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☆ Rate cuts are a double edged sword for Kamala Harris
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Alice Tecotzky | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

As former President Donald Trump insists that the rate cut was fueled by partisan politics, Harris has to thread the needle with her rhetoric, experts told Business Insider. Celebrate the rate cut and she risks fueling Trump's narrative; ignore the rate cut and she doesn't get to claim a desperately needed economic victory. "This is a double edged one for Harris," Mark Blyth, a political economist at Brown University, said. Advertisement"On the other hand, Vice President Harris is running to be president of the same economy that the Federal Reserve is managing," Tedeschi told Business Insider. But Blyth remains skeptical that the rate cut will have a lasting impact in an election that's been defined by volatility.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Harris, doesn't, Mark Blyth, Joe Biden's, Ernie Tedeschi, Mike Johnson, Tedeschi, Powell, Trump, Blyth, people's, they've, Danny Hayes, Thursday Harris, Dow Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, Brown University, Yale Budget, Republicans, Wall Street Journal, Trump, Blyth, George Washington University, Business

☆ Graham Sutherland’s study for the portrait Winston Churchill hated goes up for auction
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Caitlin Chatterton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Churchill is talking about his own portrait, commissioned to celebrate his 80th birthday, as it is unveiled in London’s Westminster Hall in November 1954. This painted study of Churchill by Sutherland, made in preparation of the portrait, is up for auction for the first time. Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Sotheby'sWhile “The Crown” is not a documentary, it is true that the 80th birthday portrait —described by Churchill as “filthy and malignant” in a letter to his personal doctor — was burned. “(Sutherland) caught him in a much more relaxed, intimate way,” Zlattinger said of the study, a small canvas painted in oils. Graham Sutherland, seen with his-then unfinished but eventually much-maligned portrait of Churchill.

Persons: it’s, ” Winston Churchill, John Lithgow, Graham Sutherland, Stephen Dillane, ”, Churchill, ” Sutherland, “, Judas, Churchill’s, Clementine, Harriet Walter, Sutherland, Tristan Fewings, —, ” Andre Zlattinger, “ He’d, He’d, Churchill —, Alfred Hecht, ” Zlattinger, Hatshepsut of, Baron, Queen Elizabeth I, Robert Blyth ,, Elizabeth “, Queen Victoria, Elizabeth, Ira B, Nadel, ” Blyth, Elizabeth I, Blyth, ” Dr Caroline Rae, Stalin, ” Bryn Sayles, Jacob Epstein, Alexis Schwarzenbach, Queen Elizabeth, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II, Cecil Beaton, Sayles, Gary Oldman’s Organizations: CNN, Hall, Modern, Irish, Sotheby’s New, Royal Museums Greenwich, Art, University College London, Conservative Party Locations: Sotheby’s, Sotheby’s New York, London, Sutherland, Queen, Downing, Suez, Blenheim, Oxford, New York, British, Swiss

☆ Three Firefighters Among Six Killed in Gas Truck Explosion in Mongolia - Officials
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - At least six people were killed including three firefighters after a truck carrying 60 tons of liquefied natural gas exploded in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday, according to Mongolia's emergency officials. At least 11 people were injured in the fire near the Dunjingarav market, Mongolia's Emergency Management Office said in a post on Facebook. More than 600 firefighters 100 vehicles were involved in putting the fire out, which was eventually extinguished. According to local online news outlets, the fire quickly engulfed several nearby buildings, including a residential building. "Our thoughts are with the families of all those affected and we wish a fast recovery to those injured in this tragic event."

Persons: Fiona Blyth, Lidia Kelly, Michael Perry Organizations: Reuters, Emergency Management, Facebook, 63rd, Unit, National Fire Service Locations: Mongolian, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Melbourne

☆ Hunger Games prequel, 'Napoleon' lead as Thanksgiving box office shows signs of life
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

LionsgateThis year's Thanksgiving box office was both feast and famine for the theatrical industry. Meanwhile, Disney's latest animated feature "Wish," which celebrates the company's 100th anniversary, fell startlingly short of box office expectations, tallying just $31.7 million over its first five days in theaters. "It wouldn't be a holiday box office season without some occasional upsets and this weekend is delivering on that front," said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. Overall, the Thanksgiving box office secured around $172 million, an improvement over the previous three years of pandemic-pressured ticket sales. Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the five-day Thanksgiving spread — consisting of the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through Sunday — had resulted in more than $250 million in ticket sales each year.

