ONZA NEWS

By Chukwuebuka Chukwuemeka Tehran, June 17, 2025 – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have claimed responsibility for the targeted killing of Major General Ali Shadmani, Iran’s newly appointed war-time Chief of Staff, in a high-precision airstrike that struck central Tehran. This marks the second major blow to Iran’s top military leadership within days, following the June 13 assassination of Major General Gholam Ali Rashid, Shadmani’s immediate predecessor. Gen. Ali Shadmani According to NBC News and multiple Middle East correspondents, General Shadmani was among the most trusted military advisers to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and was overseeing operations of both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran’s conventional army. His sudden death is a major setback for the Iranian military command, which has now lost multiple senior figures in less than a week. A Calculated Israeli Strategy The IDF has emphasized that this strike was the result of advanced intel...

  By Chukwuebuka Chukwuemeka Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State When Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia—robed not only in clerical cassock but also in moral authority stepped into the political ring to run for governor of Benue State, he did not arrive as just another politician. He was hailed as a redeemer. A priest among politicians. A voice of conscience in the storm of corruption, insecurity, and neglect. For many in Benue, weary from years of violence and disillusionment, Alia's emergence seemed like a divine intervention. But now, barely two years into his administration, a haunting question echoes across the valleys of Guma, the burnt farmlands of Ukum, and the blood-stained streets of Makurdi: “Are you the Messiah, or shall we look for another?” This question, borrowed from the lips of John the Baptist in Scripture, captures the mood of a people betrayed by hope. For the Benue masses, who handed Alia a broad mandate in 2023 believing that the shepherd’s staff would now bring ...

  🇺🇸🇬🇧🇫🇷 Military Bases on High Alert in the Middle East as Iran Issues New Threats By Chukwuebuka Chukwuemeka   / ONZA News Desk Tensions are escalating in the Middle East after Iran threatened military retaliation against American, British, and French bases across the region. In what appears to be a direct response to Western support for Israel, Iranian authorities have vowed to target these installations if further military collaboration against Tehran continues. Iran’s warning comes in the wake of coordinated defense operations where Western forces—especially the United States—assisted Israel in intercepting a barrage of Iranian drones and missiles. That strike, launched on June 13, was seen by many as a major flashpoint that could tip the balance toward regional warfare. How the UK Is Responding British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has already deployed Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets and support aircraft to military bases in Cyprus. The UK curre...

Chukwuebuka Chukwuemeka Bayern München stormed into the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup™ with a devastating 10–0 demolition of Auckland City FC, sending an unmistakable message to the rest of the competition. The Group C clash at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati will go down as the biggest victory in Club World Cup history—and it’s only Day One. French Flair Leads the Onslaught It was a night of pure dominance, orchestrated in part by Bayern’s French contingent. Kingsley Coman, Sacha Boey, and Michael Olise contributed five goals between them in a dazzling first-half display that overwhelmed their amateur opponents from New Zealand. Coman opened the floodgates in the 6th minute—the first goal ever scored in the new-format FIFA Club World Cup—heading home after a clever assist sequence involving Jonathan Tah and Joshua Kimmich. He added a second in the 21st minute, bookending a four-minute blitz in which Boey (18’) and Olise (20’) also found the net. Olise completed his brace in first-half st...

 By Chukwuebuka Chukwuemeka President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR A recent move by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to galvanize support for the Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima presidential ticket in Northern Nigeria has dramatically backfired, triggering protests and deepening internal divisions along religious lines. Backlash in the North Efforts to stage high-profile endorsement events across Northern states were met not with applause but with ridicule—highlighted by a viral incident dubbed the “fake bishops fiasco.” During a July 2022 rally—when Tinubu formally unveiled Shettima as his running mate—several individuals masquerading as Christian clerics took the stage. They were swiftly exposed as impostors by genuine church officials. The embarrassing spectacle undermined the campaign’s credibility and sparked outrage among Northern Christians and moderate Muslims alike says theafricareport.com. Faith Faultlines Resurface Northern Christian leaders, already uneasy about...

