DNA

WASHIGNTON: President Donald Trump’s approval rating sank to the lowest level of his current term, as Americans increasingly soured on his handling of the cost of living and an unpopular war with Iran, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.

The four-day poll, completed on Monday, showed 34% of Americans approve of Trump’s performance in the White House, down from 36% in a prior Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted from April 15 to 20.

The majority of responses were gathered before the Saturday night shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, where Trump was due to speak. It remains to be seen if the incident, in which a gunman was stopped before he could enter a hall where Trump was dining, might affect people’s views of the US leader. Federal prosecutors have charged the accused shooter with attempting to assassinate the president.

Trump’s standing with the US public has trended lower since taking office in January 2025, when 47% of Americans gave him a thumbs-up.

His popularity has taken a beating since the US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, which has led to a surge in gasoline prices. Only 22% of poll respondents approved of Trump’s performance on the cost of living, down from 25% in the prior Reuters/Ipsos poll.

US gasoline prices have surged more than 40% to roughly $4.18 a gallon since the US and Israel launched surprise attacks on Iran on February 28, triggering a response that shut down a fifth of the global oil trade.

The price hikes are weighing heavily on American households and fueling concern among Trump’s Republicans that they could lose control of the US Congress in the November midterm elections.

While a solid majority of Republicans – 78% – still say they back Trump, 41% of the party say they disapprove of his handling of the cost of living, the Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

Independent registered voters, a group that could be decisive in the midterms, favoured Democrats by 14 points, 34% to 20%, when asked who would get their vote in congressional elections. One in four said they were still undecided.

Trump won the 2024 presidential election on promises to bring down prices after several years of high inflation vexed his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden. Now Trump’s approval rating on the economy – at 27% – is well below any reading he had during his 2017-2021 administration, and also lower than Biden’s weakest economy rating.

While the US conflict with Iran has cooled since the two sides agreed to a ceasefire earlier this month, Iran’s threats are preventing most oil shipments from leaving the Persian Gulf, fueling further increases in US and global energy prices as oil reserves decline.

Just 34% of Americans approve of the US conflict with Iran, down from 36% in mid-April and 38% in mid-March, the Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

During Trump’s first administration, his popularity hovered around 40% for long stretches. The latest reading remains a touch above the low point of his first term, which was 33%.

The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted nationwide and online, gathered responses from 1,269 US adults, including 1,014 registered voters, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

“Detainees will be repatriated without any legal proceedings against them,” assures FO spokesperson

ISLAMABAD, APR 28 /DNA/ – Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi on Tuesday confirmed that Cambodian authorities agreed to the early repatriation of 54 Pakistani nationals detained in Siem Reap Province.

These individuals were arrested following a raid on a scamming compound, the spokesperson added.

In a statement, Andrabi said that the Pakistan Embassy in Cambodia has actively pursued the matter with the Cambodian government.

“This is in line with the instructions of the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister [Ishaq Dar] to take all possible actions aimed at facilitating the Pakistani community abroad,” he added.

As a result of the embassy’s efforts, the FO spokesperson said that the embassy staff were taking steps to ensure the welfare of the detained Pakistanis.

“These detainees would leave Cambodia as soon as flight arrangements are finalised,” he assured.

“As a goodwill gesture from the Cambodian authorities, the detainees will be repatriated without any legal proceedings against them under the ‘Law on Combating Online Scams’, which came into effect on 7 April 2026, imposing significant prison sentences and hefty fines,” he added.

A citizen alleged that Cambodian police were demanding $1,500 each for deportation.

“We do not have money to bribe the Cambodian police,” he claimed.

He said conditions inside the prison are extremely harsh, adding that detainees were forced to eat from the same plates used to feed dogs.

Responding to a question, he said there were several Pakistani nationals being held in Cambodian jails.

The Pakistani national said he had reached Cambodia two years earlier through an agent.=DNA

ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), in a meeting chaired by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, approved the transfer of three Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges to other high courts.

According to a statement released by the top judicial body on Tuesday, the commission approved the transfer of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani from IHC to the Lahore High Court (LHC), Justice Babar Sattar to the Peshawar High Court (PHC), and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz to the Sindh High Court (SHC), with a majority vote.

“The meetings were convened by the secretary of the JCP in exercise of powers conferred by clause (22) of Article 175A of the Constitution, as the chairman of the Commission, while giving reason therefor, declined to convene the meeting on the requisition by one-third of the total members,” it said.

The proposal originated from IHC Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar, who sought a JCP meeting to deliberate on the matter.

The proposal also triggered debate within judicial circles as CJP Afridi last week rejected a request by the IHC chief justice to convene a meeting on the transfer of judges, citing constitutional and institutional concerns.

In a written response to the IHC chief justice, CJP Afridi said that calling a commission meeting for a specific purpose was not possible. The top judge observed that transferring judges without clear justification would be “tantamount to punishment” and warned that such moves could undermine judicial independence and autonomy.

He stressed that the Constitution provided a clear mechanism under Article 209 for action against judges, and any administrative transfers would be inconsistent with constitutional provisions.

The JCP, in the statement released today, said that members who had requisitioned the meetings for the proposed transfer of Justice Arbab M. Tahir from IHC to Balochistan High Court (BHC), and of Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro from IHC to SHC, withdrew the respective proposals.

“The commission further decided, by a majority of its total membership, that any vacancy arising as a result of the transfer of a Judge from a high court shall be filled through transfer only, and such vacancy shall not, in any manner, be treated as a vacancy for initial appointment,” the handout said.

PTI terms move ‘attack on judiciary’
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar on Tuesday criticised the transfer of IHC judges, saying that the move raised concerns over its implications for judicial independence.

Speaking to the media outside the top court, Gohar said the transfer of judges was “against the concept of an independent judiciary” and argued that such decisions could lead to divisions within the judicial system.

He maintained that all high courts currently have a complete number of judges, questioning the need for transfers. “The transfer of judges is tantamount to dividing the judiciary,” he said.

“Judges’ transfer is not the job of any individual,” he said, adding that when judges took the oath, the Constitution stated they would not be transferred without their consent.

“Transferring judges on likes and dislikes without hearing their stance is an attack on the judiciary,” he added.

LONDON/ISLAMABAD, APR 28 /DNA/ – With edition that Dr. Faisal has been tipped as the new Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, is set to relinquish his charge and return to Islamabad by April 27, according to sources within the Foreign Office.

Dr Faisal, who assumed the role in August 2023, oversaw Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement in the UK during a period marked by both bilateral cooperation and challenges on political and diaspora fronts. His departure marks the end of a tenure that saw him become a prominent voice for Pakistan in British media.

Sources have confirmed that Tipu Usman, currently serving as Chief of Protocol to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has been nominated as his successor. A formal agrément—a request for diplomatic approval—has already been dispatched to British authorities, and his posting is expected to commence soon.

A seasoned career diplomat, Dr Faisal has held several key positions throughout his career. He previously served as Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson and as ambassador to Germany before his posting to London.

Dr Faisal gained widespread recognition and praise for his effective defense of Pakistan’s stance during heightened tensions with India. He became a regular face on UK media outlets, including BBC and Sky News, where he rebutted India’s allegations—most notably regarding the Pahalgam attacks and during last year’s brief conflict between the two nations.

His return to Islamabad concludes a high-profile diplomatic assignment that elevated Pakistan’s media presence in the UK.