Democrat Joe Biden has opened his widest lead in a month in the US presidential race after President Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus, and a majority of Americans think Trump could have avoided infection if he had taken the virus more seriously, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

The October 2-3 national opinion poll gave little indication of an outpouring of support for the president beyond Trump’s core group of followers, some of whom have gathered outside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where the president has been hospitalised.

Opinion

Editorial

Hardening lines
Updated 22 May, 2026

Hardening lines

Iranian suspicions about Pakistan’s close ties with Washington and Gulf states persist, while Pakistan remains uneasy over Tehran’s growing engagement with India.
Unliveable city
22 May, 2026

Unliveable city

IN Karachi, when it comes to water, it is every man and woman for themselves. A persistent shortage in available...
Glof alert
22 May, 2026

Glof alert

FOR many communities in northern Pakistan, the sound of heavy rain now carries a different meaning. It is no longer...
External woes
Updated 21 May, 2026

External woes

Relying indefinitely on remittances to offset structural economic weaknesses is not sustainable.
Political activity
21 May, 2026

Political activity

THE opposition is astir. There is talk of widespread protests this Friday over a list of dissatisfactions with the...
Seizing hope
21 May, 2026

Seizing hope

ISRAEL’S tyranny knows no bounds. After intercepting the Global Sumud Flotilla that set sail last week, disturbing...