If Ashe can help 23-year-old Shelton earn his first career win over Alcaraz, there is guaranteed to be an American player in the final.

Home stars reaching the men’s semi-finals has not been uncommon this century, but only Taylor Fritz has reached the final – two years ago when he lost to Jannik Sinner – since Roddick was beaten by Roger Federer in the 2006 final.

Tiafoe, who is seeded 11th, lost to Fritz in another all-American semi-final and was also eliminated by Alcaraz at the same stage in 2022.

Now the 28-year-old is aiming for a third opportunity to reach his first Grand Slam final.

Tiafoe reached the Cincinnati final last month and, thriving off the energy of the New York crowd, has maintained his momentum.

On what it is like to receive such support, he said: “It’s an out-of-body experience, no question. No real explaining that type of feeling.

“It’s like you’re not even touching the ground at one point. Energy is so high, and it seems like the level of play matches that.”

While Tiafoe is one of the sport’s great entertainers, 22-year-old Michelsen is more understated.

The world number 46 admits he has been happy to fly “under the radar” at Flushing Meadows while the likes of Tiafoe, Shelton, Fritz and Tommy Paul soak up the attention.

But earning a place in a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time, and not dropping a set on his way, means Michelsen will find himself under the spotlight on Ashe.

“First, second, third rounds, all matches I’m feeling nerves. It’s a human experience,” he said.

“But it’s just about going out there and managing them to the best of my ability. I feel like I’ve done that very well.”

Man Utd fans are set to protest against the club’s treatment of season-ticket holders amid the ticket-touting operation fiasco

Manchester United fans are set to protest against the club’s controversial operation to tackle ticket touting before facing Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.

United received widespread backlash from some of their most loyal supporters in July following the launch of an investigation into touting, which caught some innocent fans in the crossfire.

The club described their operation to address touting as “successful”, but recognised that “some innocent supporters may have been affected” and apologised for the inconvenience during the process.

The Manchester Evening News spoke to several angry United season ticket holders across the summer following emails from the club alleging they had broken ticketing terms and conditions.

The fiasco brought together the various United fan groups, who took the unprecedented step of releasing a joint statement condemning the operation and demanding transparency from the club.

Now, United supporter group The 1958 have announced they will protest against the ‘season ticket banning crackdown’ before the Manchester derby, declaring that ‘a line has been crossed’.

A spokesman confirmed: “Manchester United supporter groups are being called upon to all stand together following reports of bans and season ticket sanctions without clear and compelling evidence always being presented.

“For generations, match-going Reds have given their time, money and loyalty to Manchester United, home and away. That loyalty deserves to be treated with respect.”

The 1958 have urged supporters to gather peacefully outside The Bishop Blaize pub near Old Trafford in a show of unity from 3pm on Sunday.

The spokesperson added: “This is not about one group or one individual. It is about how Manchester United treats its match-going supporters. It may not affect you today, it may not next time but that day is coming for all of us.

“ALL REDS. ALL GROUPS. ONE VOICE. SHOW THE EVIDENCE. LIFT THE BANS.

“Supporters are now facing serious sanctions which can remove their right to attend matches. We believe nobody should face such action without being told clearly what they are accused of and being shown the evidence used to justify it.

“This goes beyond individual supporters or supporter groups. If this approach is allowed to stand, it should concern every match-going Red.

“Whatever differences have existed between supporter groups in the past, this is a time to put them aside. A call has gone out for Manchester United supporter groups, Fans’ Forum representatives, supporters’ clubs and independent fan organisations to stand together on a simple principle:

“If there is clear, substantive evidence of serious wrongdoing or organised ticket touting, show it. No loyal supporter should be treated as guilty without being given a fair opportunity to understand and challenge the case against them.”

Ioan Rhsy Jones general secretary of teaching union UCAC, said: “Whatever your views on Pisa as a way of assessing education, this year’s results are disappointing.

