President Donald Trump and New York City’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani met Friday at the White House and focused more on their shared goals rather than their combustible differences.
The president has previously said Mamdani is a “100% Communist Lunatic†and a “total nut job.†Mamdani has called and described himself as “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare.â€
At they discussed housing affordability and the cost of groceries and utilities, as Mamdani successfully used frustration over inflation to get elected, just as the president did in the 2024 election.
“I think he is going to surprise some conservative people, actually,†said Trump.Asked if he’d be comfortable living in the city under the incoming mayor, the president said: “I really would, especially after the meeting."
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Major political differences, but a lot of agreement in Trump-Mamdani meeting
It had been posited that Trump’s meeting with the mayor-elect could be a fiery display of opposites, but the president was full of praise — and pledges of cooperation — for Mamdani.
There were the jovial pats on the arm, as Mamdani stood alongside Trump seated at the desk, facing reporters.
There were smiles and a handshake. Color rose in Mamdani’s cheeks when he was asked if he still thought Trump was a fascist, as he’s previously referenced him — and Trump told him it was “OK†to just say “yes,†which Mamdani did.
Trump, a New York City native who despite now being a Florida resident, voiced his enduring love for the city. He also said he would be “very, very comfortable†returning there, especially now that he’s met with Mamdani, and that he would help the incoming mayor be successful.
“Ultimately, it’s for the good of New York,†Trump said, of the two men’s goals. “I don’t care about affiliations or parties or anything else. ... If he could be a spectacular success, I’d be very happy.â€
Trump dismisses US Rep. Elise Stefanik’s criticisms of Mamdani
Trump played down Stefanik’s criticisms of Mamdani, saying the congresswoman is just “out there campaigning†as she runs for governor of New York.
“And you know, you say things sometimes in a campaign,†Trump said.
He continued, calling Mamdani “a very rational person†and said “I met with a man who really wants New York to be great again.â€
Senate Armed Services chair says Trump’s Ukraine peace plan has ‘real problems’
The statement from Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, a strong supporter of Ukraine, represented high-profile pushback to Trump from within his own party as he advances a plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine by offering favorable terms to Moscow.
“This so-called ‘peace plan’ has real problems, and I am highly skeptical it will achieve peace,†Wicker said. “Ukraine should not be forced to give up its lands to one of the world’s most flagrant war criminals in Vladimir Putin.â€
Wicker added that Ukraine should be allowed to determine the size of its military, that Putin should not be rewarded with assurances from the U.S., and questioned whether Russia could be trusted to downscale its military.
IRS ordered to stop sharing taxpayer information with ICE
A federal court has barred the IRS from sharing data on millions of taxpayers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the US District Court for the District of Columbia issued a stay on an agreement signed between Treasury and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to share information on taxpayers with ICE.
The Treasury Department has said the agreement will help carry out Trump’s agenda to secure U.S. borders and is part of his larger nationwide immigration crackdown, which has resulted in deportations, workplace raids and the use of an 18th century wartime law to deport Venezuelan migrants.
Trump says Zelenskyy will have to come to terms on new US peace proposal
“We think we have a way of getting peace,†Trump said. “He’s going to have to approve it.â€
Zelenskyy suggested earlier on Friday that his country’s relationship with the United States is at a difficult inflection point as Trump said he would like answer from the Ukrainians by Thursday.
“Ukraine may soon find itself before a very difficult choice,†he said. “Either the loss of dignity, or the risk of losing a key partner. Either the difficult 28 points, or an extremely hard winter — the hardest one — and further risks.â€
Asked about Zelenskyy’s uncertain comments, Trump alluded to his difficult meeting with the Ukrainian president in February that led to a brief rupture in the U.S-Ukraine relationship.
“You remember right in the Oval Office not so long ago?†Trump said. “I said you don’t have the cards.â€
Trump says he’d live in Mamdani’s New York
Since the self-described democratic socialist’s election, several conservatives have suggested that middle class and wealthy New Yorkers may want to leave the city. But Trump isn’t one of them.
Asked if he’d be comfortable living in the city under the incoming mayor, the president said: “I really would, especially after the meeting,†Trump said.
He added that he picked up a lot of votes from Sen. Bernie Sanders, another self-described democratic socialist who unsuccessfully competed for the Democratic presidential nominations in 2016 and 2020.
“Bernie Sanders and I agreed on much more than people thought,†Trump said.
Trump predicts he and Mamdani will get along on crime
Trump says he and Mamdani discussed crime in New York City, without getting bogged down in their political differences over ICE.
