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President-elect Donald Trump made the disco classic “Y.M.C.A.” a staple at his rallies during his past two campaigns. And new data shows that, much like Trump’s political fortunes, interest in the song is on the upswing. ‘Y.M.C.A.,’” Trump said on a podcast in 2022. “‘Y.M.C.A.’ gets people up and it gets them moving.”The dance caught on outside of Trump’s political orbit this year, when athletes began mimicking his moves when they celebrated on the field. Data from Google Trends shows more searches for the song this month than in any month in the search engine’s published records.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, ’ ” Trump, “ ‘, ’, ”, Felipe Rose, HuffPost Organizations: Village, Google, Young Men’s Christian Association, YMCA, New York Yankees Locations: U.S, Manhattan, New York

KYIV, Ukraine — In a snow-covered forest outside Kyiv, the “Witches of Bucha” are training to defend their city from a constant bombardment of Russian missiles and drones. The volunteer civil defense force, which is 90% women, is primarily tasked with defending the skies, shooting down the Iran-made Shahed drones that arrive nearly every night. Tetyana said that her husband and brother have both been killed in the war, and that her nephew in the army has been reported missing. “My whole word was destroyed,” said Tetyana, 41, who, in keeping with Ukrainian military protocol, declined to give her last name. Volunteering with the group gives her an outlet to channel her rage, she said.

Persons: Bucha, Tetyana, ” Locations: KYIV, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russian, Iran, Bucha

A judge on Wednesday dismissed a defamation lawsuit that Trump supporter Ray Epps brought against Fox News, bringing the yearlong legal battle to a close. Epps, a Jan. 6 defendant, argued in a July 2023 lawsuit that Fox News told a "fantastical story" that Epps acted as an undercover FBI agent who was responsible for violence during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Carlson and Fox News parted ways in April 2023, and The Tucker Carlson Network did not immediately respond to a request for comment either. In an August 2023 filing, lawyers for Fox News argued that Epps' lawsuit "is a direct attack on the First Amendment." As of Aug. 6, more than 1,488 defendants have been charged in connection to Jan. 6, according to the Department of Justice.

Persons: Ray Epps, Epps, Trump, Tucker Carlson, Carlson, Jennifer L Organizations: Trump, Fox News, U.S . Capitol, Fox, of, U.S, Tucker Carlson Network, FOX News, Fox News Media, FBI, Fox News Digital, Department of Justice Locations: Delaware

☆ RFK Jr. attacked the CDC’s ‘fascism’ and likened vaccinating children to abuse by the Catholic Church
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-28 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Brandy-Zadrozny-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Brandy Zadrozny | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +13 min

It’s misinformation about autism and mass injury that doctors and public health officials have disproven over and over again. Less attention has focused on the CDC, a public health agency Kennedy has long vilified in speeches and writings. In his 2017 speech, Kennedy criticized ACIP as a group of self-interested actors who base decisions on financial gain instead of public health. “The people who are on ACIP are not public health advocates,” he said. “We would know the answer to that question if we were given access to the vaccine safety database, but they’ve hidden it,” Kennedy said.

Persons: Robert F, Kennedy Jr, ” Kennedy, ’ ” Kennedy, Kennedy, Donald Trump’s, Donald Trump, Matthew Hatcher, Christ, Del Bigtree, Bobby didn’t, ” Bigtree, “, ”, Paul Offit, Dr, Offit, ” Offit, ’, we’re, ACIP, William Thompson, Howard Lutnick, ” Lutnick, Dave Weldon, Tom Williams, Trump, Weldon Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Catholic Church, CDC, Department of Health, Human Services, Democrat, Getty, Trump, Institutes of Health, HHS, Children’s Health Defense, Vaccine Education, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Drug Administration, RFK, FDA, AAP, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, CNN, Capitol, Inc Locations: ”, Arizona, AutismOne, Black

☆ FTC opens broad antitrust investigation into Microsoft
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has opened a broad antitrust investigation into Microsoft, including of its software licensing and cloud computing businesses, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters Wednesday. The investigation was approved by FTC Chair Lina Khan ahead of her likely departure in January. The FTC fielded such complaints last year as it examined the cloud computing market. The FTC has demanded a broad range of detailed information from Microsoft, Bloomberg reported earlier on Wednesday. In 2019, the Pentagon awarded it a $10 billion cloud computing contract that Amazon had widely been expected to win.

