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Cricket legend Greg Chappell's dire situation sparks rally of support

Australian cricket has seen its fair share of legends, but few have left a mark as indelible as Greg Chappell. The former Australian cricket captain, who graced the pitch during the 1970s and early 80s, has fallen upon challenging times, leaving his friends, teammates and fans deeply concerned about his well-being. At the time of writing, the cricketing community has rallied to support him in a bid to provide the assistance he so desperately needs. Chappell, a figure synonymous with the sport, recently organised a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/gc-tribute-lunch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe page </a>with the ambitious goal of raising $250,000. The campaign has garnered almost $90,000 in donations, with a substantial contribution of $25,000 from high-profile businessman and cricket enthusiast, Greg Boorer. This heartwarming response signifies the deep respect and admiration that people have for the cricketing icon. Chappell's plight came to the forefront when a testimonial lunch was held in his honour at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last Monday. The GoFundMe initiative was launched after it became apparent that arranging donation facilities at the event would be logistically challenging. The driving force behind the lunch, businessman and close friend Peter Maloney, expressed his concerns for Chappell's well-being, stating, "Greg is a very proud man. He's doing it tougher than what he says." It is worth noting that Greg Chappell is also the face of the Chappell Foundation, which has raised an impressive $1 million this year for homeless youths. However, Maloney emphasised that Chappell has never taken a cent out of the foundation, despite being entitled to do so. This selflessness exemplifies Chappell's commitment to making a positive impact on society, even during his personal hardships. During the 1970s and '80s, Chappell was a cricketing sensation, sharing the field with other greats like Dennis Lillee, Rod Marsh and Jeff Thomson. As a member of the illustrious Chappell family, which includes brothers Ian and Trevor, he is part of a dynasty that holds a revered place in Australia's rich sporting history. However, unlike many of today's athletes, Chappell's era did not offer the financial rewards that modern sports stars enjoy. Even after retiring, he chose to maintain a low profile and never fully embraced the spotlight of full-time commentary roles or media engagements. Instead, Chappell worked behind the scenes on cricket boards, undertook selector roles, and had a brief stint as a coach for the Indian cricket team. Chappell, displaying his characteristic humility, stated, "I'm not on the bones of my arse. I certainly don't want it to sound like we're in desperate straits, because we're not... but we're not living in luxury either. I think most people assume that because we played cricket, we are all living in the lap of luxury. While I'm certainly not crying poor, we're not reaping in the benefits that today's players are." The initiative to organise the testimonial lunch for Chappell came from Peter Maloney, who recognised his friend's health issues and financial difficulties. Maloney's suggestion that Chappell deserved a testimonial dinner finally saw the light of day after a heartfelt conversation with Greg and his wife. The outpouring of support for the Australian cricketing legend on the GoFundMe platform is nothing short of heartwarming. People from all walks of life have come forward to express their admiration and appreciation for Chappell's contributions to the sport and society: "Greg Chappell is a cricket great, an inspiration for all aspiring players. He certainly deserves our support, in whatever small way we can," wrote one supporter. "Dear Greg, What a phenomenal cricketer you were! It is still a treat to watch your batting videos on YouTube. Wishing you all the best..." wrote another. "You're a true Australian sporting legend. I remember doing a school project on you back in high school. Enjoy your retirement Greg, you deserve it," wrote a third. It's evident that Greg Chappell holds a special place in the hearts of cricket fans and Australians alike. As he faces his current challenges, the cricketing community is rallying together to ensure that this iconic figure receives the support he needs during this difficult phase of his life. It's a reminder of the enduring impact and admiration he has garnered throughout his remarkable career. Image: GoFundMe

