ZEESHAN AFZAL

Donald Trump's approval rating is "stuck," according to a new poll. The survey, conducted by Quantus Insights between July 21 and 23 among 1,123 registered voters, showed that Trump's approval rating stands at 47 percent, while 50 percent disapprove. That is relatively unchanged from the previous poll conducted earlier this month, which put Trump's approval rating at 48 percent, with 50 percent disapproving. Every poll conducted by Quantus Insights since early April has put Trump's approval rating between 47 and 48 percent, while his disapproval rating has stayed between 48 and 50 percent. "For a president who thrives on momentum, the static nature of these numbers is a signal: the base is holding, but the middle isn't moving," Quantus pollster Joan Corley wrote. The poll shows that the ceiling that is forming among Trump's supporters is being defined by sharp and widening demographic splits—by gender, race, education, and geography—that limi...

  JD Vance chances of beating leading Democratic candidates in 2028—Poll, Vice President JD Vance held a narrow lead over three potential Democratic presidential candidates who have led recent surveys of the 2028 primary, according to a new Emerson College poll released Friday. Newsweek reached out to Vance's office and each of the candidates for comment via email Why It Matters Vance, President Donald Trump's second-in-command, is viewed as a potential Republican front-runner in the 2028 election, when Democrats will aim to win back control of the White House. Although the Democratic primary is still years away, prospective candidates are already making early moves, such as fundraising, building national name recognition, and traveling to key primary states to meet with voters. Early polling can provide insights into how Americans view potential candidates ahead of the election, although surveys aren't always predictive this far in advance. What To Know, The Emerson Colleg...

India blocks SCO declaration over 'terrorism' language dispute. Pakistan, June 26 -- Defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) met in China but failed to adopt a joint statement due to disagreement over language on terrorism, said Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal. India pushed for explicit mentions of terrorism, notably referencing the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that claimed 26 lives. However, at least one unnamed member-widely believed to be Pakistan-refused to agree, blocking consensus. The refusal led India to withhold its endorsement. According to The Week, India's defense minister Rajnath Singh declined to sign, calling the draft statement's wording on terror insufficient and inconsistent with India's position. The stalemate reflects deep India-Pakistan tensions since the Kashmir attack. India directly blamed Pakistan, which rejected the accusation. This marked the first appearance by senior I...

  Pakistan shines at SCO: Calls for peace, unity, and global action on terrorism. Pakistan, June 26 -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers' meeting in Qingdao, China, concluded on Thursday without a joint statement due to India's refusal to agree on the wording. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif reaffirmed his country's commitment to fighting terrorism and promoting regional peace under the SCO platform. The 10-member Eurasian grouping - which includes China, Russia, Pakistan, India, and Iran - met ahead of the annual SCO leaders' summit later this year. During the session, Khawaja Asif condemned Israel's aggression against Iran and stressed the need for collective action to tackle global and regional security challenges. He reiterated Pakistan's opposition to all forms of terrorism and highlighted the country's efforts against terror groups like TTP, BLA, and ISIS. India, however, objected to the absence of a ...

  What the war in Iran means for Russia. Will Russia stand up for its ally Iran after US struck three Iranian nuclear facilities? What is stronger: the desire to make money on expensive oil and divert the world's attention from Moscow’s war on Ukraine or the fear of losing the ties and contracts built up over the years in the region? Russia’s foreign ministry slammed on Sunday the overnight US air strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling it “an irresponsible decision to subject the territory of a sovereign state to missile and bomb strikes, no matter what arguments it is presented with” — all the while Moscow itself is intensifying its attacks on Ukraine.  Russia, the permanent member of the UN Security Council itself, has been waging its unprovoked all-out war against Ukraine since February 2022, bombing Ukrainian cities and attacking Ukraine on the ground.  “We urge to stop the aggression, to step up efforts to create conditions for returning the situation to the p...

‘Short of structural, bold reforms’: Finance experts unpack 2025-26 budget. "This is exactly the budget one can expect under the IMF programmed," says Sajid Amin; Ali Hasnain terms budget relatively disciplined but within status quo. In a rather noisy National Assembly session on Tuesday, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented the budget for the fiscal year 2025-2026, with a total outlay of Rs17.573 trillion and an ambitious 4.2 per cent growth target. In his speech, Aurangzeb said the budget was being presented at a “historic moment”, referring to the recent Pakistan-India escalation. He stressed the need for ensuring the country’s financial security in the same way that national sovereignty was protected. “Pakistan has now achieved economic stability and is moving towards a Pakistan that is prosperous,” he said. Dawn.com  reached out to leading economists and analysts for their key takeaways from the budget. Here’s what they had to say: ‘An anomaly’ Economist Adi...

Israel, Iran trade fire as conflict rages into 9th day; diplomatic efforts urged to promote talks. The exchange of fire between Israel and Iran has entered its ninth day, with both sides reportedly launching new waves of attacks against each other.  Al Jazeera reported on Saturday morning that Israel's air force had "begun a wave of strikes against missile storage and launch infrastructure in central Iran," citing Israel's military statement.  Earlier on Saturday, Israel's military released two separate statements. The first claimed that several rockets were launched from Iranian territory, with initial estimates putting the number at around 10 projectiles heading toward Israel.  The second statement, issued shortly after, said that sirens were sounding in several parts of the country but primarily centered on the central part of Israel and in Tel Aviv, where explosions were heard in the skies. In a statement released on Friday evening, Iran's Islamic Revoluti...