03 November 2016 Military News

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Defense Policy / Programs
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Current Operations

OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 03 Nov 2016 [PDF]

Department of Defense Press Briefing by Col. Dorrian, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman, via teleconference from Baghdad, Iraq DoD 03 Nov 2016 -- Presenter: Colonel John Dorrian, Operation Inherent Resolve Spokesman
Counter-ISIL Strikes Continue in Syria, Iraq AFPS 03 Nov 2016 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on US-Russia Video Conference DoD 03 Nov 2016 -- The Department of Defense today held a video conference co-chaired by Acting Assistant Secretary for International Security Affairs Elissa Slotkin and Major General Richard Clarke, vice director, J-5, Strategic Plans and Policy on the Joint Staff, with Russian Ministry of Defense counterparts.
Pentagon: US, Turkish Forces Liberated 50 Northern Syrian Villages From Daesh Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- US and Turkish forces liberated approximately 50 villages to date, further isolating the areas in the north of Syria surrounding Raqqa, according to Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. John Dorrian.

US-led airstrike kills at least 30 civilians in northern Afghanistan Press TV 03 Nov 2016 -- At least 30 Afghan civilians, including women and children, have lost their lives in Afghanistan in an airstrike carried out by the so-called US-led military alliance in the country's volatile north.
Carter, Top U.S. Commander in Afghanistan Mourn Casualties AFPS 03 Nov 2016 -- Two U.S. service members died and four others were wounded today when they came under fire during a train, advise and assist mission with Afghan partners to clear a Taliban position and disrupt the group's operations in Afghanistan's Kunduz province, military officials reported.
Statement by Secretary Carter on U.S. Casualties in Afghanistan DoD 03 Nov 2016
30 Civilians, 2 US Soldiers Killed in Afghan Fighting VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- Afghan authorities said Thursday that at least 30 civilians, including many children, were among those killed in pre-dawn clashes between U.S.-backed government forces and the Taliban in the northern Kunduz province.
Deadly Air Strike Prompts Angry Protests In Afghanistan RFE/RL 03 Nov 2016 -- Afghan officials say at least 30 civilians, including women and children, have been killed and dozens more wounded in an air strike in the country's north.

Defense Policy / Programs

Report Denounces 'Gross Errors' On Afghan Guantanamo Detainees RFE/RL 03 Nov 2016 -- Eight Afghans detained in the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay have been imprisoned for years on the basis of "vague accusations" rife with "gross errors of fact," according to a new report.
Group Says Flimsy Evidence Used to Hold Afghans in Guantanamo for Years VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- An Afghanistan-based independent research group says unsubstantiated evidence and "fantastical allegations" led to years of detention for eight Afghan men at the U.S.-run prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Carter Calls Strategic Command 'Bedrock' of U.S. Defense At Change of Command AFPS 03 Nov 2016 -- U.S. Strategic Command remains the bedrock of American security, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said today during the organization's change-of-command ceremony at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.
Media Availability with Secretary Carter at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Ohio DoD 03 Nov 2016 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
Media Availability with Secretary Carter enroute to Dayton, Ohio DoD 03 Nov 2016 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
ARG/MEU Team Flexed Combat Power During Operation Odyssey Lightning NNS 03 Nov 2016 -- Amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio (LPD 17) conducted precision air strikes with AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters during combat operations in support of Operation Odyssey Lightning.
Amphibious Squadron 11 Completes Patrol NNS 03 Nov 2016 -- Ships of Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 11 completed their three-month, Indo-Asia-Pacific region patrol as part of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG), Nov. 3.
Advanced Tech, New Operational Constructs Underlie Third Offset Strategy AFPS 03 Nov 2016 -- A range of advanced technologies combined with new operational and organizational constructs make up the Defense Department's Third Offset Strategy, an initiative that seeks to ensure the U.S. military stays well ahead of its most aggressive competitors, two defense technology leaders said during a recent conference.
Navy's MUOS-5 Satellite Reaches Orbit NNS 03 Nov 2016 -- The Navy's fifth Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite has reached operational orbit and has successfully deployed its arrays and antennas.

