Asfandyar Yahya

Why is the Mona Lisa the world&rsquo;s most famous painting? we uncover the real reason the Mona Lisa became the most famous painting on Earth, and no, it&rsquo;s not just because Leonardo da Vinci painted it. This is the untold story of how a stolen painting became a superstar and why her fame refuses to fade.

Tell Me Why

Tell me Why: The Mona Lisa is so famous

GENEVA: World Health Organization member states gather for their annual meeting in Geneva on Monday amid concern over deadly hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks and uncertainty over announced US and Argentinian withdrawals. While the rare hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that has gripped global attention is not officially on the agenda, it is expected to feature prominently in the discussions, as is the fresh Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A diplomatic source, who asked not to be identified, said it would be interesting to see how such outbreaks are used by the WHO &quot;to promote other things&quot;, including &quot;to pressure (the United States and Argentina) not to go&quot;. The meeting of the WHO&#39;s annual decision-making assembly, which runs through Saturday, comes after a difficult year for the organization. It has been weakened by the announced US withdrawal and by funding cuts that have forced it to slash its budget and staff numbers. &quot;We are stable now and moving forward,&quot; WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus insisted at the end of April. Diplomats and observers agreed. The situation is &quot;still fragile, but they&#39;ve been successful in mobilizing most of the funds&quot; required for the next two years, Surie Moon, co-director of the Global Health Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute, told AFP. And the hantavirus crisis provided &quot;a clear illustration of why the world needs an effective, trusted, impartial, reliably-funded WHO&quot;, she added. UN, Argentina withdrawalsBut significant divisions persist. Continued disagreement between wealthy and developing nations has, for instance, blocked progress on the key missing piece of the WHO&#39;s landmark 2025 pandemic treaty, with negotiations now expected to be extended for another year. It also remains unclear what, if anything, would be decided on the US and Argentine announced withdrawals. US President Donald Trump, on his first day back in office in January 2025, handed the WHO his country&#39;s one-year withdrawal notice, with Argentina soon following suit. The WHO, whose constitution does not include a withdrawal clause, has not confirmed either withdrawal. The United States reserved the right to withdraw when it joined the WHO in 1948 -- on condition of giving one year&#39;s notice and meeting its financial obligations in full for that fiscal year. While the notice period has expired, Washington has still not paid its 2024 or 2025 dues, owing around $260 million. When the WHO&#39;s executive board met in January, Israel submitted a resolution to approve Argentina&#39;s withdrawal -- something countries are expected to discuss during the assembly -- but not a word was said about the US leaving. Diplomats and observers indicated there was broad agreement that it would be better to maintain a grey zone around whether the US was effectively out. &quot;We hope that it will go past quietly on the US,&quot; a European diplomat said on condition of anonymity. Election campaign&nbsp;The assembly will take place as the process towards next year&#39;s election of a new WHO chief heats up. No one has yet declared their candidacy, but announcements are possible this week ahead of the nomination deadline of September 24. A number of sensitive resolutions are also on the table, including on Ukraine, the Palestinian territories, and Iran, which could spark heated debate. Much of this week&#39;s discussions will centre on whether to launch a formal reform process for the so-called &quot;global health architecture&quot; -- a mishmash of organizations that do not always work together and often overlap. &quot;Among the issues to be explored are what is best done at the global and regional levels... and what is a national responsibility?&quot; Helen Clark, co-chair of The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response and a former New Zealand prime minister, told AFP. Canadian Health Minister Marjorie Michel told AFP that &quot;this current crisis, with the departure of key players, also allows ... the WHO to re-examine its strategy with its members&quot;. A key focus will be to ensure the process does not see &quot;controversial&quot; issues, such as climate and sexual and reproductive health rights, sacrificed in the context of dwindling international aid funding. &quot;The objective is to ensure better coordination among health actors, so that no activities or populations are left behind,&quot; said a diplomatic source, who asked not to be named. But Thiru Balasubramaniam of the Knowledge Ecology International NGO, told AFP the WHO had already &quot;scaled down some of their activities, including in terms of sexual and reproductive health&quot;.

