explained

‘Shrinking’ Season 3 finale explained: Jason Segel on being ‘Jimmy-ed’

The third season of Apple TV’s “Shrinking” concludes with Jimmy (Jason Segel) being, well, “Jimmy-ed.”

For three seasons, Jimmy, a therapist grieving the loss of his wife, has used unconventional methods —think taking someone with aggression issues to a boxing ring — to get through to his patients. In the last moments of “And That’s Our Time,” Jimmy’s mentor and fellow therapist Paul (Harrison Ford) turns that approach on its namesake, flying across the country to give Jimmy a much needed push to move forward with his life. “Jimmy needed permission and encouragement from someone to say, ‘All right, it’s time,’” Segel says. “This is the end of this story and it’s time to start a new one.”

In the scene, Paul finally tells Jimmy he’s like a son to him. “I found ourselves writing a conversation that if we were lucky enough to have a conversation like that with our own fathers, we’d be grateful,” executive producer Bill Lawrence says. “A lot of my shows have an element of mentorship in them. To see Jimmy’s mentor come through for him in the way that I would always hope he would meant a lot to me.”

Lawrence had always envisioned the three-season arc for Jimmy ending this way. But when they found out the comedy would be returning for a fourth season, he and his fellow executive producers were faced with a dilemma: End the season the way they would have the series or push their original ending out for one more season. After much discussion, they decided to stick the landing.

“It still felt right,” Lawrence says. “This particular story with these characters has been told and you should feel, in a good way, like it’s gonna be OK for Jimmy. Jason is so good at it, watching him play the agony of trying to get through it all and come out on the other side was my favorite kind of journey on the whole show.”

Segel spoke to The Envelope about filming this pivotal scene and bringing the third season to a close.

What did filming this final scene mean to you? To play this part of Jimmy’s journey coming to an end?

I’m always really interested in, “What is the dirty underneath? If we go one level deeper, what is the thing that the person is not saying?” This arc with Jimmy over the three seasons had been building up to Jimmy finally saying the actual thing, which is some version of, “Who’s gonna want me now?”

Paul answers that question by telling Jimmy that his scars are “evidence of a life welllived.”

I had a therapist I was talking to about having to show up somewhere with people I knew from 25 years ago. I remember having a little bit of apprehension because I’ve had a twisty-turny life. I thought, “God, there’s so much to catch up on and I’m showing up covered in scars.” And this therapist said to me, just matter of fact, “What a shame it would be to show up anywhere at 45 years old not covered in scars.” And I went straight to Bill and [executive producer] Neil [Goldman], this is a year ago, and I said, “This is what Harrison says to Jimmy at the end of this arc.” And we worked it in.

What was the actual day of filming the scene like for you?

It was a difficult day. It was loud that day. There was a little bit of discombobulation on the street. There was construction and they couldn’t hold the cars right. It wasn’t the ideal environment for a scene like this where you would love to hear a pin drop. People were coming into the restaurant asking, “Are you guys open?” It almost felt like we were making a student film. And Harrison and I took a minute and we walked away from the set and we started running the scene, walking up and down the busy street to kind of acclimate ourselves. And I’m walking up and down the street with this man who I idolize and we are at that moment like equals and teammates. We have to go build this scene together. It is a real honor to have that dynamic with him.

Do you think it was important to have such a pivotal scene outdoors?

They’re a good reminder that the show takes place in the real world and that you’re like a representative of reality almost. I think that there’s something vulnerable about all that taking place outside. … There’s other patrons there. It’s surrounded by people, surrounded by life, and Paul is showing up and telling Jimmy, “It’s time to step into it. Look, it’s all around you.”

This season we met Jimmy’s father (played by Jeff Daniels), who never really connected with his son and, in a heartbreaking moment, chooses a fishing trip with his buddies over staying for Alice’s (Lukita Maxwell) high school graduation.