Persons: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Coriolanus Snow, Lucy Gray Baird, Napoleon, Disney's, Shawn Robbins, Robbins, — Organizations: SONY, Lionsgate, Sony, Apple, MGM, Warner Bros Locations: Lionsgate's

“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” topped the North American box office in its first weekend in theaters with $44 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” is an interesting case study for a franchise that’s been dormant for 8 years and is testing the waters for a new era. Its $44 million from 3,776 locations, including 1,610 premium screens, marks a low for films carrying “The Hunger Games” in the title. With an added $54.5 million from 87 international markets, the film has already earned $98.5 million out of the gates. “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” $44 million.

Persons: ”, Jennifer Lawrence, Katniss Everdeen, Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Adam Fogelson, Suzanne Collins, Collins, Coriolanus Snow, Paul Dergarabedian, “, Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Eli Roth, Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae, Michael Fassbender, Taika Waititi, Paul Giamatti, “ Priscilla, Sofia Coppola, Disney's, ” Ridley, Napoleon ”, ” Dergarabedian, Comscore, “ Taylor Swift Organizations: American, Lionsgate, Rotten, SAG, Universal, DreamWorks Animation, Marvel, TriStar Pictures, Spyglass Media, Walt Disney Co, Searchlight Pictures, Toronto Film Locations: Germany, Plymouth , Massachusetts

☆ ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ Review: Prequel Without a Purpose
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Kyle Smith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth Photo: LionsgateAlong with the “Twilight” series, the “Hunger Games” films now seem like an unfortunate artifact of Obama-era teen taste. Interest in the latter saga fizzled amid the unwise decision to stretch out the third novel in Suzanne Collins ’s trilogy with enough filler to constitute two films. As the audience sensed it was being exploited, the concluding chapter was the lowest-grossing one in the series. This time the lead actress is another young performer whom Hollywood hopes to turn into a global name, “West Side Story” and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” star Rachel Zegler .

Persons: Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth, Suzanne Collins ’, Jennifer Lawrence, Hollywood, Billy, Kid, Francis Lawrence Organizations: Lionsgate, Hollywood

☆ Hunger Games prequel heads for $50 million opening weekend
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler star as Coriolanus Snow and Lucy Gray Baird in Lionsgate's "Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes." It's the mantra of the main character Coriolanus Snow in the upcoming "Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" and the hope of its distributor Lionsgate . "There has always been a certain magic surrounding the Hunger Games franchise," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. It sheds light on what sparked his rise to become the tyrannical ruler seen in later Hunger Games stories. Each of the other four films in the Hunger Games franchise debuted with more than $100 million in ticket sales at the domestic box office.

Persons: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Coriolanus Snow, Lucy Gray Baird, Suzanne Collins, Katniss Everdeen, Shawn Robbins, Paul Dergarabedian Organizations: Lionsgate, Hunger Games, Hunger, BoxOffice.com, Disney, Marvel Studios, Panem Locations: Lionsgate's, United States

Everyone had resigned themselves to the fact that “The Hunger Games” ended in 2015. But Suzanne Collins’ Katniss Everdeen saga was over. And while the team was excited about the possibility of working together again, there were some nerves about whether or not there was an appetite for Hunger Games movies “without Katniss,” Lawrence told The Associated Press in a recent interview. And he felt like a star.”For Lucy Gray Baird, the District 12 tribute Snow is assigned to mentor for the 10th Hunger Games, Lawrence already had someone in mind. “Rather than seeing it as a pressure cooker just waiting to explode, I see it as a really big blessing.”Blyth, in his first starring role in Hollywood, felt some pressure.

