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NEW YORK (AP) — A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on Wednesday in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the fleeing assailant hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting nearby. Brian Thompson, 50, was shot around 6:45 a.m. as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel, police said. The shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire , New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said, adding that the shooting "does not appear to be a random act of violence.” Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows someone emerging from behind a parked car, pointing a gun at Thompson’s back, then firing multiple times from several feet away. The gunman continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. He then walks past Thompson and out of the frame. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. Thompson was shot at least once in the back and once in the calf, Tisch said. The shooter, who wore a jacket, face mask and large backpack, fled through Midtown on foot before pedaling an electric bike into Central Park a few blocks away, police said. The assailant remained at large Wednesday afternoon, sparking a search that included police drones, helicopters and dogs. “Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” the insurer’s Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., said in a statement. "We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.” Police issued a poster showing a surveillance image of the man pointing what appeared to be a gun and another image that appeared to show the same person on a bicycle. Minutes before the shooting, he stopped at a nearby Starbucks, according to additional surveillance photos released by police on Wednesday afternoon. They offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive. The killing shook a part of New York City that's normally quiet at that hour, happening about four blocks from where tens of thousands of people were set to gather for Wednesday night’s tree lighting. Police promised extra security for the event. The hotel is also a short walk from other tourist sites, including the Museum of Modern Art and Radio City Music Hall, and is often dense with office workers and visitors on weekday mornings. Many security cameras are nearby. “We’re encouraging New Yorkers to go about their daily lives and their daily business but to be alert,” NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said. Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled. They were also searching Thompson's hotel room, interviewing his UnitedHealthcare colleagues and reviewing his social media, Kenny said. Police initially said the bicycle the shooter used to ride into Central Park came from the city’s bike-share program, CitiBike. But a spokesperson for Lyft, which operates the program, said they were informed by department officials Wednesday afternoon that the bike was not from the CitiBike fleet. Health care giant UnitedHealth Group was holding its annual meeting with investors to update Wall Street on the company's direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson's death. “I’m afraid that we — some of you may know we’re dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members,” a company official told attendees, according to a transcript. “And as a result, I’m afraid we’re going to have to bring to a close the event today. ... I’m sure you’ll understand.” Thompson, a father of two sons, had been with the company since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years. UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz posted on the social platform X that the state is “sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.” “This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota,” the Democrat wrote. Associated Press writers Tom Murphy in Indianapolis, Steve Karnowski in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, contributed to this story.ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Senate Republicans recommended on Friday that the state write laws banning transgender girls and women from participating in high school and college sports, setting the stage for action in the 2025 legislative session. The vote by a committee that was studying the issue is hardly a surprise. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones — a possible Republican contender for governor in 2026 — announced almost identical goals at the panel's first meeting in August . It’s an issue that’s already been addressed in Georgia. Legislators in 2022 empowered the Georgia High School Association to regulate transgender students' participation in sports. The association, which regulates sports and activities for all public schools and some private schools, then banned transgender boys and girls from playing on the school sports teams matching their gender identity. Jones and others argue that doesn't go far enough and that lawmakers themselves need to act. It's a sign Republicans believe there is more political gain in fears about transgender women playing women’s sports or using women’s bathrooms. At least 26 mostly Republican states have passed laws or rules to restrict transgender girls from participating high school sports and, in some cases, transgender women from college sports , according to the Movement Advancement Project, a gay rights group. In Georgia, additional action appears more likely now after House Speaker Jon Burns and Gov. Brian Kemp, both Republicans, have voiced support for further legislation. Jeff Graham, executive director of the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Georgia Equality, said his group is playing defense, concerned about the possibility of other bills that could further restrict gender-affirming care or ban transgender people from using public bathrooms that match their gender identity. “We’re expecting that it’ll be at least what we saw in 2023 and 2024, with the number of bills and more than likely laws,” Graham told reporters Friday. But Burns, from Newington, has said he's not interested in other bills dealing with transgender people besides those dealing with girls' and women's sports. Republican State Sen. Greg Dolezal, of Cumming, who led the Senate study committee, said Friday that he, too, is not interested in a broader bill regulating bathroom usage, although his committee recommended that schools that host sporting events require athletes to use locker rooms based on their assigned sex at birth. Dolezal said senators would seek to write legislation that regulated public schools and colleges, as well as private institutions that compete against public schools and colleges. The committee also recommends that people be able to sue or file grievances if schools break the rules, and that state money be withheld from schools that break the rules. Supporters of more action have focused on the 2022 NCAA women’s swimming championships at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, where Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, swam for the University of Pennsylvania and won the 500-meter freestyle . The NCAA has since revised its policy on transgender women’s participation, saying it will follow the rules of respective athletics federations. World Aquatics, the swimming governing body, banned transgender women who have been through male puberty from competing in women’s races. That means Thomas wouldn’t be allowed to swim in NCAA events today. “My basic contention that this is a solution in search of a problem remains,” Graham said. He said he fears that many people who oppose laws that seek to restrict transgender people will be afraid to testify and lobby at the Georgia Capitol, citing assault charges against a man accused of shaking U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in a Capitol office building in Washington, D.C. Dolezal repeatedly tried to turn down the emotional temperature of the issue on Friday. “I think that there’s a group of people that wants to be respected and I think that they deserve respect,” Dolezal told reporters. “But I also think that you can be respectful, but also recognize that in the sporting arena, fairness and competition is important.”

