REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (the "Agreement") is made and entered
into as of the date on the signature page hereof, by and among NewGen
Technologies, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and the "Investor"
named in that certain Purchase Agreement by and among the Company and the
Investor (the "Purchase Agreement").
The parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Certain Definitions.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any person, any other person which
directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control
with, such person.
"Business Day" means a day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, on which
banks in New York City are open for the general transaction of business.
"Common Stock" shall mean the Company's common stock, par value $0.0001
per share, and any securities into which such shares may hereinafter be
reclassified.
"Investor" shall mean the Investor identified in the Purchase Agreement
and any Affiliate or permitted transferee of any Investor who is a subsequent
holder of any Debentures, Warrants or Registrable Securities.
"Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus included in any Registration
Statement, as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect
to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities
covered by such Registration Statement and by all other amendments and
supplements to the prospectus, including post-effective amendments and all
material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.
"Register," "registered" and "registration" refer to a registration made
by preparing and filing a Registration Statement or similar document in
compliance with the 1933 Act (as defined below), and the declaration or ordering
of effectiveness of such Registration Statement or document.
"Registrable Securities" shall mean the Shares and any other securities
issued or issuable with respect to or in exchange for Registrable Securities;
provided, that, a security shall cease to be a Registrable Security upon (A)
sale pursuant to a Registration Statement or Rule 144 under the 1933 Act, or (B)
such security becoming eligible for sale by the Investors pursuant to Rule
144(k).
"Registration Statement" shall mean any registration statement of the
Company filed under the 1933 Act that covers the resale of any of the
Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, amendments
and supplements to such Registration Statement, including post-effective
amendments, all exhibits and all material incorporated by reference in such
Registration Statement.
"SEC" means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Shares" means the shares of Common Stock purchased by the Investor
pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
"1933 Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
"1934 Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
2. Registration.
(a) Registration Statements. Within 180 days following the closing
of the purchase and sale of the securities contemplated by the Purchase
Agreement (the "Closing Date"), which shall be known as the (the "Filing
Deadline"), the Company shall prepare and file with the SEC one Registration
Statement on Form SB-2 (or, if Form SB-2 is not then available to the Company,
on such form of registration statement as is then available to effect a
registration for resale of the Registrable Securities), covering the resale of
the Registrable Securities. Such Registration Statement also shall cover, to the
extent allowable under the 1933 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder
(including Rule 416), such indeterminate number of additional shares of Common
Stock resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions with
respect to the Registrable Securities. If a Registration Statement covering the
Registrable Securities is not filed with the SEC on or prior to the Filing
Deadline, the Company will make payment to the Investor, as liquidated damages
and not as a penalty, in an amount equal to 1.0% of the aggregate amount
invested by such Investor for each 30-day period or pro rata for any portion
thereof following the date by which such Registration Statement should have been
filed for which no Registration Statement is filed with respect to the
Registrable Securities. Such payments shall be in partial compensation to the
Investor, and shall not constitute the Investor's exclusive remedy for such
events.
(b) Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses associated with each
registration, including filing and printing fees, the Company's counsel and
accounting fees and expenses, costs associated with clearing the Registrable
Securities for sale under applicable state securities laws and listing fees, but
excluding discounts, commissions, fees of underwriters, selling brokers, dealer
managers or similar securities industry professionals with respect to the
Registrable Securities being sold.
(c) Effectiveness.
(i) The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
have the Registration Statement declared effective as soon as practicable. The
Company shall notify the Investor by facsimile or e-mail after any Registration
Statement is declared effective and shall simultaneously provide the Investors
with copies of any related Prospectus to be used in connection with the sale or
other disposition of the securities covered thereby. If (A) a Registration
Statement covering the Registrable Securities is not declared effective by the
SEC within one hundred twenty (120) days after the Filing Deadline, or (B) after
a Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC, sales cannot be
made pursuant to such Registration Statement for any reason (including without
limitation by reason of a stop order, or the Company's failure to update the
Registration Statement), but excluding the inability of the Investor to sell the
Registrable Securities covered thereby due to market conditions and except as
excused pursuant to subparagraph (ii) below, then the Company will make payment
to the Investor, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, in an amount equal
to 1.0% of the aggregate amount invested by such Investor for each 30 day period
or pro rata for any portion thereof following the date by which such
Registration Statement should have been effective (the "Blackout Period"). Such
payments shall be in partial compensation to the Investor, and shall not
constitute the Investor's exclusive remedy for such events.
