Judge April Newbauer has allowed a seven-day delay in the state case of War Roomhost Stephen K. Bannon in New York. Bannon, accused of defrauding supporters of the ‘We Build the Wall’ initiative, had been scheduled to stand trial February 25, but this has now been adjourned to March 4.
Discussing the possibility of a delay, Newbauer initially grilled Bannon on the fact he has changed his legal team. Previously, the court accused Bannon of “trying to make a substitution of counsel for the purpose of delay.” However, the former Chief Strategist to the first Trump administration argued that, having been subject to a long-running, politically motivated lawfare campaign, he needs lawyers who are “more aggressive” and willing to “use every tool in the tool box.”
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Bannon’s new lawyer, Arthur Aidala, insisted he would never allow himself to be used as a tool to delay a trial, and that his intent was to clear his client’s name. He said he would like the trial to be delayed to March 24 or 25, to give him more time to comb through “terrabytes” of new prosecution evidence.
Newbauer said that, already having a 2021 case to try, said she would allow an adjournment to March 4, and that a Friday deadline for responding to motions would be extended to Tuesday, February 28.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote democratic rights in her country.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: María Corina Machado, Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, President Donald J. Trump, and the Nobel Committee.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on October 10, 2025, in Norway.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We have risked everything — our families, our lives, everything. The people of Venezuela have desperately asked for real, strong support. Finally, it’s reaching us.” – María Corina Machado
🎯IMPACT: The award highlights the ongoing struggle for democracy in Venezuela and the international support for efforts to counter Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
IN FULL
María Corina Machado, a prominent opposition leader in Venezuela, received the Nobel Peace Prize on October 10 for her efforts in promoting democratic rights in her country. The Nobel Committee recognized her continued fight against Nicolás Maduro‘s regime, which has been accused of human rights abuses, including allegations of torture and killings. After winning the peace prize, Machado stated: “We have risked everything—our families, our lives, everything. The people of Venezuela have desperately asked for real, strong support. Finally, it’s reaching us.”
Machado, who has been in hiding due to Maduro’s crackdown on opposition leaders, is also an outspoken supporter of U.S. President Donald J. Trump—himself a Nobel finalist. She has called Trump a “visionary” and the “biggest opportunity we’ve ever had” for ending Maduro’s dictatorial rule over Venezuela. Machado supported Trump’s decision to revoke licenses for energy companies operating in Venezuela, claiming it weakened Maduro’s regime, which she accused of profiting from illicit activities such as drug trafficking and smuggling. Machado has urged the U.S. to increase pressure on Maduro, asserting that his government is nearing collapse.
The Trump administration, which has brokered a number of peace deals in recent months, most recently the Israel-Gaza ceasefire, regards the President being overlooked as political, saying, “President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives.”
“He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will. The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace,” the White House added.
Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela escalated in recent months. The U.S. military, under the orders of President Trump, has begun conducting strikes against Venezuelan drug cartel smuggling boats in the Caribbean. Notably, Senate Democrats—along with Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)—attempted to curtail the strikes by invoking the War Powers Act earlier this week, but that measure failed. Additionally, the U.S. has shifted deployment of a significant number of air and sea military assets to the Caribbean and South American coast, a potential prelude to a larger operation aimed at removing Maduro from power.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Authorities in Belgium arrested three people plotting a jihadist-inspired attack using drone-mounted explosives.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Three young adults were arrested, with Prime Minister Bart De Wever among the potential targets.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Arrests occurred in Antwerp, Belgium, and were announced on Thursday, October 9, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Drones are a big problem. Islamism is too, but we’ve known that for a while.” – Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken
🎯IMPACT: The plot highlights the ongoing threat of Islamic terrorism and the potential misuse of drones in major Western cities.
IN FULL
Belgian authorities have arrested three suspects in Antwerp suspected of planning a jihadist-inspired attack involving drone-mounted explosives. The suspects were detained as part of an investigation into what federal prosecutors described as “attempted terrorist murder and participation in the activities of a terrorist group.”
Federal prosecutor Ann Fransen confirmed the arrests but did not provide details on the intended targets. However, Belgian newspaper Nieuwsblad reported that Prime Minister Bart De Wever was among those intended to be targeted in the attack.
