US President Donald Trump’s approval has fallen to a new low, two weeks before the midterm elections, in which the Republican Party is playing for control of Congress, according to a new poll by Ipsos, The Washington Post and ABC News.

Trump’s Attack on Mail-In Voting Seeks to Create an Advantage for Republicans: Trump Popularity Drops To Record Low Weeks Before Midterm Elections

The poll reflects the worst support figure among Americans: only 33% of those surveyed approve of his management, compared to 66% who disapprove; 52% express strong disapproval.

This approval rating (33%) is four percentage points lower than that registered last July and 12 points lower than in February 2025, when his approval registered 45%.

This is the lowest level the president has ever had, even considering any other time in his first term, The Washington Post noted.

NEW ABC News/Ipsos poll: Trump’s approval rating has plunged to 33%, down from 45% at the start of his second term. A record 66% disapprove.

Among Republicans, approval has fallen from 88% to 79%. Just 39% strongly approve of Trump, down from 63% in February 2025.

Winning! pic.twitter.com/p6kKeoJELQ

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) October 18, 2026

Among likely voters, Trump’s approval is 38 percent, while 62 percent disapprove.

Overall, the results show that voters are concerned about the cost of living and the president’s decision to go to war against Iran, which has affected the price of gasoline.

In fact, 71% of respondents consider the price of gasoline to be “unaffordable,” a figure higher than the 28% registered in February, before the war in Iran caused an increase in fuel costs.

Added to this is that 72% of respondents stated that the country is moving in the wrong direction, which represents an increase of five points compared to April.

A guide compiles images and data of 82 species of macrofungi recorded in a park in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, which harbors a diversity of these organisms fundamental to ecosystems and that often go unnoticed in urban green spaces.

Ecuador Records 15 Ant Species for the First Time: A Guide Records 82 Species of Macrofungi in a Park in the Capital of Ecuador

The work, which included the participation of researchers linked to the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), the National Institute of Biodiversity of Ecuador (Inabio) and a company focused on the study of fungi known as Mycena LLC, was carried out in the Guangüiltagua Metropolitan Park, one of Quito’s emblematic natural spaces.

🍄#NuevaPublicación | El #INABIO, en colaboración con la Reserva Ecológica Sumak Kawsay In Situ y la @ueaeduec, presentó la "Guía fotográfica y descriptiva de Macrohongos Sumak Kawsay In Situ". Descárgatela aquí: https://t.co/yO1FyJJyQD pic.twitter.com/Ca1TY2b1Hw

— INABIO.EC (@INABIO_EC) July 3, 2026

The document presents species and records from different taxonomic groups, including representatives of the orders Agaricales, Auriculariales, Boletales, Gomphales, Russulales, and Trechisporales, as reported by Inabio in a statement.

“The images allow observing the variety of forms and characteristics of the identified macrofungi, from umbrella mushroom specimens to coral-like structures and shelf fungi that grow on various substrates such as leaf litter, tree trunks, and on the ground,” added the Ecuadorian entity.

The guide offers a visual tool to recognize the variety of macrofungi in the forested area and highlights the importance of continuing to document the biodiversity of the fungi present in the natural spaces of the Ecuadorian capital.

According to Inabio, the record also represents an opportunity to bring scientific research closer to the public and encourage interest in the observation and conservation of Quito’s natural heritage.

João Veloso, the spokesman for young people camped in Lisbon’s Rossio square, has called for rent limits, repeal of the new lease law, and greater state intervention in the real estate market.

France Reports 855 Arrests in Paris After Protests: Lisbon’s Camped in Rossio Square Spokperson Asks for a Ceiling on Rents

In addition, he has proposed a general strike in Portugal to put pressure on the government of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro. “What we want are rent ceilings and an end to the new tenancy law,” sijo Veloso.

As he explained, the new regulations allow landlords to raise rents “100 or 200 euros from one year to the next,” while the previous legislation set a limit of 2%, he said.

PORTUGAL SE SUMA A LA OLA DE PROTESTAS EN EUROPA 🇵🇹🔥

Miles de manifestantes se concentraron en la plaza del Rossio, en Lisboa, para exigir el derecho a la vivienda y rechazar la precariedad laboral. La movilización cobra mayor fuerza tras la reciente represión policial en… pic.twitter.com/BnfH19r3ML

— Madelein Garcia (@madeleintlSUR) October 18, 2026

The spokesperson called for public measures to expand the supply of affordable housing. “What we also want are effective measures from the State, such as public housing, using public properties to rent to people,” he noted.

