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☆ Elon Musk and 'anti-Biden brain trust' bonded at exclusive Hollywood Hills dinner, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewElon Musk, at an exclusive April dinner, commiserated with a group of billionaires about their distrust in Democratic politicians like Joe Biden, according to a new report by Puck. The outlet reported that Musk and venture capitalist David Sacks hosted the private event at Sacks' $23 million estate in the Hollywood Hills. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Related storiesRepresentatives for Musk, Sacks, and other dinner attendees identified by Puck did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider. "In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party," Musk wrote in a tweet in May 2022.

Persons: —, Elon, Joe Biden, Puck, David Sacks, Sacks, Peter Thiel, Travis Kalanick, Steven Mnuchin, Donald Trump, Biden, Musk, Michael Milken, Milken's, Milken, Trump, OpenSecrets, Don Lemon, Lemon Organizations: Service, Hollywood, Business, Democratic, Biden, Houston Chronicle, SpaceX hasn't, Trump, National Republican Congressional Committee, Democratic Party, Republican, The New York Times, CNN Locations: Palm Beach , Florida

☆ All of a sudden, Ted Cruz really doesn't want to talk about his podcast
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewWhen I approached Sen. Ted Cruz at the Capitol this week, he appeared upbeat, quipping that he was "living the dream" when I opened our conversation. iHeartMedia, which signed on as a corporate partner to the podcast in late 2022, has confirmed that the payments to the super PAC were derived from advertising revenue generated by podcast. The Campaign Legal Center and End Citizens United have also filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission accusing Cruz of violating campaign finance laws. "When you write a positive story on something I've accomplished here, on legislation I've passed, then I'll answer your questions," Cruz replied.

Persons: —, Sen, Ted Cruz, Cruz, iHeartMedia, Colin Allred, Allred, He's, Ron Johnson, JD Vance, Markwayne Mullin, I've Organizations: Service, Capitol, Texas Republican, Business, Democrat, Houston Chronicle, Democratic Rep, Legal, Citizens, Federal, BP, Capitol Hill, FEC, Sens Locations: Houston, BP America, Texas, Wisconsin, Ohio, Oklahoma

☆ Darryl George: Texas judge rules school district can restrict the length of male’s natural hair
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Chandelis Duster | Rosa Flores | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A Texas judge ruled Thursday that the state’s CROWN Act does not make it unlawful for school dress codes to limit a student’s hair length. The decision is a blow to Darryl George, a Houston-area high school student who sued his school district after he was suspended for months over the length of his locs hairstyle. The trial marks the conclusion to a monthslong legal battle between George and the Barbers Hill Independent School District. The district’s dress code allows students to wear locs hairstyles but places limits on the length of male student’s hair. “I’m nervous, but I’m happy.”Supporters of Darryl George hold signs during a protest outside of the home of Barbers Hill Independent School District superintendent Greg Poole on Wednesday, February, 22, 2024.

Persons: CNN —, Darryl George, George, ” George, Greg Abbott, “, Greg Poole, Juan Lozano, ” Poole, Poole, ” Organizations: CNN, Independent School District, CROWN ACT, Gov, Independent School, Houston Chronicle, ” CNN, U.S, Supreme Locations: Texas, Houston

☆ Texas state lawmaker criticizes 'universal basic income' programs: 'We can't just hand out money like popcorn on street corners'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Texas state senator said a Texas-based basic income plan will "hand out money like popcorn." State Sen. Paul Bettencourt asked the state attorney general to declare it unconstitutional. Bettencourt's request came on the same day that the program — called Uplift Harris — started taking applications. The Uplift Harris program plans to provide eligible households in Harris County, which includes Houston, $500 a month for up to 18 months. "We just can't hand out money like popcorn on street corners to people that walk by," Bettencourt told Fox.

Persons: Sen, Paul Bettencourt, —, State Sen, Harris —, Bettencourt, Fox, Harris, Menefree, Bettencourt's Organizations: Service, Republican, American, Plan, Houston Chronicle, Fox News, Texas, Houston Public Media Locations: Texas, Houston, State, Harris County, Harris

The Red Sox said Williams died Friday at AdventHealth North Pinellas Hospital in Tarpon Springs, Florida, after a brief illness. Williams was voted AL Manager of the Year after leading the Red Sox to their second straight playoff appearance. Williams signed with Boston, played at Class A Iowa and was selected by St. Louis in the 1965 Rule 5 draft. Williams played in 14 major league games, going 3 for 13 (.231) with one RBI. Bobby Cox took over as the Blue Jays' manager in 1982 and when Cox left in 1986 to become Atlanta's general manager, Williams replaced him in Toronto's dugout.

