WOTS Friday 1/18/19:
Forex Rates:
| Symbol | Bid | Ask | High | Low | Open | Change | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD/IQD | | | 1,167.5000 | 1,167.5000 | 1,167.5000 | | 20:00 |
| USD/VND | | | 23,194.0000 | 22,859.0000 | 22,859.0000 | | 04:20 |
| USD/CNY | | | 6.7797 | 6.7600 | 6.7664 | | 06:01 |
| USD/KWD | | | 0.3028 | 0.3022 | 0.3025 | | 06:36 |
| GBP/USD | | | 1.2992 | 1.2927 | 1.2976 | | 06:41 |
| USD/IRR | | | 12,048.0000 | 12,048.0000 | 12,048.0000 | | 17:51 |
| USD/IDR | | | 14,213.5000 | 14,159.0000 | 14,181.0000 | | 06:39 |
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SA backs new Zim currency
January 17, 2019 6:02 PM
Mr Mboweni
Takunda Maodza News Editor
SOUTH Africa’s Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has said Zimbabwe is in a good position to adopt a new currency and that the regional giant would support its northern neighbour’s efforts towards economic revival.
Mr Mboweni said the use of the United States dollar was untenable given that Zimbabwe was under sanctions, whose removal he said was central to the country’s economic recovery.“I think the idea of using a new currency in Zimbabwe is a good one,” Mr Mboweni was quoted as saying by ANA news agency as he addressed journalists ahead of his trip to Davos, Switzerland, for the annual World Economic Forum (WEF).“I think our colleagues there are on a good wicket when it comes to that space. We are working together very well, but at the end of the day it is Zimbabweans who need to fix their country,” said Mr Mboweni.He revealed that South African government representatives, including National Treasury director-general and the Reserve Bank governor, had met with their Zimbabwean counterparts on December 26 in Johannesburg and had a conversation about the status of the Zimbabwean economy, the finance and banking systems, the attempts to reignite the economic health of Zimbabwe, the report said.The two sides reaffirmed their mutual commitment to working together to assist Zimbabwe.
Minister Mthuli Ncube
Kim plans to visit Vietnam to meet Trump
10:38 - 18/01/2019
Baghdad - Mawazine News
Vietnam is preparing to welcome North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, amid news of a summit between him and US President Donald Trump in the coming weeks or months.
Kim is expected to leave for Vietnam on a state visit after the Lunar New Year holiday from February 4 to 8," the Yonhap news agency said. The sources did not say whether Kim's trip would be linked to an expected summit with Trump.
Kim Yong-chul, one of North Korea's closest aides, arrived in Washington on Thursday for talks apparently with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to coordinate the details of the Kim Trump summit.
Kim is expected to leave for Vietnam on a state visit after the Lunar New Year holiday from February 4 to 8," the Yonhap news agency said. The sources did not say whether Kim's trip would be linked to an expected summit with Trump.
Kim Yong-chul, one of North Korea's closest aides, arrived in Washington on Thursday for talks apparently with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to coordinate the details of the Kim Trump summit.
Deputy: Parliament will investigate the financial control report on the salaries of officials
11:40 - 18/01/2019
Information / Baghdad ..
Between the deputy of the coalition of Ali Ali Ghawi, Friday, that the parliament will achieve the figures of salaries published on the Internet and social networking sites, especially after lifting the confidentiality of the report of the Office of Financial Supervision on the differences and salaries of officials in the state.
"There are inaccuracies and inaccuracies published on the websites and social networks, after the lifting of the confidentiality of the report of the Office of Financial Supervision on the differences of salaries of officials in the state," Ghawi said in a statement.
He added that "the real salary of the deputy is 8 million dinars, while the amount mentioned and published on the sites is 15 million dinars, and the differences of hospitality and allowances worth 10 million, while the deputy Laitselm not 8 million dinars, a monthly salary, especially after the increase of rent allowances from Deputies ".
He explained that "the House of Representatives will open an investigation on the figures published superstitious on the salaries of deputies, where the numbers are not fact, and there is evidence that the MP receives a salary of 8 million dinars and can publish the powder salaries in order to add more credibility,
He stressed that "each deputy 16 members protection scheduled by the Parliament, and receive their salaries by the Council after the grant of the Agency to receive their dues, and handed over to them directly."
It is noteworthy that "the websites dealt with figures that show that each deputy receives a salary and allowances of 25 million, and therefore all the Parliament recognizes the salaries of its deputies monthly by 8 billion and 225 million dinars."
New National Budget for Iraq expected
9:41 AM admin
Baghdad/ Iraq TradeLink: Economists here believe that the Iraqi Parliament will make a new national
budget to avoid the expected deficit if oil prices did not increase.
Belief is spreading that the new budget will calculate oil prices at $49 per barrel, while the current proposed budget put the price at 56 dollars per barrel.
If the prices of oil did not increase, the Iraqi parliament will resort to the alternative budget, taking into consideration that oil prices are affected by political factors and US manipulation in world oil economy according to its interests, economists predicted.
Iraqi Parliamentary Financial Commission announced that the deficit in the budget reached to 27 trillion Iraqi dinars, calculated on $56 per oil barrel.
The visit of Zarif .. Confirmation of Iran's serious ambitions in Iraq
http://translate.
http://translate.
18/01/2019
The visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif to Iraq has confirmed Tehran's continued pursuit of destroying Iraq's economy and achieving the Iranian regime's agenda of economic and political hegemony over Mesopotamia.
Zarif called for giving priority to the Iranian companies in the reconstruction of Iraq after the end of the fighting against the organization of the Daash, during a rare meeting with leaders of the popular crowd factions.
"If a European or American company decides to come to Iraq for work and reconstruction, the cost of that company to protect its workers and its cadres in Iraq is more than it intends to spend for reconstruction and construction," Zarif said during his visit to Karbala on Wednesday.
Last year, the Iraqi government said the 10-year reconstruction plan would cost an estimated $ 88.2 billion, a sum that is salivating Tehran's saliva in the wake of the economic crisis that has come after the United States imposed heavy sanctions on it.
