Zig’s Place Chat and News Monday AM 5-17-21
Zig’s Place Chat and News Monday AM 5-17-21
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BobbyC Mon, May 17 at 3:00 AM.....Dear Robert, Rebuild Iraq is back! Co-hosted with the National Investment Commission and the Government of Iraq, Rebuild Iraq will showcase the new opportunities for diversification away from Iraq’s oil-based economy.
The Corona pandemic has highlighted the need to build back better, targeting industries that have been neglected over several decades. Key sectors including housing, health, tourism, agriculture, power and many others that are in need of private investment.
The opportunities are substantial, creating economic growth for Iraq, employment for its citizens, human capital development and industry expansion. The Government’s diversification strategy is already underway, highlighted by a recent USS$6bn package from the UAE and KSA. This is the start, with Rebuild Iraq dedicated to promoting the future of Iraq’s economy.
Rebuild Iraq, being held live in Baghdad and broadcast across the world, is the first hybrid conference of its kind tackling Iraq’s reconstruction & investment requirements. Join us from June 27-28, to learn from key government officials, multinationals and international stakeholders on the opportunities available within Iraq’s diversification strategy. Over the 2-days you will:
Access key project and tender opportunities.
Network with senior decision-makers and executives.
Understand the evolving commercial landscape in Iraq.
Identify local agents, partners and distributors.
Connect with 500+ participants, in Baghdad and Online.
Watch sessions live or on-demand.
Rebuild Iraq is your one-stop shop to access the latest information across strategic industries. If you cannot join us in Baghdad, do not fear, we are broadcasting the event digitally across the globe! Watch all sessions from the comfort of your own office, network virtually with all attendees and benefit from additional virtual panels and presentations. There is no excuse to miss out on Rebuild Iraq!
BobbyC The Long Game in Iraq: Shia Clerics, Activists Find Common Cause To Confront the State
A new generation of Iraqis has formed an informal alliance with Iraqi clerics in a move that has the potential for a reimaging of the Iraqi state.
May 17, 2021......Nearly 20 years since the U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq, a new generation of Iraqis is fighting for a different vision and fate for their country from that of their parents. In doing so, they have formed an informal alliance with Iraqi clerics – a radical departure from the trend in most Arab states, where secular-oriented youth seek to delegitimize religious leaders and institutions.
Significant Iraqi clerics have joined forces with civil society activists in a move that has the potential for a reimaging of the Iraqi state. This newfound cooperation is grounded in shared goals: profound domestic political and economic reform and a rejection of Iran’s ideological and political influence in Iraq.
butterfly Oil prices rise with tensions in the Middle East Monday 17, May 2021 09:05.....Oil prices rose today, Monday, as a result of instability in the Middle East region after Israel launched a major attack on the Gaza Strip, which threatens the expansion of confrontations and their impact on the surrounding areas and rich in oil, but it is time for a new wave of Covid-19 restrictions In Asia, there are fears of reduced demand.
Brent crude futures rose 5 cents, 0.08%, to $ 68.77 a barrel, and WTI rose 7 cents, 0.1%, to $ 65.42.
butterfly Al-Rafidain Bank determines the interest rate for restoration and rehabilitation loans for residential homes
Monday 17, May 2021 09:53..............Al-Rafidain Bank has set the interest rate in loans for the restoration and rehabilitation of residential homes.
A statement of the bank’s media office stated, “The interest rate for 50 million dinars in loans for the restoration and rehabilitation of residential homes for employees and 30 million for citizens, reaches 5 percent.”
butterfly Economist for / NINA /: Excluding Iraq from the Davos forum is a wake-up call for decision-makers in the country
Monday 17, May 2021 10:12..........The expert in economic affairs, Raad Twig, said that excluding Iraq from the International Davos Forum held last month is a wake-up call for decision-makers in the country.
Twig said in a statement to the Iraqi National News Agency / NINA / that "the Davos International Forum is a global economic forum that discusses economic developments in the world, and the exclusion of Iraq from it for the lack of quality education, whether at the level of higher and primary education, represents a warning bell for decision-makers in the country, so institutions must Al-Iraqiya should not listen to this warning, update economic policies, and change the essence of education in Iraq in order for it to be productive education.
