Salman Rushdie has his “feisty and defiant” sense of humour intact despite battling severe, life-changing injuries, his son said on Sunday, two days after the Mumbai-born author was stabbed in what US authorities described as a "targeted, preplanned" attack.
His son Zafar Rushdie said on Sunday that the family was “extremely relieved” that the best-selling author was taken off the ventilator and additional oxygen on Saturday and he was able to say a few words.
“Following the attack on Friday, my father remains in critical condition in hospital receiving extensive ongoing medical treatment,” he said in a statement posted on Twitter.
“Though his life-changing injuries are severe, his usual feisty and defiant sense of humour remains intact,” he said.
The family expressed gratitude to the audience members who bravely leapt to Rushdie's defense and administered first-aid after he was stabbed multiple times at the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York on Friday.
The family thanked the police and doctors for their care. They also expressed gratitude for the “outpouring of love and support from around the world.” “We ask for continued patience and privacy as the family come together at his bedside to support and help him through this time,” the statement said.
Earlier, Rushdie's former wife and celebrated TV personality Lakshmi said in a tweet: “Relieved @SalmanRushdie is pulling through after Friday’s nightmare. Worried and wordless, can finally exhale. Now hoping for swift healing.” Rushdie and Chennai-born Lakshmi married in 2004 and got divorced in 2007. Lakshmi, 51, who is herself an author and the host of the hit culinary TV show TopChef, was Rushdie’s fourth wife.
The New York Times reported that Rushdie’s agent Andrew Wylie said, “The road to recovery has begun. It will be long; the injuries are severe, but his condition is headed in the right direction.” Rushdie, who faced Islamist death threats for years after writing "The Satanic Verses", was stabbed by a 24-year-old New Jersey resident identified as Hadi Matar, the US national of Lebanese origin, on stage on Friday while he was being introduced at a literary event of the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York.

'His feisty and defiant sense of humour remains intact': Salman Rushdie's son

Salman Rushdie has his “feisty and defiant” sense of humour intact despite battling severe, life-changing injuries, his son said on Sunday, two days after the Mumbai-born author was stabbed in what US authorities described as a "targeted, preplanned" attack.

His son Zafar Rushdie said on Sunday that the family was &ldquo;extremely relieved&rdquo; that the best-selling author was taken off the ventilator and additional oxygen on Saturday and he was able to say a few words.

Salman Rushdie has his &ldquo;feisty and defiant&rdquo; sense of humour intact despite battling severe, life-changing injuries, his son said on Sunday, two days after the Mumbai-born author was stabbed in what US authorities described as a "targeted, preplanned" attack.
His son Zafar Rushdie said on Sunday that the family was &ldquo;extremely relieved&rdquo; that the best-selling author was taken off the ventilator and additional oxygen on Saturday and he was able to say a few words.
&ldquo;Following the attack on Friday, my father remains in critical condition in hospital receiving extensive ongoing medical treatment,&rdquo; he said in a statement posted on Twitter.
&ldquo;Though his life-changing injuries are severe, his usual feisty and defiant sense of humour remains intact,&rdquo; he said.
The family expressed gratitude to the audience members who bravely leapt to Rushdie's defense and administered first-aid after he was stabbed multiple times at the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York on Friday.
The family thanked the police and doctors for their care. They also expressed gratitude for the &ldquo;outpouring of love and support from around the world.&rdquo; &ldquo;We ask for continued patience and privacy as the family come together at his bedside to support and help him through this time,&rdquo; the statement said.
Earlier, Rushdie's former wife and celebrated TV personality Lakshmi said in a tweet: &ldquo;Relieved @SalmanRushdie is pulling through after Friday&rsquo;s nightmare. Worried and wordless, can finally exhale. Now hoping for swift healing.&rdquo; Rushdie and Chennai-born Lakshmi married in 2004 and got divorced in 2007. Lakshmi, 51, who is herself an author and the host of the hit culinary TV show TopChef, was Rushdie&rsquo;s fourth wife.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/you-are-next-twitter-user-threatens-harry-potter-author-jk-rowling-over-her-tweet-on-rushdie-attack-1660471691811">'You are next': Twitter user 'threatens' Harry Potter author JK Rowling over her tweet on Rushdie attack&nbsp;</a>
The New York Times reported that Rushdie&rsquo;s agent Andrew Wylie said, &ldquo;The road to recovery has begun. It will be long; the injuries are severe, but his condition is headed in the right direction.&rdquo; Rushdie, who faced Islamist death threats for years after writing "The Satanic Verses", was stabbed by a 24-year-old New Jersey resident identified as Hadi Matar, the US national of Lebanese origin, on stage on Friday while he was being introduced at a literary event of the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York.

The UK prime ministerial race frontrunner, Liz Truss, continues to hold on to a commanding 22-point lead over former Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the Conservative Party leadership contest, according to a new survey of Tory members.

Liz Truss in commanding lead over Rishi Sunak in UK PM race

The UK prime ministerial race frontrunner, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, continues to hold on to a commanding 22-point lead over former Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the Conservative Party leadership contest, according to a new survey of Tory members on Sunday. 

