Conservative Party whip Chris Pincher resigns over groping allegation after 'drinking far too much' on night out - Sky News

Boris Johnson's deputy chief whip has resigned over an allegation of groping, Sky News understands.

Chris Pincher, 52, said he had drunk "far too much" and had "embarrassed myself and other people" on a night out.

"I apologise to you and to those concerned," he added in a letter to the prime minister.

Mr Pincher "groped two men in front of others" at the Carlton Club in the St James's area of central London, a government source told Sky News.

One of those groped is an MP, and the second one may be a member of parliament too, the source added.

Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said Mr Johnson had "serious questions to answer" about why Mr Pincher had been "given this role (as deputy chief whip) in the first place and how he can remain a Conservative MP".

His departure comes less than a week after former Tory chairman Oliver Dowden stood down over two by-election defeats.

It is the second time Mr Pincher has quit the whips office.

In November 2017, Downing Street said he had "voluntarily referred himself both to the party's complaints procedure and the police".

The Mail on Sunday reported that Mr Pincher had been accused of making an unwanted pass at Conservative activist and former British rower Alex Story.

Mr Pincher told the newspaper: "If Mr Story has ever felt offended by anything I said then I can only apologise to him."

Theresa May reappointed him to the whips office the following year.

In his letter to Boris Johnson, the Conservative MP for Tamworth wrote: "Last night I drank far too much.

"I've embarrassed myself and other people which is the last thing I want to do and for that I apologise to you and to those concerned.

"I think the right thing to do in the circumstances is for me to resign as deputy chief whip.

"I owe it to you and the people I've caused upset to, to do this."

Mr Pincher added: "I want to assure you that you will continue to have my full support from the back benches, and I wish you all the best as you deal with aftershocks of COVID and the challenges of international inflation.

"It has been the honour of my life to have served in Her Majesty's Government."

Ms Rayner said the resignation showed "how far standards in public life have been degraded on Boris Johnson's watch".

She added: "The Conservative Party is so mired in sleaze and scandal that it is totally unable to tackle the challenges facing the British people."

Mr Johnson has been fined by the Metropolitan Police for breaking lockdown rules.

In May, Neil Parish resigned as a Conservative MP after admitting watching pornography in the House of Commons.

Image: MP Pincher has been an MP since 2010

Chris Pincher has been an MP since the 2010 general election, when the Conservatives formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats.

Before his latest spell in the whips office he was minister of state for Europe and the Americas, and minister of state for housing.

He also writes a column on alcoholic drinks for The Critic magazine. A recent one was headlined: "Fall into the gin trap."

The Tories are not the only party experiencing sleaze allegations at present.

Earlier this month, it emerged that SNP MP Patrick Grady was facing suspension from the House of Commons after an allegation of sexual misconduct was upheld following a parliamentary investigation.

An independent expert panel recommended that Mr Grady be suspended from the House for two days for making an "unwanted sexual advance" to a member of party staff at a work social event at a pub in 2016.

Mr Grady was also ordered to make a public apology in the chamber and to say sorry privately to the person who complained.

The SNP's leader in Westminster, Ian Blackford, has faced calls to step down in connection with the same matter.

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2022-06-30 21:30:47Z
1487432988

Conservative Party whip Chris Pincher resigns over groping allegation after 'drinking far too much' on night out - Sky News

Boris Johnson's deputy chief whip has resigned over an allegation of groping, Sky News understands.

Chris Pincher said he had drunk "far too much" and had "embarrassed myself and other people" on a night out.

"I apologise to you and to those concerned," he added in a letter to the prime minister.

Mr Pincher groped two men in front of others at the Carlton Club in the St James's area of central London, a government source told Sky News.

One of those groped is an MP, and the second one may be an MP too, the source added.

Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said Mr Johnson had "serious questions to answer" about why Mr Pincher had been "given this role (as deputy chief whip) in the first place and how he can remain a Conservative MP".

