South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck by a man with extreme political views, who has been formally charged with attempted murder. The assailant, identified only by his surname Kim, attacked Lee with a camping knife while posing as an autograph-seeker. Lee is recovering after surgery, and the incident has raised concerns about the safety of politicians in a country with low crime rates but recent increases in stabbing attacks. The motive behind the attack is under investigation, with the suspect having followed Lee since the previous year.
The trial of Hadi Matar, accused of stabbing author Salman Rushdie, may be postponed due to Rushdie's upcoming memoir about the incident, "Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder." The defense is entitled to review the manuscript, which could contain relevant information for the trial. Jury selection is set to start soon, but the defense is considering requesting a delay to obtain the memoir content. Rushdie was severely injured in the August 2022 attack, which occurred decades after a fatwa was issued against him following his book "The Satanic Verses." The memoir is seen by Rushdie as a way to respond to the violence with art.
Salman Rushdie's upcoming memoir, "Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder," detailing his near-fatal stabbing in August 2022, may cause a delay in the trial of his alleged attacker, Hadi Matar. The defense has been granted the opportunity to review the book, which is not yet published, potentially postponing the trial set to begin with jury selection on January 8. Matar, who has been held without bail, is accused of the attack that severely injured Rushdie, resulting in the loss of an eye and other serious injuries. The incident occurred at the Chautauqua Institution, and Matar was apprehended on-site. The defense argues for access to all materials related to Rushdie's memoir, while the prosecution has been denied an advance copy due to intellectual property rights. The judge has given Matar's attorney until a pre-trial conference to decide on seeking a delay.
The trial of Hadi Matar, accused of stabbing author Salman Rushdie, may be postponed due to Rushdie's upcoming memoir about the attack, "Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder." The defense is entitled to the manuscript for trial preparation, and a decision on the delay will be made soon. Rushdie, who was severely injured in the August 2022 attack, has written about the experience, but his representatives have declined to provide the manuscript, citing intellectual property rights. The trial was set to begin with jury selection on January 8, but the publication of Rushdie's memoir in April could impact the proceedings. Matar has praised the late Ayatollah Khomeini and has been held without bail since the attack.
South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck by an assailant during a visit to Busan. The attack occurred as Lee was exiting a tour of a proposed airport site. The suspect, believed to be in his late 60s, was subdued by party officials and detained by police, who are investigating the incident as an attempted murder. Lee underwent surgery and is recovering in an intensive care unit. The attack has been condemned by Lee's Democratic Party as a terrorist act and a threat to democracy, while President Yoon Suk Yeol has ordered a thorough investigation, emphasizing that such violence is intolerable. Lee, a vocal critic of the current government and a potential presidential candidate, has previously faced corruption allegations, which he denies.
South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck by an unidentified assailant during a visit to Busan. The attack occurred after Lee toured a new airport construction site and was approached by the attacker under the guise of asking for an autograph. Lee was hospitalized but remained conscious and not in critical condition. The attacker was arrested but has not disclosed his motives. The incident has been condemned by Lee's Democratic Party as a terrorist attack and a threat to democracy, while President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for a thorough investigation and emphasized that violence will not be tolerated.
On the 87th day of the ongoing conflict, two security guards were injured in a stabbing attack in Israel, while significant military operations continue in Gaza with the IDF controlling key areas and engaging in combat with Hamas forces. The American aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford is set to leave the Mediterranean Sea soon. Israel has updated its guidelines to allow gatherings of up to 15,000 people, except in regions close to the conflict zones. The IDF has been active in various fronts, including thwarting attacks from Hezbollah and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, and providing humanitarian aid to Gaza.