The Prime Minister is set to visit British troops serving on Russia’s border as he says Ukraine will require more funding and capability. Sir Keir Starmer was speaking at the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) conference in Estonia where he met leaders of other Baltic states. After signing an energy partnership with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Bergen, Sir Keir flew to Estonia where he spoke alongside Mr Store and their Estonian counterpart Kristen Michal. He added: “A lot of money has been raised, funding has been raised, but more is going to be needed.” The Prime Minister’s also discussed making the economic case at home for continued support for Ukraine. “Now, this is a different world to the world of 10, 20 years ago, to recognise the world that we are living in, there’s a positive case as well to be made. “Defence spending doesn’t sort of sit in a silo over here with no effect on the rest of the economy, no effect on technology. “It has a huge effect on technologies, the cutting edge of technology and change which can then be used in other areas. “It binds countries together. I think all of us have got joint projects on in terms of defence capabilities that bind us together. There’s a huge number of well-paid jobs that are very important to our economy in defence spending as well. “But we have to make that positive case. I don’t personally feel that we can sort of sit back and assume that all of those in our respective countries necessarily accept all of our arguments unless we make them in that positive way, which I do think the argument can and should and must be made. “But the challenge that you put to us is the right challenge, which is it’s very difficult when finances are tight, as they are in all of our countries.” Specialising in the manufacture of the missiles, the rapidly growing company already collaborates closely with the UK defence industry, sourcing a significant portion of its subsystems locally, including from propulsion specialists Roxel in Worcestershire. The Prime Minister will again attend the JEF summit, joining leaders from the Nordics and Baltics to discuss support for Ukraine, the sustained threat posed by Russia and wider European security. He will then visit British forces serving in the region to deter malign Russian threats.Pete Hegseth who is the US President- elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, is eventually facing serious allegations from his mother, Penelope Hegseth following the release of an email from the year 2018. According to Daily Beast, in the email, she accused him of mistreating women for years and expressed deep disappointment in his character. Daily Beast reported that she stated, ‘On behalf of all the women (and I know it’s many) you have abused in some way, I say... get some help and take an honest look at yourself’. Penelope Hegseth severely criticized his treatment of his second wife named Samantha during their contentious divorce while labeling his actions as ‘despicable and abusive’. Also Read : NYT Connections hints and answer for November 30 (#538): Today's puzzle breakdown Following the email's publication by The New York Times, Penelope Hegseth recanted her statements while claiming that they were made in anger and did not reflect her son's true character, asserted Daily Beast. She also described him as a good father and husband and expressed regret over the email's release. Pete Hegseth has also faced a rape allegation from the year 2017, which he eventually denies while asserting that the encounter was consensual and that he paid a settlement to avoid jeopardizing his career at Fox News, noted Daily Beast. The resurfacing of these allegations comes as scrutiny intensifies ahead of his Senate confirmation hearings. 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Pete Hegseth who is the US President- elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, is eventually facing serious allegations from his mother, Penelope Hegseth following the release of an email from the year 2018. What was the reaction of Penelope Hegseth following the publication of the email? Following the email's publication, Penelope Hegseth recanted her statements while claiming that they were made in anger and did not reflect her son's true character. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )The man who ended Nadal's career helps the Netherlands beat Germany to reach the Davis Cup final

Sir Keir Starmer was speaking at the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) conference in Estonia where he met leaders of other Baltic states. After signing an energy partnership with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Bergen, Sir Keir flew to Estonia where he spoke alongside Mr Store and their Estonian counterpart Kristen Michal. Asked what else could be done to support Ukraine, Sir Keir said: “There is an ever-increasing demand for more capability. That is understandable, and Ukraine needs all the capability that it can get, so I think all of us have put in more capability into Ukraine by way of equipment.” He added: “A lot of money has been raised, funding has been raised, but more is going to be needed.” The Prime Minister’s also discussed making the economic case at home for continued support for Ukraine. Sir Keir said: “Making the case on the significance of Ukraine, making the case, to double down, linking it back to each of our countries – what does it mean for us if