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Spring break crime plummets in Florida hot spot after warning goes viral

Spring break crime plummets in Florida hot spot after warning goes viral

New York Post24-04-2025
The mayor of Miami Beach, Florida, said that a viral reality TV-themed public service announcement helped the city drastically reduce spring break crime for the second year in a row, leaving residents grateful for the effort.
Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner took office at the end of 2023, after years of spring break turmoil that left local businesses in shambles and residents irked.
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After working with city, county, and state authorities to curb chaos during spring break in 2024, the city's comprehensive 'Reality Check' campaign came to life in 2025.
'I mean, we had [in] the prior years literally killings on our street,' Meiner told Fox News Digital. 'We had other shootings, basically modified stampedes, just from literally a level of lawlessness and chaos – jumping on police cars – it was just not tolerable.'
'And this year, the follow-up was the same measures,' Meiner said. 'Same police presence, same result again for the governor came down for a press conference here, and it was a reality check. This is the reality of what's going to happen here if you don't play by the rules.'
6 Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner said that a viral reality TV-themed public service announcement helped the city drastically reduce spring break crime for the second year in a row.
AFP via Getty Images
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The 'Reality Check' video, viewed more than 53,000 times since it was posted on Feb. 4, shows an eager cast of spring break characters ready to run amok in the city. Along the way, they are disappointed to learn that Miami Beach has strict rules for spring breakers and plans to enforce those rules, leaving them disappointed.
Those rules ranged from enforcing volume levels of speakers on the beach to implementing security and DUI checkpoints citywide. Throughout spring break, there was a citywide 6 p.m. curfew and $100 parking fees, which made it cost-prohibitive for some partiers to access hot spots.
The city enlisted state troopers and county police to help local police enforce the strict rules.
6 Meiner took office at the end of 2023, after years of spring break turmoil that left local businesses in shambles and residents irked.
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'I'd come back to Miami Beach, just not for spring break,' a cast member says at the end of the video.
Meiner couldn't be happier with the results.
'The results have been phenomenal,' Meiner said. 'I mean, success at every level you measure it. No killings, no shootings, no major incidents, no stampedes. I can tell you … literally from the hoteliers to restaurants to businesses, everyone's appreciative. And literally, almost universally, our businesses are very appreciative of the steps we took, and [it was] a major success for our city.'
6 The 'Reality Check' video, viewed more than 53,000 times since it was posted on Feb. 4, shows an eager cast of spring break characters ready to run amok in the city.
City of Miami Beach TV
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6 Along the way, they are disappointed to learn that Miami Beach has strict rules for spring breakers and plans to enforce those rules, leaving them disappointed in the video.
City of Miami Beach TV
Residents are thrilled with the outcome, too, according to Meiner.
'And it's just amazing,' he said. 'No matter where you go in our city, even people who live, you know, six, seven miles away from where the activity took place, nobody wanted to see their city viewed in a negative light. They're so appreciative.'
Miami Beach is not the only city looking to cast off its chaotic spring break reputation.
6 City of Miami Beach police officers respond to an incident during spring break, March 15, 2024.
AP
6 'I mean, we had [in] the prior years literally killings on our street,' Meiner said.. 'We had other shootings, basically modified stampedes, just from literally a level of lawlessness and chaos – jumping on police cars – it was just not tolerable.'
AP
Panama City Beach Mayor Stuart Tettemer told Fox News Digital that his city has upped its spring break crime deterrence efforts.
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'Panama City Beach has taken aggressive steps to maintain order during the Spring Break period, including targeted evening beach closures, enhanced enforcement zones, mutual aid partnerships, and public-private screening efforts at Pier Park,' Tettermer said.
'PCB is committed to law and order, acting swiftly with law enforcement to keep the community safe and family-friendly, and working with responsible businesses to ensure the unruly spring break legacy stays in the past.'
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Barry Morphew may use mystery DNA for defense in wife's murder: former prosecutor
Barry Morphew may use mystery DNA for defense in wife's murder: former prosecutor

