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War in Iran intensifies – British holiday hotspot now in the line of fire

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War in Iran intensifies – British holiday hotspot now in the line of fire

The bloody Middle East war is spreading across a wider region toward Europe as Iran begins ballistic bombings of Turkey and the death toll rises, with nearly 10,000 injured.

Multiple targets have been hit – including an attack on a Tehran oil depot (Image: AP)

Middle East warThe death toll has risen as it spread towards Europe, while Tehran has named Motzaba Khamenei, the son of the slain ayatollah, as its new leader.

NATO security forces were forced for the second time to intercept an Iranian ballistic missile heading towards Turkey – a popular holiday destination for Britons.

This comes as 1,255 are reported dead in Iran, at least 13 in Israel, eight US soldiers lost their lives in Iranian attacks and now 14 more have been killed in the Gulf states.

Nearly 500 people have been killed in Lebanon and more than 10,000 injured across the war-torn region – as a NATO country also comes under fire.

Iranian attacks on Israel have injured 1,929 people since last week, including 157 in the last 24 hours. At the same time, Iranian missiles have several times targeted the headquarters of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet in the Jafair area of ​​Bahrain.

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read more: : Foreign Office issues major update on flights for Britons stranded in the Middle East. Read more: Petrol prices rise in UK amid Iran war, fears of fuel hike – find the cheapest near you

Smoke rising from Israeli air strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut

The Iran war has spread throughout the Middle East region – and Beirut has been attacked by Israel (Image: AP)

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ruled out a US strike on the ground in Iran as the joint mission with Israel against Iran enters its second week.

On CBS News, Hegseth confirmed that US troops were not on the ground in Iran and added, “But we reserve the right. We would be completely remiss if we did not reserve the right to take a particular option, whether it involves boots on the ground or without boots on the ground.

Motzaba, a 56-year-old middle-ranking cleric, is an insider close to Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and his appointment has dashed hopes for a quick end to the war.

He is believed to be even more radical than his father; he lost his wife, a son, and both parents in the war that began on February 28.

USS Abraham Lincoln

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is part of the US armada (Image: AP)

As the war entered its tenth day, the US-Israeli strike hit 140 Tehran regime targets with nearly 900 missiles, and the war shows no signs of slowing down.

Three more US Air Force B-52 bombers have landed at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, joining a huge fleet of US warplanes preparing to attack Iran.

These included three American B-1 stealth bombers, which arrived after Britain allowed the US to use British bases at Fairford and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

Israeli forces on Sunday killed the late Ayatollah’s emergency command chief, Abu al-Qassim Babaian, in Tehran, who had been in the post for only two years.

Israel also targeted Iranian fuel storage facilities in Tehran over the weekend – the first known attack on Iran’s oil infrastructure since the beginning of the war.

Tehran's oil facilities affected by US-Israel attack

US-Israeli strikes hit multiple targets – including this oil depot in Tehran (Image: Sobhan Farajvan/Pacific Press/Shutterstock)

The Israeli Defence Forces stated that the fuel was used to support their missile programme and their military and was therefore a legitimate target.

Iran continued to bomb Israel, and throughout the night, air raid sirens sounded in the centre, south, and coastal regions of the country.

Some weapons were intercepted and the rest fell in deserted areas. Israeli bombs rained down on the Iranian city of Isfahan, targeting the command centres of the Revolutionary Guard and its Basij security forces.

They also attacked a facility for producing rocket engines and missile launch sites. Intelligence analysis confirms fears that Iran would provoke conflict by decentralising the IRGC, along with its 250,000 radicals and Tehran’s half-million security police, the Basij.

American bomber at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire

US Air Force B-52s have landed at RAF Fairford, Britain (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

European warships have massed around Cyprus to stop Iran’s war from spreading and to protect the island, including Greece, France, Italy, Spain and Germany – but there are still no UK ships in the area.

The Type 45 frigate HMS Dragon is expected to leave this week to reach Cyprus or the eastern Mediterranean as soon as next week.

But Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has launched attacks on at least 27 targets in the Middle East where US troops are stationed, as well as Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv and other parts of Israel.

So far, Iran has launched attacks in ten countries in the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

An Iranian drone also struck the runway of a British military base in Cyprus. Top clerics of Iran’s Assembly of Experts reportedly finalised their decision on Sunday – eight days after Ali Khamenei, who ruled for 37 years, was killed in an Israeli strike on Tehran. State media shared a statement from the assembly confirming Mojtaba Khamenei’s election through a “decisive vote”.