His departure comes less than a week after former Tory chairman Oliver Dowden stood down over two by-election defeats.

It is the second time Mr Pincher has quit the whips office.

In November 2017, Downing Street said he had "voluntarily referred himself both to the party's complaints procedure and the police".

The Mail on Sunday reported that Mr Pincher had been accused of making an unwanted pass at Conservative activist and former British rower Alex Story.

Mr Pincher told the newspaper: "If Mr Story has ever felt offended by anything I said then I can only apologise to him."

In his letter to Boris Johnson, the Conservative MP for Tamworth wrote: "Last night I drank far too much.

"I've embarrassed myself and other people which is the last thing I want to do and for that I apologise to you and to those concerned.

"I think the right thing to do in the circumstances is for me to resign as deputy chief whip.

"I owe it to you and the people I've caused upset to, to do this."

Mr Pincher added: "I want to assure you that you will continue to have my full support from the back benches, and I wish you all the best as you deal with aftershocks of COVID and the challenges of international inflation.

"It has been the honour of my life to have served in Her Majesty's Government."

Ms Rayner said the resignation showed "how far standards in public life have been degraded on Boris Johnson's watch".

She added: "The Conservative Party is so mired in sleaze and scandal that it is totally unable to tackle the challenges facing the British people."

Mr Johnson has been fined by the Metropolitan Police for breaking lockdown rules.

Image: MP Pincher has been an MP since 2010

Chris Pincher has been an MP since the 2010 general election, when the Conservatives formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats.

Before becoming deputy chief whip he was minister of state for Europe and the Americas, and minister of state for housing.

He also writes a column on alcoholic drinks for The Critic magazine. A recent one was headlined: "Fall into the gin trap."

The Tories are not the only party experiencing sleaze allegations at present.

Earlier this month, it emerged that SNP MP Patrick Grady was facing suspension from the House of Commons after an allegation of sexual misconduct was upheld following a parliamentary investigation.

An independent expert panel recommended that Mr Grady be suspended from the House for two days for making an "unwanted sexual advance" to a member of party staff at a work social event at a pub in 2016.

Mr Grady was also ordered to make a public apology in the chamber and to say sorry privately to the person who complained.

The SNP's leader in Westminster, Ian Blackford, has faced calls to step down in connection with the same matter.

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2022-06-30 20:31:58Z
1487432988

Flights cancelled from Heathrow due to 'higher passenger numbers than airport can serve' - Sky News

More flights from Heathrow have been cancelled today due to passenger numbers exceeding the airport's maximum capacity.

A total of 30 flights have been removed from the morning schedule as the travel chaos across UK airports continues.

Most passengers are expected to be rebooked on to other flights outside of peak times, making it still possible for them to fly out today.

A Heathrow spokesperson said: "We are expecting higher passenger numbers in today's morning peak than the airport currently has capacity to serve, and so to keep everyone safe we have asked airlines to remove 30 flights from the morning peak for today only.

"We apologise for the impact this has on travel plans.

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"We are working hard to ensure everyone has a smooth journey through Heathrow this summer, and the most important thing is to make sure that all service providers at the airport have enough resources to meet demand."

A "small number" of British Airways flights are among those affected, with the airline saying it is in contact with affected customers.

More on Heathrow Airport

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It is expected that 98% of flights out of the airport will operate as planned.

Customers who have been affected by the cancellations should be contacted by their airline and given advice on the possible alternatives.

Read more: What are my rights if strikes hit the summer holidays at Heathrow?

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2:37

'Horrific' scenes at Heathrow last week

'Absolute shambles'

However, some passengers did not find out their flights were cancelled until they arrived at what is the UK's busiest airport.

Travel writer and broadcaster Andy Mossack said: "Total chaos at Heathrow this morning. British Airways flights cancelled and zero customer service."

One passenger, who is travelling with a 12-week-old baby, told Sky News he wasn't informed that his family's flight to Greece was cancelled until they were five minutes away from the airport.

