Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Woman Set on Fire by Serial Offender on Train Identified.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A woman was doused in gasoline and set alight by a serial offender while riding Chicago’s Blue Line metro service.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Victim Bethany MaGee, 26, and suspect Lawrence Reed, 50, who has 72 prior arrests.

📍WHEN & WHERE: November 17 on Chicago’s Blue Line metro service.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This tragic crime should have never happened and it sadly highlights the dangers of Democrat control.” – White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson.

🎯IMPACT: The attack has reignited debates over crime policy and judicial laxity when dealing with violent criminals, with federal terrorism charges filed against Reed.

IN FULL

The woman who was doused with gasoline and set on fire while traveling on Chicago‘s Blue Line metro train on November 17 and her alleged attacker have been identified. Bethany MaGee, a 26-year-old business research analyst at Caterpillar, suffered burns to 60 percent of her body after being attacked by Lawrence Reed, 50, a repeat offender with 72 prior arrests. Reed was wearing an ankle monitor at the time of the attack, having been released by a judge following an August assault on a social worker.

Reed allegedly approached Ms. MaGee while she was using her mobile phone, poured gasoline over her, and ignited the liquid while shouting, “burn alive b***h,” according to a criminal affidavit. Ms. MaGee managed to escape the train and collapsed at Clark and Lake station. Her recovery is expected to take at least three months. Witnesses removed their coats to extinguish the flames and comforted her until paramedics arrived.

Reed, who has a criminal history spanning three decades, faces federal terrorism charges. Prosecutors had previously warned Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez about Reed’s violent tendencies during an August court appearance. Despite these warnings, Judge Molina-Gonzalez released him, stating, “I can’t keep everybody in jail because the state’s attorney wants me to.”

U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Sean Duffy publicly identified Ms. MaGee on Sunday, condemning the attack and highlighting the suspect’s extensive criminal record. “It is devastating that a career criminal with 72 PRIOR ARRESTS is now accused of attacking 26-year-old Bethany MaGee on Chicago’s L train, and setting her on fire,” Duffy wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). The attack has prompted the Trump White House to consider deploying National Guard troops to the city.

The attack has drawn comparisons to the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte, North Carolina, light rail service in August, allegedly by Decarlos Brown Jr., who said “I got that white girl” after fatally stabbing her. White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said in a statement, “This tragic crime should have never happened, and it sadly highlights the dangers of Democrat control.”

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Trump’s Top Military Adviser Is Visiting Puerto Rico Amid Unprecedented Caribbean Naval Buildup.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited American troops in Puerto Rico and aboard a U.S. Navy warship currently deployed to the Caribbean amidst a U.S. military buildup in the region.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Gen. Dan Caine, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and senior enlisted adviser David L. Isom.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Monday in Puerto Rico and on a Navy warship in the region, following a September visit by Caine and Hegseth to the area.

💬KEY QUOTE: Gen. Caine is currently in the Caribbean to “engage with service members and thank them for their outstanding support to regional missions,” according to his office.

🎯IMPACT: The U.S. military presence and actions in the region aim to combat drug trafficking and pressure Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro to step down after he, in the eyes of many, lost the country’s last national election.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump‘s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, visited American troops in Puerto Rico and aboard a U.S. Navy warship in the Caribbean on Monday, as the U.S. continues to bolster its military presence in the region. This visit marks Caine’s second to the area since the buildup began, which includes the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, the largest warship ever built.

Caine, accompanied by senior enlisted adviser David L. Isom, traveled to the Caribbean to “engage with service members and thank them for their outstanding support to regional missions,” according to his office. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth joined Caine in September for a prior visit to Puerto Rico, where hundreds of U.S. Marines had arrived for what officials described as a training exercise.

Hegseth described the Marines as being “on the front lines of defending the American homeland.” The military buildup, which includes kinetic military strikes on drug-smuggling boats, has resulted in the deaths of more than 80 narco-terrorists across 21 vessels. These actions are seen as part of an effort to cut off Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro’s illicit source of drug revenue and force the Marxist strongman to resign.

The Trump administration has also designated the Cartel de los Soles, a group allegedly led by Maduro, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). This designation, traditionally reserved for groups such as the Islamic State or al-Qaida, was applied earlier this year to eight Latin American criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking and other illicit activities.

