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US puts $20m bounty on Iranian accused of John Bolton assassination plot

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US puts $20m bounty on Iranian accused of John Bolton assassination plot

The US is offering a $20m (£15m) reward for information leading to the arrest of an Iranian man accused of plotting to assassinate Donald Trump’s former National Security Advisor John Bolton.

Shahram Poursafi, a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), is accused of trying to hire criminals in the US to kill Mr Bolton, a vocal Iran critic, in exchange for $300,000.

The reward announcement comes in the same week that Trump said he had been briefed by US intelligence about an alleged Iranian assassination plot against him.

Iran has previously denied orchestrating any plots to assassinate Trump officials or interfere in US affairs.

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Officials say that from October 2021 to April 2022 Mr Poursafi attempted to hire “criminal elements within the United States” to murder Mr Bolton in Washington DC or Maryland.

One of the potential assassins he contacted was a confidential source for US investigators, according to the state department.

Mr Poursafi allegedly told that person that after completing the hit on Bolton, “he would have a second assassination job for him”.

His alleged motivation was retaliation against the US for its assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, which was ordered by Trump when he was in the White House, according to officials.

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The US Department of Justice charged Mr Poursafi with the alleged murder plot in 2022 . He remains at large, and officials say he is not believed to be in the US.

Iranian Vice-President Mohammad Javad Zarif, in an interview with NBC News this week, denied accusations that his government has attempted to kill Iranian critics abroad.

“We do not assassinate people, but the fact of the matter is – they assassinated a revered Iranian general,” he said.

Mr Bolton, speaking to NBC on Thursday, said that the US should be “more proactive” about the Iranian threats.

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“When they come after us, government officials, current and former, for doing their job, really, that’s an attack on the United States government itself,” said Mr Bolton.

“I don’t think staying in a passive mode about it is the best way to go. We know that this is more than idle speculation in Tehran.”

Earlier this week, the Trump campaign said that it had received a briefing from US intelligence about Iranian plots to kill Trump.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence in the US acknowledged the briefing but declined to address any specifics.

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Trump posted on the social media site X, formerly Twitter, that there are “big threats on my life by Iran.”

“Moves were already made by Iran that didn’t work out, but they will try again.”

There has been no suggestion by US investigators that Iran was involved in either of the two recent assassination attempts against Trump, at a rally in Pennsylvania and at his golf course in Florida.

Meanwhile, the FBI and US intelligence aggencies have alleged that Iranian hackers stole and attempted to distribute information about Donald Trump’s electoral campaign, hoping to “stoke discord” and undermine confidence in US institutions ahead of the November election.

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How to ‘unretire’ and use your knowledge and skills to help train younger staff

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How to 'unretire' and use your knowledge and skills to help train younger staff

MOST firms measure their “return on investments”, known as ROI, but does your company measure “return on experience?”

ROE is a new phrase coined to explain the value added by older workers, by sharing their skills and helping train younger staff.

Bob Lawrence started work at B&Q to boost his pension and liked it so much he enrolled on the firm’s apprenticeship scheme

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Bob Lawrence started work at B&Q to boost his pension and liked it so much he enrolled on the firm’s apprenticeship schemeCredit: Supplied

With the axing of winter fuel payments and the pension age rising to 67 from 2026, more pensioners are having to go back to work to top up their incomes.

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But this “unretirement” has also led to mature staff offering their advice and wisdom to millennial and Gen Z employees.

The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show the number of over-65s in employment has almost tripled since 2000, with 1.4million — equivalent to one in nine older people — now working. Just like Bob Lawrence, 72 at B&Q.

As a result, increasing numbers of firms are now actively seeking to build “inter-generational workforces” to capitalise on ROE, with hotel chain Hilton recently launching a recruitment drive to target over-50s.

Lyndsey Simpson, founder of 55/Redefined said: “Many people lack purpose in retirement and are keen to be productive, work and learn new skills. This is driving a huge wave of older adults coming back to their previous profession on a more flexible or part-time basis, or applying for roles to do something completely new.”

