US scholarships for success program expands in Morocco
USAID prone on supporting Moroccan economy modernization
Foundation for education and environment to hold general assembly in Morocco
French associations stage humanitarian car race for Moroccan handicapped persons
Morocco's July tourism receipts down 4.3 pct
Morocco resolved to promote human rights, says minister
Morocco to give Peru 20 camels
Morocco's H1 jobless rate rises to 11.2 pct.
Moroccan professionals to be consulted in tourism office budget, minister
L'Opinion: French tourism experts support Moroccan candidacy to host world soccer cup
Le Journal Du Dimanche: Marrakesh film festival on the frontpage of French weekly's first Moroccan issue
Ecofinance: Morocco leader in advertising market in Maghreb
Visitors of Morocco drop by 2.1% in 1st quarter of 2003
Morocco Calls For Hatred and Intolerance-Free Education
Third Marrakech film festival opens Morocco to outside influences
UNESCO Awards Gold Medal to Moroccan Ambassador
Morocco Officially Presents Bid for 2010 World Cup
Rabat court delivers verdicts in several terrorism cases
After Le Monde, RFI, La Razon publishes clarification on convicted Moroccan
Moroccan Jan-July trade deficit rises 21.5 pct

US scholarships for success program expands in Morocco
Morocco-USA, Education, 10/1/2003

The US Government has expanded its financial support to the "Scholarships For Success" program which gives 100 additional Moroccan rural girls the opportunity to attend secondary school by establishing dormitories, the US embassy in Rabat said.

The program, started in 1999, provides for dormitory management, tutoring, computers and school supplies, as well as follow-up visits with the scholarship recipients' parents. With the additional funding, five new dormitories will open this year, increasing the total number of girls' dormitories to 19.

The ultimate goal of the program is to keep girls in school through completion of high school, the embassy said, adding that the Ministry of National Education and Youth ensures a place in a high school dormitory for each beneficiary that graduates from middle school, and the Ministry of Health provides free medical check ups for girls participating in the program. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031001/2003100104.html

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USAID prone on supporting Moroccan economy modernization
Morocco-USA, Economics, 10/2/2003

Executives of the US Agency of International Development (USAID) said in Casablanca Thursday besides supporting education, the agency's action would focus on backing Morocco in its efforts to modernize its economy and improve business climate.

USAID executives said at a conference held by the American trade Chamber in Morocco (AmCham) the agency would carry on its education programs while focusing on economy and governance actions to accompany the Free trade agreement to be signed between Morocco and the United States before end of this year.

The USAID said it will direct its efforts to modernizing Morocco's corporate law and trade tribunals. The agency will organize training sessions for staff of trade tribunals personnel that it will equip with computers.

Additional efforts will be geared toward developing partnership between the public and private sectors in a bid to stimulate regional development and improving the performance of regional investment centers.

The agency will further move to set up a federation of Moroccan micro-finance associations and develop new rural tourism circuits in partnership with the tourism ministry. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031002/2003100225.html

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Foundation for education and environment to hold general assembly in Morocco
Morocco-UK, Environment, 10/2/2003

The Foundation for Education and Environment (FEE), based in Norwich, UK, will hold its general assembly in 2004 in Morocco. The announcement was made at a meeting held, here Tuesday, between Princess Lalla Hasna, sister of King Mohammed VI of Morocco, chairwoman of the Mohammed VI Foundation for environment Protection, and Graham Ashworth, FEE president.

Ashworth who came to inquire about progress achieved in partnership projects launched by the Moroccan foundation after becoming member of the FEE, said, in a press release, these projects concern the introduction in Morocco of the "European Blue flag" Label and "Young Reporters for the Environment" program initiated by the foundation in 2002. The princess and her close aides presented to the FEE delegation a set of ecological programs carried out by the Moroccan Foundation, mainly the "flowered cities, clean beaches, education to environment and the air-quality programs." Morocco will also be introducing the "Green Key" label for tourism accommodation sites and camping.

The Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe (FEEE) was established in 1981 to raise awareness of environmental issues and effect change through education. The Blue Flag Campaign brings together the tourism and environment sectors at local, regional and national level in 23 European countries and several countries outside Europe.

More than 2,800 beaches and marinas are now participating in the Program.