Notably, the designation for the Cartel de los Soles took effect on Monday. Secretary Hegseth stated that the designation opens up a “whole bunch of new options to the United States” for dealing with Maduro, though he declined to elaborate on specific strategies or whether strikes on land targets in Venezuela were being considered. “So nothing is off the table, but nothing’s automatically on the table,” he added.

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Democrat Lawfare Orgs Are Challenging Justice Alito’s Order Restoring Texas Congressional Map.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Democrat Party-aligned electioneering groups have filed a challenge to Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s order allowing Texas to use its newly drawn congressional map, citing racial gerrymandering concerns.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Justice Samuel Alito, Texas state officials, and so-called voting rights groups opposing the map.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The emergency order was issued on Friday, November 21, 2025, with the challenge filed on Monday; the case is before the U.S. Supreme Court.

💬KEY QUOTE: Texas argued that altering district lines before the March primary would “disrupt election preparations and confuse voters.”

🎯IMPACT: The Supreme Court’s decision will determine whether Texas’s 2026 map remains in place while litigation continues.

IN FULL

Democrat Party-aligned electioneering groups are challenging Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s Friday order allowing Texas to use its newly drawn congressional map. In their filing, made on Monday, the far-left election lawfare organizations contend the state’s redistricting plan is an “extraordinary” case of racial gerrymandering.

The complaint argues the lower court was correct in finding that black and Hispanic voters were likely to prevail on claims that the new congressional map is an illegal gerrymander that is intended to dilute the minority vote in several districts. Alito issued the emergency order on November 21, ruling the Texas map could remain in place while the full court considers the legal challenge.

Texas urged the high court to settle the matter swiftly, warning that any change to district lines months before the March primary would cause logistical chaos for voters and likely disrupt the primary election. In addition, the state is pointing to the Purcell rule, which generally advises federal courts not to intervene in district map challenges and ballot rules close to an election.

“The district court’s injunction comes far too late in the day under Purcell. Campaigns have begun in the 2025 districts. The candidate filing period ends on December 8. Ballots will then soon be printed, checked and re-checked, and sent overseas. In the middle of all of that, the district court has ordered the State to stop,” Texas Solicitor General William R. Peterson wrote in the state’s emergency appeal filed late last week. He continued: “Worse, because there is no time for remedial proceedings by the district court’s own admission, the district court has ordered the State to replace the 2025 districts in medias res with repealed redistricting legislation—reviving the 2021 map that changes all but one of Texas’s 38 congressional districts, in many cases changing them dramatically.”

A three-judge federal panel in El Paso ruled two-to-one last week that Texas’s latest redistricting plan was likely drawn with discriminatory intent. However, the majority’s ruling was blasted by U.S. Circuit Court Judge Jerry Smith in his dissent, with the jurist alleging his colleague, Judge Jeffrey Brown, had engaged in judicial misconduct.

Image by Joe Ravi.

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Cornyn Polling TANKS Despite MILLIONS Spent in Texas GOP Primary.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Senator John Cornyn’s (R-TX) standing with Texas GOP primary voters has deteriorated, with his image now 16 points underwater.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: John Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), Representative Wesley Hunt (R-TX), Texas Republican primary voters.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Late November, Texas GOP primary race.

💬KEY QUOTE: “John Cornyn’s support is collapsing: as voters become aware of his negatives, his costly attempts at rebranding quickly unravel. The more voters see of him, the worse he performs.” – Stratus Intelligence report

🎯IMPACT: Cornyn’s support is collapsing, with voters showing increased hostility, making him a spoiler in the race.

IN FULL

Senator John Cornyn’s (R-TX) position with Texas Republican primary voters has significantly weakened, with his favorability rating now at 35 percent compared to an unfavorable rating of 51 percent. Notably, 28 percent of voters have a “very unfavorable” view of Cornyn, whom RINO political strategist Chris LaCivita represents.

In a three-way race, Cornyn trails behind Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R)and Representative Wesley Hunt (R-TX), securing only 25 percent of the vote compared to Paxton’s 36 percent and Hunt’s 26 percent. Despite over $40 million spent on his campaign, Cornyn is in last place for an office he has held since 2002.

