Private sector pay awards rise to 3.1% as wage growth resumes

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Education and the Federal Training and Gauth AI-based learning platform in Islamabad. Aisha Rasool served as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of a six-day Internationally Accredited Foundational Training Programme on Arbitration at the COMSTECH Secretariat.

The International Centre for Appropriate Dispute Resolution & Prevention and the International Law Institute from the USA provided the training team for the programme. Ehsan Ullah Khan thanked the training organisations and instructors for their contributions to the course.

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Muhammad Saqib Ayyaz called the programme a valuable learning experience for those in attendance. Attendees included members of the judiciary, the legal fraternity, Parliament, and representatives from academic institutions and federal and provincial governments.

Dam authorities released the current reservoir levels for several major water bodies on 20 October. Tarbela Dam and Mangla Dam were among the primary sites included in the official report.

The data also accounted for the water status at Khanpur Dam, Simly Dam, and Rawal Dam. In Islamabad, the pollen count was recorded on the same day.

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Meteorological reports for 20 October also detailed the minimum and projected maximum temperatures for the country's major cities.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee addressed the need to actively engage in reforming the global health architecture. Negotiations must conclude on the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing annex to enable the Pandemic Agreement to begin ratification and take effect.

Officials noted that 10 months remains a significant period to achieve these objectives. The committee called for the approval of the next increase in assessed contributions during the World Health Assembly next year.

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Members aim to consolidate efforts from transformation and realignment to build an organisation that serves states with neutrality, impartiality, and integrity.

The MUSLIM Institute organised a human formation at the Shrine of Sultan Bahoo to symbolise the Makkah Accord and the Pakistan-Saudi-Türkiye alliance. Thousands of Pakistanis joined the initiative, which featured flags from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye.

Participants played national anthems and chanted slogans stating that Islam is Peace. Sahibzada Sultan Ahmed Ali stated that the Makkah Accord was a significant step towards collective security and sovereignty.

This event followed a previous human formation by the MUSLIM Institute at the same shrine depicting New Zealand’s Al Noor Mosque.

The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and the Arab Thought Forum (ATF) of Jordan held a bilateral meeting on 20 October. A Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations was previously signed in October 2025.

Ambassador Moin ul Haque, Director General of ISSI, stated that Jordan holds a special place in the hearts of the people of Pakistan. Participants explored opportunities for joint research and engagement on matters of mutual interest.

The discussion focused on the right to self-determination and human dignity for the people of Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir. Dr. Amani Ghazi Jarrar highlighted four key pillars of cooperation during the talks.

These pillars include promoting shared security and human dignity, strengthening intellectual engagement, advancing strategic forecasting, and turning shared goals into practical results. Amina Khan, Director of CAMEA, attended the meeting.

US District Judge Zachary Bluestone dismissed a civil lawsuit filed by Annie Altman against Sam Altman in a Missouri federal court. Altman, who is 41 years old, denies the accusations of sexual abuse.

Annie Altman accused the OpenAI chief of raping and sexually abusing her between 1997 and 2006 at a family home in suburban Clayton, Missouri. The alleged abuse began when Altman was 12 years old and the plaintiff was 3 years old.

The Altman family stated that Annie Altman has mental health challenges and received financial support. Sam Altman stated that Annie Altman began accusing him on social media after the family rejected her demands for more funds.

Annie Altman refused to appear for an independent medical examination. Santos Perez withdrew as Annie Altman's lawyer this month.

Perez said, "I am no longer authorised to comment on this case, but I continue to believe in Annie."

DJI has reduced the price of the Osmo Pocket 3 to $395. Consumers can purchase the device through retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo.

Equipped with a 1-inch sensor, the camera captures 4K footage at 120 frames per second. The hardware also supports integration with DJI Mic Mini wireless microphones.

While the Osmo Pocket 3 is available, the Osmo Pocket 4 is not officially for sale in the United States. Gaming hardware is also seeing price cuts, with the Glorious GMMK 2 mechanical keyboard discounted to $48.99 at Best Buy.

This 65 percent layout keyboard features Glorious Fox linear switches. Amazon is offering a two-pack of Anker Zolo MagSafe-compatible wireless chargers for $25.99.