Although the recent Iraqi elections have shown a decline in the popularity of pro-Tehran parties, economic hegemony is still rooted. Iran is Iraq's first trading partner.
"Just a buyer"
According to economists, Iraq has become a buyer of Iranian goods, even if it is a recession that no country wants to buy. Iraq imports about 72 percent of Iranian goods, which are characterized by high cost and low quality.
According to some estimates, the volume of trade exchange between the two countries in 2005 was not more than one billion dollars, rising rapidly to more than 20 billion in 2017.
In February 2015, Iran forced Baghdad to abolish control of Iranian exports to Iraq at the border crossings under the pretext of facilitating trade movement, turning the country into a platform for Iranian goods at the expense of local goods and at the expense of trade with Arab countries.
In the financial market, studies show that 60 percent of the shares of companies and banks are in the hands of Iranian traders, where they can strike hard on the Iraqi economy whenever they want to.
Iranian theft of Iraqi oil
Iran also managed to control 123 oil fields in the border areas between the two countries, and Iranian officials recognized that their country's production of oil "common fields" of 13 thousand barrels per day, and 68 thousand barrels of them are produced in fields could not be developed by the Iraqi government until Now with the approval of former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
Related News
The impact of the destruction in the city of Mosul in northern Iraq
Iran is tiring to rebuild Iraq after the elimination of a hasty
Zarif is in talks with officials in India about selling more euros
Iran complains of slow trade arrangements with the EU
Commenting on this hegemony, the adviser of the Iraqi Center for Studies d. Ghazi Faisal Hussein: "There is a network of political parties and political leaders and corrupt institutions associated with Iranian companies and banks, so this network produced the dominance of Iranian regional imperialism on Iraq, and therefore must be liquidated and dismantled these economic and political networks corrupt between Iraq and Tehran.
"US companies should help Iraq free itself from its energy needs from Iran," he said in an interview with Sky News. "It is also possible for Iraq to diversify energy sources, for example, on Russian and Egyptian gas."
"He also urged the Iraqi government to get rid of the unilateral economy with Iran to end the hegemony of Tehran through the diversification and multiplicity of trading partners, especially the United States and other countries
Zarif called for giving priority to the Iranian companies in the reconstruction of Iraq after the end of the fighting against the organization of the Daash, during a rare meeting with leaders of the popular crowd factions.
"If a European or American company decides to come to Iraq for work and reconstruction, the cost of that company to protect its workers and its cadres in Iraq is more than it intends to spend for reconstruction and construction," Zarif said during his visit to Karbala on Wednesday.
Last year, the Iraqi government said the 10-year reconstruction plan would cost an estimated $ 88.2 billion, a sum that is salivating Tehran's saliva in the wake of the economic crisis that has come after the United States imposed heavy sanctions on it.
Although the recent Iraqi elections have shown a decline in the popularity of pro-Tehran parties, economic hegemony is still rooted. Iran is Iraq's first trading partner.
"Just a buyer"
According to economists, Iraq has become a buyer of Iranian goods, even if it is a recession that no country wants to buy. Iraq imports about 72 percent of Iranian goods, which are characterized by high cost and low quality.
According to some estimates, the volume of trade exchange between the two countries in 2005 was not more than one billion dollars, rising rapidly to more than 20 billion in 2017.
In February 2015, Iran forced Baghdad to abolish control of Iranian exports to Iraq at the border crossings under the pretext of facilitating trade movement, turning the country into a platform for Iranian goods at the expense of local goods and at the expense of trade with Arab countries.
In the financial market, studies show that 60 percent of the shares of companies and banks are in the hands of Iranian traders, where they can strike hard on the Iraqi economy whenever they want to.
Iranian theft of Iraqi oil
Iran also managed to control 123 oil fields in the border areas between the two countries, and Iranian officials recognized that their country's production of oil "common fields" of 13 thousand barrels per day, and 68 thousand barrels of them are produced in fields could not be developed by the Iraqi government until Now with the approval of former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
Related News
The impact of the destruction in the city of Mosul in northern Iraq
Iran is tiring to rebuild Iraq after the elimination of a hasty
Zarif is in talks with officials in India about selling more euros
Iran complains of slow trade arrangements with the EU
Commenting on this hegemony, the adviser of the Iraqi Center for Studies d. Ghazi Faisal Hussein: "There is a network of political parties and political leaders and corrupt institutions associated with Iranian companies and banks, so this network produced the dominance of Iranian regional imperialism on Iraq, and therefore must be liquidated and dismantled these economic and political networks corrupt between Iraq and Tehran.
"US companies should help Iraq free itself from its energy needs from Iran," he said in an interview with Sky News. "It is also possible for Iraq to diversify energy sources, for example, on Russian and Egyptian gas."
"He also urged the Iraqi government to get rid of the unilateral economy with Iran to end the hegemony of Tehran through the diversification and multiplicity of trading partners, especially the United States and other countries
Documents .. Radical changes in the administration and sections of Najaf International Airport
18-01-2019
Baghdad
Al-Madar received documents issued by the Najaf airport administration, which are responsible for making radical changes in the airport's sections.
According to the document, "the posts of assistant director of the airport and the director of operations and assistants of all departments within the administrative structure were canceled, as Mr. Mohamed Hadi Abdul was assigned to manage the airport operations and be an alternative to the director of the airport in the absence of him.
"Mr. Emad Mohammed Jaber was assigned to the operations department for the evening session, in addition to assigning Mr. Ahmed Jalil Abdul Shaheed to the ground operations department and to replace the operations manager. In his absence, Mr. Alaa Hassan Nasser is the replacement of the operations manager."
"Mr. Mohammed Adel Al-Turaihi was appointed as Head of the Passenger Services Department and Mr. Baqer Rasim Abdul was a substitute for him in his absence.
"Mr. Amjad Abbas was assigned to supervise the lounge for the night and was assisted by Mr. Kazim Ali Al-Alaq. Mr. Saad Hashim Mohsen was appointed Director of Marketing, Marketing and External Relations Division. Mr. Hussein Ali Najm was appointed Director of the External Relations Division / Marketing Department. And external relations'.