One of the things this show does really well is handle these situations honestly. Whether it’s Parkinson’s or loss or a complicated relationship with a family member. It’s not gonna magically change. None of it. And so the show is very much true to, “How do we get through it with each other?” That’s really the theme of the show. These issues are gonna be there. What are we gonna do with the realities of life? I think the reason they brought Jeff Daniels in is to highlight why Jimmy so desperately wants Paul’s affection. Where is this coming from? Bill is a genius in terms of setting something up in a previous episode so that there’s a payoff in the finale. I think that we understand suddenly how desperate Jimmy is to have somebody say, “You’re my son and I love you.” And he finally gets that at the end from Paul.

The other major event that happens in the finale is that Alice leaves for college.

To me, [Jimmy’s relationship with Alice] has been the heart of the show and the most important storyline. The show started out with Alice parenting a troubled child in her father. And that dynamic slowly, slowly, slowly shifted to being the right direction. Until finally he is able to see her off to college and she feels safe to leave him behind. He is the parent and she is the child and everything is the right size again. I think watching Lukita as an actor and a human being grow up over these past four years, it’s been really the joy of my career. When I met her, she called me Mr. Segel. I realized she grew up with my “Muppet” movie. I have the real honor of being more of a mentor than a contemporary to Lukita. To get to the point where I am being surprised and challenged and blown away and moved to tears in scenes with Lukita is like the coolest thing in the world.

A woman and a man seated outside at a cafe.

Cobie Smulders and Jason Segel in “Shrinking.”

(Apple TV)

We see Jimmy sit down at the restaurant with his potential love interest Sofi (Cobie Smulders), but we don’t hear their conversation.

It originally ended with a hard cut to black. Then then they did this beautiful cinematic pullback. I think the most important line is, “Hello.”

As the scene ends, Paul tells Jimmy that he can either “stay stuck” or “go make new scars.” Paul advises Jimmy to “choose wisely” and then winks at Jimmy. It’s a subtle nod to the famous “choose wisely” scene from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”

Harrison is not so secretly one of the funnier people I know. He always knows exactly what he’s doing and we’ve had a few of those throughout the season, some little nods to Harrison’s body of work. It was a perfect way to end that scene. Paul slash Harrison is always just a little smarter than you. One of the great qualities that they have is they’re just a little bit ahead of you, which a great mentor should be, right?

Have you thought about how it will be to play Jimmy in the show’s fourth season now that this particular story arc has come to an end?

I think an equally interesting and complicated and fun area is someone deciding they’re ready to be happy. Because God knows it’s one thing in your house alone in front of the mirror [to say], “Now I’m gonna be happy.” And then you go out and in practice, it’s its own set of complications, right? And so, I’m actually really excited about that idea of someone saying, “OK, I’m ready to take it for a spin.” And then seeing that’s its own thing.

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Alix Earle v. Alex Cooper: The feud explained

Alex Cooper just asked Alix Earle what many extremely online people are wondering: “What’s the beef?”

Rumors of a feud between Cooper, the 31-year-old host of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, and Earle, the 25-year-old mega-famous influencer, have been circulating for some time, but this week Cooper addressed the conflict online in a video that invited Earle to finally air out the dirty laundry.

Cooper said in a TikTok video Monday that she was embarrassed responding to the internet-fueled drama, but after being inundated with tags, comments and direct messages, she decided making a statement was long overdue.

“Alix Earle, hey girl, the passive-aggressive reposts and the likes and the commenting on things. I gotta call you out here,” Cooper said. “You’re gonna need to get specific and just say what you gotta say about me. There’s no NDA, no one is stopping you. Stop hiding behind other people, and just say it yourself. What’s the beef?”

Cooper continued that she was tired of waking up and seeing Earle using “fake drama to distract” and that she’s not interested in participating. “I know what happened, and so do you,” she said. “So talk, unless the fake narrative that you’re creating happens to be way more interesting than the truth, I have nothing to hide when it comes to you and me.”

While the cryptic video confirmed the beef, Cooper still didn’t offer any explanation as to what initially caused the turmoil between them. But thanks to internet culture, there are theories, and receipts to back them. The ball is now in Earle’s court.