Another, Andrew Douglas, described how he was due to be on a flight to go on holiday but had "spent the last four hours in multiple queues at Heathrow Airport because it's been cancelled".

He added: "Absolute shambles, complete chaos and only found out at check-in with no prior notification. Horrific service."

Follow the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts,  Google Podcasts,  Spotify, Spreaker

In recent weeks, passengers using Heathrow have experienced long queues, and many have been separated from their luggage for several days.

There are fears that the severe disruption seen at UK airports in the run-up to Easter and the Jubilee bank holiday will return during the peak summer holiday period.

The whole industry has been struggling to scale-up operations after COVID restrictions were lifted, which experts say has left the sector facing 40 years of passenger growth in just four months.

Have you been affected by Heathrow cancellations? Contact us:
• Email - news@skynews.com
• WhatsApp - 07583 000853

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2022-06-30 07:30:38Z
1478969681

Inquiry begins into Captain Tom Foundation charity - BBC

PA Media

An inquiry has been launched into the charity set up in honour of fundraiser and Army veteran Capt Sir Tom Moore.

The Charity Commission has concerns about The Captain Tom Foundation's management and decisions that could have generated "significant profit" for a company run by his family.

The veteran, who died last year aged 100, raised millions for charity but this money is not part of the inquiry.

The Foundation said it would "work closely with the commission".

Capt Sir Tom, who was born in Keighley in West Yorkshire, gained international fame when he carried out the fundraising walk at his home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, when Covid restrictions were first introduced in 2020.

The £33m raised, £38.9m including gift aid, was managed and distributed by NHS Charities Together before the JustGiving account was closed down.

After he became a well-known figure, his family set up a separate charity in his name called The Captain Tom Foundation, which aims to support and "empower" older people through fundraising and awareness campaigns.

The money raised by Capt Sir Tom was separate from the formation of the charity and is not part of the investigation.

In March 2022, the publication of the first annual accounts of the foundation showed it had incurred £240,000 in costs and given £160,000 to good causes.

The commission said it became concerned about arrangements between the charity and a company linked to Sir Tom's daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, and her husband Colin, as well as the trustees' decision-making and how the charity was governed.

The issues revolve around a "failure to consider intellectual property and trademark issues", including the trademarking of variations of the name "Captain Tom" by a company controlled by Ms Ingram-Moore and Mr Ingram-Moore.

This could have generated "significant profit" for the company, the commission added.

PA Media

Helen Stephenson, chief executive of the Charity Commission, said the watchdog's "concerns have mounted" over the charity.

"We consider it in the public interest to examine them through a formal investigation, which gives us access to the full range of our protective and enforcement powers," she said.

Earlier this year, the Commission reviewed payment of consultancy fees to third parties but said it was later "satisfied" that these specific payments were a reasonable reimbursement for expenses incurred by the companies in the formation of the charity.

It added it was also satisfied that the payments were "adequately identified and managed".

Stephen Jones, chairman of the board of trustees of The Captain Tom Foundation, said: "We will of course work closely with the commission in its inquiry."

He said the commission was aware of where the image and intellectual property rights were held when the charity was set up.

Jack Gilbert, who became chief executive of the charity at the beginning of the month, said he would "ensure that in all respects, including governance and finance, the foundation conforms to best practice".

A statement from the Ingram-Moore family said the company controlled by Ms Ingram-Moore and Mr Ingram-Moore "made its application for various trademarks in April 2020 prior to the formation of The Captain Tom Foundation", which was in May 2020.

"Neither Hannah nor Colin Ingram-Moore were trustee directors of The Captain Tom Foundation upon its formation," the statement added.

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk

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• Charity Commission

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2022-06-30 06:04:44Z
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Flights cancelled from Heathrow due to 'higher passenger numbers than airport can serve' - Sky News

More flights from Heathrow have been cancelled today due to passenger numbers exceeding the airport's maximum capacity.

A total of 30 flights have been removed from the morning schedule as travel chaos across UK airports continues.

