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Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Category: Politics
19 hours ago
News
Politics

9/11 Families Tell Mamdani to Stay Away From Memorial Ceremony.

Families of 9/11 victims and first responders have called on New York City’s Muslim immigrant mayor to skip the attacks’ memorial ceremony, citing his lack of support for their community.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A coalition of 9/11 family members, first responders, and elected officials have publicly asked New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) not to attend this year’s September 11 memorial service.
📺 DETAIL: On Tuesday, during an event outside City Hall, 9/11 family members pleaded for the Mayor to abstain from attending the upcoming 25th anniversary commemoration service of the 9/11 attacks. “We don’t believe in what he believes in, and we really want us to be left alone… This 25th anniversary is for victims and survivors to blend in and pray that day for all the families—not have a circus around us,” said Giovanni Galante, whose wife was killed on 9/11. “If we feel that we don’t want someone at our world-class memorial museum that’s sacred and hallowed, we feel that that person should respect our wishes… He didn’t go to the 20th … so I don’t know why he’s so adamant about going to this one when we just ask that he just respect us from 7 to 11 and let us have our mourning,” said Monica Iken, whose husband was killed on 9/11. The event was attended by New York City Council Member Vickie Paladino (R), who announced the coalition’s intention to deliver a petition with 101,000 signatures to City Hall ahead of the service on Friday. “I am demanding that he not show his face at that sacred ground… He does not belong there… We the people do not care for Zohran Mamdani—101,000 names is not a drop in the bucket. Do not, Zohran Mamdani, take us New Yorkers for granted. We were there that day. The sky looked very similar to this. Stay put. Stay in City Hall and promote your propaganda,” said Paladino.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “This mayor is not serving us… He’s serving himself. We are asking respectfully that he not show up… Even though there is going to be other politicians there, these are the politicians that helped us push beneficial laws through and literally held our hand during that time… Mayor Mamdani has not shown any of that, none of it. He just wants to be there because he wants to be there… So we are asking him to respect the fact that that trauma is revived during the ceremony. It is a private ceremony. It is not a public ceremony. Mayor Mamdani, please do not come,” said Charles Wolf, who lost his wife on 9/11.
🎯 IMPACT: The coalition has clarified that other politicians who have supported 9/11-related legislation and personally supported the victims’ families are welcome at the ceremony. This response shows that a sizeable portion of 9/11 families and others affected by the attacks do not believe that Mayor Mamdani supports them. The Twelver Muslim mayor, originally from Uganda, has made several comments and decisions in the past that have alienated survivors and victims of 9/11, from bemoaning the so-called “Islamophobia” after 9/11 to appointing lawyer Ramzi Kassem as Chief Counsel, after he previously stated that the attacks reflected “the resentment these terrorists felt,” and “the legacy of 9/11 ought to be recounted primarily through the stories of Muslims.”

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Families of 9/11 victims and first responders have called on New York City's Muslim immigrant mayor to skip the attacks' memorial ceremony, citing his lack of support for their community.

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21 hours ago
News
Politics

Streamer Who Said ‘America Deserved 9/11’ Backs AOC for President Ahead of 25th Anniversary.

Far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker has affirmed his support for Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) as Democrat politicians push to distance themselves from the Turkey-raised influencer.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker will endorse Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) for President in 2028 despite ongoing attempts by the wider Democratic Party to distance themselves from him.
📺 DETAIL: Piker has faced widespread criticism from both parties in recent weeks for various incendiary comments, including his past claim that the United States “deserved 9/11” and that violence “against Jews” will come about as a result of Jewish support for Israel. A growing number of Democrat lawmakers, politicians, and others in the party have disavowed the controversial streamer, encouraging colleagues to do the same ahead of the 2026 midterm elections in November. In an interview at Socialism Conference 2026 earlier this month in Chicago, Piker said that he intends to be “as careful as possible,” adding that his streams are the “perfect opportunity to create viral media moments.” “My job is not to make the Democratic Party look good,” said Piker. He endorsed Rep. Alexandria “AOC” Ocasio-Cortez for President in 2028. This follows the decision of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), of which AOC is a member, to come to Piker’s defense earlier this month, describing him as “our Twitch streamer.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I think she’s great… She would have some difficulties, of course, but hurdles can be climbed over, and I think she can do it,” said Piker.
🎯 IMPACT: Piker’s rhetoric threatens to alienate moderate voters and could undermine Democrat support in key races, such as the Michigan Senate race, where far-left Democrat candidate Abdul El-Sayed has been scrutinized for his closeness to Piker. This underscores the growing division within the Democrats over whether to embrace the far-left politics of organizations like the DSA. Piker’s growing influence coincides with the rise in support for socialism among Democrats as well as the rise in Democrat-aligned adults self-describing as Democratic Socialists. It also demonstrates the willingness of Piker to utilize his platform to boost far-left Democrats.
📺 FLASHBACK: In late August, it was reported that Rep. Ocasio-Cortez had re-joined the DSA after a seven-year membership lapse, building speculation of a presidential run in 2028. “Democratic Socialists of America confirms Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a member in good standing of our organization, having recently rejoined in August 2026,” announced the DSA. In July, the New York representative topped a poll of potential Democrat candidates for President.