The activities of the Blue Flag Campaign revolve around the awarding of the widely recognised and respected eco-label - the Blue Flag. This is given to beaches and marinas where environmental protection is a high priority in site management and information encourages care for the environment. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031002/2003100223.html

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French associations stage humanitarian car race for Moroccan handicapped persons
Morocco-France, Culture, 10/2/2003

Three associations from southwestern France are staging this October 4-20 a "humanitarian 4X4 race" that will hand out a 20 cubic meter-donation of paramedical equipment to a local association of handicapped persons in southern Moroccan city of Warzazate and school equipment to a school.

Accompanying the race will be a 17-member team of French handicapped persons. One of the race sponsors is the French association "Decouverte, partages et amitie entre les peuples" (Discovery, sharing and friendship among peoples) grouping four-wheel drive cars fans who put their passion at the service of the poorest people, particularly in Africa, and collect medicine and medical equipment.

The two other sponsor organizations are "handicap, reves et liberte" (handicap, dreams and freedom) and "Oxygene sud-ouest" (Oxygen south-west). http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031002/2003100228.html

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Morocco's July tourism receipts down 4.3 pct

RABAT, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Moroccan tourism receipts slid 4.3 percent to 14.7 billion dirhams ($1.58 billion) in the seven months up to July, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday.

Tourism is a key sector of the north African country's economy and an important source of hard currency and jobs for over 600,000 people.

The figures continued a downward trend which began in late 2001 and worsened after suicide bombings in Casablanca in May, which killed 45 people, including 12 attackers.

In July 2002, the receipts were down by some 30 percent from their level a year earlier.

The ministry's General Economic Policy Department said in a report that remittances by some 2.5 million expatriates, the country's top source of foreign currency, rose 2.4 percent in July to 18.8 billion dirhams.

The remittances no longer include tourism receipts from expatriates who spend their holidays in Moroccan hotels. The change reflected "methods usually applied by other countries which have an important community living abroad," it said. ((Reporting by Souhail Karam; Reuters Messaging: souhail.karam.reuters.com@reuters.net; +212-37 720065)) ($1=9.310 dirhams). http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm?id=1065102409nL02123336&section=Countries&page=Morocco&channel=All%20Morocco%20News&objectid=22403786-8F1A-11D4-867000D0B74A0D7C

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Morocco resolved to promote human rights, says minister
Morocco, Politics, 9/27/2003

Morocco is determined to promote human rights despite economic problems and the threat posed by terrorism, said, in Casablanca Thursday, and Moroccan minister of Human Rights.

Mohamed Aujjar, who was addressing a regional workshop under the theme "Arab countries and the international mechanisms of Human Rights protection," recalled the progress achieved by the kingdom in the field of human rights, saying that the best illustration of this progress is the creation of the Consultative Council of Human Rights and of the "Diwan Al Madalim (Ombudsman)."

Morocco, said the minister, will pursue its action on the path of modernity and liberty, despite social challenges facing the country, in particular the burden of foreign debt, the difficulties of globalization and the threat of terrorism. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030927/2003092717.html

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Morocco to give Peru 20 camels

From correspondents in Lima  October 1, 2003

COME January, 20 camels will be winging their way to Peru aboard Moroccan air force jets, congressman Luis Gonzales Posada told a local radio show on Tuesday.

The camels are a gift from King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Gonzales told Radio Programas. The jets will ferry the "ships of the desert" to Peru in groups of seven.

The dromedaries are the king's idea of a tourist attraction, Gonzales said from Rabat. They are headed for Peru's dry, southern coast, to the province of Ica, where they are to carry tourists -- just as they do in Morocco.

Gonzales, who heads the Peru-Morocco Friendship League, said the animals are expected to found the first herd of camels in Latin America.

Agence France-Presse http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,7428343%255E13762,00.html

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Morocco's H1 jobless rate rises to 11.2 pct.

RABAT, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Morocco's unemployment rate in the first half rose to 11.2 percent from 10.4 percent a year earlier with the increase markedly stronger in urban areas, a senior Labour Ministry official said on Tuesday.

"Urban jobless rate rose to 19.2 percent from 17.1 percent in the first half of 2002. For urban university graduates, unemployment rose to 25.8 percent from 23.5 percent," she said.

A total 155,000 jobs were created in the second quarter of 2003, including 124,000 in urban areas thanks to a buoyant construction industry, she added. ((Reporting by Souhail Karam; Reuters Messaging: souhail.karam.reuters.com@reuters.net; +212-37 720065))

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm?id=1064928244nL30100974&Section=Countries&page=Morocco&channel=All%20Morocco%20News&objectid=22403786-8F1A-11D4-867000D0B74A0D7C

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Moroccan professionals to be consulted in tourism office budget, minister
Morocco, Economics, 9/30/2003

The Moroccan federation of tourism will participate, for the first time, in the elaboration of the budget of the Moroccan Tourism Office (ONMT), said tourism minister, Adil Douiri.