With under three weeks to go before the September 2 deadline for the votes, Sunak seems to have closed the gap only slightly in recent days.&nbsp;

The UK prime ministerial race frontrunner, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, continues to hold on to a commanding 22-point lead over former Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the Conservative Party leadership contest, according to a new survey of Tory members on Sunday.
In an Opinium poll for &lsquo;The Observer&rsquo; newspaper of 570 Conservative members with a vote in the election, Truss is on 61 percent and the British Indian former minister is on 39 percent. With under three weeks to go before the September 2 deadline for postal and online votes to be cast by the membership to elect a successor to outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Sunak seems to have closed the gap only slightly in recent days.
&ldquo;From the moment we knew the final two candidates, it has been clear that Truss has had all the momentum, and our latest poll sets out just how large her lead among the party members has become,&rdquo; Chris Curtis of Opinium told the newspaper.
&ldquo;With many members having already returned their ballot papers, it is now very unlikely Truss won&rsquo;t become Prime Minister in September. It&rsquo;s clear that Sunak&rsquo;s biggest problem is trust. While some members respect his economic arguments, this hasn&rsquo;t been enough to overcome the view among members that he isn&rsquo;t honest or trustworthy enough for the top job, particularly after he called for Johnson to go,&rdquo; he said.
Opinium&rsquo;s detailed questioning also uncovers a striking lack of enthusiasm for either candidate when members are asked whether they would prefer one of them to Johnson to run the party and country. When offered the choice of Johnson still being in No. 10 Downing Street, or Truss taking over, around 63 percent of Tory members polled said they would prefer Johnson to be still in charge against 22 percent who wanted Truss. On the other side, 68 percent said they would prefer to still have Johnson than see him replaced by Sunak, who was preferred by just 19 percent.
The poll also found that almost three in 10 of the Tory electorate (29 per cent) had already voted. Some 47 percent said they would definitely be voting for the candidate they had opted for. Just 19 percent said they had yet to make up their mind.
Opinium said that while these findings meant it may still be possible for Sunak to pull off a &ldquo;stunning comeback&rdquo; to enter 10 Downing Street, but to do so he would have to win over almost all the undecideds and convert a sizeable chunk of those not fully behind Truss.
The Foreign Secretary&rsquo;s support is particularly strong among older Conservative members, while Sunak&rsquo;s is far higher among younger ones. For Sunak the most cited reason was that he would be better at managing the economy (22 percent), while 10 percent said they regarded him as the most competent or intelligent.
A main reason mentioned by people who backed Truss was dislike of Sunak (14 percent). The same proportion (14 percent) said the Cabinet minister was more honest and trustworthy, while 10 percent chose the fact that she had remained loyal to Johnson and not called on him to resign. Around 2 percent of Tory members cited race or ethnicity as a reason for supporting Truss and not Sunak.
Meanwhile, the bookie's odds also continue to be firmly in favour of a Truss win at 88 percent as opposed to 12 percent for Sunak. Both hopefuls continue to pledge new commitments if elected, with Truss saying she would take on the role of "Minister for the Union" and Sunak promising to introducing legislation to make the UK "energy independent" by 2045 at the latest, as he vowed to ensure there is no repeat of the looming winter crisis.
After voting closes on the evening of September 2, the winner between the two finalists will be declared on September 5 and he or she will take charge as Tory leader and British Prime Minister immediately.&nbsp;
ALSO WATCH: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/uk-pm-race-rishi-sunak-says-he-would-rather-lose-than-win-on-a-false-promise-1660191221055">UK PM race: Rishi Sunak says he would rather lose than win on a false promise</a>

A delegation of American lawmakers is visiting Taiwan just 12 days after a visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that angered China which responded by sending missiles, warships and warplanes into the seas and air around the island.

More US lawmakers visiting Taiwan 12 days after Pelosi trip

A delegation of American lawmakers is visiting Taiwan just 12 days after a visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that angered China which responded by sending missiles, warships and warplanes into the seas and air around the island that Beijing considers part of its territory. 

The five-member delegation is led by Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and is in Taiwan on Sunday and Monday as part of a visit to Asia.

A delegation of American lawmakers is visiting Taiwan just 12 days after a visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that angered China.
China responded to Pelosi's visit by sending missiles, warships and warplanes into the seas and air around Taiwan.
The five-member delegation is led by Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and is in Taiwan on Sunday and Monday as part of a visit to Asia, the American Institute in Taiwan said. They will meet senior leaders to discuss US-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade, investment and other issues.
A Taiwanese broadcaster showed video of a US government plane landing about 7 p.m. at Songshan Airport in Taipei, the Taiwanese capital.
China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its territory and objects to it having any official contact with foreign governments.&nbsp;
ALSO WATCH: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/china-successfully-completes-military-drills-around-taiwan-1660184645780">China 'successfully completes' military drills around Taiwan</a>

In a mass die-off, thousands of dead fish are showing up along the Oder River that runs between Poland and Germany. 

Mystery shrouds death of thousands of fish in Oder River

Laboratory tests done on river samples in both countries have detected high levels of salinity but no mercury poisioning has been found so far.