He added: "In practice, the quality of education is the first step towards building an economy that can support 40 million people, which will double to 80 million after two decades, and this represents a wake-up call for decision-makers in the country to put the right man in the right place in leading economic and educational institutions that are distinguished. Stereotyped. "
Twig stressed "the necessity to search for scientific methods to start from the state of immersion in the static and monotonous economy, and to launch a major economic process to obtain high growth rates equivalent to the high population growth rate", indicating: "The projections for annual growth rates in Iraq indicate 1.8%, and it is necessary." From the acceleration of major, immediate, real and realistic economic development, and the necessity of keeping political interference away from economic reality. "
butterfly He continued, "Improving the quality of education is not by training a number of students on specific exams, but by collectively spreading knowledge to the Iraqi community as a whole and not in a piecemeal fashion, and that will have an economic impact on society, which will raise the name of Iraq high in Davos and other forums."
butterfly 85 countries attend the "Middle East Energy" exhibition in Dubai
Monday 17, May 2021 10:31.....The Middle East Energy Exhibition 2021 will open today in Dubai, with the participation of a group of registered energy sector professionals and professionals from 85 countries around the world.
Each week, the exhibition will highlight a different sector of the energy industry, including renewable and clean energy, transportation and distribution, critical and backup energy, energy consumption and energy management.
The exhibition’s four-week virtual event will feature a series of technical talks, interactive round tables, panel discussions, thought leadership sessions and remote interviews. The first week will address the renewable and clean energy sector and the latest ideas, trends and innovations in the industry with a special focus on green clean hydrogen, solar and energy. Wind.
The exhibition sessions topics include energy diversification, racing to achieve clean energy goals, strategies for achieving net zero emissions, realizing the potential of green clean hydrogen, highlighting the increased production of solar panels and the latest innovations in the design and installation of photovoltaic modules.
butterfly The high exchange rate of the dollar on the local stock exchange
Monday 17, May 2021 11:22..........Today, Monday, the exchange rate of the dollar increased in the main stock exchange and local markets in the capital, Baghdad.
The exchange rate of the dollar on the Al-Kifah Central Stock Exchange in Baghdad rose, recording 148,500 dinars, for every $ 100.
The prices of buying and selling dollars also increased in exchange offices and local markets in Baghdad, where the selling price reached 149,000 thousand dinars, and the purchase price was 148,000 dinars, for every 100 dollars.
butterfly Gold is rising to its highest level
Monday 17, May 2021 13:14..........Gold prices rose, today, Monday, to their highest level in more than three months, after the demand for it, due to the decline in US Treasury bond yields, and fears of an increase in Covid-19 cases in some Asian countries.
Spot gold rose 0.6 percent to $ 1854 an ounce, after touching earlier in the session, its highest level since the second of February. US gold futures jumped 0.8 percent to $ 1853.20.
And the yields on record US Treasury bonds for ten years to their lowest levels in about a week, which reduces the opportunity cost of acquiring gold that does not yield a return.
As for the other precious metals, silver gained 1 percent to record $ 27.70 an ounce, after hitting a week high earlier on Monday. Platinum rose 0.5 percent to $ 1,231.51, and palladium rose 0.1 percent to $ 2,895.61.
butterfly Parliamentary law for / NINA /: The current time allows for a proposal to amend the election law before it takes place next October
Monday 17, May 2021 15:18......The Parliamentary Legal Committee expected the possibility of presenting a proposal to amend the House of Representatives election law before holding the elections scheduled for the tenth of next October.
A member of the committee, Representative Hussein Al-Aqabi, said in a statement to the Iraqi National News Agency ( NINA ) that "the remaining time for the presentation of the proposal to amend the House of Representatives election law until the election date next October allows this now."
He added, "Most of the articles and paragraphs that can be reviewed and modified in the new law are technical issues that do not conflict with the date of the elections, due to the presence of some legal contradictions and loopholes, including those related to the biometric voting system."
He explained, "Everyone talks about elections by biometric voting, but the reality of the new law allows voting via the previous electronic card and the biometric card as well, so voting must be legally limited to the biometric card."