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Many older workers are still seeking to expand their skillset, either taking on a new second career in a different industry or doing an apprenticeship, most of which are open to any age.

Firms including B&Q, Govia Thameslink and British Gas have all hired apprentices in their 60s and 70s.

While workers aged 65 and above mostly work part-time, a growing number are going full-time employment beyond the state pension age.

Pension expert on how to retire early- Scotish Widows

Dr Karen Hancock of the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “Workers with up to 50 years of workplace experience have an incredible wealth of knowledge to share.” Find out more at 55redefined.co and restless.co.uk.

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‘YOUR NEW CAREER IS WAITING’

BOB LAWRENCE started work at B&Q to boost his pension and liked it so much he enrolled on the firm’s apprenticeship scheme.

He graduated this month, aged 72.

Bob, who works at B&Q Buxton, Derbys, as a showroom customer adviser, said: “Some people think learning stops as you get older, but we all have something to bring.

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“In my previous career I was a manager in construction plant services. I’m a DIY addict and have over 45 years of business management experience – but the retail industry was alien to me.

“I had skills I could apply but wanted to embark on the Level 2 apprenticeship to feel more confident in my second career.

“Don’t let age stop you. Grab apprentice-ships as they can provide you with reliable income while you learn and develop your career, or like myself move forward with a second one.

“Believe in yourself. You can do it if you pursue it.”

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IMPRESS A.I. WITH YOUR CV

Aarti Uplenchwar, at software firm Workday, offers her best CV tips

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Aarti Uplenchwar, at software firm Workday, offers her best CV tipsCredit: Supplied

MOST firms now use AI to screen job applicants, so how can you stand out?

Aarti Uplenchwar, at software firm Workday, knows. She says: “Your CV is still the most important tool.”

Here are her CV tips . . . 

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  • Tailor it to the job: This may be time-consuming but is essential.
  • More is not always better: Consider what experience you do and do not include, and which skills and certifications. Address what the employer wants, as they may use AI to look for specific skills.
  • Make your skills shine: Organisations are shifting from a focus on job experience to looking at skills, so put these at the top of your CV. Create a section below your profile, then also highlight what skills you gained in your experience section – maybe problem-solving or creativity. The employer may have used AI to find the skills they need.
  • Be specific about achievements: Keep them brief but detailed enough to showcase the problem you solved and how. You could say how much you increased revenue, or cut costs.
  • Show personality: Hobbies and interests are key here. Sport, for example, suggests you may be good at teamwork, as well as healthy.
  • Make your CV easy to read: Ensure it is clearly laid out. Whether a human will be looking over it, or AI, it must be easy to scan.

Jobspot

SOCIAL mobility programme Brixton Finishing School, which helps people into marketing, advertising and communication jobs, needs volunteers for its ADventure scheme. Check out careeradventures.org

KNOW YOUR HEART

ONE patient every five minutes is hospitalised with a heart attack – and employer support is vital to recovery.

This Sunday is World Heart Day and Travelodge manager Mark Wenlock has told how the hotel chain helped him after a recent triple heart bypass op.

He said: “I was itching to get back to work but they wouldn’t hear of me returning early. My manager visited me in hospital and the team got someone in to cover my role. They were world-class.”

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Now he is campaigning to raise awareness. He said: “If any-thing feels out of the ordinary around the chest, get checked.”

Travelodge staff have raised over £970,000 for the British Heart Foundation, and rolled out the charity’s CPR training tool RevivR.

See bhf.org.uk/revivr

OH, STORE BLIMEY

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WANT to work in the world’s coolest new shop?

Future Stores opens next month on London’s Oxford Street.

Featuring LED-covered walls and ceilings, and data scanners to work out customer preferences, it will host an ever-changing mix of brands – giving staff the chance to upskill across different retail sectors.

Founder Ariel Haroush said: “We looked around the globe to find the location for our first store. With rich heritage, Oxford Street and London were top of the list. We are delighted to create 40 jobs and look forward to changing the face of retail through a concept that asks why the high street can’t be as dynamic as your Instagram – ever-changing and engaging.”

