New York, U.S.A. — U.S. designation of Hezbollah as a primary supporter of the Assad regime’s brutality “is another important step in efforts to confront the murderous Syrian regime,” said David Harris, executive director of AJC, the global advocacy organization. The U.S. government announced the new designation of Hezbollah in a conference call with reporters.

Ambassador Daniel Benjamin, the State Department’s Coordinator for Counterterrorism, one of the U.S. officials announcing the new designation, said “it serves the very, very important purpose of making clear to parties around the world – both domestically and internationally – the true nature of Hezbollah’s activities.”

The U.S designation states that Hezbollah has been training Syrian government personnel inside Syria, facilitating training of regime forces by Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and actively helping to expel Syrian opposition forces from some areas of Syria.”Hezbollah’s actions in Syria are particularly egregious, extending and prolonging this deadly conflict,” said Ambassador Benjamin.

“The Syrian people are suffering and dying at the hands of this unholy alliance of Hezbollah, Iran and the Assad regime,” said Harris. “State terrorism at its worst is playing out on the streets of Aleppo, Damascus and many other Syrian cities and towns.” The U.S. designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization in 1999. Canada, the United Kingdom and Israel have similarly labelled the group.

Several years ago, an attempt to secure European Union designation came close, but ultimately failed because a few European leaders maintained that Hezbollah, with representatives in the Lebanese Cabinet and Parliament, was a “legitimate” political organization.

“Serving at the highest levels of a government does not facto legitimize a terrorist organization,” said Harris. “Hezbollah should not be allowed to have it both ways — on the one hand, maintain its own militia and global terrorist apparatus, while, on the other hand, being recognized as a legitimate political force.”

Hezbollah, created with Iran’s aid nearly 30 years ago, is one of the world’s most dangerous terrorist organizations with a record of deadly attacks and foiled attempts in Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. Most recently, Hezbollah has been implicated in terrorist plots in two EU countries — Bulgaria andCyprus — as well as in other attempts from Kenya to Thailand.”

AJC last week sent letters to the foreign ministers of all 27 EU member states, the first step in a renewed campaign to encourage the EU to formally designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.”European nations should be among the very first to understand the true nature of Hezbollah and the regional and global threat it continues to pose,” said Harris. “It’s deadly involvement in Syria, as underscored by the new U.S. designation, only further underscores the point.”

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After the three police investigations and thirty arrests that resulted from the News International scandal, the United Kingdom has begun a media ethics trial to investigate the influence and ethical issues surrounding the media. The previous criminal trial began after Murdoch’s tabloid “News of the World” hacked a kidnap-murder victim’s phone and the emails and phones of war veterans and their families.

The former British Prime Minister John Major – Conservative party premier from 1990 to 1997 – testified at the media ethics trial, known as the Leveson inquiry after Lord Justice Leveson was appointed to oversee the evidence.

Major claimed that Rupert tried to influence the government interactions with the European Union by asking Major at a private dinner to withdraw the United Kingdom from the European Union; Major refused.

Murdoch told the inquiry on 25 of April that he “[has] never asked a prime minister for anything.” Major responded that he assumes Murdoch meant, “he [Murdoch] has never asked for anything that would benefit him personally or his company…in my very limited contact with Mr. Murdoch his statement is on a strict interpretation literally true.”

Major went on to explain for what Murdoch seemed to ask. “Certainly he never asked for anything directly from me but he was not averse to pressing for policy changes. In the run-up to the 1997 general election in my third and last meeting with him on 2 February 1997 he made it clear that he disliked my European policies which he wished me to change.”

According to the former Prime Minister, Murdoch made the implication that if Major did not change his European policies the prime minister would lose the support of Murdoch’s media networks. Major stated, “so far as I recall he made no mention of editorial independence but referred to all his papers as ‘we’…Both Mr. Murdoch and I kept our word. I made no change in policy and Mr. Murdoch’s titles did indeed oppose the Conservative party. It came as no surprise to me when soon after our meeting the Sun newspaper announced its support for Labour.”

Shortly after the private dinner party where this conversation took place Murdoch’s two major papers backed Tony Blair in the 1997 general election; Blair won the election three months later.

News International, Murdoch’s news corporation, has since issued a statement in regards to Major’s comments. “News International titles did not act in unison in the 1997 election. The Sunday Times supported John Major, the Times was neutral, and the Sun and the News of the World supported Labour.”

Gordon Brown and Tony Blair have also testified at the inquiry about their relationship with the media mogul. Brown claimed that Murdoch’s papers undermined the British government’s efforts in Afghanistan.

Major made several comments about the influence of Murdoch and his media empire. “I do think parts of his press, parts of his media empire have lowered the general quality of the British media…I think the interaction that there has been with politicians has done no good either to the press or to the politicians.

“I think the sheer scale of the influence he is believed to [have] whether he exercises it or not, is an unattractive facet in British national life, and it does seem to me an oddity that in a nation which prides itself on one man, one vote, we should have one man, who can’t vote, with a large collection of newspapers and a large share of the electronic media outlets.”

Major claims that he has not talked about the conversation with Murdoch in the last fifteen years but since he was under oath at the inquiry he was bound by law and his word to talk about it.

Major and Murdoch also had meetings in 1992 and 1993 although neither party remembers what was discussed at those meetings. Murdoch claims that he does not remember the conversation at the private dinner with Major in 1997.

Before the meeting in 1993 Major’s press secretary, Sir Gus O’Donnell, sent out a memo stating that Murdoch has “made matters worse” and his papers “ceased to make rational criticisms of policy and are now simply anti-everything and [Major] in particular.”

Image Courtesy of  david_shankbone

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Queen Elizabeth II kicked off her Diamond Jubilee celebrations by attending Epsom Derby with other members of the royal family.

