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Keith Lamont Scott Death: Charlotte State of Emergency Declared Amid Violent Protests

Nancy Clayson
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Keith Lamont Scott Death: Charlotte State of Emergency Declared Amid Violent Protests

North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory has declared a state of emergency in the city of Charlotte, as violent protests continue over the police killing of African-American Keith Lamont Scott.

Violence erupted for a second night after Keith Lamont Scott was shot dead by a black officer on September 20.

One protester is in a critical condition after a “civilian on civilian” shooting, the city said.

Keith Lamont Scott was the third black man killed by police in a week. Such shootings have sparked huge protests recently.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Riot police in Charlotte used tear gas as they faced hundreds of protesters. The local police department said four officers were injured.

The North Carolina governor said he had “initiated efforts” to deploy the national guard and highway patrol to help deal with the protests.

“Any violence directed toward our citizens or police officers or destruction of property should not be tolerated,” Pat McCrory said.

The protesters are angry that 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott was killed by police at a block of flats in disputed circumstances.

Police were serving an arrest warrant on another person when they say they saw Keith Lamont Scott get out of a car with a handgun.

Officers say Keith Lamont Scott was repeatedly told to drop his handgun before he was shot but his family say he was reading a book, as he waited for his son to be dropped off by the school bus.

Dash-cam footage of the incident will be viewed by Charlotte’s mayor but not released to the public “at that time”, the city said.

It is legal to openly carry a handgun in North Carolina, but a special permit is required to carry a concealed weapon.

Gov. Pat McCrory declared the state of emergency as rioters clashed with police, breaking windows and setting small fires.

The second night of protests had begun peacefully but the demonstration was interrupted by gunfire and a man in the crowd was injured.

The city initially said the man had been killed but then issued a clarification.

Demonstrators then threw bottles and fireworks at the officers, who were lined up in riot gear. Police fired flash grenades and tear gas to repel the crowds.

Several journalists were also reportedly attacked. A reporter and cameraman for Charlotte’s WCNC-TV were taken to hospital and a CNN journalist was tackled on live TV, local media report.

Police in Charlotte defended their actions in the death of Keith Lamont Scott by insisting he had been repeatedly warned to drop his gun.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney told a news conference Keith Lamont Scott first got out of the car with a gun, then got back into his vehicle when officers told him to drop his weapon.

He was shot when he emerged from his car holding his weapon. The police chief was unable to say if Keith Lamont Scott had been pointing his weapon at officers.

After her father’s death, Keith Lamont Scott’s daughter posted a video on Facebook in which she said her father had been unarmed and reading a book.

Kerr Putney said no book was found.

Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts voiced her shock at the violent protests, which saw 16 police officers injured on September 20.

Caracas Paralyzed by Bus Drivers Protest

Diane A. Wade
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Caracas Paralyzed by Bus Drivers Protest

Venezuela’s capital has been paralyzed for eight hours by a bus drivers strike.

They blocked the streets with their vehicles to protest against the country’s economic crisis.

Hundreds of drivers demanded more pay and protection from violent crime.

Many said they needed more money to maintain their buses and complained of scarcity of spare parts.

Image source YouTube
Image source YouTube

Meanwhile, the electoral authorities ruled out a recall referendum this year against President Nicolas Maduro.

The decision is a setback for the opposition, which has been pressing for a vote to oust him.

The electoral commission said a referendum could take place early next year if the opposition secure the signatures of four million voters in a three-day period in October.

The timing of the vote is crucial: if Nicolas Maduro were to leave office after January 10 there would not be fresh elections and the vice-president would take over.

The protest in Caracas is believed to have affected half of the bus fleet in the city of three million people.

Venezuela has faced shortages of many goods, including food and medicine.

Tires, car batteries and motor oil are in short supply, they say.

A spokesman for the drivers said they would continue their protest on September 22 if the government did not respond to their complaints.

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan Pledge $3BN to Fund Medical Research

Nancy Clayson
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Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan Pledge $3BN to Fund Medical Research

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan have pledged $3 billion to fund medical research over the next decade.

At a press conference in San Francisco, the Facebook founder and his wife said their ultimate goal was to “cure, prevent or manage all diseases by the end of the century”.

The funds will be distributed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which they created in December 2015.

Tech leaders are increasingly turning their attention to health.

Photo Facebook
Photo Facebook

Earlier in the week, Microsoft said it intended to “solve” cancer by using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

Google’s DeepMind unit is working with UK’s NHS (National Health Service) to find a way to use computers to more accurately diagnose diseases.

IBM and MIT announced a tie-up earlier this week to develop AI-based systems that could help clinicians improve the care of elderly and disabled patients.

Even so, the Chan Zuckerberg plan is marked by its ambition.

Mark Zuckerberg said that at present 50 times more money was spent on treating people who are sick than on curing the diseases that would stop them getting ill in the first place, and added that this needed to change.

The Facebook founder outlined three principles that will guide the couple’s investments:

  • to bring scientists and engineers together
  • to build tools and technology that advance research
  • to grow the movement to fund more science around the world

Priscilla Chan added that they had already committed $600 million to creating a new research centre called the Biohub, which will bring together engineers, computer scientists, biologists, chemists and other innovators.

The Biohub will initially work on two projects.

The first is the Cell Atlas, a “map” that describes the different types of cells that control the body’s major organs.

The second is the Infectious Disease Initiative, which will try to develop new tests and vaccines to tackle HIV, Ebola, Zika and other new diseases.

Mark Zuckerberg predicted that by 2100 the average life expectancy would be beyond 100 years.

However, he cautioned that it would take years before the couple’s fund led to the creation of new medical treatments and further time before they could be applied to patients.

Microsoft’s co-founder Bill Gates – who has funded his own health research via the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – appeared at the event to praise the announcement.