August 2023

Cooper launched the Unwell Network, a Gen-Z-focused media company spotlighting “unique voices that embrace social challenges and personal insecurities through honest conversation.” One of the first big names to sign with Unwell was Earle, who, according to Cooper at the time, has a unique presence that captivates audiences.

“I feel honored to be at a place in my career where I can pass along knowledge and advice for a new generation of creators to flourish,” Cooper said in a statement.

February 2025

Online speculation that there may be a feud between Cooper and Earle picked up when Earle didn’t attend Unwell’s Super Bowl party in New Orleans, even though she was reportedly in the Big Easy at the time with her friends and then-boyfriend, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Braxton Berrios.

February 2025

Weeks after Earle was MIA at Unwell’s Super Bowl shindig, Variety reported that the production company dropped Earle’s “Hot Mess” podcast. Sources told Variety that SiriusXM would no longer sell ads for Earle’s show and that the Unwell Network renounced all rights to “Hot Mess” so that Earle would be able to “freely explore future opportunities.”

A few days after news dropped that “Hot Mess” was nixed, Earle posted a TikTok update responding to the chatter online about her work saying she also had “no idea what’s going on.”

March 2025

Earle posted an update to TikTok regarding the future of “Hot Mess.”

“I have to put a pause on podcasting right now for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Don’t really want to get into the details of it all, and I kind of can’t get into the details of it all right now, but I’ve loved it so, so much, and I’m really proud of what I built with the podcast.” Earle added that she would be pivoting to vlogging for the foreseeable future.

May 2025

The Wall Street Journal published a feature on Earle, writing that the relationship between the influencer and her podcast network had unraveled. Earle told the outlet, “That was, behind the scenes, a little bit of a hot mess.”

“We have plans to bring things back, elevate things,” she said of the show. “It might look a little different, but I’m excited to see what we do with it.”

August 2025

Earle seems to be in the mood for revenge. “My Co–Star told me that I can start…today. I mean, is this my time that I’ve been waiting for to go? I have so much information. We could go,” she said, referring to her horoscope, in a TikTok video as she sipped an iced coffee. “I think I’m losing my mind … but I wake up every day, and I’m like, ‘What should I do, Co-Star?’ And today, it’s like, ‘Revenge. Let’s go get ’em.’”

In the comment section, one fan replied to egg on the content creator, “Yes, tell us what happened with Alex Cooper thank you.”

Earle quipped back, “How much time do you have?”

October 2025

Cooper returns the slight with an Instagram post promoting an Unwell event in Las Vegas that seemingly mocked Earle’s performance on “Dancing With the Stars” by using the same song — “Circus” by Britney Spears — and including a caption that began, “How much time do you have? Cause we could go all night … “

April 2026

Earle reposts a TikTok video that likens Cooper to the grim reaper. The post describes Cooper as an ambulance chaser who preys on people who have just gone through a horrific accident so she can get the exclusive.

April 2026

Cooper catches wind of Earle’s repost and finally addresses the beef in the aforementioned TikTok, telling Earle to “Just say it yourself. What’s the beef?” Earle responded by reposting Cooper’s video with the comment, “Okay on it!!”

Since Earle and Cooper took their fight to the internet streets this week, speculation has flooded social media. Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports who first put “Call Her Daddy” on the map in 2018, also weighed in.

On Monday’s episode of the “Chicks in the Office” podcast, Portnoy, who knows the feuding women well, said that while there have been rumors of jealousy between the women, he thinks the feud stems from conflicting business interests and contract disputes.

“I think people know this about Alex Cooper at this point — she’s a savage,” he said. “She’s a businesswoman, boss lady, savage.”

But will prying eyes across the interwebs ever learn the whole story? It’s anyone’s guess.



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Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella controversy about Arabic chant explained

Sabrina Carpenter has apologized after sparking backlash for mistaking a Coachella fan’s traditional Arabic cheer for yodeling, which she described as “weird.”

The Grammy winner was performing her first headlining show at Coachella on Friday night when an audience member suddenly let out a high-pitched cry called a zaghrouta.

“My apologies i didn’t see this person with my eyes and couldn’t hear clearly,” Carpenter wrote Saturday on X. “My reaction was pure confusion, sarcasm and not ill intended. Could have handled it better!”