Persons: — Jimy Williams, Williams, “ I’ve, “ You’ve, can’t, Let’s, ’ ”, James Francis Williams, Tom Seaver, Graig Nettles, Louis, Sandy Koufax, Juan Marichal, Koufax, “, ”, Bobby Mattick's, Bobby Cox, Cox, Cito Gaston, George Bell, Sid Bream, Francisco, Barry Bonds, Kevin Kennedy, Charlie Manuel's, Shawn, Brady, Peggy, Monica Farr, Jenna Williams, Monica, ___ Organizations: BOSTON, American, Boston, Toronto, Red Sox, AdventHealth, Pinellas Hospital, Arroyo Grande High School, Fresno State, Alaska, St, Los Angeles Dodgers, of Famer, Houston Chronicle, Triple, California Angels, Midwest League, Blue Jays, East, Detroit, Braves, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, ” Boston, Astros, Tampa, Philadelphia, Texas, World University Locations: Houston, Tarpon Springs , Florida, Palm Harbor, Santa Maria , California, Fresno, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, Tampa Bay, Brady

☆ Austin experimented with giving people $1,000 a month. They spent the no-strings-attached cash mostly on housing, a study found.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A guaranteed basic income program in Austin gave people $1,000 a month for a year. AdvertisementA guaranteed basic income plan in one of Texas's largest cities reduced rates of housing insecurity. Austin was the first city in Texas to launch a tax-payer-funded basic income program when the Austin Guaranteed Income Pilot kicked off in May 2022. On average, program participants spent more than half of the cash they received on housing, the report's authors wrote. Harris County, which includes Houston, earlier this month launched a guaranteed basic income program that gives low-income residents up to $500 a month.

Persons: —, Austin, Taniquewa Brewster, KXAN, it's, Sen, Paul Bettencourt, Bettencourt, Tonaeya Moore Organizations: Service, Austin, Urban Institute, Washington DC, NBC, Houston Chronicle, Baltimore Young Locations: Austin, Texas, City, Washington, Houston, Harris County, United States, Baltimore

☆ Austin experimented with giving people $1,000 a month. They said they spent the no-strings-attached cash mostly on housing.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewPeople who received guaranteed basic income in one of Texas' largest cities reported reduced rates of housing insecurity. Austin was the first city in Texas to launch a taxpayer-funded guaranteed-income program when the Austin Guaranteed Income Pilot kicked off in May 2022. On average, program participants said they spent more than half of the cash they received on housing. While Austin was the first city in Texas to test a guaranteed-income program, it's now not the only one. AdvertisementAnd in Denver, a basic-income program that gives some people up to $1,000 a month was recently extended after participants reported increased housing security .

Persons: —, Austin, Taniquewa Brewster, KXAN, it's, Sen, Paul Bettencourt, Bettencourt, Tonaeya Moore Organizations: Service, Business, Austin, Urban Institute, NBC, Houston Chronicle, Baltimore Young Locations: Texas, City of Austin, Washington, DC, Houston, Harris County, United States, Baltimore, Maryland, Denver

☆ Ted Cruz tries to turn his 2021 Cancun disaster into an awkward punchline: 'Humor is always a good thing'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Ted Cruz keeps joking about how he fled to Cancun during deadly storms in Texas in 2021. AdvertisementNearly three years ago, Sen. Ted Cruz committed severe political malpractice. wrote Cruz. pic.twitter.com/cgVjhbqK7b — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 15, 2024It wasn't the first time he'd referenced the Cancún incident unprompted. Cruz wrote last May, including a photo of him gesturing at the sign for a restaurant called "Cancún Grill" in Midland, Texas, affixing "#Cancun" to the tweet.

