Norway’s palace announced on Friday that King Harald V, Europe’s oldest reigning monarch, had died at 89. His son automatically succeeded him as King Haakon VIII.
Norway’s Royal House says King Harald V has died in an Oslo hospital at the age of 89. He was hospitalized on August 17 with an infection and complications from hemolytic anemia; his condition was declared “very serious” on August 27. His 53-year-old son, Haakon, will inherit the throne.
Norway’s King Harald, described as a reformer who emerged from the shadow of his widely loved father during more than three decades on the throne, has died at 89, the royal palace said on Friday.
Norway’s palace says King Harald V died peacefully at age 89 on 28 August at Oslo University Hospital, triggering the succession of his son, Crown Prince Haakon. Haakon’s wife, Mette-Marit, has faced fierce controversy over correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein from 2011 to 2014, years after his conviction, adding to a turbulent period for the royal family.
NorwayKing Harald Vroyal successionJeffrey Epstein
Norway’s King Harald has died at the age of 89, the royal court said. He had been treated for hemolytic anemia at Oslo University Hospital since mid-August after his condition worsened. Prince Haakon will succeed him.
Norway's King Harald V has died peacefully in Oslo at the age of 89, after 35 years on the throne. He was widely remembered as a popular, reforming monarch who modernised the royal family, married a commoner and served as a unifying figure; his son Haakon will succeed him.
China’s new economic growth drivers index reached 153 in 2025, up 12.5% from a 2022 base of 100, according to the National Bureau of Statistics’ Institute of Statistical Sciences. All four sub-indexes rose, led by a 22.7% increase in transformation and upgrading and a 12.9% rise in innovation-driven growth; together they contributed 65.5% of the overall increase.
China economygrowth driversinnovationeconomic upgrading
The first themed salon of the Hainan-Hong Kong Parlor was held in Hong Kong with about 50 representatives from government agencies, financial institutions and investors. Participants discussed Hainan’s post-customs-closure financial opening policies, Free Trade Accounts, the QFLP pilot and cooperation between industrial funds.
HainanHong Kongcross-border financefree trade port
Nepal warned that a lake had breached its banks, while China suspended flood rescue efforts near the border because of a “real possibility” of a secondary disaster.
Nepal’s foreign ministry said on Friday that the country did not need foreign assistance for search-and-rescue operations after a devastating flash flood swept through several towns. Several countries had offered help because their nationals were missing in the disaster.
Earth scientists are examining satellite imagery from the Nepal-China border to find clues about the cause of catastrophic flooding. The images show bedrock and glacier collapse followed by flooding rivers.
Nepal’s disaster authority says 977 people are missing after severe flooding, including 28 police officers, 58 servicemen and 517 foreign tourists. Some 13,295 people are taking part in the rescue effort, with 3,253 rescued and nearly 469 bodies recovered. Preliminary data links the flood to a snow and rock avalanche near the Nepal-China border.
As Palestinians flock to Gaza’s beaches for one of the few available leisure activities, lifeguards work without essential equipment destroyed during the war. About 120 guards cover Gaza Municipality beaches, relying on whistles, voices, hand signals and flags while handling numerous daily rescues and a narrower view from ground-level tents.
A made-in-China humanoid robot broke Usain Bolt’s 100-metre world-record time this week, marking a step forward for robots capable of matching or even surpassing human achievements.
China roboticshumanoid robotsartificial intelligence
Ukraine’s General Staff says Russian forces have suffered about 1,483,780 casualties since the full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, including 1,630 over the past day. It also reported extensive Russian equipment losses. Ukraine has not disclosed its own casualties, citing operational secrecy, while Western estimates put Russian losses significantly higher than Ukraine’s.
The 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services will add dedicated exhibition areas to display domestic innovations and support companies seeking overseas markets. About 90 countries and international organizations and more than 1,800 offline exhibitors are expected, with Norway as country of honor and Guangxi as guest province.
Officials in Nepal’s Rasuwa district were notified that a lake had broken its banks, the district’s senior bureaucrat Narendra Pariyar said on Friday. The notice came two days after a flash flood struck the area.