“What we did is we discussed crime, more than ICE per se, we discussed crime. He doesn’t want to see crime and I don’t want to see crime,†Trump said. “And I have very little doubt that we’re not going to get along on that issue.â€
Trump laughs off Mamdani’s calling him a ‘fascist’
There was a moment of levity, even on a topic that could have erupted into a major point of contention between Mamdani and Trump.
Asked by a journalist about his prior reference to Trump as a “fascist,†Mamdani started to respond about how he and the president have differing viewpoints — but Trump interrupted, and said it was OK for him to just acknowledge it.
“That’s OK, you can just say it,†Trump said, smiling and patting Mamdani on the arm.†“It’s easier than explaining it — I don’t mind!â€
“Yes,†Mamdani said, smiling, in response to the questions.
Trump predicts Mamdani will change his views, mayor-elect doesn’t indicate he agrees
As Mamdani stood over his right shoulder after their meeting, Trump said he felt Mamdani “is going to change†on some of his views.
The mayor-elect showed no emotion on reaction on his face, even as Trump noted that “some of my views have changed†since he entered public office.
“I think he’s going to surprise some conservative people, actually,†Trump added.
Trump, Mamdani kick off appearance on friendly note
Though the Republican president needled Mamdani repeatedly during the campaign he was full of praise for the mayor-elect.
“We have one thing in common, we want this city of ours that we love to do incredibly well,†Trump said. He also praised Mamdani’s election performance, adding that he’d beaten “a lot of smart people†in the race.
New York City’s mayor-elect told reporters his meeting with President Donald Trump was productive, with the two leaders sharing a love of their shared hometown.
“I look forward to working together to deliver that affordability for New Yorkers,†Mamdani said in the Oval Office.
Mamdani visit a curiosity for people gathered outside White House
Hoping for a glimpse, or offering their support, the sidewalk across the street from the White House was the zone for some welcoming the mayor-elect to Washington.
About 15 people passing by the complex paused, hoping to spot Mamdani as he arrived for his meeting with Trump.
Several waited outside of the south entrance, hoping to get his autograph. One woman, Brenda Vargas of Washington, held a sign reading “DC welcomes Mamdani con amor,†and told The Associated Press she appreciates his willingness to stand “up for the working class.â€
When Mamdani arrived at Reagan ºÃÉ«tv Airport earlier Friday, journalists filmed him posing with people for selfies.
Mamdani has arrived at the White House for meeting with Trump
The White House confirmed that the mayor-elect had arrived, but it wasn’t immediately clear if the meeting was underway.
It also wasn’t clear how Mamdani had entered the White House complex. He didn’t drive through the gate and up to the entrance that many visitors use, and where dozens of journalist were set up to document the moment.
The confirmation came shortly after White House communications director Steven Cheung posted on X a photo of the gathered throng of journalists, taken from inside the West Wing, with the comment, “Too late guys! Y’all are too slow!â€
House Republicans push for Clintons to testify in Epstein probe
Republicans on the House Oversight Committee have sent an attorney for former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dates for them to appear for interviews before the committee.
The committee had subpoenaed the Clintons earlier this year, but an attorney for the couple had proposed sending the committee a written statement of “what little information†they had on the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a letter Friday, the committee rejected that offer and demanded that they appear in person.
Still, Congress has never been able to compel a former president to testify, though a number have voluntarily done so.
Ghislaine Maxwell avoids congressional interview by saying she will plead the Fifth
The House Oversight Committee has been trying for months to interview , who is serving a lengthy prison sentence for helping the wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein traffic and sexually abuse teenage girls. But her attorneys have indicated to the committee that she will refuse to answer questions by declining to say anything that would self-incriminating.
The committee’s chairman, Rep. James Comer, told Politico that he would not send staff to do the interview since she only planned to invoke the Fifth Amendment.
Democrats on the committee have also been looking into how Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend, was transferred to a minimum-security federal prison camp after she agreed to participate in an interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Supreme Court meets to weigh Trump’s birthright citizenship restrictions, blocked by lower courts
The is meeting in private Friday with a key issue on its agenda — ’s order declaring that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.
The justices could say as soon as Monday whether they will hear Trump’s appeal of lower court rulings that have uniformly struck down the . They have not taken effect anywhere in the United States.
If the court steps in now, the case would be argued in the spring, with a definitive ruling expected by early summer.
The birthright citizenship order, which Trump signed on the first day of his second term in the White House, is part of his administration’s broad immigration crackdown. Other actions include immigration enforcement surges in several cities and the first peacetime invocation of the 18th century Alien Enemies Act.