He described it as “very bold and ambitious” but added that “we desperately need this science”.

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan announced in December 2015 that they planned to give away 99% of their shares in Facebook to fund good causes following the birth of their daughter.

The organization’s stated mission is to make long-term investments in work that advances human potential and promotes equality.

They had previously announced investments in education-related start-ups.

One expert said that dealing with all disease was “clearly ambitious” but added that deep-pocketed philanthropists were defined by the fact they could take such risks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9VwEnUkV18

Rodrigo Duterte Launches Violent Attack on EU

Diane A. Wade
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Rodrigo Duterte Launches Violent Attack on EU

Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte launched a fierce attack on the European Union after it condemned his brutal crackdown on crime.

Rodrigo Duterte said the EU parliament was acting out of guilt after it called on him to halt “the current wave of extrajudicial executions and killings”.

The president said “hypocritical” former colonial powers like France and Britain were trying to atone for their own sins.

Since Rodrigo Duterte took office at the end of June about 3,000 people have been killed.

They have been killed either by police or vigilantes, after Rodrigo Duterte effectively sanctioned the murder of criminals and drugs dealers.

The killings have been widely condemned internationally.Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte

The European Parliament said it was concerned about the “extraordinarily high numbers killed during police operations… in the context of an intensified anti-crime and anti-drug campaign”, and asked Rodrigo Duterte to launch an “immediate” investigation.

Rodrigo Duterte, 71, hit back angrily, saying the European Parliament’s colonial-era ancestors killed “thousands” of Arabs and other peoples.

“They’re taking the high ground to assuage their feelings of guilt. But who did I kill?

“Assuming it to be true – 1,700, who are they? Criminals. You call that genocide,” he told officials in Davao.

“Now the EU has the gall to condemn me.”

The president also swore repeatedly during the outburst, and raised his middle finger in a gesture of defiance.

Rodrigo Duterte said on September 18 he needed to extend his crime war for another six months because the drug problem was worse than he expected, adding on September 20 that he would shield police and soldiers from prosecution.

Brad Pitt Reacts After Angelina Jolie Filed for Divorce

Lisa.Felice
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Brad Pitt Reacts After Angelina Jolie Filed for Divorce

Brad Pitt has reacted to the divorce news during an interview with People magazine.

The actor has said he is “very saddened” that Angelina Jolie has filed for divorce and has asked for privacy on their children’s behalf.

“I am very saddened by this, but what matters most now is the well-being of our kids,” Brad Pitt told People magazine.

“I kindly ask the press to give them the space they deserve during this challenging time.”

Angelina Jolie, 41, filed for divorce from Brad Pitt, 52, citing irreconcilable differences on September 19.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were wed in a small chapel in Chateau Miraval in a private, nondenominational, civil ceremony attended by family and friends

The actress’ lawyer, Robert Offer, said the decision had been made “for the health of the family”.

It is understood Angelina Jolie is seeking physical custody of the couple’s six children and asking the judge to give Brad Pitt visitation rights.

Speculation is mounting over the causes behind their divorce, with one newspaper claiming Angelina Jolie was “upset with Pitt’s parenting skills”.

Angelina Jolie’s long-time manager Geyser Kosinski told E! Online: “Angelina will always do what’s in the best interest of taking care of her family.”

Madame Tussauds in London marked the split by announcing on Twitter that its mannequins of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have been separated. Robert Pattinson appears to have been placed between them.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie – nicknamed “Brangelina” by fans – married in 2014, 10 years after meeting on the set of 2005 movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

It was Pitt’s second marriage, having previously wed Jennifer Aniston, and Angelina Jolie’s third after Billy Bob Thornton and Jonny Lee Miller.

Jon Voight, Angelina Jolie’s actor father, also expressed sadness, saying whatever caused the split “must have been pretty severe”.

Billy Bob Thornton, however, made no comment at a Hollywood event honoring Kathy Bates on September 20.

The actor, who was married to Angelina Jolie from 2000 to 2003, left quickly afterwards, avoiding questions from waiting reporters.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie most recently worked together on 2015 movie By the Sea, a relationship drama about a couple trying to repair their marriage.

Lawyers to Deal with the Damages of a Rescission

Nancy Clayson
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Lawyers to Deal with the Damages of a Rescission

All relationships work around contracts whether written or verbal whether they in marriage, business or even as simple as errands. All agreements are made mutually which means that both partners come with a moral obligation to fulfill the agreement. It, however, comes a time when partners agree mutually to discharge one another form an agreement which is known as the rescission of contract. There are a number of situations that may call for the termination of a contract for both partners and this simply means that the partners will no longer have to work within the stipulations of the contract unless a new one is written. It is important to understand that the rescission of contract is not always done mutually before the signing due to impending factors.

One partner can seek the termination of a contract as long as the grounds are within the stipulations of the present contract. The reasons may vary right from a simple announcement due to the change of interests or fraud from one of the partners amounting to . It is at this point that these agreements get really complicated needing the intervention of a master lawyer to help through.  A lawyer may come in on either side to help the partners get redress in the issue.

A partner that feels that the colleague has breached the contract can use these grounds to get out of an agreement and in the process sue for damages. The other partner can also sue for damages if the case is proven otherwise working against the initial complainer. A lawyer may also come in handy if one partner simply feels the urge to move on to other matter and wants to be freed from the contract. The remaining partner can also sue for damages keeping the distressed partner within the legal rights of the agreement.

There are many factors affecting this kind of case ranging from the time taken to act on the case from either partner to the intentions of both partners. These cases are often settled out of court by most partners in a mutual agreement signed and enforced by the lawyers or after one pays off the damages to the other compensating them for leaving before the stipulated time or out of the limits of the contract.

