BENGALURU  SATURDAY  AUGUST 13, 2022  `9.00  PAGES 24  LATE CITY EDITION Salman Rushdie is tended to after he was attacked during a lecture on Friday at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York | AP HORROR AS RUSHDIE STABBED IN THE NECK AT NEW YORK TALK SHOW EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE MUMBAI-BORN British author Salman Rushdie, whose writings had drawn death threats from Iran, was on Friday stabbed in the neck by an assailant just as he was about to speak at an event in western New York. The assailant got on to the stage at the Chautauqua Institution’s event and stabbed him as he was being introduced to the gathering, a witness said. Rushdie fell to the floor and was treated onstage before being airlifted to a hospital. Governor Kathy Hochul said he’s alive and “getting the care he needs”. Event moderator Henry Reese suffered some minor head injuries. The audience tackled the suspect after which he was taken into custody . Reese and Rushdie were to discuss “the US as asylum for writers and other artists in exile and as a home for freedom of creative expression”, when the attack happened around 8.30 pm IST. “This guy ran on to platform and started pounding on Rushdie. At first you’re like, ‘What’s going on?’ And then it became abundantly clear in a few seconds that he was being beat- en,” said Rabbi Charles Savenor, who was in the audience. A bloodied Rushdie was quickly surrounded by a small group of people who held up his legs, possibly to send more blood to his chest. Rushdie’s fourth book, in 1988, The Satanic Verses, forced him into hiding for nine years after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for his execution for the book’s blasphemous content. Iran also offered a $3-million bounty to anyone who killed Rushdie. The author’s first brush with fame was when his 1981 novel Midnight’s Children won the Booker Prize. But it was The Satanic Verses and the fatwa that made him really well known across the world. He later published a memoir, Joseph Anton, about life after the fatwa from a pseudonym he used while in hiding. CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Retail inflation falls below 7% for 1st time in 3 months India-China ties are tense, situation may turn dangerous, says Jaishankar BA L A C H AU H A N @ Bengaluru INDIA-CHINA relationship is very “tense” and it could be a “dangerous situation” because of the border issue, said External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar in a media interaction in Bengaluru on Friday evening. While fielding questions, he said the relationship between India and China “cannot be normal” under the present circumstances. “Despite 16 rounds of commander-level talks between us on the Chinese disengagement along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh, the issue re- RECRUITMENT Priyank: Sexual favours, bribes sought from aspirants E N S @ Kalaburagi KPCC’s communication wing head, Priyank Kharge on Friday urged the state government to constitute fast-track courts to try cases related to PSI-CET, KPTCL a n d P W D re c r u i t m e n t scams. Speaking at a press conference here on Friday Kharge , made serious charges that youngsters these days do not get jobs without bribing and young women candidates are even asked for “sexual favours” by the authorities concerned. He said CID has arrested many people including police higher-ups in the PSI-CET scam and has also filed chargesheets. There are reports of a similar scam in the recruitment to the posts of Assistant Engineers (AEs) and Junior Engineers (JEs) in KPTCL and PWD. The former minister alleged that in recruitment for posts of AEs and JEs in KPTCL, authorities concerned have demanded Rs 30 lakh for the post of JE and Rs 50 lakh for AE’s post.For speedy justice, fast-track courts are essential, he said. P4 EXPRESS READ ED attaches `300 cr worth assets of Mantri Bengaluru: The ED has issued a Provisional Attachment Order attaching immovable assets worth B300.4 cr in a money laundering case against Mantri Group for “cheating home buyers of Mantri Serenity, Mantri Web City & Mantri Energia residential projects”. P7 Acid attack victim Aasha discharged NATIONWIDE AUG 11 KARNATAKA Fresh cases Recoveries Deaths AUG 12 16,299 16,561 19,431 18,053 53 49 AUG 11 1,691 1,982 6 AUG 12 2,032 1,686 5 ballistic missile and satellite tracking ship ‘Yuan Wang 5’ against docking at the Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka, Jaishankar reiterated MEA spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi’s views on the issue in which he said, “security concerns are the sovereign right of every country We will make the best . judgement in own interest.” On a question regarding China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Jaishankar said, it violates our sovereignty and territorial integrity. “Our view on the BRI has been consistent and I don’t need to vindicate my stand,” he said. P2 E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ New Delhi Despite 16 rounds of commanderlevel talks between us on the Chinese disengagement along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh, the issue remains unresolved S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister Stuck for a week, 2 shepherds, sheep rescued from Koppal islet S H R E E PA D A AYA C H I T @ Koppal IT was a harrowing time for a shepherd, his son, and over 100 sheep that were stuck on an islet for over a week near Gangavati in Koppal district as they were surrounded by roaring waters of the Tungabhadra river. When a 16-member team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), summoned from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, finally pulled out Hanumappa and his son Hanumesh using boats, the feeling of gratitude was overwhelming for them. Their precious sheep and goats too were rescued by the team. It was on August 4 that the shepherds from Mallapura village ventured onto the islet to graze their