Russia succeeds, is a really important question that we have to answer with our people to make it clear why it is that we are so supportive of Ukraine, why it is that we must stand with our allies on this, why it is we must make sure that Nato is put in the strongest position as well. “Now, this is a different world to the world of 10, 20 years ago, to recognise the world that we are living in, there’s a positive case as well to be made. “Defence spending doesn’t sort of sit in a silo over here with no effect on the rest of the economy, no effect on technology. “It has a huge effect on technologies, the cutting edge of technology and change which can then be used in other areas. “It binds countries together. I think all of us have got joint projects on in terms of defence capabilities that bind us together. There’s a huge number of well-paid jobs that are very important to our economy in defence spending as well. “But we have to make that positive case. I don’t personally feel that we can sort of sit back and assume that all of those in our respective countries necessarily accept all of our arguments unless we make them in that positive way, which I do think the argument can and should and must be made. “But the challenge that you put to us is the right challenge, which is it’s very difficult when finances are tight, as they are in all of our countries.” On Tuesday morning the Prime Minister will meet Taavi Madiberk, the founder of Estonian tech start-up manufacturing low-cost air defence missiles, Frankenburg Technologies, which is planning to open a new office in London Specialising in the manufacture of the missiles, the rapidly growing company already collaborates closely with the UK defence industry, sourcing a significant portion of its subsystems locally, including from propulsion specialists Roxel in Worcestershire. The Prime Minister will again attend the JEF summit, joining leaders from the Nordics and Baltics to discuss support for Ukraine, the sustained threat posed by Russia and wider European security. He will then visit British forces serving in the region to deter malign Russian threats.

By Ja'han Jones Having thrown their support to Donald Trump during this election cycle, MAGA podcasters and other content creators from the Trump-adjacent ecosystem are preparing to step up to help prop up Trump’s second administration. That support can be seen as analogous to state-run media: They’ll be propagandists who act as an extension of the Trump administration’s communications efforts. And it looks like they’re primed to get more access to their MAGA “daddy” than ever before. In recent weeks, pro-Trump podcasters Joe Rogan and Adin Ross , who both endorsed Trump’s 2024 presidential bid, have claimed they’ve had conversations with Team Trump about interviews with the president-elect next year. And these claims come as Donald Trump Jr. has suggested that the White House welcome more MAGA podcasters into the briefing room. During an appearance with far-right podcaster Michael Knowles last week, Trump Jr. claimed he and the president-elect have discussed potentially replacing some traditional media outlets with MAGA-friendly influencers. This idea has, understandably, worried some members of the press . There’s plenty of reason for the broader public to be concerned, as well. Over the past year, I’ve covered Trump’s use of right-wing podcasters and other influencers to boost his public image . Even if one assumes the podcasters that Team Trump wants to platform intend to act as neutral, apolitical arbiters of fact who want to serve the public (which I don’t), a recent U.N. study found a majority of influencers lack basic fact-checking. It’s hard to argue that this change is likely to produce anything but a flood of posts and podcasts echoing pro-Trump talking points. It seems MAGA world wants its own ecosystem of like-minded influencers, not unlike what Russian President Vladimir Putin has created for himself. Or the propaganda network Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán advised Republicans to develop . Team Trump’s pivot to influencers is one more reason for Americans to improve their information diet by tuning in to organizations that specialize in identifying misinformation and manipulative propaganda. All signs suggest we should expect a deluge after Trump returns to office. Ja'han Jones is The ReidOut Blog writer. He's a futurist and multimedia producer focused on culture and politics. His previous projects include "Black Hair Defined" and the "Black Obituary Project."Georgia Republicans recommend further law to restrict transgender women's participation in sportsIt’s December 4, and that means it’s the officially unofficial “Dragon Age Day.” Get it? D4. DA. Dragon Age . Anyway, this year, BioWare released some statistics about players’ choices in Dragon Age: The Veilguard . The RPG has been out for a little over a month now, so that means more players have gotten further into the game than the last time BioWare released detailed info about players’ various choices. So let’s jump into it and break down the choices people made from the start to the end of their journey. It’s not terribly surprising to me that Neve, the Tevinter mage detective, ended up at the top. But I am devastated to see my man Davrin so low. Y’all don’t know what you’re missing. More for me, fuck y’all. Anyway, Emmrich, the older gentleman of the group is on the very bottom, which isn’t surprising given some