A good lawyer will access the situation and help both partners reach a mutual agreement for the benefit of both by the end of the day.

 

 

Keith Lamont Scott Shooting: 12 Police Officers Injured During Charlotte Protests

Nancy Clayson
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Keith Lamont Scott Shooting: 12 Police Officers Injured During Charlotte Protests

At least 12 officers have been injured during protests sparked by the police shooting of African-American Keith Lamont Scott in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Protesters destroyed marked police cars around the block of flats where the shooting took place, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department tweeted.

One officer was hit in the face with a rock, police said.

On September 20, Keith Lamont Scott, 43, was shot by a black officer and died in hospital.

Image source Facebook
Image source Facebook

Police say Keith Lamont Scott was carrying a gun and posed an “imminent deadly threat”, but relatives told local media he was not holding a weapon but a book.

Demonstrators outraged over the incident blocked streets and police used tear gas, local media reported.

Mayor Jennifer Roberts appealed for calm, and said the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott would be looked into.

“The community deserves answers and full investigation will ensue,” she tweeted.

“Will be reaching out to community leaders to work together.”

The unrest came a day after police in the city of Tulsa, in Oklahoma, said a black man they had killed on September 16 was unarmed.

Hundreds of people have been protesting outside police headquarters there.

Terence Crutcher was walking away with his hands in the air when he was shot by police, footage shows.

In Charlotte, officers had been looking for a different suspect at a block of flats when Keith Lamont Scott was killed, police spokesman Keith Trietley said.

They saw Keith Lamont Scott get out of a car carrying a gun before getting back in, he said. When the officers approached, Keith Lamont Scott got out of the car with the gun again and police opened fire after deeming him a threat.

Keith Lamont Scott was not the suspect police were originally looking for, Keith Trietley confirmed.

Brentley Vinson, the officer who shot Keith Lamont Scott, has been placed on administrative leave as part of police protocol.

A woman claiming to be Keith Lamont Scott’s daughter has contested the police department’s account in a Facebook video, the Charlotte Observer reports.

She says Keith Lamont Scott was unarmed and reading while he was waiting for his son’s school bus and was tasered before being shot four times.

She also said Keith Lamont Scott was disabled. Police have not responded to the claims but say they recovered a gun at the scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW8kOKJQYvg

Ahmad Khan Rahami Charged with Planting Bombs in NY and NJ

Roy Siemens
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Ahmad Khan Rahami Charged with Planting Bombs in NY and NJ

Ahmad Khan Rahami has been charged with planting bombs in New York and New Jersey.

Thirty-one people were injured when a bomb went off in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan on September 17.

Ahmad Khan Rahami was already charged by the state of New Jersey with the attempted murder of police, during his arrest.

The new federal charges include use of a weapon of mass destruction, bombing, destruction of property and use of a destructive device.

Unsealed in a Manhattan federal court, the charge sheet sheds new light on Ahmad Khan Rahami’s motivations.

Image source EPA
Image source EPA

The man’s journal apparently expressed the wish to die a martyr, the criminal complaint revealed.

One passage said: “You [USA Government] continue your [unintelligible] slaught[er]” against the mujahideen, or holy warriors, be it Afghanistan, Iraq, Sham (Syria), Palestine.”

Another refers in glowing terms to Osama Bin Laden, Anwar al-Awlaki, a US-born Muslim cleric killed in a 2011 drone strike, and Nidal Hasan, a former Army officer who killed 13 people at a Texas Army base in 2009.

According to investigators, Ahmad Khan Rahami, who is 28, planted two bombs in Chelsea but one failed to detonate.

Another bomb exploded in a New Jersey seaside town earlier on the same day but no-one was hurt.

Ahmad Khan Rahami is also accused of leaving explosives in a discarded rucksack in a rubbish bin in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

He was preparing for months for the attack, the court documents suggest.

Ahmad Khan Rahami bought some bomb-making equipment on eBay and was filmed by a relative lighting “incendiary material” in a bin.

The series of bombings over the weekend have sparked a heated debate about national security between the two presidential candidates, days before their first televised debate.

Donald Trump has seized on the fact Ahmad Khan Rahami was born in Afghanistan to bolster his tough stance on immigration admissions.

However, Hillary Clinton has accused Donald Trump of enabling the terrorists by playing into their hands.

Ahmad Khan Rahami is still in hospital, recovering from injuries sustained during the shootout that led to his arrest.

Brazil: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to Stand Trial on Corruption and Money Laundering Charges

Diane A. Wade
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Brazil: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to Stand Trial on Corruption and Money Laundering Charges

Brazil’s ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will be tried for corruption and money laundering over an alleged scheme at the state oil company, Petrobras, a judge has said.

Brazilian prosecutors say Lula da Silva accepted 3.7 million reais ($1.11 million) in bribes connected to the multi-billion dollar scheme.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 70, had already been charged in August with allegedly obstructing investigations.

The former president denies any wrongdoing and says the accusations are politically motivated.Lula da Silva appointment blocked

“I am sad,” he said.

“It is a big farce, a big lie, a big pyrotechnic show.

“What’s happening isn’t getting me down, but just motivates me to go out and talk more.”

Judge Sergio Moro, who is overseeing Operation Car Wash, the investigation into corruption allegations at Petrobras, said there was “sufficient evidence of [Lula’s] responsibility”.

The money that Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva allegedly received was laundered through the purchase and renovation of a beach apartment, prosecutors say.

The flat was built by a construction company implicated in the scandal.

Lula’s wife, Marisa Leticia, and six others have also been indicted.

The former leader was accused by prosecutors of being the “boss” of the scheme, estimated to have cost Petrobras more than $2 billion.

Several politicians and Petrobras executives have been arrested and sentenced as a result of the two-year inquiry.

