The Washington Post
Time for An Iraq Timetable
By Joseph R. Biden Jr.
Saturday, November 26, 2005; A25
The question most Americans want answered about Iraq is this: When will our troops come home?
We already know the likely answer. In 2006, they will begin to leave in large numbers. By the end of the year, we will have redeployed about 50,000. In 2007, a significant number of the remaining 100,000 will follow. A small force will stay behind -- in Iraq or across the border -- to strike at any concentration of terrorists.
That is because we cannot sustain 150,000 Americans in Iraq without extending deployment times, sending soldiers on fourth and fifth tours, or mobilizing the National Guard. Even if we could, our large military presence -- while still the only guarantor against a total breakdown -- is increasingly counterproductive. A liberation has become an occupation.
There is another critical question: As our soldiers redeploy, will our security interests in Iraq remain intact or will we have traded a dictator for chaos?
There is a broad consensus on what must be done to preserve our interests. Recently, 79 Democratic and Republican senators told President Bush we need a detailed, public plan for Iraq, with specific goals and a timetable for achieving each one.
Over the next six months, we must forge a sustainable political compromise between Iraqi factions, strengthen the Iraqi government and bolster reconstruction efforts, and accelerate the training of Iraqi forces.
First, we need to build political consensus, starting with the constitution. Sunnis must accept that they no longer rule Iraq. But unless Shiites and Kurds give them a stake in the new deal, they will continue to resist. We must help produce a constitution that will unite Iraq, not divide it.
Iraq's neighbors and the international community have a huge stake in the country's future. The president should initiate a regional strategy -- as he did in Afghanistan -- to leverage the influence of neighboring countries. And he should establish a Contact Group of the world's major powers -- as we did in the Balkans -- to become the Iraqi government's primary international interlocutor.
Second, we must build Iraq's governing capacity and overhaul the reconstruction program. Iraq's ministries are barely functional. Sewage in the streets, unsafe drinking water and a lack of electricity are all too common. With 40 percent unemployment in Iraq, insurgents do not lack for fresh recruits.
We need a civilian commitment equal to our military effort. Just as military personnel are required to go to Iraq, the president should identify more skilled foreign service officers to help.
This should not be their burden alone. Britain proposed that individual countries adopt ministries. It's a good idea that we should pursue. We must redirect reconstruction contracts away from multinationals and to Iraqis.
Countries that have pledged aid must deliver it. So far, only $3 billion of the $13.5 billion in non-American aid has made it to Iraq. And the president should convene a conference of our Gulf allies. They have reaped huge windfall oil profits -- it's time they gave back.
The third goal is to transfer authority to Iraqi security forces. In September, Gen. George W. Casey Jr. acknowledged that only one Iraqi battalion -- fewer than 1,000 troops -- can fight without U.S. help. An additional 40 can lead counterinsurgency operations with our support.
The president must set a schedule for getting Iraqi forces trained to the point that they can act on their own or take the lead with U.S. help. We should take up other countries on their offers to do more training, especially of officers. We should focus on getting the security ministries up to speed. Even well-trained troops need to be equipped, sustained and directed.
We also need an effective counterinsurgency strategy. The administration finally understands the need not only to clear territory but also to hold and build on it. We have never had enough U.S. troops to do that. Now there is no choice but to gamble on the Iraqis. We can help by changing the mix of our forces to include more embedded trainers, civil affairs units and Special Forces.
Iraqis of all sects want to live in a stable country. Iraq's neighbors don't want a civil war next door. The major powers don't want a terrorist haven in the heart of the Middle East. The American people want us to succeed.
If the administration shows it has a blueprint for protecting our fundamental security interests in Iraq, Americans will support it.
The writer is a senator from Delaware and the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/25/AR2005112500864_pf.html
Lawmakers Under Scrutiny in Probe of Lobbyist
Ney and DeLay Among the Members of Congress Said to Be a Focus of Abramoff Investigation
By Susan Schmidt and James V. Grimaldi
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, November 26, 2005; Page A01
The Justice Department's wide-ranging investigation of former lobbyist Jack Abramoff has entered a highly active phase as prosecutors are beginning to move on evidence pointing to possible corruption in Congress and executive branch agencies, lawyers involved in the case said.
Prosecutors have already told one lawmaker, Rep. Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio), and his former chief of staff that they are preparing a possible bribery case against them, according to two sources knowledgeable about the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/25/AR2005112501423.html
Israelis Hand Off Gaza Crossing
Palestinians Take Control of Rafah
By Scott Wilson
Washington Post Foreign Service
Saturday, November 26, 2005; Page A01
JERUSALEM, Nov. 25 -- Palestinians celebrated a step toward independence from Israel on Friday with a jubilant ceremony opening the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, their first self-governed passage to the outside world.
The event marked a milestone in the long Palestinian-Israeli conflict by giving a Palestinian government control over an international border crossing for the first time. The opening is the most tangible benefit the Palestinian Authority has gained since Israel's withdrawal from Gaza a little over two months ago, an evacuation that ended a 38-year Israeli presence in the strip but left its borders under Israel's control.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/25/AR2005112500828.html
Zimbabwe Election Boycott Urged
In Shift of Tactics, Opposition Also Calls for Street Protests
By Craig Timberg
Washington Post Foreign Service
Saturday, November 26, 2005; Page A18
JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 25 -- Opposition leaders in Zimbabwe have urged voters to boycott legislative elections on Saturday and instead prepare to take to the streets and challenge President Robert Mugabe after 25 years of increasingly authoritarian rule.
Although it appeared unlikely that street protests would begin soon, analysts predicted an extremely low turnout for the elections, which come at a time of increasing economic problems, public discontent and tensions between the Mugabe government and the United States.
