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Real agents from the FBI share the incredible stories of their greatest missions with Vanessa Kirby and Hayley Atwell.
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Real Spies, Real Stories
True Spies Teaser
Week by week, mission by mission, you’ll hear the true stories behind the world’s greatest espionage operations. You’ll meet the people who navigate this secret world. What do they know, what are their skills and what would you do in their position? This is True Spies.
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The Gathering
Hear how the fantastic FBI undercover agent Dana Ridenour went from not knowing what a vegan was, to infiltrating the most dangerous domestic eco-terrorists the US had ever seen.
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Classic - Team Alpha
Welcome back to October 17, 2001. The dust of 9/11 has barely settled. America and the world are reeling. In this True Spies Classic, hear the story of 8 CIA officers - a crack team of linguists, tribal experts and paramilitaries, and the first Americans to infiltrate Taliban territory after the attacks. Their mission is to ensure that Al Qaeda does not strike again. They are Team Alpha.
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David Tyson on life for Afghans after The Taliban won
New from SPYSCAPE Studios - True Spies: Debriefs. In each of these new episodes, we'll dive back behind the scenes with some of our favourite True Spies, from episodes past. This week, ex-CIA officer David Tyson gives an update on how the return of The Taliban in Afghanistan, and the changing politics of the Middle East more broadly, has affected his work with Badger Six; a charity he runs to help Afghan allies. From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Morgan Childs.
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Codename Tinsel Tyrant
How does a San Francisco born Silicon Valley entrepreneur, "as American as apple-pie", become a vital intelligence asset for the Soviet Bloc? Hear the chilling tale of one James Harper, from national security reporter and the host of Spy Valley: Zach Dorfman.
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PO Box 1142
Join chief historian of the National Parks: Robert K Sutton, as he tells the story of Nazis on the Potomac, and those sworn to secrecy at Fort Hunt... From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Max Bower. Music by Nick Ryan.
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Operation Kronstadt
Former MI6 Officer Harry Ferguson tells the nail-biting story of an unlikely British spy in Bolshevik Russia - and the daring naval mission to bring him home. From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Louise Sinnerton. Music by Nick Ryan.
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The Woman Who Rescued Orwell
It's 1937. The Spanish Civil War is raging, and author George Orwell is fighting on the Socialist front. But as Orwell lives out his anti-Fascist adventure, his wife, Eileen O'Shaughnessy, is embroiled in a subtler conflict. At the headquarters of the Workers' Party of Marxist Unification in Barcelona, she's dealing with a brutal police force, Stalinist spies, and an atmosphere of political terror. And on top of all that, it's up to her to stop her husband falling into enemy hands... From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Louise Sinnerton. Music by Nick Ryan.
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The War on Terror, Part Two - From Khost to Compounds
Former CIA Operations Officer Aaron Brown joins Rhiannon Neads to discuss his role in two defining moments in the CIA's War on Terror. In Part 2, the aftermath of Khost informs the most dramatic operation in the history of the modern CIA. And Aaron has a seat at the table. From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Max Bower. Music by Nick Ryan.
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The War on Terror, Part One - From Cairo to Khost
Former CIA Operations Officer Aaron Brown joins Rhiannon Neads to discuss his role in two defining moments in the CIA's War on Terror. In Part 1, we follow Aaron's journey into the Agency's inner sanctum - and its' darkest hour. From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Max Bower. Music by Nick Ryan.
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Disinformation Warfare, Part 2 - America
Just how influential is the 'white noise' of information, and disinformation, emanating from Russia? In this second and final episode on the phenomenon of modern disinformation, hear from author and former Executive Director of the US Disinformation Governance Board: Nina Jankowicz. She shines a light on how small acts of manipulation, made on the other side of the world, can pit fellow Americans against themselves...