“However, it must be acknowledged that Pisa only provides a quick snapshot of the education system, across a limited range of skills. We must also remember that only a sample of schools participate in these tests every three years.

“Having said that, it is clear that there is a need to plan improvements, and attention should be accorded to basic skills across the country.

We can only hope that the Curriculum for Wales, once fully established, will provide

a solid foundation for learners and that the new Foundation Literacy and Numeracy

Framework will be a means to plan, benchmark, and ensure national improvement in

the years to come.

It is crucial that all improvement plans consider all aspects of education, including

the community and the home. We would welcome robust financial investment in our

schools, therefore leading ultimately to an improvement in standards. The education

workforce is currently working hard under challenging circumstances. Hopefully, we

will see the present government appreciating the importance of investing in

education, thus providing solid and strong foundations for our students, who are our

future.’

By JAMIE BOYS, REPORTER

Published: 00:36 BST, 25 August 2026 | Updated: 02:26 BST, 25 August 2026

Dozens of people have been injured and hundreds of homes were damaged after a tornado tore through a French village. 

Some 41 people were hurt as the tornado ripped through the village in the southwest of the country. 

Authorities had placed swathes of the country’s southwest on orange alert for storms, and numerous areas were hit by power outages and transport chaos.

The hardest-hit village was Pomas, where around 300 homes were damaged. 

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The village has a population of around 1,000. Some houses had their roofs ripped off by the tornado. 

A pregnant woman was among those injured when part of her home collapsed. 

Her husband told AFP that she was taken to hospital after being trapped beneath a falling wall. Police said the sofa had protected her. 

The condition of her baby is currently unknown.    

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An impressive tornado is observed from the village of Cépie in Aude, France

Stunning video footage shows the twister growing larger and picking up dirt in a French town in the Aude region

Some 41 people were injured as the tornado ripped through the village in southwestern France

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Fifteen of the injured were taken to hospital. 

Stunning video footage shows the twister growing larger and picking up dirt in a French town in the Aude region. 

More than 120 emergency workers were deployed to the scene, local authorities said.

Gendarmes were due to patrol affected areas throughout the night, while two shelters were opened for residents unable to stay in their homes – one in Pomas and another in Limoux. 

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Several roads were closed as fallen trees and cars were strewn across streets. 

In Aude, officials cancelled the third stage of the Vuelta a Espana cycling race, which was being held in the area, when a hailstorm forced riders to seek shelter. 

Hailstones measuring up to 3cm to 5cm were also reported in nearby areas.

Météo Languedoc, an independent weather forecasting service in the region, warned people to avoid the Aude region because the storm posed ‘a threat to life’. 

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The warning was lifted by 7pm local time.  

This photograph taken on Monday shows a damaged structure after a tornado struck Pomas

Pictures from Monday show a tornado developing in the village of Cépie, the worst damage was sustained in Pomas

More than 120 emergency workers were deployed to the scene, local authorities said

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Several roads were closed as fallen trees and cars were strewn across streets

French authorities had placed swathes of the country’s southwest on orange alert for storms, and numerous areas were hit by power outages and transport chaos

The tornado was strong enough to fling cars and left the pictured vehicle on top of another

The national weather service, Meteo-France, said winds had reached up to 73 miles (117km) per hour in the nearby village of Arquettes-en-Val.  

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Storms across southern France upended the transportation network, delaying trains, forcing road closures, and causing delays and cancellations at airports in Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse and even Paris to the north, said Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot. 

An estimated 2,800 homes were left without electricity across ten villages, officials said. 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The California Senate passed a bill Monday that would fine content creators who don’t disclose they were paid to post in support of a political candidate or issue on the ballot.

California, along with Texas, already requires content creators to include payment disclaimers on their political posts. The goal of this year’s bill is to better enforce the law. The legislation, which was authored by Democratic Assemblymember Marc Berman, will need a final vote in the Assembly before it can reach Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. Newsom has until the end of September to sign or veto it.

