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tv   BBC News  BBC News  July 29, 2024 9:00am-9:31am BST

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this is the scene live in paris, where olympic organisers have cancelled triathlon training in the river seine for the second day in a row, over pollution concerns. hello. breaking news coming in via the afp news agency reporting there have been arrests of ultraleft activists at railway sites after those sabotage attacks on friday. you will remember they caused huge disruption when a train line was hit. this was a high—speed network with predawn attacks on the signal substations and cables are critical points. it caused travel chaos, hundreds of thousands of people on friday trying to get to paris and continued over the weekend. a police office saying that ultra left activists have been arrested. that is the only information we have at the moment
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via the press news association but we note that obviously police investigated whereon the case straightaway in those hours after those substations were attacked and caused chaos on eurostar, affecting of travel into france and around the country as well. we will bring him borrow not as soon as it comes in. they have now been arrested, ultra left activists. they have now been arrested, ultra left activists. the chancellor, rachel reeves, is set to scrap some major infrastructure projects as she looks to plug a £20—billion black hole in the public finances, left by the conservatives. in a speech later, she'll accuse the previous government refusing to make difficult decisions. here's our business correspondent marc ashdown. the chancellor is said to be genuinely shocked at the state of the public finances she's inherited from the conservatives. she's accused them of covering up the true scale of the issues — a black hole estimated at £20 billion — and then running away.
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today, rachel reeves will outline how she plans to, in her words, fix the foundations. it starts with public sector pay. the bbc understands she will accept pay recommendations, which are billions of pounds above what she's budgeted for. the calculation, the disruption from prolonged industrial action, is far more damaging to the economy than digging deep now for above—inflation pay rises. but it comes at an immediate cost. transport projects will be paused, cancelled or reprioritised. borisjohnson�*s new hospital programme may also be reviewed. to get the public finances back on track in the longer term, ms reeves is expected to commit to no more than one major fiscal event per year — she says to put an end to surprise budgets, which can unsettle the markets and family finances. she will establish a new office for value for money to cut down on waste and ensure all government spending delivers value.
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and she will underline the new legal requirement for the independent office for budget responsibility to scrutinise any major tax or spending announcements. analysts, like the institute for fiscal studies, have been warning about the extent of the task ahead for many months, and are sceptical at how much of this is really a surprise. at the broad level, at a high level, we always knew that there was going to be this crunch in terms of public spending. everybody knew that the public services were struggling, they'd need more money. at that high level, none of this is a surprise. the conservatives said ms reeves is lying to the british taxpayer and is trying to con people into believing the need for big tax rises. in its manifesto, labour pledged not to touch major taxes, like income tax, national insurance and vat. and ms reeves is not expected to suggest tax rises will be required at this stage. but areas like courts, prisons, further education and local council budgets could come in for a spending
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squeeze in a bid to save money. applause. the chancellor is promising to level with the public and tell the truth and take the difficult decisions, which she says might be painful now but will lead to every part of the uk being better off. marc ashdown, bbc news. let's speak to our political correspondent nick eardley. let ta ke let take on that point that mark with making, questions today about how much was really known about this fiscal black hole, how much is really a surprise. i fiscal black hole, how much is really a surprise.— really a surprise. i think it is auoin really a surprise. i think it is going to _ really a surprise. i think it is going to be _ really a surprise. i think it is going to be the _ really a surprise. i think it is going to be the big - really a surprise. i think it is going to be the big question really a surprise. i think it is i going to be the big question of really a surprise. i think it is - going to be the big question of the day because throughout the election campaign and there were election debate on the tv here on the bbc news channel, we were talking about there being a spending squeeze, saying that the next government whatever stripe it was would have to make some difficult decisions. you might remember that labour and the conservatives were both pretty reluctant to talk about that. i think there will be some raised eyebrows today about just
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think there will be some raised eyebrows today aboutjust how much is a surprise. however, when you speak to people in government in downing street, in the treasury, they are absolutely adamant that there are things they didn't know about, things that have happened since the last office for budget responsibility report in march. extra pieces of spending that were committed to buy the last government that hadn't been properly funded. have a listen to pat mcfadden, a labour frontbencher on bbc breakfast this morning. it is true that we knew we would inherit a tough situation, but what we found in the few weeks since we took off is that it is even tougher because there were things that we found that weren't revealed before the election. that is what lies behind today's statement from the chancellor, and it is going to mean some tough decisions because when we fought the election we said we would put financial stability first. the public expect us to stick
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by that and that's what we'll do. so there will be more questions today about whether this is all a surprise. we will get a document, about 30 pages, from the government later which will be going through to check whether any of this stuff would have been known beforehand. just a couple of things to put on the table, however, which government sources are flagging up is things they say are new, that they didn't know before the election —like public sector pay deals being well above inflation. ministers will say by funding that, which we expect them to do, they face a bigger bill. people are also pointing towards the home office and saying that the asylum system was spending a lot more money than had been allocated. so that is a couple of examples. there will be more later. if you listen to pat mcfadden, difficult decisions, that will be another big issue today. what difficult decisions is the government prepared