Germany's Health Minister Nina Warken speaks to a journalist after a meeting with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General ahead of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, on May 17, 2026. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)

Americas

Europe

WHO member states meet in Geneva amid global concern over hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks, funding strains following announced US and Argentine withdrawals, and renewed debate over reforming the global health system, pandemic preparedness, and coordination among international health actors.

WHO kicks off annual assembly amid hantavirus, Ebola crises

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Suspected insider trading linked to Iran war-related bets on the prediction market platform Polymarket generated nearly $2.4 million in profits with a 98%-win rate, according to a report by CBS News. The report raised concerns over the growing use of prediction markets for wagering on military conflicts and geopolitical events, with analysts warning that insiders with access to sensitive information may be exploiting the platforms for financial gain. Prediction markets such as Polymarket allow users to place bets on the outcome of world events using cryptocurrency. While all trades on the blockchain are publicly visible, users generally remain anonymous. In a statement to CBS News&rsquo; &ldquo;60 Minutes,&rdquo; Polymarket said it has built a &ldquo;comprehensive market integrity infrastructure&rdquo; using artificial intelligence-powered surveillance and blockchain forensics to detect suspicious activity. &ldquo;When our systems identify suspicious activity, we act &mdash; including through referrals to law enforcement and cooperation with investigations,&rdquo; the company said, adding that insider trading &ldquo;is not welcome on Polymarket.&rdquo; The report highlighted the case of US Army Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, who allegedly used the platform to place bets related to a special operations mission targeting former Venezuelan leader Nicol&aacute;s Maduro. According to the US Justice Department, Van Dyke wagered roughly $34,000 on the operation, including several bets placed one day before the raid. Prosecutors allege he earned more than $400,000 before attempting to withdraw the funds and delete his account. He has pleaded not guilty to federal charges. Investigators and analysts say military-related betting markets are particularly vulnerable to insider activity because many individuals involved in operations &mdash; including planners, intelligence officials and even family members &mdash; may gain access to sensitive information before it becomes public. A separate study by the Anti-Corruption Data Collective examined large &ldquo;long-shot&rdquo; wagers on military events placed on Polymarket and found evidence of &ldquo;systemic insider trading&rdquo; in conflict-related betting markets. The report also pointed to suspicious trading activity in traditional commodities markets linked to the Iran conflict. New York lawyer and former commodities trader David Kovel told &ldquo;60 Minutes&rdquo; that more than $800 million was suddenly placed on a decline in oil prices on March 23, shortly before US President Donald Trump announced &ldquo;productive&rdquo; talks with Iran on social media. Oil prices reportedly dropped more than 10% following the announcement, potentially generating tens of millions of dollars in profits for traders involved. Federal investigators are reportedly examining the trades, although no charges have been filed so far. The report also described threats against journalists whose reporting affected prediction market outcomes.

Business

The report highlights the case of US Army Master Sgt. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, who allegedly used the platform to place bets related to a special operations mission targeting former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

Suspected insider accounts win $2.4M on Polymarket Iran war bets: Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani on Sunday reaffirmed &ldquo;shared commitment to peace, dialogue and regional stability.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;Pakistan and Qatar will continue to work closely together for peace and stability in the region and beyond,&rdquo; PM Sharif said in a post on X.&nbsp;<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-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 393px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2056053546706178554&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=1b855a91e40b1b5899d3481d9d693d9813488c90&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Pakistan has remained diplomatically engaged with regional and international partners in recent weeks as efforts continue to preserve the ceasefire and support broader dialogue aimed at reducing tensions across the Middle East. Similarly, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran during an official visit that also included meetings with senior Iranian officials. According to the post, the premier received a telephone call from his counterpart, where they &ldquo;exchanged views on the evolving regional and international situation and reaffirmed our shared commitment to peace, dialogue and regional stability.&rdquo; PM Sharif deeply appreciated Qatar&rsquo;s constructive diplomatic role and conveyed his gratitude to Qatar for their strong support for Pakistan-led peace efforts aimed at de-escalation.

Foreign Affairs

PM Sharif receives telephone call from his counterpart where they exchange views on “evolving regional and international situation,” reaffirm shared commitment to “peace, dialogue and regional stability.”