Investigators believe overpriced contracts with Petrobras were given in return for bribes.

Some of the illicitly-obtained money was used to finance the electoral campaign of top Brazilian politicians, they allege.

Luiz Inacio Lula da SIlva, who served as president between 2003 and 2011, was one of Brazil’s most popular leaders and is seen as a possible candidate for the 2018 presidential elections.

However, the popularity of his Workers’ Party plummeted this year and his chosen successor Dilma Rousseff was impeached last month.

A criminal conviction would bar Lula da Silva from running in 2018.

Jim Carrey to Fight Wrongful Death Case Filed by Cathriona White’s Husband

Lisa.Felice
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Jim Carrey to Fight Wrongful Death Case Filed by Cathriona White’s Husband

Actor Jim Carrey has said a wrongful death legal case filed by the estranged husband of his ex-girlfriend Cathriona White is an attempt to “exploit” him.

Court documents show Jim Carrey has been sued for allegedly obtaining drugs under a false name for Cathriona White, who died of an overdose in 2015.

Jim Carrey, 54, has vowed to fight the case saying in a statement: “I will not tolerate this heartless attempt to exploit me or the woman I loved.

“I really hope that some day soon people will stop trying to profit from this and let her rest in peace.”

Jim Carrey added: “It would be easy for me to get in a back room with this man’s lawyer and make this go away, but there are some moments in life when you have to stand up and defend your honor against the evil in this world.”

Image source Wikipedia
Image source Wikipedia

Mark Burton, the estranged husband of Jim Carrey’s ex-girlfriend Cathriona White, said the actor used his “immense wealth and celebrity status” to obtain prescription drugs illegally. It is alleged that Jim Carrey then tried to hide his involvement.

Cathriona White, who was 30 years old at the time of her death, was found dead after overdosing on prescription drugs, according to the coroner’s office.

Coroner’s officials ruled Cathriona White’s death as a suicide.

Reports at the time said Jim Carrey and Cathriona White had an on-off relationship and had broken up again days before her death.

According to the case filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Jim Carrey obtained the drugs under the fake name “Arthur King”.

The Hollywood star then “took steps to conceal and obfuscate his involvement and culpability”.

Mark Burton also claimed that Jim Carrey sent a “bogus message” to Cathriona White on the day before her body was found “in an effort to cover up his conduct and complicity in her death”.

In the message, Jim Carrey asked about the whereabouts of the drugs.

Mark Burton also alleged Jim Carrey had an “obsession with controlling and manipulating” her and that he used surveillance cameras on her home to monitor her.

The case – for violation of the drug dealer liability act and wrongful death – seeks unspecified damages as well as reimbursement for funeral expenses and lawyer’s fees.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Divorce Papers Go Public

Lisa.Felice
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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Divorce Papers Go Public

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are divorcing after a twelve-year relationship and two years of marriage.

The divorce papers have gone public confirming the split and revealing that Angelina Jolie was the person to have filed for the divorce – citing “irreconcilable differences” for the reason behind their separation.

The citation, which was filed in Los Angeles, showed that Angelina Jolie also put through a summons to discuss the custody of the couple’s six children, where she is seeking full custody with visitation rights for Brad Pitt.angelina-jolie-and-brad-pitt-divorce

Angelina Jolie’s longtime manager Geyser Kosinski told E! Online: “Angelina will always do what’s in the best interest of taking care of her family.”

It was Brad Pitt’s second marriage, having previously wed Jennifer Aniston, and Angelina Jolie’s third after Billy Bob Thornton and Jonny Lee Miller.

According to TMZ, the divorce papers listed the date of separation as September 15.

Angelina Jolie, 41, and Brad Pitt, 52, have six children together – Maddox, Pax, Zahara, who are adopted, and biological children Shiloh and twins Knox and Vivienne.

They married privately in the French hamlet of Correns in Provence in 2014.

Their children served as ring bearers at the wedding and helped illustrate Angelina Jolie’s white dress with their drawings.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie most recently worked together on 2015 film By The Sea – a relationship drama written, directed and produced by Jolie.

Angelina Jolie Files for Divorce from Brad Pitt!

Lisa.Felice
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Angelina Jolie Files for Divorce from Brad Pitt!

Angelina Jolie has filed for divorce from husband Brad Pitt, her lawyer has confirmed.

Robert Offer said Angelina Jolie filed for “dissolution of marriage” on September 19, adding the “decision was made for the health of the family”.

“She will not be commenting, and asks that the family be given its privacy at this time,” Robert Offer added in the statement.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have been together since 2004 but only married in August 2014.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were wed in a small chapel in Chateau Miraval in a private, nondenominational, civil ceremony attended by family and friends

It was Brad Pitt’s second marriage, having previously wed Jennifer Aniston, and Angelina Jolie’s third after Billy Bob Thornton and Jonny Lee Miller.

According to TMZ, Angelina Jolie cited “irreconcilable differences” in the divorce papers and listed the date of separation of September 15.

It is understood the actress is asking for physical custody of the couple’s six children and is asking the judge to give Brad Pitt visitation rights.

Angelina Jolie, 41, and Brad Pitt, 52, have six children together – Maddox, Pax, Zahara, who are adopted, and biological children Shiloh and twins Knox and Vivienne.

They married privately in the French hamlet of Correns in Provence in 2014.

Their children served as ring bearers at the wedding and helped illustrate Angelina Jolie’s white dress with their drawings.

In 2015, ahead of the release of By The Sea, the romantic drama the couple both star in, Angelina Jolie told The Telegraph: “Brad and I have our issues.

“We have fights and problems like any other couple. We have days when we drive each other absolutely mad and want space, but the problems in the movie aren’t our specific problems.”

