IN JAMAICA : St Jago and Ardenne High To Battle For 2015 Schools' Challenge Quiz Title

St Jago High and Ardenne High will contest the 2015 finals of TVJ's Schools' Challenge Quiz competition.

Quiz master, Marlene Stephenson Dalley, announced after the last semifinal match this evening that the live finals will take place next Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. St Jago secured their place in the finals this evening with a convincing 46-32 victory over Campion College, last year's beaten finalists.

On Wednesday, Ardenne, from St Andrew, held their nerve to hold off defending champions, Kingston College. They won 27-24. Ardenne last won the title in 2013, their fifth.

The St Catherine-based St Jago last won the title in 2010, their fourth. Sixty-four schools entered the annual competition which started in January.

Double Vision Models: Meet the Pairs of Twins Who Are Revolutionizing African Fashion....Cipriana and Takenya Quann are currently the most in-vogue twins in the blogosphere. (PHOTOS)

Posted: 03/26/2015 5:09 pm EDT

Say goodbye to the Olsen twins-- and hello to these sibling pairs, who are bringing their own unique vision to the world of African-influenced fashion.

You may not know their names yet, but it won't be long until you do, because these young people are talented and creative. They are twins, of African descent, bloggers for the most part, and they are part of a group of "elite influencers" who are blazing a trail in fashion.

Twins have always fascinated most people -- and the Internet is no exception. Thanks to this inherent power, these twins have managed to make a name for themselves, acquiring incredible amounts of followers. Praised by acclaimed publishers such as Vogue and The Coveteur for some. Approached by brands such as Diesel, Adidas and And Other Stories for others. Collaborations continue raining down for these stylish doubles. However, we must not forget the point: these young people represent our generation. One that is proud of its cultural heritage, proud to be ebony, proud of their curly hair, proud of our style of clothes. Below are some very inspiring and inspired representatives of this "Afro-cosmopolitan" generation for you to discover and follow! 

The Quann sisters are American and live in New York. Cipriana is the co-founder of the celebrated lifestyle blog "Urban Bush Babes" which, among other topics, celebrates the beauty of natural hair. Takenya, aka TK Wonder, is an electronic music artist. Their sense of style and their outrageous beauty have seduced many, judging by the number of brands that are fighting over them. Between advertising campaigns for the Gap, And Other Stories (a subsidiary of H&M), and interviews for Vogue, The New York Times, Refinery 29, as well as The Coveteur, I think we haven't heard the last of them. more

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Scientists have discovered a simple way to cook rice that dramatically cuts the calories...Rice is popular because it's malleable—it pairs well with a lot of different kinds of food—and it's relatively cheap. But like other starch-heavy foods, it has one central flaw: it isn't that good for you. White rice consumption, in particular, has been linked to a higher risk of diabetes. A cup of the cooked grain carries with it roughly 200 calories, most of which comes in the form of starch, which turns into sugar, and often thereafter body fat.

By Roberto A. Ferdman March 25 at 8:23 AM

Rice, the lifeblood of so many nations' cuisines, is perhaps the most ubiquitous food in the world. In Asia, where an estimated 90 percent of all rice is consumed, the pillowy grains are part of almost every meal. In the Caribbean, where the starch is often mixed with beans, it's a staple too. Even here in the United States, where people eat a comparatively modest amount of rice, plenty is still consumed.

Rice is popular because it's malleable—it pairs well with a lot of different kinds of food—and it's relatively cheap. But like other starch-heavy foods, it has one central flaw: it isn't that good for you. White rice consumption, in particular, has been linked to a higher risk of diabetes. A cup of the cooked grain carries with it roughly 200 calories, most of which comes in the form of starch, which turns into sugar, and often thereafter body fat.

But what if there were a simple way to tweak rice ever so slightly to make it much healthier?

An undergraduate student at the College of Chemical Sciences in Sri Lanka and his mentor have been tinkering with a new way to cook rice that can reduce its calories by as much as 50 percent and even offer a few other added health benefits. The ingenious method, which at its core is just a simple manipulation of chemistry, involves only a couple easy steps in practice.