Nepalese authorities have paused rescue operations for 90 minutes after reports that a dammed lake in the flood-hit area began overflowing, an army officer said on Friday.
Six months after the United States and Israel began a coordinated military campaign against Iran, the government has survived but faces a harsher economic siege and sharper leadership divisions. After Ali Khamenei was assassinated, his son Mojtaba succeeded him but has not made a verified public appearance. Oil exports have plunged and inflation is nearing 90 percent.
Six months into the US-Iran conflict, sustained American pressure is weakening Tehran and giving Washington greater leverage, the analysis argues. Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz has eroded and its nuclear capabilities have suffered damage, but construction at Pickaxe Mountain shows the war’s central questions remain unresolved.
The war between Iran and the United States, launched after surprise Israeli and US attacks on February 28, has settled into prolonged attrition without regime collapse or a clear Washington victory. Disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, supply shocks, inflation and rising defence demands are deepening uncertainty for Gulf economies, while regional alliances continue to shift.
Iran warUnited StatesGulf economiesStrait of Hormuz
Six months after airstrikes started the war and a severely wounded Mojtaba Khamenei became Iran’s supreme leader, he remains neither seen nor heard by Iranians, leaving a vacuum at the center of the country’s leadership.
About 50,000 US troops are deployed in the Middle East, US Central Command chief Admiral Bradley Cooper said. He said more than 20 warships, hundreds of vessels and thousands of troops have maintained the naval blockade against Iran and commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz since the blockade resumed in mid-July.
The Iran war has lasted six months, far exceeding the four to six weeks the Trump administration estimated would be needed to achieve its objectives. Markets are becoming accustomed to a stalemate with no apparent end in sight.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran would take unspecified countermeasures affecting US interests in the Middle East if Washington intensifies economic pressure and sanctions. He said the shift shows that a military solution to the conflict has produced limited results.
Plans to clear about 15 of Maju Forest’s 23 hectares and at least 10 hectares of Gillman Forest for housing have prompted unusually vocal opposition in Singapore. Petitions seeking cancellation or changes to the projects have gathered more than 60,000 signatures, while over 2,000 people rallied for stronger environmental safeguards and greater planning transparency.
Quebec’s election campaign has officially begun, reviving the province’s secession from Canada as a divisive issue while the trade war with the US intensifies. Separatists are ahead in the polls.
Warsh’s Jackson Hole speech could shape expectations about Federal Reserve support for Treasury buybacks, with potential consequences for bitcoin, gold and long-term yields.
BREAKING Nepal says dam burst in Tibet, warns rescuers to head to safety, police warn.
"All security personnel, rescue workers, and the general public deployed in rescue and relief operations are requested to remain alert and immediately move to a safe location"
BREAKING Nepal says dam burst in Tibet, warns rescuers to head to safety, police warn.
"All security personnel, rescue workers, and the general public deployed in rescue and relief operations are requested to remain alert and immediately move to a safe location"
Security guard Ni-arfan Doloh was taking a routine photograph for his nightly report on Saturday when five masked men carrying rifles emerged from inside a government office in Thailand's southern Narathiwat province. The insurgency has left villagers caught in persistent fear.
All three Solana proposals have met quorum. A measure to slow the creation of new SOL is narrowly ahead, while a separate proposal to substantially increase token burns remains short of the two-thirds support required.
MANTRA Chain resumed mainnet block production with v8.4.0 six days after a security incident halted the network. The team says user balances and outside funds were unaffected, but its promised technical report remains unpublished. Recovery changes include a dependency update, address blocklisting and disabled messages, while the exploit path and activity in two project wallets remain unexplained.
US companies closely tied to Donald Trump are seeking better relations with Democrats ahead of the congressional midterm elections, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources. Technology firms that donated heavily to Trump projects fear congressional investigations and legal prosecutions if Republicans lose their House majority. Some are redirecting funds, hiring former Democratic aides or trying to complete major deals before the vote.