During a search of one suspect’s residence, investigators discovered an improvised explosive device. At another location, a 3D printer was found, which is believed to have been used to produce parts for the planned attack.
Two suspects are currently being held for questioning by federal police and are expected to appear before an investigating judge. The third has been released. The alleged plan involved using drones to carry out attacks, raising alarms about the growing use of drones in terrorism.
Belgium’s defence minister, Theo Francken, responded to the news by posting on X, “Drones are a big problem. Islamism is too, but we’ve known that for a while.” His comments reflect broader concerns in Belgium, which has faced a series of high-profile terrorism cases in recent years. In 2023, for instance, a radicalized gunman killed two Swedish soccer fans in Brussels before being shot dead by police. The country has also seen instances of extremist rhetoric in public, including a rally in which an Islamist preacher shouted, “Allah, burn the Jews.”
The use of drones in terror plots is part of a growing trend worldwide. In the Sahel region of Africa, al-Qaeda-linked militants have carried out dozens of attacks using commercially available drones modified to carry explosives. Similarly, in Mexico, drug cartels have increasingly adopted drones as tools for both surveillance and combat, with hundreds of bomb-dropping drone attacks recorded over the past year. Cartels have even developed specialized drone units and first-person view (FPV) drone systems capable of precision strikes.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The European Commission has proposed a new ‘LGBTIQ+ equality strategy 2026-2030’ allowing children across the European Union (EU) to choose their gender at any age and removing therapy requirements or age limits for gender recognition, regardless of the wishes of national governments.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The European Commission, EU member states, and anti-gender ideology campaigners such as Maya Forstater of Sex Matters.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The proposals were published on Wednesday and would apply across the European Union, with conservative-led member countries subject to sanctions for resisting.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Gender activists have entrenched their ideology in European institutions with devastating consequences for women and girls, vulnerable children, and gay and lesbian people.” – Maya Forstater
🎯IMPACT: Critics warn of devastating consequences for women, children, and other vulnerable groups, with potential funding penalties for non-compliant EU member states.
IN FULL
The European Commission—the unelected body that serves as the European Union’s executive—has introduced its draft LGBT Equality Strategy for 2026–2030, including proposals that would allow children to legally change their gender at any age without medical or psychological approval. The document states the Commission will “support the development of legal gender recognition procedures based on self-determination that are free from age restrictions.”
This approach contrasts with the current laws in most European Union (EU) countries. Only nine out of 27 member states permit legal gender changes based on self-identification without requiring medical procedures or evaluations. Twelve countries still mandate medical prerequisites, such as hormone therapy or surgery.
The Commission also criticized countries like the United Kingdom—despite no longer being an EU member following Brexit—for requiring a doctor’s approval for legal gender recognition, signaling that EU member states unwilling to align with radical gender ideology could face financial penalties. The strategy warns that “discriminating regions” could lose access to EU funds for non-compliance with the bloc’s principles.
Maya Forstater, chief executive of United Kingdom-based campaign group Sex Matters, described the proposals as “chilling,” warning, “Gender activists have entrenched their ideology in European institutions with devastating consequences for women and girls, vulnerable children, and gay and lesbian people.”
In the U.S., hospital data between 2019 and 2023 shows that more than 14,000 minors received gender-related medical interventions, including hormone therapy and mutilating surgeries, generating an estimated $120 million in hospital revenue. Critics of gender ideology argue this data disproves the claim that gender transition in youth is rare, and also raises questions about profit motives and long-term health outcomes.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Typhoon Halong, which narrowly missed Japan, is expected to influence weather patterns across the Pacific and western United States, potentially causing hazardous conditions.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Meteorologists, the National Weather Service (NWS), and residents in Japan, Alaska, and the western U.S. are monitoring the storm’s effects.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The typhoon formed in the Northwest Pacific Ocean this week, with potential impacts expected in the western U.S. starting early next week.
🎯IMPACT: Heavy rain, snow, and potential flooding are expected in California and other western states, with ongoing weather model uncertainties.
IN FULL
A super typhoon named Halong, which narrowly missed Japan this week, is expected to detrimentally influence weather patterns across the Pacific and western United States. While Tokyo avoided what could have been the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane, meteorologists warn that the storm’s remnants could drive heavy rain and snow in California by early next week.