The clerical body urged citizens across the country—”especially the elite and intellectuals in seminaries and universities”—to pledge allegiance to the new leadership.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) welcomed Khamenei’s appointment in a statement carried by state media. It claimed the Iran–Iraq War veteran was a “distinguished jurist, a young thinker and one of the most knowledgeable on political and social issues.”

Smoke rising from the ground after Israeli attack on Hezbollah in southern Lebanon

Smoke seen rising in southern Lebanon after airstrike (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The IRGC also declared its “respect, devotion and obedience” to Khamenei and said that its members are “ready for complete obedience and self-sacrifice in carrying out the divine orders of the Guardian Jurist”.

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Iran’s next supreme leader was “not going to last long” if Tehran did not first seek his approval. The Israeli military said in a post in Farsi on Twitter that it would continue to pursue every successor to Ali Khamenei and target anyone involved in his appointment.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that no foreign actors would have a role in the selection of the new supreme leader. Speaking to NBC News on Sunday, Araghchi said Iran “allows[s] no one to interfere in our domestic affairs.”

He further said, “It is up to the Iranian people to choose their new leader. They have already elected the Assembly of Experts and the Assembly will do its job. This is the job of the Iranian people only and no one else.”

American bombers at Ramstein base in Germany

An American B-1B bomber is seen at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Image: AP)

Mojtaba Khamenei has maintained a low profile, never holding elected office or formally holding a senior position within the government of Iran.

He has never given a public speech and few of his photographs are available online. But the billionaire property tycoon has strong ties to the IRGC and was sanctioned by the US in 2019 for working “closely” with the IRGC’s Quds Force and the commander of the Basij Resistance Force.

Ali Khamenei and his predecessor Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic, were both critical of hereditary succession, particularly in the context of the Pahlavi monarchy, which was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

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As US-Israel war with Iran intensifies, Trump says it is “far ahead of schedule”

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As US-Israel war with Iran intensifies, Trump says it is “far ahead of schedule”

President Trump on Monday reflected on the plight of the Iran women’s national soccer team, who were caught up in the geopolitical effects of the US-Israeli war on their home country while participating in the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia and were offered asylum in the US.

There were calls for Australia to grant asylum to the women after Iranian television branded them “traitors” over the weekend, following Australia’s decision not to sing or salute during the Iranian national anthem before their first match at the tournament. Before subsequent games he sang and saluted, leading to speculation that his team leaders were coercing him.

President Trump said in a statement, “Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iranian national women’s soccer team to be forcibly deported back to Iran, where they will very likely die. Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister; grant asylum. A social media post adds, “America will take them if you don’t.”

He posted his message as a prominent Iranian opposition figure in exile and stated in an Australian newspaper that five of the team’s players had escaped from their hotel on the Gold Coast, were being assisted by Australian police, and were expected to apply for asylum.

“Most of them have families at home, some of them have children at home, and even if they are given the right to live in Australia, if they feel unsafe, many of them may not take up that opportunity,” Craig Foster, former Australian men’s soccer team captain and human rights lawyer, told CBS News partner network. BBC News First. “The most important thing is that that offer has been made.”

Australia’s government did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for confirmation that either woman had applied for asylum.

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Markets are falling as war escalates – but not every industry is affected

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Markets are falling as war escalates – but not every industry is affected

The conflict in Iran is hurting millions of people – bills are rising and energy markets are in decline.

But a distorting effect of war is that some industries do well: that’s how our global financial system works, as certain sectors, like energy, can thrive amidst turmoil while others suffer.

In this case, a group of American energy companies would benefit.

“U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters are clearly the near-term winners,” says Tom Purdy, chief LNG analyst at Energy Aspects.

Why? Well, the struggle has created a hole in the market, and there is something about these companies that puts them in a prime position to bridge that gap, such as their ability to quickly ramp up production and secure long-term contracts with buyers in Europe and Asia.

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Qatar has been forced to close its Ras Laffan gas plant

The Ras Laffan plant on the northeastern tip of Qatar typically produces about a fifth of the world’s LNG (liquefied natural gas) – gas that has been cooled to make it easier to transport via ships, in this case through the Strait of Hormuz.

But Qatar said it has been done, forced to close the plant because airstrikes fly overhead and effectively stop shipping.

Enter the US: thanks to the recent shale gas revolution, it is now the world’s largest exporter of LNG.

But what really sets it apart in this context is that it has a relatively high proportion (10% to 15%) that is not already tied into long-term contracts.