The Queen received a rapturous welcome as the royal motorcade made its way onto the course, and she was greeted by Katherine Jenkins’ rendition of the National Anthem as she emerged from her car. In addition to her husband, she was also joined by several of her relatives, including the Duke of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, and Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

The Queen is a keen horsewoman, and the Epsom Derby is one of the highlights of her year. In past years, she has had a horse in the race, and it is said that winning the Derby is one of her fondest ambitions. She has already won the 1,000 Guineas, the 2,000 Guineas, the Oaks, and the St. Leger. Last year, her horse Carleton House came in third.

“She’s incredibly knowledgeable. Her knowledge of thoroughbreds and breeding goes way back,” said Anthony Cane, chairman of Epsom Downs Racecourse.

Epsom had a carnival atmosphere this year, with a dramatic parachute fall by the British Army’s Red Devils taking place shortly before she arrived. Spectators were treated to a performance by Ashleigh Butler and her dog, the winners of Britain’s Got Talent. There were also stiltwalkers dressed as guardsmen, complete with trademark red tunics and bearskin hats.

Today’s race is traditionally called the Coronation Cup, but it has been renamed the Diamond Jubilee Coronation Cup. After the race, the Queen presented the trophy to trainer Aiden O’Brien. His horse, St. Nicholas Abbey, also won last year.

Elsewhere in Britain, the start of the Jubilee was marked by a 41-gun salute in London, and 21-gun salutes in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast. On Sunday, the Queen will take part in a pageant on the Thames that will see over 1,000 boats sailing down river. On Monday, there will be a picnic for 10,000 members of the public at Buckingham Palace, followed by a pop concert featuring such luminous names as Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Tom Jones, Sir Elton John, Robbie Williams, and Stevie Wonder. Come nightfall, 2,012 beacons will be lit across the country. The Jubilee celebrations will conclude on Tuesday with a Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral, after which the Queen will attend a reception in her honor hosted by the Lord Mayor of London at Mansion House. Meanwhile, millions of her subjects will take part in street parties and other local events.

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Blizzard’s Diablo 3 breaking sales records to become the fastest selling PC game of all time should come as no surprise. The title, long awaited and massively hyped, sold over 3.5 million copies in its first day of release despite issues at launch, eventually breaking the 6 million mark before the week closed.

What is surprising is that Max Payne 3, Rockstar Games’ big release of the year, managed to outsell Blizzard’s much-anticipated gem in the UK. In physical copies, at least, Max Payne 3 was able to sell 8,000 more copies than Diablo 3 to the British gamers, locking on to the number one spot in UK sales charts.

While digital copies are not counted in the charts, Max Payne 3 achievement says a lot, and may be proof that new Max Payne games are a worthwhile endeavor.

The original Max Payne game was released in July 2001 for Windows and was later ported to the PS2, Xbox, Macintosh, and the Gameboy Advance. Its grit and hard-boiled atmosphere garnered much praise from prestigious gaming websites such as IGN and Gamespot, and a sequel soon followed. Subtitled “The Fall of Max Payne,” it followed in much the same vein as its predecessor. Despite positive reviews from the same major websites (although many criticized the short length), sales were unsatisfactory. According to the website VGChartz, the game eventually went on to sell 2 million across all consoles (the original sold 3.3 million) but the damage was already done. The only entry in the Max Payne series until now was a (predictably bad) movie tie-in released in 2008.

Leading up to Max Payne 3’s release, Rockstar began an aggressive advertisement campaign—a risky move, considering Max Payne is not one of the companies’ flagship series, titles that guaranteed to rake in a lot of money such as Grand Theft Auto. Also unlike Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne games (3 included) have been traditionally linear, resulting in little replay value, and relatively short game play. Max Payne 3 aims to fix this by including a multiplayer mode, lauded by critics.

Could this incentive to keep players busy after completing the story mode result in more sales?  The Diablo Battle Chest was the 18th bestselling PC game of 2008, mostly due to its online mode. Online multiplayer modes seem to be the path to success. Could it be the key to Max Payne reestablishing itself as a franchise? A strong online following certainly would help the series. There is not much Max Payne fans can do, other than cross their fingers and wait.  Oh, and play more Max Payne.

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This early January, a team of marine scientists discovered a new species of life in a most unlikely place: on the ocean floor, hidden from sunlight and steeped in pressures of thousands of pounds per square inch, swarming around vents that spurt scorching water.

Boarding the vessel, Atlantis, the team – led by marine biologist Dr. Jon Copley and marine geochemist Dr. Doug Connelly – descended five kilometers to the Cayman Trough, located south of the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean. At the Cayman Trough, like at other trenches, two tectonic plates are slowly shifting apart 0.6 inches or 15 mm per year, producing fresh ocean floor. Hydrothermal vents often sprout at trenches due to the volcanic activity occurring below.

Found commonly in ridges, they are essentially seafloor chimneys – as tall as ten meters – that spew mineral-filled water, whose temperatures range from 300 to 400° C (600-750° F). Their heat comes from magma chambers under the ocean floor. Upon reaching their destination, the marine scientists were surprised to see two hydrothermal vents that were six meters tall. The team did not expect to find vents because it was thought that they did not exist in the area.

This type of vent, known as a “black smoker vent,” gushes 450° C (~850° F) water, filled not only with minerals, but with metallic particles, making the water appear smoky. The explorers named the vents the Beebe Vent Field, after William Beebe, an American scientist who was the first deep-sea explorer. The team was surprised even further when they spotted a new species of shrimp clustering (2,000 per square meter) around the vents and feeding on the minerals.

In lieu of eyes, the ghostly white shrimp have a light-sensing organ on their backs to help them navigate through the dim glow emanating from the vents. Furthermore, white anemones were found laying on the sea floor, where they fed off of the copper-rich water that seeped through. In a previous expedition, the team also found vents around Mount Dent (3 km high), an underwater mountain located at the Cayman Trough.

“Finding black smoker vents on Mount Dent was a complete surprise,” Dr. Connelly says in the National Oceanography Center news release. Dr. Connelly works at the National Oceanography Center. “Hot and acidic vents have never been seen in an area like this before, and usually we don’t even look for vents in places like this.”