According to the document, Engineer Arshad was assigned to manage the drawing and planning department. Eng. Ali Wathiq was transferred to the Flight Coordinators Division, Engineer Mohamed Hassan Ne'ma to the maintenance department and Engineer Haitham Abdul Yassin was transferred to the water project station.
And referred to the 'assignment of Mr. Ahmed Abdul Jalil Abdul Shahid to conduct the work of the Engineering Section until the selection of the department manager, and the transfer of Mr. Mustafa Kamel Hamid to planning and training'.
According to the document, "the posts of assistant director of the airport and the director of operations and assistants of all departments within the administrative structure were canceled, as Mr. Mohamed Hadi Abdul was assigned to manage the airport operations and be an alternative to the director of the airport in the absence of him.
"Mr. Emad Mohammed Jaber was assigned to the operations department for the evening session, in addition to assigning Mr. Ahmed Jalil Abdul Shaheed to the ground operations department and to replace the operations manager. In his absence, Mr. Alaa Hassan Nasser is the replacement of the operations manager."
"Mr. Mohammed Adel Al-Turaihi was appointed as Head of the Passenger Services Department and Mr. Baqer Rasim Abdul was a substitute for him in his absence.
"Mr. Amjad Abbas was assigned to supervise the lounge for the night and was assisted by Mr. Kazim Ali Al-Alaq. Mr. Saad Hashim Mohsen was appointed Director of Marketing, Marketing and External Relations Division. Mr. Hussein Ali Najm was appointed Director of the External Relations Division / Marketing Department. And external relations'.
According to the document, Engineer Arshad was assigned to manage the drawing and planning department. Eng. Ali Wathiq was transferred to the Flight Coordinators Division, Engineer Mohamed Hassan Ne'ma to the maintenance department and Engineer Haitham Abdul Yassin was transferred to the water project station.
And referred to the 'assignment of Mr. Ahmed Abdul Jalil Abdul Shahid to conduct the work of the Engineering Section until the selection of the department manager, and the transfer of Mr. Mustafa Kamel Hamid to planning and training'.
Al-Alusi warns of parliamentary legislation that meets Iran's expansionist needs in Iraq
18-01-2019 12:41 PM
Baghdad
Secretary of the Iraqi Umma Party, Mithal al-Alusi, warned against issuing parliamentary legislation that meets the needs of the Iranian expansionist regime in Iraq .
"We are living a campaign of dictations, interference, pressure, extortion, seduction and intimidation with intelligence and militia tools and means, and information about preparations for the appointment of Qassem Soleimani and his militias for a legislative decision to remove US forces, which are formally present at the invitation and approval of previous governments, Based on the Iraqi-US agreement, which was formulated by the Maliki government and the majority of religious parties, the Iranian fancy and submissive in the Iraqi Council of Representatives, when there was a consensus between the Obama administration and the Iranian regime .
Al-Alusi warned of "attempts to pass legislation to meet the needs of the Iranian regime expansionist in Iraq under the pretext of the removal of foreign forces, which is a fraud and an aggressive measure represents the size of the serious blackmail of the Iranian political process in general and parliamentary action in particular ."
The three presidencies are obliged to protect the homeland and the political process from this terrorist terrorist domination of the Iraqi legislator. The Iraqi provinces and their executive and legislative powers have the powers and responsibility to protect the land and the citizen, using the importance of deepening the means. Implementation of the Iraqi-US agreement to ensure the security and safety of the provinces and citizens '.
Al-Alusi called on the provinces 'to issue a decision not to allow any party to bear arms other than the Iraqi army, security forces and local police, and even to issue a decision to expel all kinds of suspicious militias '.
It is noteworthy that the leader of the Iraqi Umma Party, the example of Alusi did not rule out, on January 15, that the commander of the Iranian Quds Force, Major General Qassim Soleimani, a campaign of physical liquidation affecting the leaders of the 'militias' Shiite in Iraq, under conditions imposed by Washington to negotiate with Tehran .
Al-Alusi said that "one of the conditions of America to accept dialogue and negotiation with Iran is to abandon its support for the militias and to hand over the wanted leaders of militias to the judiciary." He added that 'Iran agreed and is now beginning to scale down the militias, according to private information reached us .'
"Not surprisingly, we may see arrests of militia leaders in Iraq in cooperation with Iranian intelligence or even their assassination by Qassem Soleimani, " he said.
Al-Alusi said that 'US messages reached Qasim Soleimani that your head is required or to hand over the leaders of the militias, it can be liquidated soon, and this is not excluded and very import'.
Kauaihn Iraq Articles:dd
An informed source had revealed earlier in the day that the MP for the alliance of the wisdom stream Abdul Hussein Abtan submitted his resignation from parliament for the nearness of the post of Secretary of Baghdad.
Washington to Stay Silent If Israel Attacks Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq: Pompeo
ERBIL US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has made it clear to Baghdad that Washington would stay silent if Israel attacks the Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias of Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq, a report revealed on Thursday.
According to a report by RT, Pompeo made the comment during his meeting with Iraqi PM Adil Abdul-Mahdi in Baghdad, where the Iraqi premier had expressed concerns that such attacks on the Shi'ite militias in Iraq could result in instability in the region.
Meanwhile, the US has notified the Hashd al-Shaabi to evacuate several military fortresses in eastern Mosul, north of Iraq, Ali Mulham, a Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) representative in the area, told BasNews.
Pompeo paid a visit to Baghdad and Kurdistan Region's Erbil province two weeks ago where he met with high-level officials from the both governments.
Leading in the conquest calls the three presidencies to hand over the secretariat of Baghdad to "the year"
Iraq News Now 10:58
Baghdad / Al-Ghad Press:
Called the leader of the alliance Fatah Abdul Amir al-Dabbi, on Friday, the three presidencies to hand over the secretariat of Baghdad to someone with experience and competence of the Sunni component.
