Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Asim Iftikhar Ahmad held talks with Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of the United Nations Office for Project Services, as diplomatic efforts intensify to contain the economic and humanitarian fallout of the US-Israel war on Iran across the Middle East. According to Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, the two sides &ldquo;exchanged views on the evolving situation in the Middle East&rdquo; and reviewed ongoing United Nations efforts aimed at promoting peace, humanitarian relief and regional stability. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2052974950579855592&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=eac3326042f26325c5e276537660d3a625c7c448&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 745px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" spellcheck="false">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The meeting comes as the region faces mounting pressure from a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, renewed maritime tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and widening disruptions to energy supplies, shipping routes and humanitarian operations. Pakistan has emerged as a key diplomatic channel in recent weeks, facilitating exchanges between Washington and Tehran as both sides weigh proposals aimed at ending the conflict and preventing wider regional escalation.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan’s UN envoy Asim Iftikhar Ahmad and UN official Jorge Moreira da Silva review peace and humanitarian efforts in the Middle East as Islamabad continues diplomatic engagement to support regional stability and relief operations.

Pakistan, UN review peace and humanitarian efforts in Middle East

CARACAS: Powerful twin earthquakes that shook Venezuela killed at least 32 people and injured more than 700, interim president Delcy Rodriguez said on Thursday. &quot;At this time, we have received reports of 32 deaths&quot; and &quot;more than 700 injured,&quot; Rodriguez said in an address to the nation, adding she did not yet have data on the &quot;hardest-hit region&quot; of La Guaira, located near the capital. On Wednesday, Rodriguez declared a state of emergency as two massive earthquakes caused buildings in the capital to crumble and forced the closure of the country&#39;s main airport, prompting US President Donald Trump to offer aid. Delcy Rodriguez said 20 aftershocks had followed the earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, which struck the same area of Venezuela, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The quakes triggered panic in the capital and drove people into the streets, AFP journalists saw. &quot;The stairs came away, the whole wall cracked. Things fell from the ceiling. It was horrible,&quot; said 54-year-old bank employee Odalis Escalona. It remained unknown if there were fatalities, but some people were injured, and buildings had collapsed, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said. Trump said late Wednesday that &quot;the two major earthquakes that just hit the great people of Venezuela are both massive in scale and have left a devastating number of deaths.&quot; &quot;The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help! I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly,&quot; the American president wrote on his Truth Social platform. &quot;We will be there for our new and great friends. Early reports are not good!!!&quot; An AFP journalist saw a 22-story building destroyed in the capital&#39;s Altamira neighborhood, where people cried out relatives&#39; names as volunteers climbed over the rubble. &quot;We need flashlights,&quot; one of them said. The first quake, with an epicenter 21 kilometers (13 miles) west of the coastal town of Moron, occurred at 2204 GMT, USGS said. Within a minute, a 7.5-magnitude quake struck about 45 kilometers away. &quot;This earthquake was the second event in a doublet. This magnitude 7.5 mainshock was preceded by 39 seconds by a 7.2 foreshock,&quot; USGS said. Cabello asked people to leave their homes, adding that gas supplies had been cut to several buildings as a precaution. &quot;We have some damaged structures and we don&#39;t want any kind of accident involving gas to occur,&quot; he said. The Maiquetia International Airport, located near Caracas, was closed due to &quot;serious damage&quot; to its infrastructure, Rodriguez said, with social media posts showing its severely damaged facilities. &#39;We couldn&#39;t get out&#39;The tremors struck at a depth of 22 kilometers and 10 kilometers, respectively. They prompted screams of panic at a shopping center in Caracas, an AFP journalist observed. &quot;It was unbelievable, I don&#39;t even know how long it lasted,&quot; said shopkeeper Heidi Romero, who was on the top floor when the quake struck. &quot;We went out through the emergency stairs; that&#39;s how they got us out,&quot; the 42-year-old told AFP. Dozens more in the capital exited buildings and waited outside before returning to their offices and homes. Carmen Guedez, 69, was in the same room as her bedridden sister when she felt the jolt. &quot;It kept getting stronger,&quot; said the administrator, who lives in a hilly middle-class neighborhood above the capital. &quot;I started to see the windows begin to move and then everything shook.&quot; She described how she &quot;huddled together&quot; with her sister and a neighbor, adding that &quot;we couldn&#39;t get out. The neighbors are still out on the street.&quot; The states of Trujillo, Carabobo, Miranda and La Guaira were the hardest hit, according to Cabello. Further afieldThe quake was felt as far away as the Colombian capital of Bogota, where alarms sounded and some residents evacuated buildings as a precaution. Freddy Tovar, coordinator of Colombia&#39;s National Seismological Network, said they had received more than 200 reports of tremors nationwide. &quot;The conditions of this seismic event mean that some aftershocks may occur, which could also be widely felt across Colombian territory,&quot; he said in a video posted on X. The Colombian disaster management agency UNGRD ruled out the possibility of a tsunami taking place in the aftermath. &quot;NO tsunami, NO danger from a recent earthquake,&quot; the US National Tsunami Warning Center said in an X post. The strongest tremors in earthquake-prone Venezuela&#39;s recent history occurred in the northeast in 1997, killing 73 people, and in Caracas in 1967, when 236 people died. Shortly after the twin quakes on Wednesday, a 7.2-magnitude tremor hit northern Japan, the country&#39;s weather agency said, with no casualties or material damage reported.

