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Here are the AP's top stories and promotable content. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP's coverage, visit AP Newsroom’s Coverage Plan.
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NATIONAL
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More arctic air is expected for Southern states hit by ice and riddled with power outages
SUMMARY: A new influx of arctic air is expected to spur freezing temperatures in parts of the South already covered in snow and ice. Many people have fled to warming shelters, and crews worked Tuesday to restore power knocked out by a massive weekend winter storm. At least 35 deaths have been reported in states afflicted with severe cold. The National Weather Service says more widespread record cold temperatures are forecast for Tuesday, with eastern Texas through western Pennsylvania under extreme cold warnings.
WORDS: 695 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 5:59 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSWinterWeatherthLdWritethru/9d4beb4d548e29d5ce737fd001d67a64/text___
Judge orders ICE chief to appear in court to explain why detainees have been denied due process
SUMMARY: The chief federal judge in Minnesota says the Trump administration has failed to comply with orders to hold hearings for detained immigrants. As a result, the judge ordered the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to appear before him Friday to explain why he shouldn’t be held in contempt. In an order dated Monday, Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz said Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, must appear personally in court. Schiltz took the administration to task over its handling of bond hearings for immigrants it has detained.
WORDS: 602 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 1:27 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSImmigrationEnforcementthLdWritethru/b0cec9d1c5bae4b62469011775082300/text___
Investigator describes intense air traffic at time of deadly midair collision near DC
SUMMARY: A daylong hearing is underway that should make clear what caused a midair aircraft collision that killed 67 people near Washington, D.C. The National Transportation Safety Board will recommend steps to prevent similar tragedies. An American Airlines jet flying from Kansas and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided and plummeted into the Potomac River a year ago. The Federal Aviation Administration has taken steps to ensure helicopters and planes no longer share the same crowded airspace around the nation’s capital. A NTSB investigator says air traffic control had a big workload around the time of the crash.
WORDS: 744 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 5:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSWashingtonMidairCollisionInvestigationrdLdWritethru/c2ebc159a163068b782dd4824097b00b/text___
Experts say the divide between Minnesota and federal authorities is unprecedented
SUMMARY: A new Minnesota website lays out evidence to counter what state officials have called federal misinformation after immigration officials fatally shot two residents during the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Experts say Monday that Minnesota is taking unprecedented steps and that the deepening divide between the state and the U.S. government departs from years of cooperation. The state launched the website Saturday after Alex Pretti was fatally shot. Minnesota went to court to preserve evidence after federal authorities blocked state investigators from the area where Pretti was killed. Immigration authorities also killed a 37-year-old woman earlier this year.
WORDS: 1059 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 1:33 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSImmigrationEnforcementMinnesotaOversightstLdWritethru/8a7feeca54864980bf936e888e0ca506/text___
What to know about Tom Homan, Trump's border czar, as he heads to Minneapolis
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump has announced that his border czar, Tom Homan, will visit Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of an ICU nurse. Homan’s visit coincides with bipartisan calls for an independent investigation into immigration enforcement tactics. Homan, a former ICE director, is known for his alignment with Trump’s immigration policies. Despite promises to target public safety threats, recent arrests have raised concerns. Aside from his allegiance to Trump's policies, Homan has also faced bribery accusations, which the Trump administration dismissed as an effort to entrap him by the Biden administration.
WORDS: 894 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 8:58 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTomHomanWhattoKnow/29e2d3b1ba1cab7cfe971f92ee04abd6/text___
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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Trump's immigration crackdown led to drop in US growth rate last year as population hit 342 million
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown has contributed to a year-to-year drop in the U.S. growth rate as the nation's population hit nearly 342 million people in 2025. That's according to population estimates released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau. The 0.5% growth rate for 2025 was a sharp drop from 2024’s almost 1% growth rate, which was the highest since 2001 and was fueled by immigration. The 2024 estimates put the U.S. population at 340 million people. Immigration increased by 1.3 million people last year, compared with 2024’s increase of 2.8 million people. Trump made a surge of migrants at the southern border a central issue in his winning 2024 Republican presidential campaign.