In a mass die-off, thousands of dead fish are showing up along the Oder River that runs between Poland and Germany.&nbsp;
Laboratory tests done on river samples in both countries have detected high levels of salinity but no mercury poisioning has been found so far. Comprehensive toxicology studies are, however, still under way in Poland, reported Al Jazeera.&nbsp;
The German government has flagged an environmental catastrophe and advised people to avoid the river, reported BBC.
Meanwhile, authorities in both countries have been reportedly accused by environmental activists of failing to work together to resolve the issue.
On Friday, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki sacked a pair of environmental officials over their handling of the incident, reported BBC.
He also attributed the phenomenon to the dumping of huge amounts of chemical waste into the river causing&nbsp; 'environmental damage so severe it would take years for the waterway to recover.'
The Oder River runs from the Czech Republic to the border between Poland and Germany before flowing into the Baltic Sea.
ALSO WATCH: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/you-are-next-twitter-user-threatens-harry-potter-author-jk-rowling-over-her-tweet-on-rushdie-attack-1660471691811">'You are next': Twitter user 'threatens' Harry Potter author JK Rowling over her tweet on Rushdie attack</a>

JK Rowling, the author of the famed Harry Potter series, received 'death threats' on Twitter following her tweet on the attack on Salman Rushdie in New York. 

'You are next': Twitter user 'threatens' Harry Potter author JK Rowling over her tweet on Rushdie attack 

According to the screenshots shared by Rowling, the Twitter handle which issued the 'death threat' had also praised Rushdie's attacker.

JK Rowling, the author of the famed Harry Potter series, received 'death threats' on Twitter following her tweet on the attack on Salman Rushdie in New York.
She took to the microblogging platform to share screenshots of the 'threatening' tweets from a user.
In response to a tweet wherein 57-year-old Rowling was expressing her distress over the news of Rushdie's attack calling it &ldquo;horrifying news&rdquo; a user commented, &ldquo;Don't worry you are next&rdquo;.
The writer shared the screenshots of the replies from the user, and tagged Twitter Support's account seeking support. She wrote, &ldquo;any chance of some support."
According to the screenshots, the Twitter handle which issued the 'death threat' had also praised Rushdie's attacker.
The tweet read, &ldquo;The name of this man is hadi matar. He is a revolutionary Shia fighter followed the fatwa of late ayatollah rohullah khomenei&rdquo;.
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/salman-rushdie-stabbing-suspect-sympathetic-to-iran-military-report-1660372693294">Salman Rushdie stabbing suspect sympathetic to Iran military: report</a>
After receiving support online, Rowling thanked her supporters in the same thread and informed that the police were investigating the issue.
&ldquo;To all sending supportive messages: thank you. Police are involved (were already involved on other threats),&rdquo; she wrote.
Rowling later shared a screenshot of Twitter's feedback after she reported the user, which stated that there were &ldquo;no violations of the Twitter rules&rdquo; in the comment.
The British author has of late been mired in controversies over her stand on transgenders that has left the LGBTQ+ community upset.
Salman Rushdie, the author of the controversial book 'The Satanic Verses', suffered life threatening injuries after he was stabbed by Hadi Matar, who apparently sympathised with Shia extremism and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is holding an open forum inviting suggestions to rename the disease monkeypox, after some critics raised concerns the name could be stigmatising, derogatory, discriminatory or have racist connotations.  

Renaming Monkeypox: WHO creates open forum, invites public feedback over stigmatisation concerns 

Monkeypox was first named in 1958 when research monkeys in Denmark were observed to have a "pox-like" disease, although they are not thought to be the animal reservoir.&nbsp;

The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is holding an open forum to rename the disease Monkeypox, after some critics raised concerns the name could be derogatory or have racist connotations.
In a statement on Friday, the UN health agency said it has also renamed two families, or clades, of the virus, using Roman numerals instead of geographic areas, to avoid stigmatisation. The version of the disease formerly known as the Congo Basin will now be known as Clade one or I and the West Africa clade will be known as Clade two or II.
WHO said the decision was made following a meeting of scientists this week and in line with current best practices for naming diseases, which aims to "avoid causing offence to any cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic groups, and minimise any negative impact on trade, travel, tourism or animal welfare".
Numerous other diseases, including Japanese encephalitis, Marburg virus, Spanish influenza and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome have been named after the geographic areas where they first arose or were identified. WHO has not publicly suggested changing any of those names.
Monkeypox was first named in 1958 when research monkeys in Denmark were observed to have a "pox-like" disease, although they are not thought to be the animal reservoir.
WHO said it was also opening a way for the public to suggest new names for monkeypox, but did not say when any new name would be announced.
To date, there have been more than 31,000 cases of monkeypox identified globally since May, with the majority of those beyond Africa. Monkeypox has been endemic in parts of central and west Africa for decades and was not known to trigger large outbreaks beyond the continent until May.
WHO declared the global spread of monkeypox to be an international emergency in July and the US declared its own epidemic to be a national emergency earlier this month.
Outside of Africa, 98 percent of cases are in men who have sex with men. With only a limited global supply of vaccines, authorities are racing to stop monkeypox before it becomes entrenched as a new disease.
ALSO WATCH: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/monkeys-being-killed-in-brazil-amid-rising-monkeypox-fears-1660105235188">Monkeys being killed in Brazil amid rising monkeypox fears</a>

Scotland on Monday will become the first country in the world to provide free and universal access to sanitary products such as tampons and pads following the passage of the landmark bill, the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act, in 2020.

In a first, this country to provide free, universal access to period products

Scotland on Monday will become the first country in the world to provide free and universal access to sanitary products such as tampons and pads following the passage of the landmark bill, the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act, in 2020. The law solidifies the Scottish government’s efforts to make period products accessible in public. 

