Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Lucky Jackson celebrates after making a special teams tackle during preseason action against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium. The play unfolded on Aug. 10, 2024, in Minneapolis as Jackson contributed in multiple phases of the game while competing for a roster spot during Minnesota’s exhibition schedule. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
For three years, wide receiver Lucky Jackson, of UFL fame, remained in the Minnesota Vikings’ orbit, mostly notable for his catchy name and speed. But in the summer of 2026, Vikings fans will follow Jackson from afar, as the speedster signed with the Detroit Lions on Wednesday.
As he did in Minnesota for three summers, Jackson will fight for a roster spot at training camp and in the preseason.
Lions’ Crowded WR Room Still Has Summer Opportunity
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Lucky Jackson secures a reception during second-quarter action against the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium. The catch came on Aug. 16, 2025, in Minneapolis as Jackson continued a strong preseason push, showcasing his receiving ability while competing for a spot on Minnesota’s regular-season roster. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
Lucky to DET
It’s official for Jackson to the Lions, as TheUFL.com wrote this week, “The Louisville Kings today announced that wide receivers Tarik Black (6-2, 213, University of Texas) and Lucky Jackson (6-0, 182, Western Kentucky) have signed NFL contracts with the Detroit Lions. Black and Jackson are among the first group of UFL players to sign NFL contracts as the UFL’s 2026 offseason signing period officially opened Monday, June 15.”
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“Returning to spring football in 2026, Jackson became a vital playmaker and leader in a stacked receiving room for the Louisville Kings during their 2026 championship season. The Louisville Kings retain the rights to Black and Jackson should they return to the UFL in the future.”
The Lions have six weeks until the start of training camp, and Jackson will be in attendance.
The Lions’ Updated WR Corps
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If one assumes that second-year speedy wideout Isaac TeSlaa takes a step forward — that may or may not happen — the Lions’ pass-catchers are in pretty fancy shape.
Here’s the group before training camp:
Amon-Ra St. Brown
Jameson Williams
Isaac TeSlaa
Cedric Wilson Jr.
Tom Kennedy
Greg Dortch
Lucky Jackson
Jackson Meeks
Dominic Lovett
Tarik Black
Tay Martin
Malik Cunningham
St. Brown and Williams are more than enough to juice to headline the ticket. Fans hope that TeSlaa, Dortch, and Wilson Jr. are enough at WR3 and WR4.
SideLionReport‘s Candace Pedraza noted Wednesday, “The Lions feel pretty stacked on special teams as of now, but these two could also help out with backing up their receiver room. Obviously, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are the top receivers in that room, but Isaac TeSlaa is in a bit of an open competition for the WR3 role following the loss of Kalif Raymond to the Chicago Bears.”
“Black and Jackson could very well compete for snaps there. Given how successful the Lions were with Saylors and Whiteside in 2025, it feels safe to bet that they’ve found two potential gems here in Black and Jackson.”
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Jackson’s Career Resume and Bio
Jackson is a summer standout, drawing attention for his production and special teams value.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Lucky Jackson is forced out of bounds by Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean during second-quarter preseason action at Lincoln Financial Field. The play unfolded on Aug. 24, 2024, in Philadelphia and prevented a potential touchdown as Jackson battled for additional opportunities in Minnesota’s receiving corps. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-USA TODAY Sports
He began his NFL journey as an undrafted wide receiver out of Western Kentucky, where he earned First-Team All-C-USA honors and First Responder Bowl MVP in 2019. Jackson also brings experience from spring leagues, including a UFL championship in 2026 and an All-XFL Team selection in 2023.
His NFL regular season track record remains limited, with three games played for the Vikings in 2023, totaling three offensive snaps and 32 special teams snaps. Despite not being an offensive force in the regular season, teams continue to show interest in him due to his speed and special-teams contributions.
Jackson notably impressed during the Vikings’ 2025 training camp and preseason, even garnering “Mr. Mankato” buzz. He seemed poised to make the roster, especially with Jordan Addison suspended, Justin Jefferson sidelined with a hamstring injury, and Rondale Moore suffering an ACL tear. However, he ultimately did not make the final cut, a common outcome for players on the roster bubble.