She continued: “Now i know what a Zaghrouta is! I welcome all cheers and yodels from here on out.”

What happened?

The misunderstanding took place between songs. As applause for her previous number, “Please, Please, Please,” faded and Carpenter sat down at the piano for her next number, someone in the crowd suddenly let out a loud trill.

“I think I heard someone yodel,” Carpenter said into the microphone. “Is that what you’re doing? I don’t like it.”

“It’s my culture,” a voice from the audience shouted.

“That’s your culture … is yodeling?” Carpenter responded with a quizzical frown.

“It’s a call, it’s a call of celebration,” the audience member could be heard saying.

“Is this Burning Man? What’s going on? This is weird,” Carpenter replied, before continuing her next song,“We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night.” It was the singer’s first live performance of the single from her new album, “Man’s Best Friend.”

What was the public response?

Carpenter made the public statement after an online uproar. Her apology on X was a quote reply to a post calling her reaction to the fan’s cheer “insensitive and Islamophobic.”

The singer was “mad disrespectful for mocking the zaghrouta,” wrote another X user. “What’s worse is the blatant racism that followed and the laughs of the audience,” they continued.

Carpenter’s apology was generally well-received online, with some fans thanking her for taking accountability. Carpenter’s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Carpenter has gone from a child actor known for her role as Maya on Disney’s “Girl Meets World” to pop stardom in the past few years. During her debut at Coachella in 2024, she vowed to return as a headliner. Her Coachella show on Friday was an elaborate Hollywood-themed production — dubbed “Sabrinawood” — packed with references to classic movies, including a dance from 1987’s “Dirty Dancing,” and celebrity cameos.

What is a zaghrouta?

A zaghrouta is a loud, rhythmic sound made by quickly moving the tongue while letting out a high-pitched cry.

Shakira, who was born and raised in Colombia and has Lebanese roots, previously made headlines in 2020 for letting out a zaghrouta during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show.

Nesreen Akhtarkhavari, an associate professor and director of Arabic studies at DePaul University in Chicago, told the Chicago Tribune at the time that the ululation is a Middle Eastern expression of joy made during weddings, sporting events and protests.

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Border chaos explained – why Easyjet passengers missed flight as new travel rules start

With EasyJet passengers missing flights, and tourists with other airlines left affected too, the Mirror can explain more about the rules that have come into affected at European Union nations

Brits have been plunged into travel chaos after long delays due to new EU border rules which have led to some passengers missing their flights home and ending up stranded abroad.

Around 100 EasyJet passengers were left behind when a flight from Milan’s Linate airport to Manchester left travellers behind who were stuck in massive lines, on Sunday. The new European Entry/Exit System (EES) was fully rolled out across the EU on Friday and it requires people from third-party countries, including the UK, to go through biometric and facial recognition checks.

Huge lines hit major airports in several cities, including Paris, Lisbon and Milan, as desperate travellers were forced to wait to clear immigration.

Some stranded passengers claimed people were vomiting and passing out in the huge queues at Milan’s Linate airport, on Sunday, as they also dealt with a heatwave.

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What is the EES?

The EU’s Entry/Exit System started on October 12, 2025, but it was rolled out fully on Friday, April 10. It is a new digital border system for people from third-party countries, including the UK, entering the Schengen area, which is essentially anywhere in the EU and a few additional countries.

This new system has replaced the old method of officials manually stamping passports when people arrive into the Schengen area.

What does the new process look like for Brits?

British travellers are asked to create a digital record at the port or airport on arrival, on their first visit to a Schengen area country after this new system. People do not have to fill anything out before they travel and the EES registration is free of charge.

Travellers could be asked to have a photo taken at a dedicated booth and submit their fingerprints. People could also be asked to provide fingerprints or a photo when they leave the Schengen area.

The government noted that the EES may take “each passenger a few extra minutes to complete”, but once done, the EES record is valid for three years.

Later this year, Brits will also need to participate in the new visa-waiver scheme, the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System), which is set to be implemented in late-2026.