Opposition leaders said a very low turnout would signal the end of a six-year period in which they attempted to bring political change through elections. During that time, however, there was recurring evidence that Mugabe was manipulating the results.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/25/AR2005112501026.html
New Chief Justice Faces Abortion Issue
Ruling in Case Involving Parental Notification Could Be Far-Reaching
By Charles Lane
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, November 26, 2005; A02
The first major abortion case since Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. joined the court last month comes before the justices next week, and even though it could be anticlimactic in the end, both sides in the debate view it as a warm-up for even more consequential cases ahead.
The case is Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood , No. 04-1144. If the court divides 5 to 4 with Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in the majority but cannot produce a decision before O'Connor is replaced, then the court will have to redo the case in its next term.
But if not, "it could be a vehicle to revolutionize abortion law if they want to use it," said David J. Garrow, a Supreme Court historian and specialist on abortion law at Britain's Cambridge University.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/25/AR2005112501070_pf.html
U.S. Lauds Pakistani's Terrorism Conviction
By Michelle Garcia
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, November 26, 2005; Page A13
NEW YORK, Nov. 25 -- The federal government hailed the conviction of a Pakistani-born businessman on charges that he conspired to help an al Qaeda operative who sought to carry out a terrorist attack in Maryland.
Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales applauded the verdict in the federal case against Uzair Paracha as "an important step as we seek to cut off the lifeline of support to al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, here and abroad."
On Wednesday, a federal court jury here found Paracha, 25, guilty of five counts of conspiracy, providing material and financial support to al Qaeda. He faces up to 75 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for March 3.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/25/AR2005112501023.html
Money Woes Could End D.C. Children's Program
Center Serves Disturbed Foster-Care Clients
By Theola S. Labbe
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, November 26, 2005; Page B08
The District's only residential program for emotionally disturbed foster children has announced that it will close in January because of a lack of money.
The Devereux Children's Center, located in a building known as the Hurt Home in the 3000 block of R Street NW, notified its clients and their attorneys in a letter that the center will close Jan. 31 because "it has become clear that there is insufficient funding to permit Devereux to continue to operate this program at the level of service and quality."
Devereux has a $4.1 million contract with the District to offer educational and residential mental health services for 24 children annually, according to the D.C. Department of Mental Health.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/25/AR2005112501065.html
The Sudan News Agency
Darfur
http://www.sunanews.net/
Preview
PRESIDENT BASHIR GRANTS AMERICAN ARCHIOLOGIST, WILLIAM, THE TWO-NILE ORDER
Khartoum, Nov. 26 (SUNA)- The President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omer Al-Basher, has bestowed the Two Nile Order, Second Class, to the American archeologist William Adams, in appreciation for his efforts to preserve and reconstruct Sudanese archeological sites. The President commended the role played by the American archeologist in saving the Nubian archeological sites during the sixties and the many references and books he wrote about them. The American archeologist has commended in the ceremony, which was attended by the minister of culture, youth and Sports, Mohamed Yusuf Abdullah, the attention paid by the president and his government to the archeological sites in the country and to those working in this domain. It is to be recalled that the American archeologist has written number of books and references on Sudan and its archeological sites. MA/MA
http://www.suna-sd.net/firstDetialse.asp
GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL APPRECIATES SUDAN'S INITIATIVE FOR SYRIAN-LEBANESE RECONCILIATION
Doha, Nov. 26 (SUNA)- The Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Abdul Rahaman Bin Hamad Al- Attia, has commended the initiative led by President of the Republic Omer Hassan Ahmed Al-Basher, which is aimed to achieve reconciliation between Syria and Lebanon, saying it was an important move at this critical juncture and circumstances the region is facing. He pointed out in a statement to the Qatari Al - Raya newspaper that the initiative expressed a noble Sudanese orientation and represents a good and important efforts aimed at reconciling two sisterly countries and a push towards the implementation of the Security Council resolution. He said the initiative enjoys strong Arab backing and support and expressed hope that it would yield positive results as soon as possible. The Secretary General has meanwhile praised the wisdom and experience of the Presidential Adviser Dr Mustafa Osman Ismail who is carrying out this efforts as instructed by the President of the Republic adding that Dr Ismail enjoys a good reputation and shows a genuine desire for cementing Arab-Arab relations and Arab solidarity. MA/MA
http://www.suna-sd.net/DetialsE.asp?id=227601
MINISTER OF ENERGY AND MINING RECEIVES CHINESE DELEGATION
Khartoum, Nov. 26 (SUNA)- The Minister of Energy and Mining, Awad Ahmed Al-Jaz, Saturday received at his office the visiting Chinese parliamentary delegation which is led by member of the Central Chinese Communist Party, Zhou Baixiu. The delegation visits Sudan to participate in the Second General Conference of the National Congress. Chairman of the Chinese delegation said that China's relations with Sudan are strategic and for interest of the two friendly, indicating that there are several Chinese companies that have strong desire to invest in the field of petroleum in Sudan, particularly in the field of the construction of refineries and infrastructures of oil industry. He said that the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese leadership are looking forward for consolidations of China's relations with the African countries in general and Sudan in particular. Head of the Chinese delegation lauded the economic growth in Sudan, saying that Sudan has realized a high rate of economic growth that amounted 7%, a matter that enables it to occupy a distinguished rank in the fields of economic. The Minister of Energy and Mining said that Sudan investment doors is open in all domains before the Chinese companies at all domains, not only in the field of petroleum. He stressed that the National Congress was greatly pleased by the distinguished participation of China in its Second General Conference, and appreciated the expressive address which was presented by the representative of China in the conference. HH/MO
http://www.suna-sd.net/DetialsE.asp?id=227663
