Latest news with #TheSatanicVerses
News18
6 days ago
- General
- News18
Salman Rushdie 'Pleased' That Man Who Attempted To Kill Him Got Maximum 25-Year Sentence
Last Updated: The assailant, Hadi Matar, was sentenced in a New York court for the attempted murder of Rushdie. The attack left the British-Indian author blind in one eye Booker Prize-winning author Sir Salman Rushdie has said he is 'pleased" that the man who brutally attacked him on stage in 2022 has been handed the maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. The assailant, Hadi Matar, was sentenced in a New York court for the attempted murder of Rushdie. The attack left the British-Indian author blind in one eye. Rushdie later documented the event in his 2024 memoir, Knife. Judge David Foley delivered the verdict in Mayville, near where the stabbing occurred. Following the ruling, Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt expressed satisfaction. However, Matar's lawyer, Nathaniel Barone, confirmed that an appeal will be made. Speaking to BBC Radio 4 on Monday, Rushdie said, 'I was pleased that he got the maximum available, and I hope he uses it to reflect upon his deeds." In 1989, Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie's death over alleged blasphemy in his novel The Satanic Verses. Following this, Rushdie went into hiding under British protection and later settled in New York, in the United States. The book was banned in 20 countries. Numerous killings and bombings have been carried out by extremists who cite the book as motivation, sparking a debate about censorship and religiously motivated violence. On August 12, 2022, while about to start a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, Rushdie was attacked by Matar, who rushed onto the stage and stabbed him repeatedly, including in the face, neck, and abdomen. Matar was pulled away before being taken into custody by a state trooper; Rushdie was airlifted to UPMC Hamot, a tertiary trauma centre in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he underwent surgery before being put on a ventilator. On October 23, 2022, his agent reported that Rushdie had lost sight in one eye and the use of one hand but survived the murder attempt. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published:
News18
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
AI No Threat To Authors, Says Salman Rushdie, 'Until It Can...'
Last Updated: Rushdie, who was speaking at the renowned Hay Festival in Wales, revealed that he has a simple benchmark for the safety of human authorship At the renowned Hay Festival in Wales, celebrated author Salman Rushdie shared his signature sharp and humorous insights on the hotly debated topic of artificial intelligence's impact on creative writing. Known for his wit and pointed commentary, Rushdie, the acclaimed author of 'Midnight's Children" and his recent memoir 'Knife", reassured writers that they need not worry, at least for now. His simple benchmark for the safety of human authorship? The day a robot successfully crafts a genuinely funny joke. 'I've never tried AI," Rushdie said to the audience with a grin. 'I pretend it doesn't exist. It has no sense of humour; you wouldn't want to hear a joke from ChatGPT." He underscored his viewpoint, stating definitively, 'If there's ever a moment when ChatGPT writes a funny book, I think we're in trouble." This appearance at the Hay Festival was one of Rushdie's most significant public engagements in the United Kingdom since the brutal stabbing attack he suffered in 2022, which left him blind in one eye. Despite this traumatic event, his characteristic resilience and sharp intellect were evident as he addressed contemporary issues in literature and technology. In 1989, Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie's death over alleged blasphemy in his novel The Satanic Verses. Following this, Rushdie went into hiding under British protection and later settled in New York, in the United States. The book was banned in 20 countries. Numerous killings and bombings have been carried out by extremists who cite the book as motivation, sparking a debate about censorship and religiously motivated violence. On August 12, 2022, while about to start a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, Rushdie was attacked by 27-year-old Hadi Matar, who rushed onto the stage and stabbed him repeatedly, including in the face, neck, and abdomen. Matar was pulled away before being taken into custody by a state trooper; Rushdie was airlifted to UPMC Hamot, a tertiary trauma centre in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he underwent surgery before being put on a ventilator. On October 23, 2022, his agent reported that Rushdie had lost sight in one eye and the use of one hand but survived the murder attempt. The assailant, Hadi Matar, was sentenced in a New York court for the attempted murder of Rushdie. The author later said he was 'pleased" that the man had been handed the maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. (With agency inputs)
The Independent
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Salman Rushdie says he's ‘over' vicious knife attack
Salman Rushdie believes authors should worry about AI when it can write funny books, stating AI currently lacks a sense of humor. Speaking at the Hay Festival, Rushdie admitted he has never tried using AI and prefers to ignore its existence. The event marked Rushdie's most high-profile UK appearance since the 2022 on-stage stabbing in the US, with heightened security measures in place. Rushdie mentioned it was important for him and his wife to revisit the site of the attack, and he expressed being "over" the incident. Rushdie has faced threats since the 1988 publication of ' The Satanic Verses,' which led to a fatwa calling for his execution by Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini.
