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31 bodies retrieved from collapsed mine

CAIRO (AP) – Sudanese authorities said on Wednesday rescue workers retrieved at least 31 bodies from a collapsed gold mine in West Kordofan province.

The country’s state-run mining company said workers and villagers were still searching the Darsaya mine for more bodies or possible survivors. The mine is located in the Fuja village, around 700 kilometres south of the capital of Khartoum.

The defunct mine collapsed earlier this week, killing at least 38 people, the company said on Tuesday. It posted images on Facebook showing villagers gathering at the site as at least two dredgers worked to find possible survivors and bodies.

The Sudanese Mineral Resources Limited Company said the mine was not functional but local miners returned to work there after security forces guarding the site left the area.

Collapses are common in Sudan’s gold mines, where safety standards are not widely in effect.

People gathering as victims from a collapsed gold mine are buried in Kordofan, Sudan. PHOTO: AP

Sudan is a major gold producer with numerous mines scattered across the country. The industry, however, suffered from years of mismanagement and corruption.

The transitional government has begun regulating the industry during the past two years.

In nearby North Darfur province, an unidentified armed group late Tuesday attacked and looted a warehouse for the World Food Program (WFP) in the provincial capital of el-Fasher, said Khardiata Lo Ndiaye, United Nations (UN) humanitarian coordinator in Sudan. Local authorities in North Darfur imposed a curfew across the province starting on Wednesday.

As many as 1,900 metric tonnes of food had been stored at the warehouse, meant to be distributed to people in need in the area, the WFP said.

“Such an attack severely impedes our ability to deliver to the people who need it the most,” she said.

Sudan is one of the poorest counties in the world, with at least 14.3 million people in need humanitarian assistance, according to UN figures.

The attack on WFP’s warehouse came after another one on a former base for the UN peacekeeping mission in el-Fasher last week. The base, handed over to Sudanese authorities on December 21, was also looted, the UN said.

Dortmund eager to settle Haaland’s future

BERLIN (AFP) – Erling Haaland (AFP pic below) is one of the hottest properties in European football and his Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund are eager to learn if they will lose their star striker in 2022.

The 21-year-old has scored a phenomenal 76 goals in 75 games for Dortmund since his arrival from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020.

A release clause in his Dortmund contract, valid until 2024, could allow Haaland to leave in 2022 and club CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke wants to know what the player’s agent Mino Raiola has planned.

“We will talk in the next few weeks,” Watzke said in early December, “and we will all make sure that we don’t wait until March or April to know the decision.”

In March of this year, Haaland became the fastest player to reach the milestone of 20 Champions League goals in a record

14 games. By comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo needed 56 Champions League games to reach the same goal tally. Lionel Messi took 40 matches.

At the same age as Haaland (21 years, six months), Ronaldo – the Champions League’s all-time top-scorer with 140 goals – had yet to score in Europe.

Haaland has a contract at Dortmund until 2024, but a release clause, reportedly for EUR80 million becomes active next year.

Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola fuelled speculation recently by claiming there is “a strong chance Erling will leave Dortmund, maybe this summer, maybe next summer”.

“He can – and wants – to take the next step,” Raiola added, listing Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City as possibilities.

“When he signed for Dortmund, we all knew that this next step would come.”

Barcelona President Joan Laporta has already met Raiola, while Bayern President Herbert Hainer said before Christmas that they were out of the running.

“I only know for sure that Real Madrid are very interested in him,” Watzke revealed recently, adding that he “could also name 25 other clubs”.

Dortmund have brushed off the constant speculation.

“We are used to it, sometimes more, sometimes less,” Dortmund coach Marco Rose said of the speculation. “We take it as it is.”

With Haaland sidelined by a hip injury, Dortmund were eliminated from the Champions League and the team plays with more confidence and purpose when he is on the pitch.

Dortmund have already signed a back-up striker in Dutch forward Donyell Malen, who is finding form after a slow start since joining from PSV Eindhoven.