Local authorities and educators will now be legally mandated to ensure that period products are available free of charge to anyone who needs them.&nbsp;

Scotland on Monday will become the first country in the world to provide free and universal access to sanitary products such as tampons and pads following the passage of the landmark bill, the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act, in 2020. The law solidifies the Scottish government&rsquo;s efforts to make period products accessible in public, read an official statement by the government.
Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison was quoted as saying by AFP, "It is fundamental to equality and dignity to provide free access to period products. It will also remove the financial barriers to accessing them. We are proud to be the world's first country to take such an action."
Local authorities and educators will now be legally mandated to ensure that period products are available free of charge to anyone who needs them.
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/lifestyle-news/too-good-to-be-true-four-day-week-three-offs-here-s-why-it-won-t-work-1659934501504">Too good to be true? Four-day week, three offs; here's why it won't work</a>
In November 2020, the Scottish parliament unanimously voted for the Period Products Bill which binds schools, colleges, and universities to provide free sanitary products for students in their toilets. In its present form, the bill -- based on Period Products in Schools (Scotland) Regulations -- has gone further in placing a legal mandate on ministers to ensure access to such products by all.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon welcomed the decision on social media and said, "Proud to vote for this groundbreaking legislation, making Scotland the first country in the world to provide free period products for all who need them. An important policy for women and girls."
With AFP inputs

The knife attack on author Salman Rushdie has fanned interest in his works -- above all, The Satanic Verses, which left him living for years under a looming death threat.
Different editions of the 1988 book -- seen as blasphemous by Iranian leaders who subsequently issued a religious decree calling for his death -- on Saturday occupied the top three spots on Amazon's "Movers & Shakers" list.
That list, which shows books whose sales have increased the most, had another Rushdie opus, Midnight's Children, teetering between fourth and fifth place.
Bookstores reported a flurry of interest in the Indian-born author, some from readers too young to remember the original fury he prompted across much of the Muslim world.
The knife attack on Rushdie, 75, which drew international condemnation, took place Friday as the author was about to speak at a literary event in the small town of Chautauqua, in western New York state.
Police and witnesses said 24-year-old Hadi Matar of Fairfield, New Jersey, was wrestled to the ground as he continued his attack, which left Rushdie in serious condition. Authorities have yet to describe Matar's background or say what might have motivated him.
At the sprawling Strand Bookstore, New York's biggest and probably most famous book emporium, the attack brought a spike in interest, and in sales of new and used Rushdie volumes.
"We definitely had people coming in looking for anything that he's written," said floor manager Katie Silvernail.
"Some of our younger employees had never heard of him. So it was interesting yesterday to have conversations... with our younger staff about who he was and what his impact was on the literary world."
She added: "Honestly, I feel like people just came here yesterday because they wanted to talk about how they felt about what happened."
On Twitter, some users urged people to buy Rushdie's books in a show of solidarity.
(an AFP report)

Attack on Rushdie sparks surge in interest in author's works

The knife attack on author Salman Rushdie has fanned interest in his works -- above all, "The Satanic Verses," which left him living for years under a looming death threat.

On Twitter, some users urged people to buy Rushdie's books in a show of solidarity.

The knife attack on author Salman Rushdie has fanned interest in his works -- above all, The Satanic Verses, which left him living for years under a looming death threat.
Different editions of the 1988 book -- seen as blasphemous by Iranian leaders who subsequently issued a religious decree calling for his death -- on Saturday occupied the top three spots on Amazon's "Movers &amp; Shakers" list.
That list, which shows books whose sales have increased the most, had another Rushdie opus, Midnight's Children, teetering between fourth and fifth place.
Bookstores reported a flurry of interest in the Indian-born author, some from readers too young to remember the original fury he prompted across much of the Muslim world.
The knife attack on Rushdie, 75, which drew international condemnation, took place Friday as the author was about to speak at a literary event in the small town of Chautauqua, in western New York state.
Police and witnesses said 24-year-old Hadi Matar of Fairfield, New Jersey, was wrestled to the ground as he continued his attack, which left Rushdie in serious condition. Authorities have yet to describe Matar's background or say what might have motivated him.
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/salman-rushdie-taken-off-ventilator-able-to-speak-1660447758008">Salman Rushdie taken off ventilator, able to speak</a>
At the sprawling Strand Bookstore, New York's biggest and probably most famous book emporium, the attack brought a spike in interest, and in sales of new and used Rushdie volumes.
"We definitely had people coming in looking for anything that he's written," said floor manager Katie Silvernail.
"Some of our younger employees had never heard of him. So it was interesting yesterday to have conversations... with our younger staff about who he was and what his impact was on the literary world."
She added: "Honestly, I feel like people just came here yesterday because they wanted to talk about how they felt about what happened."
On Twitter, some users urged people to buy Rushdie's books in a show of solidarity.
(an AFP report)
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/salman-rushdie-attack-suspect-charged-with-murder-pleads-not-guilty-1660442328512">Salman Rushdie attack: suspect charged with murder, pleads not guilty</a>