"I call upon the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Republic to correct Baghdad by handing over the post of Secretary of the Capital to a person with at least 15 years' administrative and technical experience and to be one of the Brothers of the Community," Al-Dabbi said in a brief statement. (Sinya) of the original Baghdadi who drank water and ate the best of its soil. "
An informed source had revealed earlier in the day that the MP for the alliance of the wisdom stream Abdul Hussein Abtan submitted his resignation from parliament for the nearness of the post of Secretary of Baghdad.
The source told "Al-Ghad Press" that "Abdul-Hussein Abtan submitted his resignation to the House of Representatives, as he was close to the post of Secretary of Baghdad."
It is noteworthy that Abdul Hussein Abtan, winner of the stream of wisdom has not been the constitutional right in Parliament so far.
Iran competes for Iraqi markets
Friday, January 18, 2019 12:00 PM admin
Tehran/ Iraq TradeLink: Iranian economic sources said that the Iraqis prefer buying Iranian goods and
commodities due to cultural, religious and political relations.
The US invasion of Iraq and the deterioration in Iraqi economy obliged the country to export great number of commodities from Iran, particularly foodstuff, construction materials, electricity and oil products.
The US sanctions against Iran made the Iraqi market very important to Iranian companies, which led Iranian officials to make shuttle visits to Baghdad to enhance economic relations.
Iraq is the second trade partner for Iran after China, according to Iranian statistics.
Another Young Yezidi Woman Freed from IS
18/01/2019 - 00:18
ERBIL Another young Yezidi woman was freed from the Islamic State (IS) captivity in Syria, Kurdistan Region's Special Office for Yezidi Abductee Affairs said in a statement on Thursday.According to the statement, the civilian was identified as Firiyal Khadida, 18, from the Yezidi majority populated region of Sinjar.
She, alongside her family, had been kidnapped from the village of Siba Sheikhdir in Sinjar since 2014, the press release explained.In mid-2014, the Islamic State militant group attacked Sinjar where the jihadists killed and abducted thousands of civilians, half of whom have so far been rescued with the help of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
South Korea seeks enhancing relations with Iraq: Amb.
January 18, 2019
South Korean Ambassador to Iraq Song Woong Yeob stressed his government's keenness to strengthen relations with Iraq in industry, investment, trade and cultural exchange.
This came during a meeting with Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi on Thursday.
Halbousi discussed with Yeob deepening friendship between the two countries, according to an official statement.
The two diplomats also reviewed the historical relations between the two countries, which extends nearly thirty years, the statement read.
They also discussed the exchange of visits and the establishment of joint economic relations.
This came during a meeting with Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi on Thursday.
Halbousi discussed with Yeob deepening friendship between the two countries, according to an official statement.
The two diplomats also reviewed the historical relations between the two countries, which extends nearly thirty years, the statement read.
They also discussed the exchange of visits and the establishment of joint economic relations.
Zamili: The majority of members of the House of Representatives with the removal of the occupation forces and there is no pressure exercised on the Council to keep these forces
17/01/2019
The MP for the construction coalition Abbas al-Zamili, On Thursday, that the House of Representatives will begin during the second legislative term legislation of the law to remove foreign troops from the country, pointing out that there is no legal justification for the presence of these forces inside the country. Zamili said
"The second legislative term of the House of Representatives will continue to legislate the law to remove all foreign forces because their presence is illegal," asserting "the absence of any legal justification for the presence of these forces within the country." "The majority of members of the House of Representatives with the removal of these forces and there is no pressure exerted on the Council to keep these forces." The MP for the reform alliance Jamal Fakher said in a statement earlier that the draft of the removal of foreign troops (US and Turkish) of the country will be presented to vote within the House of Representatives next week.
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The Treasury Department released a revised shutdown contingency plan on Tuesday calling for only 46,000 Internal Revenue Service employees to return to work to get ready for tax filing season, but the majority of them will be unpaid until the partial government shutdown ends.
Under the previous contingency plan that has been in place since the shutdown began on Dec. 22, 88 percent of the IRS's 80,000 employees had been sent home without pay. Under the new filing season plan released Tuesday, 46,052 employees will be back on the job starting this week; 42.6 percent of the workforce will remain furloughed.
Last week, the IRS announced that tax refunds would be processed as usual once tax season begins on Jan. 28, even if the shutdown lasts until then, and said it would be recalling a "significant portion" of its furloughed employees.
The union representing IRS employees, the National Treasury Employees Union, is protesting the plan to call back workers without paying them. "There is no doubt the IRS needs to get ready for the 2019 filing season that starts Jan. 28, and IRS employees want to work," said NTEU national president Tony Reardon in a statement. "But the hard, cold reality is that they've already missed a paycheck and soon they'll be asked to work for free for as long as the shutdown lasts."
The NTEU filed a lawsuit last week challenging the plan, saying that the executive branch can't continue to force more and more employees to show up in exchange for just an IOU.
The IRS, even at full staff, struggles with its customer service. The majority of phone calls to the IRS during tax season, go unanswered.
Now to try to serve 130 million tax filers with half the staff should make for a very interesting tax season.