Persons: ”, Jennifer Lawrence skyrocket, Suzanne Collins, Katniss, Collins, Francis Lawrence, Nina Jacobson, “ Mockingjay, Lawrence, Jacobson, Coriolanus Snow, ” Lawrence, they'd, ” Jacobson, “, Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, Snow, Donald Sutherland, Tom Blyth, He’s Juilliard, Lucy Gray Baird, Rachel Zegler ’, Maria, Steven Spielberg’s “, ” Zegler, ” Blyth, “ Suzanne, Trish Summerville, ColorForce, Barbie ’, ‘ Oppenheimer Organizations: Hunger, Associated Press, Lionsgate, 10th Hunger Locations: Hollywood, Germany

☆ Arts Calendar: Happenings for the Week of November 12
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Wsj Arts In Review Staff | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Sandro Botticelli’s ‘Head of a Woman in Near Profile Looking Down to the Left’ (c. 1468-70) Photo: Christ Church, OxfordFilm• “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” (Nov. 17): The prequel to the ultra-popular young-adult dystopian series, based on Suzanne Collins ’s book, is a coming-of-age tale that once again sees youthful citizens competing to survive. Francis Lawrence (“I Am Legend”) directs a cast that includes Tom Blyth , Rachel Zegler , Josh Andrés Rivera , Hunter Schafer , Peter Dinklage , Jason Schwartzman and Viola Davis . • “Fallen Leaves” (Nov. 17): Two lonely, underemployed singles in Helsinki meet and find romance and a chance at self-improvement through their relationship in Aki Kaurismäki ’s tragicomedy, which won the Cannes Jury Prize.

Persons: Sandro Botticelli’s ‘, •, Suzanne Collins ’, Francis Lawrence, “, Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Josh Andrés Rivera, Hunter Schafer, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, Viola Davis, Aki Kaurismäki Organizations: Church , Oxford, Helsinki, Cannes

☆ 'Hunger Games' prequel cast premiere film, welcome end of strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Hanna Rantala | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Footballers Ann-Katrin Berger, Jessica Carter, Bethany England and Stephanie Williams attend the world premiere of the movie "Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes", in BFI IMAX, London, Britain, November 9, 2023. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The stars of "The Hunger Games" prequel welcomed the end of a four-month long Hollywood actors strike on Thursday as they walked the red carpet at the film's world premiere in London. Like the other "The Hunger Games" films, "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" is a Lionsgate movie, a studio which is not part of the AMPTP. In the film, Snow mentors and falls for Lucy Gray Baird, the female District 12 tribute during the 10th Hunger Games - a gladiatorial contest that pits the oppressed against each other, while the elite of the wealthy Capitol watch on. Like the other movies, the prequel is based on a novel by Suzanne Collins, released in 2020.

Persons: Ann, Katrin Berger, Jessica Carter, Bethany England, Stephanie Williams, Maja Smiejkowska, Jennifer Lawrence, Panem, Coriolanus Snow, Tom Blyth, Snow, Josh Andres Rivera, Sejanus, Lucy Gray Baird, Rachel Zegler, Lucy, Suzanne Collins, Hanna Rantala, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Hollywood, SAG, Reuters, Alliance, Television Producers, Lionsgate, Capitol, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

☆ Rachel Zegler’s dress nods to this famous ‘Hunger Games’ moment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Leah Dolan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —“West Side Story” breakout Rachel Zegler is set to join the blockbuster “Hunger Games” franchise with the release of prequel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” on November 17. Fans have compared Zegler's dress with another key "Hunger Games" moment. Jorg Carstensen/dpa/APFans were quick to compare Zegler’s look with another famous “Hunger Games” frock. Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" (2013). From left: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer and Josh Andres Rivera attend the premiere of "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" in Berlin.

Persons: CNN —, Rachel Zegler, Zegler, Lucy Gray Baird, Katniss, Alexander McQueen, Jorg Carstensen, Suzanne Collins ’, Jennifer Lawrence, Katniss Everdeen, Sarah Slutsky, Tom Blyth, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andres Rivera, Gerald Matzka, Zegler’s, Schafer Organizations: CNN, AP, Lionsgate, Capitol Locations: Berlin

☆ 'The Hunger Games' to be turned into London stage play
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A fan waits at the premiere of "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" in Los Angeles, California November 16, 2015. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 24 (Reuters) - "The Hunger Games" is set to open at a London theatre next year in the first live stage adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novels and the hugely successful film franchise. "To receive Suzanne Collins’ blessing to adapt ‘The Hunger Games’ for the stage is both humbling and inspiring. "In a world where the truth itself seems increasingly up for grabs, ‘The Hunger Games’ beautifully expresses values of resilience, self-reliance and independent moral inquiry for younger people especially. Collins said she was "very excited" to be collaborating with McPherson and Dunster "as they bring their dynamic and innovative interpretation of ‘The Hunger Games’ to the London stage".

