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Tuesday, July 7, 2026

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News
UK

Musk-Backed ‘Restore Britain’ Punks Out of Fight Against Farage in Critical Election.

Restore Britain, an Elon Musk-backed splinter faction of the Reform UK party, has stated that it will not contest a parliamentary by-election (special election) called by Reform leader Nigel Farage, signaling that it does not believe it can compete with him.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Rupert Lowe, leader of the Elon Musk-backed Restore Britain party, has backed off contesting a parliamentary by-election (special election) in the seat held by Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK. Lowe, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Reform until he was suspended amid “credible” allegations he was bullying female staff, will not attempt to take the Clacton-on-Sea constituency (electoral district) from Farage, claiming that Restore will focus on policy development while awaiting the outcome of investigations into Farage by Parliament’s Standards Commissioner.
🎯 IMPACT: Restore’s base of support is widely considered to be drawn largely from people who would otherwise vote Reform, and despite its poor performance in a recent parliamentary by-election in Makerfield, where it secured only seven percent of the vote, there are concerns that it could peel just enough support away from Reform the hand narrow wins to the governing, left-wing Labour Party in a number of constituencies in a general election. However, Lowe’s decision not to run in Clacton, where Farage has called a by-election in order to let his constituents render a verdict on a sustained establishment and media campaign to smear him over donations he has received, indicates he does not believe his party stands a serious chance against the Reform leader. Notably, Restore is currently being roiled by an internecine battle between the party’s leading voices online and the ethnonationalist base that it is trying to cut off.
📰 DETAIL: Rupert Lowe attempted to present his climbdown from challenging Farage for his seat in tough terms, claiming that Restore would fight a theoretical second by-election in Clacton if Farage is reelected but is subsequently deemed to have done wrong by Parliament’s Standards Commissioner. He downplayed the upcoming by-election called by Farage as a “Reform-sponsored media circus,” claiming to “feel for the people of Clacton who deserve so much better than this unnecessary sham forced on them throughout their summer.” Significantly, Farage has written to Clacton’s municipal authorities offering to cover the costs of the by-election, so that it will have no impact on the public finances.

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By Popular Demand.
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52 minutes ago
News

Former Pfizer High-Rise Evacuated in Manhattan Amid Fears of Imminent Collapse.

A high-rise building in Midtown Manhattan was evacuated due to structural concerns, raising safety alarms in the busy area.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A high-rise building near Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan had to be evacuated on Tuesday morning due to fears it may collapse. Fire officials responded to reports of falling bricks and discovered buckling support columns and sagging upper floors.
📰 DETAIL: The over-30-story building, formerly housing Pfizer offices, is undergoing conversion to residential units. The emergency response included evacuating construction workers and clearing two nearby buildings as a precaution. The incident occurred just before 8 AM on East 42nd Street.
🎯 IMPACT: The evacuation suggests serious safety concerns over the high-rise, located in a built-up and densely populated area of Midtown Manhattan. No injuries have been reported, but a collapse could cause major disruption and possibly damage neighboring buildings.

Image by Daniel Ford.

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A high-rise building in Midtown Manhattan was evacuated due to structural concerns, raising safety alarms in the busy area.

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By Popular Demand.
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1 hour ago
Bonkers Britain
Media
TECH

British Government Wants to Censor Social Media Before Elections.