WORDS: 885 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 3:12 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCensusPopulationEstimatesthLdWritethru/7130f180e3d8c03185932e3e6f9974e8/text___
Minneapolis shooting scrambles Second Amendment politics for Trump
SUMMARY: Prominent Republicans and gun rights advocates helped elicit a White House turnabout this week after bristling over the administration’s characterization of Alex Pretti as responsible for his own death because he lawfully possessed a weapon. Pretti was the second person killed this month by a federal officer in Minneapolis. His death produced no clear shifts in U.S. gun politics or policies, even as President Donald Trump shuffles the lieutenants in charge of his militarized immigration crackdown. But important voices in Trump’s coalition have been criticizing inconsistencies in some Republicans’ Second Amendment stances since the killing.
WORDS: 1117 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 5:14 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSRepublicansSecondAmendmentrdLdWritethru/ffef56cab9930e52273f8227251452f4/text___
Trump visits Iowa trying to focus on affordability during fallout over nurse's Minneapolis shooting
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump is heading to Iowa as the White House tries to focus on affordability ahead of the midterm elections despite fallout over his administration's immigration crackdown. While in Iowa, Trump will visit a local business and deliver a speech at the Horizon Events Center in Clive. Tuesday's trip also highlights energy policy as part of a plan to have the Republican president travel weekly before the elections. This visit comes amid the Trump administration's handling of the shooting death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minnesota. Republicans hope Trump's visit will refocus attention on their tax and spending cuts law, a key part of their campaign strategy.
WORDS: 708 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 5:24 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpIowathLdWritethru/e6dc4aee8ede8e8e906f81f35a10a25b/text___
Trump's about-face in Minnesota after Pretti's death is latest in pattern of sudden shifts
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump is taking a more conciliatory approach with Democratic leaders in Minnesota. This change follows the second fatal shooting there by federal agents this month. The incident has raised doubts about the administration's aggressive deportation tactics — including from some Republicans. On Monday, Trump spoke with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, saying they were now on a “similar wavelength.” This marks a sharp U-turn from Trump's previous personal attacks on Walz. It’s not the first time Trump has initially taken a maximalist position only to later retreat. This month, he has backtracked on threats over tariffs and on military action against Iran.
WORDS: 1115 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 1:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSImmigrationEnforcementTrumpstLdWritethru/eb9e63a625b624d2ba4ed467cb0f956c/text___
Trump threatens to hike tariffs on South Korean goods over inaction on trade deal
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump says he is increasing tariffs on South Korean goods because the country’s national assembly has yet to approve the trade framework announced last year. Trump said on social media Monday that import taxes would be raised on autos, lumber and pharmaceutical drugs from South Korea with the rate on other goods going from 15% to 25%. The U.S. president previously imposed the tariffs by declaring an economic emergency and bypassing Congress, while South Korea needed legislative approval for the framework announced in July and affirmed during Trump’s October visit to the country. The threat was a reminder that the tariff drama unleashed last year by Trump is likely to be repeated again and again this year.
WORDS: 653 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 10:12 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpSouthKoreathLdWritethru/3c5accc4bb4585837d670d44e1acf8e2/text___
What we know about the investigations into the Minneapolis shooting death of Alex Pretti
SUMMARY: The fatal shooting of Minneapolis man Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers has sparked calls for an independent investigation. The Trump administration has launched three federal probes, but details remain unclear. Tensions are high in Minneapolis, with conflicting narratives about the incident. The FBI is assisting in processing evidence, but there’s no indication their Civil Rights Division intends to investigate Pretti’s case. The incident highlights mistrust between state officials and the Trump administration over the investigation. Minnesota's governor, in a call with President Donald Trump, said he called for impartial investigations.
WORDS: 1064 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 11:10 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSImmigrationEnforcementMinnesotaInvestigation/9d8ac8531f0d195ada3374c86a9deb21/text___
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INTERNATIONAL
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Israel marks the return of the final hostage's remains after more than two years of war and grief
SUMMARY: Israel is marking the end of a painful chapter after the return of the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza. Across the country, people removed yellow pins from their lapels and marked what many described as the fulfilment of a pledge to “bring them all home.” The return of Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer, followed days of forensic work in northern Gaza, where teams combed a cemetery to locate, exhume and identify his remains, drawing on search units, intelligence officers and forensic dentists. Accounts of how Gvili was found were quickly disputed, with Palestinian militant groups saying they provided key information and Israel crediting its own intelligence.
