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

Web Desk

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=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%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

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?

Asfandyar Yahya

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

Tell me why trucks have these bars

Web Desk/AFP

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 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 2;">Lebanon says Israeli strikes kill 7 as Hezbollah condemns talks</li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 2;">UAE says drone that hit nuclear site crossed western border</li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 2;">Iran media says &#39;no tangible concessions&#39; in US response to Iran proposal</li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 2;">Israeli attacks cost Lebanon an estimated $2B, minister says</li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 2;">Israel strikes Lebanon while Hezbollah calls talks &#39;dead end&#39;</li></ul><hr style="line-height: 2;">Ex-US defence chief recalls Netanyahu lobbying for attacks on Iran as far back as 2009Published: May 18, 2026 | 02:45 GMT | by Web Desk Robert Gates, the former CIA director and US defence secretary, has recalled a 2009 exchange with Benjamin Netanyahu in which the Israeli prime minister argued that Iran would quickly collapse if struck militarily, Al Jazeera reported. Speaking on CBS programme Face the Nation, Gates said Netanyahu told him in July 2009 that the Iranian regime was fragile and would &ldquo;crumble at the first attack.&rdquo; Gates rejected the assessment at the time, saying he told Netanyahu he was &ldquo;dead wrong&rdquo; and was underestimating &ldquo;the resilience of the Iranians.&rdquo; <hr style="line-height: 2;">Melenchon slams &lsquo;European complicity&rsquo; in US-Israel war on IranPublished: May 18, 2026 | 01:01 GMT | by Web Desk Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leading figure of France&rsquo;s left-wing La France Insoumise party, has condemned &ldquo;European complicity&rdquo; in the US&ndash;Israeli strikes on Iran, which triggered a wider regional war. In a post on X, Melenchon said: &ldquo;Trump and Netanyahu&rsquo;s crude threats to destroy Iran are only possible thanks to European complicity. The world&rsquo;s peace is reduced to the interests of Trump and Netanyahu&rsquo;s colonialism.&rdquo; The politician, who is contending the 2027 presidential elections, urged voters to end &ldquo;France&rsquo;s alignment with these criminals&rdquo; and &ldquo;break the leash&rdquo; during the vote. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> Israeli strikes kills 5 in GazaPublished: May 18, 2026 | 00:15 GMT | by AFP Israeli strikes and gunfire killed five people in Gaza, where at least 871 people have been killed in persistent violence since an October ceasefire, health officials in the Palestinian territory said. Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel has almost achieved its goal of eliminating all those responsible for orchestrating the October 7 attack. &quot;I promised that every single architect of the massacre and the hostage-taking would be eliminated down to the last one, and we are very close to completing this mission,&quot; Netanyahu said during the weekly cabinet meeting. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> Pakistan, Iran discuss key matters in Tehran Published: May 17, 2026 | 01:04 GMT | by Web Desk Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-interior-minister-meets-iranian-president-during-official-tehran-visit" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">met</a> 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. &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. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> Trump warns &#39;won&#39;t be anything left&#39; of Iran unless it agrees to dealPublished: May 17, 2026 | 18:54 GMT | by AFP President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Iran, &quot;there won&#39;t be anything left of them&quot; if Tehran does not quickly agree to a peace deal with the United States. &quot;For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won&#39;t be anything left of them,&quot; Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. &quot;TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!&quot; <hr style="line-height: 2;"> UAE says drone that hit nuclear site crossed western borderPublished: May 17, 2026 | 15:30 GMT | by AFP The UAE&#39;s Ministry of Defense said a drone that hit an electrical generator at a nuclear power station Sunday was one of three that had crossed the country&#39;s western border. &quot;Investigations are underway to determine the source of the attacks,&quot; the ministry said in a statement. &quot;The Ministry of Defence announced that on 17th May 2026, UAE air defence systems intercepted three UAVs that entered the country from the western border direction,&quot; it said. &quot;Two were successfully intercepted while the third struck an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra area.&quot; <hr style="line-height: 2;"> Read our May 17 live blog for earlier developments <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/middle-east-live-may-17-2026" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">here</a>.

Americas

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.”