Head-to-head matchups further highlight Cornyn’s weak position, with Paxton leading Cornyn 51 percent to 34 percent, and Hunt leading 52 percent to 29 percent. Even a hypothetical endorsement from President Donald J. Trump does not significantly improve Cornyn’s standing.

Cornyn’s image has deteriorated from 44 percent favorable in early November to 35 percent now. In contrast, Wesley Hunt maintains a strong profile with a net favorability, and Ken Paxton remains the preferred choice for conservative voters.

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Foreign Billionaire Who Donated to Far-Left Labour Party Now Leaves Country After Helping Wreck It.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: One of Britain’s wealthiest residents, Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, has left the United Kingdom amid tax hikes by the ruling, leftist Labour Party, which he previously donated millions of pounds to.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and the Labour Party.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Recently reported in the United Kingdom.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The issue was inheritance tax. Many wealthy people from overseas cannot understand why all of their assets, wherever they are in the world, should be subject to inheritance tax imposed by the UK Treasury.” – Tax adviser close to Mittal and his family.

🎯IMPACT: Mittal’s departure is just one of many instances of wealthy people in recent years to flee Britain.

IN FULL

Lakshmi Mittal, the Indian-born steel magnate, has left Britain amid sweeping tax hikes by the country’s ruling, leftist Labour Party, to which he had donated millions of pounds in the past. Once a fixture at the top of The Sunday Times Rich List, he is now a tax resident of Switzerland and plans to spend much of his time in Dubai. At his 2008 peak, his wealth was estimated at £27.7 billion, equivalent to approximately $34 billion. Even now, with a fortune of ~£15.4 billion (~$19 billion), he would have ranked among Britain’s richest residents.

Mittal’s exit is widely linked to the abolition of the “non-dom” tax regime, which previously allowed foreign residents to pay British tax only on income earned within the country. One adviser close to the family said, “The issue was inheritance tax. Many wealthy people from overseas cannot understand why all of their assets, wherever they are in the world, should be subject to inheritance tax imposed by the UK Treasury. People in this situation feel they have little choice but to leave and are either sad or angry to be doing so.” The UK levies up to 40 percent inheritance tax, while places like Dubai impose none, and Switzerland typically does not tax inheritances for children.

His departure comes amid a broader exodus of the wealthy from London and the wider United Kingdom. According to wealth migration data, between 2024 and 2025, London lost about 11,300 dollar-millionaires, including two billionaires, pushing it down the rankings of global wealthy hubs. Analysts cite high capital gains tax, steep inheritance levies, the declining value of the pound, and the end of non-dom status as key drivers.

Britain as a whole is projected to lose 16,500 millionaires in 2025, more than any other country tracked by migration consultants. Observers warn that this may mark a turning point: for the first time in a decade of data collection, a European country is leading in millionaire outflows. Much of this wealth is expected to flow to tax-friendly destinations such as the United Arab Emirates, which is forecast to absorb nearly 9,800 of the departing millionaires this year, potentially bringing in some $63 billion in investable assets.

Image by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street.

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War Department Investigating ‘Serious Allegations’ Against Mark Kelly, Court-Martial Possible.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Allegations of misconduct were made against Captain Mark Kelly, prompting a review by the Department of War.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Captain Mark Kelly, USN (Ret.) and the U.S. Department of War.

📍WHEN & WHERE: November 25, 2025, United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This matter will be handled in compliance with military law, ensuring due process and impartiality.” – U.S. Department of War

🎯IMPACT: Potential recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or other measures.

IN FULL

The U.S. Department of War has announced that it is investigating “serious allegations of misconduct against Captain Mark Kelly, USN (Ret.),” the Democrat Senator for Arizona, on X (formerly Twitter), citing the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. § 688, and other regulations.

The War Department warned that the investigation may include Kelly’s “recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures,” stressing “that military retirees remain subject to the UCMJ for applicable offenses, and federal laws such as 18 U.S.C. § 2387 prohibit actions intended to interfere with the loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces.”

“All servicemembers are reminded that they have a legal obligation under the UCMJ to obey lawful orders and that orders are presumed to be lawful. A servicemember’s personal philosophy does not justify or excuse the disobedience of an otherwise lawful order,” the statement adds.

Kelly was among six lawmakers who formerly served in the military or an intelligence agency to appear in a video statement addressed “directly to members of the military” last Tuesday, with the Arizona Senator telling active servicemen that they “can refuse illegal orders,” as others urged troops to “stand up for our laws [and] our Constitution.”