WORDS: 1187 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 4:11 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLMideastWars/d45bf64ffe40152dfc3e5113b2ae52d5/text___
Activists say Iran's crackdown has killed at least 6,159 people, as the country's currency plunges
SUMMARY: Activists say at least 6,159 people have been killed in Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests and many more are still feared dead. The new figures on Tuesday came from the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in multiple rounds of unrest in Iran. The Iranian government has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117 — including 2,427 civilians and security forces, and the rest labelled “terrorists.” Meanwhile, Iran’s currency, the rial, has fallen to a record low of 1.5 million to $1. The protests in Iran began on Dec. 28, sparked by rial's downward spiral, and quickly spread across the country only to be met by a violent crackdown by Iran’s theocracy.
WORDS: 1016 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 1:49 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranProteststhLdWritethru/aeaeb26493d25d86d5169f8ae455e405/text___
UK's Starmer heads to China seeking a thaw in relations but risking a rift with Trump
SUMMARY: U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is heading to China, aiming to improve relations with Beijing amid tensions with the United States. Starmer hopes for an economic boost for Britain but risks backlash from China hawks at home and U.S. President Donald Trump. Starmer will be accompanied by a delegation of corporate leaders on the visit, starting Wednesday, and is due to meet with President Xi Jinping. Britain is seeking Chinese technology and investment, along with greater access to the Chinese market for U.K. financial services, cars, and Scotch whisky. Starmer's visit comes as some U.S. allies reconsider their ties with Washington amid Trump's “America First” foreign policy.
WORDS: 1089 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 5:00 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainChinardLdWritethru/ff7c71273f16a003cdf56ce8f6958308/text___
ICE agents to have security role at Milan Cortina Olympics
SUMMARY: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will have a security role during the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Games. Sources at the U.S. Embassy in Rome on Tuesday confirmed information shared with local media. The agents will support diplomatic security details but won't run immigration enforcement operations. Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala has expressed opposition, stating ICE is not welcome in the city. Italian authorities have been hesitant to confirm ICE's role. U.S. Vice President JD Vance will lead a delegation at the opening ceremony on February 6. The confirmation follows recent controversies involving ICE operations in Minneapolis.
WORDS: 403 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 10:13 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APOLYUSSecurityICEthLdWritethru/110fa4b2066e1fb920dba2a71c3a89e0/text___
Workers from Bangladesh sought jobs in Russia but instead got sent to combat in Ukraine
SUMMARY: An Associated Press investigation found that Bangladeshi workers were lured to Russia by the false promise of civilian jobs and thrust onto the battlefield in the Ukraine war. Many were threatened with violence, imprisonment and death. AP spoke with three Bangladeshi men who escaped from the Russian military and the families of three others who are still missing. They shared harrowing accounts of being coerced into front-line tasks against their will. Those duties included advancing ahead of Russian forces, transporting supplies, evacuating wounded soldiers and recovering the dead. Neither the Russian Defense Ministry nor the Bangladeshi government responded to questions from AP.
WORDS: 2059 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 5:15 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWarBangladeshWorkersthLdWritethru/d7df6a8b2ff60b46ce8e3fa3aafaf60e/text___
Russia offers cash bonuses, frees prisoners and lures foreigners to replenish its troops in Ukraine
SUMMARY: Russian authorities use various strategies to recruit new troops to replenish its supply of soldiers for its nearly 4-year-old full-scale invasion of Ukraine. They are offering financial incentives, freedom for convicts and simplified paths to citizenship paths for foreigners who are willing to sign military contracts to go into battle. This effort aims to avoid a nationwide mobilization of men, which could be unpopular. When a limited mobilization of 300,000 men was tried in 2022, tens of thousands of Russians fled abroad. Recruiting foreigners, including migrants in Russia and those from other countries, appears to be a part of that strategy.