Americas

Interim president says 20 aftershocks followed the earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, which struck the same area of Venezuela, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

At least 32 dead, more than 700 injured in Venezuela quakes: interim president

MONTERREY, MEXICO: South Africa beat South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday to reach the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in their history -- an astonishing turnaround after a dismal opening defeat. The Bafana Bafana, playing in a World Cup for the first time since they hosted it in 2010, were widely written off after their 2-0 loss to Group A winners Mexico in the tournament&#39;s curtain-raiser. But they battled to a draw against the Czech Republic and came out on top of what was effectively a shootout with South Korea for second place in Monterrey, thanks to Thapelo Maseko&#39;s second-half strike. South Africa coach Hugo Broos said it was difficult to put his side&#39;s achievement into words. &quot;We scored that goal, and it was 20 minutes of heartbeating and hoping that the game would be finished as soon as possible,&quot; said the Belgian. &quot;So yes, we are in the second round. It&#39;s historic. But I&#39;m very happy for the guys. I&#39;ve worked with them for five years. And what we did in those five years is amazing.&quot; South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo made a shock call by leaving captain Son Heung-min -- considered by many to be Asia&#39;s greatest-ever player -- out of the starting line-up. The Asian team started strongly, with stand-in captain Kim Min-jae&#39;s powerful header blocked on the goalline by Aubrey Modiba before Lee Kang-in flashed wide. South Africa quickly settled, playing with hunger and adventure, but their finishing was wasteful. They seemed certain to take the lead in the 30th minute when the ball fell to Evidence Makgopa after South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu parried Thalente Mbatha&#39;s shot. But Makgopa could only tamely poke the ball straight at the goalkeeper from close range. Son came on at the start of the second half, one of three changes made by coach Hong as he sought to change the script. Early in the second period, Maseko squandered another good position while South Korea forward Oh Hyeon-gyu tested goalkeeper Ronwen Williams at the other end. As news filtered through from Mexico City that the host nation were leading against the Czech Republic, there was an added sense of urgency. South Africa seized their moment with Tshepang Moremi crossing to Maseko, who this time kept his cool, firing home inside the near post in the 63rd minute. South Korea pushed hard in the closing stages but ran out of time, meaning South Africa will face co-hosts Canada in Los Angeles on June 28. Co-hosts Mexico topped the group with nine points after winning all three of their matches.

South African players celebrate the 1-0 victory in the 2026 World Cup Group A football match between South Africa and South Korea at the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, on June 24, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Football

South Africa beat South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday to reach the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in their history -- an astonishing turnaround after a dismal opening defeat.