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See info@futurestores.com.

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Debate Over Treatment of Houseless Sparked by Controversial Florida Bill

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Florida is considering a bill that would ban houseless people from sleeping in public places and instead require them to stay in designated encampments, Alexandra Martinez of Prism reported on February 24, 2024. The bill has received support from Governor Ron DeSantis and is moving through the legislative process. Critics argue that the bill is discriminatory and dehumanizing, targeting marginalized groups and effectively segregating them from urban areas. They suggest that a better approach would be to prioritize providing housing for houseless individuals to address their most basic needs.

David Peery, a formerly houseless activist and the founder of Miami Coalition to Advance Racial Equity, and other advocates for the houseless have been calling for a housing-first approach that would prioritize “providing housing for people so that their most basic needs can be addressed,” Martinez wrote. Perry and other advocates have criticized conservative think tanks, such as the Cicero Institute, for promoting legislation that further criminalizes houselessness and effectively hides the issue from public view.

“These efforts have been spearheaded by very conservative think tanks, very conservative people that simply want to relegate the poor into the areas where they cannot see them,” Peery said. “They certainly want to use and exploit the poor for their labor in order to produce their wealth that they can use, but they don’t want to see them.”
Legal precedents, such as the Martin v. Boise case, have recognized the rights of houseless individuals to sleep on public property when no other options are available.

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However, upcoming Supreme Court decisions could change this, potentially impacting the legality of Florida’s proposed measures and similar laws nationwide. Despite criticism and legal complexities, the bill continues to advance.

Governor DeSantis expressed support but opposed the creation of encampments in areas that might disrupt public activities. Perry said, “This has been a longstanding goal of certain really fascist repressive people throughout the years.” Perry maintains that the bill is “racist, elitist, and repressive,” and further marginalizes already marginalized communities. This approach reflects broader societal attitudes, with some likening it to “NIMBY”-ism (not in my backyard) where individuals resist having houseless populations near their communities due to various concerns, including living conditions and prejudice.

Corporate outlets, such as the Washington Post and USA Today, have covered this bill and some of its implications. By contrast, Prism’s article dissected recent precedents for the bill and its discriminatory origins. The independent news outlet Truthout republished the Prism report.

Source: Alexandra Martinez, “New Florida Bill Could Force Unhoused People Into Encampments,” Prism, February 22, 2024.

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Student Researcher: Shonna Mae Porcadilla (City College of San Francisco) 

Faculty Evaluator: Jennifer Levinson (City College of San Francisco)

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Daily Telegraph tipped to go to US bidder at auction

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Daily Telegraph tipped to go to US bidder at auction

The owner of the politically right-leaning New York Sun has emerged as the favourite to acquire the Daily and Sunday Telegraph ahead of Friday’s deadline for bids.

Though a late entrant to the auction British-born Dovid Efune’s BID is considered by several parties as the potential new frontrunner.

He is thought able to offer a competitive bid of around £550m while not attracting the political and regulatory objections that saw a bid backed by the United Arab Emirates ruling family blocked by the government.

Mr Efune is one of only two bidders to have attended senior management presentations at the Telegraph.

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They have broadly welcomed the prospect of his ownership while conceding that “none of the bidders are perfect”.

If the bid is successful it could provide a link between the Telegraph and its former owner Conrad Black.

Lord Black, who is a regular contributor to the New York Sun, was convicted of fraud and obstructing justice in 2007 and jailed for more than three years, but was pardoned in 2019 by Donald Trump when he was US President.

There are several other bidders who remain in the hunt for one of Britain’s most influential and profitable daily newspapers and its Sunday sister publication.

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Hedge fund tycoon Sir Paul Marshall recently acquired the Spectator for £100m and appointed former Conservative minister Michael Gove as the new editor.

Backed by funds from fellow hedge fund boss Ken Griffin, some have speculated that Sir Paul wants to add to a growing right-leaning media empire that includes GB News.

However, sources close to the deal suggest that the bid may be losing momentum.