The Labour Party is pushing to regulate social media ahead of elections, raising concerns for independent media and free speech in Britain.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Britain’s ruling Labour Party is proposing new restrictions on social media during election campaigns, arguing that existing laws have failed to keep pace with the influence of online platforms, in yet another proposal to curb free speech online. Deputy Labour leader Lucy Powell said millions of voters now get their news through social media feeds, complaining that this allows falsehoods, deepfakes, and coordinated misinformation to spread rapidly.
📺 DETAIL: Powell said a new Representation of the People Bill would extend some election-period “purdah” rules that apply to broadcasters to social media. These require broadcasters to be impartial and give “due weight” to all political parties and independent candidates across their coverage—requirements that, if applied to social media commentators, would render discussion of the election next to impossible. The proposal follows Labour’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport, Lisa Nandy, announcing that she and her department would stop using X, claiming it now promotes abuse and misinformation, while continuing to use Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Meanwhile, YouTube has warned that proposed government rules requiring platforms to give greater prominence to so-called “trusted” news outlets, including the BBC, could suppress independent creators and digital-first publishers by pushing their content lower in recommendations.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Millions of people get their news from social media, yet our laws haven’t kept pace.” – Lucy Powell, Labour Deputy Leader
🎯 IMPACT: Purdah-style restrictions on social media would undermine free speech and suppress independent journalism, with platforms like YouTube warning that related policies aimed at artificially boosting “public service” broadcasters like the BBC would demote smaller, independent creators in favor of state-backed outlets.
📺 FLASHBACK: The BBC has faced multiple scandals over its reporting accuracy, including doctoring a speech by President Donald J. Trump so he appeared to be calling for violence, leading to public skepticism about its impartiality.

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The Labour Party is pushing to regulate social media ahead of elections, raising concerns for independent media and free speech in Britain.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
News
Politics

Court Clears Path for Le Pen to Run for French Presidency, But There’s a Catch:

A French court’s decision to reduce Marine Le Pen’s sentence and ineligibility period could allow her to run for the presidency in 2027, but she may decline to do so due to a requirement that she must wear a tag.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A French appeals court has ruled that Marine Le Pen will be eligible to run in France’s 2027 presidential election after reducing her sentence in a European Parliament embezzlement case, though the conditions of her conviction could still keep her out of the race.
📺 DETAIL: The court sentenced Le Pen to three years in prison, with two years suspended, and ordered her to wear an electronic monitoring tag for one year, while also reducing her ban from holding public office to 45 months, with 30 months suspended, meaning she will have completed enough of the ban to be eligible to run in the April 2027 French presidential election. Le Pen previously said an electronic monitoring requirement would make campaigning impossible and that she would only run if she could campaign properly. Her lawyer, Rodolphe Bosselut, welcomed the significantly reduced sentence and said no decision has been made on appealing to France’s highest court. Le Pen was expected to address her political future in a televised interview later on Tuesday. With her populist National Rally leading in opinion polls, supporters hope she will seek to succeed Emmanuel Macron, although party president Jordan Bardella is prepared to step in if she does not run. The court also fined National Rally $2.3 million, with $1.2 million suspended, for the alleged misuse of European Parliament funds, which prosecutors said were used to pay party staff instead of parliamentary staff. Le Pen has denied any intentional wrongdoing, with crossover between funding for parliamentary and political work commonplace among Members of the European Parliament.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “We cannot campaign under these conditions… If I can run, I will—as long as I can campaign.” – Marine Le Pen
🎯 IMPACT: The ruling significantly alters the political landscape in France, with National Rally supporters hopeful that Le Pen will run. If she chooses not to, Bardella will likely step in, reshaping the party’s future leadership and strategy.

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A French court's decision to reduce Marine Le Pen's sentence and ineligibility period could allow her to run for the presidency in 2027, but she may decline to do so due to a requirement that she must wear a tag.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
The National Pulse
Breaking

BREAKING: Farage Walks Toward the Fire, Calls Snap Election to Let Voters Decide Fate – ‘Enough is enough.’

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has resigned his seat as a Member of Parliament with the intent of fighting a by-election (special election) to defend the constituency and his name after months of smears by the establishment media.

HELP US COVER THE SPECIAL ELECTION ON THE GROUND. CLICK HERE.

The National Pulse understands the Reform UK leader wants the matters of his public accounts/declarations of financial gifts settled with a public plebiscite, rather than allowing faceless bureaucrats to weaponization the parliamentary ethics against him and his family.

Trump backs Farage in recent Truth Social post

Farage said on Tuesday afternoon UK time: “I have done nothing wrong. I have not broken the law in any way at all. I have not misused public money,” adding, “Enough is enough… today I will resign… thereby forcing a by-election. The people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions… it’s a chance to stick two fingers up at the entire establishment.”

During the lengthy statement, Farage laid out how he has been ruthlessly targeted by left-wing protesters, and delved into details on how the press has even published photos of his non-political daughter’s home address.