South Africa stun South Korea to make World Cup history

This live blog follows the latest developments across the Middle East crisis, including regional diplomacy, maritime security, ceasefire negotiations, and economic fallout.<hr style="line-height: 2;">Catch up: Yesterday&rsquo;s top developments<ul style="list-style-type: square;"><li id="isPasted" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2;"><a href="http://Trump%20tells%20Rutte%20he%20was%20'let%20down'%20by%20NATO%20countries%20on%20Iran" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trump tells Rutte he was &#39;let down&#39; by NATO countries on Iran</a></li><li id="isPasted" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2;"><a href="https://pakistantv.com/article/middle-east-live-june-24-2026#:~:text=US%20energy%20secretary%20says%2020%20million%20barrels%20of%20oil%20exited%20Hormuz%20in%20last%2024%20hours" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">US energy secretary says 20 million barrels of oil exited Hormuz in last 24 hours</a></li><li id="isPasted" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2;"><a href="https://pakistantv.com/article/middle-east-live-june-24-2026#:~:text=Rubio%20says%20%27no%20country%27%20supports%20imposing%20fees%20in%20Hormuz%20strait" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rubio says &#39;no country&#39; supports imposing fees in Hormuz strait</a></li><li id="isPasted" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2;"><a href="https://pakistantv.com/article/middle-east-live-june-24-2026#:~:text=Pakistan%2C%20China%20reaffirm%20support%20for%20Iran%2DUS%20peace%20process" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pakistan, China reaffirm support for Iran-US peace process</a></li><li id="isPasted" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2;"><a href="http://Qatar%20Amir%20congratulates%20Pakistan%20on%20historic%20US-Iran%20peace%20agreement" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Qatar Amir congratulates Pakistan on historic US-Iran peace agreement</a></li></ul><hr style="line-height: 2;"> Five South Korean ships cross Strait of Hormuz as passage restrictions ease furtherPublished: June 25, 2026 | 02:16 GMT | by Web Desk&nbsp; South Korea has said that five more South Korean-run vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the latest sign that restrictions on passage are easing, Al Jazeera reported. The ministry said 13 South Korean ships remain in the strait. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> Iran accuses NATO of complicity in US and Israel&rsquo;s &lsquo;unlawful war&rsquo;Published: June 25, 2026 | 01:47 GMT | by Web Desk The spokesman for Iran&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused NATO of &ldquo;complicity in an unlawful war of aggression&rdquo; after the alliance&rsquo;s chief said European allies had helped support the US and Israel&rsquo;s strikes on Iran, Al Jazeera reported.&nbsp; Esmaeil Baghaei said that Secretary-General Mark Rutte&rsquo;s remarks were &ldquo;a clear and damning admission of NATO&rsquo;s active complicity&rdquo; in the war. Baghaei said that NATO and the individual member states that took part &ldquo;must be held accountable for all the consequences&rdquo;. Italy and Romania are among those that should explain &ldquo;why they chose to collude&rdquo;. Speaking to Fox News earlier, Rutte said Italy had allowed 500 US aircraft to take off from US bases on its soil to &ldquo;support&rdquo; Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;Operation Epic Fury&rdquo; against Iran, while the Romanian capital, Bucharest, had to cut flights because &ldquo;they had to use the airports for tanker facilities&rdquo;. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> Trump says Washington &lsquo;doing great&rsquo; in negotiations with IranPublished: June 25, 2026 | 00:00 GMT | by AFP US President Donald Trump said that Washington was &quot;doing great&quot; in negotiations with Iran, adding that he wouldn&rsquo;t accept any fees being imposed on vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz. &ldquo;It would be unacceptable,&rdquo; he told reporters at the White House. Trump noted that there are other international straits and said he &ldquo;wouldn&rsquo;t allow it there either,&rdquo; adding that it would be a &ldquo;game-changer.&rdquo; Separately, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised Gulf allies that Washington would protect their interests in talks with Iran. During a visit to Kuwait City, Rubio said Washington would be on the same page as Gulf states as it wrangles with Iran over a permanent settlement to the conflict. &quot;We&#39;re going to be completely aligned with our partners in the Gulf,&quot; he said, adding that the United States would &quot;engage them on conversations about every decision that&#39;s made with regards to this negotiation.&quot; Earlier, Iran&#39;s&nbsp;top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that the agreement, reached with the help of Pakistani mediation, was &quot;the result of the resistance and authority of the brave Iranian nation.&quot; <hr style="line-height: 2;">For earlier developments, read our June 24 live blog&nbsp;<a href="https://pakistantv.com/article/middle-east-live-june-24-2026" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">here</a>.

Middle East

Says wouldn’t accept any fees being imposed on vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz; US Secretary of State Rubio promises Gulf allies that Washington would protect their interests in talks with Iran; Ghalibaf says agreement reached with the help of Pakistani mediation, was the result of the resistance, authority of the "brave Iranian nation."