Persons: Lina Khan, Donald Trump, Satya Nadella, Trump, JD Vance Organizations: U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Reuters, NBC News, Republican, FTC, Amazon, Google, European Commission, Bloomberg, Big Tech, Facebook, Meta, Apple, Amazon.com Inc, U.S, Trump, Pentagon, Web Services

Sean “Diddy” Combs will not be home for the holidays. The news comes just days after Combs' legal team outlined their plans if he were to be released. Sean 'Diddy' Combs at the MET Gala, in New York City, on May 1, 2017. Prosecutors also claimed that Combs has engaged in witness tampering from behind bars by making three-way calls and using other inmates’ cell lines. But Combs’ team has said that this is all within his constitutional rights.

Persons: Sean “ Diddy ” Combs, Combs, Aran Subramanian, Christy Slavik, Sean, Diddy, Lucas Jackson, ” Slavik, Prosecutors Organizations: Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center Locations: Brooklyn's, New York City, Combs

Panera Bread has hired a prominent crisis manager while the bakery-café chain navigates ongoing lawsuits over its highly caffeinated Charged Lemonade and plans a long-awaited initial public offering. The confidential settlement was with the family of Sarah Katz, an Ivy League student with a heart condition who died after drinking Charged Lemonade in September 2022. Dispensers for Charged Lemonade at Panera Bread in Walnut Creek, Calif., in 2023. The Charged Lemonade also had guarana extract, another stimulant, as well as the equivalent of nearly 30 teaspoons of sugar in the large size, the court documents added. It also displayed signage in stores cautioning that Charged Lemonade should be consumed in moderation.

Persons: Brooke Buchanan, Buchanan, Panera, Edelman, Elizabeth Holmes, Sarah Katz, Kline, Specter, Elizabeth Crawford, Crawford, Smith, Sen, John McCain Organizations: NBC News, Justice Department, Securities and Exchange Commission, Centers, Medicare, Services, Ivy League, Kline, Getty, Food and Drug Administration, Foods, Whole Foods, Walmart, JCPenney, Red, Street Journal Locations: U.S, Philadelphia, Florida, Walnut Creek, Calif, Missouri, Theranos, New York, Williams, Sonoma

Alabama A&M football player Medrick Burnett Jr. died Tuesday after suffering a head injury during a game four weeks ago, officials at the HBCU said. Burnett played in seven games this season after transferring to Alabama A&M from Grambling. “Our Bulldog family is heartbroken by the loss of Medrick Burnett Jr.,” Alabama A&M Director of Athletics Paul Bryant said in a statement. "We pray for his family and teammates at this incredibly difficult time," Mayfair HS said in statement. Alabama A&M, which is 6-5 overall and 4-3 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) action, has one more game this season, on Friday afternoon against Florida A&M in Tallahassee.

Persons: Medrick Burnett Jr, Burnett, Burnett's, Medrick Burnett, Athletics Paul Bryant, “ Medrick Organizations: Alabama, Bulldogs, Alabama State, Magic City, Austin Peay, “, ” Alabama, Athletics, Mayfair High School, Southwestern Athletic Conference, Florida Locations: Grambling, ”, Lakewood , California, Los Angeles, Tallahassee

☆ Judge finds New York City in contempt over jail conditions, moves closer to a federal takeover
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

A judge on Wednesday found New York City in contempt for failing to staunch violence and brutality at its jails, a scathing ruling that puts the troubled Rikers Island jail complex on the verge of a federal takeover. It would not involve a takeover by the Justice Department, nor would the city’s jails become part of the federal Bureau of Prisons. Nineteen people died in custody at Rikers Island in 2022. There has been “no substantial reduction in the risk of harm currently facing those who live and work in the Rikers Island jails,” the judge wrote. Under a plan approved by the city council in 2019, New York City is legally required to shutter Rikers Island and replace it with four smaller and more modern jails by 2027.

Persons: Laura Taylor Swain, leadership’s, Swain, Eric Adams, ” Swain, Jan, Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady, Maazel, ”, “, Benny Boscio, Adams Organizations: New, ”, Justice Department, of Prisons, Legal Aid Society, city’s Department of Correction, Democrat Locations: New York City, Manhattan, East, Rikers

President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday he will nominate retired Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!," Trump said in a statement announcing his decision. Future American military aid, however, will require Ukraine to participate in peace talks with Russia." Trump was accused of withholding aid to Ukraine in an effort to pressure Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. Vice president-elect JD Vance has also spoken out against Ukraine aid, as has Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