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Disinformation Warfare, Part 1 - The Troll Farm
Just how influential is the 'white noise' of information, and disinformation, emanating from Russia? In this first of two special episodes on the phenomenon of modern disinformation, Ukrainian-British journalist and author Peter Pomerantsev, reveals the evolution of the dark tactics the modern Russian state uses to cripple both neighbouring countries, and dissenters within its own borders.
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Kim Philby, Super Spy: Part 2, The Third Man
Born to the British upper-crust - devoted to the Revolution. Harold 'Kim' Philby was the ultimate Soviet superspy. For decades, Philby sold secrets to the Russians from inside the upper echelons of MI6. Inspired by an unpublished memoir recently acquired by Spyscape, we bring his fascinating story to life. In Part 2, Rhiannon Neads follows the trail of booze, bad luck and betrayal that brought Philby down. From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Justin Trefgarne. Music by Nick Ryan. Kim Philby voiced by Dominic Mafham.
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Kim Philby, Super Spy: Part 1, Codename Sonny
Born to the British upper-crust - devoted to the Revolution. Harold 'Kim' Philby was the ultimate Soviet superspy. For decades, Philby sold secrets to the Russians from inside the upper echelons of MI6. Inspired by an unpublished memoir recently acquired by Spyscape, we bring his fascinating story to life. In Part 1, Rhiannon Neads details Philby's rise to the top - and the fateful decisions that will lead to his undoing.
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Narcotopia, Part Two - Thy Will Be Done
Nestled in the mountains of Myanmar, there's a nation that you won't find on the map. The mysterious, controversial Wa State is what journalist Patrick Winn calls a 'Narcotopia' - a country whose main source of income is the international drugs trade. In Part 2, we learn more about Saw Lu's dangerous entanglement with the US Government. Listener discretion is advised.
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Narcotopia, Part One - Agent Superstar
Nestled in the mountains of Myanmar, there's a nation that you won't find on the map. The mysterious, controversial Wa State is what journalist Patrick Winn calls a 'Narcotopia' - a country whose main source of income is the international drugs trade. In Part 1, Patrick tells the story of his journey to Wa State, and his chance meeting with one of the most powerful figures in its history, Saw Lu - a man whose vision for the isolated nation led him to the door of the US Government.
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Agent Sniper
Bigamist. Fantasist. Betrayer. Betrayed. Known only as Agent Sniper, Polish double-agent Michal Goleniewski sold secrets to the US from behind the Iron Curtain. But this complex, ambitious man was no match for his American handlers. In this episode of True Spies, author Tim Tate reveals a life full of romance, tragedy and Cold War intrigue.
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The Strike on Saddam
It's 2003, and the US is on the brink of war. Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been issued a warning - leave the country, or face a full American invasion. In the event of his refusal, the CIA has a plan to strike Saddam's Dora Farms compound, potentially stopping the war in its tracks. The operation is overseen by the head of the Agency's Iraq Operations Group, Luis Rueda. In this episode of True Spies, the former CIA heavyweight shares candid insights into the fevered hours and days ahead of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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The Last Honest Man
Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist James Risen details the life and work of Frank Church - the man who forever changed the US Intelligence Community. From humble Idaho beginnings through to his lofty Presidential ambitions, we delve into who Church really was and his tireless devotion to serving American ideals of transparency and accountability - culminating in the Church Committee. However, Church learned that you can't shine a light on the darkest corners of the FBI, CIA, and NSA without making some powerful enemies.
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The King's Secret
The Chevalièr d'Éon was an 18th-Century war hero, an indispensable spy, and a famous diplomat. But today, they're best known for their pioneering approach to gender boundaries. Historian Gary Kates pulls back the curtain on this fascinating True Spy. Hear the groundbreaking story of d'Éon's life - from undercover geopolitical manipulation in the Russian court and plotting Louis XV's French invasion of England to being recognized by both French and English courts as having the right to live as a woman.
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Ten Episodes Not To Miss
Ready to unlock the secrets of the spying game? Here's a quick intro to our True Spies series.
