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Reuters

<em style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;' id="isPasted"><span style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'>This live blog follows updates for Day 56 of the US-Israel war on Iran. For a recap of Day 56, go <span style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'><a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-israel-war-on-iran-day-56" style="color:#0073e6;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>. <hr> <ul style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; list-style: square; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;' id="isPasted"><li style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'>Qatar emir, Trump discuss Washington-Tehran ceasefire</li><li>Iranian FM arrives in Islamabad</li><li>US envoys Witkoff, Kushner to head to Pakistan Saturday for Iran talks: White House</li><li>EU chief says &#39;vital&#39; the world Strait of Hormuz reopens</li><li>Tehran airport to resume international flights Saturday</li></ul><hr style="line-height: 2;"> Iran claims significant portion of missile capabilities &lsquo;remains unused&rsquo; The spokesperson for Iran&rsquo;s Defence Ministry, General Reza Talaei-Nik, has stated that a &ldquo;significant portion of the missile capabilities&rdquo; of the country &ldquo;remains unused&rdquo;, Al Jazeera reports, according to Iran&rsquo;s semi-official Tasnim news agency. He also said that Iranian armed forces &ldquo;maintained control over the skies of the occupied territories until the moment the ceasefire began&rdquo;, according to Tasnim. Israeli strikes kill six in Lebanon on Friday: Health ministryPublished: April 25, 2026 | 00:21 GMT | by&nbsp;AFP Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed six people Friday, the Lebanese health ministry said, despite an ongoing ceasefire in the more than six-week war between Israel and Hezbollah. &quot;The Israeli enemy&#39;s airstrikes on southern Lebanon today, April 24, resulted in the martyrdom of six citizens and the injury of two others,&quot; the ministry said in a statement. Two people were killed in Wadi al-Hujair, two were killed in Touline, and one each in Srifa and Yater, all in southern Lebanon, the ministry said.

Resident Mohamad Ali Hijazi (L) stands next to an excavator clearing rubble from destroyed buildings in a residential area in Tyre on April 23, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Americas

Middle East

The Lebanese health ministry says at least six people were killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon despite an ongoing ceasefire in the more than six-week war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Israeli strikes kill six in Lebanon on Friday: Health ministry

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan concluded a constructive dialogue with the United Nations Committee Against Torture, the Law Ministry said this week, reaffirming its commitment to eradicating torture and highlighting significant legal and institutional reforms. The Pakistani delegation, led by Aqeel Malik, presented comprehensive progress in strengthening safeguards against custodial abuse and aligning national frameworks with international obligations under the Convention against Torture. During the review, Pakistan underscored that it &ldquo;reaffirmed its unequivocal commitment to the absolute prohibition of torture under international law,&rdquo; while detailing legislative, institutional and procedural advancements. A key development highlighted was the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act, 2022. The delegation stated that the law &ldquo;establishes, for the first time, a comprehensive definition of torture in domestic law,&rdquo; criminalizes acts by public officials, introduces strict penalties, and ensures that &ldquo;any evidence obtained through torture&rdquo; is inadmissible. It also provides victims with &ldquo;access to legal remedies, compensation and judicial recourse.&rdquo; Pakistan further informed the Committee of the establishment of an independent investigative mechanism within the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), mandated to conduct impartial inquiries into allegations of torture, including on a suo motu basis. Specialized units comprising forensic experts, medico-legal professionals and prosecutors have been created to &ldquo;enhance investigative capacity and procedural integrity.&rdquo; Highlighting strengthened oversight, the delegation pointed to regular judicial inspections, administrative monitoring and expanded powers of the National Commission for Human Rights to conduct unannounced visits to places of detention. Strengthened complaint redress systems were also emphasized, with &ldquo;reported resolution rates exceeding 90% in several jurisdictions.&rdquo; The delegation also outlined improvements in detention conditions, including infrastructure upgrades, measures to reduce overcrowding and protections for vulnerable groups. &ldquo;Women and juvenile detainees are housed separately, with increased focus on rehabilitation and reintegration,&rdquo; it noted, alongside targeted measures for persons with disabilities. Advancements in healthcare services within detention facilities were also shared, including routine medical examinations, improved referral systems and integration with public health programmes, with continued efforts to align medico-legal practices with international standards. Pakistan emphasized its transition towards &ldquo;modern, non-coercive investigative practices,&rdquo; including increased reliance on forensic science and digital evidence. Training programmes across law enforcement, prosecution and prison administration are being aligned with international standards such as the Nelson Mandela Rules, Tokyo Rules and Minnesota Principles. While highlighting progress, Pakistan acknowledged &ldquo;prison overcrowding, resource constraints, and uneven institutional capacity,&rdquo; noting that reforms are being implemented within a complex environment shaped by security challenges, including terrorism, as well as climate-related pressures. The Committee appreciated Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts to address custodial torture and improve prison conditions, while identifying areas for further strengthening. In its concluding remarks, Pakistan &ldquo;expressed appreciation for the constructive engagement with the Committee&rdquo; and reaffirmed its commitment to continued cooperation. The delegation stated it would submit written responses and &ldquo;carefully consider the forthcoming concluding observations as a roadmap for further reforms.&rdquo;