That leaves these companies free to sell on the spot market to the highest bidder – and sending prices rising by as much as 50% in European and Asian markets in the first week of the conflict.

Qatar has said its plant would likely remain offline for up to four weeks even if the conflict now ends. This puts the US LNG industry on track for a $4 billion windfall in the first month of the conflict, according to a model from Energy Flux.

“The most suitable source for additional supply is the United States,” says Energy Flux founder and analyst Seb Kennedy.

“So LNG exporters, their customers, and the customers who pick up cargo from them and then sell them into end-use markets – those players will be in line for a windfall from the war. Iran.”

He said, “It is always the case that when there is a supply shock, companies that preside over excess supply are always rewarded by the market.”

Workers at Venture Global's Plaquemines LNG export facility. Photo: AP
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The workers are situated at Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG export facility. Photo: AP

key players

This upside appears to be already pushing up the valuations of some key players.

Venture Global sells substantial amounts of gas outside traditional contracts and last week said it was “ready” to help maintain supply in the markets.

Its share price rose 28% in the first week of the fight (although it was also boosted by a court ruling on an issue relating to its ability to sell spot cargo).

Cheniere Energy, a smaller spot market company, still enjoyed an 8% rise, although it said it was already almost sold for 2026.

It declined further comment, while Venture Global and US trade body Center for LNG did not respond to requests.

Venture Global
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Venture Global
Cheniere
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Cheniere

cuts both ways

But it’s worth pointing out the same flexibility that now allows it to sell at higher prices on both sides.

When prices fall, those companies make losses.

And right now U.S. LNG exporters can’t even come close to filling the gap left by Qatar.

Meanwhile, LNG exporters from other countries will also step in and make profits.

And in the long term, the “winners” are those countries that can supply LNG with unobstructed shipping routes, Matthew Utting, chief natural gas and LNG analyst, told Sky News.

“Countries like Australia, Canada, Peru, western coastal Mexico, and Argentina benefit the biggest picture, because they have LNG that stays within the Pacific basin and does not go through choke points.”

not quite plain sailing

It is not all straightforward for the industry in America. Some have had their supplies of LNG (liquefied natural gas) from the Gulf disrupted.

The disruption of oil supplies has also led to a rise in gasoline prices in the US, particularly among drivers who are accustomed to low prices and sensitive to any increase.

US President Donald Trump is now considering offering insurance coverage and naval escort to help get the tankers out of the Gulf.

Mr. Trump has always aimed to promote “American energy dominance,” which refers to the goal of the United States to achieve self-sufficiency in energy production and to be a leading energy exporter. This conflict has nothing to do with it, but there are a handful of companies that are helping it so far, such as those involved in energy production and maritime security, which are indirectly supporting the goal of American energy dominance.

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At least 5 people killed after mound of garbage collapses at Indonesia’s largest landfill

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At least 5 people killed after mound of garbage collapses at Indonesia’s largest landfill

Jakarta, Indonesia — At least five people were killed when a massive avalanche of garbage hit Indonesia’s largest landfill and several others were missing after heavy overnight rain caused a garbage dump to collapse, officials said on Monday

.

Rescue workers worked carefully amid unstable piles of garbage.

More than 300 search and rescue personnel, using heavy machinery and sniffer dogs, were deployed late Sunday to the massive dump site at the Buntargebang Integrated Waste Treatment Facility in Bekasi, a city just outside the capital of Jakarta. Desiana Kartika Bahari, head of Jakarta’s search and rescue office, said rescue workers worked carefully amid unstable piles of garbage.

He said the victims included two garbage truck drivers and two food stall vendors who were working or resting near the landfill, while four people managed to escape the disaster. Rescue workers, comprising police, soldiers, and volunteers, continued their search for at least three individuals reported missing, according to Bahari.

“We have not ruled out the possibility of more victims,” ​​he said, adding, “We are still collecting data to confirm how many vehicles and personnel are trapped under the debris.”

Photos and videos released by the national search and rescue agency showed excavators digging into the collapsed mound, where several garbage trucks and small food stalls were buried.

Abdul Muhari, a spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency, urged strict safety protocols during the ongoing search, noting that weather forecasts for the next two days indicate possible rain in Jakarta and its surrounding satellite cities.

He warned that unstable collapsed material could trigger additional ground movement, putting rescuers at even greater risk.