Deputy Secretary General thanks Montenegro for hosting NATO civil emergency exercise NATO 03 Nov 2016 -- Visiting Montenegro on Thursday (3 November 2016), Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller congratulated the nations and teams that participated at the CRNA GORA 2016 civil emergency exercise organised by the Alliance's Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response and Coordination Centre (EADRCC).
NATO-Russia war not likely in 2017, Fallon says, downplaying MI5 chief's warning Press TV 03 Nov 2016 -- A war between Russia and members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is "not likely" in 2017, says the UK defense chief, playing down an earlier warning by MI5 chief Andrew Parker.

Russian Aerospace Forces Receive New S-400 Triumf Air Defense System Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- Russian Defense Ministry said that Russian Aerospace Forces have received a new regimental set of the S-400 Triumf air defense system.
Hardcore Russian Team: Kalibr-Armed Frigate to Join Naval Group Near Syria Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- Russia is sending its advanced Frigate Admiral Grigorovich armed with Kalibr cruise missiles to reinforce the aircraft carrier group near Syrian shores.

Lithuanian Army Receives First Batch of UK Sniper Rifles Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- A batch of AXMC sniper rifles will be distributed to battalions of ground forces and military training centers of the Lithuanian army before the end of the year.

Superior in Every Way: Why Vietnam Wants Russia's 'Dolphin' Rescue Ship Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- Russia's 21300C "Dolphin" search and rescue ship has interested the Vietnamese military because it boasts a range of capabilities not found in its foreign counterparts, the ship's head constructor Alexander Forst told Sputnik.

India Upgrades Military Airlift Capability Just 18 Miles Away From China Border Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- Amid simmering relations with China, India successfully lands US-made heavy military transport aircraft at Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground for real time troop support

Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz en route Jacksonville, FL, 11/3/2016 The White House 03 Nov 2016
November 3, 2016 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 03 Nov 2016

Defense Industry

DoD News: Contracts for November 03, 2016
Wide-body jet to be built by China, Russia in Shanghai People's Daily 03 Nov 2016 -- A wide-body commercial jet being developed by China and Russia is expected to be delivered in 10 years, as early as three years after its first test flight, according to a timetable announced by domestic plane manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corp of China.
China, Russia to invest up to $20bn in long-haul jet: Report Press TV 03 Nov 2016 -- China and Russia have agreed on a joint venture to build a long-haul wide-bodied jet, competing with Boeing and Airbus which wield total control over the jumbo jet industry.
New Russian-Chinese Jumbo Jet Will Take on the Big Boys from Boeing, Airbus Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- Russian and Chinese aircraft builders have offered a much-anticipated glimpse of their joint project – a wide-body passenger jumbo jet, designed from scratch, and expected to take to the skies next decade. Russia's UAC and China's Comac hope to give global commercial aviation leaders Boeing and Airbus a run for their money with their new design.

Other Conflicts

3 November 2016 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 03 Nov 2016

Minister vows to protect fishing rights near Okinotori Atoll CNA 03 Nov 2016 -- Taiwan's top official in charge of fisheries on Thursday reaffirmed the country's fishing rights in the waters near Japan's Okinotori Atoll and vowed to protect those rights.

IS Showing No Signs of Panic as Leader Calls for 'Total War' VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- Fewer than 5,000 Islamic State fighters trying to hold onto the Iraqi city of Mosul are being urged to fight to the death.

Wall-Building: Turkey to Fence Itself Off Syria in 2017 Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- Turkey hopes to complete the 911-kilometer-long concrete wall on the border with Syria next year.

Arab, Kurdish forces set to liberate Daesh-held Syrian city of Raqqah Press TV 03 Nov 2016 -- An alliance of Kurdish and Arab forces is set to launch a massive offensive to liberate the Daesh-held northeastern Syrian city of Raqqah.
Syrian forces recapture area near Damascus Press TV 03 Nov 2016 -- Syrian government forces have killed dozens of foreign-backed militants across the country in anti-terror operations, including one that fully liberated an area on the outskirts of the capital Damascus.
Spokesman: US-backed Syrian Forces Capable of Taking Raqqa VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- The United States is doubling-down on its Syrian allies, insisting they are capable of planning and launching an assault to dislodge the Islamic State terror group from its self-styled capital of Raqqa.
12 killed, 200 wounded in militant attacks in Syria's Aleppo Press TV 03 Nov 2016 -- At least 12 civilians have lost their lives and over 200 others sustained injuries in a string of attacks launched by foreign-backed militants on several neighborhoods in the battered Syrian city of Aleppo.
Infighting between Aleppo militants leave dozens dead, injured Press TV 03 Nov 2016 -- Infighting between two militant groups in Syria's divided city of Aleppo has left at least 25 terrorists from both sides dead and injured, says a UK-based monitoring group.
U.S., Turkey Discuss Strategy For Retaking Raqqa From Islamic State RFE/RL 03 Nov 2016 -- The United States is talking with Turkey about taking an eventual role in the campaign to regain control of the Syrian city of Raqqa from the Islamic State extremist group, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has said.