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Far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker has affirmed his support for Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) as Democrat politicians push to distance themselves from the Turkey-raised influencer.

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22 hours ago
News
Politics
Religion

WATCH: ‘Christian’ Talarico Argues Jesus and Allah Are ‘Equal Pathways to Truth.’

Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico has argued that Allah, the “Great Spirit,” and other religious concepts are “equal pathways to truth” alongside Jesus Christ, casting further doubt on his claims to be a Christian.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Democrat Texas Senate candidate James Talarico is facing renewed scrutiny of his claims to be a Christian after a video resurfaced showing him describing Islam, Christianity, and other religions as “equal pathways to truth.” Talarico said he views the world’s religions as different paths leading toward the same “divine mystery,” specifically naming God, Yahweh, Allah, Nirvana, and the Great Spirit as “different pathways to the same fundamental truth of reality.”
📺 DETAIL: The comments contradict traditional Christian teachings that Jesus Christ is the exclusive path to salvation, with Christ stating in the New Testament that “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Significantly, Talarico has made similar statements in the past, including a 2021 Texas House invocation that referenced the Torah, Quran, Gita, Dharma, and the First Epistle of John before concluding, “In all your many names, we pray.” More recently, Talarico said Islamic mystics and Muslim poet Rumi had influenced his supposed Christian faith as much as Christian writers. Talarico attends St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin, which The National Pulse reported supports abortion and funds pro-abortion organizations, with Talarico having argued that the Bible’s account of the Virgin Mary’s consent to bear Christ informs his position on abortion. The Democrat candidate has separately faced criticism over previous comments describing Christianity as the “most violent” religion, saying it had done more damage to Islam than any other faith, and arguing that God is “beyond gender,” despite being described explicitly in masculine terms in the Bible. These comments have placed Talarico’s interpretation of Christianity at the center of continuing debate as he campaigns for the Democratic nomination in the Texas Senate race.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Whether it’s God or Yahweh or Allah or Nirvana, the Great Spirit, whatever you call it, this is all, you know, different pathways to the same kind of fundamental truth of reality.” – James Talarico
🎯 IMPACT: Talarico’s comments could make his religious views a significant issue in the Texas Senate campaign, particularly among Christian voters who believe Jesus Christ is not an optional extra to true faith. His statements also provide opponents with additional material to question the authenticity of his Christianity and the way he presents himself to the public.

Image by Lawrence OP.

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Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico has argued that Allah, the "Great Spirit," and other religious concepts are "equal pathways to truth" alongside Jesus Christ, casting further doubt on his claims to be a Christian.

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September 8, 2026
News
Politics

Populist Victory in Germany Shakes European Establishment.