Persons: Sen, Ted Cruz, Cruz, who's, —, Aidy Bryant, cgVjhbqK7b — Ted Cruz Organizations: Service, Texas Republican, Texans Locations: Cancun, Texas, Cancún, Midland , Texas, Midland , TX

☆ Texas senator says the plan to give poor residents a $500 guaranteed basic income is unconstitutional
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Guaranteed basic income is similar to universal basic income except it targets a particular group. Similar programs to the one in Harris County are being adopted in cities all over the country. The Uplift Harris program plans to provide eligible households in Harris County, which includes Houston, $500 a month for up to 18 months. "They are not a Home Rule city," Bettencourt told Houston Public Media. Uplift Harris provides guaranteed basic income to households in the zip codes with the highest poverty rates in Harris County, according to the program's website.

Persons: —, Sen, Paul Bettencourt, Harris —, Bettencourt, I've, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, Menefee Organizations: Service, Business, American, Plan, Houston Chronicle, Houston Public Media, Harris, Harris County Attorney Locations: Texas, Houston, Harris County

☆ Katherine Blunt — Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Katherine Blunt | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Katherine BluntKatherine Blunt has covered power, renewable energy and utilities for The Wall Street Journal since 2018 and is based in San Francisco. Much of her work has focused on wildfires, drought and other challenges facing utilities in the West. Her coverage of PG&E was a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting and earned a Gerald Loeb award, the highest honor in business reporting. She is the author of “California Burning: The Fall of Pacific Gas and Electric and What it Means for America’s Power Grid.” Prior to joining the Journal, Katherine was a business reporter at the Houston Chronicle. Before that, she covered transportation for the San Antonio Express-News.

Persons: Katherine Blunt Katherine Blunt, Gerald Loeb, Katherine Organizations: Wall Street, National, “, Pacific Gas and, Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express Locations: San Francisco, West, “ California

HOUSTON (AP) — A crash at a red light killed six people including former NFL cornerback D.J. The two-vehicle crash occurred about 2 a.m. when a Chrysler 300, apparently “going very fast, high velocity," ran the red light and collided with an SUV, Houston Police Assistant Chief Megan Howard said. Five men and one woman died, including Hayden, the Houston Chronicle reported. Investigators were working to identify the driver of the SUV, Howard said. Hayden, 33, was born in Houston and starred at the University of Houston, according to his profile page on ESPN.com.

Persons: D.J, Megan Howard, Hayden, Howard, “, ” Organizations: HOUSTON, NFL, Houston, Chrysler, Houston Police, Houston Chronicle, Police, University of Houston, Oakland Raiders, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Raiders, Raider Locations: Hayden, Houston, Las Vegas

☆ Erin Mulvaney — Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Erin Mulvaney | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Erin MulvaneyErin Mulvaney is a national legal affairs reporter with The Wall Street Journal. She covers the legal industry and litigation affecting business and the economy nationwide. She writes about high-profile trials, lawsuits that explore novel questions, and cases that reveal legal tensions for companies, including about mass torts, technology, labor, and antitrust. She previously worked for Bloomberg Industry Group and American Lawyer Media in Washington, specializing in the gig economy, civil rights, and discrimination law. A Texas-native, she wrote about real estate for the Houston Chronicle and state politics for the Dallas Morning News.

Persons: Erin Mulvaney Erin Mulvaney Organizations: Wall Street, Bloomberg Industry Group, American Lawyer Media, Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, University of Texas Locations: Washington, Texas, Austin

Kevin Porter Jr.’s time with the Houston Rockets is over, after the team agreed Tuesday to trade him and a pair of second-round draft picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The Rockets also will receive Victor Oladipo and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl as part of the trade, the person said. Porter is owed nearly $15.9 million for this season and an additional $1 million that was guaranteed for next season. The Rockets already had told Porter that he was essentially barred from the team after it learned of his arrest on domestic violence charges last month. Porter was arrested after an alleged attack on his girlfriend, former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick, in a New York City hotel room Sept. 11.

Persons: Kevin Porter Jr, Porter Jr, —, Victor Oladipo, Jeremiah Robinson, Earl, Porter, Kysre Gondrezick, Rafael Stone, “, ___ Organizations: Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Associated Press, Thunder, ESPN, The Houston Chronicle, Rockets, New York Post, ” Rockets, Miami Locations: New York City

☆ Rebecca Elliott — Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Rebecca Elliott | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Rebecca ElliottRebecca Elliott is a reporter in The Wall Street Journal's San Francisco bureau covering autos and technology, including Tesla. She previously wrote about energy from Houston, where her work focused on the leaders of the U.S. fracking boom. Before joining the Journal, Rebecca covered local government and politics for the Houston Chronicle. She graduated from Harvard College.