Pakistan, Qatar to work together for regional stability

Muhammad Usman Amin

Built in 1634-1635 by Wazir Khan, the physician-turned-governor of Lahore, Masjid Wazir Khan was commissioned to be an ornament of perfection in an imperfect world.&nbsp; Nearly 400 years later, it still is. Step inside and the chaos of old Lahore vanishes, replaced by intricate frescoes, Persian calligraphy, and geometry that has absorbed the prayers of the faithful for centuries.

Culture

Nearly 400 years later, it still is. Step inside and the chaos of old Lahore vanishes, replaced by intricate frescoes, Persian calligraphy, and geometry that has absorbed the prayers of the faithful for centuries.



Frescoes, calligraphy, and four centuries of faith: Masjid Wazir Khan can be called the soul of Lahore

Ayesha Mir

In this episode of Dossier with Ayesha, we trace how Nixon&#39;s 1972 handshake with Mao Zedong ended 25 years of isolation and set off a chain reaction that has never really stopped, through decades of deepening trade, a bruising tariff war, COVID, a spy balloon, and now Trump and Xi in Beijing.&nbsp; The Strait of Hormuz is closed, Xi is warning that mishandling Taiwan could lead to conflict, and both leaders have agreed that the strait must remain open.

Dossier with Ayesha

The Strait of Hormuz is closed, Xi is warning that mishandling Taiwan could lead to conflict, and both leaders have agreed that the strait must remain open.

From Nixon to Trump: Why US-China is the most consequential relationship

Aleena Zara Malik

The internet has a lot to say about who lives in Pakistan, most of it wildly inaccurate.&nbsp; From the idea that non-Muslims can&#39;t even step foot in the country to the belief that Pakistan is one giant monolith, this episode of Debunkistan puts the biggest myths about religious minorities on trial with satire, sarcasm, and a little reality check.

Debunkistan

From the idea that non-Muslims can't even step foot in the country to the belief that Pakistan is one giant monolith, this episode of Debunkistan puts the biggest myths about religious minorities on trial with satire, sarcasm, and a little reality check.

Do non-Muslims live in Pakistan?

In this episode of Tell Me Why, we uncover the shocking story behind that metal bar on the back of every truck around the world.&nbsp; How a deadly 1967 crash killed Hollywood actress Jayne Mansfield, created a safety device that now bears her name, and left behind a three-year-old survivor who grew up to become a Hollywood star herself.

Tell me why trucks have these bars

Web Desk/AFP

Middle East

UAE says drone hit an electrical generator at nuclear power station; UN atomic watchdog expresses "grave concern" over drone strike, says radiation levels remain normal; Iran media says 'no tangible concessions' in US response to Iran proposal.





Trump warns 'won't be anything left' of Iran unless it agrees to deal

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran during an official visit that also included meetings with senior Iranian officials, according to statements released through the minister&rsquo;s official WhatsApp channel.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 560px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 560px; height: 560px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2056179676092260387&lang=en&maxWidth=560px&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=1b855a91e40b1b5899d3481d9d693d9813488c90&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2056179676092260387"></iframe></div></div>&ldquo;Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi meets Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, discusses key matters,&rdquo; the statement issued late on Sunday said. Naqvi also met Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf during the visit. The interior minister was received on arrival in Tehran by his Iranian counterpart, Eskandar Momeni, with the two sides discussing bilateral relations during their meeting, the statement said. The visit comes amid continued regional diplomatic activity following months of tensions linked to the US-Israel war on Iran, which disrupted shipping routes, energy markets, and regional stability before a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire between Washington and Tehran took effect on April 8. Pakistan has remained diplomatically engaged with regional and international partners in recent weeks as efforts continue to preserve the ceasefire and support broader dialogue aimed at reducing tensions across the Middle East. Last week, Islamabad hosted a high-level Regional Envoys&rsquo; Conference bringing together Pakistani diplomats posted in Gulf Cooperation Council countries and other key regional capitals to review geopolitical developments, bilateral ties, and economic cooperation priorities. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also held meetings in Islamabad with US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur and other regional counterparts as part of ongoing diplomatic engagement linked to the Middle East crisis. Separately, earlier this week, Naqvi met a delegation from the Egyptian interior ministry, where both sides agreed to enhance cooperation and promote collaboration, according to an official statement.