George HW Bush Will Allegedly Vote for Hillary Clinton

Diane A. Wade
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George HW Bush Will Allegedly Vote for Hillary Clinton

Former Republican President George H.W. Bush will allegedly vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton in November.

According to Politico, George H.W. Bush made the pledge to Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, niece to ex-President John F. Kennedy.

George H.W. Bush’s office has not confirmed the report, with a spokesman saying he was checking.George HW Bush hospitalized

The former president, who held office from 1989 until 1993, has not endorsed Donald Trump.

Neither has his son, Jeb Bush, who unsuccessfully competed for the Republican nomination, or other rivals in the race, Ted Cruz and John Kasich.

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, a former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, posted a photo on Facebook of a meeting with George H.W. Bush, alongside the caption: “The President told me he’s voting for Hillary!”

However, George H.W. Bush’s spokesman Jim McGrath was cautious, writing: “Those reporting how @GeorgeHWBush will vote this year, it’s not clear anyone was there to verify KKT [Kathleen Kennedy Townsend]. Still checking, keep your powder dry.”

Donald Trump Jr. Likens Syrian Refugees to Poisoned Skittles

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Jr. Likens Syrian Refugees to Poisoned Skittles

Donald Trump Jr. has caused uproar on social media by comparing Syrian refugees to Skittles candy.

Trying to suggest the US should not accept any refugees, Donald Trump’s eldest son asked the question: “If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you, would you take a handful?”

“That’s our Syrian refugee problem.”

Donald Trump Jr. added: “This image says it all. Let’s end the politically correct agenda that doesn’t put America first.”

The food analogy has been used before to imply that, if a few people in a group are bad, it would be dangerous to take a single one in.

The language in Donald Jr.’s tweet was used in a post by conservative radio host Joe Walsh in August.

Following tweet by the Republican presidential candidate’s son, the company that owns Skittles, Wrigley, stepped in.

Image source Flickr
Image source Flickr

Denise Young, vice-president of corporate affairs for Wrigley America, said: “Skittles are candy. Refugees are people.

“We don’t feel it is an appropriate analogy.

“We will respectfully refrain from further commentary as anything we say could be misinterpreted as marketing.”

There has been no reaction from the campaigns of the main presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Angered by Donald Trump Jr.’s statement, however, some people posted images of child refugees on their Twitter feeds.

Many of the posts both mocked the comparison and tried to highlight the plight of Syrians caught up in their country’s civil war.

In a tongue-in-cheek article, Washington Post journalist Philip Bump did some calculations around Donald Trump Jr.’s statement, using data showing that the annual chance that an American would be murdered by a foreign-born terrorist was 1 in 3,609,709.

Based on Philip Bump’s sums, it would take about one and a half Olympic swimming pools of Skittles in order to find three killers.

Some people on Twitter used the meme to reflect on their feelings about the 2016 presidential race.

However, many supporters of Donald Trump and right wing commentators welcomed his son’s message and hit out at the criticism online, referring to recent attacks in the US.

Donald Trump Questions Ahmad Khan Rahami’s Medical Care and Legal Representation

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Questions Ahmad Khan Rahami’s Medical Care and Legal Representation

Donald Trump has questioned the medical treatment and legal representation of New York bombing suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami following his arrest.

Ahmad Khan Rahami, a 28-year-old Afghan-born naturalized US citizen, was charged with five counts of attempted murder after a police shootout.

Donald Trump said it was a “sad situation” and underscores the country’s weak national security.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump’s rhetoric only helped terrorist groups.

Image source fbi.gov
Image source fbi.gov

She told reporters at a news conference outside NYC: “The kinds of rhetoric and language that Mr. Trump has used is giving aid and comfort to our adversaries.”

Hillary Clinton added that she was the only candidate equipped with the experience of being “part of the hard decisions to take terrorists off the battlefield”.

Donald Trump fired back in a statement, saying that a Clinton presidency would only lead to “more attacks on our homeland and more innocent Americans being hurt and killed”.

Later at a campaign rally in Fort Myers, Florida, Donald Trump decried Ahmad Khan Rahami’s treatment for gunshot wounds and his legal representation, which is his constitutional right under the Fifth Amendment.

He said: “But the bad part, now we will give him amazing hospitalization. He will be taken care of by some of the best doctors in the world.

“He will be given a fully modern and updated hospital room. And he’ll probably even have room service knowing the way our country is.”

Donald Trump suggested that any punishment would be too lenient on Ahmad Khan Rahami. “What a sad situation,” he added.

The Republican nominee repeated calls for “extreme vetting” of new arrivals, which would include an assessment of whether potential immigrants share American values.

The country’s national security became a central issue in the election after a series of bombings over the weekend culminated with Ahmad Khan Rahami’s arrest on September 19.

US officials involved in the investigation have told media that Ahmad Khan Rahami had traveled to Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent years.

But at a news conference on September 19, the FBI said they had as yet found no links to international terror groups.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCL8cEvOsWg

North Korea Carries Out “Successful” Ground Test of New Rocket Engine

Roy Siemens
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North Korea Carries Out “Successful” Ground Test of New Rocket Engine

North Korea has announced it carried out a “successful” ground test of a new rocket engine to launch satellites.

The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, asked scientists and engineers to make preparations for a satellite launch as soon as possible, KCNA reported.

It is the latest in a series of missile-related tests in 2016.

Meanwhile, the US and China have agreed to step up co-operation at the UN to address North Korea’s fifth nuclear test.Foreigners detained in North Korea

The underground nuclear test, conducted earlier this month, is thought to be North Korea’s most powerful yet.

The secretive country regularly makes claims about the progress of its nuclear and missile programs, but analysts say most of them are impossible to independently verify.

US and Chinese officials have started discussions on a possible UN sanctions resolution as a response, unnamed diplomats were quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying.

