January 23, 2026
Local
Local
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 — Two foreign nationals have become the first individuals in Malaysia to be charged in court for littering under the newly enforced anti-littering law, according to a report by The Star.
NEW YORK, Feb 22 — Hadi Matar, an American-Lebanese man, was found guilty of attempting to murder novelist Salman Rushdie in a 2022 attack where he stormed a stage and stabbed the author multiple times.
A jury convicted Matar on attempted murder and assault charges, and he now faces up to 25 years in prison, with sentencing set for April. Prosecutors detailed how Matar stabbed Rushdie around 10 times with a six-inch blade, leaving him severely injured. Rushdie described the attack in court, recalling intense pain, severe injuries, and thinking he was dying before being airlifted to a trauma center.
Matar, who had only read two pages of The Satanic Verses, claimed the author had "attacked Islam." His attack revived debates over free speech versus blasphemy, recalling past violence linked to the book, including the 1989 fatwa issued against Rushdie.
During the trial, Matar occasionally shouted pro-Palestinian slogans. Witnesses, including a venue employee who helped subdue him, identified him in court. The FBI has linked Hezbollah to the fatwa, and Matar also faces separate federal terrorism charges. Iran, however, denies involvement, blaming Rushdie for the incident. — AFP