Persons: Rebecca Elliott Rebecca Elliott, Rebecca Organizations: San, Houston Chronicle, Harvard College Locations: San Francisco, Houston

☆ Sebastian Herrera — Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Sebastian Herrera | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Sebastian HerreraSebastian Herrera covers technology from the San Francisco area, with a focus on Amazon.com and the broader ecommerce industry. Previously, Sebastian worked at the Austin American-Statesman, where he wrote about the city's booming tech scene, Austin-based Whole Foods Market and startups. Sebastian also has worked as a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, where he often wrote human interest stories and reported on the region's large population of immigrants, education and suburban news. Sebastian's career has spanned various topics, from sports to local politics to labor. His reporting has shed light on the power of large tech companies, the politics and money influencing local school districts, the transformation of Austin and the plights of everyday people.

Persons: Sebastian Herrera Sebastian Herrera, Sebastian Organizations: Austin American, Statesman, Houston Chronicle Locations: San Francisco, Austin

CNN —Texas has separated at least 26 migrant family units on the southern border since July 10 under Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star border initiative, according to Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid immigration attorney Kristin Etter. “This is just a very harsh and cruel detour from the asylum process,” Etter told CNN in an interview Wednesday. This is a shift in Texas DPS policy on the border, Etter says. Children and their mothers were never separated, but instead turned over to the US Border Patrol together,” Texas DPS Communications Chief Travis Considine said in a statement.

Persons: Greg Abbott’s, Kristin Etter, ” Etter, Etter, Greg Abbott's, Brandon Bell, “, Travis Considine, “ It’s, Biden, Abbott Organizations: CNN, Lone Star, Texas Rio, Legal, Texas Department of Public Safety, Trump, US Border Patrol, Etter . Texas Gov, Biden, Getty, Texas DPS, DPS, ”, ” Texas DPS Communications, Houston Chronicle, Border Patrol, US Department of Justice Locations: Texas, Eagle, , Texas, Etter, ” Texas, Kristin Etter Texas Rio, Mexico, Rio

☆ A Texas state trooper said Gov. Greg Abbott's border security has 'stepped over a line into the inhumane' with razor wire 'traps' and direction to withhold water from migrants, per reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Several Texas troopers said border security was given orders to push migrants back into the water. The Texas Department of Safety said the allegations are under internal investigation. Migrants crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico walk past large orange buoys deployed by Texas border security. According to the Chronicle, Wingate urged for policy changes to improve safety for the migrants, including removing the order to deny migrants water. A spokesperson for the Texas Department of Safety did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Greg Abbott, Eric Gay, Nicholas Wingate, Wingate, Travis Considine, Considine, Abbott, Breitbart Organizations: Texas Gov, Texas, Texas Department of Safety, Service, Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Chronicle, Hearst, Operation Lone Star, National Guard and Department of Public, New York Times, state's Department of Public, The Times, US Border Patrol, Associated Press, Department of Safety, Troopers, Twitter, Times, National Guard Locations: Wall, Silicon, Mexico, Rio Grande, Eagle, Texas, Wingate

Collin EatonCollin Eaton writes about the largest American oil companies and global energy issues in The Wall Street Journal's Houston bureau. Collin joined the Journal in early 2020, a few weeks before the onset of the pandemic and a historic oil-market collapse that crippled U.S. shale companies. In the aftermath, Collin covered the major strategic shifts that have changed the industry's role in the world's energy market, as well as the return of $100-a-barrel oil and record fuel prices as companies and consumers grappled with inflation. Collin previously wrote about oil and gas for Reuters and the Houston Chronicle. He began his career writing about banking and finance in Houston.

Persons: Collin Eaton Collin Eaton, Collin Organizations: Reuters, Houston Chronicle Locations: Houston

☆ A 46-bedroom Texas mansion that nobody wanted, sat abandoned for decades, and nearly got bought 20 times finally has tenants
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Jordan Pandy | Dennis Green | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A 63,000-square-foot mansion near Houston, Texas, has sat vacant for more than 20 years. Owner Jim Youngblood tried to sell the vacant home more than 20 times, but every deal fell through. In 2007, Youngblood, a partner at a local leasing and property management company, bought the abandoned mansion for $525,000. ("Everybody has these grand ideas," Youngblood told Realtor.com in 2016, "but they don't have any money.") "I held onto it for several years and had it under contract over 20 times," Youngblood told the Houston Chronicle, "but nobody could get it closed."