At 1.94 metres, Haaland often towers over defenders and has been demolishing goal records since leaving Norway as an 18-year-old to join Salzburg in 2019.

The Norwegian scored a hat-trick on his Champions League debut to inspire a 6-2 thrashing of Genk as he chalked up eight goals in the 2019/20 group stages.

After netting 29 goals in 27 games for Salzburg, Dortmund paid EUR20 million for him.

Five new cases detected

James Kon & Fadley Faisal

Five new COVID-19 cases – comprising three local and two import cases – were detected yesterday, raising the number of confirmed infections to 15,470, said Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar during the daily press conference yesterday.

The new cases were uncovered from 2,681 laboratory tests conducted in the past 24 hours, making the rate of positive cases yesterday at 0.2 per cent.

Seven cases recovered yesterday, bringing the total number of active cases in the country to 98, said the minister. Bed occupancy rate in isolation centres nationwide is 2.6 per cent.

As of Wednesday, 93.3 per cent of the population had received two doses of the vaccine, while 19.5 per cent had received three.

Also in attendance was Acting Minister of Education Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh.

On Wednesday, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah urged employers to give consideration and accommodate parents who must look after unvaccinated children who are not allowed to attend school next year.

The minister reiterated that offices in both the public and private sector are only allowed to operate at 75 per cent capacity, which will be in force until January 14, 2022 when it would be reconsidered.

Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar and Acting Minister of Education Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh at the daily press conference. PHOTO: JAMES KON

PBOC issues first loans to back financing for emissions cuts

BEIJING (CNA) – China has issued the first CNY85.5 billion (USD13.4 billion) batch of low-cost loans to financial institutions to promote green projects and corporate efforts to cut carbon emissions, the central bank said yesterday.

Under the carbon emission reduction facility (CERF), the first of its kind to be rolled out by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), financial institutions can apply for low-cost funding to back the loans they issue to finance companies’ emissions reduction efforts.

The CERF is part of China’s broader goal of bringing carbon emissions to a peak before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, as well as to shelter the economy from the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the CERF, the PBOC will provide financial institutions with funds equal to 60 per cent of a loan’s principal at a one-year lending rate of 1.75 per cent. That would be at a discount to the seven-day reverse repo rate of 2.2 per cent.

The bank has also officially rolled out low-cost loans to support companies’ efforts to use clean coal, head of the PBOC’s monetary policy department Sun Guofeng said in a news conference. He did not say how much has been provided already.

People walk past the PBOC headquarters. PHOTO: CNA

The CERF could lead to CNY1 trillion per year being invested in projects related to clean energy after the monetary tool is fully rolled out in 2022, according to reports from Huatai Securities and Everbright Securities.

But banks are required to certify the loans have been issued to firms that can help the economy adopt cleaner energy or improve energy efficiency.

As targetted monetary policy tools, Sun said both the CERF and the special clean coal loans can contribute to the overall credit supply and stable credit growth.

In the next year, “China will give full play to monetary policy tools’ dual functions, that is, in terms of (adjusting the money supply’s) volume and the structure”, Sun said.

News agencies receive 1,200 masks

Daniel Lim

The Zhong Zin Hakka Association handed 1,200 face masks to four local newspaper agencies last Sunday.

Each agency – Brunei Press Sdn Bhd, United Daily News, Sin Chew Daily, and See Hua Daily; received 300 face masks each. The masks were handed over to representatives of the news agencies during the association’s annual general meeting (AGM).

Zhong Zin Hakka Chairman Chai Tze Yun said the small gesture was to show the association’s appreciation for the effort made by frontliners and to support the nationwide cause against the pandemic, particularly for those reporting the news.

The Zhong Zin Hakka AGM, held while observing social distancing guidelines, discussed activities organised by the association throughout the year as well as future plans for 2022.

