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Self-Service Data Analytics Tools for Everyone

Samita Nayak
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0
Self-Service Data Analytics Tools for Everyone

Ever felt intimidated by data analysis? Stacks of numbers, complex charts, and that sinking feeling of “where do I even begin?”

Data can be really daunting, but what if I told you there’s a way to turn it into a loyal companion, one that fetches insights and valuable information?

Enter the world of Self-Service Data Analytics Tools! These tools are like magic wands for regular folks (like you and me!). They ditch the complex coding and translate that scary data into clear visuals and easy-to-understand reports.

The best part? You don’t need a doctorate in statistics to use them. These tools are designed with the average person in mind. Drag-and-drop features, intuitive interfaces, and even voice commands (because, hey, who wants to type?) make it easier than ever to explore and analyze data.

So, why should you care? Because data is everywhere, and the ability to understand it is a superpower in today’s world.

ALSO READ: How to Tell Stories with Data

Marketing Mavens

See what content resonates with your audience and tailor your campaigns for maximum impact.

Sales Superstars

Identify sales trends and predict customer needs, closing deals with laser focus.

Finance Whizzes

Track budgets, analyze spending patterns, and make informed financial decisions.

So, ditch the fear and unleash your inner data analyst. You might be surprised at the valuable insights hiding within that data. Self-service analytics isn’t just about data, it’s about unlocking your potential and transforming the way you work (and maybe even your life).

From the Living Room to the Kitchen: How Samsung Is Building Safer Smart Homes

Ishani Mohanty
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0
From the Living Room to the Kitchen: How Samsung Is Building Safer Smart Homes

Imagine a home that watches over you, not intrusively, but intelligently, beyond mere convenience. Samsung is quietly turning that vision into reality, crafting a smart living ecosystem where safety and ease go hand in hand from your living room chill to your kitchen thrills.

1. Smart Screens, Smarter Safety

Samsung’s “Screens Everywhere” approach embeds 7- and 9-inch AI Home touchscreens into appliances like fridges, washers, dryers, and ovens. These are more than flashy displays, they serve as centralised command centres for home control, bringing living room functionality into the kitchen, showcasing recipes, checking the weather, and even answering phone calls directly from your appliance. And despite worries about ads creeping in down the line, Samsung currently promises ad-free interfaces, offering utility while avoiding intrusive marketing.

2. From Cooking to Security: Everyday Convenience

In the kitchen, the Family Hub™ and AI Home screens are true workflow companions. The Daily Board provides quick access to your schedule, weather updates, and notes to family members, right where you grab your morning coffee. With AI Vision Inside, the fridge recognises up to 37 fresh ingredients and suggests recipes based on what’s inside and even pushes instructions to your oven or cooktop via SmartThings.

3. Always On Guard: Intelligent Security

Safety isn’t just about locking doors, it’s about awareness. Samsung’s Home AI platform brings intruder detection and monitoring to life. If movement is detected in the living room, the Bespoke Jet Bot Combo™ AI robot vacuum can navigate to that area, use its built-in camera to assess the situation, and send alerts straight to your SmartThings app. In certain cases, it can even notify security services. Meanwhile, Samsung’s Knox and Knox Matrix safeguard your smart home: if one device is compromised, it can be isolated from the network, and you get notified.

4. Quietly Observant: Ambient Sensing for Efficiency & Safety

On the horizon: a home that senses more than we do. Samsung is rolling out ambient sensing capabilities, so devices like TVs, fridges, and speakers can detect motion or sound, adjusting lights, air purifiers, or notifications accordingly. Importantly, all that sensitive data stays locally stored on your SmartThings hub, preserving privacy while enhancing responsiveness.

5. Always Improving: Updates That Add Value

Samsung’s Smart Forward updates bring new life, and safety, to older appliances. Through over-the-air enhancements, even refrigerators from as far back as 2017 now support convenient features like Quick Share (send photos/recipes to your fridge), Buds Auto Switch, and Fridge Call, so you can reply to calls, or continue cooking, without picking up your phone.

6. Stronger, Together: Arlo Integration for Enhanced Security

Samsung hasn’t gone it alone. A recent collaboration with Arlo brings powerful upgrades to SmartThings security. Expect two-way audio between SmartThings and Arlo cameras/doorbells, AI-driven object detection (identifying people, vehicles, or packages), and event snapshot previews, all visible in one place for seamless monitoring.

Why This Matters

• Safe and Intuitive: From robotic sentries to ambient sensors, innovations protect without overwhelming.
• Leveraging What You Already Own: Smart Forward updates boost the value and longevity of older appliances.
• Secure by Design: Knox, local data storage, and intelligent monitoring lend peace of mind.
• Efficiency Meets Elegance: Homes that cook, clean, and respond to you—not just programs.

Samsung’s vision reshapes home life, not by adding more gadgets, but by making appliances feel more intuitive, safe, and seamless. It’s less about sci-fi spectacle and more about living freely, with confidence and connection in every room, especially the living room.

Also read: 6 Best Devices Connecting With Samsung SmartThings

Virtual Tourism: Redefining Travel in a Post-Pandemic World

Samita Nayak
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0
Virtual Tourism: Redefining Travel in a Post-Pandemic World

The travel industry was among the most devastated by the pandemic. Borders shut, flights suspended, and life on hold overnight. But out of this chaos, one new frontier was born — virtual tourism. Today, it’s no longer a temporary fix; it’s changing how we explore the world.
For business leaders, this is not just a story about travel. It’s a window into how immersive technologies can transform entire industries.