A gunman opened fire at a bus near Jerusalem's Old City early Sunday, wounding eight Israelis in a suspected Palestinian attack that came a week after violence flared up between Israel and militants in Gaza, police and medics said.
Two of the victims were in serious condition, according to Israeli hospitals treating them.
The shooting occurred as the bus waited in a parking lot near the Western Wall, which is considered the holiest site where Jews can pray.
Israeli police said forces were dispatched to the scene to begin investigations.
Israeli security forces also pushed into the nearby Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan pursuing the suspected attacker.
The attack in Jerusalem followed a tense week between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
Last weekend, Israeli aircraft unleashed an offensive in the Gaza Strip targeting the militant group Islamic Jihad and setting off three days of fierce cross-border fighting.
Islamic Jihad fired hundreds of rockets during the flare-up to avenge the airstrikes, which killed two of its commanders and other militants.
Israel said the attack was meant to thwart threats from the group to respond to the arrest of one of its officials in the occupied West Bank.
Forty-nine Palestinians, including 17 children and 14 militants, were killed, and several hundred were injured in the fighting, which ended with an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire.
No Israeli was killed or seriously injured.
The Islamic militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, stayed on the sidelines.
A day after the cease-fire halted the worst round of Gaza fighting in more than a year, Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants and wounded dozens in a shootout that erupted during an arrest raid in the West Bank city of Nablus.

Eight Israelis wounded after gunman targets bus in Jerusalem

The attack in Jerusalem followed a tense week between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

A gunman opened fire at a bus near Jerusalem's Old City early Sunday, wounding eight Israelis in a suspected Palestinian attack that came a week after violence flared up between Israel and militants in Gaza, police and medics said.
Two of the victims were in serious condition, according to Israeli hospitals treating them.
The shooting occurred as the bus waited in a parking lot near the Western Wall, which is considered the holiest site where Jews can pray.
Israeli police said forces were dispatched to the scene to begin investigations.
Israeli security forces also pushed into the nearby Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan pursuing the suspected attacker.
The attack in Jerusalem followed a tense week between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
Last weekend, Israeli aircraft unleashed an offensive in the Gaza Strip targeting the militant group Islamic Jihad and setting off three days of fierce cross-border fighting.
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/israel-gaza-fighting-death-toll-reaches-47-over-dozen-children-among-dead-1660230233278">Israel-Gaza fighting death toll reaches 47, over dozen children among dead</a>
Islamic Jihad fired hundreds of rockets during the flare-up to avenge the airstrikes, which killed two of its commanders and other militants.
Israel said the attack was meant to thwart threats from the group to respond to the arrest of one of its officials in the occupied West Bank.
Forty-nine Palestinians, including 17 children and 14 militants, were killed, and several hundred were injured in the fighting, which ended with an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire.
No Israeli was killed or seriously injured.
The Islamic militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, stayed on the sidelines.
A day after the cease-fire halted the worst round of Gaza fighting in more than a year, Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants and wounded dozens in a shootout that erupted during an arrest raid in the West Bank city of Nablus.

Salman Rushdie has been taken off a ventilator and was able to talk on Saturday, his agent has confirmed.The Indian-born British novelist remains hospitalised with serious injuries, but fellow author Aatish Taseer tweeted on Saturday evening that he was “off the ventilator and talking. Rushdie’s agent, Andrew Wylie, confirmed that information without offering further details.
Earlier on Saturday, Hadi Matar, the man suspected in Friday’s attack at a literary festival in upstate New York, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault at a brief court appearance where he was denied bail.Meanwhile, the US president Joe Biden hailed the writer’s courage and voiced horror at the attack on him.

Salman Rushdie taken off ventilator, able to speak

The Indian-born British novelist remains hospitalised with serious injuries, but fellow author Aatish Taseer tweeted on Saturday evening that he was &ldquo;off the ventilator and talking.

Salman Rushdie has been taken off a ventilator and was able to talk on Saturday, his agent has confirmed. The Indian-born British novelist remains hospitalised with serious injuries, but fellow author Aatish Taseer tweeted on Saturday evening that he was &ldquo;off the ventilator and talking. Rushdie&rsquo;s agent, Andrew Wylie, confirmed that information without offering further details.
Earlier on Saturday, Hadi Matar, the man suspected in Friday&rsquo;s attack at a literary festival in upstate New York, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault at a brief court appearance where he was denied bail. Meanwhile, the US president Joe Biden hailed the writer&rsquo;s courage and voiced horror at the attack on him.
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/salman-rushdie-attack-suspect-charged-with-murder-pleads-not-guilty-1660442328512">Salman Rushdie attack: suspect charged with murder, pleads not guilty</a>

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Top Afghan negotiator in Taliban talks arrives in Pakistan

Afghanistan's top official in negotiations with the Taliban arrived in Pakistan's capital Islamabad Monday on a three-day trip. During his stay, Abdullah Abdullah, who leads the Afghan High Council for National Reconciliation, will meet Pakistan&rsquo;s prime minister Imran Khan, President Arif Alvi, and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The council represents the Afghan government in historic peace negotiations with the Taliban which began in Qatar on September 12. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry released a statement saying Abdullah's visit &ldquo;will provide an opportunity for wide-ranging exchange of views on the Afghan peace process and strengthening of Pakistan-Afghanistan bilateral relations.