sheep. The waters rose fast and by evening, they were unable to cross the rapidly flowing river as the authorities had released 1.80 lakh cusecs from the Tungabhadra reservoir. The two shepherds made an SOS call from their mobile phone to the authorities, pleading for a rescue. The district administration NDRF team rescues scores of sheep and two shepherds in Gangavati taluk of Koppal district on Friday | EXPRESS rushed the fire and emergency services personnel to the spot. But despite trying hard for over a week, the rescue workers could not reach the shepherds, who were under a makeshift shelter. District officials then contacted the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), who at last rescued the shepherds and sheep on Friday said , Assistant Commissioner Basavennappa Kalashetty . In fact, the district administration and Tungabhadra Project authorities have been cautioning people along the river basin not to venture into the river or proceed to nearby islets in Gangavati taluk. Authorities issue alert for villagers The district administration and Tungabhadra Project authorities have cautioned people along the river basin not to venture into the river or proceed to nearby islets in Gangavati taluk Class 7 to 12 CRACK IIT JEE NEET with Recorded Video Courses PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, MATHS & BIOLOGY Concept Video Lectures By Expert Teachers Solved Video Examples Practice Questions Bengaluru: Acid attack victim Aasha (name changed) has been discharged from Victoria Hospital after 3 months and undergoing 27 surgeries. Aasha was attacked by a stalker, Nagesh, near her office in Bengaluru early this year. Fresh cases Recoveries Deaths mains unresolved. The Indian Army has been holding its ground for the past two winters, which shows our resolve on standing our ground. We have made some substantial progress in terms of the troops pulling back from places, where they were very close. There are still some places, where they have not,” said the EAM. He added that “India has consistently maintained its position that if China disturbed peace in the border areas it will impact on our bilateral relationship with them.” Regarding India’s security concerns against the Chinese JAB-O-METER TAKE YOUR SHOT Aug 11 14,02,341 doses Aug 12 20,13,564 doses TOTAL DOSES 2,07,68,05,074 Register Now 96001 00090 96001 00020 Scan the QR Code for Registra�on IN a relief to the common man as well as policy makers, retail inflation seems to have begun moderating as the headline inflation rate measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) eased to 6.71% in July from 7.01% in June. It is for the first time since April 2022 that retail inflation has fallen below the 7% level. The lower figure in July was largely driven by the easing of prices of food and beverage, and miscellaneous items. While housing, pan, tobacco and intoxicant prices showed moderate growth, that of clothing and fuel continued to expand sharply year-on-year. On a month-on-month basis, however, vegetable prices fell marginally as the food and beverages index remained flat, also benefiting from corrections in prices of edible oils, meat and fish. The drop in inflation in July was on expected lines as fears of global recession and fresh geopolitical uncertainties led to a correction in global commodity prices, easing the domestic inflation pressure. However, analysts and economists warn against letting the guards down on inflation. “CPI headline inflation for July has moderated in line with our expectations led largely by food inflation, while the core inflation remains el- evated and sticky The coming . few readings are expected to be a tad above 7% with inflation likely to hover above RBIs upper threshold limit of 6% until January 2023,” said Upasana Bhardwaj, chief economist, Kotak Mahindra Bank. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its August monetary policy statement retained its inflation projection for 2022-23 at 6.7%. RBI is mindful of the Industrial production down, but remains in double digits 19.6% May June 12.3% STRONG SECTORS Manufacturing 12.5% Power Mining 16.4% 7.5% fact that spillovers from geopolitical shocks are imparting considerable uncertainty to the inflation trajectory. The central bank also said that it is watchful of the shortfall in paddy sowing. However, analysts believe that there would be no pause in rate hikes. Aditi Nayar, chief economist of ICRA, expects another increase of 10-35 bps in the September 2022 policy meeting. GOING THROUGH THE ROOF In just one month, tur dal price shot up by `5-22 while urad dal prices soared by as much as `10-44 STAPLE TUR, URAD DAL GO NORTH BA N SY K A L A P PA @ Bengaluru MULTIPLE factors are at play in pushing inflationary trends that are in turn causing prices of commonly consumed tur and urad dal to rise upwards, much to the misery of the common man. Worse, these trends are set to continue due to the prevailing inflationary trends in the days to come. The price of tur dal has increased by about `15-20 per kilogram. In the retail, it was selling at `150-170 kg for the packed variant which attracts 5 per cent GST, while the loose variant was selling at `135-145 per kg which does not attract GST. Wholesale market prices were about `120 per kg. This price hike has been gradual over the past three weeks and was capped after the GST was hiked. Urad dal has been soaring since it was imported and was selling in retail for about `160 per kg and wholesale at about `130 per kg also similarly over the past about three weeks. Compounding this, power tariffs have gone up and monthly bills on an average in most middleclass households have increased by about `200 per month. The price of rice, which is the staple diet of people of the state has increased by about 8-10 per cent thanks to a variety of reasons, including 5 per cent GST on packed rice, while steamed rice which is used by commercial eateries has been about 8-10 per cent higher. P7