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to take? two i would say to watch out for, one, are they going to consult new hospitals? that is something that seems likely. the government to think that that it isn't capitalfunding government to think that that it isn't capital funding already for a new project in the nhs, then they won't go ahead. let's see what happens. the tunnel under stonehenge, which has been a bit on and off, not going to happen, that will be kind this afternoon. there are some unpopular decisions that the government will take but what they are trying to persuade us is it is not their fault, they are trying to persuade us is it is not theirfault, it is they are trying to persuade us is it is not their fault, it is a they are trying to persuade us is it is not theirfault, it is a last government's for because of how they left the books. we government's for because of how they left the booke— left the books. we will see. plenty more details _ left the books. we will see. plenty more details on _ left the books. we will see. plenty more details on that _ left the books. we will see. plenty more details on that this _ left the books. we will see. plenty l more details on that this afternoon. plenty more details on that this afternoon. it's day 3 of the olympics — and this is the scene live in paris. in the last few hours olympic organisers have announced they've cancelled triathlon training in the river seine for the second day in a row over pollution concerns. here's the current status of the medals table. japan is leading with four gold medals, australia
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and the us are close behind. team gb is currently i3th. looking ahead at today's schedule, we have the men's 10 metre platform synchronised dive, which tom daley will be competing in. there's also mountain biking later on today, which tom pidcock, the defending champion, will be competing in. we also have equestrian showjumping — the individualjumping finals, both individual and team will be taking place at the palace of versailles later on today. i've been speaking to our correspondent katie gornall in paris about what to expect today. we had so much drama yesterday, didn't we? let's see what today serves up. shortly in a moment after i speak to you i am going to be heading to the aquatic centre to see tom daley in action in his fifth olympic games. he started out in 2008 as a 14—year—old and now he is competing again in the men's ten metre platform synchro with his new dive partner noah williams.
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we didn't know if we would see tom daley again at an olympic games. when he won that fairy tale gold medal in tokyo, he seemed to be happily retired in los angeles with his family. but he was persuaded to come back into diving by his son, robbie, who wanted to see him compete at an olympic games and now he is. he has got a new dive partner, noah williams, who watched and idolised tom daley as a child. he watched him at london 2012. now he is getting the opportunity to dive alongside him. they will face competition from the chinese pair who are favourites for that event. but it willjust be wonderful for british fans to see tom daley back up there, competing at an olympic games. there is also going to be a lot of attention from a british point of view on the mountain biking later. tom pidcock goes in that one. and he had had an exhausting summer already. he was competing in the tour de france. he had covid. he had to leave that event early. and now he is a competing in the road racing as
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well. but today it is the final of the mountain bike, and that is the one he is prioritising. he is the defending champion and he is the favourite, so he will be targeting gold in that one. and then we could have a very exciting finale to the eventing which takes place in the beautiful surroundings of the palace of versailles. team gb in pole position for that one. they are five points ahead of the french, going into the final round of showjumping, after the dressage and the cross country, of course. they could have been further ahead of the french but ros canter was penalised in the eventing yesterday. team gb appealed against that decision. it was unsuccessful. they are not very happy about it, but they are in pole position targeting back—to—back golds at the team eventing. let's speak to drew barrand, chief executive officer at aquatics gb. he joins us from paris. great to have you won. i want to ask you about the pollution in the river seine, which are seen triathlon swim and cancelled again today, certainly
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preparations for it. what is your view given that there were so many fears around pollution in the river in the run—up to the olympics? obviously it is an issue, not ideal in terms of the preparation for the athletes but this conversation has been running for months now. we are all hope of the event goes on as planned. there are contingency plans in place and our athletes are just going to get on with it. what in place and our athletes are 'ust going to get on with it.�* going to get on with it. what are those contingency _ going to get on with it. what are those contingency plans? - going to get on with it. what are those contingency plans? there | going to get on with it. what are - those contingency plans? there are, some reserve _ those contingency plans? there are, some reserve days _ those contingency plans? there are, some reserve days if— those contingency plans? there are, some reserve days if their _ those contingency plans? there are, some reserve days if their pollution | some reserve days if their pollution levels are too high and possibly if there don't work there is a reserve venue but all of those things are back are planned at the moment. at the moment, everything seems to be going to schedule. i the moment, everything seems to be going to schedule.— going to schedule. i want to ask you about the action _ going to schedule. i want to ask you about the action in _ going to schedule. i want to ask you about the action in the _ going to schedule. i want to ask you about the action in the pool, - going to schedule. i want to ask you about the action in the pool, adaml about the action in the pool, adam missing out on gold. by 200 have a second. gosh, so close. an incredible achievement that he won silver. very mixed emotions for him.