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Hegseth says he met Nigerian officials on Christian violence
The defense secretary said in a statement Friday that he welcomed Nigeria’s national security adviser to the Pentagon, where they “discussed ways to make tangible progress on stopping violence against Christians.â€
Hegseth posted a cordial photo on X of him meeting Mallam Nuhu Ribadu on Thursday.
That contrasted with Trump’s social media post earlier this month, which instructed the Pentagon to plan for possible military action in Nigeria and said the U.S. could go in “guns-a-blazing†to wipe out Islamic militants.
Experts say both Muslims and Christians are being killed in ongoing violence in the West African country.
Trump administration sues California over giving in-state tuition to immigrants in US illegally
The Trump administration has sued California for providing in-state college tuition, scholarships, and state-funded financial aid to students who don’t have legal status to be in the United States.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, alleges the practice harms U.S. citizens and encourages illegal immigration. Among the defendants are the state, top state officials, and the state’s two public university systems, the University of California and California State.
President Trump’s administration has filed similar lawsuits against policies in other states, including Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas. Half the country now has similar laws to California’s.
In June, after the administration sued, Texas ended its decades-old law. And Florida last year scrapped its law that allowed in-state tuition for high school graduates who weren’t in the country legally.
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Putin says US plan for Ukraine could form the ‘basis’ for a final peace settlement
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday cautiously welcomed a U.S. proposal to end Moscow’s nearly four-year war in Ukraine, saying it “could form the basis of a final peace settlement.â€
Putin called the plan “a new version†and “a modernized plan†and said Moscow has received it. “I believe that it, too, could form the basis for a final peace settlement,†Putin said.
“But this text has not been discussed with us in any substantive way, and I can guess why,†Putin added. “The U.S. administration has so far been unable to secure the consent of the Ukrainian side. Ukraine is against it. Apparently, Ukraine and its European allies are still under illusions and the dream of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield.â€
Trump, Harris and big money transform Tennessee special election into a marquee contest
For weeks, was flying under the radar in a heavily Republican congressional district. But now funding from President Trump’s allies and an appearance by former Vice President Kamala Harris have turned the Dec. 2 contest into a marquee political battle with potential consequences for next year’s midterms.
The race is the first for federal office since the Nov. 4 elections, when that were framed as a referendum on Trump. Now Republicans want to change the storyline, sinking money into the campaign and inviting Trump to visit the state after holding a virtual rally last week.
Failing to run up the score — or worse, losing the seat — would be a sign of weakness, emboldening Democrats as they try to take back control of the U.S. House. If places like Tennessee’s 7th congressional district seem within reach, the party could expand its list of targets next year.
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Trump says he’s not threatening Democratic lawmakers but says ‘they broke the law’
The president insists he’s not threatening Democratic lawmakers for recording a video reminding military service members that they shouldn’t obey illegal orders.
“I’m not threatening them, but I would say they’re in serious trouble,†Trump said during an interview with Fox News Radio. “I’m not threatening death.â€
Trump previously posted of those participating in the video, “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!†He subsequently shared a separate post that suggested, “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!â€
Trump said Friday that the Democratic lawmakers “are bad people,†suggesting, “In the old days, if you said a thing like that, that was punishable by death.â€
He added: “These are people that, in my opinion, broke the law. Now what happens to them? I can’t tell you. But they broke the law.â€
Trump looking for a response from Zelenskyy on his 28-day peace plan by Thanksgiving day
President Trump in a radio interview on Friday said he wants an answer from Zelenskyy on his 28-point peace plan by Thursday, but says an extension is possible to finalize terms.
“I’ve had a lot of deadlines, but if things are working well you tend to extend the deadlines,†Trumps said in an interview on “The Brian Kilmeade Show†on Fox News Radio. “But Thursday is it — we think an appropriate time.â€
Trump says the meeting with Mamdani will be ‘civil’
The president said in an interview Friday on Fox News Radio that New York City’s mayor-elect has “a different philosophy†but said he gives him “a lot of credit†for his campaign and said, “He ran a good race.â€
“I think we’ll get along fine. Look, we’re looking for the same thing. We want to make New York strong.â€
Trump was asked about some of Mamdani’s comments challenging him directly and said, “I’m a little hard too, in all fairness.â€
He said he expects they’ll be talking about the New York Police Department and Trump’s immigration crackdown in their meeting.
Trump’s upcoming meeting with Mamdani brings a chance for Oval Office drama
It wasn’t immediately clear whether cameras will be allowed into the meeting. Trump’s daily schedule said it will be private, but the president often invites in a small “pool†of reporters at the last minute.