'Steady Progress' As Some Iraqi Forces Reach Mosul, OIR Official Says AFPS 03 Nov 2016 -- Iraqi security forces and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters are gaining ground in the battle for Mosul, with some forces reaching the northern Iraqi city, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve said today.
Thousands Flee as Iraqi Troops Enter Mosul VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- They came to the camp packed in cars, buses and flatbed trucks, and even on tractors.
Hashd volunteers cut main Daesh supply route Press TV 03 Nov 2016 -- Iraqi forces were about to cut off the western supply route used by Daesh out of Mosul on Thursday, with the leader of the Takfiri group urging his terrorists to fight on.
Baghdadi Calls On Islamic State Fighters Not To Retreat From Mosul RFE/RL 03 Nov 2016 -- The leader of the Islamic State extremist group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has called on his fighters to resist as Iraqi forces enter the city of Mosul where he declared a "caliphate" two years ago.
UN Condemns Use Of Human Shields In Iraq As Assault On Mosul Continues RFE/RL 03 Nov 2016 -- The UN Security Council has condemned the use of human shields in Iraq by Islamic State (IS) militants as fighting for the city of Mosul continues.
Iraqi Gov't Unaware of Turkish Troops' Relocation From Bashiqa Camp Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haydar Abadi's spokesman stated that he is informed about any recent withdrawal of Turkish troops from the Bashiqa camp in northern Iraq.
Iraqi Troops Manage to Enter Al Intisar District in Mosul's Right Coast Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- Iraqi forces started storming into the al-Intisar district coming from the South-eastern axis, it is one of the first districts that Iraqi troops entered on the right bank of Mosul, according to spokesman for the Joint Military Command Yahya Rasool.
Displaced amid Mosul offensive, close to 10,000 children in urgent need of aid, says UNICEF UN News 03 Nov 2016 -- Some 20,700 people have been displaced since the operation to liberate the Iraqi city of Mosul from terrorists started on 17 October, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said today, estimating that 9,700 of them are children in urgent need of assistance.
Iraqi Troops Begin Risky Urban Operations in Mosul VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- Iraqi troops were moving cautiously Thursday in a neighborhood just inside the city limits of Mosul, going from house-to-house to ensure the safety of civilians. The soldiers had to be wary of booby-trap bombs as well as ambushes and sniper fire from Islamic State militants, who are being urged by their leader to remain and resist losing the last major city they hold in Iraq.
'There is One Kurdistan,' Say Iranian Kurds Fighting in Iraq VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- On the hardscrabble lower reaches of the mountains overlooking the town of Bashiqa in northern Iraq, Commander Rebawar leans over the sandbags and points to the nearest position of Islamic State fighters a half kilometer or so below. They are dug in – and no doubt watching us.

Hackers Release More E-Mails They Say Tie Putin Aide To Ukraine Crisis RFE/RL 03 Nov 2016 -- Ukrainian hackers claim to have broken into a second e-mail account linked to Vladislav Surkov, a senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, releasing documents they say add to mounting evidence of the Kremlin meddling in Kyiv's affairs.

African Union-UN mission in Darfur welcomes unilateral six-month truce by two armed groups UN News 03 Nov 2016 -- Welcoming a six-month unilateral cessation of hostilities by the Sudan Liberation Army-Minni Minnawi and the Justice and Equality Movement-Gibril, the African Union (AU)-United Nations mission in Darfur today called on Abdul Wahid El Nur, the leader of the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid to also make a similar declaration.

UN Security Council 'strongly condemns' ceasefire violations in Mali UN News 03 Nov 2016 -- Strongly condemning repeated violations of the ceasefire arrangements by the Plateforme and Coordination in and around northern Mali's restive Kidal town, the United Nations Security Council today warned that such acts threaten the viability of the peace agreement in the country and called on the armed groups to immediately cease hostilities and return to dialogue.