On December 16, the Presidency of the Council of Representatives agreed to a parliamentary request, accompanied by the signatures of 75 deputies from different blocs, to submit a proposal to amend the House of Representatives election law, and decided to refer it to the Parliamentary Legal Committee to mature the legal drafting.
The House of Representatives voted, in its evening session at the end of last March, to dissolve Parliament on October 7, 2021, provided that the elections will be held on time on October 10, 2021.
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butterfly Saudi Arabia to Rehabilitate Ibn Al-Khatib Hospital in Baghdad.......17th May 2021..........The Saudi embassy has announced that King Salman bin Abdulaziz will fund the rehabilitation of Ibn Al-Khatib Hospital in Baghdad, as a gift to the Iraqi people.
A fire at the hospital last month killed at least 82 people, and left more than 100 injured.
Saudi Arabia will also take critically ill victims of the fire and provide them with medical care in the Kingdom's hospitals atKing Salman's expense. (Source: SPA)
butterfly What Arab Gulf countries can learn from Iran's approach to Iraq.....17th May 2021.........The Gulf Arab states are leagues behind Iran in the scale, scope, and significance of their relations with Iraq.
The Gulf-Iraq relationship has witnessed a mild renaissance since the departure in 2014 of then prime minister Nouri al-Maliki and his sectarian approach to politics.
But there has been uneven progress in the development of substantial political, economic, and security ties since then. Gulf states remain cautious about investing too heavily in Iraq, fearing that their engagements will ultimately be derailed by Iranian-backed politicians and armed actors in the country.
There is also a level of complacency generated by the American and European diplomatic and military presence in Iraq, which reassures the Gulf states that the country does not represent an immediate threat to their security.
butterfly 2021-05-17 05:14 Shafaq News/ Turkey's lira rallied 1.2% on Monday, pulling back from near a record low on Thursday, as weaker U.S. economic data pulled U.S. yields lower, easing pressure as the emerging market economy re-opened after a four-day holiday weekend.
The currency TRYTOM=D3 was at 8.34 against the dollar at 0621 GMT. It has gained nearly 2% since Thursday of last week, when it touched its weakest level in six months, at 8.51, as global inflation concerns bubbled up.
Turkey's government on Monday lifted a daytime coronavirus lockdown, imposed 2-1/2 weeks ago, which included closing schools and some businesses. Nighttime and weekend curfews remain in place. Source: Reuter
butterfly 2021-05-17 03:31 Shafaq News / gold prices in the Iraqi wholesale and retail markets for today, Monday (May 17, 2021) The prices in Al-Nahr Street wholesale markets in Baghdad (in Dinars)
Sale
Purchase
one Mithqal (5 grams) of 21k of Gulf, Turkish and European gold 385,000 375,000
one Mithqal (5 grams) of 21k of Iraqi Gold 355,000 345,000
The prices in Baghdad goldsmiths’ shops (retail) (in Dinars)
Sale
one Mithqal (5 grams) of 21k of Gulf gold 385,000 – 390,000
one Mithqal (5 grams) of 21k of Iraqi Gold 355,000-365,000
butterfly 2021-05-17 02:31 Shafaq News / The dollar exchange rates climbed in the Iraqi market today, Monday (May 17, 2021).
• The Kifah Stock Exchange recorded 148,500 dinars, for $ 100.
• The Al-Harthiya Stock Exchange recorded 148,500 dinars for 100 dollars.
In Baghdad Selling prices in the banking stores in the local markets
•Sale price: 149,000 dinars for $ 100 • Purchase price: 148,000 dinars for $ 100
In Erbil Selling prices in the banking stores in the local markets
•Sale price: 148,500 dinars for $ 100 • Purchase price: 148,000 dinars for $ 100
butterfly 2021-05-15 07:11 Shafaq News/ Based on information released by the Turkish National Dairy Council on Saturday, Iraq is the second biggest importer of Turkish dairy products during the first quarter of 2021.
In a statement released by the council, it appeared that the production of cow milk in turkey has augmented by 3.3% during the first trimester of 2021 in comparison with last year, to reach 2,600,000 tons between January and March.
The statement added, “Turkey exported 94.7 million dollars’ worth of dairy products between January and March, a 90.8 million increase from the same period last year.”