Top Afghan peace negotiator in Pakistan
Abdullah Abdullah to meet Pak&nbsp;PM, FM and President
Afghan Taliban peace negotiation began this month
Pak&nbsp;foreign ministry highlighted&nbsp;object of visit
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Afghanistan's top official in negotiations with the Taliban arrived in Pakistan's capital Islamabad Monday on a three-day trip. During his stay, Abdullah Abdullah, who leads the Afghan High Council for National Reconciliation, will meet Pakistan&rsquo;s prime minister Imran Khan, President Arif Alvi, and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The High Council represents the Afghan government in historic peace negotiations with the Taliban which began in Qatar on September 12. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry released a statement saying Abdullah's visit 'will provide an opportunity for wide-ranging exchange of views on the Afghan peace process and strengthen Pakistan-Afghanistan bilateral relations.'

A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted the country's ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, on more corruption charges on Monday and sentenced her to an additional six years in prison, a legal official said.
The trial was held behind closed doors, with no access for media or the public, and her lawyers were forbidden by a gag order from revealing information about the proceedings.
In the four corruption cases decided Monday, Suu Kyi was alleged to have abused her position to rent public land at below market prices and to have built a residence with donations meant for charitable purposes. She received sentences of three years for each of the four counts, but the sentences for three of them will be served concurrently, giving her a total of six more years in prison.
She denied all the charges, and her lawyers are expected to appeal.
She already had been sentenced to 11 years in prison on sedition, corruption and other charges at earlier trials after the military ousted her elected government and detained her in February 2021.
Analysts say the numerous charges against her and her allies are an attempt to legitimize the military's seizure of power while eliminating her from politics before the military holds an election it has promised for next year. 

Myanmar: jailed leader Aung San Suu Kyi convicted on fresh corruption charges amid military rule

Aung San Suu Kyi had earlier been sentenced to 11 years in prison on sedition, corruption and other charges at trials held after the military ousted her elected government and detained her in February 2021.

A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted the country's ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, on more corruption charges on Monday and sentenced her to an additional six years in prison, a legal official said.
The trial was held behind closed doors, with no access for media or the public, and her lawyers were forbidden by a gag order from revealing information about the proceedings.
In the four corruption cases decided Monday, Suu Kyi was alleged to have abused her position to rent public land at below market prices and to have built a residence with donations meant for charitable purposes. She received sentences of three years for each of the four counts, but the sentences for three of them will be served concurrently, giving her a total of six more years in prison.
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She denied all the charges, and her lawyers are expected to appeal.
She already had been sentenced to 11 years in prison on sedition, corruption and other charges at earlier trials after the military ousted her elected government and detained her in February 2021.
Analysts say the numerous charges against her and her allies are an attempt to legitimize the military's seizure of power while eliminating her from politics before the military holds an election it has promised for next year.&nbsp;

In Iran's first public reaction on the attack on author Salman Rushdie, its government official denied on Monday that Tehran was involved in the assault on the notable author. 
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said nobody has the right to accuse his country in this regard.
He added that Iran did not have any other information more than what the American media has reported.
Rushdie, 75, was stabbed Friday while attending an event in western New York. He suffered a damaged liver and severed nerves in an arm and an eye, his agent. He was likely to lose the injured eye.
The West condemning the actions of the attacker and in return glorifying the actions of the insulter to Islamic beliefs is a contradictory attitude, Kanaani said
Rushdie's 24-year-old assailant Hadi Matar pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the attack through his lawyer.
Former Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had issued the fatwa on Rushdie in 1989. The Islamic edict came amid a violent uproar in the Muslim world over Rushdie's novel 'The Satanic Verses' which some viewed as blasphemously making suggestions about the Prophet Muhammad's life. 
A semiofficial Iranian foundation had put up a bounty of over $3 million for the author, though it has yet to offer any comment on the attack.
While fatwas can be revised or revoked, Iran's current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who took over after Khomeini has never done so.
As recently as February 2017, Khamenei said, “The decree is as Imam Khomeini issued.” Since 1979, Iran has targeted dissidents abroad in attacks. Tensions with the West, particularly the United States have spiked since then President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled America out of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.

Iran claims 'no role' in Salman Rushdie attack, says 'don't accuse us'

Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday said nobody has the right to accuse the country in regard to attack on author Salman Rushdie, adding that Tehran only knew what American media reported

Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday said nobody has the right to accuse the country in regard to attack on author Salman Rushdie, adding that Tehran only knew what American media reported

In Iran's first reaction to the attack on author Salman Rushdie, its government official denied on Monday that Tehran was involved in the assault on the notable author.&nbsp;
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said nobody has the right to accuse Iran of the incident.
Kanaani said that Iran did not "have any other information more than what the American media has reported.&rdquo; The West &ldquo;condemning the actions of the attacker and in return glorifying the actions of the insulter to Islamic beliefs is a contradictory attitude,&rdquo; he added.
Rushdie, 75, was stabbed Friday while attending an event in western New York. He suffered a damaged liver and severed nerves in an arm and an eye, his agent said. He was likely to lose the injured eye.
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His assailant, 24-year-old Hadi Matar, allegedly sympathetic to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a branch of the Iranian Armed Forces, has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the attack through his lawyer.
Former Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had issued a fatwa on Rushdie in 1989 demanding his death. The Islamic edict came amid a violent uproar in the Muslim world over Rushdie's novel 'The Satanic Verses' which some viewed as blasphemous.
A semiofficial Iranian foundation had put up a bounty of over $3 million for the author, though it has yet to offer any comment on the attack.
While fatwas can be revised or revoked, Iran's current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who took over after Khomeini has never done so. As recently as February 2017, Khamenei said: &ldquo;The decree is as Imam Khomeini issued.&rdquo;&nbsp;