COMMISSION FOR PETROLEUM REVIEWS ITS WORK METHOD FOR COMING STAGE
Khartoum, Nov. 26 (SUNA)- The Commission for Petroleum, chaired by the President of the Republic Field Marshal Omer Al-Bashir, and in the presence of the First Vice - President Lt. Gen. Salva Kiir, Saturday held its first coordinative meeting and reviewed the organizational measures and the work system of the commission for the coming stage. In a statement to SUNA after the meeting, the Minister of Finance, Al-Zubair Ahmed Al-Hassan, said that the meeting has discussed the tasks of the Commission for Petroleum regarding formulation of policies, conducting a supervisory role and other jurisdictions in compliance with the comprehensive peace agreement. He said that the issues pertinent to the sites of oil production and revenues and fixation of prices will be discussed by the joint committees of the government and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). The minister said that the Commission for Petroleum is scheduled to hold its next meeting in the coming three days. He indicated that the joint committees will discuss expectations on petroleum for next year as well as reviewing the current situaion of division of oil revenues between the north and south Sudan and reviewing contracts which were earlier concluded. MO/MO
http://www.suna-sd.net/DetialsE.asp?id=227649
MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AFFIRMS IMPORTANCE OF SMART PARTNERSHIP IN BOOSTING INVESTMENT IN ARAB COUNTRIES
Khartoum, Nov. 26 (SUNA)- The Minister of International Cooperation, Dr. Al-Tigani Saleh Fedail, affirmed the importance of smart partnership between Arab and European countries for boosting the investment in technological field in Arab countries. Dr. Fedail said that Saturday at the Friendship Hall in his address the opening session of a Symposium on the Promotion of Investment and Transference of Technology in the Arab countries through Arab-European cooperation. Dr. Fedail said that Sudan has become more qualified to attract local and foreign capitals for realization of genuine development. Dr, Fedail added that investment in Sudan reached an advanced stage due to the concern of the government and issuing of encouraging acts and legislations to create an atmosphere conducive for investment in all domains. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Sudanese Businessmen Association, Ezz-Eddin Al-Sayed, stressed the importance of the symposium in Sudan, indicating that it provides an opportunity to acquaint with the investment climate and its legislations. The symposium is due to continue till Sunday. The symposium was organized by the Businessmen Union. in collaboration with the Arab League, and with the participation of the General Arab Federation of the Trade, Industry and Agriculture and the Joint Arab - European Trade Chambers. HH/MO
http://www.suna-sd.net/DetialsE.asp?id=227662
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Nascent disease troubles hunters
By Don Sapatkin
Inquirer Staff Writer
Hundreds of thousands of deer hunters will head for the hills in the coming days, their eyes, ears and guns focused tightly on the immediate chase while at least a piece of their minds worries about the future.
On top of all their continuing concerns - declining numbers, fewer open areas to hunt, more people who dislike what hunters do - an entirely different and unpredictable problem is on the horizon: disease.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) was found east of the Mississippi for the first time nearly four years ago and was diagnosed this year in two wild white-tailed deer in New York and five in West Virginia, the latest last week. Experts believe it will be found in Pennsylvania soon. It may already be present.
There is no evidence the disease can be transmitted to humans, and it spreads very slowly in the wild. On the other hand, CWD is always fatal to deer, elk and moose; there is no vaccine, treatment or cure.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/13259441.htm
Environment: A social issue
Bad air and toxic water spark protests and reflect political conflicts.
By Tim Johnson
Inquirer Foreign Staff
Second in a series.
HUAXI, China - China's environmental problems are so widespread that they have begun to generate social instability.
Choking on vile air, sickened by toxic water, citizens in some corners of this vast nation are rising up to protest the high environmental cost of China's economic boom.
In one recent incident, villagers in this hilly coastal region grew so exasperated by contamination from nearby chemical plants that they overturned and smashed dozens of vehicles and beat up police officers who arrived to quell what was essentially an environmental riot.
"We had to do it," said Li Sanye, 60, a farmer. "We can't grow our vegetables here anymore. Young women are giving birth to stillborn babies."
Across China, entire rivers run foul or have dried up. Nearly a third of cities do not treat their sewage, flushing it into waterways. About 300 million of China's 1.3 billion people drink water that is too contaminated to be consumed safely.
In rural areas, sooty air depresses crop yields, and desert quickly encroaches on grasslands to the west. Filth and grime cover all but a few corners of the country.
China's central government is not sitting still. It is enacting fuel-efficiency requirements for cars and shutting down mammoth dam-building and other projects. By some accounts, it now has world-class laws on environmental protection. Yet provincial and local officials, who feel pressure for economic growth, often shield polluters and ignore environmental laws.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/front/13252534.htm
Iraqi children 'have lost all sense of humanity'
By Zaineb Obeid
Inquirer Foreign Staff
BAGHDAD - A visitor stumbled upon a small cluster of 4-year-olds just in time to hear Ahmed Yousif casually explain: "Yeah, I saw it on the Internet, but the guy with the long hair wasn't fully decapitated."
Ali Najee, all of 5 years old, was frustrated because even with the authentic three-round-burst sounds he made to accompany shooting his friends with a toy AK-47 rifle, the game lacked realism. Then he hit on an answer. As he shot, he tossed water onto his friends' clothing, darkening it.
"There's your blood. Now you're dead," he said.
Childhood innocence may not be dead in Iraq, but teachers, parents and government officials agree it has taken a bad hit and may not recover without immediate and intensive attention.
Khaldoon Waleed, a Baghdad child psychologist, said a generation of children was growing up with post-traumatic stress disorder. The ailment, a result of witnessing life-threatening events, is commonly associated with soldiers, Waleed said, and it could cause problems ranging from nightmares to an inability to connect with people.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/13252536.htm
A Hawk Says Get Out
By James Kuhnhenn
Inquirer Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - Rep. John P. Murtha, a hawkish Marine Corps veteran and one of the Democratic Party's most respected military experts, called yesterday for immediately withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, pushing the debate over President Bush's war policies to new heights of intensity and vitriol.