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he said he did feel like he had still won. how is he doing, how do the team rally around him when it must be so difficult to, they want to celebrate but they have to deal with this disappointment?- with this disappointment? listen, adam is a really _ with this disappointment? listen, adam is a really strong _ with this disappointment? listen, j adam is a really strong character, he has come through a lot in the last few years to be here and i think he looks as last night as successful, to be there, be competitive and get on the podium. it was a phenomenal race, he is a great athlete and a great ambassador for our sport and a silver medal in the olympic games is nothing to be sniffed at. he is a fantastic role model and obviously we have great hopes for him later on this week relays as well.— hopes for him later on this week relays as well. absolutely, still a fantastic achievement. _ relays as well. absolutely, still a fantastic achievement. let's - relays as well. absolutely, still a fantastic achievement. let's talk| fantastic achievement. let's talk about tom daley. he is competing, he has come out of retirement for these games. has come out of retirement for these names. ., , ., , ., , games. how is he and his team they doinu ? games. how is he and his team they doing? they — games. how is he and his team they doing? they are _ games. how is he and his team they doing? they are all— games. how is he and his team they doing? they are all good. _ games. how is he and his team they doing? they are all good. behind i games. how is he and his team they i doing? they are all good. behind me, i am about to head into the aquatic centre where tom is diving. we are
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the best prepared team that we could possibly be. we have got fantastic sport all the way across a we just got to concentrate on big names like adam and tom but we have got strength in depth and nachos in terms of nowhere's capable to competing against tom and that is a massive thank you to everyone in the uk because away we are funded through the national lottery that everyone who has a ticket in terms of back home, because that money goes towards creating the environment for our athletes to compete at their very best. aquatics gb, ou're compete at their very best. aquatics gb. you're been _ compete at their very best. aquatics gb, you're been running _ compete at their very best. aquatics gb, you're been running this - compete at their very best. aquatics gb, you're been running this since l gb, you're been running this since last year. tell us what the preparations are likely to olympics?. preparations are likely to olympics?-_ preparations are likely to olympics? . preparations are likely to ol mics?. , ., ~ preparations are likely to olmics?. , ., . ., olympics?. pretty full on. we have athletes competing _ olympics?. pretty full on. we have athletes competing account - olympics?. pretty full on. we have athletes competing account every l athletes competing account every single day. we have diving, more diving next week, the marathon swimming and also artistic swimmers.
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plenty of different athletes, plenty of hard work and preparation for the team but we are in a really strong place and we are looking to really kick on and make sure our sport is highly competitive at the top level and see what the medal count looks like at the end.— like at the end. interesting to talk to ou. like at the end. interesting to talk to you- we _ like at the end. interesting to talk to you. we wish _ like at the end. interesting to talk to you. we wish you _ like at the end. interesting to talk to you. we wish you the _ like at the end. interesting to talk to you. we wish you the best - like at the end. interesting to talk to you. we wish you the best of. to you. we wish you the best of luck and look forward to seeing those results. thank you. breaking news from israel. after the rocket attacks on the golan heights in which 12 young people were killed on saturday. we have just had a response from israel via a newsagency and we have been waiting to hear what their reaction could be. we have heard that israel is saying they want to hurt hezbollah, who are believed to be behind the attack but they don't want to drag the region into an all—out war. that is according to a senior israeli defence official. two other officials said the country was preparing for the possibility of some data fighting. while the official spoke, as prime minister
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benjamin netanyahu convened security cabinet, late on sunday evening, a day after those strikes on sunday funerals were held for some of the 12 young people killed when a rocket hit a football pitch in a town close to the lebanese israel border and there are fears that strike in the town of majal shams could ignite a regional war. town of majal shams could ignite a regionalwar. our town of majal shams could ignite a regional war. our correspondent reports from the israeli occupied golan heights. paul adams reports from israeli—occupied golan heights. through the streets of majal shams, the coffins came one by one. a town reeling in shock, consumed by collective grief, terrified about what happens next. for months they feared a disaster, but they never imagined it would take away their children. at the football pitch where they all died, moments of silent reflection. efforts to comprehend the speed of this tragedy.