By Chukwuebuka Chukwuemeka Israel’s three-day offensive against Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure is being fought not only from the air but also from inside Iranian territory, according to a new report that says the Mossad smuggled explosive-laden drones into the country months before Friday’s opening strikes. The disclosure comes as exchanges of missiles and air-strikes push the region toward a wider war and force the cancellation of U.S.–Iran nuclear negotiations that had been scheduled for Sunday in Oman. A war months in the making Haaretz, citing a senior Israeli security official, reported that Israel’s external intelligence service established a covert logistics base “deep inside Iran” stocked with armed drones that were activated in parallel with Israel Air Force (IAF) sorties at dawn on June 13. The home-grown fleet reportedly targeted surface-to-surface missile launchers near Tehran and disrupted Iranian air-defence radars, clearing the way for IAF fighter-bombers ...

  By Chukwuebuka Chukwuemeka MAKURDI, BENUE STATE — Tension reached a boiling point in Benue State on Sunday, June 15, as hundreds of enraged youths took to the streets in a massive protest against the unending killings ravaging their communities. Clad in black attire and waving palm fronds, the demonstrators blocked the busy Abuja-Makurdi highway and paralyzed movement around the Wurukum Food Basket Roundabout in Makurdi. Protesters around the Wurukum Food Basket Roundabout in Makurdi. The protest comes in the wake of a fresh wave of brutal attacks across the state, including a massacre in Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area where over 200 people were reportedly killed by suspected armed herdsmen. Just days earlier, another set of overnight attacks on Mtswenem and Akondotyough Bawa in Makurdi LGA, and Agbami and Kenvanger in Katsina-Ala LGA, left at least 26 people dead—many hacked in their sleep. Witnesses told onzanews that women and children were among the vic...

  Minnesota woke up to deeply troubling news Saturday as a targeted shooting spree claimed two lives and left two others critically injured. The scene is set for a tense, ongoing manhunt. What Happened In the early hours of June 14, 2025, Minnesota state lawmaker Rep. Melissa Hortman (DFL) and her husband were found fatally shot inside their Brooklyn Park home. Shortly before, at around 2 a.m., State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot in their Champlin residence. Hoffman remains in critical condition, and his wife was seriously injured. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon speaks to the media in St. Paul, Minnesota Suspect on the Loose, Impersonation Raises Alarm Authorities describe the assailant as wearing a police uniform, complete with badge and body armor, turning up at both crime scenes dressed as law enforcement. They even used what appeared to be a squad car at the second location. A dramatic encounter unfolded at Hortman’s home where officers were...

LISBON / LONDON, June 14, 2025 — Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres has become the central figure in a high-stakes summer transfer battle, with Arsenal emerging as clear frontrunners despite resistance from his current club, Sporting Lisbon. In the eye of the storm! Victor Gyokeres, the Swedish striker at the center of a transfer saga! At the heart of the dispute is an alleged “gentleman’s agreement” between Gyökeres’ camp and Sporting, which reportedly allowed the striker to leave for £60 million (€70m) plus add-ons. Sporting president Frederico Varandas has publicly denied the existence of any such agreement and insists no formal bid has yet met the club’s expectations. While he is open to negotiation below the £84 million (€100m) release clause, Sporting are not willing to drop to the figure suggested by Gyökeres’ representatives. The 27-year-old Swedish international, who netted nearly 40 goals last season, is said to be frustrated by the stalled talks and has refused to feature ...

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu The skies over Tehran and Tel Aviv lit up with explosions and air raid sirens once again, as Iran and Israel exchanged deadly missile strikes and drone attacks in what has become the most dangerous escalation between the two rivals in decades. The fierce conflict comes just a day after Israel launched a  sweeping air offensive that killed top Iranian generals and nuclear scientists. In retaliation, Iran unleashed a barrage of over 200 ballistic missiles in four waves targeting key Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, and Jerusalem. Death and Destruction on Both Sides In Israel, at least four people were killed and over 200 injured, according to health and defense sources. A high-rise in central Tel Aviv was struck, and nine other buildings were destroyed in Ramat Gan. Seven Israeli soldiers were also wounded in the missile attack — the first confirmed military casualties since the fighting...

