Wednesday 25 January 2017

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

New York demonstrators slam Trump's anti-immigration tack

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NEW YORK (AFP) - More than a thousand people took to New York streets Wednesday to condemn President Donald Trumps border wall and immigration plans.The US leader ordered officials to start designing and building a physical wall along the southern border earlier in the day. He is also said to be floating the idea of a ban on refugees from Muslim-majority countries, including Syria.Demonstrators of all stripes turned out to rally after 5:00 pm (2200 GMT) in Manhattans Washington Square Park.No ban, no wall, New York is for all, demonstrators chanted.Many of their signs called for the defense of Muslims rights and the continued reception of refugees from Syria and other Muslim countries in conflict.Its really scary, said Thariha Choudbury, a Muslim from Bangladesh.Since he (Trump) was elected, I really feel that Islamophobia has increased, and it can only continue because it has given power to racists in this country.The president earlier in the day promised to cut funding to jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with the federal government on its policies.I am married to an immigrant, my friends are immigrants... We are a city of immigrants and we must defend our communities, another protestor, Austin Guillem, stressed at the rally.Trump may sign another decree on Thursday restricting access to the United States for refugees and holders of visas from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, US media reported.

Australia win toss, choose to bat against Pakistan

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ADELAIDE (AFP) - Australian captain Steve Smith won the toss and chose to bat in the fifth and final one-day international against Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.The home side lead the series 3-1 after winning in Sydney on Sunday to wrap up the series.Australia made one change from Sunday, resting opening batsman Usman Khawaja and bringing in all-rounder James Faulkner.Travis Head will open the batting for the home side.Pakistan have recalled pace bowler Wahab Riaz, with left arm spinner Imad Wasim missing out.Teams:Pakistan: Azhar Ali (capt), Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Hasan Ali.Australia: David Warner, Travis Head, Steve Smith (capt), Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Josh HazlewoodUmpires: Simon Fry (AUS) and Chettithody Shamshuddin (IND).Third umpire: Chris Gaffaney (NZL).Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL).

Hundreds of families leave Iraq camps for Mosul return

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KHAZIR (AFP) - Hundreds of families who fled Mosul last year left displacement camps Wednesday to head back to their homes, in the biggest wave yet of returns to the city, officials said.Displaced Mosul residents hurled bags and foam mattresses into vans and onto buses, many smiling as they prepared to forsake a place they often first reached scared, hungry and exhausted.Iraqi forces recently completed their recapture of eastern Mosul, which tens of thousands of people had fled since the October 17 start of a massive offensive against the Islamic State (IS) group.According to the United Nations, more than 180,000 people have been displaced since the start of the offensive but at least 22,000 have since returned to their homes.The authorities have been organising returns from Khazir and Hasansham displacement camps twice a week.We are now taking 500 families, which means 2,700 people, to their liberated houses, local official Mustafa Hamid Sarhan told AFP at the Khazir camp, which lies southeast of Mosul.This is the biggest wave, he added, as at least 50 buses lined up for families cleaning up their tents and packing their belongings for the journey home.One of them was Dhabbah Mohammed Khader, a 45-year-old woman from the neighbourhood of Al-Zahraa who was about to return to her home with two of her sons.Im so happy we finally got rid of Daesh, she said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.We can go back home now, said the woman, tears running down her wrinkled face.The continued presence in east Mosul of hundreds of civilians as Iraqi forces advanced through the streets has restricted all sides in their choice of weapons and the city has suffered relatively limited destruction.I am so happy to be going home, close to my people, said Salha Ahmed, a widow and mother of seven, as she rolled up the rug covering the gravel in shelter number 81 of Khazir camp.When she finished packing, she left her poky shelter with no regrets but said she was a little nervous at the idea of returning to Mosul.Her house was damaged in the fighting and several of her children and grandchildren were still living in another displacement camp further south.We have suffered a lot, we have been shattered, she muttered absently, her eyes watering. She said that one of her sons was killed by the Islamic State group for an unknown reason.Were tired, we dont know what to do. Should we stay or should we go? Im confused.Salima Khdeir, who lived in the tent next to hers, came to say goodbye.She also made a request to go home but she and her four children were not included in Wednesdays batch.Its nice to see them go, it means our turn will come. But Im also sad I have to stay here while theyre allowed to go home, she said.Some level of normalcy is returning to parts of east Mosul, especially areas far from the Tigris, along which elite forces are preparing a likely cross-river assault on the citys jihadist-held west bank.The scars of the conflict are everywhere however, electricity and water are scarce, as are some basic goods.Salah Ahmed said she knew her new life in Mosul would be tough.But as she waded in the mud to clamber onto the truck with her bags and waved goodbye to her camp neighbours, the grandmother was adamant: Despite the circumstances, Mosul is a paradise.