Retirement Income

Dire Straits guitarist dies at age 68

Dire Straits guitarist Jack Sonni has died at the age of 68. Sonni, who was affectionately known as the band's "other guitarist" had been suffering from unspecified health issues that forced him to cancel performing. The band announced the news of his passing on X, formerly known as Twitter, posting a black and white photo of Sonni and writing, “#JackSonni Rest In Peace #DireStraits“. The official Facebook account for Dire Straits Legacy, a band that Sonni participated in alongside other former members of Dire Straits, also shared the news. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JackSonni?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JackSonni</a> 🎸 Rest In Peace 🙏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DireStraits?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DireStraits</a> <a href="https://t.co/W3vx65bY5h">pic.twitter.com/W3vx65bY5h</a> — Dire Straits 🎸 (@DireStraits77) <a href="https://twitter.com/DireStraits77/status/1697209575668170867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2023</a></blockquote> “Our beloved Jack has left a void in our heart and soul,” the statement read. “We will miss you so much. You are forever with us.” His cause of death is still unknown, however the news of his passing comes just days after the announced that Sonni wouldn't be performing in upcoming concerts “because of health problems.” “Dear fans, unfortunately, Jack Sonni will not be able to participate in our next gigs because of health problems,” the post read. “Jack get better soon, we are waiting for you! With love, the DSL family.” Tributes poured in for the musician from around the world as news of his death spread on Thursday. One person wrote, "So sad to hear, loved his antics on stage, such a big smile," while others who knew him personally recalled their favourite moments and said they were "proud" to know him. Sonni joined the band in 1984 and joked about his role as a guitarist behind Mark Knopfler during the London band’s Brothers in Arms era, famously calling himself “the other guitar player,” a nickname that stuck because the Knopflers also played the instrument. Sonni played with the band during its two-song performance for the massive famine-relief concert Live Aid in July 1985, with Dire Straits slotting in between U2 and Queen at London’s Wembley Stadium. At the time of his death, Sonni was believed to be a writing for a new project. In his final Facebook post on June 2nd, he wrote, “Well chilluns, the last social media post for the foreseeable future as I dive into getting my novel in shape for my agent’s publisher hunt. Play nice and be kind to one another! And hug them while you can.” Image credits: Getty Images

Music

"Possibly carcinogenic to humans": WHO's dire warning over common ingredient

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for one of the world’s most popular artificial sweeteners to be declared a possible carcinogen. The push will be led by the WHO’s research team for the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), pitting it against the food industry and regulators. The sweetener, known as Aspartame, is used in products from Coca-Cola diet drinks, such as Diet Coke and Coke Zero, to Mars’ Extra chewing gum and some Snapple drinks. Later this month, the IARC will list Aspartame for the first time as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” The ruling from the IARC has assessed whether the sweetener is hazardous to humans or not, although it does not stipulate how much of the product a person can safely consume. This advice for individual consumers comes from a different organisation, known as JECFA (the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Expert Committee on Food Additives), who make consumption guidelines alongside national regulators. Despite the claims from the WHO, since as early as 1981 JECFA has said aspartame is safe to consume within accepted daily limits. An adult weighing 60kg would have to drink between 12 and 36 cans of diet soft drink, depending on the amount of aspartame in the beverage, every day to be at risk. Its view has been widely shared by national regulators, including in the United States and Europe. These conflicting reports have angered some regulators and consumers alike, with Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare official Nozomi Tomita writing to the WHO, “kindly asking both bodies to coordinate their efforts in reviewing aspartame to avoid any confusion or concerns among the public.” Image credits: Getty Images