“I will not tolerate the intimidation of my family,” he blasted, adding: “I’ve never been angrier in my life.”

The recent, confected controversies surround gifts to Farage made by friends such as Christopher Harborne and George Cottrell, which Farage maintains he did not need to declare as political donations. Establishment actors from the media as well as the Labour and Conservative parties have claimed for months that these gifts are impermissible, and have weaponized the ethics and justice systems against Farage in a manner similar to the persecution of President Donald J. Trump.

Farage is the Member of Parliament for Clacton-on-Sea, a seat formerly held by Tory-turned-UKIP MP Douglas Carswell, before it was flipped back into a Conservative seat, only to be taken by Farage in 2025. Farage’s current majority is a large 8,400 votes (of 46,000).

HELP US COVER THE SPECIAL ELECTION ON THE GROUND. CLICK HERE.

In taking this bold step, Farage is tossing the question back to his own electorate – a stance many Members of Parliament have refused or been afraid to do.

WATCH: 

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Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has resigned his seat as a Member of Parliament with the intent of fighting a by-election (special election) to defend the constituency and his name after months of smears by the establishment media.

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By Popular Demand.
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15 hours ago
Crime
Immigration
News

A State Trooper Has Been Killed by an Illegal Alien Truck Driver.

The killing of a Pennsylvania state trooper by a migrant truck driver has reignited concerns over commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) being awarded to illegal immigrants, mostly by Democrat-controlled states.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Pennsylvania State Trooper Michael E. Pahira, Jr., 44, was killed on July 1, 2026, during a highway inspection when a truck driven by an illegal alien veered off Interstate 81 and caused a fatal collision. The driver, identified as Michael Bon, struck Pahira’s patrol car and another truck, resulting in a fiery crash that claimed the trooper’s life.
📍 WHEN & WHERE: The killing occurred on July 1, 2026, on Interstate 81 in Cass Township, Pennsylvania, during a routine truck inspection.
📺 DETAIL: The driver, Michael Bon, who was later confirmed to be an illegal alien from Haiti, held a commercial driver’s license (CDL) issued under a policy allowing non-citizens to obtain CDLs. This has introduced unqualified drivers into the trucking industry, compromising highway safety as well as undercutting American truckers.
🎯 IMPACT: The tragedy has reignited calls for stricter regulations on CDL issuance, particularly for non-citizens. Advocates argue that such measures are necessary to stop further preventable tragedies and to restore quality in the trucking industry. The Trump administration has been pushing hard to reform the status quo following multiple deaths caused by illegal alien truckers, shutting down thousands of sham trucking schools.
📺 FLASHBACK: In February, it was reported that a U.S Department of Transportation (USDOT) audit had found that nearly 20 percent of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses issued to foreigners in Democrat-controlled Illinois were unlawful, hinting at the scale of the problem.

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The killing of a Pennsylvania state trooper by a migrant truck driver has reignited concerns over commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) being awarded to illegal immigrants, mostly by Democrat-controlled states.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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15 hours ago
News
Religion

China Frees Christian Pastor Following Trump Intervention.

Pastor Ezra Jin, leader of a prominent underground church in China, was released after direct intervention by President Trump, reuniting with his family in the United States on Independence Day.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Pastor Mingri “Ezra” Jin, a leader of China’s underground Zion Church, was released from detention by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) following pressure from President Donald J. Trump. Jin reunited with his family in the United States on July 4.
📍 WHEN & WHERE: Jin was detained in southern China in October 2025 and released in July 2026, reuniting with his family in the United States on Independence Day.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “We truly witnessed a miracle and we are feeling so overwhelmed with joy. We thank God for this tremendous miracle. We also thank President Trump and his administration for their tremendous leadership,” Jin’s family said in a statement.
🎯 IMPACT: The release highlights the effectiveness of the Trump administration’s application of diplomatic pressure to support Christians facing human rights abuses under the CCP. Jin’s case also brings attention to the ongoing persecution of Christians in China.
📺 DETAIL: Jin, who converted to Christianity following the Tiananmen Square Massacre, founded Zion Church in 2007 after theological training in the United States. The church grew to be one of China’s largest underground networks before facing crackdowns, including asset freezes and forced closures by the CCP. President Trump raised Jin’s case during a May visit to China, emphasizing the importance of his release to Chinese President Xi Jinping personally.
📺 FLASHBACK: Jin and other church leaders were detained in 2025 under accusations of disseminating illegal information online. The CCP has a long history of targeting Christian groups, regarding them as a threat to its influence over the Chinese populace.