[Scientists have figured out what makes Indian food so delicious]

"What we did is cook the rice as you normally do, but when the water is boiling, before adding the raw rice, we added coconut oil—about 3 percent of the weight of the rice you're going to cook," said Sudhair James, who presented his preliminary research at National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) on Monday. "After it was ready, we let it cool in the refrigerator for about 12 hours. That's it." more

IN JAMAICA: 66-yar-old man who fell in gully wants proper infrastructure for the disabled...PERCIVAL McIntosh, 66, was going about his business, only to find the sidewalk suddenly disappearing from underneath him, and plunging into a wet, filthy gully on Torrington Road in St Andrew.... I (had) stepped right over and broke my foot," he recounted yesterday. The senior citizen said he was assisted and taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where he received treatment. "The x-ray showed that my right foot was broken. For the next six weeks, I was unable to get out of bed," he said..

BY ALPHEA SAUNDERS Senior staff reporter saundersa@jamaica observer.com  Thursday, March 26, 2015   

PERCIVAL McIntosh, 66, was going about his business, only to find the sidewalk suddenly disappearing from underneath him, and plunging into a wet, filthy gully on Torrington Road in St Andrew.

PERCIVAL McIntosh, 66, 

McIntosh, who lost this sight nine years ago, told the Jamaica Observer that on Christmas Eve last year he alighted on Slipe Road from a Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) bus, which he said had detoured. Guided by his cane, he began walking down Torrington Road towards the intersection at Slipe Pen Road.

"The next thing I knew, I woke up wet and with my foot feeling as if someone had put iron boots on it [and] people told me I stepped into the gully. I (had) stepped right over and broke my foot," he recounted yesterday.

The senior citizen said he was assisted and taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where he received treatment. "The x-ray showed that my right foot was broken. For the next six weeks, I was unable to get out of bed," he said.

A pedestrian walks by the ‘un-railed’ gully at the corner
 of Slipe Pen Road and Torrington Road where senior citizen
Percival McIntosh says he fell last December.
 (PHOTO: GARFIELD ROBINSON)

The Jones Town resident, who decided to go public to highlight the dangers faced by the blind on the streets, yesterday pulled a sheaf of letters from a bucket containing documents, including a personal injury claim submitted to the National Works Agency (NWA). He also presented a response from the works agency, requesting supporting evidence of his injury, including receipts, invoices, a medical report, and eyewitness statement.

He said he has since submitted the eyewitness statement, but is awaiting a medical report from his physician, which he should receive by the end of April.

McIntosh made it clear that while the NWA has responded, there is a deeper issue at hand that must be addressed.

"Those places must have on rails. Even if the people thief them out for the scrapyard, put them back on. Me step right over into a gully and that should not to happen. If the rail was there I would feel it with the stick," he argued. more

New diet could considerably reduce the risk of Alzheimer's

Researchers at Rush University in Chicago have developed the MIND diet, which their recent study suggests could significantly reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. The study is published in the latest issue of Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.

Professor Martha Clare Morris and her colleagues combined elements of the Mediterranean diet with elements of DASH, a diet aimed at combatting high blood pressure, to create MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay).

To test the effectiveness of various diets on preventing the appearance of Alzheimer's disease, the study's authors recruited 923 participants aged 58 to 98, who responded to food questionnaires that reflected how closely their diets followed the Mediterranean, DASH or MIND diets.

After following the subjects from 2004 to 2013, the researchers found that the MIND diet was associated with a 53% reduction in the risk of Alzheimer's disease in subjects who followed it regularly, compared to a reduction of 54% and 39% for the Mediterranean and DASH plans respectively. more

BOYS' & GIRL's CHAMPS IN JAMAICA: Hydel's Shadea Lawrence repeats as discus champion and XLCR's/PALAS recipient Shanice Love was second...Girls begin quest for glory in short sprint today

 BY PAUL A REID Observer Writer reidp@jamaicaobserver.com  Thursday, March 26, 2015    

HYDEL High's Shadea Lawrence won the girls' Class One discus with a personal best throw of 48.66m to repeat as champion on day two of the GraceKennedy ISSA Boys' and Girls' Athletics Championships at the National Stadium yesterday.