Veloso criticized the government for selling state properties to private companies, which, he denounced, then obtain significant profits from these properties.

The leader acknowledged the influence of housing protests held in Spain and France. “Of course, there is influence from the encampments in Spain and also from the mobilizations in other countries, such as in France,” he affirmed, and defended the need to coordinate mobilizations to demand measures that facilitate access to affordable housing.

The spokesman particularly urged the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP), the main Portuguese trade union, to support the call.

“It is important that the CGTP listens to the people, takes to the streets and goes on a general strike so that we can effectively confront this Government and, who knows, bring down the Montenegro Government,” he declared.

The Rossio encampment is part of youth mobilizations for the right to housing, which have also taken place in other Portuguese cities, including Porto.

Around 200 people were arrested in Belgium during demonstrations this Saturday against cuts in education, the police, the federal government, and the rise of the far-right, which ended with heavy clashes between security forces and protesters, local authorities reported today.

Belgium: Massive Anti-Fascist Protest in Brussels: Around 200 Arrested in Belgium During Protests Against Education Cuts

In Brussels, where the largest concentration occurred, 150 people were arrested. Most, 118 cases, were administrative arrests, while 32 were judicial detentions due to the alleged throwing of projectiles at the police, resistance to authority, and arson, Belgian media affirmed.

Among the 32 detainees are 15 minors, they added. The police in the Belgian capital also reported that five members of the police force were slightly injured during the demonstration.

A wave of cost-of-living, education and housing protests swept across Europe, with France at the center and violent clashes in several cities.

🇫🇷 France: About 550,000 marched nationwide; Limoges town hall and a Lyon tourist office were set on fire, around 1,800 people were…

— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 18, 2026

On the other hand, during the protest in the French-speaking city of Liège 45 other arrests were recorded, 12 of them minors. Both demonstrations began peacefully on Saturday morning, consisting of young people, teachers and trade unionists.

However, at noon there were clashes with the police during the march of the protesters, which lasted until late in the afternoon.

The police used water cannons and tear gas against participants in Brussels, while some of the protesters smashed public furniture, vehicles and set fire to a container.

Public transport was also affected in the capital, with several metro and bus lines cut off or diverted.

This Sunday, Venezuela holds the Second National Popular Consultation of 2026, the eighth since 2024, where communities vote to select state-funded development projects.

Venezuela Opens 12,769 Polling Stations for Community Vote: Venezuela Holds the Second National Popular Consultation of 2026

More than 5,418 communes will choose from 37,205 previously selected projects in community assemblies, with 11,495 polling stations open throughout the country as long as there are voters.

For the first time, condominium boards are participating. A total of 120,000 neighborhood organizations are voting on 428 projects linked to health, school rehabilitation, roads, agriculture, and sports areas.

The Bolivarian National Armed Forces deployed more than 130,000 troops from the Republic Plan to protect 12,700 polling stations.

Citizens in Caracas and communities nationwide have begun voting in the 2026 National Popular Consultation to select local development and infrastructure projects for direct community funding.

Local communities in Petare and across the Capital Region are participating in the… pic.twitter.com/net5IbRrQw

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 18, 2026

This will be the eighth National Popular Consultation since 2024, and it is supported by article 70 of the Constitution as a means of popular participation and protagonism.

The number of participation instances (communes or communal circuits) has grown from 4,000 in the first consultation of 2024 to more than 5,300 in recent consultations.

The president in charge of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, has called on the population to actively participate in the 2026 National Popular Consultation to strengthen the work of popular power and citizen participation.

“So let’s go to democracy, to participation and to the emotion that always brings us to an election. Let’s choose these projects, like one of Villa Zoila, and we will have the best results for each project,” said Rodríguez yesterday during to the community of Villa Zoila.

At least nine people died and another 16 were injured this Saturday in Saudi attacks in the province of Taiz, in southwestern Yemen, Houthi media reported amid the military escalation with the coalition led by Saudi Arabia.

At Least 67 Dead in Yemen Due Saudi Attacks: At Least Nine Killed in Saudi Attack on Southwestern Yemen

The Al Masirah television channel reported that “nine people – including women and children – have died and another 16 have been injured in a new atrocity committed by the coalition’s air force” led by Riyadh.