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday offered “audacious” economic assistance to North Korea if it abandons its nuclear weapons program while avoiding harsh criticism of the North days after it threatened “deadly” retaliation over the COVID-19 outbreak it blames on the South.
Yoon's televised speech on the liberation holiday came days after North Korea claimed a widely disputed victory over COVID-19 but also blamed Seoul for the outbreak. The North insists leaflets and other objects flown across the border by activists spread the virus, an unscientific claim Seoul describes as “ridiculous.” 
Yoon, a conservative who took office in May, said North Korea's denuclearization would be key for peace in the region and the world. If North Korea halts its nuclear weapons development and genuinely commits to a process of denuclearization, the South will respond with huge economic rewards that would be provided in phases, Yoon said.
Yoon's proposal wasn't meaningfully different from previous South Korean offers that have already been rejected by North Korea, which has been accelerating its efforts to expand its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles program leader Kim Jong Un sees as his strongest guarantee of survival.
“We will implement a large-scale program to provide food, providing assistance for establishing infrastructure for the production, transmission and distribution of electrical power, and carry out projects to modernize ports and airports to facilitate trade,” Yoon said.
“We will also help improve North Korea's agricultural production, provide assistance to modernize its hospitals and medical infrastructure, and carry out initiatives to allow for international investment and financial support,” he added, insisting that such programs would “significantly” improve North Korean lives.
Inter-Korean ties have deteriorated amid a stalemate in larger nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang, which derailed in early 2019 over disagreements in exchanging a release of crippling U.S.-led sanctions against the North and the North's disarmament steps.
North Korea has ramped up its testing activity in 2022, launching more than 30 ballistic missiles so far, including its first demonstrations of intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017. Experts say Kim is intent on exploiting a favorable environment to push forward his weapons program, with the U.N. Security Council divided and effectively paralyzed over Russia's war on Ukraine.
North Korea's unusually fast pace in weapons demonstrations also underscore brinkmanship aimed at forcing Washington to accept the idea of North Korea as a nuclear power and negotiating badly economic benefits and security concessions from a position of strength, experts say. The U.S. and South Korean governments have also said the North is gearing up to conduct its first nuclear test since September 2017, when it claimed to have detonated a nuclear warhead designed for its ICBMs.
In face of growing North Korean threats, Yoon has vowed to bolster South Korea's defense in conjunction with its alliance with the United States and also strengthen security ties with Japan, which is also alarmed by the North's nuclear and ballistic weapons program.
South Korea's relations with Japan declined to post-war lows over the past several years as the countries allowed their grievances over history to extend to other areas including trade and military cooperation.

On Korean independence day, South offers North economic benefits for denuclearisation

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday offered “audacious” economic assistance to North Korea if it abandons its nuclear weapons program

Yoon's televised speech on the liberation holiday came days after North Korea claimed a widely disputed victory over COVID-19 but also blamed Seoul for the outbreak.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday offered &ldquo;audacious&rdquo; economic assistance to North Korea if it abandons its nuclear weapons program while avoiding harsh criticism of the North days after it threatened &ldquo;deadly&rdquo; retaliation over the COVID-19 outbreak it blames on the South.
Yoon's televised speech on the liberation holiday came days after North Korea claimed a widely disputed victory over COVID-19 but also blamed Seoul for the outbreak. The North insists leaflets and other objects flown across the border by activists spread the virus, an unscientific claim Seoul describes as &ldquo;ridiculous.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Yoon, a conservative who took office in May, said North Korea's denuclearization would be key for peace in the region and the world. If North Korea halts its nuclear weapons development and genuinely commits to a process of denuclearization, the South will respond with huge economic rewards that would be provided in phases, Yoon said.
Yoon's proposal wasn't meaningfully different from previous South Korean offers that have already been rejected by North Korea, which has been accelerating its efforts to expand its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles program leader Kim Jong Un sees as his strongest guarantee of survival.
&ldquo;We will implement a large-scale program to provide food, providing assistance for establishing infrastructure for the production, transmission and distribution of electrical power, and carry out projects to modernize ports and airports to facilitate trade,&rdquo; Yoon said.
&ldquo;We will also help improve North Korea's agricultural production, provide assistance to modernize its hospitals and medical infrastructure, and carry out initiatives to allow for international investment and financial support,&rdquo; he added, insisting that such programs would &ldquo;significantly&rdquo; improve North Korean lives.
Inter-Korean ties have deteriorated amid a stalemate in larger nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang, which derailed in early 2019 over disagreements in exchanging a release of crippling U.S.-led sanctions against the North and the North's disarmament steps.
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North Korea has ramped up its testing activity in 2022, launching more than 30 ballistic missiles so far, including its first demonstrations of intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017. Experts say Kim is intent on exploiting a favorable environment to push forward his weapons program, with the U.N. Security Council divided and effectively paralyzed over Russia's war on Ukraine.
North Korea's unusually fast pace in weapons demonstrations also underscore brinkmanship aimed at forcing Washington to accept the idea of North Korea as a nuclear power and negotiating badly economic benefits and security concessions from a position of strength, experts say. The U.S. and South Korean governments have also said the North is gearing up to conduct its first nuclear test since September 2017, when it claimed to have detonated a nuclear warhead designed for its ICBMs.
In face of growing North Korean threats, Yoon has vowed to bolster South Korea's defense in conjunction with its alliance with the United States and also strengthen security ties with Japan, which is also alarmed by the North's nuclear and ballistic weapons program.
South Korea's relations with Japan declined to post-war lows over the past several years as the countries allowed their grievances over history to extend to other areas including trade and military cooperation.