Howard Hunt Unleashed, Part 1: The CIA & Animal Farm
In this special two-part True Spies miniseries, Daisy Ridley presents a dramatized encounter with Everette Howard Hunt Jr, based on our own historical research and Hunt's own writings. In Part 1, Hunt explains his role in one of the CIA's most unusual PsyOps - the backing of 1954's animated version of George Orwell's Animal Farm.
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HAVANA SYNDROME SPECIAL
Debilitating neurological symptoms have affected US officials worldwide. Former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos has been suffering since 2017 - he joins Russia expert and former CIA Station Chief John Sipher, and Dr. James Giordano to analyze Havana Syndrome.
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GRAY SUIT & THE GHOST
Eric O’Neill describes the hunt for the infamous FBI mole Robert Hanssen, who he was tasked with catching. Eric needs to get Hanssen into a hire car so his own car can be searched for evidence of his betrayal... but the hire car isn’t there and Hanssen is getting suspicious. What would you do in O'Neill's position?
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THE ILLEGAL
'Jack Barsky' was a New York computer programmer for a well-known insurance firm. In real life, he was Albrecht Dittrich, a highly-trained Soviet sleeper agent dropped behind enemy lines in 1970s America. When the KGB recalled him to Europe, Barsky had a difficult choice to make: Should he leave his wife and 18-month-old baby behind or betray his country?
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INSIDE NAMBLA
Bob Hamer had a colorful career as an undercover FBI agent but nothing prepared him for infiltrating Nambla, the North American Man/Boy Love Association. If he was going to put the pedophiles behind bars, Bob would have to hide his hatred and disdain - even if it ripped at the very fabric of his being. (Warning: This episode contains graphic details.)
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WHITE TRAITOR
Sue Dobson was a white woman who wanted to spy for the African National Congress - making her a minority within a minority in apartheid-era South Africa. Dobson spent seven months training in the USSR to learn her tradecraft. Now she wasn’t just a traitor, she was a turncoat with the training to kill.
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PSYCHIC SPIES
Dr. Edwin May is an unusual scientist, a physicist who researches psychic phenomena. For decades he worked with psychics who believed they could ‘foresee’ events like potential terrorist attacks, which raised an interesting question: If you can see the future, are you condemned to experience it?
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THE SOCIOPATHIC SPY
Working as a lawyer is one path to success, but Jim Lawler wanted adventure. He ditched his job in Texas and joined the CIA. On his first tour abroad, Jim had to recruit a spy working for a hostile government knowing she’d be killed if her cover was blown. That’s when Jim realized he was born with the type of sociopathic personality that would ensure success.
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ME AND THE MULLAH
Shawnee Delaney was a key part of the US team hunting Osama bin Laden in the wake of 9/11. One of her contacts was a Mullah with close ties to al-Qaeda but how could she win his trust? There was a language barrier and the Mullah refused to accept money for intelligence. This was shaping up to be Shawnee’s most challenging assignment yet.
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THE IRISHMAN
Sean Hartnett grew up in Ireland during the 'Troubles'. His family was Republican so they were shocked when Hartnett talked about joining the British Armed Forces. In fact, Hartnett went a step further. He joined the British Army’s most secretive covert counterterrorist unit in Northern Ireland, Joint Communications Unit Northern Ireland aka ‘The Det’.
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And, if you're into covert operations and intelligence gathering, check out these episodes:
EPISODE 71
RISE AND KILL FIRST
Ronen Bergman is an investigative journalist specializing in the dark arts of espionage and Mossad. In the early ‘80s, he stumbled on the scoop of a lifetime involving PLO chairman Yasser Arafat.
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TEAM ALPHA PART 1: THE TIP OF THE SPEAR
October 17, 2001. The dust of 9/11 has barely settled. America and the world are reeling. In Afghanistan, eight CIA officers - a crack team of linguists, tribal experts, and paramilitaries - are the first Americans to infiltrate Taliban territory after the attacks. Their mission is to ensure that al-Qaeda does not strike again.