Fox News

time4 minutes ago

  • Fox News

Barry Morphew may use mystery DNA for defense in wife's murder: former prosecutor

A former deputy district attorney believes Barry Morphew will try and use an "alternate suspect" defense after being charged with his wife's murder. Morphew was indicted by a grand jury in Colorado on charges of murder in the first degree June 20 after the Mother's Day 2020 disappearance of his wife, Suzanne Morphew, the mother of two daughters. Barry Morphew was arrested in Goodyear, Arizona, almost 11 hours from where his wife went missing and was extradited to Colorado June 30. Though Barry Morphew was first charged with the murder of his wife in 2021, those charges were later dropped because of prosecutorial misconduct. Suzanne Morphew's body was found in September 2023, and an autopsy determined a deer tranquilizer called "BAM" was found in her bone marrow. BAM stands for the chemicals butorphanol, azaperone and medetomidine. According to prosecutors, Barry Morphew was the only individual with a prescription for the deer tranquilizer within the area of Colorado he had lived in. Prosecutors on July 16 submitted their first witness list, which includes both of Barry Morphew's daughters. Prosecutors aren't required to make everyone on the list testify. Colin McCallin, a Colorado-based lawyer and former deputy district attorney for the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office in Colorado, told Fox News Digital he thinks Barry Morphew's legal team will try and argue an "alternate suspect" killed Suzanne Morphew. "I would expect the defense to advance any evidence they (have) relating to alternate suspect evidence," McCallin said. McCallin pointed to the fact that an unknown DNA profile was found in Suzanne Morphew's Range Rover after her disappearance, which didn't belong to Barry Morphew. Court documents state that unknown DNA was found in the glove box, among other spots. "You know, one of the things that has always permeated this case is the existence of these unknown DNA profiles that were found on some of the items of evidence that were found, you know, that initially when she went missing, that pointed to maybe someone else being involved in this," McCallin said. "You can't just throw out names and say, that person did it, go get him. So, you know, I do think though that if they have any ability to pin this homicide on someone other than Barry Morphew, they are going to explore those defenses." Bryan Kohberger, convicted of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, attempted to invoke an "alternate perpetrator" theory, but Judge Steven Hippler didn't allow it. Court documents referring to the so-called alternate perpetrator in that case were sealed, but Hippler expressed skepticism. McCallin said the case against Barry Morphew is still "very circumstantial," which may hamper prosecutors. "We know that that chemical was found in her body. We know where her body was found. But we really don't know a whole lot more than that. We don't know where the body was moved. We don't know where Suzanne actually died," McCallin said. Barry Morphew's attorney, David Beller, previously told Fox News Digital Morphew "maintains his innocence." "Yet again, the government allows their predetermined conclusion to lead their search for evidence," Beller said. "The case has not changed, and the outcome will not either."

‘I don't know when we could return home': Fear as 1000s flee Thailand Cambodia border clashes
‘I don't know when we could return home': Fear as 1000s flee Thailand Cambodia border clashes

News24

timean hour ago

  • News24

‘I don't know when we could return home': Fear as 1000s flee Thailand Cambodia border clashes