As World Powers Fail to Work Together, Global Risks Grow More Dangerous
TIME
TIME
The world's urgent challenges can only be solved through coordinated action Read the full story
OIL/COMMODITIES/ENERGY
Political Uncertainty Pushes Online Gold Bullion Trading Up
Forbes
Gold bullion is still regarded a safe haven in times of political uncertainty. This Birmingham based online trading firm is enjoying record trading as nervous investors hedge their bets. Read the full story
PRECIOUS-Gold holds steady ahead of British no-confidence vote
Reuters
Reuters
(Adds comments, details) Read the full story
Gold Near $1,300 Again as UK PM Fights for Political Survival
Investing.com
Commodities Jan 16, 2019 17:53 GMT Investing.com - The U.K.’s political and economic problems and a no-confidence vote on Prime Minister Theresa May after her failed Brexit deal vote are keeping alive gold bugs’ hopes of recapturing highs of above $1,300 per ounce, even as China’s attempts to steady its economy tamp down safe havens. Gold futures for February delivery on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange settled up $5.40, or 0.4%, at $1,293.80 per ounce after reaching a Read the full story
Oil Resumes Rally As Stockpiles Seen Lower, China Eyes Tax Cuts
Investor's Business Daily
Investor's Business Daily
Oil climbed as investors anticipated another decline in U.S. crude inventories and China promised to slash taxes to avert an economic slowdown. Read the full story
Why We Could See Higher Oil Prices This Year
Markets & Money
Gas prices have been volatile recently. Oil prices hit a low in December. As you can see below, Brent crude plummeted to about US$50 a barrel then. It has since somewhat recovered. It’s currently trading… Read More The post Why We Could See Higher Oil Prices This Year appeared first on Markets & Money. Read the full story
BANKS/BANKING/CREDIT
Goldman says rich people will drag down the U.S. economy by spending less
Bloomberg
The stock-market sell-off is going to be a significant drag on the U.S. economy this year as wealthy households feel its impact, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Read the full story
Greek central banker says plans on bad loans must proceed fast to relieve markets
Reuters
Schemes that Greece's centralbank and the country's bank rescue fund are working on to helpspeed up the reduction of sour loans burdening bank balancesheets should proceed fast, the country's central bank chiefsaid on Wednesday. Read the full story
In the busiest week for bank earnings, watch out for this one key level
CNBC
Earnings beat or miss, there could be one key level in the financials space to determine whether a big bank breakout is ahead. Read the full story
Hong Kong banks need to adopt this key hiring practice as virtual era dawns
South China Morning Post
Banks need to get rid of their slow hiring process and team up with tech companies to face the arrival of the first batch of virtual banks this year, according to financial experts at the Asian Financial Forum on Tuesday. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority… Read the full story
UPDATE 1-Lebanese cbank targets stable pound, says bank deposits rose in 2018
Reuters
Reuters
TREASURIES/BONDS/STOCKS
Uncertainty on Wall Street is at a record high
CBS News
A key measure of global economic uncertainty hit its highest level ever this month amid all kinds of worrisome news Read the full story
5 Takeaways From Our Panel of Market and Investing Professionals
Barron's
The conversation covered everything from rising levels of debt, to technological disruption, to recession fears and more. Read the full story
4 Signs Another Recession Is Coming ― And What It Means For You
HuffPost
What a wild ride the last couple of months have been. ... Read the full story
Top 5 Things to Know in The Market on Thursday
Investing.com
Economy Jan 17, 2019 10:27 GMT Investing.com - Here are the top five things you need to know in financial markets on Thursday, January 17: 1. U.S. Steps Up Pressure on Huawei and ZTE A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced bills that would ban the sale of U.S. chips or other components to Huawei Technologies, ZTE Corp (HK:0763) or other Chinese telecommunications companies that violate U.S. sanctions or export control laws. The proposed law drew sharp criticism from China where Foreign Read the full story
Day Ahead: Top 3 Things to Watch
Investing.com
Stock Markets Jan 16, 2019 22:00 GMT Investing.com - Here’s a preview of the top 3 things that could rock markets tomorrow. 1. Netflix Kicks off Tech Earnings While there are plenty of earnings scheduled ahead of trading tomorrow, the big report comes after the closing bell as Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX), one of the famous FAANGs, issues its results. Big things will be expected as the stock has been on a tear. It’s up more than 31% since the start of the year, getting a major boost recently when it Read the full story
CRYPTO'S / DIGITAL CURRENCY
Will Bitcoin's Price Extend Its Four-Year January Losing Streak?
CoinDesk
Bitcoin has reported losses in January for the last four years, and a fifth now looks on the cards. Read the full story
Push intensifies for cryptocurrency industry to police itself
Roll Call
Proponents who tout the revolutionary potential for digital assets may turn to a more traditional model to protect investors and pre-empt additional scrutiny: self-regulation. A group known as the Virtual Commodity Association is working to establish an industry-sponsored regulator tasked with governing the market. It would function in a similar manner to stock markets, where at least some conduct is policed by the industry itself. Read the full story
When will Bitcoin rise again?
SlashGear
Analysts weighed in this week on signals for the return of Bitcoin to cash money prominence. While it would appear that Bitcoin reached its floor at around $3,500 USD, there’s a whole lot of doubt in the market after the most major drop in the history of cryptocurrency – the fall of January 2018. Volume appeared en masse at the drop from $6k to $3k, but not in a way that necessarily suggested Bitcoin-specific accumulation was about to appear out of thin air. Analysts predicted the bottom of Read the full story
South Africa to Start Tracking All Cryptocurrency Transactions in 2019 - Bitcoinist.com
Bitcoinist.net
Bitcoinist.net
Owning bitcoin in South Africa just got a little harder, or at least it will do by the end of quarter one this year. According to a consultation paper published yesterday by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), some hefty new regulation surrounding and exchanges and ATMs is about to be enforced. South African Regulators Are Cracking Down on Bitcoin The paper points to the several problems that cryptocurrencies present that spur the need to develop a proper regulatory response. Among these, it Read the full story
CURRENCIES
Forex - Dollar Pushes Higher; Pound Slips as Risk Sentiment Pressured
Investing.com
Forex Jan 17, 2019 08:10 GMT Investing.com - The U.S. dollar pushed higher against a basket of its key rivals on Thursday, building on its recent strong gains, while the pound slipped amid softer risk sentiment. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a basket of six major currencies, was up 0.14% at 95.80 by 03:54 AM ET (08:54 AM GMT), after gaining about 1% over the previous five sessions. Market sentiment remained subdued amid concerns that the U.S. government Read the full story
Forex - Pound Settles after Brexit Vote Defeat; Dollar Edges LowerInvesting.com
Forex Jan 16, 2019 09:04 GMT Investing.com - The pound firmed up on Wednesday following a plunge overnight when the UK parliament overwhelmingly voted down Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal, adding to uncertainties surrounding the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. GBP/USD was at 1.2862 by 03:54 AM ET (08:54 AM GMT) after falling as low as 1.2667 late Tuesday. The parliament on Tuesday voted 432-202 against May’s deal, the worst parliamentary defeat for a government in recent Read the full story