As the Taliban completes one year of takeover of Afghanistan, Afghan foreign minister Abdul Qahar Balkhi asked India to resume development projects that it started in the country.
Speaking to Indian Express, Balkhi named the Shahtoot Dam in Kabul as one of the many projects that the Taliban wanted India to complete.
India recently reopened its embassy in Kabul, a year after it was shut down, a step welcomed by the Taliban regime.
August 15, which marks one year of takeover by Taliban, has been declared a holiday but the Taliban regime has kept celebrations low-key while restricting to an official media event. 
The main events may take place on September 1, the day the last foreign troops left Afghanistan last year.

Taliban asks India to resume halted projects in Afghanistan

August 15, which marks one-year rule of Taliban, has been declared a holiday but the Taliban regime has kept celebrations low-key, restricting them to an official media event.&nbsp;

As the Taliban completes one year of its takeover of Afghanistan, Afghan foreign minister Abdul Qahar Balkhi asked India to resume development projects that it had started in the country.
Speaking to Indian Express, Balkhi named the Shahtoot Dam in Kabul as one of the many projects that the Taliban wanted India to complete.
India recently reopened its embassy in Kabul, a year after it was shut down, a step welcomed by the Taliban regime.
August 15, which marks one-year rule Taliban, has been declared a holiday but the Taliban regime has kept celebrations low-key restricting them to an official media event.&nbsp;
Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/one-year-into-taliban-rule-afghanistan-stares-at-suppressed-women-s-rights-humanitarian-crisis-1660557945442">One year into Taliban rule: Afghanistan stares at suppressed women's rights, humanitarian crisis</a>
The main events may take place on September 1, the day the last batch of foreign troops left Afghanistan last year.

The Taliban marked the first anniversary of their return to power in Afghanistan with a national holiday on Monday, following a turbulent year that saw women's rights crushed and a humanitarian crisis worsen with a faltering economy.

One year into Taliban rule: Afghanistan stares at suppressed women's rights, humanitarian crisis

Afghanistan has an estimated population of 41.7 million from which over 20 million are living with extreme food insecurity, according to Humanitarian Needs Overview.&nbsp;

The Taliban marked the first anniversary of their return to power in Afghanistan with a national holiday on Monday, following a turbulent year that saw women's rights crushed and a humanitarian crisis worsen with a faltering economy.
Exactly a year ago on August 15, the hardline Islamists captured Kabul after their nationwide lightning offensive against government forces ended 20 years of US-led military intervention post 9/11.
"We fulfilled the obligation of jihad and liberated our country," said Niamatullah Hekmat, a fighter who entered Kabul on August 15 last year just hours after then-president Ashraf Ghani fled the country.
A chaotic withdrawal of foreign forces continued until August 31, with tens of thousands of people rushing to Kabul's airport hoping to be evacuated on any flight out of Afghanistan. Images of crowds storming the airport, climbing atop aircraft -- and some clinging to a departing US military cargo plane as it rolled down the runway -- &nbsp;aired on news bulletins around the world.
Authorities have so far not announced any official celebrations to mark the anniversary, but state television said it would air special programmes.
Taliban fighters, however, expressed happiness that their movement was now in power, even as aid agencies say that half the country's population face extreme poverty.
Afghanistan has an estimated population of 41.7 million, from which more than half - over 20 million - are living with extreme food insecurity, according to Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO).
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'Life has lost its meaning' But for ordinary Afghans, especially women, the return of the Taliban has only increased hardships. Initially, the Taliban promised a softer version of the harsh Islamist rule that characterised their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001. But many restrictions have been imposed on women to comply with the movement's austere vision of Islam.
Tens of thousands of girls have been shut out of secondary schools, while women have been barred from returning to many government jobs. And in May, they were ordered to fully cover up in public, ideally with an all-encompassing burqa.
"From the day they have come, life has lost its meaning," said Ogai Amail, a resident of Kabul. "Everything has been snatched from us, they have entered even our personal space," she said.
On Saturday, the Taliban fighters beat women protesters and fired guns into the air to disperse their rally in Kabul.
While Afghans acknowledge a decline in violence since the Taliban seized power, the humanitarian crisis has left many helpless. "People coming to our shops are complaining so much of high prices that we shopkeepers have started hating ourselves," said Noor Mohammad, a shopkeeper from Kandahar, the de facto power centre of the Taliban.
For Taliban fighters, however, the joy of victory overshadows the current economic crisis. "We might be poor, we might be facing hardships, but the white flag of Islam will now fly high forever in Afghanistan", said a fighter guarding a public park in Kabul.
With AFP inputs
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