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u.s. news Diabierna 19 augustus 2022

Judge denies bail for Rushdie's attacker, bars interviews

(AP) — A judge refused
to grant bail Thursday to Some of that media outreach
the man accused of try- resulted in Matar giving a
ing to kill Salman Rushdie brief interview to The New
as the acclaimed author York Post, in which he talked
prepared to give a talk in about disliking Rushdie and
western New York. praised Iran's late supreme
leader, Grand Ayatollah
Hadi Matar, 24, appeared in Ruhollah Khomeini.
a western New York court-
room after a grand jury in- Khomeini issued an edict in
dicted him on charges that 1989 demanding Rushdie's
he rushed the stage at the death over his novel "The
Chautauqua Institution and Satanic Verses," which some
stabbed Rushdie multiple Muslims consider blasphe-
times in front of a horrified mous. A semiofficial Iranian
crowd. foundation had posted a
bounty of over $3 million.
Dressed in a black and white
jail uniform, Matar stayed Matar's lawyer complained
quiet during the hearing that the media coverage
while his lawyer unsuccess- could potentially lead to a bi-
fully tried to persuade the ased jury.
judge that he should be re- "He's entitled to a fair trial.
leased while he awaited trial. He's entitled to due process, pital for severe wounds. die is greater in his mind and founder of Pittsburgh's City
Public defender Nathaniel no matter what he's accused Chautauqua County District outweighs his own personal of Asylum, was onstage with
Barone said Matar had no of," Barone said. Attorney Jason Schmidt said freedom," Schmidt told the Rushdie and suffered a gash
criminal record and wouldn't during the court hearing that judge. to his forehead, bruising and
flee the country if released. Judge David Foley declined Matar stabbed Mr. Rushdie other minor injuries.
that request, but he ordered a dozen times in the neck, The author was seated in a
Barone also asked the judge the lawyers involved in the stomach, chest, hand and chair at the lakeside retreat Matar, who lived in Fairview,
to do something to stop re- case not to give interviews. right eye, before he could be Aug. 12, waiting to be in- New Jersey, with his mother,
porters from trying to con- "No speaking to the press stopped by shocked bystand- troduced for a discussion of is charged with attempted
tact Matar at the Chautauqua until we have resolved this ers. protections for writers in ex- murder and assault. He could
County jail. The lawyer said issue," the judge said. "He doesn't care about his ile and freedom of expression get decades in prison if con-
the jail had received "several own freedom, judge, and is when Matar jumped onstage. victed. He has pleaded not
hundred phone calls" from Rushdie, 75, is getting treat- so driven by his motives that guilty.
people trying to reach Matar. ment in a Pennsylvania hos- his mission to kill Mr. Rush- Henry Reese, 73, the co-

RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine group kicked off Instagram, Facebook

(AP) – Instagram and COVID-19. cines and other public health
Facebook suspended Chil- measures designed to control Public health advocates and Facebook and Instagram con-
dren's Health Defense this A nonprofit, Children's the pandemic. misinformation experts have firmed the company action
week after the anti-vac- Health Defense is one of the criticized Facebook for not on Thursday in a statement
cine group led by Robert most influential anti-vaccine In a statement, Kennedy acting more swiftly to contain to The Associated Press.
Kennedy Jr. repeatedly organizations active on social compared Facebook's ac- potentially harmful misin-
violated rules prohibit- media, where it has spread tions to government censor- formation about COVID-19 "We removed these accounts
ing misinformation about misleading claims about vac- ship, even though Facebook and vaccines. for repeatedly violating our
is a private company that can policies," a spokesman for
set and enforce its own rules Karen Kornbluh, director of Meta, Facebook and Insta-
about misinformation. the Digital Innovation and gram's parent company, told
"Facebook is acting here as a Democracy Initiative at the the AP. Under the platforms'
surrogate for the federal gov- German Marshall Fund, said policies, suspensions are
ernment's crusade to silence too many groups like Chil- typically only enforced after
all criticism of draconian dren's Health Defense have multiple violations.
government policies," Ken- been allowed to flourish on
nedy said. social media for too long. She Several state affiliates of
noted that the group remains Children's Health Defense
Children's Health Defense on Twitter. remain on Facebook and Ins-
had hundreds of thousands tagram despite the ban of the
of followers at the time of "Today's step is too late and national organization. Ken-
the suspension, according to too little," Kornbluh said, nedy was kicked off Insta-
a statement from the organi- adding that tech companies gram last year but continues
zation, which also noted that must address the reasons to keep an active account on
it has sued Facebook over its misinformation spreads so Facebook.
moderation policies. readily on social media.

Closing prices for crude oil, gold and other commodities

(AP) – Benchmark U.S. $96.59 a barrel. to $3.65 a gallon. Septem- an ounce. Silver for Septem- The dollar rose to 135.91
crude oil for Septem- ber natural gas fell 5 cents to ber delivery fell 27 cents to Japanese yen from 135.05
ber delivery rose $2.39 to Wholesale gasoline for Sep- $9.19 per 1,000 cubic feet. $19.46 an ounce and Sep- yen. The euro fell to $1.0091
$90.50 a barrel Thursday. tember delivery rose 10 cents tember copper rose 5 cents to from $1.0183.
Brent crude for Octo- to $3.03 a gallon. Septem- Gold for December deliv- $3.63 a pound.
ber delivery rose $2.94 to ber heating oil rose 3 cents ery fell $5.50 to $1,771.20