With their finding vents at Mount Dent and now at the Cayman Trough, the marine scientists surmise that there is more volcanic activity in the ocean than previously thought. Recently, another team of scientists discovered new species of crab and octopus – called the yeti crab and the pale octopus, respectively – hanging around vents in Antarctica.

With the combination of the discovery of life at the bottom of the Antarctic and at the Cayman Trough, marine scientists all over the world are expanding their perception of what sorts of conditions life can thrive in, especially in the deepest parts of the oceans. “Studying the creatures at these vents and comparing them with species at other vents around the world will help us to understand how animals disperse and evolve in the deep ocean,” states Dr. Copley of the University of Southampton, United Kingdom.

“One of the big mysteries of deep-sea vents is how animals are able to disperse from vent field to vent field, crossing the apparently large distances between them,” he adds. “But maybe there are more ‘stepping stones’ like these out there than we realized.”

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A team of chemistry researchers in the United Kingdom has discovered a molecule that could potentially halt global warming and its effects by cleaning the atmosphere of pollutants and producing clouds.

In the 1950s, German chemist Rudolph Criegee postulated the existence of these molecules, which are known as the Criegee biradicals or Criegee intermediates. Criegee biradicals were confirmed only recently because the means to observe had not been developed until now. They are extremely reactive and elusive: once they form, they immediately bond with other chemicals.

The researchers, from the Universities of Manchester and Bristol and the Sandia National Laboratories, accidentally detected the molecule while performing an experiment with a synchrotron, which used light from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Advanced Light Source.

The intense light allowed the researchers to discern the Criegee biradicals’ formation and eliminate those of similarly arranged molecules. Upon detecting them, the team further observed the Criegee biradicals reacting in atmospheric conditions in the synchrotron. They learned that the molecules formed rapidly – faster than imagined – and accelerated in formation when in the presence of pollutants.

“Criegee radicals have been impossible to measure until this work carried out at the Advanced Light Source,” says Dr. Carl Percival, Reader in Atmospheric Chemistry at the University of Manchester and co-author of the team’s paper, in the University of Manchester’s media release. “We have been able to quantify how fast Criegee radicals react for the first time.”

Criegee biradicals oxidize pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide into nitrates and sulfates. These compounds initiate the development of aerosols, tiny particles that deflect solar radiation into space. Aerosol formation ultimately leads to cloud formation, which cools the Earth by blocking sunlight.

These reactions can occur anytime. According to Dr. Percival, “The main source of these Criegee biradicals does not depend on sunlight and so these processes take place throughout the day and night.”

“But the fact is that these [intermediates] haven’t been studied before,” George Marston tells LiveScience.com, “so it’s difficult to know what you would really expect.” Marston, who did not partake in the research, is a chemist at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom.

The Criegee biradicals have not yet been observed in action in the atmosphere, so the idea of the molecules controlling the Earth’s climate remains hypothetical. Initiating the formation of Criegee biradicals and controlling their reactions at such a large scale would be a difficult task for scientists to undertake.

Furthermore, the geoengingeering project may backfire; the atmosphere is still complex and not well understood. ”This is very much the beginning of a much more extensive systematic study,” Marston adds.

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Every so often, the British media will run a story about how the government of the day is considering amending the laws governing the succession to the Throne. Nothing is ever done, however, and the story quickly fades from view. But David Cameron may be bucking the trend, for he has finally set in motion the ponderous process of changing the law.

At issue is the fact that the current law is perceived by many as discriminatory. Men take precedence over women. If William and Kate have a daughter, she can only inherit the Throne if her parents never have a son. Such gender discrimination is increasingly hard to justify, and there is widespread support for allowing women to succeed on equal terms.

Cameron also wants to end the prohibition against marrying Roman Catholics. The Act of Succession 1701 states that, if a person who is in the line of succession marries a Roman Catholic, they automatically forfeit their right to the Crown. On the surface, this looks like a straightforward issue of religious discrimination.

Critics have pointed out that the prohibition does not apply to a person who marries a Presbyterian, a Muslim, or even an atheist, and they see it as something of an anomaly that Roman Catholics are singled out in this manner. However, allowing a person who is married to a Roman Catholic to ascend the Throne could have unforeseen consequences because of the Roman Catholic Church’s rules regarding ‘mixed’ marriages.

Typically, if a Roman Catholic marries a non-Roman Catholic, the non-Roman Catholic person must agree to let any children be raised as Roman Catholics. This would be problematic because a Roman Catholic cannot ascend the Throne because of the monarch’s role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

Although supporters of succesion-law reform argue that, because the monarch’s role in the Church is mostly ceremonial, there is no problem with a Roman Catholic becoming the titular Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The Church of England continues to oppose such a move. Since there is little political will to disestablish the Church of England, Cameron’s reforms can only go so far.

Because the British monarch is also the monarch of fifteen other countries within the Commonwealth of Nations, any change to the succession law will require the unanimous agreement of those other countries. Cameron has written to the Queen’s other Prime Ministers to obtain their support for the changes, and it is likely the matter will be discussed further at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth later this month.
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With many of the stars having a good trip with their international teams the week before, this past week brought about some great matches that have caused some big changes in the standings. This includes Chelsea regaining a top three position, Stoke City taking the fourth place position, and Liverpool slipping down two spots to fifth place.

However, Manchester United and Manchester City are still going head to head for the leading position in the league, making the space between the leaders and the followers in the standings quite large.

Arsenal 1:0 Swansea City

Arsenal came out in better form than they had in their 8-2 loss to Manchester United two weeks ago, allowing them to move up in the standings and maybe motivate the team to reach their usual top four position once again.

The win was not a pretty win, with the only goal coming in the 40^th minute from Andrei Arshavin after a terrible mistake between Swansea goalkeeper Michael Vorm and one of his defenders. This left the net wind open for Arshavin to help Arsenal win a big three points that they desperately needed.

Everton 2:2 Aston Villa

After an entertaining match that saw several goals and drama with penalties, neither Everton nor Aston Villa was able to come away from the match with a win.