State Minister for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik leads Pakistan’s delegation at the 84th session of the Convention Against Torture (CAT) in Geneva, where he delivered the opening and closing statements on April 24, 2026. (Photo: Facebook/Barrister

Foreign Affairs

Pakistani delegation led by State Minister for Law, Barrister Aqeel Malik, presents comprehensive progress in strengthening safeguards against custodial abuse

Pakistan reaffirms anti-torture commitment in UN review process

MADRID: Jannik Sinner took a first step towards a potential record fifth consecutive Masters 1000 title with a 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-4 victory over Benjamin Bonzi in the Madrid Open second round on Friday. The Italian world number one is looking to beat the record of four consecutive triumphs held by all-time greats Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal this week in the Spanish capital. Sinner dropped only one set on the way to trophies in Paris, Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo, but Bonzi battled brilliantly to claim the first at the Manolo Santana stadium. The Frenchman survived five break points to reach a tie-break, where he also saved set point before edging ahead. However Sinner stepped up a gear in the second set, securing breaks in the fourth and sixth games, and another in the third on his way to the third round. &quot;It was a tough match, I had some chances early on and I couldn&#39;t use them, but this is tennis,&quot; said four-time Grand Slam winner Sinner. &quot;It&#39;s not bad to start the tournament like this, two and a half hours on court, it gives me good feedback where we need to improve for the next round. &quot;Of course, we need to improve, but I&#39;m also happy, when you&#39;re not playing your best tennis and win, it&#39;s still a good result.&quot; With Sinner&#39;s biggest rival Carlos Alcaraz injured and unable to compete either this week or in the upcoming French Open, the Italian is overwhelming favourite for every competition he enters in the weeks ahead. Earlier, Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic sent world number six Ben Shelton crashing out with a 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5) victory. Promising 20-year-old Prizmic, ranked 87th, secured his first ever win over a top-10 player in a three-hour battle in the Spanish capital. American Shelton triumphed at the Munich Open on Sunday on clay but was unable to force a single break point on Prizmic&#39;s serve. Shelton&#39;s compatriot Tommy Paul also suffered a surprise early exit, falling 7-5, 6-4 against Argentine Thiago Tirante. Spaniard Rafael Jodar, 19, who impressed with a run to the Barcelona Open semi-finals last week, dumped out world number eight Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-1. &quot;Everything went very well,&quot; said Jodar. &quot;De Minaur is a very tough opponent, and I knew what I had to do from the very beginning.&quot; &#39;I basically survived&#39;&nbsp;Women&#39;s number two Elena Rybakina scraped into the Madrid Open third round with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over Gabriela Ruse. Kazakhstan&#39;s Rybakina, who won the Australian Open in January and triumphed at Stuttgart last week, struggled in the first set, making 24 unforced errors to just eight winners. After claiming a topsy-turvy second set, she came back from a break down in the third and sealed the victory on her third match point. Rybakina will meet Zheng Qinwen, who produced a similarly battling performance to overcome Sofia Kenin, in the third round. &quot;Today, I basically survived,&quot; said Rybakina after her hard-fought victory. &quot;It wasn&#39;t the greatest performance but Gabriela, she played very well. She was playing very deep and aggressive, so it was very difficult. &quot;My serve was not really helping me today... but I&#39;m really happy that I managed to win, and I hope I can bring better tennis next round.&quot; Last year&#39;s runner-up and the third seed Coco Gauff made light work of Leolia Jeanjean with a 6-3, 6-0 victory at the Arantxa Sanchez stadium. Gauff will take on Romanian Sorana Cirstea in the third round after defeating Tyra Caterina Grant in straight sets. Fifth seed Jessica Pegula defeated Briton Katie Boulter 6-4, 6-4 in the late match on the main court to close out the day&#39;s action.