“Voters should have a right to know whether or not campaigns are paying for the messaging that they’re seeing,” Berman said in an interview last month.

Under current law, the state’s campaign watchdog can seek a court order compelling an influencer to disclose that they were paid, but that process can take months. Berman’s bill would give the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission, which supports the proposal, the power to fine influencers and political committees if they are found to have violated the law, allowing the commission to bypass the court process. Content creators could face fines of up to $5,000 per violation, according to the commission.

The bill’s passage comes as federal efforts to pass disclosure requirements for influencers have yet to advance. Sen. Adam Schiff of California introduced a bill in Congress last month, but it hasn’t received a vote.

NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz will open the U.S. Open mixed doubles tournament against a team that features the reigning women’s doubles champion.

Williams and Alcaraz will face Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool on Tuesday in the first round of the championship, which will be Williams’ first match at the U.S. Open since 2022.

Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic might have an even tougher draw. The top seeds, based on having the lowest combined singles ranking in the 16-team field, face the team of Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten — who are the No. 1-ranked doubles players on their respective tours.

The first round and quarterfinals are Tuesday. The semifinals and final are Wednesday.

Williams and Alcaraz were drawn to face one of the teams that emerged from the qualifying tournament that was held Monday. That ended up being Routliffe and Glasspool, who won two matches, both requiring match tiebreakers, to secure their place in the main draw.

Routliffe teamed with Gabriela Dabrowski to beat Siniakova and Taylor Townsend for last year’s U.S. Open women’s doubles title. They also won the championship in 2023.

Sabalenka and Djokovic had been slated to play Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe. But Tiafoe withdrew from mixed doubles Monday after losing to Arthur Fils in the Cincinnati Open final on Sunday, opening the door for a team that lost in qualifying to nevertheless earn a spot.

Siniakova and Patten won both their matches to reach the main draw. Kristina Mladenovic and Marcelo Arevalo, who lost to Routliffe and Glasspool in their second match, got the remaining spot and will play Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik.

The eight-team qualifying tournament was added this year to give the traditional doubles specialists an opportunity to compete for the U.S. Open title. When the tournament was overhauled last year — with a $1 million prize for the winners — in an effort to get top singles players to compete, direct entry was based on singles rankings, essentially shutting out the players who largely focus on doubles.

Williams is not planning to play singles in New York. Alcaraz, who has been sidelined since April with a right wrist injury, will return to defend his singles title.

___

See AP’s full tennis coverage here

A group of 22 former international cricket captains, including England’s Michael Atherton, Michael Brearley, Nasser Hussain, Andrew Strauss and David Gower, together with Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev of India and Australian greats Greg Chappell and Ian Chappell, signed a second such letter to the Pakistan prime minister within six months.

The latest appeal comes days after Mr Khan was taken to a government hospital in the capital for a medical examination.

The examination was conducted in the presence of one of his sisters, and Mr Khan was then returned to Adiala prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

Doctors declared him 100 per cent medically fit.

But the group of cricket greats questioned the procedure of Mr Khan’s medical checkup.

Michael is the son of Alan Atherton, who was a head of Harper Green School, Farnworth.

“Pakistan’s supreme court ordered that Imran Khan be transferred to hospital for examination by a medical board that was to include his own personal physicians and his sister, Dr Uzma Khan,” the cricketers said in a letter.

“Concerningly, Mr Khan’s hospital stay lasted only a few hours. He was examined by a state-appointed team rather than the board the court had directed, declared ‘medically fit’, and returned to Adiala jail before that board could complete its work.”

Braintree Cricket Club president Tom Gould was presented with a Sky Sports Coach award at the Oval by Michael Atherton..

Mr Khan, 73, led Pakistan to the 1992 Cricket World Cup title and later served as prime minister from 2018 until his removal in 2022.