Interior minister greeted by Iranian counterpart; pair discuss bilateral relations during their meeting; also meets with Iran’s parliament speaker Ghalibaf during his trip. 

Pakistan interior minister meets Iranian president during official Tehran visit

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Musadik Malik on Sunday highlighted the connection between climate change, urban inequality, poverty, and housing injustice while delivering at the World Urban Forum (WUF13). The minister delivered Pakistan&rsquo;s National Ministerial Statement at the Thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) being held in Baku, Azerbaijan, under the theme &ldquo;Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.&rdquo; Addressing the forum, he highlighted the deep connection between climate change, urban inequality, poverty, and housing injustice, stressing that vulnerable communities continue to bear the heaviest burden of climate disasters despite contributing the least to the crisis. He stated that it can take two generations for a family to escape poverty, yet climate disasters such as floods can wipe out decades of progress within days due to unsafe and unsustainable housing infrastructure. This forces families back into poverty once again, the minister said, remarking that the issue is not merely a housing crisis but fundamentally a crisis of justice. Malik emphasized the need to place justice and inclusion at the center of urban planning and housing policies.&nbsp;He said, &ldquo;We must put our voices together for the issue of justice so that the poor do not drown out, and their voices do not drown out. The people who die in floods, in heatwaves, and without access to health and education are not the ones designing cities. We are the ones designing them. They are victims of our policies and strategies.&rdquo; The minister noted that nearly 50% of Pakistan&rsquo;s population of approximately 240 million people now lives in urban areas, while nearly 55% of the urban population lives in informal settlements and slums.He remarked, &ldquo;Slums are not merely a policy category. Slums are a life category. Real people live in these slums.&rdquo; Referring to the growing impacts of climate change on cities, he highlighted the severe heatwave experienced in Karachi in 2024, where temperatures reached 47 degrees Celsius. He stated that according to one estimate, nearly 560 people died within seven days due to the heatwave.&nbsp; He observed that the victims were predominantly poor and marginalized communities living in informal settlements without access to proper infrastructure, cooling systems, healthcare, or protection from extreme weather. The minister further stated, &ldquo;It is always the poor who bear the brunt of the crisis. The affluent living in air-conditioned homes and apartments are protected, while vulnerable communities continue to suffer the most.&rdquo; Further, highlighting the devastating impacts of floods in Pakistan, he added that around 6,000 people have lost their lives in the country&rsquo;s last four major floods, while nearly 20,000 people suffered injuries or disabilities, and approximately 40 million people were displaced.&nbsp; He remarked that the scale of destruction caused by climate disasters has exceeded the human toll of many conflicts and wars. He stressed that affordable housing must be treated as a basic right rather than merely a welfare intervention. He stated, &ldquo;We treat affordable housing as a welfare instrument and not as a right, and that must change.&rdquo; The minister emphasized that sustainable urban development should not remain limited to aesthetics, slogans, or investment opportunities. He said, &ldquo;Going green or sustainable should not become an aesthetic or jargon. We should not build housing for investors; we should build housing for people. We must hear the voices of the poor because their voices are not present here today.&rdquo; Concluding his address, \Malik called for the &ldquo;Baku Call for Action&rdquo; to focus on justice-centered urban solutions that prioritize vulnerable populations and discourage speculative housing practices. He stressed the need for global cooperation to ensure that cities become safe, inclusive, resilient, and equitable for all communities.

Climate & Environment

Minister delivers Pakistan’s National Ministerial Statement at the Thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) being held in Baku, Azerbaijan under the theme “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.”

Tell me Why: The Mona Lisa is so famous

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Latest News

WHO kicks off annual assembly amid hantavirus, Ebola crises

Suspected insider accounts win $2.4M on Polymarket Iran war bets: Report

Pakistan, Qatar to work together for regional stability

Frescoes, calligraphy, and four centuries of faith: Masjid Wazir Khan can be called the soul of Lahore

From Nixon to Trump: Why US-China is the most consequential relationship