However, Beijing has not said directly whether it will support tougher steps against Pyongyang, the agency added.

China is North Korea’s main ally and trading partner, but has grown increasingly intolerant of its military actions and Kim Jong-un’s aggressive rhetoric.

Its support for toughened sanctions is crucial if they are to have any impact, but Beijing has repeatedly said that such steps are not the ultimate answer for the issue.

Kim Jong-un supervised the test at the Sohae satellite-launching site, KCNA reported.

That is where North Korea launched a rocket in February, reportedly carrying a satellite.

The engine tested would give the country “sufficient carrier capability for launching various kinds of satellites, including Earth observation satellite at a world level”, the report added.

Kim Jong-un, KCNA said, called for more rocket launches to turn the country into a “possessor of geostationary satellites in a couple of years to come.”

This was seen by observers as an indication that Pyongyang might soon launch another long-range rocket.

North Korea insists its space program is purely scientific in nature but the US, South Korea and even China say the rocket launches are aimed at developing inter-continental ballistic missiles.

UN Security Council resolutions ban North Korea from carrying out any nuclear or ballistic missile tests.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udgqgL-j0EM

NY Bombing: Ahmad Khan Rahami In Custody After Linden Shootout

Roy Siemens
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0
NY Bombing: Ahmad Khan Rahami In Custody After Linden Shootout

Ahmad Khan Rahami, the man identified as the New York bombings suspect, is in custody after apparently being injured in a shootout with police in Linden, New Jersey.

Footage showed Ahmad Khan Rahami apparently conscious on a stretcher. Two police officers were injured in the exchange.

Linden is four miles south-west of Elizabeth, New Jersey, where further devices were found late on September 18.

Image source fbi.gov
Image source fbi.gov

Ahmad Khan Rahami, a 28-year-old Afghan-born US citizen, had been named by the FBI as a suspect in September 17 bombing in Manhattan.

His family home in Elizabeth was being searched by officers.

The bombing in the Chelsea district of Manhattan injured 29 people. An unexploded device was found nearby.

On September 17 a pipe bomb exploded in a New Jersey shore town ahead of a charity race. No-one was hurt.

President Barack Obama said officials did not believe there was a connection between events in New York and New Jersey and the stabbing attack in Minnesota, also on September 17, in which nine people were injured.

Berlin Elections 2016: Angela Merkel Admits Refugee Policy Mistakes

Diane A. Wade
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0
Berlin Elections 2016: Angela Merkel Admits Refugee Policy Mistakes

Angela Merkel has admitted migrant policy mistakes are linked to her CDU party’s defeat in Berlin state elections.

The German Chancellor voiced regret over mistakes that contributed to last summer’s refugee crisis in Germany. More than a million migrants reached Germany – a record.

“If I could, I would turn back time for many, many years, to prepare better,” Angela Merkel told reporters.

The center-right CDU can no longer run Berlin with the Social Democrats (SPD).

Angela Merkel’s party won 17.6% of the vote – its worst-ever result in Berlin.Angela Merkel Cologne attacks

The chancellor conceded that her open-door policy towards refugees – embodied in her phrase “wir schaffen das” (we can manage it) – was a factor in the election. She has now distanced herself from that phrase, calling it “a sort of simplified motto”.

Angela Merkel has been widely criticized in Germany for the policy, which was a humanitarian gesture faced with the desperate plight of migrants, many of them refugees from the war in Syria.

The right-wing, anti-migrant party Alternative for Germany (AfD) will enter the Berlin state parliament for the first time with 14% of the vote.

The AfD is now represented in 10 of Germany’s 16 regional parliaments. Earlier this month it pushed the CDU into third place in the northern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Looking back at the migrant crisis, Angela Merkel defended her policy as “absolutely correct on balance, but ultimately it meant that for a long time we did not have enough control”.

“Nobody wants a repeat of that situation – including me.”

Angela Merkel said she needed to work harder to explain her refugee policies.

The SPD emerged as the strongest party with about 22%, in spite of losing almost 7% of its voters, and said it would hold talks on forming a coalition with all parties except AfD. It is expected to drop the CDU as a coalition partner in favor of the left-wing Die Linke and the Greens.

September 18 election in Berlin, a city-state of 3.5 million people, was dominated by local issues including poor public services, crumbling school buildings, late trains and a housing shortage, as well as problems in coping with the migrant influx.

AfD co-chairman Joerg Meuthen said the party was strongly positioned for 2017 national elections and colleague Beatrix von Storch predicted that it would become the third largest political force in Germany next year.

“We’re witnessing in 2017 Angela Merkel’s battle for survival,” Beatrix von Storch said.

Ahmad Khan Rahami Identified as Suspect In Manhattan Bombing

Roy Siemens
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0
Ahmad Khan Rahami Identified as Suspect In Manhattan Bombing

Ahmad Khan Rahami has been identified as suspect in September 17 explosion in the Chelsea area of New York City, officials say.

Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28, is a naturalized US citizen from Afghanistan.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) has released a photograph of the suspect.

Image source fbi.gov
Image source fbi.gov

The blast injured 29 people. Both the detonated bomb, and a device found nearby, were shrapnel-filled pressure cookers, according to US media.

Investigators have warned the suspect, whose last known address was in Elizabeth, New Jersey, should be considered “armed and dangerous”.

The announcement comes after a backpack containing up to five suspicious devices was discovered near a train station in Elizabeth.

One of the devices exploded on September 19 when a bomb disposal robot tried to deactivate it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5CTX5PkZJs

New Jersey Explosion At Elizabeth Train Station

Roy Siemens
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0
New Jersey Explosion At Elizabeth Train Station

A backpack containing multiple bombs was found Sunday night near an Elizabeth, New Jersey, train station, according to the FBI and the city’s mayor.