Lavrov to meet Syria's political opposition on Friday

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MOSCOW (AFP) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will hold talks with officials from Syrias political opposition on Friday, Moscow said, seeking to reinvigorate efforts for a peace settlement.The meeting comes after Russian-brokered indirect talks involving the Syrian regime and armed rebel leaders in Kazakhstan ended Tuesday without a major breakthrough.But it appeared that representatives from armed Syrian rebel groups had not been asked to attend.We have invited on Friday all the opposition representatives from the political opposition that wish to come to Moscow and we will brief them about what happened in Astana, Lavrov told lawmakers on Wednesday. A spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry could not name which opposition groups from Syrias vast array -- some of whom are dismissed by rebels fighting on the ground as not genuine -- would be represented.A rebel negotiator from the armed opposition delegation that attended the Astana talks said they had not been invited to Moscow but did not rule out heading there if asked.We did not receive an invitation, Fares Buyush told AFP from Istanbul.The problem isnt the invitation, its the topic of discussion. If its serious and well be discussing a national issue, well go to the end of the world, Buyush said.Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed in Astana to establish a joint mechanism to shore up a shaky three-week truce in Syria, but offered few concrete details on how it would work. Representatives from Damascus and the armed rebels in the Kazakh capital were expected to hold their first face-to-face talks since the conflict erupted in 2011, but the rebels refused and mediators had to shuttle between the two sides.Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the meetings, saying they offered a good basis for continuing the process in Geneva, referring to United Nations-led talks due to take place February 8.Thanks to our joint efforts, the process is developing on the basis of a very important decision that we managed to achieve - the ceasing of military action, a ceasefire between the government forces and the armed opposition, Putin said at a meeting in Moscow with Jordans King Abdullah II.Russia has sidelined the West with its diplomatic push to find a political settlement to the war in Syria, after its military intervention to support President Bashar al-Assad turned the tables on the battlefield.Rebel forces are reeling after regime troops, backed by Russian and Iranian firepower, dealt them the biggest blow in over five years of fighting, capturing their eastern Aleppo stronghold last month.The war in Syria has cost at least 310,000 lives and forced millions to flee the country since Assads brutal crackdown on protesters turned into an armed conflict in 2011.

28 killed in Shabaab attack on Mogadishu hotel

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MOGADISHU (AFP) - Twenty-eight people were killed Wednesday when Al-Shabaab fighters attacked a popular Mogadishu hotel, setting off two car bombs and opening fire on security guards, according to the citys main ambulance service.The attack, claimed by the Al-Qaeda-aligned Shabaab insurgents, began when a car loaded with explosives rammed the gate of the Dayah Hotel near the Somali parliament and state house.Security sources said at least four gunmen then entered the compound and exchanged fire with security guards, but they were shot dead before reaching the main building where guests were staying. They were not counted among the 28 dead.A second massive blast went off after ambulances and journalists had already rushed to the scene, leaving seven reporters with minor injuries, according to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ).They included an AFP photographer who suffered shrapnel wounds to his shoulder and leg, an Associated Press photographer and a reporter working with Al-Jazeera television.The number of casualties we have recorded today is 28 dead and 43 wounded. This is what we have confirmed with our teams but there were also other ambulances which carried some casualties (but) I dont know how many, said Dr Abukadir Abdirahman Adem, head of the ambulance service.Somalias Security Minister Abdirisak Omar Mohamed told reporters there were 10 people killed and 51 wounded in the attack.We commend the security guards of the hotel who fiercely fought the Shabaab attackers to defend the hotel, he said.AFP images showed security forces and civilians milling about outside the devastated hotel -- its windows and doors blown out -- after the first explosion, when a second car exploded with a massive blast, sending thick plumes of smoke into the air and sending people fleeing. Gunfire rang out from the hotel as civilians and rescue workers carried away the injured.The Shabaab group claimed responsibility in a statement distributed on its Telegram messaging account. The mujahideen fighters have attacked a hotel and have managed to enter the hotel after detonating a car loaded with explosives, it said.The Shabaab is fighting to overthrow the internationally-backed government of Somalia and regularly stages deadly attacks on state, military and civilian targets in the capital and elsewhere in the war-torn country.The attack -- the deadliest so far in Somalia in 2017 -- came shortly before the countrys election commission announced that a long-awaited presidential vote would take place on February 8.The date has been pushed back numerous times amid delays in a vote for lawmakers, who were finally sworn in in late December.Somalia has not had an effective central government since the 1991 overthrow of president Siad Barres military regime, which ushered in more than two decades of anarchy and conflict in a country deeply divided along clan lines.The clan rivalries and lawlessness provided fertile ground for the Shabaab to take hold and seize territory, frustrating efforts to set up a central administration.After a series of transitional governments were formed abroad, a previous parliament was chosen by 135 clan elders and set up in Mogadishu in 2012.Somalis were promised a one-person, one-vote election in 2016.But political infighting and ongoing insecurity due to the presence of Shabaab meant Somalis were handed a limited election, in which 14,025 specially picked delegates voted for 275 parliamentary seats distributed according to clan.Another 72 seats in a new upper house were shared out according to region. The 2016 process is seen as taking the country a step closer to a universal suffrage election now planned for 2020.