These chargers provide up to 15W of power. Preorders for Nintendo Switch Sports Resort are open at Amazon for $49.94.

The game is scheduled to ship on 22 October 2026.

Arafat Minhas scored a half-century and claimed a five-wicket haul during a single ODI match. Minhas became only the third Pakistani cricketer to achieve this specific feat in one international game.

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium hosted a packed crowd of spectators who filled the stands to watch the action. Flags flew across Rawalpindi as fans gathered for the high-profile sporting event.

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The International Monetary Fund projects that Sub-Saharan Africa will achieve 4.5% economic growth in both 2026 and 2027. Regional growth remains resilient despite being uneven across the continent.

Median inflation in the region is expected to reach 4.3% this year. Authorities should implement policies that ensure price stability and rebuild economic buffers.

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These measures must also support vulnerable households throughout the area.

Salman Ali Agha scored a triple century during the President's Trophy Grade-I competition. The batsman was awarded Player of the Match for his performance at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan secured a victory in the contest. Agha has also reached his fourth ODI century while playing against Sri Lanka.

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"Give respect to domestic cricket," Agha said. In a separate fixture, Pakistan U17 dismissed Sri Lanka U17 for 159 runs.

That encounter served as the third one-day match of the series.

Logitech has listed a refurbished G Pro X2 Superstrike for $131.74. The standard retail price for this gaming mouse typically reaches $179.99.

Using the discount code PROXPRODUCTS15, the cost of the device falls to just under $117. Designed for right-handed users, the G Pro X2 Superstrike replicates the tactile sensation of mechanical switches through haptic feedback.

Users can adjust the strength of these haptic sensations via Logitech's companion software. The mouse also includes rapid trigger support and achieves lower click latency than competing mice with mechanical switches when haptics are active.

Logitech continues to sell and support the X2 Superstrike while also offering the X3 Superstrike. The X3 Superstrike model provides a more responsive sensor, enhanced battery life, and better weight distribution.

The Punjab government distributed Rs14.5 billion to mosque imams under the Chief Minister’s Imam Masjid Sahibaan Honorarium Programme. Provincial Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique led the fifth steering committee meeting for the initiative.

Khawaja Salman Rafique stated that the government was allocating more than Rs20 billion every year for this specific programme. The minister noted that mosque imams played an important role in nation-building, while mosques promoted peace, tolerance and positive social values.

More than 76,000 mosques have been registered by the Punjab Home Department. To support these religious leaders, the Home Department is launching a chatbot to provide assistance to imams.

The Bank of Punjab and the Punjab Information Technology Board received instructions to fix problems with the online application system. Imams are required to perform at least one transaction every three months using their designated bank accounts.

Faisal Moez Khan requested that the government and the State Bank of Pakistan refrain from raising interest rates during the next monetary policy meeting. Khan stated that hiking rates would harm industrial production, business activities, and the country's export capacity.

Rising operating costs, high energy prices, and fierce global competition currently pressure the industrial sector. The businessman warned that instability in the Gulf could disrupt supply chains and cause international oil prices and freight charges to fluctuate.

He argued that the Gulf situation is an economic concern rather than just a foreign policy matter. Khan suggested the government engage trade and industrial representatives to evaluate potential economic risks.

To counter external shocks, he proposed promoting renewable energy and improving facilities for industrial enterprises.

The Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology requested additional examination of the Pakistan General Cosmetics Bill, 2026, during a session on 20 October. Senator Kamil Ali Agha presided over the meeting to review the legislative proposal.

The House returned the bill on 14 October, prompting Senator Saleem Mandviwalla to move amendments for a report and reconsideration. Several lawmakers attended the proceedings, including Senator Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto, Senator Husna Bano, and Senator Dr Afnan Ullah Khan.

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Khalid Hussain Magsi and Federal Minister for Defence Production Muhammad Raza Hayat Harraj were also present. Participants noted that the cosmetic industry has been active in the country for about 15 years.

The committee deliberated on a proposed eight-member Board, though Senator Saleem Mandviwalla suggested increasing that number by two. Officials decided to request further discussions with the Ministry of Law and Justice.