Representatives from news organisations receive a donation of face masks from the Zhong Zin Hakka Association. PHOTO: DANIEL LIM

Grizzlies thump slumping Lakers 104-99

MEMPHIS (AP) – Ja Morant scored 41 points, Desmond Bane added 20 and the Memphis Grizzlies overcame a 14-point second-half deficit to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 104-99 yesterday.

LeBron James led Los Angeles with 37 points – a day short of his 37th birthday – and 13 rebounds and a season-high eight three-pointers. Russell Westbrook added a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists.

The Grizzlies improved to 22-14 with their third straight victory, while the Lakers fell to 17-19 with their sixth loss in seven games.

Morant, making a strong bid for the All-Star Game, scored 25 of his points in the second half, including 14 in the third quarter. He scored 11 of the Grizzlies’ final 15 points.

“What an unbelievable night by Ja,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “When he got going it kind of fuelled everyone else. We’ve said it from Day 1, he’s built for moments like this.”

Jenkins also was impressed with Morant’s defence (two steals, two blocks) and rebounding.

He had 10 rebounds.

“I was taking what the defence gave me and it turned out good for us,” Morant said. “That’s normally how I attack every game. Tonight was just my night.”

Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane passes defended by Los Angeles Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker, guard Malik Monk and forward LeBron James during the game. PHOTO: AP

Memphis trailed in the second half until Tyus Jones hit in a floater for a 93-92 lead with 6:50 left. Morant followed with consecutive three-pointers for a 99-92 advantage with 4:28 to go.

Bane sealed the win with two free throws with 5.1 seconds to go.

Ahead by six at the half, the Lakers pushed their advantage to 14 at 80-66 during a third quarter in which Los Angeles made six three-pointers. James had three of those.

The Grizzlies were able to battle back and trim the lead to five at 83-78 at the end of the quarter. Morant made in a deep three-pointer at the buzzer.

In the fourth quarter, the Lakers were slowed by four-minute scoring drought which allowed the Grizzlies to erase a 92-87 deficit with 12 straight points. With 8:12 to go, Memphis led 99-92.

“Coming out in the third quarter it got away from us,” Lakers forward Malik Monk said. “It was super frustrating because we’ve been doing that all year.”

Grizzlies starting forward Dillon Brooks sat out his third straight game because of health and safety protocols.

More cruise ships under CDC investigation due to COVID cases

MIAMI (AP) – The United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating more cruise ships due to new cases of COVID-19 as the omicron variant drives extremely high infection levels in the industry hub of Florida.

The CDC said 88 vessels are now either under investigation or observation, but it did not specify how many COVID-19 cases have been reported. Four other vessels are also being monitored by the CDC as well.

Florida hit a new record for daily cases on Tuesday with 46,900 new cases in a day. Since the holidays, the state’s seven-day average of daily cases has surpassed previous records set during last summer’s surge, rising to 29,400 infections.

Coronavirus hospitalisations in the state have also risen from about 1,200 patients two weeks ago to about 3,400 on Wednesday. But that is still less than one-fifth the number of hospitalisations reported in late August due to the delta wave.

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal is calling for the CDC and cruise lines to again halt cruise travel, six months after the industry mounted its comeback.

“Our warnings have proved sadly prescient and continuously compelling. Time for CDC and cruise lines to protect consumers, again pause – docking their ships,” the Connecticut senator posted on Twitter.

Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Miracle cruise ship. PHOTO: AP

Cruise lines have not announced any plans to halt cruising. And the CDC did not say it would adopt any changes, adding it still had plans to allow for the expiration of a set of rules that cruises must follow to sail during the pandemic. The regulation, called a conditional sailing order, is scheduled to expire on January 15 to become a voluntary programme.

“CDC acknowledges that it is not possible for cruising to be a zero-risk activity,” CDC spokesperson Jasmine Reed said in an emailed statement.

Most lines require adult passengers to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. Cruise ships are allowed to relax measures such as mask use if at least 95 per cent of passengers and 95 per cent of crew are fully vaccinated.