Not to be confused with EES, ETIAS will require Brits visiting the EU to apply for a visa-exemption, with the application costing €20 (about £17.42), although it will be valid for three years.

What countries are in the Schengen area?

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The Republic of Ireland and Cyprus are not within the Schengen area, and therefore EES is not applicable when travelling to either of these countries.

What issues have travellers faced so far?

One Brit revealed she was among the 100 people desperate to get home after the EasyJet flight took off from Milan and abandoned them. Carol Boon, 59, speaking to the BBC, said she had been away for a hen do but was left stuck in a “very stressful” situation at the airport with “people arguing, someone fainted, someone was sick”.

Another traveller, Max Hume, from Leeds, told the BBC that he spent a staggering £1,800 to get back home as soon as possible and travelled through Luxembourg.

EasyJet told The Mirror that the ordeal was “outside of our control” and said it held the flight for nearly an hour, adding: “These delays are unacceptable and so we continue to urge border authorities to ensure they make full and effective use of the permitted flexibilities for as long as needed so our customers’ travel plans are not impacted.

“Should a customer miss their flight due to EES delays they are offered free flight transfers on a later easyJet flight. For customers who book on other airlines they will need to contact their travel insurance to make a claim.”

Another passenger slammed EasyJet for the ordeal and claimed she was only offered £12.25 in compensation from the airline. Speaking to the BBC, the 17-year-old student, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, said she was forced to wait 20 hours in the airport with her boyfriend until they could get a flight the next day.

Kiera said these new flights would set her mum back £520 and they were going to Gatwick instead of Manchester. The student added that the couple got to the airport hours ahead of their flight but still didn’t make it on. She said: “We got here at seven-thirty for our flight at eleven so were super early. We got to Border Control and it was a massive queue of people.”

Jet2 has issued a fresh alert to passengers at Faro Airport, in Portugal, after reports of “congestion” through the site. In response to a passenger’s post online, a spokesperson for the airport said “the queues are completely out of our control”, adding: “We kindly recommend customers arrive to the airport as early as possible, to allow plenty of time to make it through.”

A spokesperson for ABTA, the association of travel agents and tour operators, says: “We’re advising passengers to go straight to passport control as soon as you have gone through check-in and security; that way you get the EES checks out of the way as early as possible.

“We’re also advising passengers to follow their transport provider’s advice on when to arrive at airports/ports etc. If flying, the usual rule is to arrive at the airport for a flight from Europe at least two hours before, so we’d encourage people to apply that as a minimum, but to also check with their airline and airport.”

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Ryanair, easyJet, TUI and Jet2 hand luggage rules on duty-free bags explained

TUI, easyJet, Ryanair and Jet2 can have different rules around what duty free bags you can bring onboard as part of your hand luggage allowance – we take a look at what passengers need to know

Before heading to the airport, it’s crucial to be aware of any hand luggage restrictions and certain duty-free rules that not everyone knows about, with airlines including TUI and Ryanair.

Many of us fly with different airlines, depending on the route, airport and price, so it’s tricky to keep up with the various hand luggage allowances or restrictions. Most airlines allow passengers to take on board a small personal bag for free, which can include a backpack or handbag, while others offer a generous addition of a free cabin bag.

There can also be confusion when it comes to carrying on duty-free, alongside your personal bag or cabin bag. Holidaymakers have often been left questioning whether they can carry it on separately or if they have to pack it into one of their bags.

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To ensure you’re fully prepared for your next getaway, we’ve outlined the key hand luggage rules for four major UK airlines. So you know exactly how big your bag needs to be and what to do with your duty-free goodies before boarding your flight.

Ryanair

When it comes to duty-free, Ryanair allows passengers to carry on their duty-free items alongside their cabin bags. Additionally, passengers can purchase checked bags of 10kg, 20kg, or 23kg while flying with Ryanair.

All Ryanair fares include a small personal bag (40 x 30 x 20 cm), but it must fit under the seat in front of you. There is technically no weight limit to this bag, which is typically a handbag, laptop bag, or small rucksack, but passengers must be able to carry it onboard, unless there is an exception.