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has achieved a historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt, undermining the stability of Germany’s political establishment.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party made a major advance in Sunday’s Saxony-Anhalt state elections, winning 44 percent of the vote and more than doubling its support from the previous election, although it fell short of the supermajority it had sought. Chancellor (Prime Minister) Friedrich Merz said the result had shaken his notionally center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, formerly led by migrant crisis architect Angela Merkel, “to its very foundations,” calling it his party’s most serious election defeat in decades and warning that it would have consequences far beyond Saxony-Anhalt.
📺 DETAIL: The result further challenges Germany’s political “Brandmauer,” or firewall, against allowing the eurosceptic, anti-mass migration AfD into governing coalitions, as the populist party has expanded its representation both at the state level and in the federal parliament. The outcome also reflects a broader trend across Europe, where populist-right parties have gained significant support and, in several countries, entered governing coalitions or become major opposition forces. In the European Parliament, which debates European Union-level legislation, three such political groupings collectively hold 196 seats, making them the second-largest force by combined seat count. National populist parties have influenced debates over immigration, Ukraine policy, and climate legislation. Analysts say the AfD’s support is driven largely by domestic concerns, including mass migration, stagnant wages, deindustrialization, and dissatisfaction with establishment parties. U.S. figures such as Vice President JD Vance have publicly supported the AfD and criticized Germany’s firewall as undemocratic. 
🎯 IMPACT: Upcoming elections in Berlin and the Mecklenburg region will further test whether the populist trend is a regional anomaly or part of a broader transformation of German politics.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “It is the most severe election defeat the CDU has suffered in years, indeed in decades.” – Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor and CDU leader

Image by Olaf Kosinsky.

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The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has achieved a historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt, undermining the stability of Germany's political establishment.

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September 4, 2026
News
Politics
UK

UK PM Burnham Endorses Trump-Hating Sadiq Khan for Fourth Term as London Mayor.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has hinted at a potential 2028 re-election bid, despite most Londoners wanting him to resign and believing that the British capital has become a worse place to live since he entered office.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has endorsed Lord Sadiq Khan for a fourth term as Mayor of London, despite a majority of Londoners believing he should not continue in office.
📺 DETAIL: Khan has signaled that he will decide whether to stand for a fourth term next year. The next London mayoral election is scheduled for 2028. “Sadiq is a really exceptional politician, a real leader, and absolutely, I’d love him to stay here as long as he wants, and I would certainly be behind him,” the Prime Minister said. Prime Minister Burnham endorsed Khan despite recent polling suggesting that the vast majority of Londoners want Khan to resign and not seek a fourth term. The poll revealed that 56 percent of Londoners think Khan should step down, including 31 percent of people who voted for him at the previous election in 2024. The same poll also revealed that 55 percent of Londoners believe that London has become a worse place under Khan.
🎯 IMPACT: Khan’s potential decision to run again could shape London’s political landscape and influence upcoming Labour Party strategies. In the event that Khan does not stand again for London mayor, several figures have been floated as potential Labour Party candidates, including former Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who was removed during the Cabinet reshuffle when Burnham became Prime Minister back in July. Lammy, like Khan, is explicitly opposed to President Donald J. Trump, previously calling the American leader a “neo-Nazi sympathizing sociopath.”

Image by Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street.

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan has hinted at a potential 2028 re-election bid, despite most Londoners wanting him to resign and believing that the British capital has become a worse place to live since he entered office.

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September 4, 2026
News
Politics
UK

Nigel Farage to Declare ‘National Emergency’ on Day One as Prime Minister.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage will reportedly vow to declare a “national emergency” within his first day of government if elected, setting the tone for his upcoming speech at Reform’s annual National Conference in Birmingham.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Reform UK will declare a “national emergency” during its first day in office, according to party leader Nigel Farage.
📺 DETAIL: Farage’s proposal comes ahead of his speech at Reform’s 2026 National Conference. The Reform leader is expected to warn that “time is running out to save Britain” and accuse the formerly governing Conservative (Tory) Party of “wasting their 14 years in office.” Farage is also expected to criticize Labour Party Prime Minister Andy Burnham for demanding another decade in government. It is also expected that Farage will outline Reform’s plan to work “day and night” to pass “dozens of bills” with the aim of doing “anything and everything” to halt the decline of Britain. Reform’s plan reportedly includes week-long parliamentary sittings, even during summer. Farage will also reportedly issue a stern warning to the permanent Civil Service, the House of Lords, and the judiciary that a Reform government will resist any attempts to block or disrupt their agenda. Reform’s party conference in Birmingham, in the English Midlands, is expected to be attended by over 8,000 delegates. The conference’s theme revolves around the question of what the party would set out to achieve within its first 100 days in office.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Britain is in serious trouble. We don’t have time to wait around to fix it,” said a spokesman for Reform UK.
🎯 IMPACT: This indicates that Farage intends to use his speech at his party’s annual conference to convey a sense of urgency. Recent polling suggests that Reform will be the largest party in Parliament come the next general election, which must be held no later than 2029.