More than 100 000 people have fled the bloodiest border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia in a decade, Bangkok said on Friday, as the death toll rose and international powers urged a halt to hostilities. A long-running border dispute erupted into intense fighting with jets, artillery, tanks and ground troops on Thursday, and the UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis later Friday. The Thai interior ministry said more than 100 000 people from four border provinces had moved to nearly 300 temporary shelters, while the health ministry said the death toll had risen to 15 - 14 civilians and one soldier - with 46 wounded, including 15 troops. Cambodian authorities have not released any casualty figures from their side. In the Cambodian town of Samraong, 20km from the border, AFP journalists reported hearing distant artillery fire on Friday morning. As the guns started up, some families packed their children and belongings into vehicles and sped away. 'I live very close to the border. We are scared because they began shooting again at about 06:00am,' Pro Bak, 41, told AFP. He was taking his wife and children to a Buddhist temple to seek refuge. I don't know when we could return home. Pro Bak AFP journalists also saw soldiers rushing to man rocket launchers and speeding off toward the frontier. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose country currently holds the chair of regional bloc ASEAN, said he held talks with both countries PMs on Thursday and called for a ceasefire and dialogue. 'I welcome the positive signals and willingness shown by both Bangkok and Phnom Penh to consider this path forward,' he said in a Facebook post late on Thursday. But despite Anwar's optimism, fighting resumed in three areas around 04:00 on Friday (21:00 GMT on Thursday), the Thai army said. Cambodian forces carried out bombardments with heavy weapons, field artillery, and BM-21 rocket systems, the army said, and Thai troops responded 'with appropriate supporting fire'. The fighting marks a dramatic escalation in a long-running dispute between the neighbours - both popular destinations for millions of foreign tourists - over their shared 800km frontier. Valeria Mongelli/Anadolu via Getty Images Dozens of kilometres in several areas are contested and fighting broke out between 2008 and 2011, leaving at least 28 people dead and tens of thousands displaced. A UN court ruling in 2013 settled the matter for over a decade, but the current crisis erupted in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a new clash. Fighting on Thursday was focused on six locations, according to the Thai army, including around two ancient temples. Ground troops backed up by tanks battled for control of territory, while Cambodia fired rockets and shells into Thailand and the Thais scrambled F-16 jets to hit military targets across the border. Both sides blamed each other for firing first, while Thailand accused Cambodia of targeting civilian infrastructure, including a hospital hit by shells and a petrol station hit by at least one rocket. AFP Thursday's clashes came hours after Thailand expelled the Cambodian ambassador and recalled its own envoy after five members of a Thai military patrol were wounded by a landmine. Cambodia downgraded ties to 'the lowest level' on Thursday, pulling out all but one of its diplomats and expelling their Thai equivalents from Phnom Penh. At the request of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, the UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the deadly clashes, diplomatic sources told AFP. The US urged an 'immediate' end to the conflict, while Cambodia's former colonial ruler France made a similar call. The EU and China - a close ally of Phnom Penh - said they were 'deeply concerned' about the clashes, calling for dialogue.

Judge addresses consent videos recorded by Michael McLeod
Judge addresses consent videos recorded by Michael McLeod