It accused the coalition of attacking “civilian homes” with four bombings in the Humayr al Jabal area, in the Maqbanah district, located in the northwest of Taiz province.

The channel added that “several civilians remain trapped under the rubble of their homes,” while rescue efforts are “being hampered.”

🇸🇦⚡️🇾🇪 ⚠️ Saudi attacks on Taiz's old airport after Yemeni forces made progress on various fronts in western Taiz. pic.twitter.com/6rnwgtJaZd

— #Inside_News (@insider_der) October 17, 2026

So far, the military coalition has not commented on the matter, and the attack could not be independently verified.

For its part, the Yemeni Army claimed to have launched 1,417 “precise and direct attacks in the last 24 hours, using combat aircraft, drones, field artillery and multiple rocket launch systems” against the Houthis, as part of the “Dawn of Yemen” counteroffensive.

Military spokesman Majid al Nuzaili stated in a statement that the operations resulted in approximately “800 casualties – among dead and injured, as well as the destruction or disabling of more than 190 vehicles.”

He assured that in Taiz the Armed Forces “heroically repelled successive waves of attacks, while combat aviation precisely struck the positions and reinforcements of the militias, inflicting serious losses in both personnel and equipment,” but maintained that these attacks “are strictly limited to legitimate military targets.”

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the military coalition led by Saudi Arabia announced this Saturday on his X account that they intercepted and destroyed four drones in the Riyadh, eastern and southern Saudi regions in recent hours, without specifying concrete points.

The Yemeni Army maintains its counteroffensive against the rebels, which has air cover from Saudi Arabia, a country that in turn is the target of Houthi attacks for its participation in the Yemeni war since 2015 at the head of a military coalition in support of the internationally recognized government.

Guatemalan lawyer and former anti-corruption prosecutor Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa was shot dead this Saturday by several hitmen in a sports complex in the capital of Guatemala, while playing soccer, official sources reported.

Guatemala Reports 137 Bodies Abandoned in Plastic Bags, Sheets and Sacks in 2026: Former Anti-Corruption Prosecutor of Guatemala Murdered on a Soccer Field

Solórzano Foppa, who was director of Criminal Analysis (2013-2016) of the Public Ministry and head of the Superintendency of Tax Administration (2016-2018), gained notoriety for leading criminal intelligence in high-impact investigations —including key expert reports in the ‘La Línea’ case that forced the resignation of President Otto Pérez Molina in 2015— and for taking on the defense of imprisoned journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín.

🚨 #URGENTE | Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa, exfiscal del Ministerio Público y exsuperintendente de Administración Tributaria (SAT), figura entre las dos víctimas mortales reportadas tras un ataque armado ocurrido esta mañana en el interior de Campo Marte, zona 5 de la Ciudad de… pic.twitter.com/eZ9oLUP8Nj

— Canal Antigua (@CanalAntigua) October 17, 2026

The armed attack occurred this Saturday morning at the Campo Marte facilities, a busy sports complex located in the east of the Guatemalan capital, when armed men burst onto the field where the victim was playing sports and shot him at point-blank range.

In the incident, a second person, not immediately identified by the authorities, also died, while police officers and forensic experts cordoned off the scene to begin investigations.

During his time at the tax institution, Solórzano Foppa promoted judicial interventions and inspections that forced important companies and industries to pay millions in evaded taxes, which allowed for historical collections in the fight against tax evasion and fraud.

In 2023, he was arrested and prosecuted for obstruction of criminal action and unfaithful sponsorship, in a case directly linked to the legal defense of Zamora Marroquín, founder of the defunct newspaper ‘elPeriódico’.

Venezuela’s acting Delcy Rodríguez, announced the Plan Venezuela Alimenta and the draft of a Communal Economy Law, an initiative to coordinate the productive sectors, including communes, entrepreneurs and agribusiness, to eradicate hunger and strengthen territorial food security.

Venezuela’s Acting President Rodriguez Meets with FAO Director: Venezuela Promotes Venezuela Feeds Plan and Local Economy Law to Achieve “Hunger 0”

“We have just arrived from Rome, from our participation in the World Food Summit, and I have to tell the Venezuelan people, very responsibly, we are very close again to the Zero Hunger goal,” she reiterated.

At the same time, she explained that this alliance seeks to consolidate an efficient model that guarantees access to food in every corner of the national territory.