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Here’s his semi-pro and pro resume to date:
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2022)
Edmonton Elks (2022)
DC Defenders (2023)
Minnesota Vikings (2023–2025)
Louisville Kings (2026)
Detroit Lions (2026–present)
Likely Looking as Lions’ Practice Squad
All things considered, landing in Detroit is a sweet setup for Jackson. Wilson Sr., Dortch, and Kennedy stand in front of him on the depth chart, but that trio is not insurmountable. There’s a world where Jackson does Lucky Jackson things again this summer, earning a roster spot in late August and potentially pestering the Vikings twice in the regular season.
Western Kentucky wide receiver Lucky Jackson hauls in a touchdown reception during a matchup against Eastern Kentucky at Houchens-Smith Stadium. The scoring play occurred on Sept. 2, 2017, in Bowling Green as Jackson delivered one of the early highlights of his collegiate career for the Hilltoppers’ offense. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
That’s a long shot, though, so a reasonable outlook for his 2026 campaign in practice squad placement. If all else fails, he can return to the UFL in 2027 and thrive. He’s carved out a spot in that league.
Oddsmakers expect the Lions to narrowly edge the Green Bay Packers for the NFC North crown in 2026, with the Chicago Bears and Vikings fighting to avoid last place.
Jackson will turn 29 next month.
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Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Fowler tried to balance those two competing realities during his post-round press conference on Thursday at Detroit Golf Club.
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How Rocket Classic saved Rickie Fowler’s career
For some essential perspective, we have to rewind to the 2022-2023 season. At that point in his career, Fowler had five PGA Tour wins, but his last one had come four years earlier, in 2019.
In the years in between, Fowler had struggled mightily. He finished 134th in the 2020-21 FedEx Cup standings and 133rd in 2022. To many, it looked as if Fowler’s promising career had come to an end early.
Then Fowler forged a major comeback. In the fall of 2022, he recorded two top-10 finishes and added five more by June of 2023.
“It’s just nice to have this one out of the way,” Fowler said after his win in 2023. “It’s just been a long road.”
That road has now led him back to the Rocket Classic, as the tournament prepares to exit its own journey on the PGA Tour.
Rickie Fowler in hunt at final Rocket Classic: ‘A little bittersweet’
While Fowler has yet to add another win since his 2023 victory at Detroit Golf Club, he’s played much better since then.
He finished 32nd in the FedEx Cup standings last season, just missing out on the Tour Championship. Heading into this week’s Rocket Classic, he was stuck in the same spot, 32nd.
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But if his play on Thursday is a sign of things to come, Fowler will move into the top 30 in a matter of days. He shot a seven-under 63 in the opening round to get within two shots of the early lead.
After his round, he mourned the end of the event, which he said had “kept getting bigger and better.”
“It’s definitely been a bummer to kind of come into this [Rocket Classic] knowing it was the last one,” Fowler said. “It’s been fun for me to have a partnership with Rocket and see this event make its way here because that was always a dream of theirs to have an event back in Detroit, and to see it continue to grow over the years, felt like it just kept getting bigger and better. This being I think the best that they’ve done continuously.”
While he’s enjoying the week and his fine play on the course, Fowler admitted it was “bittersweet” given the end of the tournament that has meant so much to him.
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“It is a bummer, but it’s been a lot of fun, like I said, to be a part of it. Fans have always been great to me here and having the association with Rocket, but I think the win in ’23 helped solidify that,” Fowler said. “Yeah, this has always been a fun week for us and a little bittersweet.”
There would be no better way to honor the occasion than for Fowler to end another winless drought on Sunday at the final Rocket Classic.
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is arguably the hottest commodity ahead of this year’s trade deadline. The speculation around Skubal’s future in Detroit started last season when he had one year left on his contract.
The speculation intensified earlier this year before his historic arbitration case, where the two-time Cy Young winner negotiated a record-shattering $32 million salary for the season.
With Skubal reportedly on the table in his final year of contract, the Los Angeles Dodgers have emerged as the strongest suitor. The Dodgers’ interest in Skubal has once again sparked the controversial narrative about the two-time defending World Series winners “ruining” baseball.
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The Dodgers’ interest in one of the best players in the league has become a norm over the years. The NL West team has acquired several high-profile names, including two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani on a record-breaking $700 million deal, over the last few years.
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Ohtani’s massive deferred contract also raised questions about the Dodgers bending the rules in their favor. However, the Dodgers have been shrewd with their contract deals and have utilised the massive local revenue to build a star-studded team.
The Dodgers’ massive contracts, including a four-year, $240 million deal for Kyle Tucker in January, have the fans asking for a salary cap. While the league proposed a salary cap, the Major League Baseball Players Association has opposed the hard cap.