President Trump responded by warning that encouraging the military to disobey orders from the Commander-in-Chief was “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS,” adding: “LOCK THEM UP???”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Trump Wants to Reshape Hollywood By Reviving Classic ’80s and ’90s Movies.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump could soon push to reshape the entertainment industry, particularly focusing on reviving classic action and comedy films.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Donald Trump, Oracle CTO and executive chairman Larry Ellison, film producer Dallas Sonnier, film director Brett Ratner, and Paramount Studios.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Ongoing discussions involving Paramount Studios and its potential future projects.

💬KEY QUOTE: “A wave of classically male-driven movies with mentally tough, traditional, courageous, confident heroes. Maybe even a tad cocky, but dedicated to honor and duty.” – Dallas Sonnier

🎯IMPACT: Trump’s influence could potentially lead to a resurgence of 1980s and 1990s-style action and comedy films.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump may be looking to reshape Hollywood and the American entertainment industry at large, using his relationship with Oracle co-founder and executive chairman Larry Ellison—who owns a significant stake in Paramount Global, which is controlled by his son David Ellison—to revive classic film franchises that dominated theaters in the late 1980s into the 1990s. Ellison, who has emerged in recent months as a significant promoter of Trump’s economic agenda, is believed to be central to the President’s entertainment industry ambitions.

Notably, it has been reported that President Trump is pushing, specifically, for the revival of the Rush Hour franchise, a series of buddy-cop comedy films starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, known for their urban comedy, action, and martial arts elements. Additionally, he has shown enthusiasm for films like the 1988 Jean-Claude Van Damme sports movie Bloodsport.

Hollywood film producer Dallas Sonnier is predicting that Trump’s influence over the entertainment industry could bring about “a wave of classically male-driven movies with mentally tough, traditional, courageous, confident heroes. Maybe even a tad cocky, but dedicated to honor and duty. Plus, of course, a few explosions, gun battles, helicopters, fistfights, and car chases!”

While Trump’s influence on the entertainment industry has been limited in the past, with occasional projects like Brett Ratner’s documentary on Melania Trump, the involvement of Ellison and Paramount presents a new opportunity for a revival of the American movie industry. In May, President Trump announced he was imposing a 100 percent tariff on all film productions located outside of the United States. The influential Teamsters Union swiftly backed the move.

“The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death. Other Countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated,” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time, adding: “WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!”

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NYT Celebrates Life of ‘Charismatic’ Muslim Cleric and Murderer.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Black nationalist and Islamist cop-killer Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, formerly H. Rap Brown, died in a federal prison hospital in North Carolina.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, formerly known as H. Rap Brown, and Kristie Breshears of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

📍WHEN & WHERE: He died on Sunday at the Federal Medical Center, Butner, North Carolina.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Violence is necessary. Violence is a part of America’s culture. It is as American as cherry pie.” – Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin

🎯IMPACT: Al-Amin’s life and actions have left a violent legacy, marked by his militancy and later life as a Muslim cleric.

IN FULL

Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, formerly known as H. Rap Brown, has passed away at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina, at the age of 82. Kristie Breshears, the communications director for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, confirmed his death but did not specify the cause. Reports earlier this year indicated his health was declining due to multiple myeloma.

A convert to Islam, Al-Amin was serving a life sentence without parole for the murder of a sheriff’s deputy in 2000. Nevertheless, The New York Times saw fit to celebrate him as a persuasive and charismatic figure” with a “dexterous mind.”

Before his conversion to Islam, he was a prominent figure in the Black Power movement, known for his fiery rhetoric and leadership in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, which he helped to rename by removing “nonviolent” from its title. His speeches were characterized by calls to arms and declarations like “Violence is necessary. Violence is a part of America’s culture. It is as American as cherry pie.” His actions contributed to the enactment of the H. Rap Brown Federal Anti-Riot Act in 1968.

After a period of hiding and a dramatic arrest in 1971, Al-Amin converted to Islam and moved to Atlanta, adopting the persona of a respected Muslim cleric and community leader. However, in 2000, he opened fire on Deputy Sheriff Richard Kinchen and his partner, Aldranon English, as they attempted to serve him with an arrest warrant for missing a court appearance related to a traffic case. He was convicted by a jury including nine black people.

