Month: October 2026

President Donald ‌Trump’s approval rating fell to a record low as Americans worried about high gasoline prices and appeared ready to punish his Republican Party in the November 3 congressional elections, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Monday. Some 31% of Americans approve of Trump’s ​performance in office, down a percentage point from two weeks earlier and the lowest level in ​either of his presidential terms, the four-day poll showed. Asked which party they would vote ⁠for if the congressional elections were held today in what is known…

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The government on Monday reduced the price of petrol by Rs5.16 per litre and high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs7.69, bringing their prices to Rs381.14 and Rs389.27 per litre, respectively. The revised rates took effect on October 20, 2026, according to a press release issued by the Petroleum Division. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) revised the ex-depot prices under the federal government’s petroleum pricing mechanism. The Petroleum Division attributed the adjustment to global market developments, including movements in Platts rates, premiums and incidentals. In the previous revision on Friday,…

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A Kenyan court on Monday found starvation cult leader Paul Mackenzie and about 30 others guilty of murder over the deaths of 190 children and one adult in one of the world’s worst cult-related ​disasters in recent history. Mackenzie and his co-accused will be given their sentence on November 6. He was arrested in 2023 after police received a tip-off, ‌and weeks later authorities began uncovering bodies in shallow graves in the Shakahola Forest near the coast in southeastern Kenya. Prosecutors say Mackenzie and his Good News International Church organised…

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A major Saudi investment conference has been postponed to next year, its chief executive officer said on Monday, as the kingdom comes under repeated attacks from Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis. The annual Future Investment Initiative (FII), often dubbed “Davos in the Desert”, was scheduled to take place from October 26-29. For nearly a decade, it has served as a showcase for Saudi Arabia’s efforts to attract global investors, business leaders and heads of state. The postponement deals a blow to the kingdom’s ambitions to draw foreign capital, diversify its oil-reliant economy…

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The Punjab government has decided to ban the use and sale of electronic devices designed for covert surveillance, including glasses, pens and watches fitted with hidden cameras or recording equipment, citing concerns over privacy and the misuse of personal information. Officials said the move aims to prevent unauthorised surveillance and protect citizens, particularly women and children, from harassment, blackmail and the misuse of private information. The government said complaints had emerged about people being filmed without their consent, conversations being secretly recorded and private information being obtained through concealed recording…

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The opposition on Monday raised the alleged detention of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and several other lawmakers in the National Assembly, seeking an immediate debate on the matter. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and opposition chief whip Aamir Dogar submitted an adjournment motion to National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Monday, requesting that the house suspend its regular business to discuss the alleged detentions. The motion also seeks a debate on the reported detention of KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and six National Assembly members: Amjad Ali…

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Iran’s top diplomat on Monday accused the United States of being responsible for the “insecurity” in the Strait of Hormuz, which has been at the heart of the conflict between the foes. “The war imposed by the United States and the Zionist regime (Israel), combined with the economic blockade, constitutes the principal source of insecurity in our region,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, having previously referred to “the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz”. He was speaking during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, who…

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Saudi Arabia’s newly appointed ambassador to Pakistan, Dr Rajeh Tami Albugamy, met Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on Monday to discuss regional security and defence cooperation. Both sides expressed satisfaction over progress under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA) and stressed the need to strengthen defence collaboration, institutional ties and strategic coordination, the military’s media wing said. Field Marshal Munir congratulated Albugamy on his appointment and expressed confidence that his tenure would further strengthen the…

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Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said achieving peace between the United States and Iran requires patience, trust and sustained efforts, stressing that lasting peace cannot be secured in a single meeting. “Peace cannot be achieved in a single meeting. It requires patience, trust and continuous efforts,” Naqvi said while addressing the 8th Global Security Forum in Doha, Qatar, on Monday. He said Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani had worked for more than 16…

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