US politicsmidterm electionscorporate lobbyingDonald Trump
Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh is due to address international economists and central bankers on Friday. Investors worldwide will look for more detail on the economy, recent bond-market volatility and risks to the U.S. and global outlooks.
Federal ReserveJackson Holebond marketseconomic outlook
The death toll from the Himalayan flash flood has risen to 469, with more than 1,000 people still missing. Chinese authorities warn that a debris-formed barrier lake could unleash a second flood wave. An engineering team is surveying the lake and considering a drainage channel as continuing rain threatens to destabilize the area.
More than 470 people have died and over 1,500 remain missing after flash floods devastated Nepal and Tibet. Rescue work near the Nepal-China border has been paused because a newly formed barrier lake is unstable and could burst, causing more flooding.
China warns that a barrier lake formed by a landslide near the Nepal-Tibet border could burst in the coming days and trigger another downstream flood. The lake is overflowing continuously, forcing rescue operations near Gyirong Port to stop. About 2.5 million cubic metres of water has accumulated, with another 3 million expected to flow in.
China has paused rescue work at the centre of flooding in Tibet after a debris-formed lake began overflowing and was judged at risk of breaching. Nepal’s death toll has reached 469, with more than 1,300 people missing. Damaged roads and bridges are complicating searches, including for tourists and people trapped in a hydropower tunnel.
A wall of ice, mud and rock collapsed into a mountain river, triggering a catastrophic flash flood. China has sent hundreds of military personnel to Gyirong, a border town in Tibet, to help with the search.
China is urgently working to reduce the risk of a barrier lake bursting near the border with Nepal and causing further flooding at a disaster-hit crossing linking Tibet and Nepal. The disaster has killed hundreds since Wednesday, and a breach could worsen the calamity.
Chinese authorities warned Friday that a lake created by a mudslide on the China-Nepal border could breach, sending floodwaters downstream and causing further damage. Water levels are expected to rise over the next three days, while 499 residents and 555 tourists have already been evacuated from the disaster zone.
More than 390 people have died and over 1,400 remain missing after a glacier collapse triggered a torrent of mud and water along the Nepal-Tibet border. Chinese authorities warn that continued rain could send about 3m cubic metres into an artificial lake over three days, creating a high risk of a breach and further downstream flooding. Rescuers and military helicopters continue searching, while the Red Cross says about 93,000 people may have been affected.
Flash floods swept away bridges and devastated a key trade route linking Nepal and China. Residents are returning to damaged homes and businesses, while rescue teams continue working and families await information about hundreds reported missing.
On an island in the Taiwan Strait, Taiwanese troops recently checked and loaded 105mm shells into four tanks before dawn. After completing the ammunition checks, they waited quietly for the order to fire.
China has released its first national-level geometric reference remote sensing imagery dataset, covering the country’s entire land territory. With an overall spatial resolution of 0.5 meters, it more than doubles nationwide positioning accuracy, improves imagery in mountainous, high-altitude and uninhabited areas, and provides a unified base map for satellite data.
A corruption inquiry heard Charles Perrottet discussed damaging Liberal minister David Elliott’s political career after his brother Dominic became New South Wales premier in 2021. In a message, he wrote that they would “execute the prick” after the party-room meeting. His wife Anita said she could not recall what the messages meant.
Dunamu and Visa are partnering on stablecoin and artificial-intelligence businesses. Dunamu said the partnership will specifically explore possible use of Open USD in future collaborations.
China Life Insurance, the country’s largest life insurer, reported record first-half results and said it would increase investment in technology-related sectors while seeking long-term partnerships with innovative companies. Revenue rose 81.5 per cent year on year to 434.3 billion yuan, while net profit jumped more than 228 per cent to 134.5 billion yuan.
China Life Insuranceartificial intelligencechipsbiotechnology
SSouth China Morning PostOriginal★★★☆☆2026-08-28 06:00
China Life revenue surges as insurer expands AI, chip and biotech investments
China is expanding the use of BeiDou spatiotemporal data in intelligent driving, the low-altitude economy and embodied AI. The Ministry of Natural Resources has integrated data from more than 7,500 satellite-navigation reference stations and is advancing an “AI + spatiotemporal information” initiative. Satellite imagery also supported emergency work after a mudslide at Gyirong Port in Xizang.