The 22 former national team captains said they did not seek to adjudicate on Pakistan’s domestic legal process and had written to the prime minister “not as politicians, but as former colleagues and rivals (of Mr Khan) who share a bond forged on the cricket field”.

In February, 14 former international cricketers expressed their concern over Mr Khan’s health after his family said he had lost about 85% of the vision in his right eye, a claim disputed by the government.

Authorities later said his condition was improving following treatment.

Mr Khan’s lawyers and family have also accused the government of defying a court order that required him to be examined at the private Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad.

Pakistan’s government rejected the allegations over the weekend, saying Mr Khan was examined by doctors from the private hospital and that he could not be taken to Shifa International for security reasons.

The government said Mr Khan’s supporters had begun gathering outside the private hospital in violation of the court order, which required them to stay away from the medical facility to avoid inconveniencing other patients.

The government has also rejected allegations from Mr Khan’s family that he was being subjected to “cruelty, mental torture, punitive solitary confinement and medical neglect”.

Mr Khan is not being held under a government order but as a “convicted prisoner” serving sentences imposed by courts following judicial proceedings, the ministry of information said in a written response to The Associated Press last Friday.

The ministry also rejected allegations that Mr Khan was being held in solitary confinement or denied meaningful contact with his family.

It said Mr Khan had received more than 900 visits from family members, lawyers, doctors, political representatives, and other approved visitors since his imprisonment in 2023.

He had also been allowed weekly meetings with his wife, as well as telephone and WhatsApp contact with relatives in Pakistan and abroad, the ministry said.

It said his sisters had met with him as recently as August 18 and 19.

Mr Khan, a former international, was married to British TV producer and screenwriter Jemima Khan from 1995 to 2004. They have two adult sons, Sulaiman and Kasim.

There’s one week to go in the transfer window and every Premier League club still has a lot to do before it slams shut.

The 20 clubs have already spent more than £2billion combined this summer, topped by three deals within the division – Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa to Chelsea (£117million), Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City (£116million) and Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United to Tottenham Hotspur (£100million).

But no club is closed for business yet and in the rush to ready a squad before the deadline passes, there is a huge amount of transfer activity left to go.

Here, SIMON JONES explains what your club still needs, who they’re in for and who might go…

Arsenal

They want a striker. The dream is Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid, except the player’s dream is to join Barcelona. Atletico ideally don’t want that to happen so Arsenal still have a chance if the relationship continues to sour. Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen is an alternative.

A left winger. Al Hilal are closing on a £50million deal for Gabriel Martinelli while Ethan Nwaneri is expected to go out on loan and Reiss Nelson is poised to join West Ham.

Everton’s £80million-rated Iliman Ndiaye is among those Arsenal admire for left wing.

Aston Villa

A striker and centre-back. They are primed to bid for Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson with Ollie Watkins poised to join Al Hilal and have had bids rejected for Taylor Harwood-Bellis at Southampton.

Enquiries are ongoing for Joel Ordonez of Club Brugge and Tosin Adarabioyo of Chelsea.

Free agent Leon Goretzka is poised to add experience in midfield.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth are considering adding a No6 and a No10, plus a winger. Main objective has been to keep their squad together with clubs circling for Alex Scott, Tyler Adams, El Junior Kroupi and Marcus Tavernier. Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio flew in on Monday ahead of completing his loan move.

The option to buy is £12.5million plus £2million in bonuses and there is a £1million penalty if that option is not taken up.

Brentford

A left wing-back is the target and West Ham’s El Hadji Malick Diouf has been one throughout the summer.

Defender Ethan Pinnock is joining Coventry City for £6million. They would like another midfielder and have considered a loan for Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk. Also wary of late bids for Igor Thiago.

Brighton

A winger or two. Liverpool want Yankuba Minteh but there is some distance between valuations.

Amario Cozier-Duberry also has offers from Rangers and Wolves. Brighton have asked about Femi Azeez at Millwall and Deportivo La Coruna’s Yeremay Hernandez.

