Visegrád 24

Curating news, politics and current affairs.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

Iran can and should be turned from a security threat to a major trading partner.

This would be a benefit not just to the talented Iranian people but also us in Europe,

says Belgian MP @SamvanRooy1 as he explains how much the Regime in Tehran is costing Europeans.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's wife, Rama Duwaji, is facing criticism after traveling to Mallorca, Spain, for a sold-out Islamic "spiritual wellness" retreat during America's 250th anniversary celebrations.

She flew from Newark to Palma to attend a retreat centered on plants mentioned in the Quran, featuring workshops, meals, and spiritual reflection. The six-day retreat, "Plants of the Quran," costs €2,490 (around $2,900) per guest after a discount (regular price €2,990).

Republican New York City council members said her absence was a missed opportunity to take part in one of the country's biggest civic milestones. One called it "disappointing" that the city's First Lady was overseas instead of celebrating with New Yorkers.

Critics argue that her trip shows the increasingly close ties between Islamists and the far-left.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

The U.S. has sentenced Antoine Kassis, a 59-year-old Lebanese-Syrian national who claimed to be a cousin of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, to 30 years in prison for his role in a narco-terrorism conspiracy.

Prosecutors said Kassis used his Assad regime connections to traffic cocaine and military-grade weapons, laundering drug proceeds through associates in Colombia linked to Hamas and the Sinaloa Cartel.

According to court evidence, Kassis agreed to supply weapons obtained from the Assad regime to Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN), a U.S.-designated communist terrorist organization, in exchange for hundreds of kilograms of cocaine.

Kassis also received a concurrent 20-year sentence for conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

During the trial, Kassis claimed he worked closely with Maher al-Assad, Bashar al-Assad's brother, and other senior Syrian regime officials on the arms-for-cocaine deal.

The case was prosecuted as part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Operation Take Back America, targeting cartels and transnational criminal organizations.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

22-year-old Gambian migrant Lamin Saidilly stabbed a 55-year-old man more than 20 times outside a bar on Via Capecelatro in Milan's San Siro district.

The victim is fighting for his life after suffering multiple stab wounds and was rushed to Niguarda Hospital in critical condition.

The attacker reportedly said to the police while being arrested: "I had so much fun. I will do it again when I get out."

Authorities say there appears to have been no connection between the suspect and the victim. Witnesses tackled and restrained the attacker until police arrived after he launched the attack with a knife featuring a blade of about 7 cm.

Saidilly was born in Conegliano Veneto, had lived in the UK in the past, and had only been in Milan for a few days.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

Four Pakistani men have been arrested in Lahore over the kidnapping, gang rape, robbery, and extortion of two foreign tourists, Dutch national Stephanie Adriana Mo-Asim and Venezuelan national Astrid Robinson Bracho.

The principal suspect, Muhammad Raza Dar, is a close relative of Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

Investigators say the women traveled to Pakistan on June 29 after accepting an invitation from Dar, whom they had met in Singapore in October 2025. Police say he also helped obtain their Pakistani visas.

The women were taken to a residence in Lahore's upscale DHA neighborhood, where they were held captive, repeatedly raped, robbed, and threatened with knives and a firearm.

The suspects demanded a $1.5 million ransom from the victims' families. The case came to light after the father of one of the women, who was in Spain, called Lahore's emergency police line to report that his daughter had disappeared and that the family was receiving ransom demands.

Within two hours, Pakistani police located the women, rescued them, and arrested four suspects. The Dutch ambassador to Pakistan also became directly involved after learning that one of the victims was a Dutch citizen.

Medical examinations reportedly found evidence of rape. Police are searching for a fifth suspect, Ali Dar.

Senator Faisal Vawda called the case a "national disgrace" and demanded Ishaq Dar's resignation, alleging the government was attempting to downplay the case and facilitate the victims' early departure from Pakistan.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

A man named David Perks has posted signs on sidewalks across Toronto displaying photos of members of the local Jewish community in an act of public targeting and harassment.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

🇬🇧 An Islamist terrorist linked to the 7/7 London bombings has reportedly been released from a secure mental health hospital in Britain after completing treatment.

Haroon Aswat, 50, was sentenced in the U.S. to 20 years in prison for conspiring to establish an al-Qaeda terrorist training camp in Oregon in 1999 under the direction of Abu Hamza. His sentence was later reduced after time already spent in custody before extradition.

Authorities linked Aswat to the 7/7 attacks, the coordinated suicide attacks on London's public transport system on July 7, 2005, which killed 52 people and injured more than 800, after police traced 20 phone calls between a phone associated with him and the bombers in the hours before the attacks. While in U.S. custody, he reportedly confessed to involvement in both the 7/7 London bombings and the September 11 attacks.

After being deported back to the UK in 2022, Aswat was detained at Bethlem Royal Hospital under the Mental Health Act. Court documents stated he has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, but a psychiatrist also warned that even during periods of mental stability he continued to express violent Islamist extremist ideology, concluding that "there remains the risk of Islamic violent extremism."

Despite police assessments that he "remains a risk to national security," the High Court ruled he could be released after completing treatment. The UK Home Office says appropriate measures are in place to monitor and manage any ongoing risk to public safety.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

U.S. lawmakers are questioning why Lebanon sent Defense Minister Michel Menassa to represent the Lebanese state at the funeral of slain terrorist Khamenei in Tehran while the Trump administration is working to restore Lebanon's sovereignty from Iranian influence and disarm Hezbollah.