As Typhoon Halong moves into the North Pacific, it is predicted to energize the jet stream, intensifying storms along its path. The National Weather Service (NWS) noted that the storm could produce hurricane-force winds in Alaska’s Bering Sea, drawing comparisons to Typhoon Merbok in 2022, which caused significant damage in the region.
Forecasts suggest that the typhoon’s energy could push subarctic air southward into Washington, Oregon, and California by Monday. If this coincides with a coastal storm, Northern California might experience significant rainfall in the Bay Area and several feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains. However, meteorologists caution that recurving typhoons make weather predictions less precise, and forecasts are subject to change.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Priscilla is moving north in the Pacific, with its path expected to affect southern California and Arizona. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued warnings for several southwestern states, including New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada, which could see heavy rain and flash flooding from the storm’s moisture.
After approaching close to Japan from the south, Typhoon Halong is pulling away to the east of the island country. pic.twitter.com/AwYjBeXfFS
❓WHAT HAPPENED: A North Dakota judge upheld a law banning transgender “treatments” for minors, ruling it does not violate the state constitution.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: District Judge Jackson Lofgren, Republican state Rep. Bill Tveit, and North Dakota children and their parents.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: North Dakota, ruling issued Wednesday, law effective since April 2023.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The evidence presented at trial establishes there is a legitimate concern regarding the capacity of minors to understand and appreciate the long-term consequences of the practices prohibited by the Health Care Law.” – Judge Jackson Lofgren
🎯IMPACT: The ruling allows the law to stand while permitting minors already receiving transgender medical interventions before its enactment to continue them.
IN FULL
A state district court judge in North Dakota has ruled that the state ban on transgender procedures for minors does not violate the North Dakota state constitution. Judge Jackson Lofgren stated that he found no evidence of an “invidious discriminatory purpose” by the legislature and that the law discriminates based on age and medical purpose rather than sex, the former being permissible under state law.
The law, which took effect in April 2023, makes performing transgender surgeries on minors a felony and prescribing or administering hormones or puberty blockers to minors to facilitate so-called gender transitions a misdemeanor. Judge Lofgren emphasized the ongoing debates and concerns surrounding these medical practices, writing, “The evidence presented at trial establishes there is a legitimate concern regarding the capacity of minors to understand and appreciate the long-term consequences of the practices prohibited by the Health Care Law.”
Republican state Representative Bill Tveit, who introduced the legislation, expressed satisfaction with the ruling. “It’s a law that needs to be there. We need to protect our youth, and that’s what the whole goal of this thing was from the beginning,” Tveit said.
The lawsuit was brought by several families and a pediatric endocrinologist. However, Judge Lofgren dismissed some of their claims, leaving only the physician as a plaintiff. He also granted a request allowing minors already receiving transgender “treatments” prior to the law’s enactment to continue them.
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states have the authority to ban transgender treatments for minors. North Dakota is among at least 27 states that have enacted laws restricting or banning such treatments.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) fined a Chinese toymaker for illegally obtaining data on American children from its robotic toys.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The DOJ, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and Apitor Technology Co., Ltd.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Last week in a federal court in San Francisco.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The Justice Department will vigorously work to ensure businesses respect parents’ rights to decide when their children’s personal information can be collected and used.” – Brett A. Shumate
🎯IMPACT: The court order requires Apitor to cease data collection on children without parental consent and imposed a $500,000 penalty.
IN FULL
The Department of Justice (DOJ), in collaboration with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is fining Apitor Technology Co., Ltd., a Chinese toymaker, for illegal privacy violations involving American children. The company was charged with violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting data through its programmable toy robots without parental consent.
A civil complaint filed in San Francisco federal court outlined how Apitor’s app, used to operate these toys, secretly collected geolocation data on children under 13. This unauthorized data collection compromised the sensitive personal information of minors, the complaint noted.
The court order mandates that Apitor stop collecting data on children without direct parental notification and consent. Although a $500,000 civil penalty was imposed, it was suspended as the company claimed inability to pay. The agreement also requires Apitor to delete all personal data collected from children.
“The Justice Department will vigorously work to ensure businesses respect parents’ rights to decide when their children’s personal information can be collected and used,” said Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Division Brett Shumate. He added: “We will continue to work with the FTC to stop unlawful intrusions on children’s privacy.”