South Sudan: UN peacekeeping chief sets up task force after probe into mission's performance UN News 03 Nov 2016 -- After an independent inquiry found that the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) failed to protect civilians as deadly violence broke out in and around its premises in the capital, Juba, in July, the top UN peacekeeping official today announced that he has established a task force to carry out the probe's recommendations, which include ensuring greater accountability of the mission's leadership.
Kenya in Uproar After UN Blames General for S. Sudan Violence VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- Kenya's U.N. ambassador said Thursday that the Kenyan general who was in charge of peacekeepers in South Sudan during a violent episode in July has been made a 'scapegoat' for systemic U.N. peacekeeping failures.
Kenya Removes Peacekeeping Forces From S. Sudan Protesting Commander's Sacking Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- Nairobi is pulling out its troops stationed in South Sudan as part of the UN peacekeeping mission after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon fired its Kenyan commander, local media reported on Wednesday.
Kenya censures UN for blaming others for failure in South Sudan Press TV 03 Nov 2016 -- Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has accused the United Nations of covering up its failure to establish peace in South Sudan by blaming a Kenyan commander in charge of the UN forces in the conflict-stricken country.

South Korean Coast Guard Fires Machine Guns Toward Chinese Fishing Boats Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- In a sign of its increasingly aggressive posture, South Korea fired toward Chinese fishing vessels off the Korean Peninsula.

News Reports

Parliamentary approval necessary for Brexit: UK High Court Press TV 03 Nov 2016 -- The UK High Court has banned the government from setting the Brexit process in motion before getting the Parliament's approval, a decision that is likely to further prolong the UK's withdrawal from the European Union (EU).
UK Government Cannot Trigger EU Exit Without Parliament Approval Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- UK parliament should aprove the formal process of leaving the European Union by triggering Article 50 of EU's Lisbon Treaty, according to the decision of the High Court.
Britain's High Court Deals Blow to Brexit VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- Britain's high court dealt a blow to backers of Britain's exit from the European Union, or Brexit, by ruling Thursday the government must consult Parliament before starting the disengagement.

Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Moscow, November 3, 2016 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 03 Nov 2016

UN rights experts urge DR Congo to lift 'unjustified' ban on protests UN News 03 Nov 2016 -- Expressing concern over what they called an "unjustified" ban on protests in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a group of United Nations human rights experts today called on the authorities to protect the fundamental rights of the people and to revoke the prohibition.
DRC: Kabila Critics Want Probe Into Ties Between Family-run Bank, Electoral Commission VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- New allegations about ties between the Democratic Republic of Congo's electoral commission and a bank linked to the president's family have sparked calls for an investigation. The allegations come amid heightened tensions about delayed elections in the country.

UN agency working to address women's health and protection needs in storm-hit Haiti UN News 03 Nov 2016 -- With some 546,000 women of reproductive age in Haiti affected by Hurricane Matthew, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has urged greater attention to women's vulnerability in the aftermath of the storm, which devastated not only people's livelihoods but health facilities and other vital infrastructure.

Amid 'Separation,' US Sends New Envoy to Manila VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- A soft-spoken veteran U.S. diplomat with considerable experience facing the North Koreans has been handed what may be his most challenging assignment: ambassador to the Philippines – a longtime defense treaty partner whose leader has announced a "separation" from the United States.

Erdogan Slams Germany for Granting Asylum to Gulen's Followers Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- Germany has become an asylum for the followers of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, suspected by Ankara of masterminding the July coup attempt, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday.
Ankara Dismisses Over 1,200 Police Staff Due to Suspected Coup Links Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- 419 mid-level officers, 604 junior officers, 158 sergeants, 28 privates and 9 civil servants of the Turkish gendarmerie were dismissed as part of ongoing investigations into the July coup attempt, according to the statement of the Turkey's Interior Ministry.

Pakistan Accuses Indian Diplomats Of Espionage RFE/RL 03 Nov 2016 -- Pakistan has accused eight Indian diplomats of espionage and terrorism, amid mounting tensions between the two neighbors.
Pakistan Accuses Indian Diplomats of Espionage and Terrorism VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- Pakistan has accused eight Indian diplomats of espionage and sponsoring terrorism on its soil, just days after withdrawing six of its diplomatic staffers facing similar allegations in India.