Body

Young mum shocked by dire discovery in daughter's schoolbag

A Perth mother has recounted her horror at discovering a vape in her 12-year-old daughter’s schoolbag. Mother of three Sarah Goodyear’s day only went from bad to worse when she learned that not only was her daughter using the electronic cigarette, but that the device had been sold to her at school. “In all honesty, I was mortified,” she told 7News’ Amelia Broun. “It has completely imploded now. We’ve, to some extent, left it a little bit too late.” “There’s a real urgency to it now,” she said, “you would not believe how many teenagers are doing this.” Although Sarah knows she is not alone in her current situation - just last year, a mother in Melbourne found a vape in her 7-year-old’s bag - it is likely to come of little comfort, with experts suggesting that children who vape are three times more likely to pick up a smoking habit later in life. Those same health experts warn that some vape devices can contain the same nicotine content as hundreds of cigarettes, while the chemicals present in different aerosols are not safe for inhalation, and are not worth the damage they will do to organs. “It’s almost like the genie’s got out of the bottle,” Cancer Council Western Australia’s chief executive Ashley Reid reported, “and we’re desperately trying to put it back in. “We don’t want to undo decades of really amazing, world-leading work in tobacco control to let vaping get away from us.” In response to the growing crisis, the Western Australian government has announced it will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a new anti-vaping campaign from the Cancer Council. The online resource, set for release later this year and said to complement existing awareness campaigns, will feature information about the health impacts of vaping, as well as support venues for those who want to quit. Meanwhile, a number of private schools in Perth have gone as far as to install vape detectors in their bathrooms, but public schools have shown no sign of following suit. Some private Perth schools have installed vape detectors in toilets, but that’s not something on the agenda for public schools, despite 9 in 10 Australians supporting tougher vaping regulations. Western Australia’s Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson noted that the state already leads the nation with their vape regulations, as vaping is illegal there without a prescription. “Not only is vaping harmful,” she said, “it often contains harmful substances found in cleaning products, weed killer, nail polish remover and bug spray. “Emerging research has found that non-smokers who use e-cigarettes are three times more likely to go on to smoke tobacco cigarettes.” Images: 7News

Caring

Slip sliding away: Coastal homes under dire threat

Residents along the NSW Central Coast have been left concerned after days of extreme surf caused severe erosion, putting the beachfront homes in danger of collapsing. A powerful low pressure system across Australia’s east coast earlier this week created large swells and high waves smashing the beaches. Police, State Emergency Services (SES) and NSW Fire and Rescue were called to homes on Ocean View Drive in Wamberal on Thursday night following reports of erosion at the properties, the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/wild-weather-leaves-nsw-homes-at-risk-of-structural-collapse-due-to-beach-erosion-20200717-p55cwm.html">Sydney Morning Herald</a> reported. “Dunes are collapsing, people’s houses are at risk of falling into the sea,” a resident told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-erosion-fears-wild-weather/c1d0baad-688a-4bc6-8a8e-58177aee69af#:~:text=Residents%20living%20along%20the%20NSW,homes%20exposed%20to%20the%20elements.&text=%22We%20have%20massive%20erosion%20on,%2C%22%20one%20resident%20told%209News.">9News</a>. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ffrnsw459%2Fposts%2F1918254264978574&show_text=true&width=552&height=740&appId" width="552" height="740" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> Emergency services brought large concrete blocks along the stretch of coast to help support homes from the risk of landslide. SES controller Rolf Garda said this erosion damage was the worst he had seen in the last 30 years. “There’s always been impact on that area but for some reason this event has taken away far more land than we expected,” Garda told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-17/nsw-coastal-erosion-from-large-swell-pummelling-coast/12465398">ABC</a>. “We identified that some houses were pretty close to the slump line. We worked with Council to walk up and down and talk to the residents and advised them of the potential dangers.” Local café worker Amanda Keanelly said the coastal erosion was “so scary” for the residents. “A guy came in yesterday and he told us that his home was a metre away from going in. He was heartbroken,” Keanelly told the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/17/nsw-central-coast-huge-swells-wamberal-homes-risk-collapse-beach-erosion">Guardian</a>. The <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/forecasts/centralcoastcities.shtml">Bureau of Meteorology</a> forecasted large and powerful surf conditions until at least Saturday. Photo: ABC News