Persons: Mario Anzuoni, Suzanne Collins, Conor McPherson, Oscar, Jennifer Lawrence, Katniss Everdeen, Matthew Dunster, Suzanne Collins ’, McPherson, Collins, Dunster, Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth, Viola Davis, Marie, Louise Gumuchian, Nick Macfie Organizations: Lionsgate, Shakespeare's Globe, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, Irish, Panem

Some of them, like “Dune: Part Two," have been postponed until next year due to the ongoing actors and writers strikes. Gillespie’s film features a freewheeling ensemble including Pete Davidson, Anthony Ramos, Seth Rogen, Shailene Woodley, America Ferrera and Nick Offerman. “Fair Play” (in theaters Sept. 29, on Netflix Oct. 13)Hedge funds also play a role in writer-director Chloe Domont’s drama about sexual politics and gender dynamics in the high-charged, male-dominated world of finance. Eight years after the last “Hunger Games” movie (“Mockingjay – Part 2”) a prequel is returning to the science fiction dystopia of Panem. Francis Lawrence’s film, set 64 years before the events of the first “Hunger Games” film, introduces a host of new characters in the lead-up to the 10th Hunger Games.

Persons: ”, Expendables, Gael García Bernal, Roger Ross Williams, Saúl Armendáriz, Williams, Bunny, Craig Gillespie’s, ” Paul Dano, Keith Gill, Pete Davidson, Anthony Ramos, Seth Rogen, Shailene, America Ferrera, Nick Offerman, Chloe Domont’s, Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich, Aristotle, Dante, “ El Conde ”, Flora, Son ”, Henry Sugar ”, “ Carlos ”, “ Dicks, Justine Triet’s, Palme, Sandra Hüller, Martin Scorsese’s, David Grann's, Lily Gladstone, Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Robbie Robertson, Baz Luhrmann’s, Elvis Presley, Sofia Coppola, Priscilla Presley, “ Elvis, ” Jacob Elordi, “ Joan Baez, “ Taylor Swift, Nyad, “ Rustin ”, Colman Domingo, Bayard Rustin, George C, Martin Luther King Jr, Panem, Francis Lawrence’s, Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Viola Davis, ” Ridley Scott, Joaquin Phoenix, Napoleon Bonaparte, Vanessa Kirby, Joséphine Bonaparte, Sly ”, “ Orlando, Maestro ”, “ Leo ” Organizations: GameStop, America, Netflix, Sundance Film, Paramount, Apple, Cannes Film, Hüller, Hunger Locations: Shailene Woodley, Venice, Osage, Washington

☆ ‘Hunger Games’ prequel reveals first look
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —“Every saga has a beginning.”That’s part of the message in the newly released trailer for “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.”The prequel for the “Hunger Games” franchise tells the story of Lucy Gray Baird, played by “West Side Story” star Rachel Zelger, and a teenage Coriolanus Snow, played by Tom Blyth. Things get dark quickly in the trailer as Lucy and young Snow try to survive the deadly games. “With his livelihood threatened, Snow is reluctantly assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a tribute from the impoverished District 12. “With everything he has worked for hanging in the balance, Snow unites with Lucy Gray to turn the odds in their favor. Based on the book series by Suzanne Collins, the “Hunger Games” franchise has been extremely popular with the first film helping to launch Jennifer Lawrence’s stardom.

☆ BBC's Sharp resigns after breaching rules over Boris Johnson loan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Sarah Young | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The investigation, initiated by the public appointments watchdog, examined the way in which Sharp was selected by the government to chair the corporation in 2021. Specifically, it looked at whether Sharp fully disclosed details of his role in facilitating an 800,000 pound ($1 million) loan for Johnson before he was named chairman. The report found that, while he had breached the government's code for public appointments, that breach did not necessarily invalidate his appointment. "I have decided that it is right to prioritise the interests of the BBC," Sharp said in a statement. The report mentions Johnson's Downing Street office as having recommended Sharp as "a strong candidate" for the role, which attracted 23 applications.