China has a history of accumulating vast amounts of data from American networks, raising concerns about its intentions, especially in developing AI for espionage or information warfare. In the case of Apitor, the DOJ complaint notes, “Ultimately, defendant’s surreptitious collection of underage users’ geolocation information causes injury by compromising sensitive personal information of children.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) was forced to drop charges on Wednesday against Ray Collins, 31, and Jocelyn Robledo, 30, after a Chicago grand jury refused to indict the pair for assaulting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and other federal agents at an area detention facility.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The DOJ, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), a Chicago grand jury, and defendants Ray Collins and Jocelyn Robledo.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The charges were dropped late Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
🎯IMPACT: It remains unclear exactly why the grand jury failed to indict despite a preponderance of evidence against Collins and Robledo.
IN FULL
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) was forced to drop charges on Wednesday against Ray Collins, 31, and Jocelyn Robledo, 30, after a Chicago grand jury refused to indict the pair for assaulting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and other federal agents at an area detention facility. Both Collins and Robledo were carrying loaded weapons during their attack on federal law enforcement.
This is not the first instance of a grand jury declining to indict leftists over the assault of federal officers. In August, federal prosecutors failed to secure a felony assault indictment against Sean C. Dunn, who allegedly screamed at a federal agent and pelted him with a sandwich in Washington, D.C., before attempting to flee in an incident that was caught on camera.
Concerningly, there may be an emerging pattern of biased grand juries in heavily Democratic cities failing to hold violent leftists accountable for their crimes. In the instance of Collins and Robledo, it remains unclear why the grand jury failed to indict despite a preponderance of evidence against them.
Collins and Robledo “refused to retreat” during a late September violent riot outside ICE’s Broadview detention facility. As fist-fighting broke out between rioters and federal agents, Robledo allegedly began to push and shove officers, while Collins was accused of rushing a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) agent. Upon arrest, both were found to be carrying legally registered, loaded handguns.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Florida man is accused of starting the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, California, which burned nearly 24,000 acres, killed 12 people, and caused $150 billion in damages.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jonathan Rinderknecht, a 29-year-old Florida resident, is the alleged arsonist. Prosecutors also highlighted his social media activity promoting climate alarmism and attacking conservatives.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The fire began on January 7, 2025, in the hills above Los Angeles. Rinderknecht later moved back to Florida, where he remains held without bail.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Senator Kamala Harris Says Meat is Destroying the Planet,” reads the title of one climate-obsessed articles Rinderknecht shared on Facebook.
🎯IMPACT: The fire destroyed over 7,000 homes and businesses, killed 12 people, and displaced countless families, causing significant environmental and economic devastation.
IN FULL
Jonathan Rinderknecht, a 29-year-old Florida man, is facing charges after allegedly starting the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, California. The blaze burned nearly 24,000 acres, killed 12 people, and destroyed more than 7,000 homes and businesses. While prosecutors argue he deliberately set the fire in January, a growing focus of the case has been Rinderknecht’s online activity, which paints a picture of a man publicly obsessed with climate change and political activism.
On Facebook, Rinderknecht frequently shared content promoting environmental alarmism, veganism, and leftist politics. Among the articles he posted were “Climate Change Will Force a New American Migration” and “Senator Kamala Harris Says Meat is Destroying the Planet.” He often mocked President Donald J. Trump and his supporters, and reposted material from Democrats like Joe Biden.
Rinderknecht also shared links to Harris-Biden fundraising pages and uploaded AI-generated images of burning cities, some eerily similar to scenes from the fire he allegedly set.
Authorities believe the fire smoldered for days after being set before reigniting on January 7, causing an estimated $150 billion in damage. Shortly afterward, Rinderknecht left California and returned to Florida, where he is now being held without bail in Orlando.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: On Thursday, the Georgia Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council (PAC), now handling disgraced and disqualified Fulton County District Attorney (DA) Fani Willis’s prosecution against President Donald J. Trump and several others, secured a court-approved postponement to appoint a lead attorney for the matter.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Fani Willis, the Georgia Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council (PAC), Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, Peter Skandalakis, and President Donald J. Trump.