Italy's Jannik Sinner returns a ball to France's Benjamin Bonzi during their 2026 ATP Tour Madrid Open tennis tournament second round singles match at the Caja Magica in Madrid, on April 24, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Tennis

The Italian world number one is looking to beat the record of four consecutive triumphs held by all-time greats Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal this week in the Spanish capital.

Sinner overcomes Bonzi in record hunt at Madrid Open

LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to propose legislation within weeks to proscribe Iran&rsquo;s Revolutionary Guards, a report said Friday. Starmer made the comments while speaking to the Jewish Chronicle newspaper during a visit Thursday to a London synagogue targeted by arsonists nearly a week ago. The commitment comes after the European Union in January agreed to designate Tehran&#39;s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a &quot;terrorist organisation&quot; over allaged crackdown on mass protests. &ldquo;In relation to malign state actors more generally, proscription, we do need legislation in order to take necessary measures, and that is legislation that we&rsquo;re bringing forward as soon as we can,&quot; Starmer said when asked about the prospect of proscribing the Guards. &ldquo;We go into a new session (of parliament) in a few week&#39;s time and we&rsquo;ll bring that legislation forward,&rdquo; he added. Jewish residents in northwest London remain on &quot;high alert&quot; after a spate of arson attacks on synagogues and community sites which began after the US-Israel strikes on Iran since February 28. Starmer has said he is &ldquo;increasingly concerned&rdquo; about countries using proxies for criminal activity in the UK. The IRGC is the ideological arm of Tehran&#39;s military and was created after the 1979 revolution to protect the clerical leadership.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C) and Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis (2R) sit alongside Kenton Rabbi, Yehuda Black (4L) talks during a visit to Kenton United Synagogue, which was recently the target of an attempted arson, in the Kenton district of Lon

Europe

The commitment comes after the European Union in January agreed to designate Tehran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a "terrorist organisation."

UK PM vows legislation to ban Iran Guards: Report

Every summer in Pakistan, lawn season arrives and takes over. What started as a simple, affordable cotton fabric for the heat has evolved into one of the country&#39;s biggest fashion moments of the year.&nbsp; Collections drop, prints sell out within hours, and the hunt begins across markets, brand pages, and Instagram.&nbsp;From budget basics to designer cuts, lawn has something for everyone and a whole experience around it. Summer is here. Go get yours.

Shorts

Every summer in Pakistan, lawn season arrives and takes over. What started as a simple, affordable cotton fabric for the heat has evolved into one of the country's biggest fashion moments of the year. 

In Pakistan, lawn sales come first, and summer follows

TORONTO: OpenAI&rsquo;s CEO Sam Altman has apologized to a Canadian town devastated by a February mass shooting, saying he was &ldquo;deeply sorry&rdquo; the company did not notify police about the killer&rsquo;s troubling ChatGPT account. OpenAI had banned an account linked to Jesse Van Rootselaar in June 2025, eight months before the 18-year-old transgender woman killed eight people at her home and a school in the tiny British Columbia mining town of Tumbler Ridge. The account was banned over concerns about usage linked to violent activity, but OpenAI said it did not inform police because nothing pointed toward an imminent attack. Canadian officials condemned OpenAI&rsquo;s handling of the case and summoned company leaders to Ottawa to explain its security protocols.The family of a girl who was shot and gravely wounded at the school is suing the US tech giant for negligence. In a letter Thursday addressed to the community of Tumbler Ridge, published Friday by the local news site Tumbler RidgeLines, Altman said &ldquo;no one should ever have to endure a tragedy like this.&rdquo; &ldquo;I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement to the account that was banned in June,&rdquo; Altman wrote. &ldquo;While I know words can never be enough, I believe an apology is necessary to recognize the harm and irreversible loss your community has suffered.&rdquo; Van Rootselaar killed her mother and brother at the family&rsquo;s home before heading to the local secondary school, where she shot dead five children and a teacher. She died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after police entered the building.

Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI had banned an account linked to Jesse Van Rootselaar in June 2025, eight months before the 18-year-old transgender woman killed eight people at her home and a school in the tiny British Columbia mining town of Tumbler Ridge.

OpenAI CEO apologizes to Canada town for not reporting mass shooter

GENEVA: War-torn Gaza is heavily contaminated by unexploded ordnance, which frequently kill and maim people and could threaten recovery efforts far into the future, the UN said Friday. Unexploded ordnance, ranging from undetonated bombs or grenades to simple bullets, has become a common sight in the Gaza Strip since the start of Israel&#39;s war on Gaza. The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) said it had data suggesting that since the start of the conflict, more than 1,000 people had been killed in Gaza due to &quot;indirect conflict&quot;, from the remnants of war. Julius Van der Walt, UNMAS chief in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, stressed that that number was certainly a severe under-estimate. Half of the known casualties were children, he told reporters in Geneva. Speaking alongside him at a press conference on mine action work worldwide, Narmina Strishenets of Save the Children UK, also highlighted the heavy toll on youngsters. A report by the organization published last year found that in 2024, the use of explosive weapons in Gaza left an average of 475 children each month with potentially lifelong disabilities, including amputations. Today, Strishenets said, Gaza has &quot;the largest cohort of child amputees&quot; in the world. &#39;High density&#39; Van der Walt said UNMAS had so far been unable to conduct an extensive survey of the full scope of the problem, but &quot;the evidence already suggests a high density of explosive ordnance contamination across the Gaza Strip&quot;. So far, UNMAS had identified &quot;more than 1,000 items of explosive ordnance&quot;, during missions conducted over the past 2.5 years. Compared to Gaza&#39;s small geographic size, that means there is about one piece of explosive ordnance &quot;every 600 meters&quot;, he pointed out. And those are only the items that have been found. &quot;We have barely scratched the surface in understanding what is the level of contamination,&quot; he acknowledged. Adding to the danger was Gaza&#39;s very high population density. Prior to the war, Gaza was one already of the most densely-populated places on Earth, with around 6,000 people per square kilometer, Van der Walt said, pointing out that the war had effectively halved the space available, and doubled the density. &quot;Explosive weapons are being used all across the territories, including in densely-populated refugee camps,&quot; he said, pointing to a recent case where explosive ordnance was found inside a tent where people had been living for several weeks. At the same time, &quot;humanitarian convoys risk detonation as they travel throughout the Gaza Strip, and early recovery efforts are essentially stalled before they can even begin&quot;, he said. $541 million Van der Walt pointed to an assessment that, in a best-case scenario, it will cost around $541 million to address the explosive ordnance threat, if all necessary permissions are granted and the equipment required is accessible. He warned that the contamination, including within mountains of debris, was so vast and so varied, that it was &quot;very close to impossible to ... do a full assessment&quot;, and that ordnance would likely remain a problem for decades to come. He pointed to the World War II bombs that continue to be discovered during construction projects in Britain. &quot;We can anticipate something along those lines&quot; in Gaza, he said.

People inspect a destroyed civilian vehicle after it was targeted by an Israeli airstrike that reportedly killed three people on Salah al-Din Street, south of Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip on April 23, 2026. (AFP)

UN warns unexploded ordnance across Gaza is killing and injuring civilians, including children, and could delay recovery for decades, with contamination widespread and cleanup estimated to cost hundreds of millions.