Moroccan tourism operators and ONMT executives will be meeting September 29 and 30, Diouri told MAP on the sidelines of the tourism fair "Top Resa" held in France September 25-27.

We are aiming at making the best of our energy rather than wasting it in quarrels and sterile criticism, he said http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030930/2003093018.html

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L'Opinion: French tourism experts support Moroccan candidacy to host world soccer cup
Morocco-France, Sports, 9/30/2003

The French association of Tourism experts and scientific researchers (AFEST) expressed "total and official" support to Morocco's bid to host the 2010 world soccer cup.

Vice-president of the association, Abdou Belgat, told Moroccan daily "L'Opinion" the support extended by his association to the Moroccan bid is a considerable element, explaining that France, which organized in 1998 the best world cup in the history of soccer can also bring Morocco an important logistical, counseling and assistance support, given the good relations between the two countries.

He also argued that sport, in general, and soccer in particular, combined to tourism are two decisive ingredients for sustainable development in Morocco and for irreversible and dynamic socio-economic growth in the kingdom.

The vice-president says AFEST, founded in 1954, is Europe's oldest institution specialized in tourism and hotel industry expertise. He added that Morocco needs a true lobbying to highlight the development of its tourism in order to be assigned the honor of hosting the major sports event.

Morocco, together with four other African countries (Egypt, Libya, South Africa and Tunisia), bidding to host the 2010 World Cup Finals are set to hand on Tuesday their bid documents to FIFA in Zurich. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030930/2003093026.html

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Le Journal Du Dimanche: Marrakesh film festival on the frontpage of French weekly's first Moroccan issue
Morocco, Economics, 9/30/2003

French weekly "Le Journal Du Dimanche" (JDD), which has just started a Moroccan edition, has dedicated its first issue published in Morocco to the Marrakesh film festival slated from October 3 through 9.

In a frontpage article entitled "Marrakesh celebrating all the cinemas," the JDD speaks of the highlights of the festival "a unique event of the kind at the desert gates." It also publishes an interview with French actress Nathalie Baye who is chairing this year's festival jury and who recounts her love for Morocco that she describes as "a land of hospitality and a country open onto the world." She also hopes that the event will be a constructive and lasting happening that will allow a maximum of encounters between movie-makers of the whole world and highlight a particular interest for the Moroccan motion picture.

The weekly also runs articles about Moroccan directors, like Faouzi Saidi who won with his "Mille Mois" (a thousand months) an award at the latest Cannes Festival in France.

Royal advisor, Andre Azoulay, who is one of the promoters of the festival stresses, in an interview with JDD, how the festival is an important tool to promote the Moroccan cinema and a chance for Moroccan directors to be viewed by other movie-makers from the world.

Azoulay, who expects that the Moroccan international cinema festival will be racing with the world's most renowned festivals, insists that the Marrakesh festival is not a caprice nor a furtive idea but was the fruit of a strategic approach with economic and artistic goals.

"It's a means to continue to draw attention on a country that has a long tradition of cinema-making since the Lumieres brothers," says Azoulay who recalls that the movies being shot in Morocco by US directors Oliver Stone

(Alexander) and Ridley Scott bring to Morocco thousands of jobs for craftsmen, in addition to the fact that one third of these mega-productions (US$ 150 million each) is invested in the Kingdom. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030930/2003093027.html

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Ecofinance: Morocco leader in advertising market in Maghreb
Maghreb-Morocco, Economics, 10/3/2003

Morocco is leading the advertising market in the northern African region of the Maghreb with nearly 180 million Euros in 2002, followed by Tunisia (40

millions) and Algeria (15 millions), reveals the latest issue of "Ecofinance, a publication of the Paris-based Jeune Afrique group.

In a story on advertising in Maghreb states, Ecofinance says ongoing liberalization and openness in Morocco are laying the foundations of the country's thriving advertising sector, which is experiencing deep changes. Advertising in Morocco, which provides 2,000 jobs, has known an average annual increase of 20% during the last three decades, crowned by a record year in 2000, thanks to the blooming market of phone operators, the paper said.