When booking Priority boarding, travellers can take an additional 10kg cabin bag (55 x 40 x 20cm) on the plane, which is stored in the overhead lockers. While infants (aged from 8 days to 23 months) have no cabin allowance, parents or guardians can bring a 5kg baby bag ( 45 x 35 x 20 cm) and two baby items on board for free. For more information, visit the Ryanair website.

easyJet

In terms of duty-free, the airline states: “You’re allowed to bring some extra things into the cabin. e.g. umbrella, overcoat, crutches, walking stick, one standard bag of goods bought at the airport.”

Everyone flying with easyJet is entitled to bring one small bag (45 x 36 x 20 cm) on board for free, which must fit under the seat in front. It can weigh up to 15kg, but it’s important to note that its size, including handles and wheels, cannot exceed the specified measurements.

The airline notes that travellers “need to be able to lift and carry the bag” themselves. easyJet passengers can pay for an additional cabin bag (56 x 45 x 25 cm) that fits in the overhead lockers, which also comes with their Speedy Boarding service.

For an easyJet Plus member or customer who has booked an Inclusive Plus fare, they can also take a large cabin bag on board, in addition to the standard cabin bag. Of course, there’s the option to book checked-in luggage too.

For more information, visit the easyJet website.

TUI

TUI customers can take one piece of hand luggage (55 x 40 x 20cm) on board for free, excluding infants. It can weigh up to 10kg, and they can also take one small personal bag (40 x 30 x 20cm) on board, which must fit under the seat in front.

A duty-free bag is also allowed on board, and TUI outlines its requirements for liquids purchased at the airport. They said: “Any liquids you buy from duty-free must be carried in a sealed security bag – you’ll be given this bag when you buy the item at the airport. You’ll need to keep the item and the receipt sealed in the security bag throughout the journey.”

A checked-in bag of 20kg or 25kg is also available to book for an extra fee. For more information, visit the TUI website.

Jet2

Holidaymakers are entitled to take a small bag (40 x 30 x 20cm), such as a handbag or laptop bag – or a duty free bag – that must fit under the seat in front.

You can also take one piece of hand luggage (56cm x 45cm x 25cm) on board for free, provided it fits within the measurements, including wheels and handles, and doesn’t weigh more than 10kg.

Parents with infants under 2 years old are also provided with an additional 10kg allowance. They can also take two items per child or infant on board free of charge, including a collapsible pushchair, car seat or booster, a baby carrier, and a travel cot.

For more information, visit the Jet2 website.

Airline hand luggage rules

When it comes to hand luggage, there are certain packing restrictions to be aware of, and these are typically universal across all airlines. These include the following:

Liquids: Many airports require liquids to be under 100ml, while some UK airports have ditched this rule. As rules have changed, it’s best to check directly with the airport for both your outbound and inbound flights, as countries outside the UK may have different restrictions.

Lighters: As outlined on the government website, travellers can only carry one lighter on board a plane. It cannot be packed in hold luggage; instead, it should be placed in a resealable plastic bag in carry-on luggage and kept in your possession throughout the flight.

Food and powders: While you can carry certain food items and powders in your hand luggage, they can obstruct images on X-ray machines. This means that bags may need to be manually checked at security, which can cause delays. The government advises packing suitable items into your hold luggage to minimise delays.

Frozen items: Typically, you cannot carry frozen items in your hand luggage onto your flight, such as food, liquids or ice packs. However, there are some exceptions, such as for medicines, medical equipment, dietary requirements, baby food and baby milk. It’s best to check directly with the airline you’re flying with to ensure you meet their requirements.

Sharp objects: While you can carry scissors on a plane, the blade must be shorter than 6cm to be placed in carry-on luggage. Small sewing or embroidery scissors are generally allowed, while other larger, sharp items can be packed into hold luggage. It’s best to check directly with your airline for specific requirements.

Some airlines may have specific requirements for some of the above items, so before heading to the airport, it’s best to check directly with your airline to avoid being caught out. After all, there’s nothing worse than having something confiscated at airport security.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

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