“From there I announced the Venezuela Feeds Plan, where we are going to coordinate all productive spaces, from the commune, businesses, agribusiness, to achieve this goal that is so human, so extraordinarily vital, such as the right to food and Zero Hunger,” Rodríguez highlighted.

La tierra es fuente de vida y esperanza. 🇻🇪🌱

En el Día Mundial de la Alimentación, reconocemos el esfuerzo de nuestros campesinos, agricultores, ganaderos, pescadores y trabajadores de la agroindustria, quienes hacen posible que los alimentos lleguen a las mesas de nuestro… pic.twitter.com/MYe6P2oOby

— Miraflores Al Momento (@MirafloresAM) October 16, 2026

On her return from the FAO summit in Rome, President Rodríguez announced in Caracas that she had requested technical cooperation to strengthen the Plan Venezuela Alimenta.

The Head of State announced the upcoming presentation of a new legislative project: the Local Economy Law, an instrument that will integrate the current Communal Economy regulations to boost community production from the grassroots.

“(…) We are going to present a new Law, which is the Local Economy Law, which includes the Communal Economy Law, all community, local, territorialized efforts, in this supreme objective which is Zero Hunger for Venezuela (…), we will achieve it very soon. Before 2030 we will be meeting this goal,” affirmed the National President.

Rodriguez also urged participation in the popular consultation on 18 October, where more than 37,000 projects will be voted. In addition, he reported that the Communal Economy Law will be expanded to include other productive actors.

Several hundred people protested in Kyiv this Saturday to demand the resignation of the city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, due to criticism of his management and the alleged lack of preparedness of the city for winter.

European Union Leaders Pledge Continued Support for Ukraine: Protests Against Kyev Mayor Due Lack of Winter Preparation

The protest was organized by representatives of civil organizations, activists, and veterans who denounce systemic problems in the management of the Ukrainian capital, according to the public broadcaster Suspilne.

In their opinion, Klitschko has not ensured adequate preparation of the city for autumn and winter. In front of the State Administration building, protesters carried banners with slogans such as “Klitschko, resign!” or “Your inaction is costing Kyiv residents their lives!”.

But they also expressed their discontent over the increase in municipal public transport fares, the destruction of green areas and their transfer for urban development projects, as well as insufficient funding for the Ukrainian army from the municipal budget.

Ukrainians took to Kiev's City Hall in a massive protest, demanding Mayor Vitali Klitschko's resignation.

Follow Press TV on Telegram: https://t.co/1ymjeez4mJ pic.twitter.com/FQdiZMJHte

— PressTV Extra (@PresstvExtra) October 17, 2026

Protesters chanted slogans such as “Kyiv without Klitschko” and “Shame!”, according to Suspilne, which also highlighted that some residents came to the protest to express their support for the mayor.

“Klitschko is our mayor” and “Hands off Klitschko,” read the banners of his supporters, according to the Interfax-Ukraine agency, which states that the protest, at its peak, gathered up to a thousand participants.

On the eve of the demonstration, Klitschko’s Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR) faction had asked residents of the capital to avoid mass gatherings this Saturday, citing the security situation and the threat of Russian attacks.

Ukraine’s prime minister, Sergei Koretsky, described the energy situation in Kyiv as “one of the most difficult” due to increasing Russian attacks. Mayor Vitali Klichkó had previously advised residents to evacuate temporarily.

President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the municipal authorities for their alleged ineffectiveness in protecting energy infrastructure, to which Klichko replied that air defense was not the city’s responsibility and that they could not prevent the effects of Russian attacks.

Hundreds of young people gathered this Saturday morning at Brussels Central Station to the rhythm of anti-fascist slogans and other slogans rejecting the police, who have deployed a strong presence in the surroundings, local media reported.

Belgium Takes Over NATO Air Defense Mission in Iceland: Belgium: Massive Anti-Fascist Protest in Brussels

The young people, among whom there are also teachers and trade unionists, according to the Belga news agency, began a march peacefully towards Brussels South station in the middle of the morning and followed by a large police deployment.

This noon, after several blockades by the police that prevented the demonstrators from continuing the march, the situation became “chaotic”, the media pointed out. The police deployed water cannons and tear gas, while the protesters used construction fences to protect themselves and continue advancing.

As a result of the disturbances, several accesses to Brussels South station remain temporarily closed.