The president has had some dramatic public Oval Office faceoffs this year, including an infamously Volodymyr Zelenskyy in March. In May, Trump dimmed the lights while meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and making widely rejected claims that South Africa is violently persecuting the country’s farmers.
A senior Trump administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions said Trump had not put a lot of thought into planning the meeting with the incoming New York mayor — but said Trump’s threats to block federal dollars from flowing to the city remained on the table.
— Michelle L. Price, Aamer Madhani and Anthony Izaguirre
IRS issues tax on tips and overtime income guidance for tax year 2025
The IRS issued guidance Friday for workers eligible to claim the deduction for tips and overtime income for tax year 2025.
provides clarification on how to determine the amount of their deduction if a worker didn’t receive a separate accounting from their employer for cash tips or qualified overtime on returns.
The IRS says it’s in the process of updating income tax forms and instructions for taxpayers to use this filing season that will assist them in claiming these deductions.
Democratic lawmaker says she’s disappointed in GOP silence to Trump’s comments
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania says she has yet to hear from one Republican colleague expressing concern about President Trump’s social media post accusing her and five other Democratic lawmakers of sedition “punishable by DEATH.â€
“Not a single member has reached out to me, either publicly or privately,†Houlahan said Friday morning at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol. “And with this I am profoundly disappointed in my colleagues.â€
She said she was “dumbfounded by the silence†and viewed Trump’s remarks as a threat against her life and an explicit embrace of political violence.
Houlahan, an Air Force veteran, made the comments as part of a news conference promoting a bill that would prohibit the administration from spending any funds sending U.S. troops into direct hostilities with Venezuela.
Zelenskyy says Ukraine faces choice of losing dignity or risking loss of key partner with US plan
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that Ukraine has to confront the possibility of losing its dignity or risking the loss of a key partner as it figures out how to respond to a U.S. peace proposal.
“This is one of the most difficult moments in our history,†Zelenskyy said in a video address to the nation.
“Currently, the pressure on Ukraine is one of the hardest. Ukraine may now face a very difficult choice, either losing its dignity or the risk of losing a key partner.â€
Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s national interest “must be taken into account†in talks over the proposal, and vowed to work constructively.
“We do not make loud statements, we will work calmly with America and all partners,†Zelenskyy said. “There will be a constructive search for solutions with our main partner.â€
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International Committee of the Red Cross is cutting hundreds of positions
The International Committee of the Red Cross is reducing hundreds of positions as top donors, including Germany and the United States, have cut humanitarian aid spending even as the number of conflicts has grown in recent years.
The Geneva-based organization, which focuses on protecting civilians and noncombatants in places of conflict, said Friday it was cutting the equivalent of about 2,900 full-time positions. That will leave it with about 15,000 worldwide.
Its assembly approved a budget of 1.8 billion Swiss francs (about $2.2 billion) for 2026, down 17% from this year, and it’s planning to boost efficiencies and focus more on in-the-field operations.
ICRC says it will focus on the “most critical†conflict zones, including Congo, Sudan, Ukraine and the Mideast conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
Many humanitarian organizations have as traditional Western donors have reduced aid outlays this year, while increasing defense spending.
Zohran Mamdani en route to Washington
The mayor-elect of New York appears to be on his way to Washington meet with President Trump.
He posted a selfie on X, the social media site, sitting in a plane shortly after 8:30 a.m. He added an airplane emoji.
The White House meeting between the two men is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.
Trump’s wind-down of the Education Department leaves schools fearing disruption
The Trump administration says its the Education Department offers a fix for the nation’s lagging academics — a solution that could free schools from the strictures of federal influence.
Yet to some school and state officials, the plan appears to add more bureaucracy, with no clear benefit for students who struggle with math or reading.
Instead of being housed in a single agency, much of the work now will be spread across four other federal departments. For President Trump, it’s a step toward fully and giving states more power over schooling. Yet many states say it will complicate their role as intermediaries between local schools and the federal government.
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Supreme Court meets to weigh Trump’s birthright citizenship restrictions, blocked by lower courts
The is to meet in private Friday with a high-profile issue on its agenda — ’s order declaring that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.
The justices could say as soon as Monday whether they’ll hear Trump’s appeal of lower court rulings that have uniformly struck down the . They haven’t taken effect anywhere in the United States.
If the court steps in now, the case would be argued in the spring, with a definitive ruling expected by early summer.
The birthright citizenship order, which Trump signed on the first day of his second term in the White House, is part of his administration’s broad immigration crackdown.