cowards would likely view him as “too old” for protagonist Rook. But worry not, he is no doubt getting love from his loyal fans. The romance rankings are as follows: Neve Lucanis Taash Harding Bellara Davrin Emmrich BioWare is pretty thorough in this breakdown, documenting every major choice in the game. This includes the companion’s personal quests. First up is Bellara, who, at the end of her missions, must choose whether or not to preserve an archive spirit that includes some pretty dark moments in elven history. Most players chose to keep it, with 56 percent of players telling her to make that call. 44 chose to free the spirit in the end. Jail. Jail for all of you. Okay, just 54 percent of you. Emmrich, the necromancer of the team, must choose at the end of his questline to either become a Lich, an immortal necromancer that Emmrich has been studying his whole life to become, or revive Manfred, his skeleton assistant who is killed in a scrap. 54 percent of Veilguard players chose to let Manfred stay dead so Emmrich could keep pursuing his dream of becoming an immortal mage, and that means Manfred didn’t come back to be Emmrich’s protege mage son. Shame on y’all. Shame! Okay, I’m calming down now. Davrin, the Grey Warden teammate, spends his quests saving the last known griffons from a fate worse than death. In the end, he asks Rook if they should be returned to the Wardens to help fight darkspawn as they did in the past, or if they should be taken to Arlathan Forest to protect nature. 67 percent of players sent them to Arlathan. Good job, team. Lucanis, the Antivan Crow assassin of the team, spends much of his time in The Veilguard dealing with family politics. This includes a betrayal at the hands of his cousin Illario. Lucanis is able to either forgive him for his transgressions or lock him up. An overwhelming 78 percent chose the latter, with 22 percent opting for a more peaceful approach. Taash spends most of The Veilguard pulled between two worlds. Their whole deal through their personal quest is finding out who they are, whether that be in their identity as a non-binary person, or as someone who is split between their Qunari heritage and Rivani present. Rook can nudge them in one direction or the other, but 79 percent of players chose to encourage them to lean into Rivani culture. Neve is basically Dragon Age Batman by the end of her quests. Tevinter’s greatest detective can either become a “protector” of the people, opting for more of a shadowy approach, or an “inspiration” to the people by operating as a private investigator. Most people went the protector route, with 61 percent of players going this route. Harding’s quest dives into some deep dwarven lore and answers big questions about the history of her people. By the end, she must choose whether or not to take on the lingering anger of her people or soothe it. Given how kindhearted Harding is, I’m not surprised that 84 percent of players saw her embrace her nature. One of the earliest choices you get in the game’s opening hours is whether or not you save a Mayor who sold out his village to the elven gods. 42 percent of players chose to leave him to the elements (which can result in a boss fight against him later), 36 saved him, then 22 percent of players banished him to the Grey Wardens. The last of those is only available if your Rook is from the Grey Wardens. The choice between saving either Minrathous or Treviso is one of the earliest decisions that has ramifications throughout all of The Veilguard . Choosing one or the other means the city you don’t protect will be blighted and altogether fucked up for the rest of the game. It was a slim difference, with Treviso coming out ahead with 51 percent. To that, I say “as a Shadow Dragon, fuck y’all.” The First Warden is a colossal pain in the butt during The Veilguard ’s first act. When it finally comes to handling him during the assault on the Warden base in Weisshaupt, Rook can either knock him out and take control of the stronghold or reason with him. 64 percent of players rightfully punched his lights out. There are two choices at the beginning of The Veilguard ’s final missions that require you to sacrifice two of your party members. One choice has you assign Harding or Davrin to lead a second team during an assault on the elven god’s base, the other makes you assign either Bellara or Neve to handle a magical barrier. Whoever you choose will be sacrificed (one presumed dead, the other abducted by the enemy), and the split was surprisingly bigger than I expected. Most players chose Harding, with 54 percent of players putting the dwarven rogue in charge, leaving Davrin presumed dead in only 46 percent of playthroughs. Bellara, meanwhile, was kidnapped in most playthroughs, with 58 percent of players choosing her over the 42 percent who chose Neve. After all that heartbreak and loss, The Veilguard asks players to once again put their companions in the line of fire with a final assault on Minrathous. This includes multiple assignments that have a good or bad outcome depending on who you choose, if they have achieved “Hero of the Veilguard” status, and if your faction strength has reached a certain threshold. From the looks of it, most people are making the right choices for these, but here’s the breakdown: Top three choices to accompany the Veil Jumpers and unravel the Venatori Wards: Emmrich Neve Bellara Top three companions chosen to join the Antivan Crows in hunting the Venatori commander: Lucanis