The suspicious device exploded as a bomb squad was attempting to disarm it with a robot, officials say.

The backpack had up to five devices, Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage said. It was found around 9:30 p.m. in a wastebasket outside a neighborhood pub, about 500 feet from a train trestle. The two men who found the backpack thought it might contain something valuable, but they alerted police when they saw wires and a pipe on the devices, the mayor said.

No cell phones or electronic timing devices were found, Chris Bollwage said. No-one was hurt.

Image source Fox5
Image source Fox5

The discovery came after three attacks at the weekend – bombs in New York and New Jersey, and stabbings in Minnesota.

The explosion in New York’s Chelsea area injured 29 people.

In New York City, the FBI said it had stopped a “vehicle of interest” in Brooklyn on September 18 but made no arrests.

Five people were taken into custody for questioning, officials told US media. But a spokeswoman said no-one had been charged and the investigation was continuing.

A man seen on surveillance video has been described as a “person of interest” in the police inquiries.

Both the bomb that detonated on September 17 in Chelsea, and a device found nearby, were shrapnel-filled pressure cookers – similar to the bombs used in the attack on the 2013 Boston marathon.

They also used flip phones and Christmas lights designed to trigger the explosive, the New York Times said.

The two instruments appeared to be “similar in design”, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

Some 1,000 extra security personnel are being deployed to New York’s transport hubs.

Authorities have described the weekend bombings in New York and New Jersey, along with a stabbing attack in Minnesota, as acts of terrorism and are trying to establish whether there are any links between them.

But they say they were so crude that it is unlikely an international group was behind them.

ISIS has said the suspected attacker in Minnesota was one of its “soldiers”. It is not clear whether ISIS was involved in planning the assault.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3mWrQeMSTY

Emmys 2016: Game of Thrones Breaks Record for Highest Number of Awards

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Emmys 2016: Game of Thrones Breaks Record for Highest Number of Awards

HBO fantasy drama Game of Thrones has broken the record for the highest number of Emmy Awards won by any fictional series.

Game of Thrones triumphed in three categories at September 18 ceremony, including outstanding drama series.

Its total number of awards now stands at 38, which means it has beaten Frasier’s previous record of 37.

Maggie Smith won outstanding supporting actress in a drama series for her role in Downton Abbey.Game of Thrones movie rumors denied

It is the third time Maggie Smith has won an Emmy for her portrayal of Violet Crawley, but she has never attended the ceremony in person.

Host Jimmy Kimmel joked: “We’re not mailing this to her. Maggie, if you want this, it will be in the lost and found.”

Sherlock was named best made for TV movie for its special episode The Abominable Bride.

Susanne Bier won for best directing in a limited series.

John Oliver won best variety talk series for his HBO series Last Week Tonight, beating James Corden, who was nominated for The Late Late Show.

Veep won the outstanding comedy series award for the second year in a row, while its star Julia Louis-Dreyfus won outstanding lead comedy actress for the fifth time.

In her acceptance speech, Louis-Dreyfus said: “Our show started out as political satire but now feels like a sobering documentary.”

She dedicated her award to her father, who died on September 16.

The outstanding comedy actor gong went to Jeffrey Tambor, who plays a transgender woman in the Amazon series Transparent, for the second year in a row.

Accepting the award, Jeffrey Tambor encouraged the industry to offer more opportunities to the trans community.

Rami Malek won outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his role in Mr. Robot – the first time an actor from an ethnic minority has won the award since 1998.

Tatiana Maslany from Orphan Black won the outstanding leading actress in a drama prize.

Other big winners of the night included The People vs. OJ Simpson – a dramatization of the OJ Simpson trial of the 1990s.

Elsewhere, The Voice took home the award for outstanding reality competition series, beating Project Runway and Dancing With The Stars.

The 38 Emmys won by Game of Thrones includes the nine trophies the series picked up at last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys.

Game of Thrones is now the most decorated drama series in Emmy awards’ history – the overall record is held by Saturday Night Live, which has won 44.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIdCfghJZIk

Berlin Elections 2016: Angela Merkel’s CDU Suffers Historic Losses

Diane A. Wade
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0
Berlin Elections 2016: Angela Merkel’s CDU Suffers Historic Losses

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU has suffered historic losses in Berlin state elections.

The CDU has been ousted from the state governing coalition with the center-left Social Democrats.

Meanwhile the right-wing anti-migrant party Alternative for Germany (AfD) made gains and will enter the state parliament for the first time.Angela Merkel on migrant crisis

Angela Merkel’s popularity has waned since her 2015 decision to allow more than a million refugees into Germany.

The CDU won 17.6% of the vote – its worst-ever result in Berlin.

It is the party’s second electoral blow in two weeks, having been pushed into third place by the AfD in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania at the beginning of the month.

The Social Democrat Party (SPD) has emerged as the strongest party with about 22%, in spite of losing almost 7% of their voters.

The strong showing of the AfD, 14%, has prompted its co-chairman Joerg Meuthen to say the party was strongly positioned for 2017 national elections.