Will a trade for Skubal make the Dodgers the favorites for athree-peat? Yes. But will it guarantee success? No. Despite their star-studded roster, the Dodgers were pushed to the limits by the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series last year.
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The Dodgers’ model might seem unfair to smaller market teams, but their schemes should only encourage other team owners to spend more money for a competitive roster.
Dodgers emerge as favorites for Tarik Skubal ahead of trade deadline
The Dodgers’ aren’t the only team interested in Tarik Skubal but they are front-runners to land the two-time Cy Young winner because of their deep and talented farm systems.
Despite the narrative that the Dodgers are competing only because of their big signings, their talented prospects allow them to move for a high-profile players who is set to become a free agent after the season.
While the Tigers will lose their best player after failed extension negotiations, they will shed his remaining $9.5 million salary and drop below the $244 million competitive balance tax line.
You can find some good pitchers on the waiver wire still if you’re willing to gamble on workload
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1 min read
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Streaming pitchers isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you find yourself without enough reliable options in a given scoring period, it may be what you need to stay afloat. Scott White has 10 recommendations for the upcoming scoring period, all rostered in no more than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues. Generally, only the top two or three are full-throated endorsements, while the rest are more about making the best of a bad situation.
Check back Sunday for the latest updates, but be forewarned: The most extensive changes likely won’t happen until after the trade deadline Monday.
Rhea Ripley’s meniscus injury has forced the company to crown an Interim WWE Women’s Champion, and they are going to do so in a massive five-way Ladder Match at SummerSlam.
The field is stacked with former champions. Tiffany Stratton, Charlotte Flair, Jade Cargill, and Chelsea Green are confirmed to participate in the bout. Giulia and Lash Legend will collide on this week’s SmackDown for the final spot in the match.
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While the bout is sure to be exciting, it could be argued that WWE could have used this opportunity to showcase fresher or underrated talent instead of established names. Here are five stars who would have benefited from being in the five-way Ladder Match at SummerSlam.
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#5. Jacy Jayne
Jacy Jayne arrived on SmackDown following WrestleMania 42 alongside Fatal Influence, and the group has already secured the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. That said, while Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid have gold, Jayne does not.
The Rockstar faced Tiffany Stratton in a qualifying match for the ladder match, but didn’t win. Fatal Influence is now set to face The Bella Twins and Paige at SummerSlam. While it’s a positive that the group has made it to the card, it would have been more beneficial for Jacy Jayne if she had qualified for the five-way Ladder Match.
Jayne carried the NXT women’s division for a long time and has enough experience as a main event talent. The Ladder Match would have been an excellent opportunity for her to showcase her in-ring prowess and establish her on SmackDown.
#4. Candice LeRae
Candice LeRae is one of the most experienced women on the roster. However, despite being a veteran, she hasn’t had a clear direction on television in a while. The five-way Ladder Match at SummerSlam could have been a great way to reintroduce her to the mix.
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Currently, her only television time is alongside her husband, Johnny Gargano, who lies motionless backstage, as she tries to get him back to normal. A competitor like LeRae deserves to be in the ring, competing with the best of WWE.
Even if she does not win, Candice LeRae would have benefitted immensely from being included in the five-way Ladder Match at SummerSlam.
#3. Michin
Michin is known for her fearlessness in the ring, a quality that could have shined in the five-way Ladder Match. She and B-Fab are currently in a group led by Jade Cargill. While The Storm is in the match, her stablemates didn’t receive an opportunity to qualify.
Michin could have produced several memorable moments in the five-way Ladder Match if she had participated in it. It would have made the match better and showcased her in a different light.
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#2. Fallon Henley
Fallon Henley could have been a sleeper pick for the five-way Ladder Match at SummerSlam. While all three women in Fatal Influence have been impressive, Henley has generated a lot of popularity for herself online.
The company could have capitalized on it and had her compete in the Interim WWE Women’s Championship match. For a young star like Henley, an impressive performance in a high-stakes match could become a career-defining moment.
#1. WWE star Blake Monroe
Perhaps the most surprising omission from the five-way Ladder Match and the SummerSlam card in general is Blake Monroe. The Glamour has arrived on SmackDown, but she has yet to have a televised match as a main roster star.
Monroe is regarded as one of the most promising talents, and SummerSlam could have been the perfect opportunity to introduce her to the main roster. Despite being young, the former AEW star is no stranger to big-time matches and could have added a lot to the Ladder Match.