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Pastor Ezra Jin, leader of a prominent underground church in China, was released after direct intervention by President Trump, reuniting with his family in the United States on Independence Day.

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By Popular Demand.
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16 hours ago
Health
News

Fleas Carry Deadly, Previously Eradicated Disease Back to U.S.

A flea-borne disease once thought eradicated is resurging in Texas, with researchers identifying domestic cats and their fleas as a key pathway for the bacterium behind murine typhus to enter households.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Flea-borne murine typhus, caused by the bacterium Rickettsia typhi, is resurging in parts of Texas, with researchers identifying domestic cats and their fleas as a significant vector for the disease entering households. The illness, once nearly eradicated in the U.S., has led to hundreds of hospitalizations in areas like Galveston and is now being increasingly detected in South Texas.
📺 DETAIL: The illness spreads to humans through infected flea feces rather than person-to-person contact and typically causes fever, headache, rash, chills, joint pain, and nausea, though severe cases can lead to hospitalization, organ failure, and, in some instances, death. Texas has reported more than 6,700 cases between 2008 and 2023, while a separate University of Texas Medical Branch study identified 149 adult cases in the Galveston area from 2019 through 2023, with nearly 80 percent requiring hospitalization and 33 needing intensive care. Two patients died during that period, and researchers found that older adults and people with underlying conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease faced a higher risk of severe illness. Health officials say murine typhus also remains endemic in Bexar County, where case rates have stayed above pre-pandemic levels. Experts attribute the resurgence to increasing cat populations, limited access to flea prevention, and warmer temperatures that favor flea activity. Researchers and public health officials urge pet owners to use veterinarian-approved flea treatments, reduce rodent activity around homes, and take precautions against flea bites to lower the risk of infection.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The increased abundance of pet cats and stray or feral cats, socioeconomic conditions that prevent access to affordable flea protection on cats, and warming temperatures likely all promote flea infestation of cats and transmission of the bacteria that causes typhus.” – Dr. Sarah Hamer, Texas A&M University
📺 FLASHBACK: Murine typhus was nearly eradicated in the U.S. during the 1940s through aggressive vector-control campaigns targeting rat fleas.

Image by Katja ZSM.

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A flea-borne disease once thought eradicated is resurging in Texas, with researchers identifying domestic cats and their fleas as a key pathway for the bacterium behind murine typhus to enter households.

show more
By Popular Demand.
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17 hours ago
Immigration
News
TECH

Microsoft Cuts 4,800 Jobs While Continuing to Hire H-1B Migrants.

Microsoft’s latest layoffs, prominently affecting its Xbox divisions, coincide with ongoing H-1B visa filings, raising questions about the company’s employment priorities in the AI era.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Microsoft has laid off approximately 4,800 employees, representing 2.1 percent of its workforce, with significant cuts in its Xbox gaming and commercial sales divisions. The move comes as the tech giant continues to file large numbers of H-1B visa applications for foreign workers, sparking criticism of its workforce strategy.
📺 DETAIL: The layoffs are part of a broader restructuring effort as Microsoft shifts focus toward artificial intelligence (AI) and higher-margin projects across its operations. The Xbox division has been particularly affected, with over 30 percent of layoffs targeting gaming operations, including the spin-off of four studios to independent management. Microsoft also introduced its first-ever voluntary retirement program, targeting long-tenured employees in the U.S. However, the company is continuing to file thousands of H-1B visa applications annually, suggesting the cuts are not only about streamlining for the AI era but also about replacing American workers with cheap foreign labor.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “These decisions are based on business need, not visa status. H-1B employees were also impacted by job eliminations in the U.S.,” claimed a Microsoft spokesman.
🎯 IMPACT: The restructuring underscores Microsoft’s pivot toward AI-driven initiatives and shift away from the gaming industry, but the job cuts’ pairing with sustained H-1B visa filings could prompt scrutiny from the White House. The Trump administration has sought to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications to encourage domestic training and discourage replacing American workers with foreigners, but the move has been stalled by a Barack Obama-appointed judge, leaving H-1Bs on track to hit a record high.
📺 FLASHBACK: In 2022, Microsoft cut approximately 10,000 jobs while filing over 1,000 new H-1B visa applications, a pattern mirrored across the tech industry as companies simultaneously reduce domestic headcount and expand global hiring.