(ii) For not more than twenty (20) consecutive days or for a
total of not more than forty-five (45) days in any twelve (12) month period, the
Company may delay the disclosure of material non-public information concerning
the Company, by suspending the use of any Prospectus included in any
registration contemplated by this Section containing such information, the
disclosure of which at the time is not, in the good faith opinion of the
Company, in the best interests of the Company (an "Allowed Delay"); provided,
that the Company shall promptly (a) notify the Investors in writing of the
existence of (but in no event, without the prior written consent of an Investor,
shall the Company disclose to such Investor any of the facts or circumstances
regarding) material non-public information giving rise to an Allowed Delay, (b)
advise the Investors in writing to cease all sales under the Registration
Statement until the end of the Allowed Delay and (c) use commercially reasonable
efforts to terminate an Allowed Delay as promptly as practicable.
3. Company Obligations. The Company will use commercially reasonable
efforts to effect the registration of the Registrable Securities in accordance
with the terms hereof, and pursuant thereto the Company will, as expeditiously
as possible:
(a) use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration
Statement to become effective and to remain continuously effective for a period
that will terminate upon the earlier of (i) the date on which all Registrable
Securities covered by such Registration Statement as amended from time to time,
have been sold, and (ii) the date on which all Registrable Securities covered by
such Registration Statement may be sold pursuant to Rule 144(k) (the
"Effectiveness Period") and advise the Investors in writing when the
Effectiveness Period has expired;
(b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective
amendments to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as may be necessary
to keep the Registration Statement effective for the period specified in Section
3(a) and to comply with the provisions of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act with
respect to the distribution of all of the Registrable Securities covered
thereby;
(c) provide copies to and permit counsel designated by the Investors
to review each Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto
prior to their filing with the SEC and not file any document to which such
counsel reasonably objects based upon such counsel's belief that such
Registration Statement is not in compliance with applicable laws, rule or
regulations or contains a material misstatement or omission;
(d) furnish to the Investor and their legal counsel (i) promptly
after the same is prepared and publicly distributed, filed with the SEC, or
received by the Company one (1) copy of any Registration Statement and any
amendment thereto, each preliminary prospectus and Prospectus and each amendment
or supplement thereto, and each letter written by or on behalf of the Company to
the SEC or the staff of the SEC, and each item of correspondence from the SEC or
the staff of the SEC, in each case relating to such Registration Statement
(other than any portion of any thereof which contains information for which the
Company has sought confidential treatment), and (ii) such number of copies of a
Prospectus, including a preliminary prospectus, and all amendments and
supplements thereto and such other documents as each Investor may reasonably
request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities
owned by such Investor that are covered by the related Registration Statement;
(e) use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) prevent the issuance
of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness and, (ii) if such order
is issued, obtain the withdrawal of any such order at the earliest possible
moment;
(f) prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use
commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the
Investors and their counsel in connection with the registration or qualification
of such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue
sky laws of such jurisdictions requested by the Investors and do any and all
other commercially reasonable acts or things necessary or advisable to enable
the distribution in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by
the Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be
required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to (i) qualify to do
business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify
but for this Section 3(f), (ii) subject itself to general taxation in any
jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be so subject but for this Section
3(f), or (iii) file a general consent to service of process in any such
jurisdiction;
(g) use commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Registrable
Securities covered by a Registration Statement to be listed on each securities
exchange, interdealer quotation system or other market on which similar
securities issued by the Company are then listed;
(h) immediately notify the Investors, at any time when a Prospectus
relating to Registrable Securities is required to be delivered under the 1933
Act, upon discovery that, or upon the happening of any event as a result of
which, the Prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as then in effect,
includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing, and at the request
of any such holder, promptly prepare and furnish to such holder a reasonable
number of copies of a supplement to or an amendment of such Prospectus as may be
necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable
Securities, such Prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then
existing; and
(i) otherwise use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all
applicable rules and regulations of the SEC under the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act,
take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to facilitate the
registration of the Registrable Securities hereunder.