The AfD is now set to be represented in 10 out of 16 state parliaments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3T9v6XzvNY

7 Items to Get Right When hiring a Search Engine Optimization Company within Montreal

Dana R
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0
7 Items to Get Right When hiring a Search Engine Optimization Company within Montreal

SEO is something which should continually be left towards the experts, and that’s why you ought to hire a good SEO organization to optimize the local business on the internet. Hiring a good SEO Companies in Montreal is going to be practical over time, especially if you wish to increase the actual visibility of the website for your target the actual audience. Along with SEO, Google can certainly find your site and improve your web page ranking so that your customers can certainly spot you about the first search engine results page. Nevertheless, you should be careful whenever hiring a business to optimize your website. Here tend to be seven things you need to get correct or make sure of whenever hiring a good SEO organization in Montreal:

Why doing SEO is a good business for students
Why doing SEO is a good business for students
  1. Think about what needs to be done –SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION can cover several things from status management in order to link creating, link elimination, PPC administration, and content material marketing. Hire a good SEO firm that may do the actual tasks that you’ll require.
  1. Consult with at least two companies –An individual will be certain by what you need, book an appointment with a minimum of two providers to see how to help a person. However, keep the meetings the secret. Most SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION firms make use of the free discussion as an opportunity to impress a person, but this really is also a great time to find out about the firm and find out if you want them. Regardless, the businesses must give a proposal from the services you want from them along with a breakdown associated with fees.
  1. Make sure you are hiring the best in Montreal –Would you like to work having a local organization? Be certain to verify the place of their own office before you decide to hire all of them. When a person Google ‘SEO businesses in Montreal, ‘ the outcomes might include providers that aren’t based within the city but will offer their providers remotely.
  1. Confirm the experience of the SEO Company –Hire a business that has a minimum of a 10 years of optimizing web sites. Moreover, ensure that they come with an excellent history of successful SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION projects with regard to other companies in Montreal.
  1. The price of the service – Always request estimation. Reputable SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION companies can offer a free of charge quote. Compare a minimum of two providers but don’t immediately hire the main one with the least expensive price. Make sure to verify the caliber of their providers first.
  1. Find feedback about the company – Lookup testimonials as well as learn the other clients need to say concerning the SEO Organization. This is a great way to verify their own claims and the caliber of their providers, too.
  1. Guidelines – Hire a business that utilizes white hat SEO methods. Ask the organization how they’ll improve your search engine rank. Consider moving forward if the organization refuses in order to divulge their own SEO methods.

Charmian Carr Dies from Dementia Complications Aged 73

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Charmian Carr Dies from Dementia Complications Aged 73

The Sound of Music actress Charmian Carr has died at the age of 73.

She played the eldest von Trapp daughter Liesl in the movie.

Charmian Carr died in Los Angeles after complications from a rare form of dementia, her representative said.charmian-carr-dead-at-73

The role of Liesl in the 1965 movie includes the famous song Sixteen Going on Seventeen.

After leaving the film industry, Charmian Carr ran an interior design company in California.

Charmian Carr’s mother had arranged for her to audition for the role, although she had had no singing or acting lessons.

The Sound of Music was a massive hit, at the time surpassing Gone with the Wind as the highest-grossing movie of all time.

Charmian Carr later wrote two books on her experience, Forever Liesl and Letters to Liesl.

Kym Karath, who played Gretl in the movie, tweeted: “She has been like a sister throughout my life.”

The real life Liesl, Agathe von Trapp, the eldest daughter of the Austrian family who inspired the movie, died in 2010 at the age of 97.

Syria War: US-Led Coalition Admits Killing Government Troops In Deir al-Zour Airstrikes

Roy Siemens
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0
Syria War: US-Led Coalition Admits Killing Government Troops In Deir al-Zour Airstrikes

The US-led coalition has admitted its airstrikes in eastern Syria killed at least 62 Syrian troops fighting ISIS.

Russia and Syria said the strikes prove the United States and its allies are sympathetic to ISIS.

According to the Russian military, 62 Syrian soldiers were killed near Deir Ezzor Airport. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the death toll at 83 and said at least 120 soldiers were wounded.

The strike occurred September 17 in an eastern part of Syria that is not a part of a delicate and nearly week-old ceasefire. The US military said it was targeting ISIS militants and if it hit Syrian troops, it was an accident.

Hours after US-led coalition airstrikes, the US and Russian ambassadors to the United Nations chastised each other outside an emergency Security Council meeting.

The US said its planes had halted the attack in Deir al-Zour when informed of the Syrian presence.

Bashar al-Assad has raised the possibility of Germany acting as a mediator to try to end Syria's 30-month-long civil war

A spokesman for the US administration expressed “regret” for the “unintentional loss of life”.

The attack caused a bitter row between the US and Russia at the United Nations Security Council.

US envoy Samantha Power accused Russia of “pulling a stunt” by calling an emergency meeting of the council.

Samantha Power’s opposite number, Vitaliy Churkin, said he had never seen “such an extraordinary display of American heavy-handedness” as shown by Power.

The Russians earlier said the current ceasefire in Syria was in danger of collapse and the US would be to blame.

The cessation of hostilities does not include attacks by the US on ISIS or other jihadist groups.

The US Central Command statement said the coalition believed it was attacking positions of so-called Islamic State and the raids were “halted immediately when coalition officials were informed by Russian officials that it was possible the personnel and vehicles targeted were part of the Syrian military”.

It said the “Combined Air Operations Center had earlier informed Russian counterparts of the upcoming strike”.

It added: “Syria is a complex situation with various military forces and militias in close proximity, but coalition forces would not intentionally strike a known Syrian military unit. The coalition will review this strike and the circumstances surrounding it to see if any lessons can be learned.”

Russia’s defense ministry earlier said that if the US air strikes did turn out to be an error, it would be because of Washington’s refusal to co-ordinate military action with Moscow.

Only if the current ceasefire – which began on September 12 – holds for seven days, will the US and Russia begin co-ordinated action against the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham group, which was previously known as the al-Nusra Front, and ISIS.

The Russian defense ministry quoted a statement by Syrian army general command as saying that the four coalition air strikes on Syrian troops had allowed ISIS to advance.

The Russian foreign ministry said the attack had jeopardized the US-Russia agreement on Syria.

The Syrian statement said that the air strikes were “conclusive evidence” that the US and its allies supported the jihadist group.

There have been no confirmed cases of US air strikes targeting Syrian troops.

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