Trump says Washington ‘doing great’ in negotiations with Iran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday underscored the need for concrete measures to safeguard children in conflict zones, urging sustained investment in rehabilitation, reintegration, and psycho-social support programs to restore dignity, rebuild futures, and prevent cycles of re-recruitment. According to a statement issued on the X account of Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Mission to the UN, the statement called for vigilant oversight and ending impunity for violators; protection of schools from attacks and military use; and reinforcement of safe education systems in conflict zones. The statement, quoting Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Permanent Representative of the UN, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, said that compliance must be ensured with International Humanitarian Law, Convention on the Rights of Child, and the principles of international law.&nbsp; &ldquo;The rapid surge in armed conflicts all over the world has exposed them to a host of grave violations ranging from killing and maiming, and attacks on schools and hospitals, to denial of humanitarian access,&rdquo; the ambassador said, according to the statement. Citing Israel&rsquo;s more than 12,000 incidences of grave violations against children in occupied Palestinian territory in one year, the ambassador said that plight of children in situations of foreign occupation continues to worsen.&nbsp; The ambassador said that to comprehensively redress the plight of children, there was a need to focus on eliminating root causes and prioritizing preventive diplomacy, conflict resolution and dispute settlement by peaceful means. The ambassador said that Pakistan would continue to work constructively to ensure that collective efforts translate into a safe and prosperous future for children.

Pakistan at UNSC stress protection for children in conflict zones, investment in rehabilitation

CARACAS: Two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck the same area of Venezuela on Wednesday evening, causing buildings to collapse, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and AFP journalists. The quakes sowed panic in the capital, Caracas, driving people into the streets. It was unknown if there were fatalities, but some buildings collapsed and roofs crumbled, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said. &quot;The stairs came away, the whole wall cracked. Things fell from the ceiling. It was horrible,&quot; said 54-year-old bank employee Odalis Escalona in Caracas. An AFP journalist saw a 22-story building completely destroyed in the capital&#39;s Altamira neighborhood. People outside shouted out the names of relatives as volunteers climbed over the rubble. &quot;We need flashlights,&quot; one of them said. The first quake, with an epicenter 21 kilometers (13 miles) west of the coastal town of Moron, occurred at 2204 GMT, USGS said. Within a minute, a 7.5-magnitude quake struck about 45 kilometers away. &quot;This earthquake was the second event in a doublet. This magnitude 7.5 mainshock was preceded by 39 seconds by a 7.2 foreshock,&quot; USGS said. Cabello asked people to leave their homes, adding that gas supplies had been cut to several buildings as a precaution. &quot;We have some damaged structures and we don&#39;t want any kind of accident involving gas to occur,&quot; he said. At a depth of 10 kilometers, the second tremor prompted screams of panic at a shopping center in Caracas, an AFP journalist observed. The epicenter of the first quake was a depth of 22 kilometers. &quot;It was unbelievable, I don&#39;t even know how long it lasted,&quot; said shopkeeper Heidi Romero, who was on the top floor of the shopping center when the quake struck. &quot;We went out through the emergency stairs; that&#39;s how they got us out,&quot; the 42-year-old told AFP. &#39;Huddled together&#39;&nbsp;Dozens more in the capital exited buildings and waited outside before returning to their offices and homes. Carmen Guedez, 69, was in the same room as her bedridden sister when she felt the jolt. &quot;It kept getting stronger,&quot; said the administrator, who lives in a hilly middle-class neighborhood above the capital. &quot;I started to see the windows begin to move and then everything shook.&quot; She described how she &quot;huddled together&quot; with her sister and a neighbor, adding that &quot;we couldn&#39;t get out. The neighbors are still out on the street.&quot; The quake was felt as far away as the Colombian capital of Bogota, where alarms sounded and some residents evacuated buildings as a precaution. Freddy Tovar, coordinator of Colombia&#39;s National Seismological Network, said they had received more than 200 reports of tremors nationwide. &quot;The conditions of this seismic event mean that some aftershocks may occur, which could also be widely felt across Colombian territory,&quot; he said in a video posted on X. The Colombian disaster management agency UNGRD ruled out the possibility of a tsunami taking place in the aftermath. &quot;NO tsunami, NO danger from a recent earthquake,&quot; the US National Tsunami Warning Center said in an X post.