"Our military's done everything that has been asked of them," he said. "The U.S. cannot accomplish anything further in Iraq militarily. It's time to bring the troops home."
In staking out such a strong stance, the steel-country centrist from Western Pennsylvania gave Democrats a sober, pro-military voice to argue the case against the war. Murtha sided with his party's liberal wing, not with Democrats who want a phased pullout or want Bush to set a departure timetable.
Murtha, a Vietnam veteran, joins a growing number of veterans in Congress putting the administration on the defensive about the war and related policies. Some critics think growing skepticism about the war throughout the country is pushing Congress to a tipping point, illustrated this week by a bipartisan Senate resolution calling for the President to spell out an exit strategy from Iraq.
"We're the targets," Murtha said in a speech in the Capitol. "We're uniting the enemy against us. And there's terrorism all over the world that there wasn't before we went into Iraq."
He said this was "policy wrapped in an illusion."
Murtha called for American troops to start pulling out immediately after the Iraqi elections Dec. 15. He predicted that a careful withdrawal would take about six months. He said the troop presence should be replaced with a Marine quick-reaction force, possibly based in Kuwait.
In harsh personal terms, Murtha rebuked Bush and Vice President Cheney for their aggressive new campaign to denounce war critics. Murtha compared his own combat experience with Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard and with Cheney's draft avoidance during the Vietnam War.
"I like guys who've never been there that criticize us who've been there," he said. "I like that. I like guys who got five deferments and never been there and send people to war, and then don't like to hear suggestions about what needs to be done. I resent the fact, on Veterans Day, he [Bush] criticized Democrats for criticizing them."
Murtha's tone illustrated the rising decibel level in Washington over the war. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R., Ill.) said Murtha and Democratic leaders "have adopted a policy of cut and run... . They want us to wave the white flag of surrender to the terrorists of the world."
Rep. Kay Granger (R., Texas), echoing that view, said: "It shows the Democratic Party has chosen a policy of retreat and defeatism, which will only encourage the terrorists and threaten the stability of Iraq."
Rep. Geoff Davis, a Kentucky Republican and West Point graduate, said liberals "have put politics ahead of sound fiscal and national security policy. And what they have done is cooperated with our enemies and are emboldening our enemies."
The President, on a trip to Asia, was on the defensive about Democrats' criticism from Washington.
He said at a news conference in South Korea yesterday that it was "patriotic as heck to disagree with the president." But he added, "What bothers me is when people are irresponsibly using their positions and playing politics. That's exactly what is taking place in America."
Some Democratic friends of Murtha said he had gone too far.
Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said: "Jack is reflecting a lot of the frustration that Americans have with the slow progress."
Lawmakers from both parties not only are criticizing the conduct of the war, but they also have tried to restrain administration policy on treatment of detainees.
Leading that criticism are Republicans and Democrats who have worn military uniforms.
Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.), a former Navy pilot who was imprisoned and tortured in North Vietnam, pushed the Senate into a 90-9 vote to ban inhumane and degrading treatment of detainees, over Cheney's strong objections. Joining McCain were Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), a colonel in the Air Force Reserves and a military lawyer, and Sen. John W. Warner (R., Va.), a Marine veteran and secretary of the Navy during the Vietnam War.
The stands for and against the war still fall generally along Republican and Democratic lines. But Rep. Walter Jones Jr. of North Carolina, the lone Republican in the House to call for immediate withdrawal from Iraq, said the role played by former military men put the war "in a different environment for debate."
Murtha already had been leading an effort to win House support for McCain's anti-torture language. But his hard-hitting, very public defiance of the administration was out of character for a lawmaker who prefers to work in the quiet corners of the House chamber rather than in the glare of TV lights.
Murtha's 30-year voting record matches his lunch-pail constituency: He supported the Reagan administration's Central America policy, opposed gun controls, and favored display of the Ten Commandments.
But while he voted in 2002 to authorize force in Iraq, he has since soured on Bush's handling of the war.
'The American Public Is Way Ahead of Us'
"The war in Iraq is not going as advertised. It is a flawed policy wrapped in illusion. The American public is way ahead of us. The United States and coalition troops have done all they can in Iraq, but it is time for a change in direction. Our military is suffering. The future of our country is at risk. We cannot continue on the present course.
"We spend more money on intelligence than all the countries in the world together, and more on intelligence than most countries' GDP. But the intelligence concerning Iraq was wrong. It is not a world intelligence failure. It is a U.S. intelligence failure and the way that intelligence was misused.
"The threat posed by terrorism is real, but we have other threats that cannot be ignored. We must be prepared to face all threats. The future of our military is at risk. Our military and their families are stretched thin. Many say that the Army is broken. Some of our troops are on their third deployment.
This is the first prolonged war we have fought with three years of tax cuts, without full mobilization of American industry and without a draft. The burden of this war has not been shared equally; the military and their families are shouldering this burden."
Access a text of John P. Murtha’s speech on Iraq via http://go.philly.com/murtha
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/front/13196809.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
Rally demands tighter Pa. gun laws
Speakers blamed a flow of weapons from "across the Ben Franklin Bridge" for arming Camden's violent criminals.
By Dwight Ott
Inquirer Staff Writer
With Camden facing the prospect of being named one of America's most dangerous cities for the second year in a row, residents rallied yesterday with gun-control activists to complain that Pennsylvania's gun laws undermine crime-fighting in the city.
"Normalcy in Camden will continue to be threatened as long as illegal guns continue to flow into the city" from Philadelphia, said Bryan Miller, executive director of Ceasefire N.J.