South Korea's Park appoints new chief of staff amid scandal Press TV 03 Nov 2016 -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye has appointed a new chief of staff, part of sweeping reshuffles apparently meant to allay public outrage at a scandal involving one of her close associates.
South Korean Court Issues Warrant to Arrest President's 'Shadow Adviser' Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- A South Korean court on Thursday issued a warrant to arrest Choi Soon-sil, a friend and "shadow adviser" of country's President Park Geun-hye, local media reported.
Seoul Could Launch Investigation Into S Korean President Over 'Shadow Adviser' Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- South Korean Prime Minister Kim Byong-joon has mentioned the possibility of investigating the country's President Park Geun-hye over her ties to the "shadow adviser" Choi Soon-sil, who is suspected of meddling in state affairs.
South Korean Scandal Edges Closer to President VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- South Korean prosecutors detained a former advisor of President Park Geun-hye as part of a growing influence-peddling investigation.
North Korea Keeps Focus on South's Government Scandal VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- As the South Korean presidency teeters on the brink of collapse thanks to a growing influence-peddling scandal, North Korea has so far refrained from taking any significant provocative actions.

Swedish Envoy: US Detainees in North Korea 'High on Agenda' VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- With the denial of consular access to two U.S. citizens detained in North Korea continuing for months, the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang, which acts on behalf of the United States, said it is making all-out efforts to accelerate their safe return home.

Xi spells out Party codes on stricter governance People's Daily 03 Nov 2016 -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has stressed the imperativeness of regulating intra-Party political life and advancing supervision, calling the move "an important approach to promoting comprehensive and strict Party governance."

Iran will "send nuclear deal to museum" if US fails to keep its pledges: IRGC Dy CDR IRNA 03 Nov 2016 -- If the US fails to honor its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran will send it to museum and return to the first point, according to an IRGC official.

KMT-CPC forum ends in Beijing CNA 03 Nov 2016 -- The 11th annual meeting between Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) and the Communist Party of China (CPC) concluded in Beijing on Thursday with statements by both parties on ways of maintaining peaceful development of cross-Taiwan Strait ties.
KMT vows to keep working to stabilize cross-strait ties CNA 03 Nov 2016 -- Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱), chairwoman of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), said Thursday her party will continue its efforts to help stabilize relations with China.
U.S. reaffirms support for Taiwan's Interpol participation CNA 03 Nov 2016 -- The United States is committed to supporting Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations such as the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the U.S. State Department reaffirmed Wednesday.

Report: China's Arctic Activities Demand Closer US Attention VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- A report by the State Department's International Security Advisory Board (ISAB) expresses concern about the rapid expansion of China's activities in the Arctic.
China Sees Diplomatic Victories as Neighbors Hedge Bets VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- In the short space of just a few weeks, China appears to have won some major diplomatic victories in Southeast Asia, with the dramatic public swing away from the U.S. by the Philippines and a high-profile visit by Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak's to Beijing.

Amnesty International: Moscow Authorities 'Stonewalling' Over Office Closure VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- Amnesty International said Thursday attempts to resolve the issue of the closure of its Moscow office have been "stonewalled" by city authorities.
The Price of Protesting Putin VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- The risks of dissent in Vladimir Putin's Russia came in full view this week, as two separate cases highlighted the country's troubling human rights climate.

Japan launches next-generation geostationary meteorological satellite Himawari-9 People's Daily 02 Nov 2016 -- Japan on Wednesday launched a next-generation geostationary meteorological satellite "Himawari-9," aiming to further improve meteorological services in the Asia-Pacific region.

South Africa's Ruling ANC Warns Members Against Corruption VOA 03 Nov 2016 -- South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) party has warned its members to avoid corruption and abuse of state power. The party was reacting to a report from the nation's anti-corruption chief that suggested President Jacob Zuma allowed a powerful family to choose cabinet ministers. The main opposition party is now pushing for a motion of no confidence against the president.

Saad Hariri Appointed New Lebanese Prime Minister - Presidential Decree Sputnik 03 Nov 2016 -- Country's presidential administration said that Saad Hariri, the chairman of Lebanon's Future Movement, has been appointed the new Lebanese prime minister.
President Aoun asks Hariri to form government Press TV 03 Nov 2016 -- Lebanon's new president has asked former prime minister Saad al-Hariri to form a new government after the parliament speaker dropped opposition to the idea.
Lebanon's Hariri says seeks national unity government Press TV 03 Nov 2016 -- The Lebanese prime minister-designate has announced plans to set up a national unity government quickly as a 29-month political stalemate in the Middle Eastern country comes to an end.

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