(j) With a view to making available to the Investor the benefits of
Rule 144 (or its successor rule) and any other rule or regulation of the SEC
that may at any time permit the Investors to sell shares of Common Stock to the
public without registration, the Company covenants and agrees to: (i) make and
keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in
Rule 144, until the earlier of (A) six months after such date as all of the
Registrable Securities may be resold pursuant to Rule 144(k) or any other rule
of similar effect or (B) such date as all of the Registrable Securities shall
have been resold; (ii) file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and
other documents required of the Company under the 1934 Act; and (iii) furnish to
each Investor upon request, as long as such Investor owns any Registrable
Securities, (A) a written statement by the Company that it has complied with the
reporting requirements of the 1934 Act, (B) a copy of the Company's most recent
Annual Report on Form 10-KSB or Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB, and (C) such
other information as may be reasonably requested in order to avail such Investor
of any rule or regulation of the SEC that permits the selling of any such
Registrable Securities without registration.
4. Due Diligence Review; Information. The Company shall make
available, during normal business hours, for inspection and review by the
Investors, advisors to and representatives of the Investors (who may or may not
be affiliated with the Investors and who are reasonably acceptable to the
Company), all financial and other records, all SEC Filings (as defined in the
Purchase Agreement) and other filings with the SEC, and all other corporate
documents and properties of the Company as may be reasonably necessary for the
purpose of such review, and cause the Company's officers, directors and
employees, within a reasonable time period, to supply all such information
reasonably requested by the Investor or any such representative, advisor or
underwriter in connection with such Registration Statement (including, without
limitation, in response to all questions and other inquiries reasonably made or
submitted by any of them), prior to and from time to time after the filing and
effectiveness of the Registration Statement for the sole purpose of enabling the
Investor and such representatives, advisors and underwriters and its respective
accountants and attorneys to conduct initial and ongoing due diligence with
respect to the Company and the accuracy of such Registration Statement.
The Company shall not disclose material nonpublic information to the
Investor, or to advisors to or representatives of the Investor, unless prior to
disclosure of such information the Company identifies such information as being
material nonpublic information and provides the Investors, such advisors and
representatives with the opportunity to accept or refuse to accept such material
nonpublic information for review and any Investor wishing to obtain such
information enters into an appropriate confidentiality agreement with the
Company with respect thereto.
5. Obligations of the Investor.
(a) The Investor shall furnish in writing to the Company such
information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it and the
intended method of disposition of the Registrable Securities held by it, as
shall be reasonably required to effect the registration of such Registrable
Securities and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration
as the Company may reasonably request. At least five (5) Business Days prior to
the first anticipated filing date of any Registration Statement, the Company
shall notify each Investor of the information the Company requires from such
Investor if such Investor elects to have any of the Registrable Securities
included in the Registration Statement. The Investor shall provide such
information to the Company at least two (2) Business Days prior to the first
anticipated filing date of such Registration Statement if such Investor elects
to have any of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration
Statement.
(b) The Investor, by its acceptance of the Registrable Securities
agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in
connection with the preparation and filing of a Registration Statement
hereunder, unless the Investor has notified the Company in writing of its
election to exclude all of its Registrable Securities from such Registration
Statement.