Nigeria confirmed one imported case of the Ebola Bundibugyo virus in the Federal Capital Territory on 20 October. The patient, a woman, began showing symptoms on 7 October after arriving in the country four days prior.

She sought medical attention at a private health facility in Abuja on 11 October. Recent travel history indicates the woman visited Uganda before her arrival in Nigeria.

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This marks the fifth country to detect the virus since an outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 15 May. Medical teams currently have the patient in isolation while providing necessary care.

Authorities have identified 44 contacts and are conducting contact tracing to monitor those exposed. The World Health Organization and its partners are collaborating with health authorities to prevent further transmission.

The World Health Organization advises against any trade or travel restrictions for the affected countries.

Sandy Powell will present the Film London Jarman Award as the guest of honour on 24 November 2026. The award was first established in 2008 to recognise excellence in the film industry.

Powell is a decorated designer who won Academy Awards for Best Costume Design for "Shakespeare in Love", "The Aviator", and "The Young Victoria". Four individuals are nominated for the prize, including Sadia Pineda Hameed, Ilona Sagar, Rhea Storr, and Alia Syed.

Molly Shannon served as an executive producer for "Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story", which secured the Documentary Feature Jury Award at SXSW. The Los Angeles premiere for that documentary is scheduled for 24 October 2026.

Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon directed officials to speed up the construction of the Yellow and Red Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines during a Transport and Mass Transit Department meeting on Tuesday. Memon ordered the rapid completion of bridges and other infrastructure along the BRT corridors to facilitate smoother transit.

Specific focus was placed on the second section of the Taj Haider Bridge and the construction of depots for the Yellow Line. The minister stated, "Building BRT lines alone is not enough; effective connectivity between them is equally important."

Officials were also instructed to finalise new routes for electric buses and double-decker vehicles, which are scheduled to arrive next month. Secretary Transport Asad Zamin, TransKarachi Chief Executive Officer Zubair Channa, Yellow Line Project Director Kamal Dayo, and Sindh Mass Transit Authority Managing Director Behzad Memon attended the session.

FX has renewed American Horror Story for a 14th season following the conclusion of its current run. The 13th season finale is scheduled to air on 29 October 2026.

Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe and Leslie Grossman will appear together for the upcoming finale. Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk created the series, which remains the longest-running hour-long show on FX.

Since its debut in 2011, the anthology has generated more than 2 billion hours of engagement. 20th Television serves as the studio for the production.

Executive producers for season 13 include Murphy, Falchuk, Ned Martel, Charlie Carver, Eric Kovtun, Nissa Diederich, Scott Robertson, Tanase Popa, Crystle Roberson Dorsey, Jennifer Salt and Tim Minear.

Netflix restructured its executive leadership team to oversee content production, according to Variety. The company appointed Rice, a former executive at Disney and 21st Century Fox, to the leadership role.

Rice previously served as the chairman of Walt Disney Television before being removed by former CEO Bob Chapek in 2022. Sarandos, who has known Rice for approximately 15 years, stated, "I know that we could do better, and we want to build on that momentum."

Amazon is phasing out its Fire HD tablet line as the company shifts focus toward more expensive Alexa Tablets. The price of the Amazon Fire HD 10 has fallen to $72.99, representing a reduction of $82.

Despite the transition, the Fire HD 10 will continue to receive security updates for users. A 10.1-inch 1080p display defines the hardware, which also features 32GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot capable of expanding up to 1TB.

Battery life on the device lasts up to 13 hours, and it includes a 3.5mm headphone jack. In contrast, the Alexa Tablets support the Google Play Store out of the box.

Companies with a financial year ending 30 June must conduct their annual general meeting by 28 October 2026. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan requires firms to submit an annual return within 30 days of that meeting.

For a meeting held on 28 October, the deadline for filing the required return is 27 November 2026. Businesses are also required to finish ultimate beneficial ownership compliance, which includes the submission of Form-19.

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Non-compliance with these regulatory requirements may result in penalties. Firms can complete these filings through the online portal at leap.secp.gov.pk.

Dr Muhammad Irshad promised full cooperation to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Gems and Jewellery Association (KPGJA) to formalise the regional gems trade. The official met with a KPGJA delegation led by president Muhammad Salman Niazi to discuss the initiative.