COLUMN-As global growth clouds darken, sterling may not be hostage to Brexit fortune: McGeever
Reuters
(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, acolumnist for Reuters) Read the full story
Rupee trades marginally higher against US dollar as trade deficit narrows
Livemint
Indian rupee today traded marginally higher against US dollar after the country’s trade deficit narrowed to a 10-month low in December. At 9.15am, the currency was trading at 70.95 a dollar, up 0.10% from previous close of 71.02. The home currency opened at 71.03 a dollar. Read the full story
No currency, but a currency crisis: Zimbabwe's woes deepen
Chron.com
Not having a currency of its own hasn't stopped Zimbabwe from sliding into a currency crisis. A scarcity of foreign exchange has led to long queues for fuel, bread and medicine and sent prices surging across the southern African country. Police clashed with protesters in the capital, Harare, on Monday as the main trade-union group started a strike after the government over the weekend more than doubled gasoline prices to $12.58 a gallon ($3.31 a liter), the highest in the world, according to Read the full story
INSURANCE / HEALTH / SCIENCE
Study: How Less Than 6 Hours Of Sleep May Hurt Your Blood Vessels
Forbes
Poor quality sleep, such as frequent waking, may also increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Read the full story
Bone Broth's Positive Link to Heart Health Discovered by Food Scientists
Inverse
In a paper released in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry a team of scientists in Spain suggest that ham bone broths could have surprising effects on heart health -- especially after they're subjected to traditional mediterranean cooking. Read the full story
7 Things That Can Cause Asthma
Health.com
Could one of these be the source of your wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath? Read the full story
New study finds that activity keeps your brain sharper, even if you have dementia
NBC News
Even people with limited mobility had clearer thinking if they did whatever activity they could, the study found. Read the full story
USA / CANADA
Economy make take big hit from government shutdown
ABC News
Investment bank J.P. Morgan is warning that the shutdown could drive economic growth to zero. ABC News' Stephanie Ramos reports. Read the full story
The polar vortex has split, sending frigid air howling into the U.S. and Europe
Axios
The polar vortex, the often hyped weather feature that typically keeps frigid, Arctic air nestled close to the North Pole during winter, has broken down into 3 pieces. It's spilling cold air out of the Arctic like a leaky faucet and spawning intense winter storms in parts of the U.S. and Europe in particular. Read the full story
IRS to waive penalties for under-withholding after Trump tax changes
USA TODAY
The Internal Revenue Service will waive penalties against taxpayers who withheld too little of their pay for taxes last year. Read the full story
Trump signs law ensuring shutdown back pay for government workers
CNN Politics
President Donald Trump signed a bill providing back pay to federal employees affected by the ongoing partial government shutdown, the White House announced Wednesday. Read the full story
EMERGING MARKETS
Brazil stocks ease off record highs; Latam FX dips
Reuters
The top ten economies in the world by 2030
Small Caps
Sometimes a little bit of research is all it takes to reset your fixation with short term market fluctuations and pan back to see some longer term trends. That was certainly the case for me last week when UK multinational bank Standard Chartered produced some interesting research that showed that by 2030, seven of the... Read the full story
Venezuela bonds rally as opposition challenges Maduro
Reuters
Venezuelan bonds haverallied sharply over the past week as the country's oppositionhas mounted a renewed legislative challenge to President NicolasMaduro, whose second term in office started this month and hasbeen widely dubbed as illegitimate. Read the full story
Crucial housing funds for Puerto Rico are stalled due to the government shutdown
NBC News
Puerto Rico expected to start receiving billions in housing funds from HUD this month for rebuilding efforts, but the government shutdown has halted the process. Read the full story
MIDDLE EAST
Putin, Turkey's Erdogan to discuss U.S. pullout from Syria next week
Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will hold talks in Moscow next week to discuss Syria in light of the planned withdrawal of U.S. troops, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday. Read the full story
Iran says will be ready for new satellite launch in a few months: IRIB
Reuters
Reuters
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that Tehran will be ready for a new satellite launch in a few months after a failed attempt this week, ignoring U.S. and European warnings to avoid such activity. Read the full story
Iran Warns Israel: Don’t Play with Lion’s Tail
IFP News
The IRGC commander calls funny the Israeli premier’s warning to Iranian forces to leave Syria saying that the Islamic Republic will keep advisors in Syria. Read the full story
Turkey: Could the US damage its economy?
BBC News US
Is Turkey at the mercy of the US economically as President Trump claims? Read the full story
Up to 75 UN monitors to shore up truce in Yemen's Hudaida
TRT World
Up to 75 UN monitors to shore up truce in Yemen's Hudaida Read the full story
Explainer: The latest cash crunch behind Zimbabwe's protests
Reuters
Protests against fuel price hikes in Zimbabwe have entered their third day, posing a major challenge for President Emmerson Mnangagwa who replaced long-time leader Robert Mugabe and promised to repair the creaking economy. Read the full story
Zimbabwe Threatens to Expel Western Envoys
AllAfrica
Harare The beleaguered Zimbabwean government has threatened to expel some diplomatic missions and foreign sponsored non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for allegedly influencing regime change in the country. The United States (US) and Germany are mainly targeted for reportedly masterminding a wave of strikes by civil servants, which saw burning of tyres in the country's cities of Harare, Bulawayo, Chitungwiza and Kadoma. President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government is also accusing the Western Read the full story
Uncertainty rolls on in Zimbabwe, as rioters hit the streets and internet access is shut down
Proactive Investors
Rioters took to the streets of Bulawayo and Harare this week as the economic situation in Zimbabwe continues to fester, despite earlier hopes that new President Emmerson Mnangagwa would be able to deliver much-needed reform. The country is currently suffering from severe fuel shortages, in the wake of price hikes imposed by the President a couple of days ago. President on four-nation tour Private internet access has also been cut off across most parts of the country, as Mnangagwa’s regime seeks Read the full story
Zimbabwe’s Booming Tobacco-Farming Sector Tainted by Use of Child Labor
The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times
Tobacco at one of Zimbabwe’s tobacco auction floors in Harare, Zimbabwe. MUTARE, Zimbabwe—Tobacco farming in Zimbabwe is booming, buoyed by the growing demand for tobacco in China, but experts are raising concerns over the rampant use of child labor on tobacco farms. Up to 166,000 mostly small-scale farmers have registered to grow the crop during the 2018–2019 farming season, up from 103,000 the previous season, according to Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board. The board’s 2017 Read the full story
South Africa's retail sales up 3.1 percent year/year in November
Reuters
South African retail salesrose 3.1 percent year-on-year in November after increasing at arevised year-on-year rate of 2.1 percent in October, thestatistics office said on Wednesday. Read the full story
ASIA
China Just Injected $83 Billion Into Its Economy. Here's Why.