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EPISODE 87
STALIN'S ROMEO SPY
As a young Soviet journalist, Emil Draitser stumbled on a story that changed his life. He was summoned by Dmitri Bystrolyotov to hear the deep secret that he was a ‘Stasi Romeo’ spying on Germany for Moscow, taking advantage of vulnerable women to steal state secrets. It was a fascinating tale, but it could also land Draitser in prison.
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ALDRICH AMES PART 1: THE ULTIMATE DOUBLE AGENT - SELLING SECRETS
The CIA is only as strong as the weakest link. And in the waning years of the Cold War, weak links were in ready supply. A number of trusted Agency officers were caught selling secrets to the Russian regime. And the most notorious traitor? Aldrich Hazen Ames.
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EPISODE 43
PUTIN'S PALACE?
Former Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny released a film in 2021 that sent shockwaves through the country. Part exposé, part-psychological portrait, his investigation claimed to reveal a culture of corruption within the Kremlin - with President Putin at its heart. The Kremlin and Putin deny everything.
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LISTEN TO ALL TRUE SPIES EPISODES Find us on Apple Podcasts
See all episodes here
Spy Sisters
See all episodes here
CIA Secrets
See all episodes here
FBI Secrets
See all episodes here
Russian Secrets
True FBI Spy Missions: Teaser
Hayley Atwell and Vanessa Kirby narrate true stories from the incredible operatives behind the Central Intelligence Agency's greatest espionage operations. What do they know? What are their skills? And what would YOU do in their position? From SPYSCAPE, the headquarters of all things spy.
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EPISODE 14
MAKING JACK FALCONE
CW: Violence, Suicide, Strong Language. Undercover FBI agent Joaquin 'Jack' Garcia spent more than 20 years in disguise as various drug dealers, gangbangers and bad guys. But his final role was the one he was born to play. With little more than his wits, a wire, and an encyclopedic knowledge of Italian food, Jack infiltrated New York's notorious Gambino crime family. Vanessa Kirby tells a story of bravery and brutality in the shadow of the Big Apple.
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EPISODE 13
THE REAL SOPRANOS
FBI agent Giovanni Rocco grew up playing in the back yards of New Jersey's criminal class. As an adult, he went undercover to take them down. Vanessa Kirby follows Giovanni's descent into the violent world that inspired HBO's hit series, The Sopranos. Could YOU meet the Family - and live?
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EPISODE 12
THE CODE CLERK
In Atlanta, a woman is found murdered. The suspect? An employee of a hostile embassy, responsible for monitoring secret communications. He's also a spy, recruited by the FBI. Now he's on the run, and the pressure is on for the Bureau to bring him in before his own side take him out. Vanessa Kirby joins former assistant director for counterintelligence Frank Figliuzzi on a manhunt with international implications. Could you beat the clock?
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EPISODE 11
The Philadelphia Wire
Northern Philadelphia, 1989. FBI agent Judy Tyler is on the hunt. Her target? A local entrepreneur with a lucrative side-line as a cocaine kingpin. From wiretaps to polygraphs to secret cameras, Judy has the Bureau's full arsenal of tradecraft tricks at her disposal - but can she get her man before someone gets hurt? Vanessa Kirby joins Judy on the mean streets of Philly. Could YOU clean them up? From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producers: Gemma Newby, Joe Foley. Produced by Joe Foley. Music by Nick Ryan.
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EPISODE 10
A SPY AMONGST SKINHEADS
It's the early '90s, and the USA is still reeling from the L.A. race riots. A paranoid far right are preparing for all-out war. With his blond hair and blue eyes, Mike German is the picture-perfect neo-Nazi. But in reality, he's working undercover, infiltrating a cell of violent white supremacists for the FBI. Vanessa Kirby joins Mike in the belly of the beast.