Sunday’s deadly collapse brought renewed scrutiny of the Bintargebang, a vital but overwhelmed landfill that receives most of Greater Jakarta’s daily household waste. The site has faced repeated warnings about capacity, prompting national efforts to reform Indonesia’s waste management system, which aim to prevent future disasters similar to those that have occurred in the Philippines and West Java due to landfill collapses.

In January, a uniform fall of waste and workers were buried or trapped in low-lying buildings at a landfill in the Philippines, killing at least four people, injuring a dozen and leaving more than 30 others missing.

In 2005, 31 people were killed and dozens were missing when a 7 m (23 ft) garbage dump collapsed after heavy rains triggered landslides that buried or damaged 60 homes in two West Java villages near the Indonesian city of Bandung.

Late last year, the government announced a two-year deadline to clean up the Bantargebang through an accelerated waste-to-energy project aimed at reducing chronic reliance on open dumping. The initiative, backed by a new presidential regulation aimed at streamlining licensing and encouraging investment, calls for converting waste into electrical or thermal energy.



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There is a £33 billion rail line connecting millions of people, 90% of which is underground. world | news

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There is a £33 billion rail line connecting millions of people, 90% of which is underground. world | news

Work is underway on a new £33.27 billion rail line to connect millions of people.

The Chūō Shinkansen is a Japanese train line under construction between Tokyo and Nagoya, with plans to extend to Osaka. The initial section is between Shinagawa Station in Tokyo and Nagoya Station in Nagoya, serving Sagamihara, Kofu, Iida and Nakatsugawa stations. After the completion of the Tokyo-Nagoya Line, the line will be extended to Mie, Nara and Osaka stations. There will be one station for each area passing through this line.

It is expected to connect Tokyo and Nagoya in 40 minutes and eventually Tokyo and Osaka in 67 minutes, running at a maximum speed of 314 mph. About 90% of the 178-mile line to Nagoya will be in tunnels. Government permission to proceed with the construction work was given in 2011. Construction is expected to cost more than ¥9 trillion Japanese yen (approximately £33.27 billion) and will begin in 2014.

Following Shizuoka Prefecture’s denial of permission for construction work on a portion of the route in June 2020, the start date of commercial service is unknown.

Construction delays meant that, in 2025, the opening was pushed back to no earlier than 2035. The Japanese government’s loan extended the completion date of the Nagoya–Osaka section from 2045 to 2037.

The line’s route passes through several sparsely populated areas in the Japanese Alps (Akashi Mountains) but is more direct than the current Tokaido Shinkansen route.

The time saved by a more direct route was a more important criterion for JR Central than having stations at intermediate population centers.

Furthermore, the more densely populated Tokaido route is congested, and the new line was considered an alternative route in case the Tokaido Shinkansen was blocked by earthquake damage.

Japan is famous for its Shinkansen train system, which has been in operation since 1964. Its maglev (magnetic levitation) bullet trains are the fastest in the world, using magnetic repulsion to ‘float’ the train.

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A long-time ally’s abandonment of Donald Trump in his hour of need is clearly hurtful. world News

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A long-time ally’s abandonment of Donald Trump in his hour of need is clearly hurtful. world News

Lest there be any doubt, special relationship repairs are pending.

Expressing grief over America’s decline, President Donald Trump had just come out of Dover Air Base when his attention turned toward the British Prime Minister.

Trump clearly feels hurt that an old ally abandoned him during his time of need.

After all, this president upholds America’s alliances according to his own terms, which raises the question of why international law should intervene between old friends.

Iran war latest: follow live

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Photo: AP

In Iran, the legality of the conflict remains a point of dispute.

What it means to have a warrior president in the fight to justify conflict in Iran, and, possibly, elsewhere, is that Trump’s aggressive rhetoric and focus on military solutions may influence public opinion and policy decisions, especially as he continues to discuss change in Cuba.

Polls show that a majority of Americans are against military intervention, and the country faces the threat of rising gas prices.

Trump needs political capital, and, as such, he can make beneficial use of the recognition of allies.

Starmer We are not alone in standing firm against Trump on Iran, but the president has singled out the special relationship for special treatment.

Britain’s prime minister has invested heavily in building relations with Trump, presenting himself as a bridge-builder across the Atlantic, which may help to strengthen the UK’s influence in international discussions regarding Iran.

Read more:
Analysis: Donald Trump’s war with Iran is becoming global
What is the strategy behind the attacks of America and Israel?

Day 8 Iran War: Video from the Ground

It is also no surprise when the US President chooses him as the main point of reference on conflict points.

And yet, it was a day of dignity at Dover Air Base in Delaware.