It was unknown if there were fatalities, but some buildings collapsed and roofs crumbled, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said.



Twin earthquakes in Venezuela destroy buildings, sow panic

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky &mdash; whom he previously said lacked the &quot;cards&quot; to win &mdash; is doing well in the war against invading Russian forces. &quot;He&#39;s doing pretty well. He&#39;s holding his own, at least. A lot of people dying on both sides, but I think he&#39;s doing pretty well,&quot; Trump said of Zelensky in remarks to journalists in the Oval Office. &quot;You have to say he&#39;s courageous, he&#39;s got great equipment, but he&#39;s got great men, he&#39;s got fighters.&quot; Analysts say Ukraine is increasingly holding up well on the battlefield but its cities are still the target of deadly Russian attacks in a conflict that has now lasted longer than World War I. Trump and Zelensky most recently met during the G7 summit in France, where leaders agreed to intensify pressure on Russia to end more than four years of war with Ukraine. Afterward, Zelensky posted to Twitter that he was &quot;grateful to President Trump for his attention to Ukraine and his readiness to help bring peace closer.&quot; Trump came out of the meeting voicing a renewed interest in reimposing sanctions on Russian oil. Prior to the G7, Washington had imposed and then extended a sanctions waiver for Russian oil cargoes already at sea, troubling European allies.

Europe

Analysts say Ukraine is increasingly holding up well on the battlefield but its cities are still the target of deadly Russian attacks in a conflict that has now lasted longer than World War I.

Trump says Ukraine's Zelensky doing 'pretty well' against Russia

GENEVA: The first global regulations for fully autonomous vehicles were adopted on Wednesday, a UN agency said, establishing uniform international safety requirements that could pave the way for large-scale rollouts of self-driving cars. Safety concerns and the cost of developing next-level systems have long slowed progress on autonomous vehicles. As self-driving cars have begun to hit the road in a growing number of cities, the fragmented national approaches to regulation have spurred manufacturer fears that vehicles developed for one market could be blocked from others. In a bid to address that issue, a meeting of the World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations at the United Nations in Geneva decided to introduce a global regulatory framework for vehicles equipped with fully Autonomous Driving Systems (ADS). The forum brings together dozens of countries, carmakers, and technology giants. &quot;The global regulatory landscape has reached a decisive milestone,&quot; said the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the forum&#39;s umbrella organization that counts 56 member states in Europe, North America, and Asia. &#39;Really big step&#39;The new regulatory framework, which does not cover assisted systems, comes at a time when the market is heating up especially for so-called &quot;robotaxis&quot;, driverless cars loaded with sensors. In China and the United States combined, private robotaxi fleets more than doubled in 2025 to reach 8,000 vehicles across more than two dozen major cities, according to a May report by the International Energy Agency (IEA). By 2035, the IEA forecasts there will be between 700,000 and three million robotaxis in 40 to 80 major cities. The global regulations aim to &quot;to strengthen trust among governments, industry and the public by ensuring that automated systems everywhere meet rigorous ... safety standards&quot;, UNECE said. &quot;This is a really big step,&quot; said Richard Damm, chair of the UNECE Working Party on Automated/Autonomous and Connected Vehicles (GRVA) behind the proposal. &quot;It&#39;s very important, as automation will be one of the future technologies we will see on the road,&quot; he told AFP. The new framework will require manufacturers to ensure testing meets strict credibility criteria, and also to implement audited safety governance and processes throughout the ADS lifecycle. They would also need to provide evidence that their system &quot;poses no unreasonable risk&quot;, UNECE said, and would be required to provide continuous performance monitoring. The vehicles must also record and store safety-relevant ADS data. January 2027 targetThe move was backed by all the major auto markets, including the United States, China, the European Union, Japan, and Britain, the organization said, voicing confidence that the worldwide deployment would be speedy. &quot;We expect it to enter into force in January 2027,&quot; GRVA secretary Francois Guichard told AFP, adding that a few manufacturers &quot;are already in the starting blocks&quot;. Under the complex system of international vehicle regulations, identical sets of rules were adopted in two separate votes on Wednesday, according to UNECE. They will be included in two existing international agreements, adhered to by separate and partially overlapping groups of countries. More than half of the 62 state parties to a 1958 agreement took part in Wednesday&#39;s vote and agreed unanimously to implement the new rules. Under this agreement, autonomous vehicles produced in one of the countries can be sold without further controls in the others. The United States, Canada, and China, not parties to the first agreement, were among 13 countries to vote to add the same set of regulations to a 1998 agreement, which is similar but does not provide for mutual recognition between countries. Damm stressed that bringing all the big players on board had not meant weakening safety requirements. &quot;This regulation is not a compromise on safety,&quot; he said.