  Escalation in the Middle East: Israel and Iran Exchange Devastating Strikes Over Nuclear and Military Sites Smoke rising from the missile strike in Tehran by Israel In one of the most intense and dangerous escalations in recent Middle Eastern history, Israel and Iran traded deadly airstrikes and missile attacks between Friday night and Saturday morning, sending shockwaves across the globe and raising fears of a broader regional conflict. The conflict ignited when Israeli fighter jets and drones launched a large-scale attack on Iranian soil, targeting critical nuclear sites and key military leadership under an operation dubbed “Rising Lion.” The strikes were concentrated around Tehran and key cities like Natanz and Isfahan, reportedly crippling some aboveground enrichment facilities and killing several high-ranking Iranian officials. In swift retaliation, Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles, some of which slammed into buildings in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas, ...

  A tornado warning sent ripples of concern across parts of southern Alberta Friday evening as Environment Canada alerted residents to the potential for a dangerous storm system. Radar imagery from Environment Canada shows the intense storm system tracking through Alberta, bringing risks of tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds. What Happened? Meteorologists were tracking a severe thunderstorm that showed signs of producing a tornado. Alongside the tornado threat, the storm carried risks of damaging winds, large hail, and intense rainfall, all serious hazards for anyone caught outdoors or in vulnerable structures. Areas Initially Affected: Stettler County near Byemoor and Endiang Starland County near Michichi and Delia Special Area 2 near Spondin and Scapa By 6:00 p.m., the tornado warning remained only for the S.A. 2 region. But just 20 minutes later, that too was downgraded to a tornado watch, indicating a lower but still present risk of torna...

  In the glamorous, high-pressure world of the NBA, success isn’t just built on talent, stats, or strategy — sometimes, it’s also shaped in the barber’s chair. Just ask Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder’s 7'1" rising star, who’s taken the league by storm in his debut NBA Finals. Behind his fresh fade and confident swagger is Meleyen Tengben, a Minneapolis-based barber who’s been more than just a stylist — he’s become family. Meleyen Tengben and Chet Holmgren at Meleyen's Barbershop in Brooklyn Park. The Haircut That Started It All Their story began eight years ago with a humble Instagram DM. Holmgren, then a freshman at Minnehaha Academy, reached out after seeing Tengben’s work on his friend and teammate Jalen Suggs. His question? “Can you cut white hair?” That question still makes Tengben laugh today. But what followed was the start of a tight-knit friendship that’s weathered high school, NBA Draft buzz, and now, the Finals spotlight. From Local Cuts to the L...

  Manchester City have officially completed the £46.3 million signing of Dutch international midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan, marking a significant addition to Pep Guardiola’s evolving midfield. The 26-year-old has signed a five-year contract, becoming one of the most anticipated transfers of the summer. Tijjani Reijnders moves from AC Milan to Manchester City From San Siro to the Etihad Reijnders arrives in Manchester after a standout season in Serie A, where he was widely regarded as the best midfielder in the league. Despite AC Milan's disappointing eighth-place finish, Reijnders shone brightly — contributing 15 goals across all competitions, the most goals and assists of any midfielder in the Italian top flight last season. Having joined Milan from AZ Alkmaar in 2023, his impact was immediate. And now, he brings that form and flair to England's reigning champions. Guardiola’s Midfield Refresh The timing of the move is strategic for Manchester City. With...

  As Nigeria commemorates its 26th Democracy Day, tension simmers across the nation with mass protests planned by the Take It Back Movement and allied civil society groups. While President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to address a joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja today, activists are staging demonstrations in over 20 locations nationwide to protest what they call “two years of misrule, hardship, and insecurity.” Take-It-Back protesters converge at Ikeja Under Bridge, Lagos. Photo Credit: Elliot Ovadje. Date 4/7/2025 From Broadcast to Assembly: Tinubu’s Democracy Day Shift In a surprising move, President Tinubu canceled the customary national broadcast to mark Democracy Day. Instead, the presidency announced he would deliver his address directly from the chambers of the National Assembly. The shift, according to Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, was due to Tinubu’s scheduled attendance at the ...