In this struggle, from this White House, dignity is not granted.

Dover Air Force Base was prepared Saturday for the “honourable transfer” of six US servicemen killed in battle.

The President, fulfilling the solemn duty of a commander-in-chief, stood in honour of six American soldiers killed in battle and cut a figure of mournful respect.

It was a picture in stark contrast to the one presented by his administration during the week-long hostilities.

Rumors of Trump telling Iraqi Kurds to go to Iran ‘not true’

Take a look at social media content posted by White House staff recently.

He has posted short films depicting the attack on Iran in the form of a video game. White House staff intersperses the destruction footage with a “point-of-view” video where you, the viewer, wield a weapon.

You can almost hear the giggling and high-fiving of the production team playing it for likes.

This is chauvinism and triumphalism for the modern age, and, in the conflict, there is probably room for both.

In context, it is toneless and even tasteless.

Iran’s President responded to Trump

The military operation has killed hundreds of people of various nationalities across a wide region, and Trump is warning that more American casualties are “likely.”.

Currently, Americans are facing questions about their possible involvement in the bombing of a girls’ school, that killed more than 160 young people – which Trump claimed was “carried out by Iran” during a group meeting on Air Force One.

Everywhere, there are reminders of the horrors of war and its lasting trauma.

This is a military operation for which there are many uncertainties regarding its justification and objectives, including the potential consequences for civilian populations and the long-term implications for U.S.-Iran relations.

The intention is to minimise its impact on all parties involved by circulating it as entertainment on social media.

This is troubling, as is the hyperbolic commentary being given by political players in the administration, which distracts from the serious discussions needed about the operation’s uncertainties and the potential consequences for those involved, such as the risk of civilian casualties and the destabilisation of the region.

The honourable transfer of American troops focused attention on the absolute certainty of the war, which over time became reinforced—its tragedy and loss were exposed.

There is no liking in that.

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Southwest flight diverted to Atlanta after passenger’s Ramadan prayer timer set off alarm

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Southwest flight diverted to Atlanta after passenger’s Ramadan prayer timer set off alarm

The passengers on the plane are clasping their hands above their heads. Law enforcement officers are entering together after the plane has circled. One passenger was removed from the flight.

A dramatic scene was witnessed aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The plane was forced to divert to Atlanta on Friday after receiving a report of suspicious behaviour from a passenger.

How did the tense scenes emerge in the air?

Less than an hour after takeoff from Nashville, passengers reported CBS Evening News: The flight attendants suddenly started running through the aisle. Shortly afterward, the captain informed passengers that the plane would have to make an emergency landing at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The Southwest flight’s passengers reported that they received instructions to prepare for landing when the plane diverted to Atlanta late Friday.

Passenger Sarah Porter told the CBS Evening News that the situation initially confused many on the flight. “The first time we realised there might be a dangerous person onboard was when a team boarded the plane with guns,” he said.

Why was the plane’s route changed?

According to communications with Air Traffic Control, the captain reported that a person on board the aircraft was behaving in a worrying manner. “They had timers going off every 10 minutes, foreign languages, and were worrying about their bags,” the captain said.

Video from the scene shows officers boarding the plane and disembarking a passenger.

What did the FBI say?

In a statement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the primary domestic intelligence and law enforcement agency under the US Justice Department, said agents with the Atlanta Police Department (APD) questioned the man after he landed. Authorities determined there was no credible threat and no charges would be filed.

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Another passenger, Julie Porter, speaking to CBS Evening News, said the situation is unsettling but understandable. “Given everything that’s going on in the world right now, I think you can’t be too careful in situations like this,” he said.

The airline dials all passengers

A Southwest Airlines spokesperson said passengers were rebooked to their intended destinations and the airline apologised for the disruption caused by the diversion.

According to NBC 6 South Florida, Southwest Airlines provided the following statement:

“For background information, Atlanta Police removed the customer in question. Customers were reaccommodated on another aircraft (same flight number, 2094) and continued on to Ft. Lauderdale, arriving just before 3:30 a.m. We have contacted all customers to apologise for the situation.”

Probably at the center of the incident is the Ramadan prayer timer

NBC 6 South Florida: It was reported that Southwest Airlines Flight 2094 was diverted to Atlanta due to a misunderstanding regarding a passenger’s ‘Ramadan prayer routine’. “NBC News has confirmed that the incident was a misunderstanding and that the passenger had set a timer on his phone so he could pray for Ramadan,” the report said.

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