The federal agency recommends that people avoid cruise travel if they are at increased risk of severe illness, regardless of vaccination status.

None of the ships so far appear to have so many cases that they would overwhelm medical resources on board and require a return to port. But some have been denied entry at some foreign ports.

Several Florida-based ships have reported outbreaks. The Carnival Freedom was denied entry to Aruba and Bonaire after an undisclosed number of passengers and crew aboard caught the virus.

Some cruise ships have not been allowed to disembark in Mexican ports due to cases reported, bringing to memory the early days of the pandemic when cruise lines negotiated docking plans as ships were being turned away by officials worried about the virus’s spread.

The Mexican government said Tuesday it would allow cruise ships with reported coronavirus cases to dock. The country’s Health Department said passengers or crew who show no symptoms will be allowed to come ashore normally, while those with symptoms or a positive virus test will be quarantined or given medical care.

Marking 37 years of diplomatic ties

Ambassador of Turkey to Brunei Darussalam Prof Dr Hamit Ersoy

Today marks the 37th anniversary of the establishment of the first diplomatic ties between Turkey and Brunei Darussalam.

The Turkish Cabinet made the decision two days before Brunei’s Independence Day and notified the Sultanate’s authorities and international community one day before the declaration of independence, making Turkey one of the first states to officially recognise Brunei.

Although the first contact of Turkish and Malay people dates back to the Ottoman Empire era in the 16th Century, the diplomatic relations between the modern states of Turkey and Brunei Darussalam were established for the first time on June 27, 1984 at ambassadorial level after Brunei’s independence. Kuala Lumpur Embassy of Turkey was accredited to Brunei Darussalam while Amman Embassy of Brunei Darussalam was accredited to Turkey.

In 2012, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam visited Turkey to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, then in his capacity as prime minister.

His Majesty’s visit to Turkey was followed by a return visit by President Erdoğan to the Sultanate in the same year. Lastly, the visit of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu to Brunei Darussalam on November 6-7, 2018 was an important development in terms of demonstrating the importance Turkey attaches to the region in general and to Brunei Darussalam in particular.

The Agreement on Mutual Abolition of Visas, which was signed during His Majesty’s visit to Turkey in 2012, constituted an important milestone for opening a gateway for well-established political, economic and cultural relations.

Since neither country had diplomatic missions in the other, the highest priority in developing bilateral relations was the opening of embassies in each other’s capital. Turkey and Brunei Darussalam finally opened embassies in their respective capitals in 2013 and ensured their regular diplomatic contacts on a permanent basis.

This sincere rapprochement by the heads of states led to a boosting of relations between two brotherly communities which are geographically distant but have always been very close in the hearts and minds of one another. Today the two countries have a very positive agenda with excellent relations and continue to enjoy successful cooperation within international organisations, particularly in the United Nations (UN), Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), ASEAN and their respective organisations specialised in various fields.

After the said high level visits in 2012 and 2018, relations between the two countries have steadily strengthened and the social interaction between the two nations has increased.

Common religious and cultural values and customs of the two countries played an important role in the strengthening of people-to-people relations. Especially after the abolition of visas, Turkey started to host more Bruneian tourists, particularly in Istanbul and Cappadocia, every year and we experienced a considerable increase in trade volume between two countries ever since.

An important dimension of relations between the two countries is ASEAN itself. Turkey commends the growing global profile of ASEAN in global affairs and Brunei Darussalam’s increasing importance and active role in ASEAN. Stretching as a bridge between Europe and Asia, Turkey offers numerous advantages for ASEAN’s outreach to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As a sectoral dialogue partner, Turkey’s objective is to become a full dialogue partner at ASEAN and have more active and result-oriented engagements with the group.

Turkey is grateful for Brunei Darussalam’s continuing support within ASEAN. The mere presence of 10 Turkish embassies in capital cities of each and every ASEAN member state indicates the importance Turkey attaches to the region.