The club are working on a deal for BSC Young Boys left-back Jaouen Hadjam. 

Chelsea

Focus has been on getting players out. However, if Manchester City firm up interest in Enzo Fernandez they would want a replacement in first. 

Monaco’s Lamine Camara, Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace and Bournemouth’s Alex Scott are admired. 

Their £100million valuation of Pedro Neto and £75million price tag on Malo Gusto have deterred bids but both have interest from rival clubs. Juventus winger Conceicao is on their radar should anyone match their Neto price. 

Nottingham Forest spoke to Chelsea on Monday night about a deal for striker Liam Delap. 

Real Sociedad are pushing to sign Mamadou Sarr on loan from Chelsea.

Brentford have considered a move for Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk

Coventry City

Coventry are open to late opportunities to strengthen across the team but would like more options in defence and wing. They had interest in Milan’s Fikayo Tomori plus Porto’s Francisco Moura and are closing on a £6million deal for Brentford’s Ethan Pinnock. But Stephen Mfuni’s loan move from Manchester City is off.

Crystal Palace

They would like a forward, winger, midfielder and centre-back.

Galatasaray continue to circle for Ismaila Sarr and Adam Wharton is a last-minute option for some despite Palace saying they won’t sell. Palace have also rebuffed Aston Villa interest in Jean-Philippe Mateta. 

Axel Disasi is due to sign from Chelsea while they want a midfielder after Monaco rejected their offers for Lamine Camara. Auxerre’s Kevin Danois and West Ham’s Soungoutou Magassa are among their targets.

They have also checked on Roma midfielder Neil El Aynaoui. 

Everton

A right-back, left-back, midfielder, winger and striker. David Moyes wants more quality in depth after they fell short of Europe last season. Chelsea’s Liam Delap is among the forwards being considered. 

Fulham

A centre-back, midfielder and winger. They have had bids rejected for Rennes defender Abdelhamid Ait-Boudlal and Trabzonspor’s Chibuike Nwaiwu. Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal is admired. 

Hull City

A forward, a winger, and goalkeeping cover are the targets. They are progressing for Mohamed Ali-Cho from Nice and Union Berlin forward Ilya Ansah. 

Ipswich Town

Defence, midfield and attack is where Gary O’Neil would like to add. Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Exequiel Palacios is one he is chasing while they are one of many keen on Liam Delap. 

Chelsea’s Liam Delap is admired by many clubs and Forest are holding talks over a move

Leeds United

A winger, striker, defender, goalkeeper. Chelsea have rejected their latest loan bid for Mykhaylo Mudryk. They may add free agent defender Diogo Leite. Frankfurt ‘keeper Michael Zetterer has held talks over a £4.3m move. 

Leeds have held talks with Eintracht Frankfurt goalkeeper Michael Zetterer (right)

Liverpool

They are chasing two wingers. Bradley Barcola at Paris Saint-Germain and Yankuba Minteh of Brighton are the current targets. If there is no breakthrough on fees soon they will have to consider alternatives, but both players want to join. 

Manchester City

A forward, midfielder, and right-back are on the list. Ayyoub Bouaddi is on his way from Lille and winger Allan Elias is set to join from Palmeiras after the clubs agreed a £34m deal.

Enzo Fernandez remains an expensive option for City who also admire Roma’s Manu Kone and Adam Wharton of Palace. Jack Grealish could stay as Omar Marmoush follows Savinho to Spurs.

Manchester United

They would like a left-back and a forward. An enquiry for Newcastle’s Lewis Hall was rejected and despite a limit on what iis left to spend, they have checked on Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde and Jorge Salinas of Santander. Juventus or Aston Villa could bid for Joshua Zirkzee to provide funds for a new forward. 

Newcastle United

A midfield organiser is the key and they are closing in on an agreement for Manchester City’s Nico Gonzalez. They have also asked about Tottenham’s Archie Gray.