However, the paper noted, the worldwide crisis has not spared Morocco which hosts so many international advertising companies that are following multinationals. The economic magazine further noted that in the Maghreb, TV ads take the lion's share, followed by the print. However, Maghreban TV stations are facing a harsh competition from the more popular satellite TV channels. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031003/2003100307.html

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Visitors of Morocco drop by 2.1% in 1st quarter of 2003
Morocco, Economics, 10/3/2003

Morocco received in the first quarter of 2003 1.03 million foreign visitors, a drop of 2.1% compared to the same period of 2002.

According to the general economic policy department, the decrease was most reported among German nationals (29%), followed by Saudis (28.9%) and Britons (8.1%). Meanwhile tourists coming from France and Spain increased respectively by 3.3% and 3.4%.

The source also says tourism hard currency receipts reached 14.7 billion DH (US$ 1.5 billion) in the first half of 2003, up by 4.3% in comparison with the same period of last year. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031003/2003100309.html

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Morocco Calls For Hatred and Intolerance-Free Education

PARIS, Oct 1 - Morocco has called for an open education that expurgates hatred and intolerance discourses from school books, and respects cultural diversity to fight terrorism.

The call was made, here Tuesday, by Moroccan minister of higher education and scientific research, Khalid Alioua who was addressing the 32nd session of the Paris-based UNESCO (United Nations Cultural and Scientific organization).

"Morocco is convinced that cultural specificity, representing other dimensions of human life, should not be assimilated to material properties or submitted to commerce regulations that the World Trade Organization is trying to establish", said the minister who called for drafting an international convention for the protection of cultural diversity.

Alioua, who is attending this session along with some 3,000 delegates from all over the world, had separate meetings with UNESCO officials with whom he discussed the Organization's contribution to the protection of the historic heritage of some Moroccan cities like Fez, Essaouira and Ouarzazate. © MAP 2003

http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm

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Third Marrakech film festival opens Morocco to outside influences

MARRAKECH, Morocco, Oct 03, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- A festival showing films from around the world opens Friday in the ancient desert city of Marrakech as part of Morocco's effort to open the kingdom to outside cultures.

Security will be tight as stars including U.S. director Oliver Stone and French actress Virginie Ledoyen join the six-day festival, taking place five months since deadly suicide bombings by Islamic militants in May.

After some Moroccans complained that last year's edition had too much Western influence, the festival opens Friday with a homegrown film, "Mille mois" (A Thousand Months), Faouzi Bensaidi's nostalgic look at a family in an Atlas Mountains village.

Twelve films are in the main competition, including "Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Quran," starring Omar Sharif as a Parisian grocer who befriends a young French boy, and "Hysterical Blindness," Mira Nair's take on women looking for love in a working-class New Jersey neighborhood. Uma Thurman, Gena Rowlands and Juliette Lewis appear.

The festival also honors Stone, who is shooting "Alexander," an epic film about Alexander the Great, in the Moroccan desert. Many directors are drawn to Morocco for its arid beauty and cheap labor.

Moroccan King Mohammed VI has made efforts to improve human rights and open the kingdom up since taking the throne in 1999. But the May 16 suicide attacks in Casablanca - which killed 45 people, including 12 attackers - have led to questions about how to balance human rights and a tough crackdown on the Islamic movement.

More than 900 suspected extremists have been arrested since the attacks. This week, a court sentenced two 14-year-old twin girls to five years in prison for plotting to blow up a supermarket liquor aisle.

By ANGELA DOLAND Associated Press Writer Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm?id=276w4816&section=Countries&page=Morocco&channel=All%20Morocco%20News&objectid=22403786-8F1A-11D4-867000D0B74A0D7C

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UNESCO Awards Gold Medal to Moroccan Ambassador

PARIS, Oct.01 - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, awarded here on Monday its gold medal to Morocco's permanent delegate to UNESCO, Aziza Bennani.

The Moroccan diplomat received the award in recognition of her efforts a the head of the UN body's executive council.

In a speech delivered in this occasion, chairman of the group of Arab countries at the UNESCO, Saudi Arabia's Fouad Fidaa Al Adel lauded Bennani's action at the head of the body and her contribution to promoting Arab women's image in international conferences and forums.

Bennani Aziza's term at the head of UNESCO's executive council will end on October 10. © MAP 2003

http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm

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Morocco Officially Presents Bid for 2010 World Cup

ZZURICH, Sept.30 - Morocco officially presented here Tuesday its bid before the FIFA (the world football governing body) to stage the 2010 World Cup, with a delegation made up of three ministers and other officials.

Minister of equipment and transports, Karim Ghallab, minister of tourism, Adil Douiri, and Nouzha Chekrouni, the minister in charge of Moroccans Abroad, took the floor to underline Morocco's eagerness to stage the event, insisting in particular on the interest granted by King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan people to football.