"The two cities are linked," said Miller, joined in the Fairview section by ministers, community activists, and more than 100 fifth and sixth graders from a nearby school.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/new_jersey/counties/camden_county/13186787.htm
Human cost of starvation settlement
The oldest of four sons in the scandal wanted to be there for the $12.5 million approval, but "has issues."
By Troy Graham
Inquirer Staff Writer
Bruce Jackson, the severely malnourished 19-year-old who was discovered two years ago looking for food in his neighbor's garbage can in Collingswood, wanted to be in court yesterday to see his civil case draw to a close.
He also had "strong feelings" about testifying in the criminal case against his adoptive mother, Vanessa Jackson, who pleaded guilty last week to endangering Bruce and his three adopted brothers.
"He has issues, and he realizes now that he never could have gone through with it," said Michael Critchley, his attorney. "He knows what occurred to him was wrong... . He knows who did it."
Bruce Jackson was persuaded not to attend yesterday's hearing in federal court in Camden, where a judge approved a $12.5 million settlement for him and his three younger brothers.
The state will pay $5 million to Bruce, now 21. Keith, 16, Tyrone, 12, and Michael, 11, will get about $1.8 million each; the rest will be held back while the fees for their lawyer are mediated. Critchley's firm worked for no fee.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/new_jersey/counties/camden_county/13188756.htm
Ice worms inching into the spotlight
A Camden expert hopes studying them sheds light on other worlds, organ transplants and more.
By Chris Newmarker
Associated Press
TRENTON - Normally fodder for anglers and early birds, worms are getting a tad more respect from a Rutgers University-Camden biologist who is focusing on a species of hardy wigglers able to live in freezing conditions and survive without food for two years.
NASA gave Daniel Shain, an associate professor of biology, a three-year, $214,206 grant last month to figure out what makes the ice worms such survivors. The answers might show how life could survive on distant ice worlds such as Jupiter's moon Europa and shed light on more earthbound problems such as preserving transplant organs kept on ice.
The threadlike, black Mesenchytraeus solifugus - which feeds on microorganisms as it crawls through tiny cracks in coastal mountain glaciers in Alaska, British Columbia and Washington - thrives at 32 degrees, according to Shain.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/new_jersey/counties/camden_county/13147623.htm
Web is a major link for hurricane news
By Anick Jesdanun
Associated Press
NEW YORK - More than half of U.S. Internet users went online for news and information about Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, with the vast majority visiting the Web sites of traditional news organizations such as CNN and MSNBC, a study has found. Of the Americans who went online for news, 14 percent went to an international news source such as the BBC's Web site.
"The fact that you had this U.S. domestic crisis and people turning to international news sources is interesting," said John Horrigan, associate director for research at the Pew Internet & American Life Project, which released the survey findings yesterday.
"There were certainly commentators worldwide shocked that this sort of thing was going on in America, and I would imagine some people decided to see firsthand what commentators and news sites overseas were saying," he said.
Although nearly three-quarters of the online consumers of hurricane news went to the Web site of a major U.S. news organization, 54 percent did turn to an alternative source, including international outlets, Web journals, and nonprofit relief organizations. Some people went to multiple sources, so the totals exceed 100 percent.
According to Pew, 9 percent of Internet users said they made donations online for hurricane relief, and 5 percent said they used the Internet to organize their own relief efforts.
Twenty-four percent sent e-mails or instant messages on the storm, and 9 percent went online to check on the safety of a loved one. Four percent said they posted comments, links or pictures to a bulletin board, chat room or Web journal.
The random, telephone-based survey of 1,577 Internet users was conducted in September. The margin of sampling effort was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/13252544.htm
Pinochet under arrest in disappearance of six
By Eduardo Gallardo
Associated Press
SANTIAGO, Chile - Former Chilean president Augusto Pinochet was indicted on human rights charges yesterday and placed under house arrest hours after he posted bail on unrelated corruption charges filed a day earlier.
Judge Victor Montiglio charged Pinochet in connection with the kidnapping and disappearance of six dissidents in the early years of his 1973-90 dictatorship, the jurist's office said. Local news media reported that Montiglio went to Pinochet's mansion to inform him of the charges.
The charges mean Pinochet will almost certainly spend his 90th birthday today under arrest in his eastern Santiago residence, where friends and relatives reportedly planned a luncheon to celebrate with him.
The new indictment involves the disappearance of six dissidents whom Pinochet's security services arrested in late 1974. They were among 119 people, some of whose bodies were later found in Argentina, who disappeared in a case known as Operation Colombo.
The Pinochet government said at the time that the dissidents were killed in clashes involving rival armed groups opposed to him.
Pinochet had been indicted and put under house arrest Wednesday by another judge, Carlos Cerda, on charges of tax evasion and corruption. Early yesterday, the Santiago Court of Appeals granted Pinochet freedom on an $11,500 bond.
Pinochet's chief lawyer, Pablo Rodriguez, said he would appeal the corruption indictment within a five-day deadline.
Pinochet has been placed under house arrest twice before on human rights charges, but courts blocked both trials because of his poor health.
Rodriguez insists that Pinochet, who suffers from mild dementia, arthritis and diabetes, is too ill to be tried, as courts have previously ruled. But a team of doctors who recently examined Pinochet told Cerda that the former dictator was fit to stand trial.
According to the government that succeeded Pinochet in 1990, 3,190 people were killed for political reasons during his rule. More than 1,000 others were arrested and remain unaccounted for.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/13252548.htm
BY THE NUMBERS: TALLYING UP BLACK FRIDAY
By Wendy Tanaka and Stacey Burling
Inquirer Staff Writers
Shoppers flooded area stores yesterday, contributing to what retailers hope was a blockbuster day for sales. Here's a look at how the day went for consumers and retailers.
6,200: Number of cannolis (left) sold between 6 and 11:30 a.m. at Termini Bros. Bakery's Philadelphia and New Jersey shops.