(c) The Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the
Company of either (i) the commencement of an Allowed Delay pursuant to Section
2(c)(ii) or (ii) the happening of an event pursuant to Section 3(h) hereof, such
Investor will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities
pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities,
until the Investor's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended
prospectus filed with the SEC and until any related post-effective amendment is
declared effective and, if so directed by the Company, the Investor shall
deliver to the Company (at the expense of the Company) or destroy (and deliver
to the Company a certificate of destruction) all copies in the Investor's
possession of the Prospectus covering the Registrable Securities current at the
time of receipt of such notice.
6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company will indemnify and
hold harmless each Investor and its officers, directors, members, employees and
agents, successors and assigns, and each other person, if any, who controls such
Investor within the meaning of the 1933 Act, against any losses, claims, damages
or liabilities, joint or several, to which they may become subject under the
1933 Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities
(or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus contained
therein, or any amendment or supplement thereof; (ii) any blue sky application
or other document executed by the Company specifically for that purpose or based
upon written information furnished by the Company filed in any state or other
jurisdiction in order to qualify any or all of the Registrable Securities under
the securities laws thereof (any such application, document or information
herein called a "Blue Sky Application"); (iii) the omission or alleged omission
to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading; (iv) any violation by the Company or
its agents of any rule or regulation promulgated under the 1933 Act applicable
to the Company or its agents and relating to action or inaction required of the
Company in connection with such registration; or (v) any failure to register or
qualify the Registrable Securities included in any such Registration in any
state where the Company or its agents has affirmatively undertaken or agreed in
writing that the Company will undertake such registration or qualification on an
Investor's behalf and will reimburse such Investor, and each such officer,
director or member and each such controlling person for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or
defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however,
that the Company will not be liable in any such case if and to the extent that
any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission so
made in conformity with information furnished by such Investor or any such
controlling person in writing specifically for use in such Registration
Statement or Prospectus.
(b) Indemnification by the Investor. The Investor agrees, severally
but not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted
by law, the Company, its directors, officers, employees, stockholders and each
person who controls the Company (within the meaning of the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) against any
losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expense (including reasonable attorney
fees) resulting from any untrue statement of a material fact or any omission of
a material fact required to be stated in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or preliminary prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, to the extent, but only
to the extent that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any
information furnished in writing by such Investor to the Company specifically
for inclusion in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or amendment or
supplement thereto. In no event shall the liability of the Investor be greater
in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expense paid by the
Investor in connection with any claim relating to this Section 6 and the amount
of any damages the Investor has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such
untrue statement or omission) received by such Investor upon the sale of the
Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement giving rise to
such indemnification obligation.
(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. Any person entitled to
indemnification hereunder shall (i) give prompt notice to the indemnifying party
of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification and (ii) permit such
indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the indemnified party; provided that any person entitled to
indemnification hereunder shall have the right to employ separate counsel and to
participate in the defense of such claim, but the fees and expenses of such
counsel shall be at the expense of such person unless (a) the indemnifying party
has agreed to pay such fees or expenses, or (b) the indemnifying party shall
have failed to assume the defense of such claim and employ counsel reasonably
satisfactory to such person or (c) in the reasonable judgment of any such
person, based upon written advice of its counsel, a conflict of interest exists
between such person and the indemnifying party with respect to such claims (in
which case, if the person notifies the indemnifying party in writing that such
person elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying
party, the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of
such claim on behalf of such person); and provided, further, that the failure of
any indemnified party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the
indemnifying party of its obligations hereunder, except to the extent that such
failure to give notice shall materially adversely affect the indemnifying party
in the defense of any such claim or litigation. It is understood that the
indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding in the same
jurisdiction, be liable for fees or expenses of more than one separate firm of
attorneys at any time for all such indemnified parties. No indemnifying party
will, except with the consent of the indemnified party, consent to entry of any
judgment or enter into any settlement that does not include as an unconditional
term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party
of a release from all liability in respect of such claim or litigation.
