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Indie pop-rock band from Nagaland Trance Effect delivered a show-stopping performance on the mainstage at Music Matters 2025 in Singapore, one of the world’s leading music showcase festivals. Featuring top emerging talent from across the globe, the event serves as a key platform for artists to perform before a diverse international audience of fans, industry leaders, agents, and festival organizers. Representing Nagaland, India, Trance Effect brought their signature energy and dynamic stage presence to the spotlight, earning widespread praise for their electrifying performance. Attendees described the set as “gorgeous and wonderful,” commending the band’s “amazing showmanship and spectacular performance.”Their appearance at Music Matters marks a major milestone for Trance Effect, as they continue to build momentum on the international music scene. With their unique blend of indie pop and rock influences, the band has emerged as one of the most exciting acts to watch from India’s vibrant music landscape. Trance Effect captivates audience at Music Matters 2025 in Singapore | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Amazon MX Player’s StreamNext event charts out future of free entertainment in India with slate of over 100 new shows (2025-06-14T12:23:00+05:30)
Remo D’Souza and Malaika Arora feature in Hip-Hop India 2, one of the 100-plus shows coming up in 2025 on Amazon MX Player. Photo: Rajiv VijayakarThe first edition of Amazon MX Player’s StreamNext featured global marketing leaders like Benedict Evans and prominent entertainment industry personalities. The star-studded event, held at the Grand Hyatt on January 30 showcased the evolving landscape of content consumption in India and how Amazon MX Player is becoming a transformative partner to advertisers for building strong and memorable brands. A discussion on current marketing trends, named “Fireside Chat”, was also held on stage with businessman and columnist Suhel Seth as moderator in a talk with Harsh Bhat, Advisor and Director at Tata Group, and ad veteran Piyush Pandey. They shared their insights on the evolving ad world and how brands communicate with the masses. Amid stellar appearances by Bobby Deol (Aashram 3), Suniel Shetty and Jackie Shroff (Hunter 2), Remo D’Souza and Malaika Arora (Hip-Hop India 2), Ashneer Grover (Rise and Fall) and more, Amazon MX Player showcased its remarkable slate of over 100 new shows for 2025. “Today’s gathering is all about bringing together the vast reach of Amazon MX Player, with ad tech that leverages Amazon’s trillions of customer signals,” said Girish Prabhu, Head of Amazon Ads India. “It’s about enabling all brands, not just the ones selling on Amazon, to reach and deliver relevant advertising to over 250 million unique users in India. It’s about directly measuring outcomes from the very top of the funnel to the very bottom. Full funnel advertising is here!” With Originals, reality shows, and MX Vdesi content that includes K-dramas, Mandarin, Turkish shows and more, Amazon MX Player is one of India’s largest entertainment destinations. “There is no other streaming service in India that offers such a massive selection of content for free,” said Karan Bedi, Head of Amazon MX Player. Bedi also highlighted that the MX Player app is one of the most downloaded apps in India with over 1.4 billion downloads on Play Store. In addition, Amazon MX Player can be seamlessly accessed across a wide range of surfaces including India’s largest eCommerce app Amazon.in on Prime Video and Fire TV. This widespread availability ensures that customers can enjoy shows on their preferred channel. “Amazon MX Player is uniquely positioned to drive the shift from linear television to video streaming, its reach is already at par with some of the leading general entertainment channels in India.” Amogh Dusad, Head of Content, unveiled a lineup of more than 100 new shows set to launch in 2025, including 40 new Hindi originals and returning seasons of India’s beloved and award-winning shows like Aashram, Hunter, Jamnapaar, Half CA, Hip-Hop India, Sixer, Who’s your Gynac and Playground. Amazon MX’s slate for 2025 was showcased at the first Amazon StreamMNext event on January 30. Photo: Moe’s Art New series with innovative story lines were also announced, such as Bhay centering around an Indian paranormal investigator, The Titan Story, which tells an inspiring tale of India’s first super brand, along with a new reality show, Rise and Fall, a unique competitive format where players begin as equals, vying to become a ruler or remain a pauper. Viewers can also look forward to a new MX Vdesi series every week, dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, alongside an extensive movie library. Dusad shared how the service leverages deep consumer insights to craft fresh storylines that are rooted and authentic, while rapidly experimenting with new content formats. “We are committed to keeping India entertained—free of charge!” The event also showcased the marketing fraternity an expanded suite of new interactive and shoppable ad formats for Amazon MX Player. These formats include in-stream shoppable ads where viewers can browse a product during ad breaks, immersive formats where brands can effectively communicate their message. Viewer interaction with such native ad formats is 6 to 7 times higher as compared to other industry offerings. “Our audiences are highly engaged viewers and we have a strong understanding of their shopping patterns, an advantage that only Amazon MX Player can provide. Even brands that don’t sell products or services on Amazon can connect to customers through this premium world of content and by levering our first-party shopping signals, to enhance their campaign effectiveness,” said Aruna Daryanani, Director, Amazon MX Player. Om Jha, Director of Media and Partnerships at PepsiCo, shared insights on how the service has contributed to their brand’s success.With its reach of over 250 million unique monthly users across mobile and Connected TVs, a large slate of free, premium content and trillions of first-party shopping signals, Amazon MX Player offers unique opportunities to advertisers to reach a relevant, diverse and highly engaged audience, throughout the customer journey. Amazon MX Player’s StreamNext event charts out future of free entertainment in India with slate of over 100 new shows |
Mrunal Thakur channels her inner fangirl during the Coldplay concert (2025-06-14T12:22:00+05:30)
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Mrunal Thakur also decided to post a few sneak peeks from the eventful night on her Instagram stories. For the unversed, Coldplay will perform in Mumbai on 18, 19, and 21 January this year. Meanwhile, the second leg of the Indian tour will take place in Ahmedabad on 25 and 26 January. In the meantime, Mrunal Thakur recently made headlines due to her perky comment on Bruno Mars' Instagram post. The singer posted a jaw-dropping photo in a white ganji and matching hat on the photo-sharing app. He wrote in the caption, 'So this your new man? Where’d you meet him, at an all-girls school? – a short story by Bruno Mars'. Reacting to the pic, Mrunal Thakur wrote in the comment section, "Well ….. If the world was ending, I’d wanna be next to you!"On the professional front, Mrunal Thakur will next be a part of the highly-anticipated sequel "Son of Sardaar 2". She will be sharing the screen with Ajay Devgn in her next. The second installment in the franchise is going to be released on 25th July 2025. The sequel will be reaching the audience 13 years after the first film "Son of Sardaar", co-starring Ajay Devgn, and Sonakshi Sinha. Touted to be an action comedy, the movie has been directed by Vijay Kumar Arora. Financed by Ajay Devgn under the banner of Devgn Films in collaboration with Jio Studios, "Son of Sardaar 2" also stars Sanjay Dutt in a prominent role. The project is expected to be set against the backdrop of a gang war between the Bihari and Punjabi dons. Mrunal Thakur channels her inner fangirl during the Coldplay concert | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Hrithik Roshan hosts exclusive party for the media on his Silver Jubilee (2025-01-17T13:56:00+05:30)
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Hrithik Roshan with Parikh Worldwide Media Entertainment Reporter Rajiv Vijayakar at his party for the media on January 7. Photo: Nishika V. Hrithik Roshan, who once said, “I thought I would just get passing marks. But what I got was much more and it’s growing and scaring me. One fine day I get out of bed, go out and the traffic stops. It’s hard to digest!” did something unthinkable in the last quarter century at least. On January 7, the actor threw a lavish yet intimate party for the media alone at Mumbai’s One8 Commune, an exclusive resto-bar part-owned by cricketer Virat Kohli in a former portion of the legendary Kishore Kumar’s bungalow. Dressed simply but earthily in white, and donning a dark-blue jacket and cap, the ever-smiling star did not look a day above 35 even as he touches a fit 50 on January 10. In his opening address (for want of a better word!) he simply thanked everyone for being present, and said, “It’s been 25 years. I don’t like to use words like legacy and milestone, and I’m not here to say, ‘25 years, Yeah!’ I’m not doing that. I remember when Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai was released, I was so shy and anxious that I didn’t do a single interview. I didn’t step out of my house to do anything. I just skipped the entire promotional event. 25 years have passed and unfortunately, that side of me has not changed, I’m still as shy, and just as anxious as always.” He went on, “But I have to thank you guys. Your questions made me uncomfortable, but more responsible, and more accountable. Because you all helped me search inside myself as to what kind of human I want to be in this world. And apart from that, it is through your words that people understood me and it is you speaking to them, telling them how to see me, and how to understand me. So thank you, thank you, for it’s your perceptions that you shared with the world. So thank you for making me contribute so much to my journey. This meeting today is not about me but about you! And today, I want to do something that I have never done before! I want to sit down and have a drink with you guys!” Amidst cheers, the actor added. “So Happy New Year and let’s get the party started!” Hrithik cheerfully spent time chatting individually with many journalists and also posing for countless pictures. He then also made it a point to stop by at every table and spend time with the journalists, happily answering their questions and making candid admissions about many aspects of his personal and professional lives down the years.Interestingly, his debut film that made him a superstar, Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai, which first hit the screen on January 14, 2000, re-releases on a big scale this January 10, which also happens to be Hrithik’s birthday. And buzz is that the actor’s next and long-awaited sequel to Krrish 3, Krrish 4, will be announced on that date. As he put it during a chat, “Maybe it is time to put on the (Krrish) mask again!”Hrithik Roshan hosts exclusive party for the media on his Silver Jubilee |
Set Wet partners with Mega Entertainment to host Mega Mister North East 2024 (2024-07-18T14:38:00+05:30)
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Dimapur, (MExN): Set Wet, men’s grooming brand from the house of Marico, in collaboration with Mega Entertainment, is set to host the 13th edition of Mega Mister North East. The coveted pageant now titled, ‘Set Wet Mega Mister North East 2024’, aims to build a deeper connect with the vibrant people of the North-East, stated in a press release from the brand. The organisers mentioned that the pageant is being promoted through several channels, including social media, local TV, and radio channels, ensuring widespread visibility, engagement, and participation. For the first time ever, the pageant has extended its promotional footprint across 20 college campuses in key locations such as Guwahati, Dimapur, Agartala, Shillong, Kohima, and Gangtok, setting up Set Wet kiosks as well as hair styling booths at select colleges and reached 9000 students with Set Wet Hair Styling Gel samples, it said. “With this the pageant has seen a 30% growth in audition participation over last year.” The people of the Northeast are known for their evolved fashion and hairstyling sense. Through Set Wet's strategic association with Mega Mister North East as the pageant title sponsor, the brand aims to showcase its strong expertise in male grooming and emphasize the importance of grooming in setting one’s vibe, it said. Somasree Bose Awasthi, Chief Marketing Officer, Marico Limited, stated, "As a leader in the hair styling category, Set Wet leads hair styling conversations among the youth of India. Set Wet Mega Mister North East 2024 marks an exciting milestone in the brand's journey. Rooted in the core message of #ApniHairStyleHiApniVibeHai this collaboration is aimed at building a deeper connect with and elevating the grooming experience of the Gen Z in the Northeast. We look forward to shaping a new era of hairstyling in the Northeastern part of India,” he said. Abhijeet Singha, Founder of Mega Entertainment stated, "We are thrilled to have Set Wet as our strategic partner for Mega Mister North East 2024. The unique blend of Set Wet's grooming expertise and Mega Entertainment's vision for redefining pageantry ensures that Mega Mister North East 2024 becomes a platform where style, individuality, and grooming excellence converge seamlessly. Together, we aim to elevate the standards of style in the Northeast and set new benchmarks in the world of men's grooming and hairstyling routine”. In the grand finale, the top 3 winners of Set Wet Mega Mister North East 2024 will each be awarded a cash prize of Rs. 50,000, complimented with an exciting grooming kit provided by Set Wet, offering a complete solution for their hairstyling needs. Additionally, they will have the coveted opportunity to become Set Wet brand ambassadors for the Northeast market. Set Wet partners with Mega Entertainment to host Mega Mister North East 2024 | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