Versatile Lille forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo is also one they are discussing.

Talks have advanced between Newcastle and Manchester City over a move for Spanish midfielder Nico Gonzalez

Nottingham Forest

A striker, right-back and midfielder. They are talking to Chelsea about Liam Delap and have also discussed Everton’s Beto and Igor Thiago of Brentford for the striker option. Spurs’ Lucas Bergvall and Barcelona’s Marc Casado plus Auxerre’s Kevin Danois are in the mix too and Fiorentina right-back Dodo is the latest in their sights. 

Sunderland

Their midfield has been bolstered by the arrival of Jules Ahoka for £8million from Royal Antwerp. They are also working to add a right winger with talks ongoing over a £30million deal for Sporting Lisbon’s Geny Catamo. Goalkeeper Robin Roefs is in talks over a new contract.

Tottenham Hotspur 

Wanted are two forwards and right back cover. Savinho has joined from Manchester City and Omar Marmoush will follow on an initial loan. Spurs are also trying an ambitious move for Cody Gakpo from Liverpool but hold interest in Chelsea’s Pedro Neto among others as a back-up .

By CAITLIN LENG

Published: 01:45 BST, 25 August 2026 | Updated: 01:49 BST, 25 August 2026

A man has been charged with murder and eight counts of attempted murder following a fatal west London house fire that left one dead and eight injured.

Pawel Kupla, 34, faces charges of one count of murder, eight counts of attempted murder and one count of arson to endanger life in connection with a fire that broke out at an address in Hounslow on Wednesday, August 19.

Kupla, of no fixed address, was remanded in custody on Monday after he was apprehended by Kent Police on Sunday while travelling on a train to France.

He will appear at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, August 25.

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At around 1am on Wednesday, emergency services responded to reports of a house fire on Berkeley Avenue in Hounslow.

Officers attended the scene alongside the London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service. Nine people were rushed to hospital as a result of their injuries.

Kupla’s arrest comes as the Met Police named 50-year-old Anna Kowalska as dying in hospital following the fire, despite the best efforts of medical staff. 

Ms Kowalska’s next-of-kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.

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Pawel Kupla has been charged in connection with a fatal house fire in Hounslow that left one dead and eight others injured (Pictured: Police outside a fire damaged property following a fire on Berkeley Avenue)

Nine people were rushed to hospital, where one woman, named as 50-year-old Anna Kowalska, died despite the best efforts of medical staff (Pictured: Fire damage to a property)

Kupla faces charges of one count of murder, eight counts of attempted murder and one count of arson to endanger life 

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Police at the scene of a fire on Berkeley Avenue in Hounslow, where a fatal fire broke out during the early hours of Wednesday morning

Nine people were rushed to hospital with injuries. Seven have since been discharged (Pictured: The charred front facing side of the property in question)

In a statement released on Monday, the Met Police said their investigation remains ongoing 

The force also confirmed a 40-year-old woman remains in hospital in a life-threatening condition.

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The seven other victims – six men and one woman – have since been discharged after receiving treatment for minor injuries.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, who is leading the investigation, said: ‘Our thoughts remain first and foremost with the victim’s family and loved ones at this extremely difficult time, as well as everyone who has been injured.

‘Our investigation is continuing at pace and we have arrested one man in connection with the incident.

‘Detectives are continuing to build a full picture of the circumstances surrounding the incident and are pursuing a number of lines of enquiry.

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‘We continue to ask any witnesses or anyone with information about the incident to please contact us as soon as possible.’

In a statement released on Monday, the Met Police said their investigation remains ongoing.

The force has urged anyone with information or footage connected to the incident to contact police on 101, quoting CAD 359/19Aug.

Information can also be anonymously submitted through the independent charity CrimeStoppers, on 0800 555 111, or by visiting the CrimeStoppers website.

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