National World, which owns regional titles including the Scotsman and the Yorkshire Post, is also in the running and its owner, David Montgomery, was the other bidder to attend a presentation by the current Telegraph management.

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Attendees were reportedly underwhelmed by his plans for the group – perhaps unsurprising given his track record of cutting jobs at other titles.

One attendee described his ideas for the Telegraph’s future as “dated” and “a bit like dad dancing – he doesn’t understand modern media”.

Lord Rothermere, the controlling shareholder of the Daily Mail, is thought to have refreshed interest in the auction having previously walked away citing inevitable competition objections from regulators and a new Labour government.

Former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, who is close to the Telegraph’s former owners, the Barclay family, is also thought to be trying to raise money in the Middle East to finance a bid.

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Rupert Murdoch’s News UK had shown early interest but is no longer considered a bidder, having been more interested in the Spectator.

Sources close to the deal say there are other potential bidders who may emerge as Friday’s midnight deadline approaches.

The Telegraph is back up for sale after an audacious attempt backed by Redbird IMI – a vehicle largely funded by Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour – to take ownership of both the Telegraph and the Spectator by paying off the previous owner’s debts collapsed.

The bid was vetoed by the previous Conservative government, who balked at the idea of a foreign state having majority ownership of politically influential UK newspapers and periodicals.

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Titles like the Telegraph and the Spectator don’t come up for sale very often and are considered “trophy assets”.

Assets like this have prestige and influence, which means they command a higher price than their financial performance alone can justify.

Redbird IMI effectively paid £600m for both titles with many thinking they had overpaid.

However, Sir Paul Marshall paid £100m for the Spectator alone despite the fact it only makes around £2m in profit a year.

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That valuation has fuelled optimism at Redbird IMI that the Telegraph, which makes a profit of over £40m, will fetch “north of £500m”.

If so, the Gulf bidders will be able to walk away from their attempted swoop without damage to their wallets or dignity.

It is expected to take several weeks or even months for the ownership to be settled as various legal and regulatory hurdles are cleared.

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Another major high street bank is offering new customers £150 free cash – see if you can get the bank boost

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Another major high street bank is offering new customers £150 free cash - see if you can get the bank boost

ANOTHER major high street bank is offering a big £150 cash incentive – here’s how you can cash in.

The bank is launching a new switch-and-stay offer, as the switch wars between banks trying to poach customers from rivals continues.

This bank has launched a new switch offer

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This bank has launched a new switch offerCredit: Alamy
Moving over to Co-operative - or switching accounts as an existing customer - could pay off

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Moving over to Co-operative – or switching accounts as an existing customer – could pay offCredit: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A solid cash injection is on offer

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A solid cash injection is on offerCredit: Getty

The Co-operative Bank has announced eligible customers could receive up to £150.

The first £75 is given when a customer completes a switch to the bank.

Then, the bank is offering three monthly instalments of £25 – another £75 – to make up the £150.

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Both new and existing customers can apply to switch to a current account to make themselves eligible for the payment.

Like any good offer, there are a few boxes to tick off before the big payment comes in.

Customers must apply for a Standard Current Account or Everyday Extra account.

To be eligible, customers must not have benefited from a switch incentive at The Co-operative Bank since 1 November 2022.

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And to receive the first £75, customers need to follow a series of rules.

They are:

  • Deposit a minimum of £1,000 into their new account (this includes balances transferred as part of the switch).
  • Have 2 active Direct Debits.
  • Make a minimum of 10 debit card or digital wallet transactions (pending payments will not count toward fulfilment of this criteria).
  • Register for our online and/or mobile banking service.
  • Set up the debit card in a digital wallet (Apple Pay, Samsung Wallet or Google Pay).
Major high street bank axing key service

That leaves the three £25 instalments – and there are some rules to claim them too.

Bankers need to deposit at least £1,000 into their account, have two direct debits and make a minimum of 10 debit card transactions.

Co-operative Bank director of products John Ward: “We’re really pleased to launch this offer today and hope it will encourage more people to consider switching to The Co-operative Bank – the only UK high street bank with a customer-led Ethical Policy, which guides how we do business.