Gujranwala: Sub-inspector arrested for threatening rickshaw driver

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GUJRANWALA (Dunya News) - Police sub-inspector Samiullah was arrested on Wednesday night for torturing and threatening the rickshaw driver, reported Dunya News.Sattelite town police had arrested Samillah earlier but court granted him bail. Another case was registered against him in police station Jinnah road and he was arrested again.Samiullah had badly tortured rickshaw driver Chaand alias Chandu with a rod.

Tahirul Qadri predicts Sharif family will get clean in Panama case

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LAHORE (Dunya News) - Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri predicted on Wednesday that Sharif family would get a clean chit in Panama case, reported Dunya News.Qadri was talking in Dunya News program On the Front, as he said that Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif and his family would get a clean chit but he questioned thatwhy did Sharif family make offshore companies if the business was legal.He said that action should be taken against everyone who have offshore companies. He also told that there would be protest against Model Town incident on Friday.

Waseem Akhtar visits different areas of Karachi after rain

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar visited different areas of Karachi on Wednesday night to review the situation arising after the rain in the city, Dunya News reported.Waseem Akhtar declared emergency in the KMC and directed all the chairmen of DMCs to make arrangements for swift and proper drainage of all rain water from their areas.During his visit the Mayor Karachi went to Mahmoodabad, Bahadurabad, Jail Chaurangi, Korangi Road and other parts of the city to review and check the drainage of rain water.

Karachi: Police nab two accused after encounter

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – Crackdown against criminal elements in Karachi under National Action Plan (NAP) continues as police arrested two accused on Wednesday, Dunya News reported.According to details, police arrested two accused after an encounter in Iqbal Market area of Orangi Town and recovered arms and a stolen motorcycle from them.Police sources said that the arrested accused, Sameer and Zubair, were involved in several street crime cases.

Kashmiris observe Indian Republic Day as 'Black Day'

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SRINAGAR (Dunya News) - Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and across the world are observing Indian Republic Day, today (Thursday), as Black Day to draw the attention of the international community towards non-implementation of the UN resolution on Kashmir.Call for the observance of the Black Day has been given by the joint resistance leadership comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik. The day will be marked with a complete strike in occupied Kashmir and anti-India demonstrations and rallies in world capitals.The day is observed as Black Day to remind the world that India’s continued denial of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination is contrary to its claim of being a democratic republic.The observance of the day also aimed at to apprise the world community about the continued hostile attitude of India denying Kashmiris their legitimate right to self-determination and escaping from the peaceful solution of the much delayed Kashmir dispute.In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, protest rallies and demonstrations against Indian occupation of a major part of Jammu and Kashmir, will be hall mark of the black day in all ten districts of the liberated territory.

National Assembly session to start today

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The National Assembly session will begin under the chair of speaker Ayaz Sadiq at the Parliament House in Islamabad at 4:00pm today (Thursday), Dunya News reported. Stormy debates of legislation and key national issues are expected during today’s proceedings.Prior to the National Assembly session, a meeting of parliamentary leaders of the opposition parties will be held at 2:00pm under the chair of opposition leader Khurshid Shah to chalk out a joint strategy in regard to proceedings during today session. The opposition parties would be seeking to submit privilege motion against Prime Minister for allegedly lying to the parliament on the Panama Papers leaks issue.Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan will not attend the National Assembly session today.