Real Estate

Dire warning to cat owners after elderly woman's tragic death

An 80-year-old Melbourne woman has died after being scratched by her pet cat. The grandmother, whose identity is kept private at the request of her family, was rushed to Box Hill Hospital in May after she was found unresponsive in bed with her cat Minty curled up nearby. The woman was later found to have bacterial meningitis from her cat’s saliva. Her daughter told the <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/dire-warning-to-cat-owners-after-womans-tragic-death/news-story/c0bb59847b0f689d19ec24e709456b14">Herald Sun</a> the cat likely licked the woman’s wound when she was sleeping, causing the saliva to enter her bloodstream. Cat’s saliva commonly contains pasteurella multocida, which may cause infections in humans. The woman spent nine days in a coma and became critically ill before being taken off her life support. She had previously suffered cellulitis due to cat scratches. Austin Health’s director of infectious diseases Lindsay Grayson said people with weak immune systems should avoid cats. “Infections related to cat bites and scratches like this person, we’d get at least one a week where somebody comes into the hospital,” he told the outlet. “It is very important that if a cat is biting or scratching you, you mention it to your GP. It immediately triggers a greater concern and a different medical approach to just a routine scratch.”

Family & Pets

Public panic as Woolworths runs out of dire supplies ahead of coronavirus warnings

Chemists and grocery store chains across Australia have been experiencing an unusually high demand for hand sanitiser as panic sets in over the coronavirus. The shortage for the product has been photographed in various stores across the country, with people beginning to stock up in a bid to protect themselves from the COVID-19 virus. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Woolworths, Coles, Chemist Warehouse, Priceline and Kmart have all run out of hand sanitiser. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronavirusaustralia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#coronavirusaustralia</a> — Priscilla Flett (@FlettPriscilla) <a href="https://twitter.com/FlettPriscilla/status/1223427134351237120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2020</a></blockquote> Stores like Coles, Woolworths and Chemist Warehouse have been experiencing shortages of antibacterial gel, with the CEO of Australian skin care range MooGoo, Craig Jones, claiming their entire six-month stock of hand sanitiser had been taken from shelves in just a mere four days. “We then made a backup batch and sold out of that too,” said Mr Jones told news.com.au. “The Natural Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel uses an essential oil that kills 99.999 per cent of pathogens in the standard test.” Mr Jones says the healthcare item which typically ranges anywhere from $3 -$5 depending on size and brand, is one of the “key measures from keeping the virus from spreading”. A spokesperson from Coles confirmed the “shortage” of antibacterial handwashes and hand sanitiser products sold in stores was “due to extremely high customer demand”. “While we are working closely with our suppliers to improve availability, some products may be temporarily out of stock,” the spokesperson said. Woolworths also told news.com.au they had shortages of some products, saying: “We are working very closely with our suppliers to get these products back on shelves as quickly as possible. “We’re sorry for the inconvenience to our customers.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Hand sanitiser aisle at Woolworths. All gawn. <a href="https://t.co/sJrdl4wfes">pic.twitter.com/sJrdl4wfes</a> — Ignoble Jim Houghton (@JimRHoughton) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimRHoughton/status/1223484535687368706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2020</a></blockquote> Mario Tascone, the Retail Group director for Chemist Warehouse told The Courier Mail that their “store was one of the smart ones”. “We’d rather satisfy 1000 people than satisfy one person who wants to buy 1000 bottles,” he said COVID-19 has now been confirmed in at least 45 countries, and many of these nations have created emergency plans and travel restrictions on the worst-affected places. Australia activated its emergency response plan yesterday amid rising concerns of a potential coronavirus pandemic. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that the number of new cases reported outside China exceeded the number of new cases in China for the first time. On Tuesday, 411 new cases of the COVID-19 disease were reported in China, while 427 were reported outside the country, WHO said.

