Famed author Salman Rushdie continues recovery after brutal attack
Bestselling author Salman Rushdie was attacked Friday as he was about to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution, a nonprofit education center in western New York, suffering stab wounds to the neck and abdomen. Rushdie’s agent, Andrew Wylie, said the writer was on a ventilator Friday evening, with a damaged liver, severed nerves in an arm and an eye he was likely to lose. The suspect was identified as a 24-year-old man from Fairview, New Jersey. Officials did not “have any indication of a motivation at this time.” Rushdie, a Indian-born British-American novelist, has authored more than a dozen books. His book “The Satanic Verses” has been banned in Iran since the late 1980s, and many Muslims consider it blasphemous. He was a target of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini calling for his death. Some Iranians interviewed Saturday by the Associated Press praised the attack on an author they believe tarnished the Islamic faith, while others worried it would further isolate their country.
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Open House and governor races: A look at Hawaii’s primary election
Hawaii residents will head to the polls on Saturday, with contentious Democratic House and governor primaries on the ballot. With a largely tourism-based economy still reeling from the pandemic, a state at the forefront of climate issues like sea levels and some of the highest housing costs in the country, the economy remains a top issue at the minds of voters. With current Governor David Ige term-limited, seven Democrats are vying to become his likely successor. Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz and first district Rep. Ed Case are both up for reelection, though neither face a competitive primary or general election. Hawaii leans strongly Democratic, meaning that once primary elections are settled, those candidates are the likely winners in November against Republican opponents.
Severe droughts continue in Europe
For nearly two months, there has been little rainfall across many European countries, causing water levels to drop considerably, and even completely dry up one river in Burgundy, France. In Italy, Lake Garda, the country’s largest lake, has been reduced to near its lowest level ever recorded, exposing swaths of previously underwater rocks and warming the water to temperatures that approach the average in the Caribbean Sea. The Rhine, Germany’s biggest waterway, is expected to reach critically low levels this weekend and into next week. The European Commission’s Joint Research Center warned that drought conditions will continue to get worse and potentially affect 47% of the continent. The droughts have caused water quality to deteriorate, with parts of Hungary issuing a weekend swimming ban. Some experts say it’s the worst drought the region has experienced in 500 years.
Provincetown sewer emergency: Water use limited due to storm damage
In Provincetown, Massachusetts, restoration of the vacuum sewer system occurred Friday evening but restaurants in the popular Cape Cod resort town were ordered to remain closed until at least Saturday morning, town officials said Friday evening. Residents and lodging visitors were allowed to return to normal use of water. “As of 6 p.m., we are pleased to report that the entirety of the downtown vacuum sewer system has been returned to stable operation,” a notice from the town stated on Friday. Earlier in the week, residents and business owners were alerted to a problem with the system after a storm damaged equipment and the system lost pressure. Restaurants were told by city officials to clos and hundreds of residents were told they “must reduce water use, including dishwashing, laundry, showering, and only flush when absolutely necessary.”
WNBA regular season wraps up and two playoff spots are still up for grabs
All 12 teams will be in action as the 2022 WNBA regular season comes to a close Sunday and there will be some drama as two postseason spots remain up for grabs. The Phoenix Mercury and the New York Liberty (both 15-20) currently hold the seventh and eighth seeds while the Minnesota Lynx and the Atlanta Dream (both 14-21) are one game behind. The Liberty and the Dream will face off in New York Sunday (2 p.m. ET, ESPN3) while the Mercury and the Lynx have tougher matchups. The Mercury will host the No. 2 seeded Chicago Sky (5 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime) and the Lynx have to travel east to play the No. 3 seeded Connecticut Sun (1 p.m. ET, ABC). The 25-10 Las Vegas Aces, led by stars Kelsey Plum and A’Ja Wilson and coached by Becky Hammon, can clinch the WNBA’s No. 1 seed with a home win over the Seattle Storm Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ABC) or a loss by the Sky. If the Lynx are unable to make the playoffs, the career of superstar Sylvia Fowles will come to an end as she plans to retire after dominant 15 years in the league.
Contributing: The Associated Press