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Israel Says It Killed Hezbollah Founder in Latest Beirut Strike.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: The Israeli military launched a major missile strike on Beirut, targeting Hezbollah leadership.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Israeli military (IDF), Hezbollah, and the Lebanese government.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Sunday in Beirut, Lebanon, specifically the Haret Hreik neighborhood.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This breaches a new red line.” – Hezbollah statement

🎯IMPACT: At least five people were killed, 28 were wounded, and significant damage occurred in a densely populated area.

IN FULL

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) conducted a significant strike on Beirut, Lebanon, on Sunday, targeting senior Hezbollah leadership. Following the strike, the IDF announced that it had “eliminated” Hezbollah’s chief of staff, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, in the attack on an apartment building in the Haret Hreik neighborhood, a known Hezbollah stronghold.

Hezbollah released a statement condemning the attack, calling it a violation of agreements that “breaches a new red line.” While the group did not immediately confirm the death of Tabatabai, it stated, “We are coordinating with the Lebanese state to put an end to this Israeli violation.” Notably, Tabatabai was believed to be the current second in command of Hezbollah and played a key role in the founding of the Islamist terror group.

A total of two missiles struck the Beirut apartment building, causing extensive damage to cars and surrounding structures. At least five individuals lost their lives, while 28 others were injured. A large plume of smoke was seen rising above the area.

Western media is characterizing the strike as “a new escalation,” with the attack lacking prior warning or evacuation orders. However, the clandestine nature of the strike likely indicates the high-value nature of the target. The Israeli attack has also drawn criticism for allegedly violating international law and Security Council resolution SCR 1701.

The attack has intensified tensions in the region, with both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government condemning the actions as a breach of the ceasefire and international agreements.

Image by Chatham House.

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Trump Cuts Biden-Era ‘Green Tape’ to Boost U.S. Coke and Steel Industries.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation granting two years of regulatory relief from a stringent Biden-era regulation on coke oven facilities.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced on November 21 in the United States.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This exemption ensures that critical coke production assets can continue to operate uninterrupted to support national security without incurring substantial costs to comply with unattainable compliance requirements.” – The White House.

🎯IMPACT: Protects America’s steelmaking capacity, reduces reliance on foreign metals, and supports national security and industrial strength.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump on Friday issued a Proclamation granting a two-year suspension of Biden-era Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules for select coke-oven facilities, allowing them to operate under earlier, less restrictive standards. The administration says the move is necessary to protect plants that play a central role in domestic steel production and, by extension, national security.

Metallurgical coke is used in roughly 70 percent of all U.S. steelmaking, and industry officials had warned that stricter emissions limits imposed under the previous administration would force costly upgrades using technologies they say are not yet commercially viable. The White House described the Biden-era rules as “costly and unattainable compliance requirements… the necessary technologies do not yet exist in commercially viable or cost-effective forms.” Trump officials argue that without temporary relief, facilities risk shutdowns, job losses, and disruptions to the steel supply chain.

“This exemption ensures that critical coke production assets can continue to operate uninterrupted to support national security without incurring substantial costs to comply with unattainable compliance requirements,” the White House stated.

The Proclamation is intended to prevent long-term weakening of the nation’s steel capacity and to avoid increasing dependence on foreign suppliers. The decision fits into Trump’s larger effort to reverse environmental policies he says burden U.S. industry.

Earlier this year, he signed executive orders aimed at reviving the coal sector by streamlining permitting, lifting restrictions on federal coal leasing, and designating coal as a critical mineral. Trump has framed these moves as essential to restoring American energy independence and meeting rising electricity demand driven by data centers and advanced manufacturing. He has said he wants to “bring back an industry that was abandoned,” arguing that coal remains vital to a reliable energy grid.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright has emphasized that the administration’s “energy dominance” strategy seeks not only to expand domestic production but also to strengthen U.S. geopolitical leverage. During recent meetings with European officials, Wright said the United States has the resources to be a “key energy supplier to our allies around the world,” pointing to expanding U.S. energy exports and long-term purchasing agreements with European partners. He argues that the strategy reduces Europe’s reliance on adversarial suppliers and reinforces transatlantic energy security.

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