wasn’t a co-conspirator, he was a harbinger of doom. The…