Most passengers are expected to be rebooked on to other flights outside of peak times, making it still possible for them to fly out today.

A Heathrow spokesperson said: "We are expecting higher passenger numbers in today's morning peak than the airport currently has capacity to serve, and so to keep everyone safe we have asked airlines to remove 30 flights from the morning peak for today only.

"We apologise for the impact this has on travel plans.

Advertisement

"We are working hard to ensure everyone has a smooth journey through Heathrow this summer, and the most important thing is to make sure that all service providers at the airport have enough resources to meet demand."

A "small number" of British Airways flights are among those affected, with the airline saying it is in contact with affected customers.

More on Heathrow Airport

Related Topics:

It is expected that 98% of flights out of the airport will operate as planned.

Customers who have been affected by the cancellations should be contacted by their airline and given advice on the possible alternatives.

'Absolute shambles'

However, some passengers did not find out their flights were cancelled until they arrived at what is the UK's busiest airport.

Travel writer and broadcaster Andy Mossack said: "Total chaos at Heathrow this morning. British Airways flights cancelled and zero customer service."

One passenger, who is travelling with a 12-week-old baby, told Sky News he wasn't informed that his family's flight to Greece was cancelled until they were five minutes away from the airport.

Another affected passenger, Andrew Douglas, described how he was due to be on a flight to go on holiday but had "spent the last four hours in multiple queues at Heathrow Airport because it's been cancelled".

He added: "Absolute shambles, complete chaos and only found out at check-in with no prior notification. Horrific service."

Have you been affected by Heathrow cancellations? Contact us:
• Email - news@skynews.com
• WhatsApp - 07583 000853

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2022-06-30 07:30:00Z
1478969681

William and Kate's Caribbean tour flights cost taxpayer over £226,000, accounts show - Sky News

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's flights for their controversial Caribbean tour cost the taxpayer more than £226,000, royal accounts have shown.

In 2021-2022, the total travel bill for the monarchy’s official duties, funded by the taxpayer, came to £4.5 million.

The accounts reveal the breakdown of spending by the Royal Family including tours and flight costs, spending on property maintenance and how much it all costs the taxpayer.

In all, official expenditure by the monarchy was £104.2 million, up 17% on the previous year, with £86.3 million coming from the Sovereign Grant - a single payment given to the Queen each year by the government to fund official royal duties and upkeep.

Cambridge's trip most expensive tour

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The pair's trip in March to Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas saw the couple travel by charter jet, and their staff by scheduled flights for a planning trip.

It was heavily criticised for images that were said to have smacked of "colonialism", alongside protests and demands for apologies and slavery reparations.

More on Meghan Markle

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The pair also cancelled a major engagement in Belize after villagers staged a protest against their visit.

The Cambridge's trip was the most expensive official royal tour of 2021-22.

However, royal aides revealed that Prince Charles had personally spearheaded a switch to the use of sustainable aviation fuel on royal flights in a bid to combat the environmental impact of The Firm's globe-trotting.

The ministerial RAF Voyager jet - used by the royal family and the government - is now run on sustainable aviation fuel.

Charles' Barbados flight cost over £138k

The accounts also revealed that Prince Charles' flight to Barbados to mark the country's transition to a republic, and his staff's scheduled air travel for the event, came to more than £138,000.

Barbados celebrated the occasion in December last year, marking 55 years after it gained independence from the UK.

The total travel costs for an official trip to Jordan and Egypt - which saw Charles and Camilla journey to Amman, Cairo and Alexandria - came to in excess of £123,500 including charter plane, the helicopter and scheduled flights for staff.

Key figures from the royal accounts for 2020-2021:

£86.3 million - The total taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant, made up of £51.8 million for the "core" funding and an extra £34.5 million for the reservicing of Buckingham Palace.

£1.29 - Cost per person in the UK of funding the total Sovereign Grant.

£226,383 - Cost of official travel for William and Kate's controversial Caribbean tour.