FORTUNE
China’s central bank on Wednesday offered financial institutions $83 billion in liquidity as part of a wider economic stimulus. The move sets a record for a single day. On Tuesday, several Chinese government institutions told investors they would be spending more and providing policy support to sustain the economy. Measures included certain tax cuts. Those reassurances followed Monday’s news that China’s international trade was down amidst its trade war with the U.S. Eight of 12 Chinese Read the full story
Why Visa and Mastercard can’t set up shop in China
South China Morning Post
China’s central bank has denied that it has delayed opening up its credit card market to Visa and Mastercard, both of which have spent over a decade trying to enter the country. The People’s Bank of China has refuted a report in the Financial Times on… Read the full story
China goes all out to boost its economy during trade talks
CNBC
As the U.S. and China negotiate on trade, Beijing is working overtime, pulling multiple levers to steady its lagging economy and boost markets. Read the full story
Japanese Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya, in visit to Washington, seeks US help to combat Chinese cyberattacks
South China Morning Post
As Japan seeks the United States’ help to bolster its cyberwarfare capabilities amid what it says are continuing cyberattacks from China, the Japanese defence minister travelled to Washington on Wednesday to urge greater cooperation. The minister, Takeshi… Read the full story
Asia Stocks Set to Rise After Profits Buoy S&P 500: Markets Wrap
Bloomberg
Asian stocks looked set to push higher Thursday following gains in U.S. equities as signs of a better-than-expected start to the earnings season countered concerns about rising U.S.-China tensions. The yen retreated and the dollar steadied. Read the full story
EUROPE
Buy a villa in this Italian city for one euro
CNN
Sambuca, Italy is offering homes for €1 (or less than $2 US) in hopes that it will bring in new residents, but there's one requirement. Read the full story
Diverging Brexit Scenarios Send Pound Down After Whipsaw Session
Bloomberg
The pound fell in Asian trading as investors started to weigh a worst-case Brexit after Prime Minister Theresa May’s plan was roundly defeated by U.K. lawmakers. Read the full story
Why May's Brexit defeat matters to the U.S.
CBS News
The overwhelming defeat of Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal – in a vote of 432 to 202 – plunges the United Kingdom into its deepest political crisis in half a century. Roxana Saberi reports on the impact.Read the full story
British PM May: We are leaving the EU on March 29
Reuters
Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday that Britain will be leaving the European Union on March 29, and that the bloc would only consider extending the 'Article 50' negotiating period if there was a credible alternative exit plan. Read the full story
Theresa May survives vote to oust her after Brexit plan is crushed
NBC News
We are living through an historic moment in our nation's history," May said before the vote. "We dearly need to bring our country back together." Read the full story
CBI, ISX, Kauaihn Chatter:
CBI Update:
Closed on Friday and Saturday
Kauaihn Chatter:dd
http://www.dinarguru.com/
1-18-2019 Newshound Guru MilitiaMan "FROM IRAQI TV: The Economic and Investment Committee.... Iraq may be forced to float the dinar to encourage investment in Iraq." Using words like Urgent Measures to reduce Auctions earlier, and now they may be FORCED to FLOAT the DINAR!!! The language is very powerful, thus, it is very important.. Again, the CBI stated the other day now, that the 2% fee on $20.00 (transactions) will cease on Sunday, thus, the take away is they may show us smalls.. imo.. Why all the Urgency? Logic points to reforms being completed, thus, change is coming...imo.
1-17-2019 Newshound Guru Breitling People are asking me about the oil prices. There’s a big panic in the dinar world because the oil prices started going up…Fact - the United States has control over the oil markets and the price is going to go down. It’s going to force these countries to do all sorts of stuff…cause they are going to go broke if they don’t. They know it. We know it. We know where they’re break even points are…so people are seeing the oil prices go up. It’s short term.
1-17-2019 Intel Guru Delta FROM IRAQI TV: The Economic and Investment Committee.... Iraq may be forced to float the dinar to encourage investment in Iraq.
1-17-2019 Intel Guru Delta FROM IRAQI TV: The Economic and Investment Committee.... Iraq may be forced to float the dinar to encourage investment in Iraq.
1-17-2019 Newshound/Intel Guru Mnt Goat Article: "WHEN WILL THE IRAQI DINAR BE REVALUED?" So again the CBI is telling us and I quote - “the revaluation of the Iraqi dinar is ready to be implemented by the country’s Central Bank; however, the Parliamentary Economic and Investment Commission HAD DECIDED TO POSTPONE THE REVALUATION UNTIL NOW TO 2019”.
What is this telling us? 1)Again the CBI does not work alone and needs the support of the rest of the government. 2)The project to delete the zeros was postponed until 2019. Again...this confirms that perhaps this year of 2019 is our year to get it done. It is now January 2019 folks!1-17-2019 Newshound Guru Kaperoni I...want to point out every year someone says look at the budget for a change. ...The budget has nothing to do with any reforms and can be made retroactive at anytime.
1-17-2019 Newshound Guru MilitiaMan The answer from the contact specifically says...as I have and others have suggested...They are article 8 compliant imo ... Like has been said for years, they don’t have to tell us.. But by actions they are. ...In other words. Imo, They show us they are article 8 just as they rightfully can without yet specifically saying so for 30 days ...
1-17-2019 Intel Guru Delta Single Currency Crosses...LOT OF MOVEMENT NEVER SEEN BEFORE...SPECIALLY...EUR/IQD AND GBP/IQD...