New York Times

time3 hours ago

  • New York Times

Judge addresses consent videos recorded by Michael McLeod

All five members of Canada's 2018 World Junior hockey team have been found not guilty of sexual assault Cole Burston / Getty Images LONDON, Ont. — Five members of Canada's 2018 World Junior hockey team were found not guilty of sexual assault on Thursday, ending a months-long trial that has garnered national attention since it began in April. Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote were acquitted of all charges by Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia on Thursday. All five players had been charged with sexual assault in connection to an alleged incident in June 2018 in which a woman known publicly as E.M. — her identity is protected by a publication ban — said she was sexually assaulted over the span of several hours in a London, Ont., hotel room. The players were in town for a Hockey Canada event celebrating their victory at the World Junior championships earlier that year. McLeod had also been charged with being a party to the offense. In her decision, Justice Maria Carroccia said the Crown had not proven its case, and that she did not find the evidence of the complainant 'credible or reliable.' 'Having found that I cannot rely upon the evidence of E.M. and then considering the evidence in this trial as a whole, I conclude that the Crown cannot meet its onus on any of the counts before me,' Carroccia said earlier in the day. GO FURTHER All 5 players found not guilty in Hockey Canada sexual assault trial LONDON, Ont. — Justice Carroccia also spent some time recapping what was said in the consent videos recorded by Michael McLeod that night in London. In the first video, E.M. says, "I'm OK with this." In a second, she said, "It was all consensual." Carroccia says E.M. did "not display any signs of intoxication' in the videos and had 'no difficulty speaking." E.M. alleged in court that, although she said it was all consensual, that is not how she felt at the time. GO FURTHER Hockey Canada sexual assault trial is over; decision coming July 24 LONDON, Ont. — Justice Carroccia is continuing to go over evidence and highlighting inconsistencies in E.M.'s statements. The judge says E.M. initially identified Sam Steel as one of the players she had performed oral sex on in the hotel room in statements to police in 2018. Carter Hart was later identified by someone else as that person. This was previously reported as part of Megan Savard's cross-examination of E.M. in May. LONDON, Ont. — Consent has been a major focal point in the eight-week trial. The Crown argued that E.M. did not voluntarily consent to any of the specific sexual activity and that once men began arriving in the room, E.M. found herself in a 'highly stressful' and 'unpredictable' situation that caused her to feel fear. As part of her reasons — that are still being read in the courtroom at this time— Carroccia said, "in this case, I have found actual consent not vitiated by fear." GO FURTHER Hockey Canada sexual assault trial is over; decision coming July 24 LONDON, Ont. — Richard McLeod, Michael McLeod's father who has sat through the entire trial, leaned forward and put his face in his hands in apparent relief as Carroccia said she did not find E.M. "credible or reliable." LONDON, Ont. — In reading her decision, Justice Maria Carroccia said, "having found that I cannot rely upon the evidence of E.M. and then considering the evidence in this trial as a whole, I conclude that the Crown cannot meet its onus on any of the counts before me." She is now going over all the evidence of the case and has not made an official verdict at this time. LONDON, Ont. — Carroccia just announced that she does not find E.M.'s account reliable and will now explain her reasoning. "I conclude that the Crown cannot meet its onus" on any of the charges, Carroccia said. LONDON, Ont. — Justice Maria Carroccia, after some minor housekeeping, began recounting the case at 10:24 ET, laying out the events of the night leading up to the events in question and summarizing the cases of the prosecution and players alike. Peter Power / Getty Images LONDON, Ont. — Proceedings are set to begin from the 14th floor of the Ontario Superior Court house. Reporters and members of the public alike, beyond a small number in the primary courtroom, are scattered throughout the building and will monitor the sentencing via video feed from "overflow" rooms. Each of the five defendants, along with their representatives, is seated at their own table in the courtroom. Michael McLeod, the only player charged on two counts, is seated closest to Justice Maria Carroccia. GO FURTHER Hockey Canada sexual assault trial is over; decision coming July 24 By Katie Strang and Dan Robson All five defense teams were given the chance to put forth final reply submissions and focused on a variety of aspects of the case. David Humphrey, attorney for McLeod, argued that the Crown was manipulating evidence, distorting the timeline and jettisoning arguments that were inconsistent with their arguments. Riaz Sayani, Hart's attorney, largely focused on what he argued was the Crown's misapplications of law, including invoking trauma principles for circular reasoning and 'bootstrapping' information to augment their case. Hilary Dudding, attorney for Formenton, argued that myth-based stereotypes should not be applied to defense arguments, nor for Crown positions. She cautioned the judge against accepting false binary propositions and to instead allow for the possibility that a woman could be enthusiastic and consenting within the environment the defense describes without it being characterized as 'bizarre' or 'odd.' Lisa Carnelos, attorney for Dubé, addressed the contact her client had with E.M.'s buttocks, calling it 'playful' and arguing that the 'Crown has not disproved that she was consenting.' 