9.6% - Proportion of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds working for Buckingham Palace, compared to 8.5% in 2020-21. The target was 10%.

£63.9 million - Spending on property maintenance - up £14.4 million or 29% from £49.5 million in 2020-21.

201 - Official engagements carried out by the Queen in the last financial year - 88 more than the 113 she undertook in 2020-2021 during the pandemic.

£1.3 million- Cost of housekeeping and hospitality for the royal household - an increase of half a million or 55%.

£138,457 - Charles's travel costs for trip to Barbados to mark country's transition to a republic.

Read more: Prince Charles has 'very emotional' first meeting with granddaughter Lilibet

Rental agreement for Frogmore Cottage 'good deal'

A senior palace source has said Prince Harry and Meghan’s rental contract for their UK home represents a "good deal" for the taxpayer.

The couple are funding the general upkeep of their former home, like maintaining the garden, with the Sovereign Grant effectively acting as the "landlord", undertaking major works like a normal tenant-landlord relationship.

The pair paid £2.4m to cover the refurbishment and rental of Frogmore Cottage at Windsor Castle.

The senior royal source said the rent "has been calculated by reference to market valuations for a property of that nature".

The National Audit Office and the Treasury were “satisfied” with the way the transaction had been accounted for and the "commercial return" for the Sovereign Grant, the source added.

"I can be confident in saying that this is a good deal for the Sovereign Grant and the taxpayer alike."

The accounts also revealed that £63.9m was spent on property maintenance, up £14.4 million or 29% from £49.5 million in 2020-21.

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2022-06-29 23:52:30Z
1478089900

Dame Deborah James: Tributes paid to 'unfalteringly brave' cancer campaigner - BBC

Deborah James

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have paid tribute to cancer campaigner, broadcaster and former teacher, Dame Deborah James, who has died aged 40.

They joined celebrities, politicians and people living with cancer in praising the "inspirational and unfalteringly brave" mother-of-two.

She had been receiving end-of-life care for bowel cancer at home, and had raised millions for cancer research.

Dame Deborah's family said she was "amazing" and an "inspiration".

They announced her death in a post on her Instagram page. "We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Dame Deborah James; the most amazing wife, daughter, sister, mummy," it said.

She passed away peacefully surrounded by her family.

Her family said Dame Deborah shared her experience of cancer to "raise awareness, break down barriers, challenge taboos and change the conversation around cancer".

"Even in her most challenging moments, her determination to raise money and awareness was inspiring."

• Deborah James 'taught us how to live and how to die’
• Tailored cancer care - Dame Deborah's fundraising legacy

Dame Deborah James: The Last Dance

An intimate tribute to Dame Deborah James. Following her death, we hear from friends, colleagues and fellow cancer patients as they celebrate her life and legacy.

Watch on BBC iPlayer now.

Writing on Twitter, Prince William and Catherine said: "Deborah was an inspirational and unfalteringly brave woman whose legacy will live on."

Speaking from Madrid at a Nato summit, Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid tribute to Dame Deborah, describing her as "an absolute inspiration".

"I remember reading about her ages ago, just being incredibly moved by her account of her suffering but how it had actually driven her to do so much to raise awareness about bowel cancer," he said.

The host of the BBC's You, Me and the Big C podcast was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016, and was given a damehood in May in recognition of her fundraising.

Prince William visited her at her parents' home in Woking, Surrey, to deliver it. He praised her tireless efforts and thanked her for giving hope to those living with the disease.

For her part, Dame Deborah said William's visit was surreal.

"You can imagine the cleaning antics and preparation went off the scale - but it was all irrelevant because William was so kind," she said.

What are bowel cancer symptoms?

• A persistent change in bowel habit - going more often, with looser stools and sometimes tummy pain
• Blood in the stools without other symptoms, such as piles
• Abdominal pain, discomfort or bloating always brought on by eating

Who gets bowel cancer screening checks?

