Rooma News: Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded for optogenetics breakthrough.

 Rooma News

Islamabad

Tuesday, 6 October 2026

By Rooma Mehmood

World news

Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded for optogenetics breakthrough

By Rooma Mehmood

American scientist Karl Deisseroth and German researchers Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel have jointly won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Their work on light-gated ion channels and the development of optogenetics allows precise control of individual nerve cells in living brains using light. The technique, now widely used in laboratories, is advancing understanding of how the brain processes information, memories and behaviour. The trio will share the prize.

Spain calls snap general election

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced early elections for 29 November after parliament rejected key housing measures. Nationwide protests over rising rents and evictions, including the high-profile case of an elderly woman, intensified pressure on his minority government.

Sánchez said a broader progressive majority is needed to address inequality and housing. Opposition parties welcomed the move; polls currently favour the centre-right.

Nigerian military plane crash kills 32

A Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 crashed in Ondo State on Monday while flying from Benin City to Lagos, killing all 32 people on board (25 passengers and 7 crew). President Bola Tinubu declared three days of national mourning and ordered a full investigation. The wreckage was found near a naval base in a swampy area.

Yemen offensive advances against Houthis

Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi air support, have pushed Houthi fighters from key positions along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and taken control of Mocha port in a large-scale operation to reclaim Houthi-held territory. Regional allies, including Pakistan and Türkiye, are coordinating under the Makkah defence framework.

Other international developments

Dozens quarantined in Siberia after a laboratory worker died at a plague research institute; authorities and the WHO say public risk appears low.

At least 22 dead after two boats collided on the Congo River in the DR Congo.

Brazil's presidential election heads to a runoff between Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro.

US forces moved B-1 bombers from a UK base following reported threats linked to Iran.

Pakistan news

UN Secretary-General arrives in Islamabad

António Guterres began a three-day visit to Pakistan today, with meetings scheduled with the President, Prime Minister and military leadership.

The agenda includes regional issues, UN cooperation, disaster preparedness and mediation efforts related to broader Middle East tensions.

Makkah Alliance activates rapid deployment

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have agreed to provide forces and capabilities for rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia under the Makkah defence pact. Retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood is the alliance's first secretary-general, for a three-year term. The move comes amid escalating regional security concerns linked to Houthi activity.

IMF talks near $1.2 billion disbursement

Discussions with the International Monetary Fund are progressing toward clearance of a $1.2 billion tranche. Sources say both sides are finalising the Memorandum of Economic and Fiscal Policies. The funds are expected to support macroeconomic stability.

PTI protest march continues

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf long march reached Kohat on its second day. Party leaders say meaningful dialogue with the government requires input from former Prime Minister Imran Khan and resolution of differences over counter-terrorism policy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The government says it remains open to talks. An anti-terrorism court has ordered Imran Khan's production in a judicial complex attack case and declared several PTI leaders proclaimed offenders.

Other national updates

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz received the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award for housing initiatives.

The Met Department forecasts rain, wind and thunderstorms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Potohar, Islamabad and upper Punjab over the next 12 hours; other regions stay hot and dry.

Security forces reported operations against militants in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The KSE-100 opened higher, gaining over 600 points in early trade.

Editorial

Dialogue over division: Pakistan's path forward

Pakistan stands at a familiar crossroads. Political temperatures are rising as one major party presses its protest march while the federal government weighs its options in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. At the same time, the country is engaging the world on multiple fronts: hosting the UN Secretary-General, activating defence commitments with key partners, and advancing critical talks with the IMF.

History has repeatedly shown that prolonged confrontation extracts a heavy price. Ordinary citizens bear the cost through disrupted daily life, economic uncertainty and delayed reforms. The recent willingness of both sides to explore dialogue, however limited, is a positive signal that must not be allowed to fade. Genuine engagement requires more than public statements; it demands flexibility on core issues, including access and policy differences that currently divide the parties.

Security challenges remain real. Cross-border threats and internal militancy demand a unified national response rather than provincial-centre friction. Likewise, the economic programme under negotiation with the IMF will succeed only if political stability underpins the hard fiscal and structural decisions ahead. Investors and ordinary Pakistanis alike need predictability.

The Makkah Alliance decisions and the UN visit offer opportunities to project Pakistan as a responsible regional actor. These openings will be strengthened, not weakened, by domestic calm. Leaders on all sides would do well to remember that the country's long-term strength rests on institutions that function, politics that remain within constitutional bounds, and a shared commitment to the public good over partisan advantage.

Restraint is not weakness. It is the foundation on which sustainable progress is built. The coming days will test whether Pakistan's political class can prioritise the nation over short-term gains. The public is watching, and waiting for results.

Rooma News · Islamabad · Edited by Rooma Mehmood