SJU Drama Club organises ‘dramatic monologues’ event (2024-05-28T13:41:00+05:30)
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Drama Club, Department of English of St Joseph University, Chümoukedima conducted the ‘dramatic monologues they’ll remember you by’ on March 12. Chümoukedima, March 12 (MExN): The Drama Club, Department of English of St Joseph University, Chümoukedima conducted the ‘dramatic monologues they’ll remember you by’ on the theme ‘a celebration of dramatic arts’ in the university auditorium on March 12. In the formal session, a speech was delivered by Dr Khelsoril Wanbe highlighting drama as an important genre of literature. He stated that involving in dramatic activities can boost one’s confidence, and self-esteem, boost creativity, and critical thinking. He further stated that drama and its various aspects can contribute to cultural promotion and can bring transformations in society. Tokaholi Chishi sang a song followed up with a monologue from the movie ‘Dead Poets Society’. The next session began with the commencement of the monologues. The 17th century monologues was presented by MA 2nd semester; 18th century monologues by BA 4th semester; 19th century monologues by MA 4th semester; 20th century monologues by BA 6th semester; 21st century monologues by BA 2nd semester. The event continued with several performances by Vikhotuono Valeria Vizo and Bendangmongla Jamir, MA 4th semester; Yemkong Somba, MA 2nd semester; Adeno, BA 6th semester; Yoto Khusho, BA 4th semester; Pongshi MA 2nd semester; and Dr Khelsoril Wanbe. SJU Drama Club organises ‘dramatic monologues’ event | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Fantasy Wonderland of 500,000 Balloons Gives Sick Kids Most Uplifting Fundraising Event Ever – LOOK (2024-03-21T15:07:00+05:30)
![]() On Friday and Saturday, a hotel in Orlando came alive with vibrant colors and breathtaking flair after more than 400 balloon artists from around the world constructed a wonderland to benefit sick children. The ballroom in the Hyatt hotel became a life-sized replica of Give Kids The World Village—a 90-acre, whimsical nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, Florida which provides critically ill children and their families with magical week-long vacations at no cost. Balloon artisans from 22 countries built life-sized replicas of the Village’s seven iconic ‘neighborhoods’ using a half-million biodegradable balloons to recreate Under the Sea, Candy Land, Dinosaur Land, and more. Sponsored by Pioneer Balloon Company, all the proceeds from the $20 tickets go towards fulfilling the wishes of critically-ill children and their families. “We are very excited about bringing the wonder and excitement of balloon artistry to Orlando while raising funds for such an impactful nonprofit,” said a spokesperson of Pioneer Balloon Company ![]() founded in 1917. The beautiful event (pictured in the video below) raised $52,000, all of which will be used to fulfill the wishes of critically ill children and their families. Give Kids The World also raises millions of dollars for its charity work with an annual Christmas lights spectacular, covered by GNN each of the last two years. ![]() The mission of Give Kids The World Village is to create happiness for wish families during all-inclusive, customized dream vacations that include visits to Disney World. Give Kids The WorldEvery family is treated to transportation; accommodations; all meals; donated theme park tickets; nightly entertainment; and more. Since 1986, Give Kids The World has welcomed 177,000 families from all 50 states and 76 countries. Fantasy Wonderland of 500,000 Balloons Gives Sick Kids Most Uplifting Fundraising Event Ever – LOOK |
Indian-American charity organization to hold promotional Bollywood concert (2020-07-09T12:55:00+05:30)
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Talented local singers and musicians will perform on April 27, 2019, from 4 p.m. at Balaji Temple Auditorium in Bridgewater, N.J. the organization said in a press release.
OHM Charities, an Indian-American non-profit organization established in 2018 to promote cultural awareness through entertainment and promote music, language and Indian heritage, is joining up with the cultural organization OHMkara, to hold their first-ever Bollywood music concert “Sunheri Yaddein.”