Karachi: 2 terrorists killed in Rangers operation

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KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, Rangers conducted an operation on a tip-off in Gadap area of Karachi on Wednesday during which the terrorists opened fire at the raiding party. The Rangers returned the fire as a result two terrorists were killed.A Rangers spokesman said that arms were also recovered from the dead terrorists.Rangers also conducted operation in SITE Area, Shah Faisal and Landi and arrested six accused. A terrorist of a banned outfit and an activist of a militant wing of a political party are among the arrested accused. Arms and narcotics were also recovered from their possession.

Trump orders work to start on Mexico border wall

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered work to begin on planning and building a wall on the Mexican border, sounding a hardline tone on immigration as he moved to fulfill a key campaign pledge.The US leader instructed officials to begin to plan, design, and construct a physical wall along the southern border and -- perhaps more problematically -- see how it could be funded.A nation without borders is not a nation, Trump said, echoing Ronald Reagan as he visited the Department of Homeland Security to sign two executive orders.Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders, the Republican president claimed.Stemming immigration was a central plank of Trumps election campaign.His signature policy prescription was to build a wall across the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) border between the United States and Mexico.Some of the border is already fenced, but Trump says a wall is needed to stop illegal immigrants entering from Latin America.The policy has become a clarion call for the US right and far-right -- the core of Trumps support.A Morning Consult/Politico poll released Wednesday said 47 percent of voters support building a wall, with 45 percent against.Experts have voiced doubts about whether a wall would actually stem illegal immigration, or if it is worth the billions it is expected to cost.I suspect that a lot of Trump supporters would be just as happy with a big statue of a middle finger pointed south, said Congressman Luis Gutierrez.Both are about equally effective as national security strategies.Despite the high octane rhetoric, Trumps action was piecemeal; looking to identify existing funds that could be diverted toward the project.The Republican-controlled Congress would need to supply billions of dollars more if the wall is to be anywhere near completed.Trumps party has spent the last decade preaching fiscal prudence, so cuts to existing programs would likely be required.Trump also ordered a survey of the border to be completed within 180 days.Much of the land needed to build the wall would have to be seized from private citizens in Texas, the state of Texas or tribal authorities.That could lead to lengthy legal proceedings, political blowback, and substantial expropriation payments.Trump has promised to make Mexico pay for the wall, something the Mexican government has repeatedly said it will not do.Ultimately it will come out of whats happening with Mexico, were going to be starting those negotiations relatively soon. And we will be, in a form, reimbursed by Mexico, Trump told ABC earlier Wednesday.Trump aides have weighed hiking border tariffs or border transit costs as one way to make Mexico pay. Another threat is to finance the wall by tapping into remittances that Mexican migrants send home, which last year amounted to $25 billion.Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray and the countrys economy minister are currently in Washington to prepare a visit by President Enrique Pena Nieto scheduled for January 31.There are very clear red lines that must be drawn from the start, Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo told the Televisa network in Mexico just ahead of the trip.Asked whether his country would walk away from talks if the wall and remittances are an issue, Guajardo said: Absolutely.Trump is also said to be floating the idea of a ban on refugees from Muslim-majority countries, including Syria.Around 4.8 million Syrians have fled to neighboring countries alone, according to the United Nations. An estimated 18,000 Syrians have come to the United States.Former officials said Trump could slow the flow down by moving resources away from processing visa requests, or cutting or freezing migrant quotas and programs.The move has prompted a fierce backlash even before it was announced.A ban on refugees would not make America safer, said Stephen Yale-Loehr of Cornell Law. Refugees from Syria already go through a 21-step screening process that takes 18-24 months.The head of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services told Congress in September 2016 that not a single act of actual terrorist violence has been committed by a refugee since 9/11.