At Liege station, east of Brussels, another group of young people demonstrated who, according to Belgian media, expressed their concern about cuts in education, as well as working conditions, public services and social inequality.

Tear gas and water cannons unleashed as education funding protest sparks clashes in Brussels

Around 500 to 600 demonstrators gather for a march against education funding policies.

Anti-fascist activists join the protest, with some hurling projectiles and advancing behind metal… pic.twitter.com/8MMzfJMaiO

— Viory Video (@vioryvideo) October 17, 2026

This Friday, several calls for protests in the Belgian capital were reported through social networks, including French-speaking students and other movements linked to the ‘yellow vests’ in France.

For his part, the mayor of Brussels, the socialist Philippe Close, declared that none of the demonstrations expected for this Saturday had official authorization.

These protests are in addition to the day of demonstrations by various groups organized today in France, where the Ministry of the Interior has counted “some 500 actions” and “more than 90 demonstrations” throughout the country.

The Egyptian Parliament will hold an extraordinary plenary session this Sunday at the request of Egyptian President Abdelfatah al Sisi, who awaits authorization from the legislative body for a possible military intervention in support of Saudi Arabia in the face of the escalating conflict with the Yemeni Houthi.

Yemeni Forces Launch Preventive Operation Against Saudi Positions in Jizan: Egyptian Parliament Calls for Urgent Session to Intervene in Support of Saudi A.

The General Secretariat of the House of Representatives, a body largely controlled by legislators aligned with the president, announced that an extraordinary plenary session will be held this Sunday at the request of the Egyptian president at 1:00 p.m. (10:00 GMT), according to a brief statement disseminated by the official Egyptian news agency, MENA.

This Saturday, the Egyptian president assured that Egypt would take any measure to defend Saudi Arabia, and asked the Egyptian Parliament to hold an extraordinary session to support a possible intervention if necessary.

🔴 President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has directed the Egyptian parliament to convene in an emergency session to grant the armed forces the necessary authorization to protect and support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states if requested

🔴 He emphasized that this move is… pic.twitter.com/YP1APK2oMw

— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) October 17, 2026

“Egypt will continue to support the directives” of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Bin Salman, the Egyptian president said during a speech at the graduation ceremony for new classes of students from the Egyptian Military Academy.

“We are ready to take any measure to protect and defend you. I know that this matter requires authorization from the Egyptian Parliament, and I hope that the Parliament will hold an extraordinary session to grant us that authorization, if it becomes necessary,” said the Egyptian president.

He then clarified that “he is not talking about fighting anyone or attacking anyone”: “We are only talking about defense.”

These statements come amid the regional challenges facing Saudi Arabia, with an offensive by the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have launched attacks against Saudi airports and oil facilities.

Al Sisi has reiterated on several occasions that he considers the security of the Persian Gulf, the stability of its neighboring countries, and the protection of maritime routes to be part of the same strategic framework.

Pope Leo XIV left Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic hospital this Saturday after being discharged following his operation for a cancerous lung tumor, and has returned to the Vatican where he will lead the Angelus prayer tomorrow, Sunday.

Vatican Confirms Successful Lung Surgery for Pope Leo XIV: Leo XIV Discharged From Hospital to Return to the Vatican

The 71-year-old Pope left the hospital walking normally, smiling, and greeting patients and faithful gathered at the main door of Gemelli. After stopping for a few minutes to chat with a girl and her family, he got into the car that took him to the Vatican.

Before leaving the hospital, the pontiff celebrated mass at noon in a room in the area where he had been admitted since Tuesday the 13th, the day of his hospitalization and operation.

🇻🇦 Pope Leo XIV departs Rome’s Gemelli Hospital pic.twitter.com/SpvzXLMMrA

— Imperial Material ♚ (@implmaterial) October 17, 2026

News of the American-Peruvian Pope’s discharge generated great anticipation and gathered dozens of faithful at the doors of the health center, who joined the numerous media outlets that have been following the pontiff’s operation and recovery from outside Gemelli.

Tomorrow, Sunday, Leo XIV will reappear on the balcony of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican to lead the Angelus prayer, exactly one week after he announced, from that same spot, that he needed surgery for a nodule detected in his lung.

The pontiff was hospitalized and operated on Tuesday the 13th in the afternoon, and the lower lobe of his right lung was removed due to adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer, in an operation that lasted 90 minutes.