📍WHEN & WHERE: October 9, 2025, in Fulton County, Georgia.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Due to the complexity of this case and the vast personnel and resources required to handle a case of this nature, it will require time to seek a District Attorney Pro Tempore willing to take on this prosecution.” — Peter Skandalakis
🎯IMPACT: Previously, after courts removed Willis from probing Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R), the PAC spent 21 months before designating Skandalakis to helm the inquiry—only for him to eventually forgo any charges.
IN FULL
On Thursday, the Georgia Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council (PAC), now handling disgraced and disqualified Fulton County District Attorney (DA) Fani Willis‘s prosecution against President Donald J. Trump and several others, secured a court-approved postponement to appoint a lead attorney for the matter. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee extended the deadline for the agency to submit a candidate until November 14—pushing back from his initial 14-day timeline, though short of the longer 90-day delay PAC had requested.
The handover of Willis’s prosecution occurred following a judicial ruling that barred the Fulton County DA and her office from pursuing the trial, due to revelations about Willis’s personal affair with a special prosecutor she had appointed to the team. As the state body charged with aiding district attorneys and police statewide, PAC steps in to appoint replacements whenever a local prosecutor’s office faces an ethical conflict.
“Due to the complexity of this case and the vast personnel and resources required to handle a case of this nature, it will require time to seek a District Attorney Pro Tempore willing to take on this prosecution,” Peter Skandalakis, PAC’s top official, explained in his letter to McAfee seeking more time. Skandalakis had pushed for a 90-day grace period starting once PAC obtains the full case documents, which could have pushed proceedings into early 2026. Instead, McAfee opted for a shorter reprieve of roughly four additional weeks.
Previously, after courts removed Willis from probing Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R), the PAC spent 21 months before designating Skandalakis to helm the inquiry—only for him to eventually forgo any charges.
In 2022, Willis leveled RICO charges against Trump and over a dozen co-defendants, claiming they orchestrated a plot to illegally undermine the 2020 election results in Georgia. Trump entered a not guilty plea, with Willis and her office eventually being removed from the prosecution.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Italy is proposing a new law to fight “Islamic separatism” and reduce foreign influence on mosques, aiming to crack down on religious fundamentalism, hate preachers, forced marriages, and full-face coverings for women.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Sara Kelany, an FdI spokeswoman on immigration, are spearheading the initiative.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The law was announced in Italy this week, with details reported by ANSA and other outlets.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Erasing a woman’s face means humiliating her. Some talk about free choice, but I find it hard to believe a woman would want to humiliate herself,” said Sara Kelany.
🎯IMPACT: The proposed law aims to safeguard Western values, tackle enclaves governed by Sharia law, and strengthen Italy’s legal framework against forced marriages and religious extremism.
IN FULL
Italy is set to introduce a new law aimed at tackling what the government describes as “Islamic separatism,” with a focus on hate preachers, foreign funding of mosques, forced marriages, and full-face coverings worn by women. The proposal comes from the ruling Brothers of Italy party (FdI), led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Sara Kelany, the party’s spokesman on immigration, said the legislation is intended to protect Western values such as freedom, equality, and human rights. “The law would counter the development of counter-societies where Sharia law, rather than the Italian legal system, applies,” she stated.
A central feature of the bill includes a nationwide ban on the burqa and niqab, which fully cover the face, in public spaces, schools, workplaces, and universities. Kelany argued the measure is meant to protect women’s dignity, stating, “Erasing a woman’s face means humiliating her. Some talk about free choice, but I find it hard to believe a woman would want to humiliate herself.”
The bill also targets cultural practices linked to certain migrant communities, including forced marriages, especially those involving minors, and virginity tests or certificates, which would be criminalized. Another provision would restrict foreign financial support for mosques, in an effort to reduce outside influence that can promote radical ideologies.
The legislation comes amid broader concern in parts of Europe about the perceived growth of Islamist influence and “no-go zones.” In the United Kingdom, for instance, a man in Bradford received a suspended six-month sentence last year after physically assaulting three women who refused to wear the hijab. In Birmingham, England, the installation of a 16-foot statue called “The Strength of the Hijab” to celebrate the Islamic veil drew both praise and criticism.
Meanwhile, blasphemy-related incidents have resurfaced, including the conviction of a man for burning the Quran, and a separate case where a British judge admonished another man for doing the same, despite no official blasphemy laws being in place.
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