Five investors accuse Selena Gomez and her mother’s mental health platform, Wondermind, of breaching commitments and defrauding them of nearly $1.2m. Gomez’s lawyer calls the allegations vague, contradictory and potentially frivolous, and asks for her dismissal from the case.
China’s 2026 summer box office reached 11.967 billion yuan by Thursday evening, edging past the 11.966 billion yuan earned during the entire 2025 summer season. Domestic films hold four of the top five spots, while IMAX revenue has also risen year on year.
A consortium made up of buyout firm Advent and payment processor Stripe has decided to abandon its pursuit of fintech pioneer PayPal, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Drought and extreme heat are drying rivers and farmland across Europe. Record-low water levels are disrupting agriculture and shipping, and are even affecting nuclear power plants that depend on rivers for cooling.
A common dolphin found dead near Goolwa in South Australia has tested positive for H5N1, becoming the second known native mammal species in Australia to contract the virus. The federal government will withdraw 24 expeditioners from Macquarie Island because witnessing possible mass seal deaths could cause prolonged psychological stress, despite the low human health risk.
Vietnamese leaders have called on Qualcomm and Samsung Electronics to expand investment in artificial intelligence, semiconductors and research and development as the country seeks to upgrade its technology sector and become a regional innovation hub.
Transport authorities in Indonesia’s capital suspended or diverted some rail and bus services on Friday after street protests reportedly escalated into late-night rioting, according to local media.
Thousands protested outside Indonesia’s parliament in Jakarta, calling for tougher punishment for corrupt officials and passage of a long-stalled bill allowing the state to seize assets linked to corruption. Police deployed 18,500 officers and detained 65 suspected “provocateurs” before the march. After dark, some protesters threw objects, prompting tear gas and water cannon use.
IndonesiaJakartaanti-corruption protestsparliament bill
Donald Trump signed an executive order seeking to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America” in the US official geographic names database, giving the Interior Department 30 days to act. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and provincial leaders rejected the change, as the move came amid a breakdown in US-Canada trade talks and escalating tariffs.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Lake Ontario’s name, derived from the Wendat word Ontariio, is more than 400 years old and predates both Canadian Confederation and the US Declaration of Independence. He said Canadians will continue calling it Lake Ontario after Donald Trump ordered it renamed Lake America.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America. The Great Lake spans the Canada-US border, and the move comes as an escalating trade war strains relations between the two countries.
After U.S. President Donald Trump declared that he was changing the name to “Lake America,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that the lake would remain “Lake Ontario.”
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday directing the country’s geographic naming service to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney opposed the move, pointing to the name’s Indigenous origins as tensions between the neighbors simmered.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order seeking to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America,” following the collapse of US-Canada trade talks and new 50% US tariffs on $20bn of Canadian goods. Canada says it will continue calling the lake Lake Ontario.
Donald TrumpLake AmericaUS-Canada relationstrade dispute
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the shared US-Canada body of water Lake Ontario as “Lake America”, effective immediately. The move comes amid an escalating trade war after Washington raised tariffs, with Trump criticizing Canada and suggesting other waterways could also receive America-themed names.
Lake OntarioDonald TrumpUS-Canada relationstrade war
A US federal judge in Miami is considering whether Andrew and Tristan Tate should be granted bail as they contest extradition to the United Kingdom, where they face rape and human trafficking charges. The brothers have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Andrew and Tristan Tate asked a Miami court to release them while they contest extradition to the UK over rape and trafficking charges. Their lawyers said they were not flight risks, while government attorneys cited their resources and claims of holding multiple passports. A magistrate judge will rule later on bail.
Kanazawa’s fire department is asking residents not to reposition shoes removed by paramedics when entering homes. Crews place them precisely so stretcher bearers can step into them quickly without jolting a patient or dislodging an oxygen mask; rearranging them can delay transport by about 30 seconds.