North Wales Live
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Salman Rushdie 'pleased' as man who stabbed him blind is jailed for 25 years
Sir Salman Rushdie has expressed his satisfaction that the man who repeatedly stabbed him during a stage appearance received the longest possible sentence of 25 years behind bars. The 77-year-old author, known for winning the Booker Prize, provided testimony at the 2025 trial regarding the violent 2022 episode at New York's Chautauqua Institution, which resulted in him losing sight in one eye. Hadi Matar, a US national, was found guilty in February of attempted murder and assault, receiving his sentence earlier this month. He was given a seven-year sentence for injuring another individual who shared the stage with the author during the assault. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday, the Indian-born British novelist Sir Salman remarked: "I was pleased that he got the maximum available, and I hope he uses it to reflect upon his deeds." He also recounted his collaboration with late BBC producer Alan Yentob on a 2024 BBC Two programme which included an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated dialogue, based on a fictional exchange with his attacker Matar that was described in his autobiography, 'Knife: Meditations After An Attempted Murder. '. Reflecting on how he imagined a face-to-face encounter with Matar might go, Sir Salman noted: "I thought if I was to really meet him, to ask him questions, I wouldn't get very much out of him. I doubt that he would open his heart to me." He considered that creating the interaction himself was more effective, stating: "And so I thought, 'well, I could open it by myself. I'd probably do it better than a real conversation would'." Sir Salman added: "(The AI animation) was very startling. I have to say it really certainly made a point." Sir Salman Rushdie has hailed former BBC executive and TV presenter Alan Yentob as an "unbelievable champion of the arts" with a "real gift for friendship". "He's one of the giants of British media in the last generation," Sir Salman remarked. "I think he will be remembered as a maker of great programmes and as an enabler of great programmes as well," he added. Reflecting on his own career, Sir Salman credited Yentob with giving him his first break on a programme that featured Sir Ben Kingsley reading his book Midnight's Children before it won the Booker Prize, and prior to the publication of his controversial 1988 book The Satanic Verses. The Satanic Verses led to accusations of blasphemy from hardline Muslims and resulted in Iran's then-leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issuing a fatwa calling for Sir Salman's death in 1989. In a lighter vein, Sir Salman recalled spoofing himself and Yentob in an arm-wrestling skit on the BBC satirical show W1A. Addressing the Kids Company scandal that forced Yentob to resign, Sir Salman expressed that it was "horrendous" and emphasised: "I think it needs to be said, repeatedly, (he was) completely exonerated, and so were all the other directors." Yentob, who chaired the board of trustees for Kids Company from its inception in 2003 until its collapse in 2015, consistently denied any conflict of interest regarding his intervention with Newsnight's investigation into the charity and maintained he had not "abused my position at the BBC". During Yentob's tenure at BBC2, he commissioned Absolutely Fabulous, featuring Jennifer Saunders and Dame Joanna Lumley, the arts series The Late Show, and Have I Got News For You. He also initiated CBBC and CBeebies, commissioned Pride And Prejudice starring Colin Firth, and in 2024 was honoured as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by the King for his services to the arts and media.
Wales Online
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Salman Rushdie 'pleased' as man who stabbed him blind is jailed for 25 years
Salman Rushdie 'pleased' as man who stabbed him blind is jailed for 25 years Hadi Matar was found guilty of attempted murder and assault over the 2022 attack at the Chautauqua Institution in New York, which left the Booker Prize-winning author blind in one eye. Sir Salman Rushdie (Image: © 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved ) Sir Salman Rushdie has expressed his satisfaction that the man who repeatedly stabbed him during a stage appearance received the longest possible sentence of 25 years behind bars. The 77-year-old author, known for winning the Booker Prize, provided testimony at the 2025 trial regarding the violent 2022 episode at New York's Chautauqua Institution, which resulted in him losing sight in one eye. Hadi Matar, a US national, was found guilty in February of attempted murder and assault, receiving his sentence earlier this month. He was given a seven-year sentence for injuring another individual who shared the stage with the author during the assault. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday, the Indian-born British novelist Sir Salman remarked: "I was pleased that he got the maximum available, and I hope he uses it to reflect upon his deeds." He also recounted his collaboration with late BBC producer Alan Yentob on a 2024 BBC Two programme which included an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated dialogue, based on a fictional exchange with his attacker Matar that was described in his autobiography, 'Knife: Meditations After An Attempted Murder. '. Article continues below Reflecting on how he imagined a face-to-face encounter with Matar might go, Sir Salman noted: "I thought if I was to really meet him, to ask him questions, I wouldn't get very much out of him. I doubt that he would open his heart to me." He considered that creating the interaction himself was more effective, stating: "And so I thought, 'well, I could open it by myself. I'd probably do it better than a real conversation would'." Sir Salman added: "(The AI animation) was very startling. I have to say it really certainly made a point." Sir Salman Rushdie has hailed former BBC executive and TV presenter Alan Yentob as an "unbelievable champion of the arts" with a "real gift for friendship". "He's one of the giants of British media in the last generation," Sir Salman remarked. "I think he will be remembered as a maker of great programmes and as an enabler of great programmes as well," he added. Reflecting on his own career, Sir Salman credited Yentob with giving him his first break on a programme that featured Sir Ben Kingsley reading his book Midnight's Children before it won the Booker Prize, and prior to the publication of his controversial 1988 book The Satanic Verses. The Satanic Verses led to accusations of blasphemy from hardline Muslims and resulted in Iran's then-leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issuing a fatwa calling for Sir Salman's death in 1989. In a lighter vein, Sir Salman recalled spoofing himself and Yentob in an arm-wrestling skit on the BBC satirical show W1A. Addressing the Kids Company scandal that forced Yentob to resign, Sir Salman expressed that it was "horrendous" and emphasised: "I think it needs to be said, repeatedly, (he was) completely exonerated, and so were all the other directors." Yentob, who chaired the board of trustees for Kids Company from its inception in 2003 until its collapse in 2015, consistently denied any conflict of interest regarding his intervention with Newsnight's investigation into the charity and maintained he had not "abused my position at the BBC". During Yentob's tenure at BBC2, he commissioned Absolutely Fabulous, featuring Jennifer Saunders and Dame Joanna Lumley, the arts series The Late Show, and Have I Got News For You. Article continues below He also initiated CBBC and CBeebies, commissioned Pride And Prejudice starring Colin Firth, and in 2024 was honoured as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by the King for his services to the arts and media.