1-17-2019 Intel Guru Frank26 ...IMO, on December the 30 when my friends firm was given 240 contracts at a rate of one to one with the American dollar they lifted the three zeros electronically in country!!! And this is exactly what they told you they were going to do!!! ...240 contracts are a lot of contracts at a new RI rate.. And as I said they have gone from the NEER (Nominal effective Exchange rate) to the REER (Real effective Exchange Rate). Soon it will be announced publicly at a rate of 1 to 1 because these calculations have been done, tested and approved. But above all they have been built on Int’l standards. ...IMO, a 1 to 1 in country is something that we, as investors of the IQD, will never see! (hint: IMO the rate we see will be much higher). [post 2 of 2]
1-17-2019 Intel Guru Frank26 ...my friend [Guru] Walkingstick is working with the Government of Iraq and the Central Bank of Iraq. Not only on the 2nd set of books that was successfully done. But because those books were successful on the 30th of December of 2018 my friend’s firm received 240 contracts from the Gov’t of Iraq. ...The Government of Iraq has started internally. In fact 24 of those 240 contracts have already been paid! And they were paid in IQDs...they were paid at a rate of one to one to the USD! ...Let’s say for example the contracts were worth 200,000. And the 200,00 was paid is paid to my friend’s firm in Iraqi dinars...that 200,000 dinars was presented in the contract at a rate of 1 to 1 to the USD. So that 200,000 dinars is actually $200,000.00 American dollars...my friend has a contract in his hands at 1 to 1 with the American dollar and the Iraqi dinar. [post 1 of 2....stay tuned]
Elmer:
Not in today
Artmeister:
Not in today
Catnip:
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ARTICLE 1 (from PM Mahdi's website)
Since this report was last submitted, there have been no new articles posted on PM Mahdi's website. Likewise, all tweets posted on the Government of Iraq twitter account have already been shared.
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ARTICLE 2
Haider al-Abadi is a deputy under the parliament soon
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - January 18 - Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Abdullah al-Jubouri announced on Friday the intention of the former prime minister, leader of the al-Nasr coalition, Haider al-Abadi, to join the parliament soon.
"He met with the president of the victory coalition, Haider al-Abadi, and discussed with him the latest developments in the political scene, ways to keep Iraq away from international conflicts and make the country's interest above all partisan and personal interests," Jubouri said in a statement.
He explained that "Abadi told him during the meeting, that he intends to join the House of Representatives soon to continue his political career." (1)
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ARTICLE 3
A number of motorcycles were hit by a heavy vehicle in western Kirkuk
KIRKUK, Iraq, Jan 18 (AFP) - The intelligence of the 16th Brigade spotted a number of demonstrators in the area of Khuwayshihah in the Rashad district west of Kirkuk, And opened fire on them, which led to the injury of a number of them and the escape of those remaining between the Wadi Zghitun area. "
The anti-explosives unit of the 50th Brigade in Nineveh carried out a survey and clearance operation in the villages of Talqeef district
The source added, "The operation resulted in the lifting of 90 rounds of homemade rocket-propelled grenade, 10 car bombs and 28 glycans homemade booby-trapped, as well as the lifting of five missiles, all of the remnants of Daash, noting that the brigade's detachment transported the explosives to a safe place, Blow up some of them. " End Ah
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ARTICLE 4
Far a statement to Najmuddin Karim .. Alliance Abadi warns Abdul Mahdi: Kirkuk is a red line
BAGHDAD, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) - The Al-Nasr coalition, led by Haider al-Abadi, warned Thursday that Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi would not go beyond the "red line" regarding Kirkuk's status.
The leader of the coalition Ali al-Sunaid, "The words of Najmuddin Karim, governor of Kirkuk, the article about the removal of Iraqi forces from Kirkuk on the basis of an agreement with Baghdad, is inaccurate, and we exclude that Abdul Mahdi issue such a decision."
He added in a press statement that "we warn of the loss of national achievement achieved in Kirkuk during the time of the government of Abbadi, and return under the control of the Kurdish parties," considering that "prejudice to the current status of the red lines, the agreement of all political forces that will not allow any change at all."
The governor of Kirkuk, Necmettin Karim Kesh revealed, on Thursday, an outline led by the President of the Democratic Party Massoud Barzani, said that he is in cooperation with Baghdad, to remove the "alien" forces from Kirkuk.
Karim said in a statement to reporters on the sidelines of a funeral for leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in Arbil, that "there are efforts to normalize Kirkuk," noting that "Massoud Barzani leads planned efforts in Baghdad in this regard."
He added: "We hope that the normalization of the situation in Kirkuk in a peaceful manner, and that the non-Kirkuk and foreign troops from the province coming from other areas."
He stressed that "the need to restore conditions in the preservation of what it was before the invasion of an organization calling for areas in Iraq." (1)
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ARTICLE 5
Why does not an elephant get cancer?
2019/1/17 18:17
[Where - Continue]
Scientists have been busy for years trying to figure out why some animals did not get cancer, such as elephants and whales.
With multiple hypotheses that huge animal sizes protect them from the causes of cancer, an American scientist has found a unique gene in elephants that protects them from malignant disease.
In 2012, a scientist named Vincent Lynch decided to examine African elephant genes to see if he had additional cancer-fighting genes.
Crabs occur when a DNA gene mutates, allowing cells to grow and multiply in a harmful and out of control manner.
Scientists believe that larger animals are made up of more cells, so cancer genes need more time to be fatal with large animals.
Since then scientists have presented dozens of hypotheses to see why cancer is not attacked by elephants. Perhaps the most common answer is that large animals have more anti-cancer defenses until scientists have finally solved the mystery, and it is not at all dependent on size.
The elephants have a gene that works to revive another destructive gene and assign them to kill cancer cells, the same as in other animals, including bats.
The life-saving gene, known as LIF6, targets cells that are about to turn into cancerous tumors and destroy them.
Through experiments, the researchers found that when elephant cells begin to be exposed to cancer-causing damage, the tumors gradually decrease by triggering the life-saving defense system, the LIF6 gene.
Scientists hope to find drugs that mimic the effect of cancer-resistant genes and develop new revolutionary treatments for future cancer patients.
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