The first goal of the match came off the boot of Everton forward Leon Osman in the 19^th minute. This gave Everton the lead going into the second half. However, Aston Villa was able to equalize in the 63^rd minute when midfielder Stilian Petrov was able to get past Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Drama came five minutes later with a penalty kick awarded to Everton’s Leighton Baines who was able to hit the back of the net. After a strong battle in the closing minutes of the match, Aston Villa was able to equalize yet again from a shot off the boot of Gabriel Agbonlahor in the 83^rd minute, giving both teams a point in the standings.

Manchester City 3:0 Wigan Athletic

Sergio Aguero, Manchester City’s most popular newcomer from this past transfer window, showed he was more than worth the money paid for him by contributing all three of the goals in their win against Wigan Athletic.

Aguero scored early in the first half, putting the ball in the back of the net in the 13^th minute. It wasn’t until the second half when Aguero would put in two more goals to finish his hat trick and stop any chance of Wigan making a comeback in the latter half of the game. With this win, Manchester City sits in second place due to goal difference between Manchester United.

Sunderland 1:2 Chelsea

Chelsea moved back into the top four of the Premier League with their win against Sunderland, who they outplayed the entire match. The first goal of the game was scored by Chelsea defender John Terry in the 18^th minute, and was the only goal scored in the first half. Daniel Sturridge, in covering for the injured Didier Drogba, put the second goal in for Chelsea in the 50^th minute.

Although there was a glimmer of hope shown in Sunderland when substitute Ji Dong-Wong scored in the last minute of the match, Chelsea was able to defend well through injury time and secure the win.

Wolverhampton 0:2 Tottenham

Although the game was uneventful in the first half, Tottenham’s Emmanuel Adebayor was able to secure a goal and the lead in the 67^th minute. Jermaine Defoe, Tottenham’s second forward paired up with Adebayor, scored the second goal in the 80^th minute.

Tottenham was able to rally in the last half hour of the match in order to secure the win against Wolverhampton, and also move farther away from regulation.

Stoke City 1:0 Liverpool

The one and only goal was scored from a penalty kick off the boot of Stoke forward Jonathan Walters in the 21^st minute. The rest of the match was evenly battled between the two sides; however, Liverpool was unable to capitalize on chances while Stoke’s defense showed to be the stronger of the two teams.

Liverpool slipped down the standings with their first loss of the season to Stoke City, although both teams were evenly matched throughout the entire game.

Bolton 0:5 Manchester United

Javier Hernandez came out in form for his first start this season scoring in the first five minutes of the match. Wayne Rooney also continued his form with a goal in the 20^th minute, then another goal five minutes later. Hernandez scored his second goal of the match in the 58^th minute with no sign of Bolton having a chance to get one in the net.

Finally, Rooney finished his hat trick in the 68^th minute, making it back to back hat tricks for the player. Another high scoring match leaves Manchester United at the top of the standings, along with making more room in between them and other teams in the middle of the standings.

Norwich City 0:1 West Bromwich Albion

Thanks to a very early first half goal, West Brom was able to get their first win of the season while visiting Norwich City on Saturday. Peter Odemwingie was able to capitalize on a mistake in the third minute of the game between one Norwich defender and backup goalkeeper Declan Rudd, filling in the first spot due to John Ruddy’s suspension.

This one goal was all West Brom needed in order to get their first win, allowing them to forget about their three game losing streak and hopefully keep away from the relegation zone.

Fulham 1:1 Blackburn

With the two teams sitting in the relegation zone, and in desperate need of a couple points, the battle between Fulham and Blackburn concluded in a draw that keeps both teams without a win so far this season.

Although putting up a great fight at the beginning of the match, Blackburn was the first to score with a blistering shot off the boot of Ruben Rochina in the 32^nd minute. Thankfully, Fulham were able to come back six minutes later from the help of Bobby Zamora, making it all even going into the uneventful second half.

Queens Park Rangers 0:0 Newcastle United

With five newly transferred players in the starting squad for Queens Park Rangers, Newcastle United had the mindset of coming out of the match with a win since the players would not be in sync with each other. However, QPR were the team to watch this match due to having the most scoring chances in the match even though they could not capitalize on any of them.

Newcastle move up to sixth place, leaving them secure until next weekend.

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The riots in Britain that began in London last weekend has spread throughout the country as rioters clashed with police in Manchester and Birmingham.

Prime Minister David Cameron cut short his vacation to return to a country that seemed to be on the verge of anarchy. As he called on the police to take a tougher stance against the rioters, there was talk of deploying rubber bullets for the first time on the mainland. Until now, they have only been used in Northern Ireland. It was also announced that the police presence in London would increase from 6,000 to 16,000 in a bid to crack down on the civil disorder gripping the capital. In addition, the Army’s emergency infantry battalion could be deployed if the situation worsens.

The riots began after a vigil on Saturday for a London man, Mark Duggan, who was shot during a police operation in north London. Since then, the situation has steadily worsened as the police tried to wrest control of the streets from marauding gangs of thugs. Although initial reports said that Duggan fired at officers, subsequent evidence has shown that that was not the case.

Much of London is now in a state of virtual lockdown, and many businesses are closing early so that their employees can get home before dark. Scotland Yard has come under scrutiny for its failure to rein in the rioters, with officers initially being told to watch and wait rather than proactively pursue the looters. But as public and political pressure mounted, the Metropolitan Police decided to change their tactics and take a more aggressive stance.

The escalating violence forced London’s Mayor, Boris Johnson, to return from his own holiday in order to attend to the situation. While visiting one of the areas hardest hit by the riots, Johnson was heckled by Londoners angry with the police. His attempts to deliver a speech were repeatedly disrupted by angry jeering from the crowds.

Although the increased police presence in London appears to have helped stabilize the situation in the capital, violence erupted elsewhere in the UK. In Manchester and Salford, rioters managed to stay one step ahead of the police as they burned and looted throughout the city. In Nottingham, a police station was firebombed, and there were reports that a gun may have been fired at officers in Aston, Birmingham.