Taash Emmrich Top three chosen to join forces with the Wardens and Mourn Watch to fight the Juggernaut: Taash Davrin Emmrich Top three companions chosen to stay behind for the counter-attack: Taash Davrin Harding After all that carnage, Solas, the ex-party member turned antagonist, still wants to tear down The Veil and unleash a horde of demons on Thedas. If you sought out Solas’ memories in the Crossroads and obtained the essence of Mythal, you’re able to talk him down, which most people did. Over 72 percent of players made this choice. However, if you either didn’t do those quests or just feel like fucking him up, you can either fight him or trick him with a decoy lyrium dagger into binding himself to The Veil. 17 percent of players chose to trick him, while only eight percent chose to take him on in a fight. The remaining three percent got the “sacrifice” ending, which ends in Rook sacrificing themself to ensure Solas is bound to The Veil. This is only possible if you lose too many people in the assault on Minrathous. Within those 72 percent of players who redeemed Solas, 43 percent of players had an Inquisitor who romanced Solas and joined him in The Fade. 57 percent of players had an Inquisitor who either romanced someone else (or no one) or didn’t convince the Inquisitor to forgive him. The last statistics BioWare included in its roundup were the interactions players had with Assan, Davrin’s griffon son, and Manfred. Only 50 percent of players pet Assan and a criminal 31 percent of people played Rock Paper Scissors with Manfred. Y’all need to go hang out with the Lighthouse pets. Jail to all of you. While pouring over the results of all of these decisions is exciting, it remains to be seen how any of these outcomes might factor into a future game. Personally, I’m holding out hope that Rook will return as a protagonist in the next Dragon Age , which could allow for more of these characters and choices to show up in meaningful ways. But whatever’s coming is still years away as BioWare is now shifting focus to the next Mass Effect game and isn’t making any DLC for The Veilguard .

President-elect Donald Trump ’s net worth ballooned from $2.5 billion to $6.1 billion during a year marred by legal struggles and assassination attempts. Trump’s majority stake in his social media company, Trump Media & Technology Group Corp (TMTG) the parent company of Truth Social , was the main driver of this growth. The president-elect began the year with a net worth of about $2.5 billion, according to Forbes . That was a decrease from his previous term in the White House when it reached $4 billion. His net worth was not as volatile before he became the owner of a publicly traded company, the outlet noted. Trump’s net worth rose quickly from $2.3 billion to $6.4 billion just a day after the parent company of Truth Social went public, after his legal struggles pushed down his net worth between the beginning of the year and March. Shares in the company rose after the merger between Digital World Acquisition Corp, a special purpose acquisition company, and TMTG. After the company had been publicly traded for two days, Trump’s net worth reached $7 billion. On April 16, Trump’s net worth hit one of its lowest levels of the year, when the share price of TMTG decreased for several days. But, by the end of the month, the share price was on the rise again, with Trump increasing his stake in the company and his net worth reaching $7.6 billion. Trump’s net worth reached its highest point of all time — $8.1 billion — in early May. It stayed above $5 billion for the duration of the month, reaching $8 billion once more on May 14, when a jury found Trump liable for the sexual abuse of writer E Jean Carroll, handing her $5 million in damages. Days before, adult actor Stormy Daniels took the stand in the hush money trial which led to 34 convictions for Trump for falsifying business records. The day after his conviction in late May, Trump’s net worth decreased by $300 million to $7.5 billion. On July 14, Trump survived an attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania. The following day, TMTG saw a surge, increasing his net worth to $6.1 billion. By September 13, Trump revealed that he wasn’t going to sell his TMTG shares as a lockup period that stopped him from selling was coming to an end, with his net worth increasing by about $200 million to $3.9 billion. The rise came after a drop in his net worth following his much-criticized debate performance against Vice President Kamala Harris. As the betting odds of a Trump victory in the election grew, Trump’s net worth reached $8 billion again in late October after strong results from TMTG shares. Winning the election led to Trump’s net worth reaching $6.2 billion the following day, with it remaining above $5.1 billion for the rest of November, according to Forbes . During Trump’s initial month as president-elect, his net worth reached $6 billion by December 9. It was $6.51 billion as of December 16. It changed slightly as of December 20 when Trump put his full stake in a trust. Trump’s assets were worth $6.1 billion as of December 23, putting him in 530th place of the world’s wealthiest people, according to Forbes . His wealth is mostly connected to the share price of TMTG. With a 60 percent stake, he’s the largest shareholder.Georgia Republicans recommend further law to restrict transgender women's participation in sports

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