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a playground transformed in an instant into a place ofjagged metal, discarded belongings and in the corner the blood of the victims. we are told that a siren sounded just seconds before the rocket landed here and blew the fence right back. and look, just outside the pitch, metres away, there is a bomb shelter, but the children on the pitch, those watching, those on their bikes and scooters had no time to react. the mood changes as government officials arrive to pay their respects. there is real anger now, even from one man in uniform. they have been bombarding us for ten months, he shouts. "my children are crying every day." after thousands of hezbollah rockets since last october, people here just want it all to end. when israel's hardline finance minister shows up, some urge the government to strike back hard. but others turn on him.
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"get out of here, you criminal," one says. the government has yet to decide how to respond. the army says it just needs the word. we are ready. we said we are ready for several weeks or even months and we continue to be ready and every day that is passing we are preparing more and more. but in this druze minority town, captured from syria in 1967, such talk is causing anxiety. i am afraid for the consequences. if this happened yesterday, what about tomorrow if it happens, if it gets to an all—out war? it is going to be pretty tough. a lot of people are going to die. on all sides. this boy was ten years old, the youngest victim. his uncle and cousins struggling to comprehend his sudden loss. he is loved by everyone. his family says the war which killed him has to end.
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let's cross live now tojerusalem where we can speak to our correspondent yolande knell. what more are we hearing from their senior israel defence spokesperson? what we have heard is that the israeli security cabinet has basically authorised the prime minister and the defence minister to decide on the appropriate response and the timing of that response to that rocket strike on saturday. and the country is still very much reeling from this attack in the israeli occupied golan heights, the israeli occupied golan heights, the israeli newspapers have their pictures of the 12 children aged between ten and 16 who were killed on saturday. israel is blaming the powerful lebanese group hezbollah for what happened, saying it used an iran made me sad. hezbollah continues to deny its response to a tee. the effect from israel is it is going to exact a heavy price from
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hezbollah for what happened. what we saw yesterday and today is a continuation of their cross—border attacks, relatively low level, that have gone on since the 8th of october when hezbollah said it was beginning to fire at israel in solidarity with hamas in gaza. but the expectation from israeli military commentators is something much more serious is being planned. they are saying there could be an attack on a major hezbollah target deepening side lebanon. there is a bottle petite israel could strike at lebanese civilian infrastructure. the risk is what response would come from hezbollah, which has a very big arsenal of longer range rockets? you have got international diplomats getting involved to try and urge restraint, to try to stop another all—out war developing at the same time as a worry is continuing to rage in the gaza strip.-
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time as a worry is continuing to rage in the gaza strip. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.
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we start in venezuela where the electoral authority says president nicolas maduro has been re—elected for a third term. here he is addressing his supporters after the result was announced. according to the official count based on eighty percent of the ballots, mr maduro won about five million votes, compared with some four million for the main opposition candidate, edmundo gonzalez. the venezuelan opposition are alleging widespread fraud in the counting of votes. our correspondent ione wells has the latest from caracas. these results have just come in and effectively the electoral authorities are saying that president maduro has won a third term in office. they announce that with 80% of the votes counted president maduro had won
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about 5 million of the votes and the opposition candidate, edmundo gonzalez, had won about 4 million of the votes. now, these results are likely to be widely disputed by the opposition. prior to the results being announced by the electoral council, who is controlled by the government and by president maduro, the opposition were claiming widespread fraud in this election. their particular concern was around the fact that their election observers were barred or removed, in some cases, from some of the election counts around the country. they said that the receipts that are printed from some of the electronic voting machines around the country weren't delivered, they haven't been able to receive some of those. they said they had only had access to about 30% of those physical receipts showing what the results were from the electronic machines and their concern was that this means the results were submitted electronically and that could leave things more open to be tampered with. now, that is something that is