They also laid a particular emphasis on the development of sports infrastructure, the geographic proximity of the Kingdom with Europe, and the reputation of Morocco as a renowned tourism destination.

They were echoed by Saâd Kettani, chairman of the committee in charge of Morocco's candidacy who insisted on the place this country holds on the international sports arena, citing as examples the worldwide reputation of Moroccan Athletes such Hicham El Guerrouj, said Aouita, Nawal El Moutawakkil, and the late international footballer Larbi ben Mbarek.

Noting that Morocco is attempting for the fourth time to stage this very popular sports event, Kettani said that "the whole Moroccan people is expecting today to see the FIFA reward this perseverance".

"Our bid is solid and, should it succeed, it would be a true festival" he assured the audience.

In addition to Morocco, four other African countries have presented their bids. These are: South Africa, Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

The Verdict of FIFA is set for the 20th of May 2004 in Paris.© MAP 2003

http://www.map.co.ma/mapeng/eng.htm

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Rabat court delivers verdicts in several terrorism cases

Local, 9/29/2003

The criminal chamber of the Rabat appeal court delivered Saturday morning verdicts in several cases involving people sued for terrorism charges, under the anti-terrorism law.

Eight members of the underground organization "Moroccan Islamic Fighting Group" were handed down sentences ranging between 6 and 20 years in jail.

The prosecutor had required a minimum sentence of 20 years against the group accused of receiving logistic support from Al Qaida to attack Jewish and US interests in Morocco. The attorneys, while arguing the absence of evidence of their clients' involvement in terrorist attacks inside Morocco, have confessed they went to Afghanistan to "fight the apostates" but denied charges of raising funds for terrorist attacks.

In the case of the group dubbed the Larache cell, sued for plotting to destabilize the country, assault historical monuments and visitors of a Jewish cemetery in the northern city, the court delivered prison sentences ranging between 8 and 15 years against the seven individuals.

The defense had rejected the charges as unfounded saying the defendants' acknowledgments were made under constraints. In the same tribunal, members of the "Berkane group" were delivered sentences ranging between 2 and 12 years in jail except for one individual who was acquitted.

Counts held against the group include belonging to the Salafia Jihadia underground extremist group and for preparing terrorist acts. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030929/2003092918.html

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After Le Monde, RFI, La Razon publishes clarification on convicted Moroccan

Local, 9/29/2003

"Hicham Mandari has never been an adviser to (the late) king Hassan II, nor was he brought up at the royal palace under the aegis of the king," said Friday Spanish daily "La Razon" in a clarification published by Marti and Associates, a firm of Lawyers and economists, on behalf of Morocco.

"He has never participated, either actively or passively, in the daily activity of the royal household," the text goes.

Last August, the French daily "Le Monde" had published a clarification refuting the content of several stories where it had referred to Mandari as an adviser to the late king Hassan II.

The same source says Mandari has never even worked for the state.

The same clarification had been aired by the French TV channel RFI which said the diplomatic passports Mandari had claimed to hold proved fake.

Hicham Mandari was convicted last week by an investigating magistrate at a Paris tribunal for attempt to blackmail a Moroccan businessman.

A weapon and an important sum of money were seized at the home of the man, already involved in a case of forged Bahraini Dinars back in 1999. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030929/2003092922.html

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Moroccan Jan-July trade deficit rises 21.5 pct

RABAT, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The Moroccan trade deficit rose 21.5 percent to 29 billion dirhams ($3.1 billion) in the seven months up to July mainly because of a sharp drop in exports of seafood products, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday.

Excluding seafood products the deficit rose 12.7 percent, the ministry's General Economic Policy Department (DPEG) said in a report.

Exports fell 5.1 percent in value to 49.1 billion dirhams compared with a 12.5 percent rise in July 2002. Excluding seafood sales, exports shrank 2.2 percent.

Imports rose 3.3 percent to 78.1 billion dirhams after strong rises mainly in purchases of equipment, raw materials and semi-processed products.

The European Union accounts for nearly two-thirds of Morocco's foreign trade. ((Reporting by Souhail Karam; Reuters Messaging: souhail.karam.reuters.com@reuters.net; +212-37 720065)) ($1=9.310 dirhams)

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm?id=1065098659nL02109613&section=Countries&page=Morocco&channel=All%20Morocco%20News&objectid=22403786-8F1A-11D4-867000D0B74A0D7C

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