WORDS: 1249 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 5:18 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWarRecruitment/78285219e6e10be694e8e1e007c5b6e4/text___
Indonesian marines among 42 missing in deadly West Java landslide
SUMMARY: Nineteen Indonesian marines are among 42 people missing after a landslide in West Java province. The landslide occurred Saturday, sweeping through a mountainside. At least 17 people have been confirmed dead including four marines. The marines were training when the slide hit their camp and nearby homes. Officials said Monday that a massive search operation has grown to 2,100 personnel using bare hands and various tools. Heavy rain triggered the landslide, making access difficult. Seasonal rains often cause landslides in Indonesia, affecting mountainous and flood plain areas.
WORDS: 328 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 10:32 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASIndonesiaLandslidendLdWritethru/935423452d55149e9872e3c88564b5b3/text___
Talks with US and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi were constructive but major challenges remain, Kremlin says
SUMMARY: Negotiations to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine are showing signs of progress, but major challenges remain, according to a senior Kremlin official. Talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi were described as constructive, with another round planned for next week. However, no major breakthroughs have been reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also called the talks constructive and mentioned that a document for U.S. security guarantees is ready but needs formal signing. Meanwhile, the war continues, with both sides engaging in drone attacks over the weekend. Negotiators will meet again in early February.
WORDS: 688 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 12:32 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWarndLdWritethru/a3f9444e6672f941676d095d63fc42e2/text___
What to know about a French ex-senator on trial for drugging a lawmaker to sexually assault her
SUMMARY: A former French senator is on trial in Paris, accused of drugging a lawmaker to sexually assault her. Joel Guerriau is accused of putting ecstasy in a glass of champagne served to parliament member Sandrine Josso. She felt unwell and left his apartment. Guerriau denies intending to drug her. Blood tests revealed Josso ingested a significant amount of MDMA, known as ecstasy. Guerriau faces charges of drug use, possession, and administering a substance to commit assault. This case follows the landmark Pelicot trial, which highlighted drug-facilitated sexual abuse in France.
WORDS: 1053 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 11:10 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUFranceDruggingTrialWhattoKnowndLdWritethru/d98af90b445d53ba6276120b65cefd12/text___
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BUSINESS
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Stocks zigzag on Wall Street following mixed profit reports from UnitedHealth, GM and others
SUMMARY: U.S. stocks are zigzagging following a rush of mixed profit reports from UnitedHealth, General Motors and other big companies. The crosscurrents are keeping overall indexes in check on Tuesday, and the S&P 500 rose 0.5% and could top its all-time high set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 382 points, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.9%. Gains for Apple, Microsoft, GM and others helped offset sharp drops for UnitedHealth Group and other health care stocks. Treasury yields eased in the bond market after a report said U.S. consumer confidence tumbled to its lowest level since 2014.
WORDS: 732 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 5:09 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFinancialMarketsthLdWritethru/9490a04190f0cb649966b3b8d7724bef/text___
India and EU clinch the 'mother of all deals' in a historic free trade agreement
SUMMARY: India and the European Union have reached a free trade agreement to deepen economic and strategic ties. The deal covers up to 2 billion people and was reached on Tuesday after nearly two decades of negotiations. It will likely take several months before the agreement takes effect. The deal represents 25% of global gross domestic product and a third of global trade. The agreement aims to lower tariffs, ease regulatory barriers and expand cooperation across goods and services. India will reduce tariffs on 96.6% of EU exports while the EU will reciprocate for nearly 99% of Indian shipments. The deal also includes a framework for deeper defense and security cooperation.
WORDS: 982 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 6:00 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASIndiaEUthLdWritethru/74b8744b2ef562d2e820b238e6ce8d38/text___
Fed expected to keep rates unchanged as Chair Powell pivots back to economics
SUMMARY: After two weeks of intense political and legal scrutiny, the Federal Reserve will seek to make this week’s meeting about interest rates as straightforward and uneventful as possible, though President Donald Trump probably still won’t like the result. The central bank’s interest rate-setting committee is almost certain to keep its key short-term rate unchanged at about 3.6%, after three straight quarter-point cuts last year. This week’s meeting will be overshadowed by the bombshell revelation earlier this month that the Justice Department has subpoenaed the Fed as part of a criminal investigation. It’s the first time a sitting Fed chair has been investigated, and prompted an unusually public rebuke from Powell.