Artificial Intelligence

Gadgets

The UN adopts the first global regulations for fully autonomous vehicles, establishing uniform international safety standards. Backed by major auto markets, the framework requires strict testing, safety oversight, and performance monitoring, with implementation expected from January 2027.

First global rules adopted for self-driving cars: UN

PARIS: Cracked bones, humiliation, sexual assault: Pro-Palestinian activists recounted the abuse they say they suffered from Israeli authorities for taking part in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla last month, which has sparked multiple investigations and international outcry. France, Italy and Australia have launched probes into the allegations of abuse, which Israeli authorities deny, after more than 430 activists from around the world were detained during the latest attempt by an aid flotilla to break the blockade of the war-battered Gaza Strip. French nationals Meriem Hadjal, Noe Tissot and Malika Baouya were on the boat Peluxo carrying school supplies, infant formula and medicines when Israeli speedboats intercepted them in international waters. The activists said they were taken from the boat and violently herded together at sea onto what some called the &quot;torture prison ship.&quot; &quot;I was dragged by the arm and lifted with my hands tied behind my back. I screamed in pain, I thought my arm had been torn off,&quot; said nurse Baouya. &quot;We walked with our heads down, hands behind our necks. We were made to lie on the floor, in stagnant seawater. Men were tased,&quot; she added. Stripped to little clothing and fitted with numbered wristbands, the activists, backs bent and limbs shackled, say they were led one by one towards a dark container. &#39;Afraid they would kill me&#39;&quot;When the door opened, I saw a fellow prisoner lying on the floor with his trousers down,&quot; said Hadjal, 38. &quot;A soldier started groping my breasts... I was slapped hard. Then again. Some soldiers tried to push me towards the back of the container. I was afraid they would kill me.&quot; Baouya said she saw an activist on the ground being beaten before three men grabbed her. One soldier &quot;lifted me by my hair,&quot; while another &quot;tried to rip off my underwear,&quot; she said. An Israeli military official told AFP that the flotilla members were under the guard of a special unit of the country&#39;s prison service. &quot;A designated area was established with all of the necessities for the participants aboard the landing craft and secured by special Israel Prison Service personnel,&quot; the official said. Israel&#39;s penitentiary service did not respond to AFP&#39;s requests for comment. Speaking to AFP in Melbourne, Australia, activist Violet Coco said soldiers had laughed as they &quot;bashed&quot; her, hitting her in the head and kicking her repeatedly. Her hand was injured as she tried to protect herself from their blows, she said. &quot;They were groping into my private parts, and I ended up with bruises on my breasts and other places.&quot; The activists were confined for several days to a part of the ship&#39;s deck surrounded by containers topped with barbed wire, visible in a highly criticised video released by Israel&#39;s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir. There, Baouya, who says she suffered a cervical spine fracture after the ordeal, was with &quot;around a hundred others with dishevelled hair and bloodied faces.&quot; Hadjal, who says her foot was injured, said she saw another detainee &quot;come out of the torture container with a swollen face, in a state of shock.&quot; The activists said they slept on the freezing metal and wood floors of the containers, lacking water, hygiene and food, as seawater seeped everywhere. They accused soldiers of aiming stun grenades and rubber bullets at them. &#39;Speaking out&#39;The activists were taken ashore in Israel and detained in Ktziot prison, where they said they met further abuse. Security personnel &quot;were insulting us, making animal noises and hitting us with their rifle butts&quot; as we arrived near the port, 32-year-old Tissot told officers of France&#39;s crimes against humanity unit. Inside a tent, &quot;a soldier landed a massive punch on my head and ribs&quot;, cracking one, he said in his official statement. Back in Germany after his release, 29-year-old social worker Johannes Happel told AFP his head had been &quot;slammed against a tent pole&quot; and he &quot;saw a friend being punched and repeatedly thrown to the ground.&quot; &quot;Cruel, sadistic and inhumane are the adjectives that spring to mind for everything I saw,&quot; he added. Another Australian activist, Neve O&#39;Connor, described being forcefully taken off the boat and thrown onto a concrete floor. &quot;All you can hear is the Israeli national anthem as they&#39;re playing it on repeat,&quot; she said. &quot;It&#39;s so loud, and you can hear your friends screaming.&quot; &quot;What we experienced, protected by our passports, is just a taste of what Palestinian prisoners go through,&quot; said Hadjal, who sees her testimony as &quot;a weapon.&quot; Baouya, who will give evidence in the French investigation, said she and others were &quot;speaking out not for ourselves, but for the Palestinians.&quot;