Persons: Donald Trump, Keith Kellogg, Keith, Trump, Kellogg, Fred Fleitz, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Fleitz, Volodymyr Zelensky, Alex Kent, “, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “ We’re, He’s, we’re, I’ll, Trump's, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, JD Vance, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kennedy, Vance, ” Organizations: Military, Business, Staff, National Security Council, NBC News, Russia, Future, Getty, Trump, Republican, Department of Health, Human Services, NBC, Press, NATO Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, U.S, United States, New York City, Georgia, Europe

The astronauts aboard the International Space Station are ready to break bread for a Thanksgiving Day in orbit. NASA astronaut Suni Williams said she and her fellow crew members will have the day off to celebrate. She and fellow NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore arrived at the orbiting outpost in early June, as test pilots on the first crewed flight of Boeing’s Starliner space capsule. The beleaguered Starliner mission was a dramatic, monthslong saga for NASA and Boeing. Williams said it would have been nice to see the Starliner mission through to completion.

Persons: Suni Williams, ” Williams, Lester Holt, Williams, Butch Wilmore, ”, We’re, there’s, “, ” Suni Williams, Chris O'Meara, we’ve Organizations: NASA, NBC News, NBC, Space Station, ISS, SpaceX, Boeing Locations: Russian, Cape Canaveral, Fla

Karol G is now a Bratz doll. The Colombian singer is the first musical artist to collaborate with the toy brand to create a Bratz doll in her likeness. “Now I get to share a doll inspired by that very moment in my career,” Karol G said in a statement. “This collaboration is a true labor of love and a celebration for fans across Latin America and beyond,” Karol G said. When Karol G embarked on a stadium tour in support of the album's release, she became the first Latina to headline at many of the venues where she performed.

Persons: Karol G, Shakira, ” Karol G, Karol, Karol’s, Karol G's merch, Jasmin Larian, Carolina Giraldo Navarro, Karol G's, Bonito ”, “, ”, Hekmat Organizations: Carolina, Billboard, Latina Locations: Colombian, America, Spain, U.S

A national CBS News/YouGov poll conducted last week found that 71% of people plan to avoid political discussions at Thanksgiving. Voss was among the dozens of people on social media who posted videos about how they are opting out of their family Thanksgiving plans. Van Bavel is director of NYU’s Social Identity and Morality Lab, which studies the dynamics of shared social identities. “There’s way more diversity among Republicans than most Democrats believe, and there’s way more diversity among most Democrats than most Republicans believe,” Van Bavel said. Jay Van Bavel, psychology professor at New York University“One of the biggest fears people have is being socially ostracized,” Van Bavel said.

Persons: Donald Trump, it’s, ”, Alexis Voss, Voss, she’s, “, …, Yale, Amanda Calhoun, MSNBC’s Joy Reid, I’m, ’, Jesse Watters, Elon Musk, Jay Van Bavel, Van Bavel, ” Van Bavel, ” Diana Rodriguez Wallach, Kamala Harris, Wallach, Jordan Williams, MAGA, Williams, Scott Walker, Walker, they’re Organizations: Trump, CBS, Fox News, New York University, Democratic, New York University “ One Locations: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rican, California, United States

An Arizona man has been arrested after he allegedly posted videos online that showed him brandishing an AR-15-style rifle and threatening to kill President-elect Donald Trump and members of Trump's family, authorities said. Manuel Tamayo-Torres posted videos on a "near-daily basis" in which he accused Trump and the president-elect's family members of kidnapping and sex-trafficking his children, according to charging documents filed in federal court in Arizona. The documents don't identify Trump by name but they describe "Individual 1" as a former president and current president-elect. Tamayo-Torres also posted a video on Nov. 21, saying Trump's "whole family is going to die," according to the charging documents. Last year, he was served with an order of protection by his ex-wife, the court documents say.

Persons: Donald Trump, Manuel Tamayo, Torres, Trump, Tamayo Organizations: Trump, Desert Diamond, Facebook Locations: Arizona, Glendale, Southern California, California

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen John Phelan, a businessman and investor with no military experience, to become the next Secretary of the Navy. Phelan, if confirmed, would be the first person in 15 years to lead the Navy without having served in any branch of the armed forces. “He will put the business of the U.S. Navy above all else.”As the 79th Navy Secretary, Phelan would oversee more than 900,000 people and an annual budget of more than $210 billion. Twenty out of 26 people to be confirmed as Navy secretary over the last 70 years were veterans, the Military Times reported. On Nov. 12, Trump announced he would nominate Pete Hegseth, a combat veteran and former Fox News host, to be the Secretary of Defense.