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FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s senior advisor has resigned in protest over his boss’s plan to seek private investment for the World Cup football tournament. Carlos Cordeiro said such a move would “mortgage football’s future.”His voice part of a growing opposition – which includes a potential boycott by Europe’s football associations – as well as CONCACAF – the governing body for football in North and Central America and the Asian Football confederation. FIFA is currently offering 40 million dollars to each country that backs its project.
India’s Preeti Pawar competes with Zambia’s Catherine Mwape in the Women’s 54kg Semi Final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, Friday, July 31, 2026. (AP Photo)
Indian boxer Preeti Pawar said the process of cutting weight before an important bout is difficult because athletes cannot eat properly, but added that it also motivates her to keep moving forward after reaching the women’s 54kg final at the Commonwealth Games.Preeti became the first Indian boxer to reach the final in Glasgow after defeating Zambia’s Catherine Mwape 5-0 in the women’s 54kg semifinal on Friday. She will face Canada’s Scarlett Delgado in the gold medal bout after the Canadian defeated England’s Lauren Mackie 4-1 in the other semifinal.Speaking after the win, Preeti said, “It is a part of our training. It motivates us. It is a little tough because we are not able to eat food properly. But it motivates us that we are one step away from the final.”The 22-year-old from Bhiwani, who won a bronze medal at the Asian Games, controlled the bout from the start. She used her left straight well and repeatedly caught Mwape with counter-attacks after drawing her forward.“I am very happy that I have managed to do what I prepared for. I have to give my best tomorrow for the gold medal. I never take my opponents lightly, and always prepare in detail with my coaches. I am happy that I am able to implement those plans,” Preeti was quoted as saying by news agency PTI after her win.Mwape found it difficult to land clean punches and was beaten whenever Preeti put together combinations.The Zambian boxer received three eight counts during the first two rounds. Preeti’s control of the contest was reflected in the judges’ scorecards, with all five judges awarding her a 10-8 score in the second round.With the result almost decided, Mwape spent the final round trying to avoid Preeti’s attacks as the Indian boxer completed a comfortable 5-0 victory to move into the final.
The esteemed Bart Cummings held a famous conviction that horses required a minimum of 10,000 metres of racing experience before being capable of winning the Melbourne Cup. This guiding principle often led the legendary trainer to commence his spring preparations in the Aurie’s Star Handicap.
While such traditional training methodologies have largely been phased out, Saturday’s racing at Flemington may indeed serve as a pivotal launchpad for this year’s Melbourne Cup contenders.
Ciaron Maher plans to utilise the Melbourne Cup Carnival On Sale (1620m) as the initial stage for Shockletz’s campaign to secure a berth in Australia’s premier race.
The mare is being specifically targeted at the two crucial Melbourne Cup qualifying races: the Archer Stakes (2500m) scheduled for September 12, and The Bart Cummings (2500m) on October 3. The victors of these races will gain automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup field.
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Jack Turnbull, National Assistant Trainer for Ciaron Maher Racing, stated that the stable had meticulously formulated the campaign well in advance.
“We’re trying to get her into The Archer,” Turnbull said.
“That’s our little plan, try and qualify her and then if that doesn’t work, there is The Bart Cummings.
“It’s been a long-term plan to work back from those particular races and get her in there.
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“Her brother and her family have raced at those types of distances, and we feel she has got that quality.”
Shockletz, a sibling to the horse Horrifying, demonstrated continued improvement in staying events last season before being subjected to a carefully managed preparation this current campaign.
She competed in three races during the early winter period, followed by a brief freshen-up designed to bring her to peak fitness for the forthcoming major staying races.
“I’m really pleased with her, and she’s freshened up really well,” Turnbull remarked.
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“She only had two weeks off and while she’s first-up she had three runs and she’s not going to be lacking fitness.
“Last prep we were conscious of going one too many and giving her the right amount of time out to have her for this prep.
“We’ve always had time for her and hopefully she repays us.”
Discover the latest Flemington odds with Australia’s leading Top 10 Betting Apps. Check out the betting sites for this race.
Chris Eubank Jr has not fought since his underwhelming rematch with Conor Benn, but the 36-year-old is now being targeted by a fierce knockout artist, who is willing to travel to London for the opportunity to face him.