1,728: Packs of holiday ornaments sold at Ikea's Philadelphia store from 9 a.m. to noon.
600,000: Number of lighted lawn deer (such as the one above) sold this season by Philadelphia's Brite Star Manufacturing Co.
42: Number of children in line to see Santa at 10:45 a.m. at the King of Prussia mall.
200: Number of shoppers who saw the 10 a.m. light show at Lord & Taylor in Center City.
8,600: Number of shoppers at Willow Grove Park mall from 6 to 11 a.m. Among the busiest stores: Macy's, Sears, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters and Foot Locker.
5: Number of minutes it took to find a parking place at 9:12 a.m. at King of Prussia.
200: Number of steps from that parking space to the Lord & Taylor entrance.
2,700: Number of people in line at Best Buy's Mount Laurel store at 4 a.m., waiting for the 5 a.m. opening.
$21,000: Price of the most expensive item sold by 12:15 p.m at Tiffany & Co. on Walnut Street, a 1.75-carat diamond engagement ring for a 10-year wedding anniversary gift.
94: Number of people sipping tea at Center City's Four Seasons during Teatime in Wonderland, from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
$3,000: Amount Peggy Kelly of Cinnaminson plans to spend on Christmas gifts this year (up from $2,000 last year).
403: Number of hours Cherry Hill Mall will be open from Black Friday through Christmas Eve.
54: Number of extra people working at Boscov's at Plymouth Meeting Mall.
155,000: Number of items sold on QVC from 12:01 a.m. Thursday to noon Friday. Most popular item: plastic "puzzle boxes" that hold gift cards.
14: Number of river rocks painted with inspirational words such as love and peace that sold from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ten Thousand Villages in Chestnut Hill.
22: Temperature at 3:25 a.m. yesterday as shoppers awaited
Haaretz
Jailed Fatah leader achieves victory in Ramallah primaries
By Reuters
Jailed Palestinian Marwan Barghouthi was emerging as one of the most popular candidates in a vote called to choose people to run for Fatah in Palestinian elections in January, an official said on Friday.
Barghouthi, who is serving five life terms in jail for
attacks against Israel, had a very strong showing in an early count of the vote in the West Bank town of Ramallah where he was running from prison.
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Altogether around 1,000 people are seeking 132 places to run for Fatah, the ruling Palestinian faction, in Palestinian Legislative Council elections in January.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/650110.html
Hezbollah says has right and duty to abduct Israeli troops
By Eli Ashkenazi and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Agencies
Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group said on Friday it had a duty to try to capture Israeli soldiers and exchange them for Arab prisoners in Israel, only hours after Israel returned the remains of three militants.
"Our experience with the Israelis shows that if you want to regain detainees or prisoners ... you have to capture Israeli soldiers," Hezbollah chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah told a rally in Beirut to mark the handover of the bodies.
"It is not a shame, a crime or a terrorist act. It is our right and our duty which one day we might fulfill," he told thousands of supporters chanting "death to Israel".
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/650068.html
Report: Efforts to persuade Peres to join PM's new party
By Mazal Mualem, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service
Efforts are underway to persuade deposed Labor Party leader Shimon Peres to join Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new party Kadima, it was reported Friday evening on the Channel 2 news program.
According to the report, former Labor MK Haim Ramon, who this week abandoned his party to join Sharon, is among those trying to convince Peres to follow suit.
The Likud, meanwhile, is still floundering following Sharon?s dramatic decision earlier this week. Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin on Friday called on the Likud to forgo the primary elections for the party leadership, fearing that a heated race would damage the party further.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/649947.html
61 years later, Holocaust survivor and benefactor reunited
By The Associated Press
New York City, U.S. - Sixty-one years ago, Joanna Zalucka hid a young Jewish girl in her bedroom for eight months, saving the child from the Nazi killing spree in their native Poland.
The girl survived, was reunited with her parents, and moved to Brooklyn in 1953.
On Friday, Ruth Gruener - now 72 with two grown sons - was reunited with her old friend from Poland, finally returning a lifesaving favor by hosting her World War II benefactor for two weeks.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/650111.html
Yeshiva student moderately wounded in East J'lem stabbing
By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
An ultra-Orthodox teen was on Friday evening moderately wounded when stabbed in an East Jerusalem, apparently by Palestinian assailants.
The 16-year-old yeshiva student was at the Shimon Hatzadik grave on Sheikh Jarah Road at the time of the stabbing. Police said two Palestinians arrived at the area, attacked the yeshiva student and fled the scene. Searches were underway for the assailants, police said.
The teen sustained wounds to his back and neck, medics said. He was taken to the Hadassa University Hospital, Ein Karem in stable condition.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/650094.html
Syria agrees to allow UN to quiz its officials in Hariri probe
By The Associated Press
DAMASCUS - Syria agreed Friday to allow UN investigators to question its officials over Rafik Hariri's assassination in Vienna, ending a deadlock with the United Nations that had brought mounting pressure on Damascus.
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Walid Moallem told a news conference that the breakthrough in negotiations with the United Nations came after Syria received "reassurances" about respect for its sovereignty and "guarantees concerning the rights of the individuals" to be questioned. He did not elaborate.
A UN commission mandated by the Security Council is investigating the death of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed with 20 other people in a massive truck bombing in Beirut on Feb. 14. The commission, headed by German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, issued an interim report last month that implicated Syrian and Lebanese intelligence services in the assassination.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/650098.html
Likud takes stopgap measures to halt walkout
By Mazal Mualem
The Likud has embarked on a drive to prevent key activists from following Prime Minister Ariel Sharon out of the party.
Thirteen Likud ministers and MKs have already joined Sharon's walkout, and they are certain to try to bring Likud mayors and heads of local Likud chapters along with them.