The government of Lebanon claims to be engaging in U.S.-mediated negotiations to establish peace with Israel.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

Algeria has launched campaigns to attract more beach visitors to the country.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

A 17-year-old British boy has had his lower leg amputated after being stabbed by migrant Idris Ahmed, 18, during the bank holiday weekend at Barry Island in Wales.

Ahmed has pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent, unlawfully inflicting grievous bodily harm, and possessing a bladed article.

Prosecutors said the stabbing on May 25 caused catastrophic injuries that led to the victim's leg being amputated below the knee. A previous court hearing described the knife as a "highly dangerous weapon."

Ahmed has been remanded in custody ahead of a trial scheduled to begin on November 2, which is expected to last 10 days.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

BREAKING:

The U.S. announces it’s striking Iran again.

A civilian sailor is missing after an Iranian attack on cargo vessel in the Hormuz Strait a few hours ago.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

BREAKING:

Initial reports of U.S. strikes against Bushehr, Asaluyeh and other locations in south-western Iran

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

BREAKING:

Iran announces that it has closed the Hormuz Strait again and hits a cargo vessel with a missile as it tries to pass through the Hormuz Strait.

U.S. airstrikes likely against Iran in the coming hours.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

Aderahman Boumzough, 25, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 35 years and 169 days for the murder of 15-year-old Rene Graham, who was shot dead in a children's play area during a family music festival in Ladbroke Grove, west London, on 21 July 2024.

CCTV showed Boumzough calmly approaching the playground before firing a fatal shot. He then chased another man and attempted to shoot him, but his gun jammed, allowing the intended victim to escape.

Police later discovered a video on Boumzough's phone in which he appeared to rap about the failed second shooting, saying: "Don't you hate it when your ting jams? I was prepared to take a soul, but Allah had a different plan."

The judge described the killing as a "premeditated public execution", calling Boumzough's actions "callous and cold-blooded." He said the defendant showed no remorse, was instead "proud and boastful" about his crimes, and had offered no explanation for the attack.

Boumzough was convicted of murder and the attempted murder of the second man after spending more than a year on the run before being arrested. Police had offered a £20,000 reward for information leading to his capture. Rene's mother described her son's death as "the agony of every parent's worst nightmare."

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

Haaland explains why he’s playing for Norway instead England

🇳🇴🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

VOX has proposed banning people from wearing face-covering garments such as the burka, as well as balaclavas and motorcycle helmets, on public transport in Zaragoza, northeastern Spain, and in certain municipal spaces, arguing the measure is necessary for security because concealed faces make identification difficult.

The party has also proposed banning the burkini from municipal swimming pools, saying it is a matter of "health and safety" because the garment could create hygiene concerns and make lifeguard rescues more difficult.

The measures form part of 18 amendments submitted by VOX to Zaragoza's proposed new civic ordinance. The party is also calling for the city council to notify the National Police when illegal migrants are fined under the ordinance so authorities can consider opening deportation proceedings where appropriate.

Other proposals include tougher penalties for vandalism, damaging CCTV cameras, false emergency calls, illegal occupation of public spaces, excessive noise, graffiti on protected buildings, and requiring noise impact assessments for council-authorized events.

VOX says the reforms respond to residents' concerns, noting that a municipal survey found 91.5% of Zaragoza residents believe the city needs a new civic ordinance.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

Norway is 1-0 up against England.

The Norwegian striker Alexander Sorloth (sitting next to Haaland in this picture) was very close to scoring 2-0 moments ago.

What are they eating over there in Norway?

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

BREAKING:

The Red Cross leaves the asylum center in Ter Apel due to violence.

They say that the safety of their employees can’t be guaranteed after 2 stabbing at the center last week and a 3rd stabbing carried out in central Amsterdam by an asylym seeker from Ter Apel.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre says that Trump told him that his son is absolutely “fascinated by Erling Haaland”

The prime minister texted the Norwegian national team coach Ståle Solbakken after the NATO meeting in Ankara to say that Trump had stopped him to talk about “the large and great striker”

The PM also wrote:

“During dinner yesterday, Trump came up to me and congratulated me on the victory against Brazil, then he said that as he saw it, Norway could win the entire World Cup with that team”

The next day, just after the NATO summit ended, Trump asked the Norwegian PM to convey his greetings to Haaland.

🇺🇸🇳🇴

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

@AxeToGrind99 Because they haven’t been able to count have many civilians have been killed in the occupied territories.

Just Mariupol and surrounding villages is tens of thousands killed.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

The death toll of today’s Russian glide bomb attack on the Sumy rises to 5, including a child.

Dozens were also injured after several glide bombs hit the central parts of the city.

Ukraine has released videos of parents shielding their children with their own bodies.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

The new coalition government between the People's Party (PP) and VOX in Andalusia has agreed to end the Arabic Language and Moroccan Culture Programme (PLACM), meaning the regional government will not renew its participation in the scheme.

The program currently operates in more than 90 public schools and high schools across Andalusia, with 38 schools in Almería alone, around 40% of all participating schools in the region, making it the province most affected by the decision.

PLACM was created under a bilateral agreement between Spain and Morocco to allow pupils of Moroccan origin to learn Arabic and Moroccan culture.

Classes are voluntary, held outside normal school hours, and taught by teachers appointed by the Moroccan authorities in coordination with Spain's Ministry of Education.

The coalition agreement also commits the new regional government to promote respect for Spanish customs and traditions in schools and reject what it describes as foreign interference or initiatives that undermine Spain's national identity.

Once Andalusia formally withdraws from the national agreement, the participating schools will stop offering the program as part of their extracurricular educational activities.