This year, OHMkara marks the fifth year of their program and to their commitment to promote local artists. After several requests and high demand from the community this talent will be showcased in a concert dominated by Bollywood songs of various singers and actors, actresses, music composers and writers.
The state-of-the art auditorium will ring with choreographed numbers of old songs from K.L. Siagal, Suraiya, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosale, Mohammad Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, Yesudas, Kumar Sanu to newer songs from Shreya Ghosal, Arijit Singh, Atif Aslam and more, organizers say.
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s 50 years of Bollywood contributions will also be celebrated in a special tribute to living legend.
OHMkara is one of the leading organizations in New Jersey to promote Indian music, art, literature, and language since 2013. Other events it has organized include Samananvay, Saat Suro na Sarname, Mor Bani Thangaat Kare and Gujarati Jalso with talented singers, musicians and comperes held in the U.S. in major cities and also in Muscat and Dubai.
Thousands of Gujaratis have enjoyed OHMKara-organized concerts with renowned singers and music composers like Parthiv Gohil, Gurang Vyas, Purushottam Upadhyay, Sairam Dave, Jahnvi Shrimankar, Manasi Parekh, Utkarsh Mazumdar, Chirag Vohra and many more in the last five years, organizers said in the press release.
The next major event by OHM Charities & OHMkara will be in early 2020 according to the organizers, and details about that will be announced by end of 2019.
The major media and event supporters for “Sunheri Yaadein” are Parikh Worldwide media and ITV Gold, TV Asia, as well as Akila Daily, Divyabhaskar.com, masalajunction.com, Gujarat Darpan, Tiranga, Radio Dil, Desi Connect, NRI Tribune, 8K Radio, Gujarat Samachar and Hi India.
For tickets visit ohmkara.org, eventbrite, or sangeet store in Edison. Or call 210-981-9134 (Dr. Tushar Patel or Rakesh Raj. For additional information and sponsorship, contact Pinakin Pathak at 609-610-1920 or Dr. Tushar Patel at 848-391-0499 or visit tushar@ohmkara.org. Source: https://www.newsindiatimes.com/
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Superstar Amitabh Bachchan launches Mary Kom biography Unbreakable (2015-12-13T10:15:00+05:30)
Superstar Amitabh Bachchan launched the biography of Olympics medallist, and boxer Mary Kom. Big B spoke about Mary Kom and her book 'Unbreakable', "Mary Kom is already a legendary figure in the country, loved and admired by all. She has made innumerable contributions in breaking stereotypes about women, more so from the north-east. The book beautifully brings out her indestructible spirit & is an inspirational read for all. Source.
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Win or lose, Bigg Boss means big money for contestants (2015-09-23T17:41:00+05:30)
It’s not for no reason that they are ready to take a dip in deep sh*t (remember the cow dung task?), withstand electric shocks and swallow their egos while getting scolded by actor Salman Khan on national television. The fat pay cheque that they are drawing every week is what’s keeping the celebrity contestants reality TV show
TV bahus Pratyusha Banerjee and Kamya Punjabi were reportedly signed for anything between Rs. 3.5 to Rs. 4 lakh respectively. “The contract for every contestant depends on how he or she has got the show. If the channel approached them, they can demand big money. But if they approached the channel, then they end up agreeing on a paltry sum for the heck of grabbing eyeballs,” says actor Kamal Rashid Khan, a former show contestant. “For instance, cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu was approached by the makers and he drew Rs. 10 lakh
contestant reveals that the show’s contract includes clauses that require participants to provoke the inmates or try and get cosy with them for more moolah. “If an inmate provides a lot of content, he/she can renegotiate the fee with the creative team. Wild card entrants, too, often hike their price. Also, the contestants are usually bound by a contract of six months, during which they cannot participate in any other reality show, and have to be at the channel’s beck. They also need to attend its award shows,” the contestant says, on the condition of anonymity. Source: Article, Open Images |
Scandal rocks Miss Supranational 2013 pageant: Polish business partner fails to distribute winner's prize (2013-12-01T23:07:00+05:30)
Gerhard Parzutka von Lipinski poses with Ekaterina Buraya of Belarus, Miss Supranational 2012, during the press conference of the Miss Supranational 2013 pageant in Minsk, Belarus.
