Total darkness, then sunset as full eclipse wows spectators in Spain

Russia has criticised a proposed new package of US sanctions, warning that additional restrictions would hurt American interests more than Moscow and further complicate global economic and energy stability. In a statement, the Russian Embassy in Washington reacted to a sanctions bill that received preliminary approval in the US Senate on July 28. The embassy argued that the legislation would restrict the White House’s diplomatic flexibility while increasing economic pressure on the United States itself. The statement criticised the bill’s supporters, particularly Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, accusing them of pursuing an aggressive anti-Russia agenda. It claimed the proposed legislation included sweeping measures, such as imposing tariffs of up to 500% on countries that continue purchasing Russian energy products. According to the embassy, the US administration had previously sought to slow congressional efforts to introduce additional sanctions, maintaining that the president already possessed sufficient authority to impose economic measures without further legislation. Russia also linked the sanctions debate to broader geopolitical developments, arguing that growing tensions in the Middle East and Washington’s involvement in regional conflicts have increased the risk of disruption in global energy markets. It warned that higher energy prices could fuel inflation in the United States and place additional pressure on American consumers ahead of the country’s upcoming midterm elections. The embassy further claimed that political divisions in Washington were undermining the administration’s foreign policy, arguing that some lawmakers were prioritising political objectives over economic realities. Reiterating its long-held position, Russia said years of sanctions had failed to change its policies or weaken its economy in the way Western governments had anticipated. It maintained that further punitive measures would produce limited results against Russia while creating greater economic challenges for the United States. The statement also referred to the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), enacted during President Donald Trump’s first term. Russia argued that the law significantly reduced the executive branch’s flexibility by requiring congressional approval before any sanctions could be lifted or eased. Concluding its remarks, the Russian Embassy expressed hope that the US administration would carefully assess the potential political and economic consequences before moving forward with any new sanctions package.

The man who stabbed renowned author Salman Rushdie during a public event in 2022 has been found guilty on multiple federal terrorism charges in the United States. The verdict marks another major legal milestone in a case that drew worldwide attention because of the long standing threats against the celebrated novelist. A federal jury in Buffalo, New York, convicted 28 year old Hadi Matar after only a few hours of deliberation. Prosecutors argued that the attack was motivated by decades old calls for Rushdie’s death following the publication of his controversial novel The Satanic Verses. Matar was found guilty of attempting to provide material support to Hezbollah, engaging in terrorism across national borders, and providing support to terrorists. Matar is already serving a 25 year prison sentence after being convicted in a New York state court for attempted murder. Following the federal conviction, he now faces the possibility of life imprisonment when he is sentenced in November. The federal trial began last week and included testimony from Rushdie himself. The 79 year old author described the attack that left him with life changing injuries. The defence did not call Matar or any other witnesses to testify during the proceedings. Rushdie has lived under threat since the publication of The Satanic Verses in 1988. The novel sparked widespread controversy in parts of the Muslim world, leading Iran’s then Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to issue a religious decree in 1989 calling for the author’s death. The fatwa also targeted people involved in publishing the book and led to violent attacks over the following years, including the killing of Japanese translator Hitoshi Igarashi in 1991. Although the Iranian government later distanced itself from the fatwa, US prosecutors said it continued to receive support from Hezbollah leaders and was reaffirmed by Iran’s current Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence showing that Matar spent more than a year studying the fatwa before carrying out the attack. They argued that he deliberately planned the assault to carry out the religious decree against Rushdie. The attack took place on August 12, 2022, while Rushdie was preparing to speak at the Chautauqua Institution, an educational and cultural centre in New York state. Matar rushed onto the stage and repeatedly stabbed the author before audience members intervened and restrained him until police arrived. Rushdie suffered multiple stab wounds to his head, neck, chest, and hand. The injuries permanently blinded him in one eye and caused severe damage to several internal organs. Another man on stage was also injured during the incident. Born in the United States and holding Lebanese citizenship, Matar had been living in New Jersey before the attack. His conviction in state court earlier resulted in a 25 year prison sentence, but the federal terrorism charges carry significantly harsher penalties. Rushdie, who was born in India and later became a British and American citizen, spent many years under police protection after the fatwa was issued. He lived largely in hiding throughout the 1990s before gradually returning to public life and eventually settling in New York City. The latest verdict closes another chapter in one of the most widely followed literary and terrorism related cases in recent history. It also reinforces the long lasting impact of threats that began nearly four decades ago over a work of fiction and continued to influence events many years later.