• Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar emphasised that the only way forward to end the dispute is the sincere execution of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding of June 2026 by the US and Iran.

This was said by him during a meeting with Foreign Minister of Iran Seyyed Abbas Araghchi ahead of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek on Tuesday. The DPM/FM stressed that discussion and diplomacy continue to be crucial in achieving peace and stability in the region.

Dar also held a discussion with Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State conference.

The two parties reiterated the close and developing connection between Pakistan and Uzbekistan and exchanged views on measures to further expand cooperation in all areas of mutual interest.

President Donald Trump’s approval rating was stuck at the lowest level of his political career amid broad dissatisfaction over the war in Iran and the Republicans’ economic stewardship, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that concluded on Monday.

Just 33% of Americans approve of the job Trump is doing in the White House – the third straight Reuters/Ipsos poll with that share of respondents giving the president a thumbs up.

Trump’s political brand looks increasingly like a potential weight on his Republican Party, which will be defending slim congressional majorities in the November 3 midterm elections.

Democrats appear more fired up about the elections, with 46% of self-identified Democrats describing themselves as “very enthusiastic” about voting in November, compared to 31% of Republicans, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, which surveyed 1,167 US adults nationwide.

Asked which party they would vote for if the congressional elections were held today, 36% of independents in the survey picked Democrats, while 22% picked Republicans.

Since mid-August, Trump’s popularity has held at a level it only briefly touched early in his first presidency, and well below the 47% share of Americans who approved of his performance early in his current term.

His rating is lower than the low point his predecessor in office, Democrat Joe Biden, hit, at 35% approval, in October 2024.

Like Biden, Trump has been dogged by widespread discontent over high levels of inflation.

Gasoline prices have surged since Trump ordered the US to start bombing Iran in February, and just 36% of Americans approve of the war, the Reuters/Ipsos poll showed.

The conflict has had long lulls over the period, but in recent days the two sides have traded missile strikes, and since the war’s outset Iran has largely blocked a major transit point for the global oil trade.

Some 71% of Americans – including four in 10 Republicans – disapprove of how Trump is handling the cost of living.

For the last month, registered voters in the survey have been saying the Democratic Party has better ideas for the economy than the Republican Party, the first time Democrats have led on the issue in about a decade.

The four-day poll had a margin of error of 3 percentage points in either direction.

Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has notified revision of prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for September 2026.

The new tariffs have raised the price of LPG by Rs4.33 per kilogram. The adjustment will be effective for the month of September.

The OGRA statement says the increase has raised the price of an 11.8kg LPG cylinder by Rs51.17. The official price of the regular cylinder has been fixed at Rs3,052 for September as per the latest revision.

The new LPG price is higher than the relevant rate for August. The price of the 11.8kg cylinder was Rs3,000 before, suggesting consumers will be paying Rs52 more when the previous and current rounded pricing is compared.

The new pricing for September 2026 has been established at Rs4.33 per kilogram higher than the OGRA’s last notification. Under the regulator’s stated pricing methodology, the change will be applicable for the entire month.

The adjustment comes as homes and businesses using LPG get ready for the new monthly pricing. The 11.8kg cylinder is one of the most popularly utilised LPG volumes for domestic usage especially among consumers who rely on the fuel for cooking and other household purposes.