A reliable source informed Critical Beauty that Gerhard Parzutka von Lipinski, the Polish producer, host and launch partner of World Beauty Association (WBA), the Panamanian-based company that owns and produces the Miss Supranational pageant, has failed to distribute the cash prizes for the 2013 winner, Mutya Datul, and her runners-up. This information was sent via e-mail to all license holders by WBA Chief Operating Officer, Marc Russell, dated November 15, 2013. WBA is now considering a possible class action against von Lipinski, who heads his company called Nowa Scena, This source then forwarded the e-mail to Critical Beauty. The e-mail also reveals that von Lipinski pretended to be WBA President Tryny Marcela Yandar Lobón when he wrote a
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Gerhard Parzutka von Lipinski (front row, third from left) eyeing a contestant during the swimsuit preliminaries of Miss Polski 2013 pageant last June in Poland.
circular e-mail to all license holders on October 17, 2013. The e-mail looked suspicious as it had been written from a different e-mail address that Yandar Lobón never had. Russell's e-mail also mentioned Edwin Dominguez, the national director of Panama. Russell states that Dominguez does not work for WBA. Russell writes: "We assume that our National Director from Panama will wake up from his frivolous mistake to assist Mr Gerhard Parzutka von Lipinski when seeing the poor financial statements of Nowa Scena since 2010." [I don't quite understand what Russell is saying, but it seems to suggest that he wishes that Dominguez should
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Gerhard Parzutka von Lipinski and Panama's national director Edwin Dominguez. Date & location of photo unknown.
have reported von Lipinski immediately to WBA after having seen Nowa Scena's near-bankrupt situation in 2010. Russell's e-mail ends with a note of disappointment, accusing von Lipinski of behaving "greedy and dubious at the end of our 5-yrs launch and regret the damage our clean and superb brand may suffer" - and a little bit of optimism: "We will do our best to get the situation under control and will inform you about our owners’ next exciting steps." We'll see about that. Photos from Miss Supranational website and Gerhard Parzutka von Lipinski's Facebook page. By Rafa Delfin: Updated:11-30-2013. Per readers' request, publishing Marc Russell's email here. Judge for yourself. Source: criticalbeauty.com......................................................
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Gaga croons in Tahiliani sari (2012-05-06T17:10:00+05:30)
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The first Indian Grand Prix had a fitting closure with Lady Gaga crooning to desi monsters. This was her maiden performance in India. She performed for 30 minutes at Arjun Rampal's closing party at LAP, Buddh International Circuit. But what really was the icing to the cake was her outfit. A Trun Tahiliani sari. It was a white, fitted body suit with side panel cutouts, encrusted with heavy gold and Swarvoski chains. Worn with a stylized, draped concept sari in lame and chiffon. Tarun Tahiliani says it was especially flattering that she mentioned towards the end of the concert that she could not wear the clothes she had originally brought with her after she saw Tahiliani. She completely transformed his signature sari drapes, first into a sarong drape, then she threw the pallu off and eventually she performed in the body suit with fish net stockings and Louboutins. Tahiliani says “It was her creative genius that made five different looks out of out of our pieces. The fact that she chose to wear Tarun Tahiliani through not only the day but also the night was an affirmation of our emphasis on fit and finish, as the fit on her was perfect.” Gaga too went gaga over the Tarun Tahiliani creation she wore for her concert. She said she had brought all sorts of clothes, but when she had to pick a dress and looked at what she had, she realized the Tahiliani sari was the prettiest. "So what I did was, I ripped this sari into shreds and I made it a little bit of New York," she said. The sari became a wrap dress, and Gaga being Gaga, one of her male dancers tore it from her body to leave her just in a teeny body suit midway through her performance. Source: Article,, Reference-Image: flickr.com
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