News

Jamie Oliver in dire straits: “I haven’t got any more money”

Jamie Oliver has admitted he can’t afford to prop up his struggling restaurant chain any more after injecting $AU23 million of his own money to save them from closing last October. Things really started to go pear-shaped for the the celebrity chef’s Jamie’s Italian restaurants, which opened in 2008, earlier this year when it was announced that 12 restaurants would close, and the company requested rent cuts at 11 other locations in a bid to pay $AU130 million worth of debt. Over 600 people were made redundant with more many more jobs in jeopardy. According to Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group chief executive John Knight, the dire straits is due to rapid expansion and choosing the wrong locations, reports <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/jamie-oliver-says-he-has-no-more-money-to-shore-up-struggling-restaurants/news-story/ae1b22ffe1cf50613b4b0166c1af8ef1" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>. Although the celebrity chef said he “was not broke”, he told the Mail on Sunday that he couldn’t put the rest of his business interests, in jeopardy by bleeding more cash into his restaurant chain. “There’s a point where I can’t put the other side of the business at risk as well and the people who work there," Oliver said. “The upside is I am now fully in control of the restaurant business. It’s fully owned by me. We’re getting on top of it and we’ve learned lots of lessons. “I haven’t got any more [money]. I tried to do the right thing, I’ve never been paid by the restaurant group, I’ve always reinvested. My living was always the other side [of the business]. “So I could have just gone, ‘Do you know what? Let it go.’” Oliver told the Financial Times in an interview earlier this year that the business had “run out of cash". “We hadn’t expected it,” he said. “That is just not normal, in any business. You have quarterly meetings. You do board meetings. People [who are] supposed to manage that stuff should manage that stuff.” He revealed just how desperate the situation had become for his restaurant chain, forcing his decision to inject millions of his own money to try and save it. “I had two hours to put money in and save it or the whole thing would go to s*** that day or the next day,” he told the publication. “It was as bad as that and as dramatic as that.” Oliver revealed to Sunday Night that the experience was a humbling one, and that people shouldn’t think that even those who are immensely successful are not “untouchable". “I’ve had my fair share of failure … don’t be under the illusion I’m untouchable,” he said. Although the drama has been “character building,” he told the program dealing with the troubled Jamie’s Italian restaurants had been “really tough". “Yeah a huge weight, I carry lots of burden … of stuff … which is my choice to do so,” said Oliver. But Knight claims that within four years, Oliver will get his money back “or at least most of it”, with Jamie’s Italian restaurants “back to value” and debt free.

Legal

Aussie mum's dire warning after hot water bottle explodes on 4-year-old son

A Queensland mother has warned other Aussies of the dangers of using a hot water bottle, after one exploded on her four-year-old son. Harmony Arrowsmith’s son was rushed to hospital in Maleny on the Sunshine Coast with second degree burns after a hot water bottle exploded. The boiling water leaked onto his upper things and groin area, narrowly missing his genital area. She posted photos of her son’s horrific injuries to a Sunshine Coast community Facebook page to warn other parents. “I'd never thought to check our hot water bottles and I am full of regret,” Ms Arrowsmith posted. “Please PLEASE check your hot water bottles before using them or giving them to your little ones and make sure you know what to do in the unfortunate circumstance something like this happens.” After her was taken to Maleny Hospital he was admitted to Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in Brisbane for further treatment to his wounds. He was released 10 hours later and it is expected that his burns will not leave any scars. “I was shocked when the nurses told me how common these injuries are – I hope sharing this will prevent some from happening,” the mum posted. “I'm counting my lucky stars and so grateful, it could've been so much worse.” After the horrifying incident, Ms Arrowsmith realised the water bottle was three years old and was unaware they needed to be replaced regularly. “I had the [bladder] wrapped in a fluffy case and I'd never taken it out to check. I'll never make that mistake again,” she told the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-17/hot-water-bottle-warning-winter-safety/10003248">ABC</a>. Do you regularly use hot water bottles? Tell us in the comments below.