Iraq falls in the second position behind China and ahead of the UAE.
butterfly 2021-05-17 09:38 Shafaq News/ The Iraqi National Security Advisor (NSA), Qassem al-Araji, received earlier today, Monday, the new Commander of the NATO mission in Iraq, Lieutenant General Michael Lollesgaard.
A readout issued by the National Security Advisory said that al-Araji discussed with his guest the mission's work "related to developing the capabilities of the Iraqi forces and providing Consults."
According to the readout, Lollesgaard presented a brief review for the mission's work and its specific tasks and affirmed the absence of combat forces in Iraq, defining the mission's tasks as "consulting and training" in the framework of the cooperation between Iraq and NATO to support the Iraqi forces.
Al-Araji said that "Iraqi forces are headway in the combat expertise," indicating, "the cooperation with NATO falls within the parameters of developing the training aspects, which is considered a crucial factor to boost the capabilities of our security forces and keep up with the advancements in this field."
butterfly 2021-05-17 08:19 Shafaq News/ Iraq today fields only a single class of fighter aircraft, a squadron of 34 F-16IQ Fighting Falcon lightweight fighters acquired from the United States, which are fielded alongside 24 South Korean T-50 very light trainers and an unknown number of Russian Su-25 attack jets - some of which were delivered second hand from Iran.
The F-16s depend heavily on support from American technicians to operate, although these personnel are expected to withdraw from Iraq in the near future due to changing political circumstances in the country.
Lockheed Martin’s vice president for communications, Joseph LaMarca Jr., was quoted by the New York Times as stating regarding a possible withdrawal: “In coordination with the U.S. government and with employee safety as our top priority… Lockheed Martin is relocating our Iraq-based F-16 team.” With the possibility of its F-16s being grounded, the potential for Iraq to look to acquire foreign fighters from sources which will not depend on American support remains a significant possibility.
F-16IQ fighters were delivered to Iraq between 2014 and 2017, with American political pressure thought to have played a very significant role in influencing the post-occupation government in Baghdad to purchase the aircraft despite their questionable capabilities.
It is no exaggeration to say that the aircraft represents the least capable F-16 variant in service anywhere in the world - with the possible exceptions of those in Egyptian service and the small F-16A fleet in the Venezuelan Air Force.
The fighters are the only modern F-16 variants which are not equipped with AIM-120 air to air missiles, and instead rely on the antiquated Cold War era AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-9L/M missiles both of which are considered obsolete.
butterfly The decision to limit the aircraft to such a load out is thought to have been influenced by Israeli concerns, resulting in Iraq only being provided with the minimum capability sufficient to engage ground targets. The country’s airspace has been violated by Israeli fighter aircraft in the past - both to attack Syrian targets through Iraq and to strike non-state actors on Iraqi soil.
The MiG-29 will provide a significantly superior air to air capability than the F-16IQ, with all MIG-29 operators in the Arab world deploying them with R-77 active radar guided missiles — an equivalent to the AIM-120C denied to the Iraqi Air Force.
Iraq previously deployed much older MiG-29As from 1988, which had some successes against Western aircraft in the few incidents of air to air combat they saw when equipped with much older and now obsolete R-27 and R-60 missiles. The much more advanced MiG-29M was recently ordered by both Algeria and Egypt, and is both easier to operate and maintain and much more capable in all roles than the MiG-29A which Iraq previously deployed.
The primary threat to U.S. personnel in Iraq has come from “militia” forces, many of which are aligned with Iran, which are hostile to the United States.
Russian personnel are not expected to face any similar kind of harassment or threat. Purchasing Russian fighters to replace the F-16s would be far from unprecedented, with the Iraqi Army having previously acquired Russian T-90 tanks to replace American M1 Abrams tanks in its elite units. Russian fighters could provide an effective complement to a growing number of Russian weapons systems deployed by the Iraqi Military, which includes, among other assets, new attack helicopters and possibly long range air defence systems in future. Source: militarywatchmagazine.com
butterfly 2021-05-17 07:38 Shafaq News/ The Agency for Intelligence and Federal investigations of the Ministry of Interior said today, Monday, that it arrested a currency counterfeiter in possession of 160 thousand U.S. dollars in fake banknotes in Kirkuk.