With the purpose of reenergising and solidifying relations with Asia, Turkey launched a new initiative called ‘Asia Anew’. With the directive of the President Erdoğan, the Asia Anew initiative is pioneering Turkey’s recently adopted Asia perspective. ASEAN is one of the most important aspects of this initiative.

Turkey is proud of its Asian roots originated from its ancestral home, Central Asia, and carries the legacy of Seljukis and Ottoman Empire in its historical continuity. With the economic breakthroughs it has experienced in the last decades under the strong leadership of President Erdoğan and thanks to its well-established state tradition, military might, multidimensional, proactive and rhythmic diplomacy, Turkey has become a decisive regional power and a global actor capable of pursuing a proactive, enterprising and humanitarian foreign policy and taking initiatives for the global justice and equality.

Turkey remains the biggest advocate of Palestinians in their just cause, continues to be the largest humanitarian donors in the world and ranked as the number one in the world aid index, accounting for 26 per cent of the global aid in 2019 alone.

Turkey, as the second largest military force in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and an active and engaged member of G-20, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), OIC and the Council of Europe, with its dynamic population and resilient economy, is committed to further enhance bilateral relations with Brunei Darussalam and other member states of ASEAN based on mutual respect and a win-win approach.

We are passing through a global transformation towards the age of technology. Turkey makes significant investments in future technologies in many fields such as high-tech defence industry, e-commerce, renewable energy and space exploration.

Turkey ranks 12th in the world and 5th in Europe in terms of installed renewable energy capacity and recently declared a National Space Programme. This week the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency approved the emergency use of TURCOVAC, domestically developed inactivated COVID-19 vaccine. With this development Turkey has become one of the nine countries producing its own COVID-19 vaccine. The same week we witnessed the launch of Turkey’s new telecommunication satellite Turksat 5B, which is developed for military and commercial purposes, Turkey’s ninth satellite in space. Once it is operational in five months, it will increase Turkey’s Ka-Band capacity 15 times more. More promising news came from TOGG, Turkey’s first electric vehicle producer, that countdown has begun for mass production.

Turkey is ready to share its experience with all brotherly countries like Brunei Darussalam. We are looking forward to contributing to the efforts of Brunei Darussalam in achieving innovation, technological development, food supply security and renewable energy investments. We are ready to enhance the links between Turkish and Bruneian entrepreneurs and carry our relations to new heights in a result-oriented manner. Close cultural ties between the two countries and sincere friendship between the leaders stand out as the most important assets that are paving the way for this close cooperation.

As uncertainties caused by COVID-19 pandemic ease, the current trade volume between Turkey and Brunei Darussalam must be seen as an opportunity and potential to develop it much further in the years to come. The geographical distance between the two countries shouldn’t be seen as an obstacle as modern transportation has reduced the importance of distances in today’s world.

We believe that there is much room for further enhancement of political, economic, socio-cultural relations. We are aware of the opportunities that Brunei Darussalam offers for foreign investors. In this respect, we will continue to support and enhance the ties between Turkish and Bruneian entrepreneurs encourage them for joint ventures and FDI. We want to institutionalise the existing cooperation between two states with concluding cooperation agreements in various fields and establish new mechanisms that will increase investments and trade volume between the two countries. The future of the Brunei Darussalam-Turkey relations is bound to become brighter than today.

Iran announces new space launch amid nuclear talks

TEHRAN (AFP) – Iran announced yesterday it has carried out a new space launch, in a move likely to irk Western powers amid tough talks on reviving a 2015 nuclear deal.

Tehran successfully put its first military satellite into orbit in April 2020, drawing a sharp rebuke from Washington.

Western governments worry that satellite launch systems incorporate technologies interchangeable with those used in ballistic missiles capable of delivering a nuclear warhead.

Iran insists its space programme is for civilian and defence purposes only, and does not breach the nuclear deal or any other international agreement.

United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 2231 of 2015, endorsing the nuclear deal, imposed no blanket ban on Iranian rocket or missile launches.