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Reform UK leader Nigel Farage will reportedly vow to declare a "national emergency" within his first day of government if elected, setting the tone for his upcoming speech at Reform's annual National Conference in Birmingham.

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September 3, 2026
Election Integrity
News
Politics

State Supreme Court Blocks GOP-Drawn Congressional Map Ahead of Midterms.

The Missouri Supreme Court’s decision to block a redrawn congressional map potentially impacts the composition of the U.S. House of Representatives after the November midterms.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Missouri Supreme Court has blocked the implementation of a Republican-drawn congressional map for the upcoming midterm elections. The court ruled that the map could not take effect because the state’s Republican secretary of state improperly rejected efforts to put the map to a voter referendum.
📺 DETAIL: Republican lawmakers had pushed the redistricting plan as part of a broader effort, backed by President Donald J. Trump, to redraw district lines after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Democrat-leaning, racially gerrymandered black-majority districts mandated by the Voting Rights Act are constitutional and can be eliminated. The blocked map had dismantled the district of Democrat Representative Emanuel Cleaver, who represents Kansas City. The court’s decision may now allow Cleaver to retain his seat.
🎯 IMPACT: This ruling is a setback for Republicans, as it could hinder their efforts to maintain their slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. The decision forms part of ongoing disputes over redistricting across the nation and the significant political consequences tied to these maps.
📺 FLASHBACK: The U.S. Supreme Court previously ruled that several conservative Southern states could eliminate districts with boundaries drawn in bizarre ways to create black majorities, which has been a key factor in redistricting battles nationwide.

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The Missouri Supreme Court's decision to block a redrawn congressional map potentially impacts the composition of the U.S. House of Representatives after the November midterms.

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September 2, 2026
News
Politics
World

Le Pen Promises Referendums on the Burka and Birthright Citizenship.

National Rally (RN) party leader Marine Le Pen has proposed holding referendums on a number of issues related to Islamist ideology, immigration, and citizenship.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s National Rally (RN) party, has announced plans to hold referendums on abolishing birthright citizenship and the burka, among other issues.
📺 DETAIL: The National Rally leader said the referendums would empower the government to “combat Islamist ideologies” in the country. The issues include fines for violations of the 2010 ban on Islamic veils, which the RN leader complains is rarely enforced, restricting welfare benefits to only French citizens, undertaking a “systematic expulsion” of foreign criminals, and abolishing birthright citizenship. Unlike the United States, which grants citizenship at birth to virtually everyone born on American soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status, French law imposes some limits based on the parents’ nationality and the length of time a person has lived in France. Le Pen’s position contrasts with that of Edouard Philippe, former French Prime Minister and her closest rival for the French Presidency, according to recent polling. “The important thing at this stage is to respect the law as it exists today; I don’t think it’s necessary to go further,” Philippe said of the 2010 law on veiling. In response, Le Pen accused Phillipe of failing to “properly enforce the law banning the full-face veil when he was Prime Minister,” adding that his comments confirm “that he will do nothing against an Islamist veil that he himself denounced in 2025 as an act of submission for women and even… for little girls.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “How could France defend its values with politicians who lack so much courage that they allow an ideology to claim the inferiority of women? Fighting against Islamist ideology and defending equality require courage and determination. Like the French people, I believe I have that courage and that determination.” – Marine Le Pen.
🎯 IMPACT: Le Pen’s referendums could significantly alter France’s approach to tackling Islamist ideology, immigration, migrant crime, welfare, and citizenship. The series of proposals follows a number of polls putting the National Rally leader well ahead of her rivals. Earlier this month, a poll conducted by Elabe, a French polling firm, had Le Pen leading all her rivals in the first and second rounds of the upcoming presidential elections. An earlier survey by Toluna-Harris, another market research firm, showed similar results. This followed a poll from July conducted by the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP), which showed the far-left Jean-Luc Mélenchon and so-called centrists Phillipe and Gabriel Attal, a former prime minister aligned with President Emmanuel Macron, trailing Le Pen.