☆ BBC chair made 'errors of judgement' over Boris Johnson loan, lawmakers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - BBC Chair Richard Sharp made "significant errors of judgement" in failing to declare his involvement in facilitating a loan for then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson shortly before he was appointed to the role, a committee of lawmakers said on Sunday. Blyth, who is a distant cousin of Johnson, went on to lend the former prime minister up to 800,000 pounds ($964,640), a media report has said. "Such a significant error of judgment meant we were not in the full possession of the facts when we were required to rule on his suitability for the role of BBC Chair," acting committee Chair Damian Green said. Sharp should consider the impact his omissions would have on trust in him, the BBC and the public appointments process, the committee's report said. Sharp also apologised again to the broadcaster's staff for the distraction caused to the BBC.

☆ EY selects Australian battery group as preferred bidder for Britishvolt
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 6 (Reuters) - Accounting firm EY on Monday said it selected Scale Facilitation Partners and its Australian subsidiary Recharge Industries as the preferred bidder to buy struggling UK startup Britishvolt out of administration. EY's restructuring arm EY-Parthenon were appointed administrators of Britishvolt in January after the company struggled to raise funds for a major electric vehicle battery factory in northern England and stay afloat. The deal was expected to be completed within the next seven days, EY said in a statement on Monday. Britishvolt, Recharge Industries and Scale Facilitation did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment. Britishvolt has been in talks with a consortium of investors about selling a majority stake in the company, the company said earlier this month, without disclosing any names.

☆ UK car production is at its weakest since 1956. And the industry is losing the EV race
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

London CNN —UK car manufacturing hit a 66-year low in 2022, as the closure of two plants, a global shortage of semiconductors and the effect of Covid lockdowns in China on auto supply chains crippled output. “The relationship between the UK and the EU, especially as you electrify, is still fundamental to the success of UK car manufacturing,” he said. UK factories made a record 234,066 electric vehicles in 2022, almost a third of all UK car production. Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover, owned by India’s Tata Motors (TTM), are also positive about the prospects for electric vehicle manufacturing in the United Kingdom. “Our continued investment in our UK facilities … will herald an exciting new era of electric car production in the UK,” the company said.

☆ Britishvolt in talks with investors about possible sale
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Nick Carey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 9 (Reuters) - UK battery startup Britishvolt said on Monday it is in talks with a consortium of investors about selling a majority stake in the company, but did not disclose any names. The company said back in November that it had received short-term financial backing to help it stay afloat. Britishvolt had received backing from mining group Glencore (GLEN.L), which kicked off a funding round for the startup last February. But as of last summer, Britishvolt said it had only raised around 200 million pounds and pushed back its production timeline citing "difficult external economic headwinds." Auto industry executives have said that without local battery production, much of Britain's car industry could shift overseas.

☆ 'The old UK growth model is dead': What a long-term weak pound means for Britain
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

watch nowA historically weaker pound on a medium- to long-term basis has a variety of impacts on the U.K. more broadly, economists told CNBC. But, Portes said, the weaker pound is not in itself an issue for the fiscal planning the government is currently doing, with a much-anticipated budget due Nov. 17. 'Growth model is dead'According to Blyth, beyond the pain suffered by households, the higher prices caused by a weaker currency will have deeper and longer-lasting effects. The potential upside to exports was negated by Brexit, he said, pointing out that the U.K. economy had declined from 90% to 70% of the size of Germany's since the 2016 vote. It means that the old U.K. growth model is dead," Blyth continued.

☆ You can visit Bhutan again — if you're willing to cough up $200 a day in fees
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Monica Buchanan Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Andrew Stranovsky Photography | Moment | Getty ImagesSam Blyth, chair of The Bhutan Canada Foundation and founder of the Trans Bhutan Trail, said the fees will go directly to help local communities. Travelers, too, will benefit from the increased fees, according to the Tourism Council. However, the Tourism Council of Bhutan said the pandemic provided the right time "to reset the sector." He is the founder of the Trans Bhutan Trail, a not-for-profit company that helped revitalize a 250-mile ancient trail that traverses the center of the country. Sam Blyth, Trans Bhutan Trail, visiting Bhutan, trekking Bhutan

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