The launching of Simorgh, or ‘Phoenix’, rocket in an undisclosed location in Iran. PHOTO: AP

Iran’s state broadcaster aired footage of a rocket rising from a desert launchpad, but gave no details of its location.

“The Simorgh (Phoenix) satellite launcher carried three research cargos into space,” said Defence Ministry spokesman Ahmad Hosseini.

“The research goals foreseen for this launch have been achieved,” he added, quoted by state television.

Earlier this month, United States (US) media reported that preparations for a launch were under way at Iran’s space centre in Semnan, 300 kilometres east of Tehran.

Hosseini did not elaborate on the nature of the research, but he said the latest operation was a “preliminary launch” and that more would follow.

In February, Iran announced it had launched its most powerful solid fuel rocket to date, the Zoljanah, boasting that it can put a 220-kilogramme payload into orbit.

The US voiced concern about that launch, saying the test could boost Iran’s ballistic missile technology at a time when the two nations are inching back to diplomacy.

According to the Pentagon and satellite imagery of the Semnan centre, an Iranian satellite launch failed in mid-June, reports denied by Tehran.

Bledsoe’s big fourth quarter help Clippers hold off Celtics

BOSTON (AP) – Eric Bledsoe scored 10 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, hitting a key three-pointer down the stretch, to help the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Boston Celtics 91-82 yesterday.

Marcus Morris had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Terance Mann and Luke Kennard each added 17 points for the Clippers. Los Angeles ended a two-game skid and completed a season sweep of the Celtics on a night both clubs were short-handed.

“They showed their vet savvyness,” Mann said about Bledsoe and Morris. “They showed why they’re long-time players in this league. They helped close the game out for us. They showed what they do best.”

Jaylen Brown led Boston with 30 points. Robert Williams had 16 points and 14 rebounds, and Al Horford added nine points with 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who couldn’t overcome a woeful shooting night from three-point range. Boston made just four of 42 three-pointers and was one for 18 from beyond-the-arc in the fourth quarter.

“We missed a lot of easy looks,” said Brown, who went 1-for-13 on three-pointers.

The Clippers were without star forward Paul George for a third straight game with a torn ligament in his right elbow that could keep him out up to a month. But Los Angeles, which had lost five of six, led most of the game.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe shoots over Boston Celtics centre Al Horford during the game. PHOTO: AP

Boston was missing scoring leader Jayson Tatum, who was placed on the COVID-19 health and safety protocols list on Monday, and starting guard Marcus Smart, who was out with a hand injury.

Down 10 early in the third quarter, the Celtics used a 12-2 run midway through the quarter to tie it at 57. The Clippers took a 69-63 lead into the fourth.

Boston opened the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run, pulling to 71-70 on a pair of free throws by Brodric Thomas and taking a one-point lead on a putback by Romeo Langford with 9:30 left to play. The Clippers regained control, with Bledsoe hitting a three-pointer from the top of the key for an 86-78 lead with 2:05 left.

Boston coach Ime Ukoda said the shooting woes were a combination of factors, including trying to get the Clippers out of their zone defense that was so effective with Boston missing shot after shot.

“That’s what they’re trying to do – protect the paint and make us take those threes,” Ukoda said.

Mann, who grew up nearby in Lowell, Massachusetts, said he had played at TD Garden before but this was his first start as a pro in Boston. He said he had nearly 50 people in the stands, spread out throughout the arena to cheer him on.

“It’s a dream come true,” Mann said. “I used to come here and sit all the way at the top in the halo and wish that I could be on that floor one day and I am. To start in front of almost 50 people is amazing.”

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Borneo Bulletin is the leading English daily in the country. It was first published by Brunei Press. Today, Borneo Bulletin has become the foremost source of information on local and foreign affairs, and the region’s business news.

© 2013 Borneo Bulletin Online - The Independent Newspaper in Brunei Darussalam, Sabah and Sarawak

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