'It was playful, possibly foreplay,' Carnelos said. 'And in no way looked to be harmful or with the intention to be abusive.' Julianna Greenspan, who represents Foote, took aim at the Crown, criticizing what she said was an earlier suggestion that further evidence exists that was not permitted to be considered in court. Without a jury, those documents are available to the public. 'That was a factually wrong and unfair comment to make,' Greenspan said. She also took issue with a slide shown earlier in the day that indicated there was 'no evidence from Callan Foote.' Had this still been a jury trial, Greenspan said, she would have called for mistrial, even at this late stage — calling the slide 'illegal.' 'It runs contrary to the Canada Evidence Act, which states failure of the accused to testify shall not be made the subject of comment by counsel for the prosecution,' Greenspan said. She further suggested that the slide was purposefully included to influence the media. 'Everyone in this courtroom knows the attention in this case has garnered from the media and public,' Greenspan said. 'The Crown, I submit, has throughout this trial been preoccupied with litigating the public opinion through the media. This is an upsetting final example on behalf of my client.' The Canadian Press via AP By Katie Strang and Dan Robson In closing submissions, Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham took issue with the 'consent videos' filmed by McLeod as exculpatory evidence, arguing the verbal prompts by McLeod in the second video — beginning the video with 'Say it,' and subsequently interjecting 'What else? — illustrated that they were neither evidence of E.M. providing consent nor evidence of McLeod taking a reasonable step to ascertain consent. Cunningham argued that the videos instead support E.M.'s testimony — that McLeod was 'hounding' her to say the activity was consensual, which E.M. said was not a reflection of how she felt at the time. 'She's simply agreeing with him when he's making it clear what he wants her to say,' Cunningham said. Crown attorney Heather Donkers presented Justice Maria Carroccia with a path to conviction for each defendant. The Crown highlighted credibility and reliability issues with the accused and asked the court to find that E.M. did not have a choice so she could not have provided consent. Additionally, Donkers detailed how none of the defendants took reasonable steps to ascertain consent, which the Crown argued demonstrated their 'recklessness' or 'willful blindness' on the consent issue. The Crown incorporated case law demonstrating the need for 'greater care' exercised with those 'reasonable steps' in situations such as when the accused is unfamiliar with the complainant or the complainant is intoxicated or vulnerable. The Crown argued that all these caveats applied to the circumstances within Room 209 that night. (Dubé also admitted in his 2018 police interview that he was, at one point, holding a golf club, which represents an additional factor to the 'greater care' requirement with respect to his specific case, Donkers said.) Cunningham concluded the Crown's case by referring to a statement E.M. made near the end of her seven-day cross-examination, in which she described being objectified and laughed at. 'Literally, any one of those men could have stood up and said, this isn't right. And no one did. No one noticed that,' E.M. said, while being cross-examined by Julianna Greenspan. 'No one thought like that. They didn't want to think about if I was actually OK or if I was actually consenting.' By Katie Strang and Dan Robson With the Hockey Canada trial over and a decision from Justice Maria Carroccia as to whether guilt was proven beyond a reasonable doubt to be announced today, this has become a touchstone for perspectives on sexual assault, misogyny and consent. The 'she said, they said' nature of the evidence has also dragged the insular and protective culture of hockey into an uncomfortable spotlight. Read more below about why judgment can be rendered regardless of the outcome. GO FURTHER Legal decision for the 'Hockey Canada 5' won't come for weeks, but judgment can be rendered By Katie Strang and Dan Robson The prosecution described Michael McLeod as the 'architect' of the 'group sexual activity' at the center of the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial and said he told 'outright lies' to portray the complainant as the aggressor in the sexual interactions of the night and advance a 'false narrative.' Attorney Meaghan Cunningham provided Justice Maria Carroccia an outline of the Crown's argument, showing a power point in a closing submission last month that she said will demonstrate E.M. did not voluntarily agree to the charged sexual acts of the night. Cunningham began that presentation by telling Carroccia that she intended to prove E.M. did not want to engage in group sex and that McLeod repeatedly lied about his role as the orchestrator of the alleged incident. McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote are all charged with sexual assault. McLeod is also facing a second charge for 'being a party to the offense' for what the Crown has asserted was his role 'assisting and encouraging his teammates to engage sexually' with E.M. All five players pleaded not guilty. Read more below. GO FURTHER Prosecutor calls Michael McLeod the architect of Hockey Canada sexual assault Cole Burston / Getty Images LONDON, Ont. — Carter Hart was the final defendant to arrive at the courthouse. Hart, formerly a goalie