Colombia’s military says a French-Colombian soldier serving in the French Foreign Legion was kidnapped in early August while travelling through Nariño department. The suspected kidnappers are believed to belong to the Estado Mayor Central, a dissident faction of the far-left FARC guerrilla group.
Residents in Algeria’s northeastern Jijel province are surveying communities devastated by wildfires. Twelve people were killed across several provinces after more than 150 fires erupted in a single day, with fewer than one-third still burning.
German industry is stepping up pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz to adopt a tougher approach toward Beijing. Companies are seeking stronger measures to tackle what they describe as unfair competition from Chinese rivals.
In the ongoing Champions League, two-time European champions Paris Saint-Germain will host Barcelona and travel to England to face Manchester City. Other notable meetings include José Mourinho against former clubs, Olivier Giroud against Arsenal and Yan Diomandé against Leipzig.
Champions LeagueParis Saint-GermainBarcelonaManchester City
John Barker, director general of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine, said China could become a major producer of high-quality wine, citing its sustainability efforts and growing expertise in local terroir. The upcoming congress in Beijing will spotlight Ningxia and China’s contributions to standards, trade facilitation and consumer protection.
Tokyo’s annual core inflation accelerated for a third consecutive month in August, data showed, indicating that price pressures are broadening and strengthening the case for a rate hike as early as next month.
CENTCOM chief Admiral Bradley Cooper said US forces had provided coordinated protection for nearly 1,500 commercial vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz over several months, carrying almost 750 million barrels of crude. He claimed Iran has exported no oil since the US resumed its maritime blockade in mid-July. US forces have also redirected 75 vessels and disabled three.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow had not issued Washington an ultimatum over US assistance to Ukraine in strikes on Russian territory. He said Russian diplomats had instead asked the US State Department to confirm recurring Western media reports that the Trump administration was providing Kyiv with financial aid, weapons and intelligence.
Donald Trump’s campaign to acquire Greenland and growing uncertainty over U.S. security commitments have brought a geopolitical dimension to Iceland’s closely contested debate over joining the EU.
Beijing-based GalaxySpace deployed what it called China’s first turnkey satellite export to Southeast Asia this week, highlighting efforts to expand the country’s overseas space influence amid competition with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The company said Thailand’s Lingzhi-09 CubeSat launched Tuesday from Shanxi aboard a Long March-6C rocket with six other satellites.
China commercial spaceThailandsatellite launch
SSouth China Morning PostOriginal★★★☆☆2026-08-28 05:00
China’s commercial space sector expands global footprint with Thailand deal
SoftBank-backed surgical robotics company Noah Medical has started preparing for a Hong Kong IPO. Founder Zhang Jian said the US-headquartered firm aims to raise more than US$100 million and could file its listing application as early as next year to expand in mainland China.
surgical roboticsHong Kong IPOmainland China expansion
SSouth China Morning PostOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-08-28 05:00
SoftBank-backed surgical robotics firm eyes Hong Kong listing to expand in mainland China
The 2026 China-South Africa Human Rights Seminar brought officials and experts from China, South Africa and other countries to Hangzhou to discuss human rights and development. Topics included China-Africa economic cooperation, shared development, the green transition and modern social governance.
China-South Africa relationshuman rightsChina-Africa cooperationHangzhou
Toyota Motor said global vehicle sales and production declined in July as weaker results in China, the United States and the Middle East outweighed stronger performance in Japan.
Nepali and Tibetan communities in Australia are organising vigils and fundraising after floods and landslides in Nepal killed 469 people and left more than 1,300 missing, according to police. Foreign affairs minister Penny Wong said 39 Australians were missing and announced a $5m support package. Community groups are helping families trace relatives and supporting relief efforts.
Nepal’s death toll from massive flash floods has reached 469, police said Friday. Rescue teams are searching for hundreds of people still missing near the Nepal-China border.
Relatives of Shylaja and Chandrasekaran Muralitharan and their two sons, among 39 Australians missing after flash floods in Nepal, say they are worried but hopeful the family is safe and can be rescued. The disaster’s death toll has neared 400, while about 1,400 people, mostly tourists, remain unaccounted for.