It was announced yesterday that the House of Commons, which is currently in recess, is to be recalled so that MPs can debate the riots. This is actually the second time the Commons have been recalled this summer, as they were called back at the end of July in order to discuss the News of the World phone hacking scandal.

So far, almost 700 people have been arrested in London alone in connection with the riots.

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According to Beyoncé’s debut single Girls Run The World from her latest album 4: “My persuasion can build a nation. Endless power our love we can devour. You’ll do anything for me” – the album hit stores June 28.

This anthem was the lead single from Beyoncé’s latest solo album 4. The song samples “Pon De Floor” by Major Lazer and has been met with mixed feelings. The radio doesn’t seem to be picking it up as a summer hit. Some feel this song is controversial because it sends messages of false hope; this song has a nice beat and interesting dance pieces in the music video.

“It’s definitely riskier than something a bit more…simple,” Beyoncé told Billboard.com of the single. “I just heard the track and loved that it was so different: it felt a bit African, a bit electronic and futuristic. It reminded me of what I love, which is mixing different cultures and eras — things that typically don’t go together — to create a new sound.”

Despite ridicule, 4 is doing well, it debuted at #1 last week on the Billboard albums chart, and most likely will remain there a 2nd week.

“You’ve got to remember that Beyoncé, being typical Beyoncé, her albums generally are anchored by really big hits; this album doesn’t have those hits yet,” Us Weekly senior music editor Ian Drew told MTV News. “It’s not to say that it won’t. There are some very strong songs on the album, but they have not been released yet. There are those songs on it, but they have not come out yet and they haven’t struck yet. Beyoncé is coming out at a time when radio is very crowded.”

4 is definitely different from Beyoncé’s first solo albums. This album focuses more on her vocals and shows she is growing and experiencing life, like any newly married 29-year-old woman. You can hear this in the lyrics of some songs, “When I think of the time I almost loved you/ You showed your ass and I saw the real you,” Best Thing I Never Had the second single off the album 4.

4 is an inspired title, Beyoncé gave her fans the credit with coming up with it. In addition to it being her favorite number. “It’s the day I was born. My mother’s birthday, and a lot of my friends’ birthdays are on the fourth . . . April 4th (or 4/4) is my wedding date,” Beyoncé explained.
More than 60 songs were recorded for this album.

This past year Beyoncé ditched her father as her manger and is currently managing herself. “I’ve only parted ways with my father on a business level. He is my father for life and I love my dad dearly. I am grateful for everything he has taught me.” Beyoncé said in a statement.

Her father, Matthew Knowles oversaw all aspects of Beyoncé career, from music to movies to fashion and more, he was there from the beginning, Destiny’s Child to her solo career, Beyoncé’s publicist stated.

“At this point, I really know who I am, and don’t feel like I have to put myself in a box. I’m not afraid of taking risks – no one can define me,” Beyoncé said.

4 is a deep, soulful album, some of the tracks are very romantic, dealing with being in love, to getting your heartbroken.

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For nearly 3 hours, the emergency parliament hearing grilled Rupert and James Murdoch on News International’s role in the phone-hacking scandal Tuesday at Westminster, London. The hearing was an important part of what ex-Labour leader Lord Kinnock called a “real assessment of press ownership in the UK.”

The Commons culture, media and sport committee was responsible for the questioning and were prepared to dig deep into the cooperate procedures of the media empire that lead to such gross neglect of basic codes of journalism. Mr. Murdoch started out by saying “this is the most humble day of my life,” but kept his answers otherwise elusive as the hearing went on.

Several crucial questions came up — among them the issue of the top administration’s knowledge of the illegal activity, their financial track record, their vigilance in regard to accountability as well as the oversight of News of the World. Mr. Murdoch seemed frail and as the hearing went on, irritated by the detail and persistence of the committee member’s questions. James Murdoch on the other hand were quick to try explaining the actions and responses of the company in the longest phrases possible, insisting on finishing his trail of thought and elaborate on his father’s brief responses.

Key issues were pointed out during the process. Overall, Mr. Murdoch claimed he did not believe mistakes were made during the handling of the issue. He acknowledged that terrible wrongdoings were carried out and that mistakes were made in the course of the events but that the handling that followed was done with the best of intentions. He also made a point of saying that the News of the World was less than 1% of his company and that he employs people on trust to run his divisions.

Mr. Murdoch also emphasized that the UK greatly benefits from having a competitive press and a transparent society. On the question of public interest and the ethical concerns of investigative techniques, James Murdoch added that breaking the law is a serious matter that should be held accountable. On the question on whether NoW should not have been aware that phone-hacking is a crime, James Murdoch simply stated that he believed the company acted quickly once the problem was discovered.

The atmosphere at the hearing was tense. The Murdochs did their best not to incriminate themselves despite the fact that the nature of the committee was strictly in the interest of the public’s curiosity — in contrast to a court of law, the MPs was trying to extract new information about the circumstances of the allegations for their future report.

Mr. Murdoch reiterated on several occasions that not he nor his son had any part in the illegalities but it was clear that James had been aware of the payments to the police. The real question was the depth of his knowledge

Interestingly enough, Mr. Murdoch opened with an apology despite being denied an opening statement by the chair at the beginning. It is of course not without importance, as Iain Watson of the BBC News noted, that he needed to be summoned by the MPs and did not volunteer to give evidence. The initial apology was even further undermined by the fact that the Murdochs admit they were still financing Glen Mulcaire, the demon hacker who brought them down, making their apologies utterly insincere.

Finally, it seemed preposterous that a man known for his legendary grasp of his empire was painstakingly uninformed when having to answer questions about News of the World. Both men’s lack of knowledge of the paper’s basic structure was absurd and considering that most of the police bribery and phone tapping took place between 2002 and 2009, it is quite unimaginable that the top management were left clueless on the illegal procedures for obtaining news content. Why were questions not asked?