Eubank scored an iconic win over Benn last April but when they rematched seven months later, he felt the full effects of a brutal weight cut, narrowly avoiding a stoppage defeat as he survived until the final bell on unsteady legs only to lose a wide unanimous decision.
Since then, the Hove-born contender has been advised to move up in weight and return to the super-middleweight scene, but he has also been linked to a catchweight clash with Michael Zerafa in Australia – a bout which would take place at 164lbs.
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New York’s Edgar Berlanga has now thrown his hat into the ring though, after revealing on ‘The Last Stand’ podcast about his intentions to face Eubank before the end of the year.
“I would love to step into the ring to end the year with Chris Eubank Jr. I feel like that fight is going to be a big fight in London.
“I told Keith [Connolly], I said that I would rather not do it out here in America. I would rather go to London, where he is from [U.K.], you know what I am saying? We can make a big, big fight happen. He is on the radar.”
Berlanga’s most high profile fight came back in 2024 when he challenged Canelo Alvarez for his unified super-middleweight crown, suffering a unanimous decision defeat, one of two losses in his career after also coming up short against Hamzah Sheeraz.
He has since signed with Zuffa Boxing and in his debut with the company on Sunday he knocked Steven Butler out after seven rounds, recovering from a second-round knockdown to earn the 19th stoppage victory of his career.
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In an interview with The Ring, Berlanga has now doubled down on his call-out of Eubank, hoping he can convince the Briton to swerve the Zerafa fight in favour of a clash on home soil.
“I’m looking forward to getting a real big fight with Chris Eubank. Let’s do it in London. It’s going to be big.”
Danhausen has named his price for yet another major uncursing. He has shockingly asked for ten million dollars and that is something that he has never done before.
The Very Nice Very Evil star has been on the lips of all sports fans ever since he helped the New York Knicks win the NBA title in June. The Knicks had not won the NBA championship in 53 years and only did so after he lifted their curse.
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He has since become a household name and has also appeared on a lot of sports channels where they spoke about his powers. Danhausen will be taking on Dominik Mysterio at SummerSlam which will be held in Minnesota.
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He was posing for pictures with the fans when a fan asked him what would it take for him to uncurse the Minnesota Vikings, who have never won the NFL Championship. He jokingly said that it would take ten million dollars for him to uncurse the Vikings.
Danhausen makes bizarre request to the New York Knicks
The name Danhausen has been etched in the history of the New York Knicks. Ever since they won the NBA title, thanks to their curse being lifted, he has been praised by many of the Knicks players themselves.
After they won the title, the former AEW star made a bizarre request to the New York Knicks. He asked for a one day contract with the franchise so he can play and retire as a world champion. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, after the historic championship win, the former AEW star wrote:
“Danhausen is requesting a one day contract with The KNICKSHAUSEN so he may retire from basketball’s as a champion of the world”
It is the off season right now and there is not a lot of movement. However, given the kind of coverage and sensation the team has received from the WWE star, it should come as no surprise if they decide to adhere to the request and give him a one day contract.
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Derek Chisora is looking to secure a third world title shot, this time against a far different champion to Tyson Fury or Vitali Klitschko.
The Brit lost those two attempts in 2022 and 2012, respectively, but gave a gallant performance when he challenged the long-reigning Klitschko on away soil.
‘Del Boy’ – as he was then known – ultimately lost a unanimous decision to the Ukrainian, before getting stopped in five rounds by David Haye in his following outing.
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Then, around a decade later, Chisora suffered a punishing 10th-round stoppage defeat in his third encounter with Fury, no longer seeming capable of competing at world level.
Yet despite showing signs of deterioration, the heavyweight veteran has continued plugging away and is now coming off a split decision defeat to Deontay Wilder.
Their April encounter, which was supposed to be his ‘last dance’, saw Chisora touch the canvas twice but nonetheless contest the result of his 50th professional bout.
The 42-year-old then went on to demand an immediate rematch with Wilder, who appears to be one of the leading options for Oleksandr Usyk’s swansong next year.
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So, instead, Chisora has made a slight pivot and is now targeting Murat Gassiev, who was elevated from ‘regular’ to full WBA champion after Usyk vacated his belts.
Taking to social media, Chisora tagged Gassiev’s promoter, IBA Pro, and posted a graphic of himself and the Russian as two chickens, along with the caption: “Fight 51”.
The two heavyweights also went face to face earlier this month, shortly after Gassiev, 32, defended his title with a sixth-round finish over Peter Kadiru.
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