A statement of the agency said that the counterfeiter was lured into an ambush and caught red-handed in possession of 160 thousand dollars in fake 100 U.S. dollar bills.
The arrestee confessed to printing counterfeit cash at his residence and three fraud schemes to promote and sell counterfeit bills.
The arrestee and the seizures he used in his craft were presented before the Judiciary, and legal proceedings against him were taken, according to the source.
butterfly 2021-05-17 08:33 Shafaq News/ Kurdistan's Minister of Interior, Rebar Ahmed, announced repealing all the formations of dignitary protection and establishing a specialized directorate for this purpose.
Ahmed said in a press conference he held in Erbil after convening with Kurdistan's Parliament Committee for Finance to review the steps his Ministry implemented in the wake of the Reform act legislation, "we will form a directorate specialized in [Dignitary] Protection in the Ministry of Interior, and we will cancel all the former directorates in the Ministry of the Peshmerga, the forces of Zeravani, Defense, and Emergency, security institutions, and Police."
He added, "the reform in the Ministry of Interior does not include the Dignitary Protection exclusively. Many instructions and laws were issued, and many measures were taken," referring to the formulation of a new act for the private security companies.
butterfly 2021-05-16 15:10 Shafaq News / The President of Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, met on Sunday with a high-level U.S. delegation.
The delegation visiting Erbil included Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Joey Hood, Acting Special Representative for Syria Engagement, Aimee Cutrona, and Director of Iraq and Syria Affairs in the National Security Council Zehra Bell.
A statement by the Presidency of the Region said that the President discussed with the delegation the situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, the Baghdad-Erbil relations, the upcoming elections, ISIS threats, and the Global Coalition tasks in Iraq.
The statement pointed out that the parties agreed on considering ISIS a great threat to the security and stability of Iraq and the region, stressing the need to eliminate it.
The meeting highlighted Iraq’s need for the Global Coalition aid to face the terrorist organization.
The two sides laid emphasis on the importance of support and coordination between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi forces.
butterfly 2021-05-17 09:29 Shafaq News / The Biden administration has approved the sale of $735 million in precision-guided weapons to Israel.
The Washington Post reported that the Congress had been officially notified of the proposed sale on May 5.
According to the newspaper's report, a new generation of House Democrats more open to questioning Washington’s support of Netanyahu is raising some concerns. Some lawmakers want to know more about the new proposed sale and its timing, suggesting it be used as leverage.
butterfly What is the secret behind the Biden administration’s concealment of the truth about the nuclear negotiations with Iran?
5-17-2021 What is the secret behind the Biden administrations concealment of the truth about the nuclear negotiations with IranThe blurring of the US position on the reality of the nuclear negotiations with Iran, to reach a new agreement that defuses tension, especially in the Middle East, led to many discussions between many observers in search of that secret, where they say that obtaining information about the talks from officials in Russia and Iran seemed Easier and easier to get from the Biden administration.
WASHINGTON – Since the start of the nuclear talks in Vienna between the Iranians and world powers, the administration of US President Joe Biden has not been committed to transparency regarding the progress of negotiations and what exactly is presented to the regime in Tehran, which the State Department described as “the worst state sponsor of terrorism in the world.”
While the Russians and Iranians have been saying for weeks that they are making progress towards reaching an agreement, the Biden administration has continued to underestimate the possibility of reaching an agreement within the United States and in front of allies in the Middle East region, led by Israel and Saudi Arabia.
The American political scientist and Harvard University researcher Majid Rafi Zadeh raises in an analysis published by the “Gatestone” institute a group of doubts about the American position.
And he wonders whether Washington’s news blackout on negotiations with Iran aims to keep the US allies unknowingly to prevent anger that would disrupt the administration’s efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal that Iran had never signed? Or is it intended to keep the Americans and the guards in Congress under control and then surprise them with a deal at a later time?
butterfly Rafi Zadeh, head of the American International Council in the Middle East, says that if the Biden administration, as did the administration of former President Barack Obama, surprise everyone by reaching an agreement, would the time to act would be too late for the Americans? Is the return to the nuclear agreement the return that Biden agreed to pay for the support he received from Obama before the recent US elections?