Persons: Donald Trump, John Phelan, Phelan, “, ”, Trump, Phelan’s, ” “ John, ” Trump, Carlos Del Toro, Pete Hegseth, Hegseth Organizations: NBC News, Trump, Rugger Management, Harvard Business School, U.S . Navy, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Coast Guard, Command, Military Times, Fox News, Defense, Army National Guard Locations: Palm Beach , Florida, Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba

Several of President-elect Donald Trump's planned Cabinet nominees and administration appointees were subjected to bomb threats and "swatting" attacks Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Trump transition team said. These attacks ranged from bomb threats to ‘swatting,’" transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. Three senior law enforcement officials briefed on the swatting incident involving multiple Trump allies told NBC News that these were not credible threats. The FBI said in a statement it “is aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners. New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism."

Persons: Donald Trump's, ‘, Karoline Leavitt, JD Vance, Trump, Elise Stefanik, Stefanik, ”, who've, Jack Smith Organizations: Trump, NBC News, Secret, FBI, United Nations, New, U.S . Capitol Police Locations: Washington, New York State, U.S, New York, Georgia

A Delta flight attendant slashed a co-worker and hotel security guard after a late night and early morning of heavy, “blacked out” drinking, officials said Wednesday. Smith and “several other coworkers were returning to their” riverfront hotel when he started bickering with the victim, New Orleans police said in a statement. While Smith was booked for attempted murder, defense lawyer Thomas Calogero said his client shouldn’t be charged with that alleged crime once the case reaches prosecutors. Calogero said he highly doubts his client will ever be able to work as a flight attendant again. I mean I’m sure he’s going to lose his job at Delta,” the lawyer said.

Persons: Joshua Smith, Smith, “, Thomas Calogero, Calogero, ” Organizations: New Orleans police, Poydras, Delta, Association of Locations: New Orleans

Even though the sale doesn’t officially start until Nov. 29, some of the best early Black Friday deals are already live. Below, I rounded up the best early Black Friday deals so far, each of which is highly rated and at least 20% off. SKIP AHEAD Best early Black Friday deals | More early Black Friday sales | How I picked the best early Black Friday deals | Why trust NBC Select? The best early Black Friday deals of 2024I found, vetted and wrote about every deal I recommend below. The best early Black Friday salesHere are the best early Black Friday sales to know about.

Persons: I’ve, “, ”, Rebecca Rodriguez, Rodriguez, It's, It’s, Josh Rios, Lemon, Harry Rabinowitz, Jenni Kayne, Billie, Olive, Jones, TikTok Organizations: NBC, Alexa, Amazon, Garmin, beechwood, Walmart, JCPenney, Adidas, Google, Samsung, Casper, Wellness, Facebook, Twitter Locations: carabiner, Samsonite, grippy

☆ Harvey Weinstein's lawyers file complaint against NYC alleging poor medical care and 'gulag' conditions at Rikers Island
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Chloe_Melas.Jpg | Chloe Melas | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers filed a legal claim Tuesday against New York City, alleging the disgraced Hollywood mogul is receiving poor medical care and living in an unhygienic environment at the Rikers Island jail complex. He was hospitalized in April and July, and he had emergency heart surgery in September, according to a representative. The New York City mayor’s office, the city’s Department of Correction and the city’s public hospital system did not immediately respond to requests for comment. “The treatment, or lack thereof, that Mr. Weinstein is receiving on Rikers Island does not only amount to medical negligence, it amounts to cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment,” Ansari added in part. Weinstein, 72, was placed into city custody earlier this year after the New York Court of Appeals overturned his 2020 rape conviction in a 4-3 decision.

Persons: Harvey, Weinstein, Imran H, Ansari, ” Ansari Organizations: New, The New, city’s Department of Correction Locations: New York City, Hollywood, The New York City, “

I frequently cover all of Target’s sales throughout the year and carefully curate a list of the best deals that are truly worthwhile. I combed through the website and found notable deals from popular brands, highly rated options and NBC Select staff favorites. SKIP AHEAD Best Black Friday Target deals | More Black Friday Target sales | Why trust NBC Select? Best Black Friday Target deals4.8-star average rating from 3,316 reviews at TargetThis Apple iPad is our pick for the best overall tablet due to its functionality and price. Best Black Friday Target salesHere are the best Black Friday Target sales to know about.