(d) Contribution. If for any reason the indemnification provided for
in the preceding paragraphs (a) and (b) is unavailable to an indemnified party
or insufficient to hold it harmless, other than as expressly specified therein,
then the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
the indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the
indemnified party and the indemnifying party, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation
within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act shall be entitled to
contribution from any person not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. In
no event shall the contribution obligation of a holder of Registrable Securities
be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expenses
paid by such holder in connection with any claim relating to this Section 6 and
the amount of any damages such holder has otherwise been required to pay by
reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission) received by it upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise
to such contribution obligation.
7. Miscellaneous.
(a) Amendments and Waivers. This Agreement may be amended only by a
writing signed by the Company and the Required Investors. The Company may take
any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be
performed by it, only if the Company shall have obtained the written consent to
such amendment, action or omission to act, of the Required Investors.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made as set forth in Section 8.4 of the Purchase
Agreement.
(c) Assignments and Transfers by Investor. The provisions of this
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Investors and
their respective successors and assigns. The Investor may transfer or assign, in
whole or from time to time in part, to one or more persons its rights hereunder
in connection with the transfer of Registrable Securities by such Investor to
such person, provided that the Investor complies with all laws applicable
thereto and provides written notice of assignment to the Company promptly after
such assignment is effected.
(d) Assignments and Transfers by the Company. This Agreement may not
be assigned by the Company (whether by operation of law or otherwise) without
the prior written consent of the Investor, provided, however, that the Company
may assign its rights and delegate its duties hereunder to any surviving or
successor corporation in connection with a merger or consolidation of the
Company with another corporation, or a sale, transfer or other disposition of
all or substantially all of the Company's assets to another corporation, without
the prior written consent of the Required Investors, after notice duly given by
the Company to each Investor.
(e) Benefits of the Agreement. The terms and conditions of this
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective
permitted successors and assigns of the parties. Nothing in this Agreement,
express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties
hereto or their respective successors and assigns any rights, remedies,
obligations, or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as
expressly provided in this Agreement.
(f) Counterparts; Faxes. This Agreement may be executed in two or
more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement may also
be executed via facsimile, which shall be deemed an original.
(g) Titles and Subtitles. The titles and subtitles used in this
Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in
construing or interpreting this Agreement.
(h) Severability. Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited
or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be
ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without
invalidating the remaining provisions hereof but shall be interpreted as if it
were written so as to be enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by
applicable law, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction
shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other
jurisdiction. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the parties hereby
waive any provision of law which renders any provisions hereof prohibited or
unenforceable in any respect.
(i) Further Assurances. The parties shall execute and deliver all
such further instruments and documents and take all such other actions as may
reasonably be required to carry out the transactions contemplated hereby and to
evidence the fulfillment of the agreements herein contained.
(j) Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the parties as a
final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive
statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of
the subject matter contained herein. This Agreement supersedes all prior
agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject
matter.
(k) Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the
internal laws of the State of New York without regard to the choice of law
principles thereof. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably submits to the
exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York located in New
York and the United States District Court for the Southern District located
therein for the purpose of any suit, action, proceeding or judgment relating to
or arising out of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
Service of process in connection with any such suit, action or proceeding may be
served on each party hereto anywhere in the world by the same methods as are
specified for the giving of notices under this Agreement. Each of the parties
hereto irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of any such court in any such
suit, action or proceeding and to the laying of venue in such court. Each party
hereto irrevocably waives any objection to the laying of venue of any such suit,
action or proceeding brought in such courts and irrevocably waives any claim
that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been
brought in an inconvenient forum. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO
REQUEST A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LITIGATION WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT AND
REPRESENTS THAT COUNSEL HAS BEEN CONSULTED SPECIFICALLY AS TO THIS WAIVER.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement or
caused their duly authorized officers to execute this Agreement as of the date
first above written.
The Company: NEWGEN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
By:____________________________
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
Title: CEO
Date:_______________________
The Investor:
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Name of Investor (if entity)
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Signature
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Name (Please Print)
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Title