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“This offer allows eligible new and existing customers to benefit from up to £150 for switching and staying with The Co-operative Bank as their main current account provider.”

Nationwide, Lloyds, Santander and others have all been offering incentives over summer, with the switch wars looking set to continue into autumn.

It’s always advisable to check whether an offer is right for your personal circumstances.

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And the Emmy Goes To… Terrorism and Propaganda!

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And the Emmy Goes To... Terrorism and Propaganda!

Another blow for journalistic integrity – giving awards to terrorists and terror supporters masking themselves as journalists.

On Wednesday, the News and Documentary Emmys Awards did not shy away from it. This is what the world has come to, and we must wake up to this fact. 

“It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive” is a powerful documentation of daily life for displaced people in Gaza – from a surface level point of view. It’s an approximately eight minute video on YouTube that documents one activist, Bisan Owda’s experience as a displaced person on the grounds of Al-Shifa Hospital. The biggest kicker is the moment when Owda cries out as she says she narrowly avoided death after the IAF struck a hospital entrance.

But when one considers all the facts on the ground, the realization of a certain fabrication of facts and distortion of reality come to light. It’s biased reporting, from Al Jazeera and a woman with terror ties.

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Bisan Owda, 27, was known for her cultural content before October 7, but she was also tied to The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) as recently as 2019. The PFLP is recognized as a terror organization by the European Union, the United States and Israel for its part in 1970’s global terror attacks, as well as the First and Second Intifadas.

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According to this article cited, Owda still supports actions of the PFLP today.

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Owda, in association with AJ+ (Al Jazeera Plus) won an Emmy for “It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive” in the short form category for outstanding hard news feature story. This, along with two other Al Jazeera wins in the Outstanding Climate, Environment & Weather Coverage as well as Outstanding Feature Story in Spanish categories.

This is the moment when AJ+ representatives made their “thank you” statements on stage:

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Throughout the ceremony, it was said three times that more than 100 Palestinian journalists were killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israel-Hamas War, but what was missing?

Conveniently, how many of these ‘journalists’ were affiliated with terror groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad was missing from the acknowledgment. Omission of this kind of information is dangerous and of course, misleads viewers.

This isn’t the first and only award granted to Owda or to ‘journalists’ in Gaza for their ‘coverage’ of the October 7 Hamas-led attacks on Israel and the subsequent war.

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Owda also won two more awards for the same report, including a Peabody Award. Among others include AP’s win for Picture of the Year Award back in March for its disturbing image of murdered Israeli Shani Louk on the back of a pickup truck packed with Hamas terrorists on October 7.

The other side to this is that while Hollywood was busy rewarding terrorists on Wednesday, Berlin’s German Television Awards was honoring Jewish actors and creators across the pond at the same time.

Photo Credit: ddp/Cornelius via Reuters

“Die Zweiflers,” a miniseries about a Jewish family in Frankfurt with a delicatessen empire, won four awards. The cast of the show stars a list of both Jewish and Israeli actors.

What can we take away from all this? Two things: 1)  No, journalism is not a crime, but terrorism is, and 2) Maybe it’s time to shift focus away from traditional awards.

Liked this article? Follow HonestReporting on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to see even more posts and videos debunking news bias and smears, as well as other content explaining what’s really going on in Israel and the region.

Image Credits
– Featured Graphic: ITU Pictures via Flickr

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– Embedded Image: ddp/Cornelius via Reuters Connect

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Immigration and unemployment

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When discussing the economy after the interest rate cuts last week, chair of the US Federal Reserve Jay Powell made an interesting comment about jobs numbers and immigration. “If you are having millions of people come into the labour force, and you are creating 100,000 jobs, you’re going to see unemployment go up,” he said. Well, mostly. Today on the show, the entire staff of the Unhedged newsletter – Rob Armstrong and Aiden Reiter – get together to discuss how immigration might be affecting unemployment. Also, they go long and short China’s new stimulus programmes.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer

You can email Robert Armstrong at robert.armstrong@ft.com and Katie Martin at katie.martin@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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