Image by Jérémy-Günther-Heinz Jähnick.

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National Rally (RN) party leader Marine Le Pen has proposed holding referendums on a number of issues related to Islamist ideology, immigration, and citizenship.

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September 1, 2026
News
Politics
UK

Nigel Farage Officially Returns to Parliament After Landslide Election Win.

Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage is officially a Member of Parliament (MP) again after emerging victorious in the Clacton by-election last month.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has been sworn in as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Clacton.
📺 DETAIL: On Tuesday, Farage was officially sworn in as MP for Clacton. This followed his resounding victory in the recent Clacton by-election (special election). This was triggered by Farage’s resignation, in protest of a weaponized parliamentary probe into his finances. Farage insisted that it was down to the people of Clacton, not politicians, to determine whether he was fit to represent them. Farage was flanked by Reform MPs Richard Tice and Andrew Rosindell while walking to the Table to take the Parliamentary Oath. After swearing allegiance to King Charles III on the Bible, Farage proceeded to the Test Roll, a parchment book that contains the text of the oath. In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), Farage said: “I’m pleased to be back with an increased majority and more votes than we got in the general election [in 2024].” The Reform leader added: “I want to say a big thank you to all the voters in Clacton who’ve put me back here. I will do my best.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I swear by almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs, successors, according to law, so help me God.” – Farage taking the Oath of Allegiance
🎯 IMPACT: This formalizes Farage’s triumphant return to Parliament. Now that the Reform leader is officially the MP for Clacton, he will resume his parliamentary duties. This underscores the political establishment’s failure to drive Farage out of politics by standing aside in the Clacton by-election, allowing BBC contractor Jonathan David Harvey, running as “Count Binface,” to serve as an anti-Farage unity candidate. Farage managed to increase his vote count and vote share compared to when he was first elected back in 2024. Farage’s return coincides with the resignation of former Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer from Parliament, who was toppled by Labour colleagues after Reform thrashed the governing party in May’s local elections.

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Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage is officially a Member of Parliament (MP) again after emerging victorious in the Clacton by-election last month.

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September 1, 2026
News
Politics

DSA Endorses Streamer Who Said ‘America Deserved 9/11’ Days Before 25th Anniversary.

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have publicly backed controversial far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, amplifying debates over socialism and its place in the Democrats and American politics more broadly.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has defended far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who previously said “America deserved 9/11,” and endorsed him as “our streamer,” just days before the 25th anniversary of the attacks, which left thousands of Americans dead across New York City, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
📺 DETAIL: The DSA described Turkey-raised Piker as “*our Twitch streamer” in a statement defending him on Sunday. The statement was published after several Democrat politicians disavowed Piker for his recent comments on Jewish support for Israel in the United States. “If Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they are singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone’s going to come around and take action… Not against the state of Israel, mind you, but against American Jews,” warned Piker in a recent stream. On Monday, Republican lawmakers pushed a resolution condemning socialism in the House of Representatives. The resolution describes socialism as “incompatible with American values and the United States Constitution” and states that “socialist ideology necessitates a concentration of power that has, time and time again, collapsed into communist regimes, totalitarian rule, and repressive dictatorships.” The DSA responded on X (formerly Twitter), “The establishment: Ds, Rs + media, have pivoted from DSA wins to personal attacks, racist dog whistles, symbolic House resolutions, and an obsession with a Twitch streamer. What would happen if they devoted that same attention to the thousands of Americans who die each year because they can’t afford healthcare?”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “America deserved 9/11, dude. F**k it, I’m saying it,” said Piker in a 2019 livestream.
🎯 IMPACT: The controversy has underscored the growing divisions and tensions within the Democrats over socialism and Israel. It also shows how Piker has become politically toxic to much of the Democrats. This controversy comes amid a broader shift to the left among Democrats, with one in three Democrat-aligned voters self-describing as Democratic Socialists. The DSA counts a number of influential Democrat politicians as members, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who recently renewed her DSA membership. A majority of Americans say they are concerned about the rise of socialism and communism in American politics.

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The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have publicly backed controversial far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, amplifying debates over socialism and its place in the Democrats and American politics more broadly.

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