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Microsoft's latest layoffs, prominently affecting its Xbox divisions, coincide with ongoing H-1B visa filings, raising questions about the company's employment priorities in the AI era.

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By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.
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18 hours ago
Crime
News

National Guard Fatally Shoots Armed Man During Anti-Crime Operation.

A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe is underway after National Guard soldiers, deployed as part of a federal anti-crime task force, shot and killed an armed man during a foot pursuit in Memphis.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Tennessee National Guard soldiers, assisting Memphis police as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, fatally shot 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson after he allegedly turned a weapon toward them during a foot pursuit early Sunday morning. The incident occurred in downtown Memphis on Sunday while officers and soldiers were responding to reports of gunfire.
📺 DETAIL: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is now leading the inquiry into the shooting, collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses before presenting findings to the District Attorney General. The Memphis Safe Task Force, established by the Trump administration in September, is a multiagency initiative targeting violent street crime and includes various federal agencies, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, and the National Guard. By March, the Task Force had made more than 7,400 arrests, many involving suspects tied to homicides, gang violence, sexual offenses, and drug trafficking, seized 1,219 illegal firearms, and located 150 missing children.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The incident is under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and we will allow that process to conclude before making additional comments.” – Memphis Mayor Paul Young
🎯 IMPACT: The Trump administration regards the crime reductions its law and order surges have received as a major success, stating in February, “By surging federal resources to Democrat-run cities that had devolved into war zones, removing savage criminal illegals from our streets, supporting police and prosecutors, and rejecting the Radical Left’s weakness, President Trump’s decisive actions have turned the tide, saved countless lives, and restored peace to communities long abandoned by Democrat politicians who prioritized criminals over citizens.” The overall U.S. murder rate hit its lowest level since 1900 in 2025, with the administration crediting its anti-crime policies for the result.

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A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe is underway after National Guard soldiers, deployed as part of a federal anti-crime task force, shot and killed an armed man during a foot pursuit in Memphis.

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By Popular Demand.
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18 hours ago
News
Politics

Graham Platner May Exit Maine Senate Race Following Rape Allegation.

Graham Platner’s possible withdrawal from the Maine Senate race follows allegations of rape and campaign turmoil.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Graham Platner, the Democrat nominee for Maine’s U.S. Senate seat, is reportedly considering dropping out of the race amid allegations of rape. A report from POLITICO on Monday has detailed accusations from Jenny Racicot, who alleged that Platner entered her home and raped her while intoxicated in 2021, and additional controversy has surrounded his campaign in recent weeks.
📺 DETAIL: Racicot alleges Platner came to her home uninvited and drunkenly forced himself on her despite repeated objections. POLITICO reports that it has corroborated parts of her account through interviews and reviewing documents, including emails with Racicot’s therapist. Platner has denied the allegations, calling them “troubling, serious, and false.” Additionally, Platner has faced scrutiny for not releasing second-quarter fundraising totals and has canceled multiple campaign events, citing health reasons, suggesting he may be poised to end his campaign.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “These allegations are troubling, serious, and false. Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue.” – Graham Platner
💬 SECONDARY QUOTE: “I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me. I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’“ – Jenny Racicot
🎯 IMPACT: Platner said in his video statement that “Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we’re taking the time to reflect on the best path forward,” suggesting he is strongly considering bowing out. His exit would likely clear the path for the Democrats to replace him with Governor Janet Mills, whom he heavily defeated in the primary.

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Graham Platner's possible withdrawal from the Maine Senate race follows allegations of rape and campaign turmoil.

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By Popular Demand.
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