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disputed heavily by the government. president maduro has said that these results had been fair but the big question now is whether the international community recognise this result, whether they recognise his government, after the last elections were widely dismissed as neither free norfair, and how the opposition decide to react now. because in the build—up to this in the opinion polls, the opposition were well ahead, they were widely expected to gain the majority of votes, judging by some of the opinion polls published before this election. i think they will not want to concede defeat, given the result that has been announced by the official authorities. so they are likely to challenge this result, as you say we are waiting for the response from the international community to this as well. so really it's a waiting game now, is it, to see what happens in the next 2a hours or so? that's right, and there are a lot of unknowns about what could happen next. certainly after the last election
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in 2018, which was also widely dismissed as being neitherfree nor fair, protests broke out around the country and sanctions were imposed by the us, hitting in particular venezuela's oil sector. so there is a question now, as i say, about how both the international community responds but also how the opposition responds here in venezuela. there was a lot at stake in the selection, the economy has been in freefall for a decade. millions of venezuelans have fled the country, nearly 8 million in total, many of whom have emigrated to the us. and there are concerns among those who want a change, who wanted to vote for a different government about what now happens to the country in general. john anderson, best known for his role as a referee in the tv series gladiators has died at the age of 92. , ., ., ., , gladiators has died at the age of 92. ., ._ gladiators has died at the age of 92. ., ., , ., , that gladiators has died at the age of 92-— that was i gladiators has died at the age of. 92._ that was a 92. gladiators! ready! that was a memorable _ 92. gladiators! ready! that was a memorable voice, _ 92. gladiators! ready! that was a memorable voice, wasn't - 92. gladiators! ready! that was a memorable voice, wasn't it? - 92. gladiators! ready! that was a memorable voice, wasn't it? the| memorable voice, wasn't it? the scottish sparta coach appeared on
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the show�*s original run. he also trained more than 100 olympic athletes. the statement from the tv show said john wood the river be remembered for his iconic voice. —— john wood forever be remembered for his iconic voice. we start this new week with very warm or even hot weather, tomorrow could be 32 celsius. making it the warmest day of this year so far. mid week we start to see a foundry breakdown and by the end of the week pressure, with sunshine and showers. today high pressure is in charge of the weather. we have weather fronts bumping into it and weakening but they will produce a band of cloud and also some light rain. ahead of that, since i was getting into western scotland and northern ireland but a lot of dry weather for the rest of the uk, a fair bit of
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sunshine, fair weather cloud bubbling up through the day. temperatures 22 in aberdeen, 23 in newcastle, 28 or 29 in london. if you were tempted by the sea, these are the sea temperatures. 1a to 18 degrees, a little bit chilly. into this evening and overnight, the weather front continues to drift from the north—west heading south—eastwards, weakening all the time. it will fizzle by the end of the night. clear skies with patchy mist and fog coming across south—west england. overnight lows have 11 to 15. tomorrow, the remnants of the weather front producing the cloud will be with us but it will break up further through the day. a lot of dry weather, a fair bit of sunshine, windy across the far north of the country, especially shetland. we could catch the odd shower. temperature wise, 21 in aberdeen, 20 in belfast, 26 in birmingham and potentially 31 or 32
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celsius in the south—eastern quarter. wednesday, thundery breakdowns in southern areas with a lot of clout in the north—east of england and north—east scotland, making it quite grey day but a lot of dry weather still, just not as warm or hot. highest temperature is about 26. as we head on from thursday into friday, we still have thunderstorms around but by the end of the week low pressure starts to take over from of the week low pressure starts to take overfrom high pressure. on thursday itself, humid, low cloud, showery rain, turning thundery and beyond that a mixture of sunshine and showers.
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this is bbc news, the headlines: the uk chancellor is set to scrap some major infrastructure projects to plug a 20 million black hole in the public finances. the french police have arrested someone after the sabotage attacks last week. the prime minister has been authorised to determine the response to a deadly rocket strike. president maduro has won a third term in office in venezuela. a top
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eu diplomat urges full transparency. kemi badenoch has become the sixth mp tojoin the kemi badenoch has become the sixth mp to join the race for leader of the conservative party. hello. the chancellor, rachel reeves, is set to announce immediate cuts worth billions of pounds, aimed at plugging a £20 billion black hole in the finances, when she addresses mps today. ms reeves is said to be "genuinely shocked" by some of the findings, which she blames the previous tory government for, but she will not suggest at this stage that tax rises will be required. let's speak to thomas pope, deputy chief economist at the institute for government. thanks for being with us. explain this financial _ thanks for being with us. explain this financial shortfall? _ thanks for being with us. explain this financial shortfall? it - thanks for being with us. explain this financial shortfall? it sounds j this financial shortfall? it sounds like what rachel reeves is going to outline is spending so far this year is running ahead of what the government had budgeted. the budget for this year, they were set at the
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spending review in 2021.

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