WORDS: 748 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 11:21 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSFederalReserve/c1e2c5222795bda4a1d294f6406f66fc/text___
European Union opens investigation into Musk's AI chatbot Grok over sexual deepfakes
SUMMARY: European Union regulators have opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X after its AI chatbot Grok started producing nonconsensual sexualized deepfake images. The scrutiny from Brussels comes after Grok sparked backlash by using AI to undress people, including children, in images. Sme governments have banned the service or issued warnings. The EU's executive is examining whether X has met its obligations under the Digital Services Act to contain illegal content. An X spokeswoman said the platform remains committed to safety and has zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation and non-consensual nudity.
WORDS: 710 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 11:28 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUEuropeGrokthLdWritethru/c1a3039e5aaeb4dd517d995b8b301537/text___
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ENTERTAINMENT
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‘One Battle After Another’ leads the pack in nominations for UK’s BAFTA film awards
SUMMARY: Paul Thomas Anderson’s politically charged action thriller “One Battle After Another” leads the race for the British Academy Film Awards, with 14 nominations including acting nods for five of its cast. Ryan Coogler’s blues-steeped vampire epic “Sinners” is close behind with 13 nominations, while Chloé Zhao’s Shakespearean tragedy “Hamnet” and Josh Safdie’s ping-pong odyssey “Marty Supreme” have 11 apiece. The winners will be announced at a Feb. 22 ceremony in London. The U.K. prizes — officially called the EE BAFTA Film Awards — often provide clues about who will triumph at Hollywood’s Academy Awards.
WORDS: 623 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 12:16 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainBAFTANominationsrdLdWritethru/b01b0549399ee1d8c70d1a7002443598/text___
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SPORTS
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Sabalenka beats 18-year-old Jovic to reach Australian Open semifinals. Svitolina stuns Gauff
SUMMARY: Aryna Sabalenka beat 18-year-old Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open before searing heat on Day 10 forced matches to be played under cover. Elina Svitolina stunned third-seeded Coco Gauff in under an hour in a night match to move into the final four. A frustrated Gauff went to a quiet player area and smashed her racket into the ground seven times to let off steam. Alexander Zverev got the benefit of playing under a roof at Rod Laver Arena and advanced to the final four with a 6-3, 6-7, 6-1, 7-6 win over 20-year-old Learner Tien.
WORDS: 853 - MOVED: 01/27/2026 2:34 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APTENAustralianOpenthLdWritethru/a6e7b0a00a2430e2a532bd6b43934058/text___
Arizona still unanimous No. 1 in AP Top 25 poll ahead of showdown with No. 13 BYU
SUMMARY: Arizona remains the unanimous No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men's college basketball poll. Nebraska climbed to a program-best fifth place. Duke held steady at No. 4, while Gonzaga moved up two spots to sixth. Michigan, Iowa State, Illinois and Houston round out the top 10. Purdue dropped to No. 12 after back-to-back losses last week. North Carolina made the biggest climb, moving up six spots to No. 15. The Big 12 and Big Ten continue to dominate the rankings with the former having six Top 25 teams and the Big Ten with five.
WORDS: 785 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 6:02 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APBKCTMensPollstLdWritethru/758ca762436516744d4f3c41d4addf0c/text___
SEC sets record with 10 ranked teams, a 1st in 50-year history of women's AP Top 25; UConn, UCLA 1-2
SUMMARY: The Southeastern Conference has set a record with 10 teams in The Associated Press women's Top 25 basketball poll. Georgia enters at No. 23 after defeating then-No. 11 Kentucky. This gives the SEC the most teams ever in a single week in the poll's 50-year history. UConn remains the unanimous No. 1 choice and is the only undefeated team in women's college basketball. UCLA moves up to No. 2 after South Carolina's overtime loss to Oklahoma. After the SEC, the Big Ten has seven ranked teams. The Big 12 has four teams in the Top 25.
WORDS: 508 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 5:03 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APBKWTWomensPoll/7788e54399ded9afe4a6de118e6dd538/text___
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