The hearing of Rupert and James Murdoch was conducted respectfully by the committee, albeit a few notes of sarcasm aimed at the duo’s cartoonish ignorance. The BBC’s political editor Nick Robinson blogged from inside the room: “It is hard to equate the man sitting a few feet away from me with the global media mogul feared by political leaders throughout my adult lifetime.” Public responses had also been carried out in a peaceful order with a row of protesters holding up signs shortly before the Murdochs addressed the committee. Peace was only broken for one dramatic moment when a man from the audience suddenly stood up and attempted to throw a paper plate of shaving foam in the face of Rupert Murdoch. The attempt was mostly thwarted – particularly by Mrs. Murdoch who rushed to direct the ‘pie’ at the assailant himself.

The result was ambiguous. MPs from the committee told BBC reporters that they believed the meeting had been ‘a good day’ for parliament and for democracy but so many questions remained unanswered. Murdoch played the part of victim of betrayal very well while his son, eager to make sure he didn’t come off as all-knowing, staled the session the best he could with his negations and tentative descriptions. Will the truth about Rupert Murdoch’s full involvement in the scandal ever see the light of day? Not without tangible evidence. And considering the tight-lipped inner circle of the Murdoch empire, such evidence seem only a fairy godmother away from a fairytale.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/2story/

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The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has courted controversy by criticizing the coalition government of David Cameron.

Writing in an issue of the New Statesman that he guest-edited, Williams said that “[w]ith remarkable speed, we are being committed to radical, long-term policies for which no one voted.”  Using the Education Bill as an example, he lamented the fact that many of the government’s policies were never discussed in the context of an electoral debate.

He also expressed concern that the government’s rush to transfer more responsibilities to the private sector could result in inequality and called on the government to decide which services were in need of “cast-iron guarantees of nationwide standards, parity and continuity” and then determine how those guarantees could be met even in a difficult financial climate.

Ministers were quick to respond to Williams’ article.  Speaking during a press conference in Northern Ireland, Prime Minister David Cameron said that, although he supported the archbishop’s right to make political interventions, “I profoundly disagree with many of the views that he has expressed, particularly on issues like debt and welfare and education.”

Business Secretary Vince Cable also came to the government’s defense, telling Sky News that “[t]he two parties of the coalition got substantially more than half the total vote at the last election and the public knew that we were going to have to embark on very difficult changes, connected with sorting out the massive budget deficit problem.”

Williams’ comments have received a mixed reception from other religious leaders.  The Bishop of Oxford, John Pritchard, came out in support of him, telling the Oxford Mail that he was right to “put his head on the block.”  Pritchard went on to say that “[t]here are cuts of all kinds of social provision, including social care and youth work. Social care is being pared back for vulnerable, housebound people and that is something I very much regret.”

On the other hand, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, expressed support for Cameron’s government, saying that many Catholics believed that there was “a genuine moral agenda” behind the coalition’s program.

Williams’ intervention is simply the latest in a string of political interventions by Archbishops of Canterbury that stretch all the way back to St. Thomas Becket in the 12th century.  More recently, Robert Runcie famously clashed with Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s over a range of issues, including the Falklands War and urban poverty.

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Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg unveiled plans on Tuesday to transform Britain’s House of Lords into an elected body.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Clegg said that “People have a right to choose their representatives. That is the most basic feature of a modem democracy.”

“Our second Chamber, which is known for its wisdom and expertise, is none the less undermined by the fact it is not directly accountable to the British people,” he continued.

Currently, most of the 789 members of the House of Lords are appointed for life, but there are also 26 Church of England bishops and 92 hereditary peers.  Clegg’s plans would see the Lords reduced to 300 and 80 percent of its members would be elected for 15 year terms.  In order to avoid duplicating the mandate of the Commons, members of the Lords would be elected using the single transferable vote system.

The other 20 percent would be appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister.  Twelve representatives of the Church of England would continue to sit in the reformed Lords.  Rather than impose reform in one fell swoop, the government proposes phasing elected members in over three five-year electoral cycles.

The draft bill published today will be scrutinized by a joint committee of peers and MPs, and it could be a year before the committee makes a final report.  The proposals could ultimately be derailed by the Lords themselves if they refuse to pass the bill.  Theoretically, the government could use the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 to force the bill onto the statute book, but reports over the weekend suggested that they would be unlikely to do so.

Labour’s constitutional affairs spokesman Sadiq Khan criticized the proposals, calling them “a dog’s dinner, with nobody happy at the outcome—not even the Lib Dem activists, whom the Deputy Prime Minister is trying to appease.”

Any proposal to create a largely-elected House of Lords would not only anger large numbers of peers but also has the potential to upset Britain’s constitutional applecart.  The primacy of the Commons has been a settled matter since the passage of the Parliament Act 1911, but if the Lords ends up being predominantly elected, its continued subordination will be much harder to justify.  Although Clegg maintained that a reformed Lords would continue to be a revising chamber, the specter of US-style legislative gridlock looms large over the government’s proposals.

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In another sign of strife at the heart of Britain’s Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has threatened to instruct his MPs and peers to vote against the Health and Social Care Bill unless it is substantially altered.

In its current form, the bill gives local doctors more control over the health budget and introduces greater competition into Britain’s nationalized healthcare system.  Critics, including the opposition Labour Party, argue that the bill could lead to the backdoor privatization of the National Health Service.  Doubts have also been raised regarding the ability of local doctors to make effective budgetary decisions.  Because of a torrent of opposition to the bill, the government is proceeding slowly and a date has yet to be set for the bill’s final consideration by the House of Commons.

Speaking on the BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show, Clegg asserted that the government’s decision to slow down the bill’s progress was more than just a political stunt.  “This is not a cosmetic exercise. There will be substantial, significant changes to the legislation.  As far as Government legislation is concerned, no bill is better than a bad one, and I want to get this right. Protecting the NHS, rather than undermining it, is now my number one priority,” he said.

He went on to say that he could not ask Liberal Democrat peers and MPs to vote for the proposals “unless I personally am satisfied that what these changes do is an evolutionary change in the NHS and not a disruptive revolution.”