After the Europeans agreed in early May that an agreement would be imminent, the Biden administration had no other choice but to unveil the truth on the eighth of the same month, and to admit that there was indeed an agreement on the way.
On the other hand, the Biden administration refused to disclose any sanctions it intends to lift from Tehran, which is the same method used by Iranian officials.
Nevertheless, it is surprising that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said, “We have reached a point at which the Americans and Europeans say, frankly, that they have no choice but to lift the sanctions and return to the nuclear agreement, and that almost all sanctions have been lifted, and talks are continuing on some details.”
And when Rouhani says that the Biden administration will lift “major sanctions”, it is very likely that this will include those imposed on Iran’s banking and financial system, and those that have targeted organizations and officials who were blacklisted during former President Donald Trump’s term.
Not only that, but also the sanctions imposed on oil and mineral exports, the shipping sector, trade, and transactions with the Iranian regime, in addition to the sanctions imposed on commercial airlines in Iran that have been involved in arms smuggling operations, as well as those related to Iran’s terrorist activities and human rights violations.
butterfly President Biden had said earlier that he would lift sanctions on Iran with the aim of reaching a new nuclear agreement, and that he would work with America’s allies to achieve this goal. However, it appears that he intends to lift the sanctions in order to revive the 2015 agreement. Moreover, it appears that Washington’s allies, such as Israel or other regional powers, have not been informed of the progress of the negotiations.
Although Biden indicated that he wanted a more robust and longer-lasting deal than the previous nuclear deal, it is likely that the new agreement will be the same as the old one.
Rafie Zadeh believes that reaching an agreement in such a short time frame reveals that no new issues will be entered into the negotiations. In addition, the Iranian authorities were clear that they would not accept a different agreement, which might include restrictions on its ballistic missile program, or perhaps address Iran’s hard-line foreign policy in the Middle East.
It is very likely that the new agreement between Iran and world powers will include “termination conditions” that set a date for ending the restriction of the Iranian nuclear program, after which Iran’s leaders will be free to operate centrifuges and enrich uranium at any level they desire.
Also, this potential agreement may exempt Iranian military sites from inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, and in addition to that, reviving the 2015 agreement will help the Iranian regime return to the global financial system and achieve more legitimacy, in addition to billions of dollars flowing into the regime’s coffers and militias. Affiliated with him.
From this logic, Rafi`zadeh asserts that everyone has the right to know what sanctions the Biden administration intends to lift from Tehran, because the Iranian regime has been killing Americans for nearly four decades and holding some of them hostage. This regime recently broadcast a propaganda video showing a fake bombing of the Congress building by the Revolutionary Guards, while the Biden administration seeks to lift its sanctions.
Republican Senator Pat Tommy tweeted in a comment on the video, in which he said, “The chief Iranian negotiator admitted last week that the Revolutionary Guards are the ones making the decisions in Tehran. And now we see that Iran is showing a fabricated video showing the Revolutionary Guards blowing up the Capitol building. ” And now, “the Biden administration’s priority must focus on deterring Iran from carrying out an attack of this kind, and not surrender by lifting sanctions.” rawabetcenter.com
Butterfly Economist: Oil prices are on the way to rise and there is an opportunity to reduce the dollar
08:32 – 17/05/2021 Economist - Oil prices are on the way to rise and there is an opportunity to reduce the dollarThe information / Baghdad .. The economist, Wissam Al-Tamimi, said on Monday that global oil prices will rise by a few dollars above the current current price, pointing out that some variables in the American economy in addition to the Palestinian events are all factors that will lead to an increase in global oil prices.
Al-Tamimi said in a statement to “Al-Maaloumah”, that “the government owns a surplus of exported oil revenues per month, up to $ 20 per barrel at a time when Iraq exports more than 3 million barrels per day.”
He added, “The selling prices of oil are on the rise for a few dollars, especially since there are some American variables, the Palestinian situation, and the continuation of the Zionist attacks, all of which will help in the rise in prices.”
Al-Tamimi pointed out that “ Iraq, as an oil-exporting country, will be the first to benefit from the high oil price in the event that the government exploits this rise optimally, as the current and future rise must be matched by a reduction in the dollar’s exchange rate in local markets, after the need to return the cash reserve in the bank has ceased to exist.” Central ”. almaalomah.org
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