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A major element of the Likud's effort to prevent such an outflow is increased contact between key activists and the party's remaining ministers and MKs. To this end, the Likud Knesset faction decided at a meeting on Wednesday that every minister and MK will receive a list of Likud mayors and key activists in local party branches.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/649914.html
Russia's chief rabbi meets with anti-Semitic nationalists
By Yossi Melman
Russian Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar met this week with Vladimir Zhirinovsky and Dmitri Rogozin, the heads of two Russian nationalist parties that disseminate anti-Semitic propaganda.
The meetings outraged the Israeli Foreign Ministry. "Through these meetings, the chief rabbi confers legitimacy on people and parties known for clearly anti-Semitic positions," said one ministry official.
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Following the meeting, a statement on the official Web site of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS, which Lazar heads, declared: "There is common ground. Both sides [the Jews and the nationalist anti-Semites - Y.M.] adopt patriotic positions."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/649280.html
Jewish groups call on EU to lead fight against anti-Semitism
By The Associated Press
BRUSSELS - Jewish groups met with senior EU officials yesterday, urging them to take the lead in fighting anti-Semitism and agree on a common definition of anti-Semitism.
The meeting came after the union's racism monitoring agency released the European Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia report calling the EU governments' 2004 record of fighting racism and xenophobia mixed, at best.
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The Vienna-based agency's director, Beate Winkler, said yesterday there was a marked increase in anti-Semitic incidents in France in 2004, and linked recent unrest in the suburbs of French cities to a lack of job opportunities for immigrant families.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/649275.html
Boston Globe
Agencies split on wind power project
November 26, 2005
MONTPELIER, Vt. --One state agency is saying yes and another no to a proposal to build four wind power turbines on East Mountain in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.
The Department of Public Service is supporting the East Haven Windfarm project in proceedings before the Public Service Board. The Agency of Natural Resources is opposed, saying it could hurt migratory birds and bats.
The board will weigh potential environmental impacts versus the project's benefits to energy supplies and the economy, and could make a decision within the next few months.
The four turbines proposed by East Haven Windfarm -- more are planned if the initial ones work well -- could be the first major wind power project in Vermont to begin operation in more than a decade. The project is being watched closely by wind developers and opponents because a half dozen more projects are in the planning stages.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2005/11/26/agencies_split_on_wind_power_project/
Don't let Romney derail emissions pact
November 25, 2005
GOVERNOR ROMNEY said last year that he wasn't sure that he believed in global warming. Now he wants to delay -- or possibly kill -- the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a landmark agreement to limit greenhouse emissions from power plants (''Romney doubts seen delaying emissions pact," Page A1, Nov. 22).
After two years of detailed negotiations, open hearings, and tough bargaining, Romney is apparently yielding to the lobbying efforts of power plant owners with an eleventh-hour proposal that would effectively gut the agreement. Government standards such as those proposed by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative send a market signal to business that encourages innovation.
We've seen industry rise to the challenge repeatedly by improving technology and reducing costs. We mustn't let Romney derail this promising and innovative approach to limiting greenhouse gases and the resulting global warming.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/letters/articles/2005/11/25/dont_let_romney_derail_emissions_pact/
Cut Emissions, Sign the Petition
Global warming is today's most serious environmental problem. And finally, it's not just the scientific community reaching this consensus. Across America, a diverse group of political, business, and religious leaders are speaking up and making changes. See what they're saying.
Now, tell Congress it's time to act. The McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act is the only real global warming solution in front of Congress. It would set a firm limit on heat-trapping pollution, then use free-market incentives
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/globalwarming_petition?gclid=CJqN8r%5f9zYECFTxXGgodKRWbnQ
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reduce your climate footprint. Please join us today!
http://www.carbonfund.org/carbon/index.php
Romney administration reviewing trips made by technology chief
PETER J. QUINN
By Stephen Kurkjian, Globe Staff November 26, 2005
The Romney administration has launched a review of several out-of-state trips that its top technology officer took to conferences sponsored in part by companies who stand to benefit from a change in computer software used by the state.
Peter J. Quinn, director of the state's Informational Technology Division and its chief information officer, has traveled to 12 out-of-state conferences in the last two years, visiting Brazil, Ottawa, San Francisco, Japan, Puerto Rico, and other locations, records show. Most of the conferences were sponsored by technology and information companies.
Romney administration officials are investigating whether Quinn violated travel procedures by not obtaining written authorization for six of the trips -- to Brazil, Ottawa, San Francisco, and other cities -- since September 2004. For six other trips, he received written approval from his supervisor.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/11/26/romney_administration_reviewing_trips_made_by_technology_chief/
U.N. says 90M girls not getting education
By Bradley S. Klapper, Associated Press Writer November 25, 2005
GENEVA --Some 90 million girls are being excluded from primary schools around the world for reasons that include outdated stereotypes defining a female's place as in the home and social pressures for early marriage, the United Nations said Friday.
The U.N. Children's Fund said 46 countries were failing to get as many girls as boys into school, and that the global body's long-term goal of universal education for children was far from a sure thing.
In even more countries, the overall enrollment of children was "unacceptably low," and 25 million boys globally were not receiving a primary school education, according to UNICEF's 100-page study on gender and education.