In the aftermath of last week’s failed Alternative Vote referendum and massive Liberal Democrat losses in the local government elections, Clegg has come under pressure to differentiate himself from his Conservative coalition partners.  By adopting a tough stance on the NHS reforms, he no doubt hopes to mollify the increasingly jittery members of his own party.

Clegg’s intervention puts the Conservatives in an awkward position.  If they cede too much ground to the Liberal Democrats, it will increase dissatisfaction among rank-and-file Tories, many of whom are just as hostile to the coalition as their Liberal Democrat counterparts.  At the same time, if the Liberal Democrats all vote against the bill, it would likely fail to pass and the coalition would be dealt a blow from which it would be difficult to recover.  The coming weeks will likely see a great deal of behind-the-scenes horsetrading as the coalition tries to thrash out a compromise that will satisfy both camps.  David Cameron and Nick Clegg will have their work cut out for them as they try to steer the coalition between Scylla and Charybdis.

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Britain will continue to use the first-past-the-post electoral system to select Members of Parliament after a proposal to switch to the Alternative Vote method was resoundingly defeated in a nationwide referendum.

When the final results were in, 12,570,539 had voted ‘No’ while 5,807,086 had voted ‘Yes.’

Voting reform has long been a priority of the Liberal Democrats and when they entered into a coalition government with the Conservatives last May, they extracted a promise from Tory leader David Cameron to hold a referendum on whether or not to change the method of voting.

Supporters of AV argued that it would reduce the number of ‘safe seats’ and make MPs more accountable to the electorate.  Furthermore, it would help ensure that future governments were actually supported by a majority of citizens.  The AV campaign also attracted the support of a large number of celebrities, including comedians Stephen Fry and Eddie Izzard.

Opponents of AV claimed that it would be expensive to implement and would give more power to politicians.  They also raised the specter of an endless series of coalition governments like those seen on the Continent.

The No victory is not unexpected since most recent opinions polls suggested that the pro-AV camp was headed for defeat.  Voting reform was seen as an example of ‘dog whistle politics’ that only a small segment of the population felt passionately about.  Also, the No campaign was bolstered by David Cameron’s vigorous intervention.

Cameron’s decision to come out so strongly against AV has led to tensions within the coalition government.  Many Liberal Democrat ministers had expected him to lie low in the interests of preserving unity in government and his robust engagement has led to accusations of treachery.  Last week, British media reported that Energy Secretary Chris Huhne got into a heated argument with David Cameron and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne during a Cabinet meeting over what he saw as the unfair tactics of the No campaign.

The defeat of AV was not the only bitter pill for the Liberal Democrats to swallow.  Yesterday’s local government elections saw them lose almost half their councilors and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is likely to come under considerable pressure from grass roots elements of his party who have long been unhappy with the decision to enter into a coalition with the Tories.  Although it is unlikely that Clegg will face a serious challenge to his leadership, the BBC predicts that he will try to shore up his support within his own party by standing up to his Tory colleagues more often.  It has also been rumored that the Liberal Democrats may get a consolation prize of sorts in the form of a proposal to use proportional representation for elections to a reformed House of Lords.  But given the history of Lords reform, it is not at all certain that these proposals will ever make it off of the drawing board and Clegg may find that he is in for a rough couple of months.

UPDATE: The UK Electoral Commission has released updated voting figures for the AV referendum.  The Noes are now 13,013,123 while the Yeses are 6,152,607.

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The Scottish National Party has secured an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament, triggering a fresh round of uncertainty regarding Scotland’s place in the United Kingdom.

Because Members of the Scottish Parliament are elected by a combination of first-past-the-post and proportional representation, there has never been a majority government in Scotland since devolution in 1999.  But the SNP went on to win 69 out of 129 seats, a net gain of 23 seats from the last Parliament in which the SNP formed a minority government.

Many of the SNP’s gains were at the expense of Labour and several prominent Labour MSPs, including finance spokesman Andy Kerr and former minister Tom McCabe, lost their seats.  The BBC quoted Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University as saying that Labour’s performance in Scotland was the worst for 80 years.  Not surprisingly, Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray has announced that he will be stepping down in the autumn.

Why then did Labour, the party that brought devolution to Scotland in 1999, fare so badly?  Many commentators lay the blame on a lackluster campaign by Iain Gray that saw Labour adopt several SNP policies as their own.  The narrowing policy divide between the two parties focused attention on the leaders’ personalities, and Gray was widely seen as less charismatic than SNP leader Alex Salmond.  Labour’s cause was also hindered by embarrassing footage of Gray taking cover in a Subway sandwich shop in order to avoid the ire of protestors.

Labour was not the only party to feel the pain on election night.  The Liberal Democrats suffered a net loss of 12 seats and are now down to just five MSPs.  Their coalition partners in the UK Government, the Conservatives, fared slightly better and won 15 seats, a net loss of five.

Salmond has promised to hold a referendum on Scottish independence during the second half of the five year Parliament.  But it may be too early to sound the death knell of the United Kingdom since recent polls indicate that only a minority of Scots support full-fledged independence.  Salmond will likely face an uphill battle as he tries to convince the Scottish people that Scotland would be better off outside the United Kingdom.  The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and Labour are united in their opposition to independence and can be counted on to campaign forcefully against the SNP in the run up to a referendum.  Since a ‘no’ vote would be a huge embarrassment, Salmond will have to choose the timing of the referendum carefully.

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The golf legend leaves this world with an age of 54. Early this morning Seve passed away in his home in Pedreña, located at the North of Spain, near Santander. His loves ones were present by his side in the last minutes of his life. Severiano Ballesteros, with Spanish nationality was battling with a brain tumor since 2008; he was diagnosed after losing conscious at Madrid Airport that year.  He passed through four operations in order to remove the tumor, and was following the specific chemotherapy treatment.

The church in his home village Pedreña, will be the place where the funeral ceremony will take place, this coming Wednesday.