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EPISODE 9
THE ARMAGEDDON PAPERS
What secrets do you give away with the twitch of an eyelid - the tap of a finger? Joe Navarro knows. As an FBI agent, he developed an innate gift for reading body language. But when Joe came up against hyper-intelligent US traitor Rod Ramsay, those skills were put to the test. The consequences of failure? Nuclear. Vanessa Kirby enters a world of lies and misdirection.
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EPISODE 8
OPERATION: BULLWINKLE
Robert Wittman was a special kind of Special Agent. During his long career with the FBI, he went undercover to retrieve millions of dollars worth of stolen art. When a priceless Rembrandt was stolen from Sweden's National Gallery, Robert descended into Europe's criminal underworld to get it back. Vanessa Kirby narrates a high-stakes hunt for a truly unique prize.
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EPISODE 7
THE SPY IN THE CORNFIELD
In the golden cornfields of rural Iowa, mysterious men are stealing seeds. Corn is big business - and the secret of growing good corn is priceless intellectual property. But is this a simple case of corporate theft, or foreign espionage in a vital strategic battle between nations? Vanessa Kirby joins Special Agent Mark Betten, FBI, on his mission to find out.
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EPISODE 6
THE PROFILER
July 20th, 1993. White House Counsel Vince Foster is found dead, apparently by his own hand. Rumours of foul play are circulating - and some very famous names are in the mix. FBI Profiler Jim Clemente must use his best tradecraft to find out what happened. Vanessa Kirby follows Jim on an investigation that sent shockwaves through the corridors of power.
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EPISODE 5
INSIDE NAMBLA
CW: This episode contains details relating to the sexual abuse of children. In 26 years undercover with the FBI, Bob Hamer developed a thick skin. He's posed as a contract killer, a drug dealer - even an international arms dealer. But there's one case he could never quite shake off. Vanessa Kirby explores the chilling story of Bob's descent into the twisted world of NAMBLA - an organization dedicated to enabling child sex abuse.
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Episode 4
BURGERS AND SPIES
Vanessa Kirby meets Naveed Jamali, an FBI Operative who worked his way into the world of espionage. Hoping to impress US Intelligence, Naveed used family connections to set himself up as a double agent, fooling the Russians into revealing their operations on American soil. Armed only with a secret recording device, an encyclopedic knowledge of spy movies and a high tolerance for fast food, he spent three years luring in one of Russia's most senior operatives. Could YOU make it up as you went along?
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Episode 3
THE PURPLE BATHROBE
Hayley Atwell tells the story of the capture of Mexican druglord El Chapo, with former FBI undercover agent Michael McGowan. To trap this murderous gangster, Michael had to convince him that he was in the same business. What would YOU do in Michael's position?
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Episode 2
The SPYCATCHER
As former Deputy Director of the Office of Counterintelligence, Robert Booth was tasked with investigating individuals within the department who were recruited as spies for foreign governments. What would YOU do in Robert’s position?
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Episode 1
GRAY SUIT & THE GHOST
Young FBI agent Eric O'Neill was plucked from his surveillance unit and assigned to spy on a dangerous suspected spy. He worked directly for senior FBI counterintelligence officer Robert Hanssen, who was believed to be the worst spy in American history - spying for Russia for 22 years. What would YOU do in Eric’s position?
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Episode 1
GRAY SUIT & THE GHOST
Episode 2
The SPYCATCHER
Episode 3
THE PURPLE BATHROBE
Episode 4
BURGERS AND SPIES
EPISODE 5
INSIDE NAMBLA
EPISODE 6
THE PROFILER
EPISODE 7
THE SPY IN THE CORNFIELD
EPISODE 8
OPERATION: BULLWINKLE
EPISODE 9
THE ARMAGEDDON PAPERS
EPISODE 10
A SPY AMONGST SKINHEADS
EPISODE 11
The Philadelphia Wire
EPISODE 12
THE CODE CLERK
EPISODE 13
THE REAL SOPRANOS
EPISODE 14
MAKING JACK FALCONE
True FBI Spy Missions: Teaser

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