Pakistan urges justice-led global climate action at World Urban Forum

KINSHASA: The World Health Organization declared an international health emergency on Sunday over an outbreak of an Ebola strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has killed more than 80 and for which there is no vaccine. Fears of further spread grew when a laboratory on Sunday confirmed a case in the major eastern DRC city of Goma, which is controlled by the Rwanda-backed M23 militia. A total of 88 deaths and 336 suspected cases of the highly contagious hemorrhagic fever have so far been reported, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa) said in an update Saturday. &quot;A positive case in Goma has been confirmed by tests carried out by the laboratory. It involves the wife of a man who died of Ebola in Bunia, who travelled to Goma after her husband&#39;s death whilst already infected,&quot; Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, director of the Congolese National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB), told AFP. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed deep disquiet as the reported cases rise. &quot;I determine that the epidemic constitutes a public health emergency of international concern,&quot; Ghebreyesus posted to X, albeit adding that as yet it &quot;does not meet the criteria of pandemic emergency.&quot; As things stand, the Geneva-based WHO has declared its second-highest level of alert &mdash; a pandemic being the highest &mdash; with the global health body warning the scale of the current outbreak remains unclear. &quot;There are significant uncertainties to the true number of infected persons and geographic spread,&quot; the WHO said. Medical aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said it was preparing a &quot;large-scale response,&quot; calling the rapid spread of the outbreak &quot;extremely concerning.&quot; DR Congo&#39;s Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said the Bundibugyo strain causing the outbreak had &quot;a very high fatality rate, which can reach 50%.&quot; Patient zero&nbsp;The strain &mdash; first identified in 2007 &mdash; has also killed a Congolese national in neighboring Uganda, officials said Saturday. Uganda on Sunday announced the postponement of the Martyrs&#39; Day pilgrimage, an annual Christian festival that normally draws thousands of worshippers from across the border in eastern Congo. Vaccines are only available for the Zaire strain, which was identified in 1976 and has a higher fatality rate of 60-90%. Health officials had confirmed the latest outbreak on Friday in Ituri province in northeastern DRC, bordering Uganda and South Sudan, according to CDC Africa. According to Kamba, patient zero was a nurse who reported to a health facility in Ituri&#39;s provincial capital, Bunia, on April 24, with symptoms suggesting Ebola. Symptoms of the disease include fever, hemorrhaging, and vomiting. Large-scale transport of medical equipment is a challenge in the DRC, a country of more than 100 million people, which is four times the size of France but has a poor communications infrastructure. High risk of spread&nbsp;It is the 17th Ebola outbreak to hit the DRC, and officials warned of a high risk of spread. With the outbreak largely concentrated in difficult-to-access areas, few samples have been lab tested. But the WHO said the high positivity rate of initial samples, the confirmation of cases in two countries, and the increasing reports of suspected cases &quot;all point towards a potentially much larger outbreak than what is currently being detected and reported, with significant local and regional risk of spread.&quot; The previous outbreak of Ebola was last August in the region, with at least 34 people dying before it was declared eradicated in December. The disease, over the past 50 years, has killed around 15,000 people in Africa, despite advances in vaccines and treatment. Nearly 2,300 people died in the deadliest outbreak in the DRC between 2018 and 2020. Ebola, believed to have originated in bats, can cause severe bleeding and organ failure. Outbreaks over the past half-century have seen a mortality rate among those affected of between 25% and 90%, according to WHO The virus spreads from person to person through bodily fluids or exposure to the blood of an infected person, who becomes contagious only once they display symptoms. The incubation period can last up to 21 days.

Africa

A total of 88 deaths and 336 suspected cases of the highly contagious hemorrhagic fever have so far been reported; WHO director general expresses deep disquiet as the reported cases rise.

WHO declares international emergency as Ebola outbreak kills more than 80 in DR Congo

RAMALLAH: The son of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas won a seat on Fatah&#39;s top decision-making body on Sunday, as initial results emerged from the Palestinian movement&#39;s first congress in a decade. The congress came as Fatah faces existential challenges in the wake of the Gaza war. Yasser Abbas, 64, a businessman who spends most of his time in Canada, secured a place on the central committee after being appointed around five years ago as his father&#39;s &quot;special representative,&quot; a role that marked his emergence on the political scene. With several existing members retaining their seats, the congress&#39;s outcome was already drawing criticism. &quot;There is a failure to present a political, economic and cultural vision for the problems we are suffering&quot; in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, said Ali Jarbawi, political science professor at Birzeit University. &quot;It looks as if it was all about merely replacing some individuals with others.&quot; Marwan Barghouti, a popular Palestinian leader held in Israeli prison since 2002, topped the preliminary results, retaining his seat on the committee with the highest number of votes, according to figures seen by AFP. Jibril Rajoub was reelected as the secretary-general of the committee, keeping the seat he has held since 2017, while Palestinian vice president Hussein Al-Sheikh was also reelected. Among the newcomers was Zakaria Zubeidi, 50, a former commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, who was freed from Israeli prison last year under a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas. The three-day congress, held simultaneously across Ramallah, Gaza, Cairo and Beirut, drew 2,507 voters &mdash; a turnout of 94.64%, organizers said. Fifty-nine candidates competed for 18 seats on the central committee, while 450 vied for 80 seats on the revolutionary council, the party&#39;s parliament. Counting for the revolutionary council was still underway, and final results were expected on Monday. Abbas retains control The congress opened on Thursday, with Abbas being reelected as head of the movement. In his opening address, he vowed to pursue reforms and hold long-delayed presidential and parliamentary elections. Abbas and the Palestinian Authority are under mounting international pressure to implement reforms and hold elections, amid widespread accusations of corruption and political stagnation, which have eroded its legitimacy among Palestinians. US President Donald Trump has demanded sweeping reforms of the PA as a condition for it to play any meaningful role in post-war Gaza. Fatah has historically been the dominant force within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the sole representative of the Palestinian people in international forums. It groups most Palestinian factions but excludes fighter movements Hamas and Islamic Jihad. In recent decades, Fatah&#39;s popularity and influence have dwindled amid internal divisions and growing public frustration over the stagnation of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The sense of disappointment led to a surge in support for rival Hamas, which won the last legislative elections held in 2006, before going on to expel Fatah from the Gaza Strip after a bout of factional fighting. Fatah&#39;s central committee is expected to play a decisive role in the post-Abbas era, with key figures already jostling to succeed the 90-year-old veteran leader, with Rajoub and Sheikh among the frontrunners. Jarbawi, meanwhile, said that Yasser Abbas&#39;s election to the committee alone does not put him on a clear path to the presidency. &quot;It is not enough to guarantee him advancement to the presidency,&quot; said Jarbawi. &quot;This may be seen as the beginning of a phase &mdash; if not of hereditary succession, then of securing a position in the future.&quot; Jarbawi said the elder Abbas remained firmly in command, with the congress failing to clarify who would lead the movement after him. &quot;He is still in control of the reins of power, and his reelection reflects his dominance over Fatah,&quot; Jarbawi said, while acknowledging that several committee members harbor their own leadership ambitions.

Yasser Abbas secures place on central committee after being appointed around five years ago as his father's "special representative," a role that marked his emergence on the political scene.

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