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Trump and Mamdani meet Friday in the Oval Office. They’ve cast each other as adversaries for months
Trump has called New York City’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic†and a “total nut job.†Mamdani has called and described himself as “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare.â€
So , scheduled for Friday at 3 p.m. EST at the White House, could be a curious and combustible affair.
Despite months of casting each other as prime adversaries, the Republican president and new Democratic star have also indicated an openness to finding areas of agreement that help the city they’ve both called home.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist who takes office in January, said he sought the meeting with Trump to talk about ways to make New York City more affordable. Trump has said he may want to help him out — although he has also falsely labeled Mamdani as a “communist†and threatened to yank federal funds from his hometown.
But for both men, the meeting offers opportunities beyond any areas of potential bipartisan agreement.
The two men are convenient political foils for each other, and taking the other one on can galvanize their supporters.
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Trump administration announces plan for new oil drilling off the coasts of California and Florida
The Trump administration announced on Thursday new oil drilling off the California and Florida coasts for the first time in decades, advancing a project that critics say could harm coastal communities and ecosystems, as President Donald Trump seeks to expand U.S. oil production.
The oil industry has been seeking access to new offshore areas, including Southern California and off the coast of Florida, as a way to boost U.S. energy security and jobs. The federal government has not allowed drilling in federal waters in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, which includes offshore Florida and part of offshore Alabama, since 1995, because of concerns about oil spills. California has some offshore oil rigs, but there has been no new leasing in federal waters since the mid-1980s.
Since taking office for a second time in January, Trump has systematically reversed former President Joe Biden’s focus on slowing climate change to pursue what the Republican calls U.S. “energy dominance†in the global market.
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Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg expected to leave his post as new peace plan emerges
Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has informed the White House he’ll leave his post in January, according to two senior administration officials.
The move comes as the White House is working on aimed at bringing an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine that is being largely coordinated by and Kirill Dmitriev, an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin. That plan calls for major concessions by Kyiv, including ceding territory to Russia and abandoning certain weaponry.
The officials were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity about Kellogg’s expected departure from the administration. They declined to comment on why Kellogg was departing. News of Kellogg’s expected exit was first reported by Reuters.
Kellogg during Trump’s presidential transition. But his role shrank as Witkoff, a real estate developer turned diplomat, emerged as the president’s chief interlocutor with Putin and his advisers.
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Trump expands tariff relief on coffee, fruit and beef from Brazil
Trump has further loosened tariffs on Brazil as part of his effort to lower consumer costs for Americans. The decision, released Thursday, affects coffee, fruit and beef, among other goods.
The White House said last week that Trump was that were originally announced in April.
However, Brazil said that that Trump had enacted in July to punish the country for prosecuting his political ally, former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Thursday’s decision harmonizes Trump’s plans, ensuring that neither the April nor July tariffs apply to certain products.
Trump and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have been which could further reduce tariffs.
Trump steps up attacks on ABC and Jimmy Kimmel, says network should ‘get the bum off the air’
Trump stepped up his attacks against ABC and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday, urging the network to “get the bum off the air†in a social media post sent shortly after the comic’s latest episode ended.
The president this week had also at the network’s chief White House correspondent, Mary Bruce, for questions she asked in an Oval Office meeting, which his press staff followed with a 17-point memo listing grievances against ABC News.
Trump’s latest attack against Kimmel came two months after ABC the comic for remarks made following the assassination of GOP activist Charlie Kirk. ABC following a public outcry.
Kimmel’s show Wednesday night began with a blistering monologue about Trump. Trump struck back in a Truth Social post sent at 12:49 a.m. Eastern. “Why does ABC Fake News keep Jimmy Kimmel, a man with NO TALENT and VERY POOR TELEVISION RATINGS, on the air? Why do the TV Syndicates put up with it?†Trump said.
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Trump says Democrats’ video message to military is ‘seditious behavior’ punishable by death
Trump on Thursday accused half a dozen Democratic lawmakers of sedition “punishable by DEATH†after the lawmakers — all veterans of the armed services and intelligence community — called on U.S. military members to uphold the Constitution and defy “illegal orders.â€
The 90-second video was first posted early Tuesday from Sen. X account. In it, the six lawmakers — Slotkin, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, and Reps. Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan — speak directly to U.S. service members, whom Slotkin acknowledges are “under enormous stress and pressure right now.â€
Trump on Thursday reposted messages from others about the video, amplifying it with his own words. It marked another flashpoint in the political rhetoric that at times has been thematic in his administrations, as well as among some in his MAGA base. Some Democrats accused him of acting like a king and trying to distract from the about disgraced financier and sexual abuser Jeffrey Epstein.
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