☆ Trump loyalists decry 'witch hunt' at Waco election rally
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Nathan Layne | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

WACO, Texas (Reuters) -Die-hard fans of Donald Trump flocked to the ex-president’s election rally in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, brimming with defiance as their favored candidate faces legal peril from prosecutors and mixed polling ahead of next year’s Republican primary elections. People cheer ahead of the first campaign rally for the re-election campaign of former U.S. President Donald Trump at Waco Regional Airport in Waco, Texas, U.S., March 25, 2023. “You have to understand: they are not just coming after President Trump, they are coming after you, and President Trump is just the only one standing in their way,” she said. The former president is seeking to turn the hush money case in New York to his advantage by raising money off it and using it to rally supporters. Schomburg said he thought Trump was trying to send a message by holding the rally in Waco.

☆ Trump loyalists flock to Waco for election rally overshadowed by legal threats
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Nathan Layne | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

WACO, Texas (Reuters) -Die-hard fans of Donald Trump flocked to the ex-president’s election rally in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, brimming with defiance as their favored candidate faced overlapping threats of criminal indictment. FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on education as he holds a campaign rally with supporters, in Davenport, Iowa, U.S. March 13, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoSeveral thousand Trump supporters lined up outside the Waco Regional Airport waiting to go through security and enter the event, with the first speaker scheduled for 2 p.m. CDT (1900 GMT). Fifty-seven-year-old Laurie Hansen said Trump was “the best president ever.”“He’s the only one who can bring our country back,” she said. In an editorial, the Houston Chronicle said the decision to host the event in Waco during the anniversary of the Waco siege represented more than a dog-whistle message to far-right and conspiratorial Trump supporters.

☆ Trump holds first election rally in Waco overshadowed by legal threats
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Nathan Layne | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on education as he holds a campaign rally with supporters, in Davenport, Iowa, U.S. March 13, 2023. In an email, a Trump campaign spokesperson said Waco was chosen because it is situated between several major population centers and has the infrastructure to host a large event. Trump has sought to paint the Manhattan case as politically motivated, raised money off it and used it to rally supporters to his side. The city of Waco said it was expecting 15,000 people to attend the rally. In an editorial, the Houston Chronicle said the decision to host the event in Waco during the anniversary of the Waco siege represented far more than a dog-whistle message to far-right and conspiratorial Trump supporters.

☆ Staring down a possible indictment, Trump holds a rally in Waco. A Texas newspaper said the choice isn't a dog whistle but an 'air horn' to far-right groups.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Sarah Al-Arshani | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Thirty years ago, federal agents seized the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas. Trump's scheduled rally in Waco falls in the middle of the anniversary of the months-long standoff. The New York Times reported that Trump's visit to Waco falls on the 30-year anniversary of the Branch Davidian siege. Although no indictment has been announced, Trump has continued to rally his supporters and make allusions to violence. Trump supporters like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Matt Gaetz of Florida as well as conservative pundits like Dan Bongino have spoken out in support of Trump.

☆ Ted Cruz's publisher shaved off his mullet on the cover of his new book about 'cultural Marxism'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ted Cruz's infamous mullet was edited out of a photo on the cover of his new book by the publisher. The Texas Republican announced last week that he's writing his third book, titled "Unwoke: How to Defeat Cultural Marxism in America." A person familiar with the matter told Insider that the decision to edit Cruz's mullet out of the picture was made by his publisher, the conservative outfit Regnery Publishing, and not the senator himself. "Is the routine touching up of a photo for a book cover considered newsworthy?" Cruz later began sporting a mullet fade as the Senate began debating impeachment charges against former President Donald Trump for incitement of an insurrection, prompting the Houston Chronicle to ask "What the hell is going on with Ted Cruz's hair?"

☆ Manchin accuses the Biden administration of appeasing 'radical activists' on climate and pledges to block Interior Department nominee
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin says he will block one of President Biden's nominees and potentially others. Manchin says he'll judge nominees on whether they're "political partisans first or Americans first." He's taking issue with the administration's framing of a law he supported as an effort to address climate change. Manchin, of West Virginia, wrote in an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle, noting that energy leaders are gathered in the city for an annual conference. Biden has touted the bill's $370 billion devoted to tackling climate change as the most significant investment the US has made to fight climate change.

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