for the Philadelphia Flyers, was dropped off in front of the building, climbing out of a black Chevrolet Suburban. Hart, like his fellow defendants, was greeted with loud boos and chants. LONDON, ONT. — Michael McLeod, the only player facing two charges, has arrived. He approached the building from a side opposite a growing, vocal group of protestors. Three men supporting the players, two of whom held signs, waited nearby at the courthouse steps. They stood across from a much larger, much louder group of people — roughly 100 — supporting E.M. and sexual assault survivors. Cal Foote arrived shortly after McLeod. By Katie Strang and Dan Robson After a jury was discharged in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial, a publication ban on previously unreported details from the trial was lifted. The highly publicized trial has been marred by a series of unexpected incidents — including an attempt by a member of the public to locate the Crown's central witness, concerns that smart glasses were being used to illegally record the proceedings, and aggressive interactions with the media. More on what the jury didn't hear at the link below. GO FURTHER What the jury didn't hear in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial Cole Burston / Getty Images LONDON, Ont. — Alex Formenton was the first defendant to arrive at the courthouse, along with his defense team, led by Daniel Brown. More than 50 protestors supporting E.M. and sexual assault survivors chanted and booed Formenton and his party as they approached the building. First, and most importantly, the switch to a judge-alone trial meant Justice Carroccia will render the verdicts on each of the charges rather than providing instruction and guidance on the law to a group of jurors. According to criminal defense lawyer Nikolas Lust, judges interpret the law differently. Carroccia, for example, is a former criminal defense attorney who earned judicial appointment in June 2020. Lust asserted that does not necessarily mean the five players will be acquitted. But, he said, 'defense lawyers who become judges are just so much more aware of the law and the nature of sexual assaults than your average person.' One fairly consistent trait among judges, however, is that they are 'not as swayed by narrative and emotions in the same way that a jury is,' Lust said. Another significant difference is that judges will often provide a written opinion that details their reasons for arriving at a given decision. That differs from a jury trial, where jurors come back from deliberations and provide a verdict, but no explanation. 'Whatever the result is, people are going to know how it is that Her Honor got there,' Lust explained. Sean Gentille / The Athletic LONDON, Ont. — Supporters of E.M and sexual assault survivors, holding signs and printed sheets of protest chants, have arrived outside the courthouse. Protests aren't allowed in court. The protesters plan to reconvene once the verdicts are rendered and court is dismissed, and the expectation is that other protesters in support of the players will arrive ahead of the trial as well. About 15 minutes before the courthouse doors were to open at 8:30 a.m. ET, the line for admission — comprised of both media and the public — was about 60 people deep. A juror handed Justice Carroccia a note that read: 'Multiple jury members feel we are being judged and made fun of by (defense) lawyers Daniel Brown and Hilary Dudding. Every day when we enter the courtroom they observe us, whisper to each other and turn to each other and laugh as if they are discussing our appearance. This is unprofessional and unacceptable.' Brown and Dudding categorically denied the jurors' accusations. In arguing for the trial to continue in front of Carroccia alone, Megan Savard — attorney for Carter Hart — said the note was a worse form of jury tainting than the initial incident that led to a mistrial on April 25. In the legal arguments, which were previously covered by a publication ban, Brown and other defense attorneys referenced a 'chilling effect' that the allegations would have in court. Brown said that his ability to make submissions, or even look at the jurors, would be impacted by the situation, impeding his and his counterparts' abilities to represent their clients fairly. Brown also told the judge that he believed that jurors might have been influenced by the dozens of protestors who have often gathered outside the courthouse and commentary on social media. (The court had heard previously that Carroccia made arrangements for the jury to enter the courthouse through a separate, private entrance). Under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, an accused has the right to be heard by an 'independent and impartial tribunal.' But according to criminal defense lawyer Nikolas Lust, it's 'an absolute possibility' that a jury could be affected by outside influences, despite rules against reading or engaging with anything having to do with the case. 'The case is being talked about everywhere. It's on YouTube, it's on Twitter, it is on Facebook, it's on TikTok,' Lust said. 'Maybe (a juror) saw something online about people taking issue with (Brown's) line of questioning and they developed some conscious or unconscious dislike of him.' Carroccia told the court that, while she had not witnessed any inappropriate behavior by Brown or Dudding, it appeared to her that several members of the jury harbored negative feelings toward the defense. 'It is with reluctance that I have determined that the fairness of this trial has been compromised,' Carroccia said in her decision to discharge the jury to 'protect trial fairness.'

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