Director Iqbal Sarwar and Manager Akhtar of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade (KP-BOIT) attended the meeting. Participants explored methods to move informal trade into the documented economy, which would increase foreign exchange earnings.

Irshad stated that every step will be taken to facilitate businesses and remove trade-related barriers. Niazi informed the group that a KPGJA delegation would travel to Germany to join an international exhibition.

Three association members arrived in Germany three days earlier to make the necessary arrangements.

Access: Horror Virtual Film Festival launched a programming lineup divided into three distinct blocks: Edibles, The Body Keeps the Score and Dead Darlings. The festival features Lee Cleaveland’s "Everhand", Charlie Gillette’s "Tal", and Priscilla Galvez’s "A Fermenting Woman".

Established in 2023, Access: Horror was founded to provide a platform for diverse cinematic voices. Curators Petrocelli and Ariel Baska selected the horror genre specifically because of the complex conversations it provokes.

Baska, who spent 15 years teaching Latin, transitioned into the film industry to help the pair achieve their mission of reclaiming disability's role in the genre. By showcasing novice filmmakers, the organizers ensure that their objectives regarding making films more accessible are heard.

Charli xcx has cancelled her "Music, Fashion, Film" performance in Arizona because of an illness. Ticketmaster will automatically issue refunds to customers who bought tickets through the platform.

All other ticket holders must receive their money back at the original point of purchase. The 12-date tour began in early September with an opening show in Philadelphia.

The artist also played two nights at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Additional tour stops included cities such as Toronto, Atlanta, and San Diego.

This past weekend, xcx performed in Los Angeles, where Chappell Roan sang "Boom Clap" and PinkPantheress performed "Stateside". Friday marks the conclusion of the tour at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

YouTube is reportedly testing a feature that hides the dislike button on its video platform. At least two users on X shared screenshots showing the dislike button moved into a three-dots submenu.

A Reddit user also posted an image where the dislike button was completely missing. The platform previously concealed public dislike counts in 2021.

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Earlier this year, the company removed the dislike button from YouTube Shorts. Content creators maintain the ability to view dislike counts even if they are hidden from the public.

YouTube has encouraged users to use the options found in the three-dots menu for Shorts content. Google did not provide an immediate response to a request for comment regarding the changes.

It remains uncertain how many users will be included in this apparent test.

Disney+ and Hulu will debut Night Tales Club, a six-part Japanese supernatural anthology series, in January 2027. Kurosawa Kiyoshi and Shimizu Takashi are each scheduled to direct one episode of the production.

Additional directors for the anthology include Katayama Shinzo, Sode Yukiko, Sakashita Yuichiro, and Nakamura Yosuke. Nakajima Kenji will oversee the Hojo sequences within the series.

"As the original author of these stories, I feel an enormous sense of surprise and joy that they will soon be available on screen to scare audiences around the world," Sawamura said.

Park Min-young will star in the Korean office romance series Nine to Six. Yook Sung-jae joins the cast to portray Han Sun-woo, a legal intern.

Go Soo also features in the production as Park Hyun-tae, an executive director at the Seoul office of Chronic Motors. Choi Ji-oh penned the script for the drama.

The 12-episode series is scheduled to debut on Prime Video on 25 November 2026. Viewers in more than 240 countries and territories will be able to watch the show.

The Asian Development Bank launched the Pacific Approach 2026 to 2030, a five-year strategy designed to support 12 Pacific island countries. Officials visited the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau to discuss the framework.

The strategy includes participation in the Pre-COP31 Leaders Program in both Fiji and Tuvalu. By pursuing regional solutions, the Pacific Approach seeks to build a more resilient Pacific region.

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Project delivery under this plan will be adapted to match the specific capacity of each country.

South Korea recorded a 105.4% increase in exports during the first 20 days of October compared to the same period last year. On a working-day average, the nation's exports grew by 65.9% to reach a record $4.74 billion.

Semiconductor shipments rose by 222.5% and represented 44.7% of the total export volume. Exports climbed 83.7% last month, surpassing $120 billion for the first time in history.

This monthly surge represented the largest jump in export figures since February 1974.