His talent was remarkable. He started his notorious career, and remarkable performance with the age of 19 where he won his first European Circuit tournament. Then by the age of 22, he made a stupendous roll and won the first big Tournament, the British. By 31, he won his third and last British. It was not until he turned 50 that he decided to retire from the golf world.

In one of his lasts Public Interventions, the golfer claimed simply: “ I am the best sportsman of Pedreña”. His talent was not only known in his country but he got an enormous admiration in the United Kingdom, where his reputation characterized for being considered of the most remarkable sportsman of the history.

The day that he retired from his professional carrier, in the Scottish field of Carnoustie, days before the 2007 Open started the spoke these words: “ I felt much love, overprotected, by the British audience. Thank you, but now I’ve realized that I have other priorities: my friends, my three children, my private life, and my business. I want to enjoy the childhood and youth that I never had.”

The only thing is left to say is that his work and exceptional achievements in his life, left just one thing to his fans and love ones. Which is pride. His figure will always be remembered with admiration and example for the next golf players who want to follow his steps, and see him as a role model.

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Even royalty get into bad company. This is the realization one gets from a recent row on the British Isles over Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, and his friendship with the American billionaire Jeffrey Epstein. The hedge fund mogul served 13 months in jail in 2008 for soliciting an underaged girl for prostitution in Florida and Mr Epstein remains under investigation by the FBI for his alleged involvement with underaged girls. Prince Andrew, who is no stranger to scandal, was implicated when a photo emerged of him at Epstein’s mansion with his arm around an underaged prostitute. It was also revealed that the Prince had made an agreement with Epstein to donate a significant sum of money last year to bail out Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York’s, of debt.

The scandal is polluting the run-up to the royal wedding of a decade – Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry in late April and this event is expected to bring a much needed boost the throne. However, the attention has now been temporarily diverted by Queen Elisabeth’s second son and questions have been raised whether the Duke of York should be allowed to continue his job as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. The skepticism is fueled by the fact that this incident is not the first display of the Prince’s questionable choice of friendships.

Among the examples is Prince Andrews close relationship with Saif Gaddafi, the son of Libya’s brutal dictator as well as ‘close ties’ with the President of Azerbaijan, Aliyev, who is thought to have engaged in torture, election-rigging and the imprisonment of opponents. And three months before the revolution in Tunisia, his royal highness hosted a lunch at Buckingham Palace for the son-in-law of the recently ousted dictator, Ben Ali. Officially, the British government has taken his defense and supported the Prince’s continuous role as Special Representative. The Business Secretary Vince Cable has stated that Prince Albert has done ‘very good work’ opening doors for British trade, but did not wish to comment on his continuous diplomatic responsibilities. However, according to Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, more than one anonymous government official has disowned the Duke and his conduct to the British media.

Bad company happens to not be the only issue dragging behind the fourth heir to the British throne. Chris Bryant, who worked at the Foreign Ministry under the Labour government, has called the Prince a ‘national embarrassment’ and accuses him of conducting his work for his own benefit and not that of the nation. Bryant also criticized his travel arrangements as ‘extravagant’, leaving the taxpayers with a yearly cost of £436.000.

The Duke’s marriage and divorce to Sarah Ferguson has been another publicity issue for the Royal family and their relationship continues to give birth to scandals once in a while. The latest example was in May 2010 when Ferguson offered to set up contacts between a businessman and her ex-husband in exchange for £500.000, unaware that the ‘businessman’ was in fact an undercover tabloid journalist. She later apologized for her ‘lapse in judgement’ while it was denied that Prince Albert had any knowledge of the set-up.

In the wake of the FBI investigation, the Prince told the media that he has cut all ties with Mr Epstein but it is not further back than December that the Prince had been on a four-day visit to Epstein’s home in New York. The Prince will most likely keep his position as a Special Representative, if not as much diplomatic as ceremonial, but it seems that the name given by Simon Wilson, a retired British diplomat, fits Prince Alberts long list of blunders: ‘His Buffoon Highness’.

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The British National Archives recently released a series of 8,500 previously classified documents that discuss sightings of unidentified flying objects dating back to the 1950’s.  The 35 large files, available online , primarily cover the time period between 1997-2005.

The files contain photographs, sketches and detailed accounts of supposed flying saucers and other unidentified flying objects.  The files also hold correspondence between the U.K. Ministry of Defense and witnesses.  The eyewitness accounts include descriptions from policemen, a soldier, and a Royal Air Force officer, among other members of the public.  Some descriptions contain sightings of objects including a “chewy mint shaped solid craft” and aerial objects resembling a “ring,” a “jellyfish” and a “silver voile spin top.”

In one description, a man said he believed he had been “abducted” by aliens in October 1998 after seeing a UFO hover over his London home and finding that he had gained an hour of time in the process.

“It was a large cigar-shaped vehicle with big projectiles on each side like wings,” he told the ministry. “It seemed to have two very bright lights at the front and a white light flashing round and round underneath. … As you can imagine, I felt quite shaken.”  The Ministry of Defense responded to the man.  He wrote back and told the Londoner that what he saw was probably an aircraft and that he gained an hour because of daylight savings time.

In another file, it is revealed how many British residents believed that they were being invaded by aliens in 1967.  Royal Air Force was flooded with calls after citizens in southern England found six small beeping UFOs lined up perfectly from the Isle of Sheppey to the Bristol Channel.  Both the army and the defense ministry’s intelligence unit were mobilized for the “alien invasion.”  The beeping UFOs turned out to be a project by engineering students at Farnborough Technical College in a bid to raise money for charity.

One of the files documents the experiences of a retired RAF officer who said he saw a UFO while on holiday in Sri Lanka in April 2004 and sent the Ministry of Defense supporting photographs.  “I noticed a partial aura in the sky, a minute or so later there was a clap of thunder, then a short while later a ring like a doughnut appeared,” he told the ministry, adding that he thought it was an “air burst.”

The Ministry of Defense said it investigated every UFO sighting report it received to determine “whether there is any evidence that the United Kingdom’s airspace might have been compromised by hostile or unauthorized air activity.”

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