Pro-Palestinian activists, detained after a Gaza-bound aid flotilla was intercepted by Israel, allege beatings, sexual assault, and mistreatment; Several countries have launched investigations.

'Inhumane': Gaza flotilla activists recount Israeli detention ordeal 

Syed Ahmed Raza

Security

India’s Rafale row resurfaces as fresh Indian media claims, old reports, and renewed denials shed light on catastrophic loss India suffered in 2025 air battle.

The Rafale loss India can’t bury

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has said that the recently signed Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran is making steady progress, with technical-level talks continuing under the mediation of Pakistan and Qatar.&nbsp;Addressing the weekly media briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andarabi said the peace process remains on track following the signing of the Islamabad MoU on June 18.&nbsp;He noted that Pakistan and Qatar hosted a high-level committee meeting in Switzerland on June 21, bringing together senior representatives from the United States and Iran to discuss implementation of the agreement.&nbsp;According to the spokesperson, both sides have agreed on a roadmap to reach a final deal within 60 days.&nbsp;&ldquo;Working groups have also been established to address key issues, including sanctions, nuclear matters, dispute resolution mechanisms, and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.&rdquo;&nbsp;He described the continuation of talks as a &ldquo;significantly positive development&rdquo; and a breakthrough for regional diplomacy.&nbsp;The Islamabad MoU was digitally signed by the United States and Iran on June 18, marking a major step toward ending the 2026 US-Israel war on Iran.&nbsp;The agreement was reached after intensive diplomatic efforts led by Pakistan, with support from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt.&nbsp;&nbsp;The mediating countries facilitated dialogue between Washington and Tehran amid escalating regional tensions.&nbsp;The MoU laid the foundation for a broader peace process, including negotiations on sanctions, regional security, maritime navigation, and other outstanding issues between the two countries.&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;On the situation in Lebanon, the Foreign Office spokesperson said the joint statement issued by Pakistan and Qatar provides for the creation of a de-confliction mechanism involving Lebanon to help prevent misunderstandings and support regional stability.&nbsp;The spokesperson emphasized that Lebanon&rsquo;s sovereignty must be respected and welcomed efforts aimed at reducing tensions in the region.&nbsp;Palestine&nbsp;Regarding Palestine, Andarabi reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s strong condemnation of ongoing Israeli actions against Palestinians.&nbsp;The spokesperson highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s participation in a joint statement by eight Islamic-Arab countries condemning attacks on Palestinian places of worship in the occupied West Bank and stressing the need to uphold international law and humanitarian principles.&nbsp;The Foreign Office spokesperson maintained that dialogue and diplomacy remain the most effective tools for resolving regional conflicts and promoting long-term peace and stability in the Middle East.

Pakistan said the Islamabad MoU between the US and Iran is progressing, with technical talks ongoing under Pakistan-Qatar mediation. A roadmap aims for a final deal within 60 days, covering sanctions, nuclear issues, dispute resolution, and Strait of Hormuz navigation.

Pakistan, UN review peace and humanitarian efforts in Middle East

Related Articles

Islamabad seeks Singapore’s support for repatriation of Pakistani, Iranian seafarers

Latest News

At least 32 dead, more than 700 injured in Venezuela quakes: interim president

South Africa stun South Korea to make World Cup history

Trump says Washington ‘doing great’ in negotiations with Iran

Pakistan at UNSC stress protection for children in conflict zones, investment in rehabilitation

Twin earthquakes in Venezuela destroy buildings, sow panic