Persons: ”, Harry Rabinowitz, Rebecca Rodriguez, TikTok Organizations: Target, NBC, Garmin, Facebook, Twitter Locations: woofers

Mortgage rates dropped last week, and homebuyers jumped off the fence. They drove total mortgage demand up 6.3% compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index. While the drop in rates wasn’t exactly huge, there was a fair amount of pent-up demand among homebuyers. Last year at this time mortgage rates were higher, but falling. The increase in conventional purchase applications helped push the average purchase loan size to $439,200, its highest level in almost a month,” Joel Kan, an MBA economist, said in a release.

Persons: homebuyers, ” Joel Kan, ”, Kan, Matthew Graham Organizations: Mortgage, “, pullbacks, Mortgage News

Three American citizens who had been detained in China were released, a State Department spokesperson said Wednesday. Li, 70, who is from Long Island, New York, was detained in 2016 and sentenced to 10 years in 2018 on espionage charges his family says are baseless. The announcement on Wednesday follows the surprise release in September of American pastor David Lin, whom like Li and Swidan the U.S. had classified as wrongfully detained. He had been jailed in China since 2006 after being sentenced to life in prison on charges of contract fraud. Other families who appeared at the hearing are still waiting for the return of loved ones detained in China, including Nelson Wells Jr. and Dawn Hunt.

Persons: Mark Swidan, Kai Li, John Leung, Li, Leung, Chuck Schumer, Li’s, Harrison Li, “, ”, David Lin, Biden, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Swidan’s, Katherine Swidan, ” Li, Nelson Wells Jr, Dawn Hunt Organizations: State Department, United, Politico, ., Hua Foundation, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Economic Cooperation, Congressional, Commission Locations: China, Long Island , New York, Texas, United Nations, American, Hong Kong, Beijing, United States, U.S, Huntington , New York, New York, Asia, Peru, Russia

Shares in a little-known drone company soared Wednesday morning after announcing that Donald Trump Jr. had joined its advisory board. Unusual Machines, an Orlando, Florida-based firm born just two years ago as it acquired a drone manufacturer and a separate drone retailing firm, announced the appointment in an early-morning press release. It is also obvious that we must stop buying Chinese drones and Chinese drone parts,” Trump Jr. said in the statement. In a separate securities filing Wednesday, Trump Jr. is listed as at one point having been Unusual Machines’ second-largest shareholder. An Unusual Machines spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Donald Trump Jr, “ Don Jr, ” Allan Evans, ”, ” Trump, Trump, —, Donald Trump's Organizations: Machines, Company, USA, Trump Jr Locations: Orlando , Florida, America

President-elect Donald Trump said he intends to nominate Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford University professor known for his criticism of Covid lockdowns, to serve as the next director of the National Institutes of Health. In a statement Tuesday, Trump said, "Dr. Bhattacharya will work in cooperation with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to direct the Nation's Medical Research, and to make important discoveries that will improve Health and save lives." Bhattacharya gained national attention in October 2020, when he co-wrote the "Great Barrington Declaration," an open letter calling on public health officials to roll back Covid lockdowns. Several days after the Great Barrington Declaration came out, 80 researchers from the fields of public health, epidemiology and more published a joint letter in the medical journal The Lancet, calling the idea "a dangerous fallacy." Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organization, called the proposal unethical.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jay Bhattacharya, Covid, Trump, Dr, Bhattacharya, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kennedy, Jim O’Neill, O'Neill, Bush, Martin Kulldorff, Sunetra Gupta, Ghebreyesus, ” Ghebreyesus, Anthony Fauci Organizations: Stanford University, National Institutes of Health, Nation's, Research, Health, Department of Health, Human Services, Centers for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration, Harvard, Oxford, World Health Organization, National Institute of Allergy Locations: American, Barrington

☆ California man is indicted after allegedly trying to fly with 71 pounds of meth-soaked clothes, including a cow onesie
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | Daniel Arkin | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

A California man was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport after he allegedly tried to check two suitcases filled with clothing soaked in methamphetamine, including a cow pajama onesie, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday. Prosecutors have indicted Raj Matharu, 31, with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to a Department of Justice news release. Matharu is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Officers field-tested a sample of the residue, which yielded positive results for meth. The total weight of the meth-soaked clothing items was roughly 71.5 pounds.

Persons: onesie, Prosecutors, Raj Matharu, Matharu, Martin Estrada, “, ” Matharu Organizations: Los Angeles International Airport, Department, Justice, United Airlines, Central District of Locations: California, Los Angeles, U.S, Sydney, Australia, Central District, Central District of California

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