Caring

New report highlights dire state of preventable deaths in aged care

Hundreds of thousands of us trust aged care facilities to protect our loved ones and keep them healthy and happy. However, a startling new report has found that Australia’s nursing homes have become increasingly dangerous places to live. Of the 21,672 deaths reported in nursing homes between 2000 and 2015, 15 per cent were the result of preventable causes. In addition, 61 per cent of these preventable deaths were of women between the ages of 25 and 106 – although most occurred in the 85 to 94 years range. According to <a href="https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/world-first-study-reveals-increase-in-premature-deaths-in-australian-nursing-homes" target="_blank">a new study</a> by Joe Ibrahim, a researcher at Monash University, falls, choking and suicide were the most common causes of preventable deaths – a trend Ibrahim believes shows the industry is “not looking hard enough” for ways to combat. “Because health is now market-driven, there isn’t one group that is advocating for residents,” Ibrahim tells <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/may/26/preventable-deaths-in-australian-nursing-homes-quadrupled-in-10-years" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>. “We need to have a national group that is promoting better care, the government should have the ability to withdraw funding if they’re not happy, the accreditation agency should have the ability to not accredit.” Ibrahim’s findings and recommendations have been welcomed by Dr Catherine Yelland, President of the Australian College of Physicians, who conceded to the <a href="http://www.afr.com/lifestyle/health/mens-health/high-rate-of-premature-deaths-in-australian-nursing-homes-a-systems-problem-study-20170526-gwdwna" target="_blank">Australian Financial Review</a> that the industry “can do better”. “We all have the right to be safe in our homes, and the recommendations by Ibrahim and his co-authors for action in policy, practice and research should be heeded by our federal and state departments of health, responsible for aged care.”

Caring

Worrying new report reveals Australia’s dire health situation

The Australian Health Policy Collaboration has just released its 2016 Australia’s Health Tracker report and its findings will astound you. Using health targets and indicators from a number of Australia’s most prominent health researchers, the report tracks the nation’s progress towards the World Health Organisation’s 2025 health improvement targets. The results? We’re not even close. The report found that half of Australians suffer from a chronic disease, a third of which is entirely preventable. Heart disease, cancer and diabetes are currently the leading cause of death in the country, and to meet WHO’s targets by 2025, we must aim to reduce the instance of these conditions by 25 per cent. This may be difficult, given that the report also found that almost half of Australia’s adults (and a whopping 91.5 per cent of young people) are not meeting the recommended levels of physical activity. Obesity is a huge problem in Australia, which with a 27.9 per cent obesity rate ranks as one of the most obese nations in the world. Along with inactivity, high cholesterol levels, salt and sugar intake, high blood pressure and diabetes are just some of the risk factors for which Australia is tracking far behind target. Fortunately, the report also found that alcohol consumption and smoking are both down, and we are well on our way to meeting the target for bowel cancer screenings. To learn more about the report, <a href="https://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/AHPC/pdfs/australias-health-tracker.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>. Tell us in the comments below, what do you think can be done to encourage Australians to live healthier lives? Related links: <a href="/news/news/2016/06/australia-overuse-of-antibiotics-is-increasing-superbug-threat/">Australia’s overuse of antibiotics increasing “superbug” threat</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/06/aldi-liquor-too-cheap-to-sell-and-may-cause-health-problems/">Aldi’s liquor too cheap to sell and may cause health problems</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/05/australians-not-meeting-dietary-recommendations/">Majority of Australians are not meeting dietary recommendations</a>

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Cricket legend Greg Chappell's dire situation sparks rally of support

Dire Straits guitarist dies at age 68

"Possibly carcinogenic to humans": WHO's dire warning over common ingredient

Young mum shocked by dire discovery in daughter's schoolbag

Slip sliding away: Coastal homes under dire threat

Dire warning to cat owners after elderly woman's tragic death

Public panic as Woolworths runs out of dire supplies ahead of coronavirus warnings

Jamie Oliver in dire straits: “I haven’t got any more money”

Aussie mum's dire warning after hot water bottle explodes on 4-year-old son

New report highlights dire state of preventable deaths in aged care

Worrying new report reveals Australia’s dire health situation

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