Screening, run by the NHS, aims to detect bowel cancer at an early stage. It involves a home test kit, which looks for hidden blood in poo, being posted to you so you can complete it and send it back.

But it's not available to everyone - only to those age groups most likely to benefit.

Screening happens across the UK.

• In England, the age is being gradually lowered from over-60s to people aged 50 and over.

• In Scotland, screening starts from age 50.

• In Wales, it's for people aged 58-74.

• In Northern Ireland, it's for people over 60.

If you are outside the screening age group where you live, you should still be aware of what bowel cancer symptoms are and visit your GP if you have any concerns.

You can read more on how to check your poo here.

Source: NHS UK

Dame Deborah had a no-nonsense approach to talking about cancer, having shared her experiences of treatment and daily life since her diagnosis in 2016.

Signing off her final podcast in May, she said: "Check your poo. Come on. I can't leave on any other word apart from check your poo.

"I still have images of me dancing in poo outfits everywhere. So maybe I should leave on that final word. Check your poo."

• Deborah James made a dame by William at her home
• Deborah James visits rose named for her at Chelsea

A deputy head teacher, she started a cancer blog, before writing for the Sun newspaper and becoming a BBC broadcaster.

But on 9 May she announced that she was no longer receiving active care and did not know how long she had left.

"My body just can't continue any more," she said in a post on Instagram.

Her podcast co-host, Lauren Mahon, said on Instagram "there's only one Deborah James" and asked to be given time beside a broken heart emoji.

In a BBC documentary recorded before her friend's death, Ms Mahon said: "Deb just has this ferocity in her to make a difference and to make sure that no one else suffers the same fate.

"Most people would have just run away from that, but Deb wanted to tell her story so that it wouldn't be anyone else's story," she said.

Dame Deborah also launched a new fund - Bowelbabe - to raise money for research into personalised medicine for cancer patients.

It surpassed £1m in less than 24 hours - smashing her initial goal of £250,000 - and has now raised almost £7m.

Genevieve Edwards, chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said the former teacher leaves a tremendous legacy behind her.

BBC News presenter George Alagiah, who is living with bowel cancer, recalled speaking to Dame Deborah at the Royal Marsden Hospital.

He said the campaigner answered his questions about the symptoms he might experience with the illness.

He was struck by Dame Deborah's "sheer generosity", he said, and their chat was "typical of what I now know she was capable of doing and did for so many others".

Chef Ryan Riley became friends with Dame Deborah through his project Life Kitchen, which provides cookery lessons for people whose sense of taste has been affected by cancer treatment.

Mr Riley said she offered people hope.

"She would be that voice online that wasn't as scared as they were and I think that really gave a lot of people a bit of comfort in a really difficult time." he said.

The chef said Dame Deborah's frankness forged a connection with people that was necessary to "push the cancer community forward and bring awareness".

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Lizzie Parry, who edited Dame Deborah's column in the Sun newspaper, said: "Even in her final days, as she faced her death, my bonkers, beautiful and bloody-minded friend refused to stop."

TV presenter Lorraine Kelly became emotional as she paid tribute to her on her ITV morning show.

She wore a pink jacket, the campaigner's favourite colour, and a T-shirt featuring the words "Rebellious Hope", which was her slogan.

Fighting back tears, she said: "We knew this was going to happen, but it still doesn't seem quite real."

She interviewed Steve Bland, who was a friend of Dame Deborah and was married to her former podcast co-host, BBC Radio 5 Live newsreader Rachael Bland, who died of cancer in 2018.

He told Lorraine that Tuesday night was "very surreal" and "very numb".

Bland said the fact that Dame Deborah had known for five and a half years that her cancer was incurable made what she had achieved during that period "even more remarkable".

• You can listen to Dame Deborah's final You, Me and the Big C podcast on BBC Sounds

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A post shared by Deborah James (@bowelbabe)

Additional reporting by Jasmine Andersson and Charley Adams.

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2022-06-29 12:35:10Z
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