Second in the event was Excelsior High's Shaniece Love (48.01m), while third went to Paul-Anne Gayle of Edwin Allen (47.87).

Hydel's Shadea Lawrence 

Meanwhile, Edwin Allen's Rochelle Frazer stayed on course to win a third-straight girls' Class One shot put event after easily qualifying in yesterday's preliminaries.

Frazer threw 12.45m to finish second behind St Andrew Technical's Ayesha Champagnie (12.70m) with Spalding's Tavia Dixon (12.15m), the only other thrower over 12.00m yesterday.

Frazer's teammate Janelle Fullerton is also expected to be among the medallists as well as Vere Technical's Kiona Bradshaw and Excelsior's Latifah Smith.

Meanwhile today, the preliminaries of the 1,500m in Classes one, two and three will be contested as well as the javelin Open first round, semi-finals of the 800m and the 4x400m relays.

Lamara Distin of Rusea's High, who was second in the Class Three high jump and leads with 1.65m so far this year, is among the 14 qualifiers for the event after yesterday's preliminaries.

Janique Burgher of Edwin Allen, who beat Distin at Western Relays, is also a medal contender as well as her teammate Annia Ashley and Herbert Morrison's Western Champs gold medallist Shyanne Smith.

In the only 800m event that was contested yesterday, Edwin Allen's Cemore Donald clocked 2:12.93 to lead the qualifiers with Spalding High's Kimone Campbell (2:14.93) and Albert Town's Kelly-Ann Beckford (2:16.49). Also advancing are Rusea's High's Tara Bert the Western Champs record holder and Albert Town's Tasinia Mothersill.

The road to what is expected to be an exciting set of 100m finals tomorrow starts this morning with the first rounds of the short sprint starting at 10:45.

Defending champions Edwin Allen High and St Jago are expected to dominate the events, each expecting to win two gold medals.

There will be a lot of speed on display on the blue track today. Among the sizzling events are the semi-finals of the 200m, with the finals set for Saturday, the final day of competition.

Edwin Allen High's Saqukine Cameron, who stepped down from the 200m/400m double to the 100m/200m double in Class One, will start favourite with the withdrawal of Wolmer's Girls' Shauna Helps, who failed to show for the 200m heats yesterday.

Helps won the Class Two 100m last year and was expected to feature this year, especially after running 11.66 seconds earlier. more

SEYNE-LES-ALPES, France (AP) : Audio Shows Germanwings Pilot Was Locked Out Of Cockpit Before Crash: Report ... 'You Can Hear He Is Trying To Smash The Door Down'...

AP  |  By Greg Keller & Elaine Ganley Posted: 03/25/2015 9:27 pm EDT 

SEYNE-LES-ALPES, France (AP) — The first half of Germanwings Flight 9525 was chilling in its normalcy. It took off from Barcelona en route to Duesseldorf, climbing up over the Mediterranean and turning over France. The last communication was a routine request to continue on its route.

Airbus 320

Minutes later, at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, the Airbus A320 inexplicably began to descend. Within 10 minutes it had plunged from its cruising altitude of 38,000 feet to just over 6,000 feet and slammed into a remote mountainside.

To find out why, investigators have been analyzing the mangled black box that contains an audio recording from the cockpit. Remi Jouty, the head of France's accident investigation bureau BEA, said Wednesday that it has yielded sounds and voices, but so far not the "slightest explanation" of why the plane crashed, killing all 150 on board. A newspaper report, however, suggests the audio contains intriguing information at the least: One of the pilots is heard leaving the cockpit, then banging on the door with increasing urgency in an unsuccessful attempt to get back in.

"The guy outside is knocking lightly on the door and there is no answer," The New York Times quotes an unidentified investigator as saying. "And then he hits the door stronger and no answer. There is never an answer."

Eventually, the newspaper quotes the investigator as saying: "You can hear he is trying to smash the door down." more

WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST as BOMBS AWAY : Saudi Arabia Launches Military Operations In Yemen with a 10-country coalition seeking to beat back Houthi militia forces besieging the southern city of Aden where the country's president had taken refuge...President Flees... Houthi: Strikes Will Set Off 'Wide War'... Rebels Steal Files On U.S. Spy Operations... How To Understand The Crisis...."We will do whatever it takes in order to protect the legitimate government of Yemen from falling," Jubeir said.