Unexploded bombs littering Gaza threaten recovery for decades, UN warns

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that he had received successful treatment for early-stage prostate cancer, without specifying when the treatment took place.&nbsp;In a statement on social media, as his annual medical report was released, Netanyahu, 76, said an early-stage malignant tumor had been discovered during a routine checkup. He said &quot;targeted treatment&quot; had removed &quot;the problem&quot; and left no trace of it.&nbsp;According to the medical report, which otherwise said the prime minister was in good health, Netanyahu was treated with radiation therapy for early-stage prostate cancer. Neither the medical report nor Netanyahu said when the treatment occurred.&nbsp;In March, during the fighting with Iran, rumors that circulated on social media and aired on Iranian state media claimed that Netanyahu had died. The Israeli leader recorded a video of himself visiting a Jerusalem cafe in March to refute the claims.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he successfully underwent radiation therapy for early-stage prostate cancer detected during a routine checkup. He reported no remaining trace, delayed disclosure.

Netanyahu says he was successfully treated for prostate cancer

ISLAMABAD: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday that Iran has an opportunity to secure a nuclear deal if it abandons any pursuit of a nuclear weapon in a verifiable manner. Hegseth said Iran has a &ldquo;historic chance to make a serious deal&rdquo; and said the outcome depends on its decision regarding its nuclear program. He spoke at a Pentagon briefing alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine. &ldquo;All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways,&rdquo; Hegseth said. Meanwhile, the General Caine said US operations tied to maritime security have been underway since April 8, the day a ceasefire was announced after 55 days of combat operations involving Iran. Caine said sea lanes remain open but warned that any attempt to deploy mines would violate ceasefire terms. He said US forces have intercepted vessels linked to sanctioned Iranian oil shipments in recent days. Several ships were seized and are being held by US authorities, he reported. The Pentagon chief said Iran must decide whether to move toward diplomacy or face continued pressure. He said US forces were prepared to respond to any actions that threaten shipping or regional security. Hegseth said US forces are authorized to act against Iranian fast boats if they threaten maritime movement or attempt to disrupt shipping. He stated the United States is not under pressure to reach a deal and will maintain its position while negotiations continue.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, hold a press briefing at the Pentagon on April 24, 2026. (Department of War/YouTube)

US says Iran has a chance for a nuclear deal if it abandons its weapons program, as officials warn that continued negotiations depend on Tehran’s decision.

Iran has chance to make deal, abandon nuclear pursuit: Pentagon chief

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump&#39;s administration said Friday that he has issued a 90-day extension to a shipping waiver, helping with the movement of oil and fertilizers around the United States amid supply disruptions from the war on Iran.&nbsp;An existing waiver, which temporarily allowed foreign flagged vessels to transport cargo between US ports, was due to expire by May 17. The latest move brings this end date to mid-August.&nbsp;&quot;New data compiled since the initial waiver was issued revealed that significantly more supply was able to reach US ports faster,&quot; said Taylor Rogers, a White House spokeswoman.&nbsp;&quot;This extension will help ensure vital energy products, industrial materials, and agricultural necessities are maintained,&quot; she added in a statement.&nbsp;She said Trump has issued a 90-day extension.&nbsp;US-Israeli strikes on Iran from February 28 plunged the Middle East into war, and triggered Tehran&#39;s retaliation in effectively closing off the Strait of Hormuz.&nbsp;This has caused an energy supply crunch as the waterway is a key route for oil and gas transportation, sending prices rocketing.&nbsp;US gasoline prices have also surged, piling pressure on household budgets ahead of key midterm elections.&nbsp;Under the 1920 Jones Act, which was aimed at promoting American shipbuilding, cargo moved by water between US ports has to be transported on vessels that are US-built, US-owned and registered under the US flag.&nbsp;But in March, the Trump administration granted a 60-day waiver to temporarily lift this requirement as economic fallout from the war intensified.&nbsp;Oil prices remain steep, even if they have come off recent highs.

The Trump Administration announced a 90-day extension of a shipping waiver to facilitate the transport of oil and fertilizers across the United States amid supply disruptions caused by the war on Iran.

Israeli strikes kill six in Lebanon on Friday: Health ministry

Latest News

Israeli strikes kill six in Lebanon on Friday: Health ministry

Pakistan reaffirms anti-torture commitment in UN review process

Sinner overcomes Bonzi in record hunt at Madrid Open

UK PM vows legislation to ban Iran Guards: Report

In Pakistan, lawn sales come first, and summer follows