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2005/11/25/un_says_90m_girls_not_getting_education/
AP clarifies China-Bird-Flu story
November 25, 2005
BEIJING --In stories about bird flu, The Associated Press, citing figures from a Chinese Ministry of Agriculture official, reported on Nov. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 20 that China has 14 billion chickens, ducks and other domestic poultry. Data released later by the ministry said China produced 14 billion domestic poultry in 2004 but has only 5.2 billion live farm birds at any one time.
http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/other/articles/2005/11/25/ap_clarifies_china_bird_flu_story/
Indonesia reports new human bird flu case
Chickens in cages are sold at a chicken market Friday Nov. 25, 2005 in Shanghai, China. China on Thursday announced the spread of bird flu to a far western region, while Indonesia reported its first outbreak of the virus in the tsunami-ravaged Aceh province where hundreds of chickens have died from the disease. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
By Chris Brummitt, Associated Press Writer November 26, 2005
JAKARTA, Indonesia --Indonesia reported a new human bird flu infection on Saturday, and Taiwan joined other Asian governments in announcing it wanted to produce the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to treat people infected with the virus.
http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/diseases/articles/2005/11/26/indonesia_reports_new_human_bird_flu_case/
India balloonist sets highest flight mark
Indian millionaire Vijaypat Singhania prepares to take off his hot air balloon in Bombay, India, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2005. Singhania broke the previous world record by hitting 21,000 meters (69,000 feet) a little more than two hours after taking off in his 40-ton (44-U.S. ton) balloon. (AP Photo/Rajesh Nirgude)
By Ramola Talwar Badam, Associated Press Writer November 26, 2005
BOMBAY, India --An Indian textile millionaire apparently broke the world record Saturday for the highest flight in a hot air balloon.
The record by Vijaypat Singhania is subject to verification, but his son Gautam Singhania said the 44-ton balloon climbed nearly 70,000 feet, beating the old mark of just under 65,000 feet.
"This goes to show to the world that we are not bullock cart drivers, but we can compete against the best of the world," the balloonist said.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2005/11/26/india_balloonist_sets_highest_flight_mark/
Car bombings kill 16 people in Baghdad
A man grieves near the dead body of his relative killed by a suicide bomber who drove his pickup into a crowded gasoline station in Samarra, Iraq, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2005. Twelve people were killed, Iraqi police said. (AP Photo/Hameed Rasheed)
By Hamid Ahmed, Associated Press Writer November 26, 2005
BAGHDAD, Iraq --A suicide bomber drove his pickup truck into a crowded gas station north of Baghdad on Saturday and killed 12 people while a second car bomb targeting a convoy of foreigners killed four others in the capital, police said.
Twelve people were injured and nine cars were destroyed in the gas station bombing in Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, police Lt. Col. Mahmoud Mohammed said.
In central Baghdad, a parked car bomb detonated when two armored cars carrying foreigners drove by, killing four Iraqi civilians, Lt. Thaer Mahmoud said. No one in the convoy was injured, but one of the armored cars was damaged and removed by U.S. forces, Mahmoud said. The foreigners were not immediately identified, but none of them were injured, he added.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/11/26/car_bombings_kill_16_people_in_baghdad/
US presses allies to delay Iraq pullouts
Longer tours sought for coalition forces
Japanese soldiers patrolled in Samawa, Iraq, in September. Japan plans to withdraw 600 military engineers next month. (Reuters)
By Bryan Bender, Globe Staff November 26, 2005
WASHINGTON -- US and Iraqi leaders are pressing their military allies in Iraq to postpone withdrawing troops, warning against a pullout until the new government is capable of securing the country on its own.
Iraq's foreign minister, on a visit to Tokyo yesterday, urged Japan to delay its plan to withdraw in December 600 military engineers working on water and other reconstruction projects. US and Iraqi officials are urging Poland to postpone the scheduled departure in January of its 1,400 troops, who are overseeing security south of Baghdad.
US and Iraqi officials also are hoping to persuade other nations in the 27-member international coalition to extend their commitments to Iraq. The Bush administration, under pressure at home to outline its exit strategy more clearly, has held up the coalition as a symbol of foreign support for a mission that initially was opposed by the United Nations.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2005/11/26/us_presses_allies_to_delay_iraq_pullouts/
A look at U.S. military deaths in Iraq
By The Associated Press November 24, 2005
As of Thursday, Nov. 24, 2005, at least 2,103 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. At least 1,653 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers. The figures include five military civilians.
The AP count is five lower than the Defense Department's tally, last updated at 10 a.m. EST Wednesday.
The British military has reported 98 deaths; Italy, 27; Ukraine, 18; Poland, 17; Bulgaria, 13; Spain, 11; Slovakia, three; Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Netherlands, Thailand, two each; Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia one death each.
Since May 1, 2003, when President Bush declared that major combat operations in Iraq had ended, 1,964 U.S. military members have died, according to AP's count. That includes at least 1,544 deaths resulting from hostile action, according to the military's numbers.
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The latest deaths reported by the military:
-- Two soldiers where killed Thursday by an explosive in Baghdad.
-- Two soldiers died Wednesday of gunshot wounds in Baghdad.
-- A soldier died Wednesday of wounds suffered from a roadside bomb in Hit.
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The latest identification reported by the military:
-- No identifications reported.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/11/24/a_look_at_us_military_deaths_in_iraq/
Iran offered N. Korea oil for weapons help - magazine
November 26, 2005
BERLIN (Reuters) - Iran has offered North Korea oil and natural gas as payment for help in developing nuclear missiles, German weekly magazine Der Spiegel reported on Saturday, citing unidentified Western intelligence sources.
A senior Iranian official traveled to the North Korean capital Pyongyang during the second week of October to make the offer, the magazine quoted the sources as saying. It was unclear what North Korea's response was, it added.
Diplomats and intelligence sources say Iran is pushing ahead with plans to enrich uranium in defiance of international pressure to stop developing sensitive nuclear technology to calm fears it is seeking nuclear weapons.
Iran insists its nuclear ambitions are entirely peaceful.
Iran's Shahab-3 missiles are based on North Korea's Nodong rockets and Pyongyang is Tehran's most important partner in developing missile technology, Der Spiegel said.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2005/11/26/iran_offered_n_korea_oil_for_weapons_help___magazine/
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