Reuters Posted: 03/25/2015 7:53 pm EDT 

ADEN/WASHINGTON, March 26 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday it had launched military operations in Yemen, carrying out air strikes in coordination with a 10-country coalition seeking to beat back Houthi militia forces besieging the southern city of Aden where the country's president had taken refuge.

Bombers

At a news conference in Washington, Saudi Ambassador Adel al-Jubeir said Gulf Arab allies and others had joined with the desert kingdom in the military campaign in a bid "to protect and defend the legitimate government" of Yemen President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. He declined to give any information on Hadi's whereabouts.

With the Saudi-led military assault, the Middle East's top oil power has been drawn into the worsening Yemeni conflict. The crisis risks spiraling into a proxy war with Shi'ite Iran backing the Houthis, whose leaders adhere to the brand of Shi'ite Islam, and Saudi Arabia and the other regional Sunni Muslim monarchies backing Hadi.

"We will do whatever it takes in order to protect the legitimate government of Yemen from falling," Jubeir said.

But he declined to give any information on the whereabouts of Hadi, though he said the military action was being taken at the embattled U.S.-backed leader's direct request. The United States said earlier that Hadi, holed up in Aden since fleeing the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa last month, was no longer at the compound he has been using as a base. more

Please join RULA BROWN when he speaks with the hit maker JAH RUBY on Thursday, March 26th at 10:30 am ET on www.RulaBrownNetwork.com. JAH RUBY's latest CD "The Delroy Wilson Story" recently stayed at # 1 on the Foundation Radio chart for 6 weeks. See you in the chat room with all your questions or call the studio at 770-744-2154.

JAH RUBY: friend of Jamaica’s famous Balford Henry, Staff Reporter After 28 years in the music business, entertainer Jah Ruby (Everald Metcalf) best remembers his childhood friendship with the late Bob Marley; memories like: Marley living at Oxford Street in West Kingston, while he lived nearby at the corner of Charles Street and Spanish Town Road; going to the once famous inner-city swimming area known as Hot And Cold, near the Jamaica Public Service Company’s plant at the old Foreshore Road (Marcus Garvey Drive); calling Marley, ‘white boy’ and going with him to Seprod to collect copra. “We used to stop at a place called Grand Ma Joint, when we left Hot and Cold, to eat corn bread, pudding and a mixture of milk and syrup. I never forget the day Bob ate all the pudding and everybody wanted to beat him up,” he recalled. Ruby said he introduced Marley to Derrick Morgan, when they were only teenagers. He even remembered the first car Marley owned - “a cream coloured Vauxhall Viva.” Marley went on to become one of the world’s biggest pop stars, but the multi-talented Ruby is still struggling to reach the top. He has been residing in the United States for the past 17 years and has so many stories to tell about his colourful times with reggae acts like Barrington Levy, Jah Thomas, Gregory Isaacs, the Melodians, Ken Boothe, John Holt and Little John. Ruby has been working closely of late with overseas-based Jamaican promoters like Danny Selassie’s Mystic Vibes Productions.

IN JAMAICA (UPDATE on GOOD DEEDS) : No more fowl coop for 81-year-old Rosalvo Patterson...senior citizen, who has been living in an fowl coop in Jericho, St Catherine, for the past five years, is expected to move into a new home, thanks to the kindness of music producer Wayne 'Lonesome' Brown.

BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com  Wednesday, March 25, 2015    

IN a matter of weeks, the living conditions of 81-year-old Rosalvo Patterson is expected to be significantly improved.

Patterson exits his ‘home’ last week Wednesday.

The senior citizen, who has been living in an fowl coop in Jericho, St Catherine, for the past five years, is expected to move into a new home, thanks to the kindness of music producer Wayne 'Lonesome' Brown.

On Monday, living up to a promise made last Friday -- a day after Patterson's dire situation was highlighted by the Jamaica Observer -- Brown spent approximately $100,000 on plyboard, lumber and other building supplies to be used to construct a house for the ailing Patterson.

He drafted skilled friends and family members who have been camping in Jericho since Monday, while they construct the house for the elderly man.