Football: Real Madrid eliminated from Copa del Rey by Celta Vigo

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MADRID (AFP) - A fine free-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo couldnt prevent Real Madrid from being dumped out of the Copa del Rey as a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo on Wednesday allowed the hosts to progress to the semi-finals 4-3 on aggregate.Hampered by a series of injuries, Reals hopes of turning the tie around were dealt a huge blow when Danilos own goal handed Celta to lead on the night just before half-time.Ronaldo gave Madrid hope with his first goal in the Copa del Rey for two years.However, Daniel Wass restored Celtas lead five minutes from time before Lucas Vazquezs stoppage time header at least prevented Madrid from suffering a third defeat in four games.Celta join Alaves and Atletico Madrid in Fridays semi-final draw.Barcelona take a 1-0 lead over Real Sociedad into the final quarter-final, second leg on Thursday. Madrid faced a huge challenge to turn the tie around with Zinedine Zidanes men missing seven first-team regulars through injury.However, it was the visitors who enjoyed the better chances early on.Celta keeper Sergio Alvarez made a stunning save to turn Ronaldos header onto the bar before the World Player of the Year hit the post with the goal gaping on the rebound.Injuries had also forced Zidane to change to a 3-5-2 formation and as Real pushed forward, Celta began to find space on the counter-attack towards the end of the opening half.Iago Aspas wasted a huge chance when he tried to square to John Guidetti with just Kiko Casilla to beat.Guidetti then forced Casilla into a fine save at this near post with a fiercely hit volley.However, Celta did make the breakthrough just a minute before half-time as, despite Casillas best efforts to again deny Guidetti, the loose ball cannoned off the helpless Danilo and into his own net.It was the second consecutive Cup game away from home that the much-criticised Brazilian had opened the scoring with an own goal.Yet, just when the tie was beginning to look beyond the European champions, Ronaldo brought the game back to life with a stunning free-kick that flew into the far corner from 25 yards just after the hour mark.Madrid came within inches of levelling on aggregate moments later when the normally deadly Sergio Ramos headed wide from point-blank range.Karim Benzema and another Ronaldo free-kick also flew just wide as Real hunted a second away goal.However, they were caught out at the back when Jozabed teed up Wass to slot into the far corner.Once again Real responded as substitute Vazquez turned a flick-on past Alvarez as the game entered stoppage time.But it was too little, too late as Reals hopes of a first ever treble were extinguished.

Football: Southampton beat Liverpool to reach League Cup final

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LIVERPOOL (AFP) - Southampton reached the League Cup final for the first time since 1979 as Shane Long grabbed the goal that sealed a memorable 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the semi-final second leg on Wednesday.Leading by Nathan Redmonds goal from the first leg two weeks ago, Claude Puels side showed great resolve to survive a barrage of second-half pressure at Anfield before securing their 2-0 aggregate triumph when Long struck late on.The visitors spurned three good chances to extend their aggregate lead in the first half, but were grateful Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge missed two excellent opportunities after the interval.Saints will face Manchester United or Hull at Wembley on February 26 as they bid to win the competition for the first time.United are their likely opponents as they hold a 2-0 lead heading into the second leg at Hull on Thursday.Southampton arrived at Anfield without their reliable centre-back Virgil van Dijk, ruled out with the ankle injury he sustained during Sundays win over Leicester.In Van Dijks absence, Jack Stephens made only his fourth start for the club and, having begun nervously by miscuing a back pass out for a corner, he grew in confidence, making a timely interception to prevent a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross from reaching Roberto Firmino.Liverpool defender Joel Matip, his eligibility dispute with FIFA resolved, started a game for the first time since December 11, but the Cameroon international looked very shaky.In the first half, Liverpool laboured as Southampton defended solidly and even when chances came the hosts couldnt convert them.Ryan Bertrand was caught in possession by Adam Lallana and that allowed Philippe Coutinho to set Sturridge for a shot that rolled straight to Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster. Then Roberto Firmino cut in from the right to test the goalkeeper once more, but it was another routine save for Forster.Southampton coped with Liverpools early attempts to cut through them, then sought a counter punch. They almost found it on the half-hour mark, as Redmonds burst down the left ended with a cross that was only half-cleared towards the advancing Steven Davis, whose shot would have nestled in the corner of the net but for James Milners fine block.Redmonds threat down the left surfaced again moments later, as a surging run ended with a square pass towards an unmarked Dusan Tadic, who just had to check to get to the ball, and was unable to get the power into his shot to slide it beneath the advancing Loris Karius.Liverpool, beaten in last years final by Manchester City, were caught out once more down that flank by Redmond before half-time, with Davis this time blasting a shot high into the Kop. From the other side, Redmond played a short corner that James Ward-Prowse rolled just wide from outside the penalty area.Yet all of Southamptons solid first-half work was almost undone eight minutes after the interval, when Forster misfielded Emre Cans long-range effort in the wind, and scrambled back just in time to flap the ball away as it bounced towards the goal.Sturridge then hooked over the bar from six yards after Can had guided a Coutinho delivery back across goal, before steering Jordan Hendersons ball beyond the near post.Then Coutinho whizzed a long-range shot just wide from distance as Liverpools desperation grew. The home fans were convinced their team should have had a penalty with seven minutes left, but Long survived a loud appeal for handball as he helped defend a corner.Long then popped up at the other end in stoppage-time to thump in fellow substitute Josh Sims pass and secure Southamptons place at Wembley.
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