Nepal floodsmissing Australiansflash floodingsearch and rescue
Rescue teams used heavy machinery to search through mud and debris in Nepalese towns devastated by a flash flood two days earlier. As hopes of finding survivors waned, officials worked to limit the danger of further flooding.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the same-day Moscow visits by CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Vatican Secretary for Relations with States Paul Richard Gallagher reflected their wish to come and talk with the Russian side.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he was not concerned about a possible Russian provocation against NATO countries and called CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s Aug. 25 Moscow trip “standard business.” Several major U.S. outlets reported that Ratcliffe may have delivered warnings about attacks on NATO members, escalation in Ukraine and the need for serious negotiations.
The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that President Donald Trump personally sent CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Russia on a mission so sensitive that some White House officials were unaware of it beforehand. Ratcliffe reportedly reaffirmed the US commitment to NATO’s Article 5 and discussed Russia’s cooperation with Iran and restarting talks with Ukraine. SVR chief Sergey Naryshkin confirmed meeting Ratcliffe in Moscow.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he is not concerned about a possible Russian attack on a NATO country. He denied that CIA Director John Ratcliffe delivered a warning to Vladimir Putin during his covert August 25 visit to Moscow, saying the intelligence chiefs have a good relationship and that nothing unusual occurred. Trump later said Russia would not attack NATO territory.
US President Donald Trump said CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Russia’s SVR chief Sergey Naryshkin have a good relationship and speak regularly. He described Ratcliffe’s recent Moscow trip as routine, saying there was nothing unusual about it and questioning the media attention it received.
Donald TrumpUS-Russia relationsintelligence agencies
Donald Trump described CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s visit to Russia as “semi-routine”, but the article argues that a secret 10,000-mile flight to Moscow on a US military plane was anything but ordinary. Ratcliffe met Russian intelligence officials, and reports said he may have warned Moscow against escalation over the Ukraine deadlock, particularly action against Nato members.
BREAKING China pauses a rescue operation citing the high risk of renewed flooding in Tibet, where hundreds remain missing two days after a deadly mudslide, state media says
BREAKING China pauses a rescue operation citing the high risk of renewed flooding in Tibet, where hundreds remain missing two days after a deadly mudslide, state media says
A weekly selection of seven stories from Hong Kong, mainland China, Asia and beyond includes the worldwide suspension of US green-card interviews, new restrictions on student and work visas, heightened scrutiny of citizenship applications and China’s criticism of fresh sanctions against Iran.
US visasChinaIran sanctions
SSouth China Morning PostOriginal★★★☆☆2026-08-28 04:45
US visa interviews on hold; China slams fresh sanctions over Iran: SCMP’s seven highlights
Bitcoin held around $80,000 while Solana led major cryptocurrencies higher. Every major token except HYPE gained over 24 hours, capping a week in which bitcoin rose 9% and solana climbed 20%.
Ethereum’s EIP-8037 and EIP-8038 proposals would reprice state creation and access to support roughly three times more base-layer throughput. Replay testing found transactions that could be affected under the candidate rules, though the proposals remain under review. The upgrade is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026, with fork dates still unset.
Hong Kong is caught up in a global trading-card boom, with players buying cards both to play and as collectibles or investments. Rising prices and grading services have drawn more people into the market, but analysts warn that demand can be cyclical, tied to the lifespan of each intellectual property, and that cards may become difficult to sell when prices fall.
Hong Kongtrading cardsPokemonalternative investments
Trading card games have surged worldwide, attracting players who also buy and sell cards as investments. The global market was valued at about $7.8 billion in 2025 and could reach $12.86 billion by 2031. An Illustrator Pikachu card sold for more than $16 million earlier this year, setting a collectibles trading record.
Indian shares opened higher on Friday after two consecutive sessions of losses. Caution could persist ahead of a speech by the Federal Reserve chair and following sharp swings under the new closing auction mechanism.
Two wildfires are burning along California’s remote Big Sur coast. Crews using water-dropping aircraft have attacked a small blaze that prompted new evacuations.
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