"Even though we have heard some persons making promises to help, I want to lead by example. So, after donating funds towards his medical bill last week, I have decided to purchase some building items to construct a house for the senior citizen ,because despite all the talk, the senior citizen is still suffering in the fowl coop," Brown told the Observer on Monday.

(L) Wayne ‘Lonesome’ Brown (centre) and members of his
immediate family prepare to exit a hardware store in Kingston
on Monday with some of the building supplies he bought
 to construct a house for Rosalvo Patterson. (PHOTO: KARL MCLARTY)
 (R) These men lay the foundation for a new home
 for Patterson, yesterday. (PHOTO: GARFIELD ROBINSON)

Brown also plans to buy furniture for Patterson when the house is completed.

Meanwhile, the kind neighbour who has been helping Patterson throughout his ordeal, said a number of people have promised" to help.

"Since the story came out in the paper a number of persons have pledged to donate towards this project for Mr Patterson," said the woman, who again asked to remain unidentified.

She said representatives from charity organisation Food For the Poor, the Environmental Health Foundation, and other bodies have visited Patterson and expressed the desire to help. She said that other Observer readers, including several from overseas, had also offered assistance.

Meanwhile, an unpleasant situation has developed concerning Patterson's sister, Eileen. more

Richard Turere, Kenya, 15 (ABSOLUTELY OUSTANDING WUNDERKID) : 7 Genius Kids Who Are Creating Change In Their Own Backyards (VIDEO)

Posted: 02/04/2015 12:14 am EST 
Too often we hear the phrase wunderkindapplied to just-out-of-college startup CEOs in Silicon Valley. Here’s a vote for using the term in the intended way: to convey that there’s a certain degree of novelty, and yes, wonder, in the ideas that spring from the minds of our youngest generation.

To restore our sense of wunder, we’ve partnered with Cisco to profile outstanding kids from around the world who are using technology and ingenuity to speed the pace of social change.

Richard Turere grew up along the edge of Nairobi National Park in Kenya. As a young boy tasked with protecting his family’s livestock from roaming lions, he sought a solution that would both protect the livelihoods of citizens in his rural community and prevent others from killing lions in order to do so. Turere, a tinkerer by birth, came up with an ingenious, safe, cost-effective solution: he created “Lion Lights,” a solar-powered circuit, to scare off lions with flickering LED lights. The experiment was so successful that he had installed 75 Lion Light systems in Kenya by the time he was invited to speak at a TED Conference. more

New Vybz Kartel CD is # 3 on Billboard Chart : AS the first anniversary of his sentence for murder approaches, deejay Vybz Kartel earns his best showing to date on Billboard's Reggae Album chart.

By Kevin Jackson Observer Writer  Tuesday, March 24, 2015    

AS the first anniversary of his sentence for murder approaches, deejay Vybz Kartel earns his best showing to date on Billboard's Reggae Album chart.....

Vybz Kartel

Viking (Vybz is King), an 11-track set produced by Linton 'TJ' White, debuts at number three on that table. It is the controversial artiste's fifth title on the Billboard chart.

White, who has produced hits for Kartel including Touch a Button, Business, Conjugal Visit (featuring Spice), Without Money and Ordinary Servant, is not surprised at reception to the album.

"All the songs are brand new and people want new songs. These are exclusive that have never been released," White told the Jamaica Observer, adding: "At one point we had six of the songs on the iTunes charts at the same time."

Tracks from Viking (Vybz is King) include Dancehall, Gon Get Better, Enchanting, Time, Volcano, Facebook People and Unstoppable.

It bears the TJ Records/Adidjahiem Records/Short Boss Muzik imprints and is distributed by 21st Hapilos.

Kartel's previous entries on the Billboard Reggae Album chart are 2011's Kingston Story which peaked at number seven; Vybz Kartel Roots & Culture: The Voice of the Jamaican Ghetto, which reached number six in 2013; Kartel Forever: Trilogy, which stalled at number 11 in 2013; and last year's Reggae Love Songs & Other Things which got to number seven.

The 39-year-old Kartel (Adidja Palmer) was sentenced to life in prison on April 4 2014 for the August 2011 murder of Clive 'Lizard' Williams. He will be eligible for parole after 35 years.

However, his popularity among the youth and hardcore dancehall fans remains strong. He won four awards at the recent Youth View Awards.

White has also had success on Billboard charts. His reworking of the Showtime 'riddim', called Unfinished Business, scored hits on the R&B Hop Hip Songs chart with Serani's No Games and Mavado's So Special.

IN JAMAICA: Fierce Champs Battle For Boys' And Girls' Champs Titles....Defending champions Calabar and Edwin Allen High schools are favoured...Hailed as the greatest event of its kind on the planet, the five-day championships, which gets under way today inside the National Stadium.

Published March 24, 2015

"Come and get it if you can!". That's the challenge from defending boys and girls' champions Calabar and Edwin Allen High schools.

Saqukine Cameron, 
Edwin Allen's top sprinter

They won't be short of takers, so brace yourselves for what is expected to be one of the most exciting Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/ GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships title races in recent history.

Hailed as the greatest event of its kind on the planet, the five-day championships, which gets under way today inside the National Stadium, will form the stage as the island's - and in some cases the world's - best young talent scrap it out for the greatest honour in local high school sports, glory at 'Champs'.

Calabar's Class One sprinter/hurdler 
Michael O'Hara

The plot largely remains the same in the boys' section, with defending champions Calabar expected to fight tooth and nail with old foes Kingston College (KC), who are desperate to end a five-year drought and avenge last year's 96.5-point demolition, with Jamaica College (JC) quietly confident of upsetting the applecart. However, as far as Calabar's head coach, Michael Clarke, is concerned, his team is ready and waiting to celebrate their fourth straight hold on the Mortimer Geddes trophy and 25th title overall.

"We have had some outstanding performances over the past year. Our preparations have gone very well and, as a result, I am looking forward to an exciting and highly competitive championships," Clarke said. "What I know is that Calabar, we have been preparing quite well over the past couple of months, and we are looking forward to some amazing results at Champs. more

ISRAEL SPIED ON U.S.-IRAN LOBBIED CONGRESS WITH INTEL : Israel Spied on US Iran Nuclear Talks With U.S. Ally’s snooping upset White House because information was used to lobby Congress to try to sink a deal

By 

ADAM ENTOUS

March 23, 2015 10:30 p.m. ET

S

Soon after the U.S. and other major powers entered negotiations last year to curtail Iran’s nuclear program, senior White House officials learned Israel was spying on the closed-door talks.

Netanyahu and Obama

The spying operation was part of a broader campaign by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to penetrate the negotiations and then help build a case against the emerging terms of the deal, current and former U.S. officials said. In addition to eavesdropping, Israel acquired information from confidential U.S. briefings, informants and diplomatic contacts in Europe, the officials said.

The espionage didn’t upset the White House as much as Israel’s sharing of inside information with U.S. lawmakers and others to drain support from a high-stakes deal intended to limit Iran’s nuclear program, current and former officials said.

“It is one thing for the U.S. and Israel to spy on each other. It is another thing for Israel to steal U.S. secrets and play them back to U.S. legislators to undermine U.S. diplomacy,” said a senior U.S. official briefed on the matter. more

BREAKING NEWS (Flight 4U9525) : 148 Feared Dead according to President of France in Airbus A320 crash reports from MSNBC: German Wings flight 'down in southern France' crashed from Barcelona to Dusseldorf...Crash site is located

An Airbus A320 operated by the German Wings airline has crashed in southern France, according to reports.

The plane was travelling between Barcelona and Dusseldorf when it came down in the French Alps near Digne, according to the AFP News Agency.

There were conflicting early reports of the number of passengers on the plane, which is believed to have a capacity of 174.

Screengrab from the flight tracking
 website Flightaware, appearing to show
 the path of the Barcelona-Dusseldorf flight

Le Monde and local newspapers cited aviation officials as saying that 142 passengers and six crew were on board at the time. Germanwings has issued a statement via Twitter saying the airline is still working to confirm the incident through its "own information".

It said it had "recently become aware of media reports speculating on an incident".

The airline requested the public "monitor our website" and said it would provide information as soon as it was available.

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