ALSO READ: VR for Mental Wellness and Productivity in the Workplace

The Rise of Virtual Tourism

Virtual tourism uses Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and 360 video to immerse travelers in destinations, attractions, and cultural experiences. It can be imagined as technology-driven teleportation.

What started as an improvisational bridge during lockdowns has expanded to a long-term opportunity for destinations and businesses. Museums are welcoming visitors from around the world online, virtual reality offers previews of resorts to would-be guests before they book and travel, and tourism companies are using immersive previews to motivate future travelers.

Why It Matters for Business Leaders

Virtual tourism offers a case in point for how digital infrastructures make it surprisingly easy for industries to pivot — and pivot now. The benefits are clear:

  • Accessibility: You can still “visit” locations even if you cannot afford to or are unable to physically travel to places
  • Marketing Benefit: Destinations can entice visitors with immersive previews
  • Sustainable: Lessens the carbon footprints that come with typical travel
  • Revenue Streams: New models come onto the scene, like paid VR tours or hybrid packages

For executives outside the tourism industry, the takeaway is straightforward: technology can unlock completely new value propositions where physical access is limited.

Opportunities and Challenges Ahead

The potential is thrilling. Picture VR school trips, business team-building in virtual locations, or cultural immersion from the comfort of your own home. For tourists, hospitality, or even contiguous industries, virtual experiences are a central aspect of the customer experience.

But challenges remain:

  • The costs of adopting tech are significant for small players
  • Authenticity gaps — clearly, a VR tour is not the same as actually being there
  • Regulatory barriers in the areas of digital rights and licensing

Nevertheless, the direction is evident—virtual tourism will not displace conventional travel, but it will supplement and augment it.

Final Word

The pandemic hastened a transition that could otherwise have required a decade. Virtual tourism is here to stay, not as a novelty but as a business model. For leaders, the lesson is larger: when the real world is disrupted, the virtual one comes to fill the space.

The question is—how does your industry benefit from this playbook?

The Hidden Costs of AI Ambitions: What the Top 5 Cloud Platforms Don’t Tell You

Ishani Mohanty
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0
The Hidden Costs of AI Ambitions: What the Top 5 Cloud Platforms Don’t Tell You

Imagine your business is perched on a soaring AI dream, scaling models, tapping into cloud superpowers, setting the stage for tomorrow’s innovation. Exciting, right? But before you hit “deploy,” it’s worth peeking behind the curtain. The big-name cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, Oracle Cloud) talk about speed, scale, and simplicity, but leave out some hefty footnotes. Let’s explore the hidden costs quietly sitting in the shadows.

1. Data Storage & API Transaction Overload

Your AI models thrive on massive datasets. But every interaction with cloud platforms storage, APIs like PUT, GET, LIST racks up charges. Uploading billions of small files? Each one triggers a transaction fee. Those pennies add up fast. One estimate shows training data ingestion alone could cost thousands of dollars just in PUT calls.

And it’s not just the transactions, small files often have a minimum billable size (e.g., 128KB), meaning you might pay for space you don’t truly use.

2. Data Egress & Network Charges

Want to move training outputs, deploy models across regions, or share with external partners? That’s when the egress fees on cloud platforms start piling up, sometimes more than compute costs. Transferring terabytes across geographic zones can double or triple your cloud bill. The hidden killer? Everyday architecture choices, using NAT gateways, cross-zone communication can rack up unexpected network fees.

3. Overprovisioning & Idle Resources

To stay performant, many teams over-provision GPU and compute resources, only to watch them stay idle.

• One provider reports enterprise use just 13% of provisioned CPU and 20% of memory
• Another says idle GPU utilisation hovers above 30%, costing thousands per month

Without intelligent auto-scaling or observability, wasted expenditure balloons, and your CFO notices.

4. Vendor Lock-In & Migration Headaches

When you lean on proprietary cloud platforms and tools, like SageMaker, Vertex AI, Azure ML, or special-purpose accelerators, you’re buying convenience. But when it’s time to switch or go hybrid, migration becomes a nightmare.

Dependence on vendor-specific APIs or catalogues can cost significant refactoring in both time and money.

5. Compliance, Governance & Monitoring Overheads

Let’s talk invisible, but necessary costs. Audits, explainability tools, bias checks, encryption, data residency compliance… they all require investment.

• Preparing datasets? That alone can cost well into six figures.
• Building and maintaining MLOps pipelines? Expect $60K–$95K in the first year, plus 10–20% annually.
• Ensuring robust monitoring (logs, APM, error tracking)? These small monthly fees (hundreds to thousands) add up—especially when standard tools don’t cut it.

6. Environmental & Social Externalities

AI isn’t free to the planet or communities. The energy-guzzling data centres that power AI could account for up to 12% of U.S. electricity usage by 2028, potentially raising your utility bills.
Our unchecked expansion of data centres in places like the UK strains water and energy resources, costs that society and ecosystems bear.

Meanwhile, the human layer is rarely talked about. Low-paid labour, often in developing countries, annotates and moderates AI content under difficult conditions. This invisible labour raises ethical questions and reputational risks.

7. AI Infrastructure: More than Just Software

AI growth isn’t a lean SaaS wave, it’s a capital-intensive infrastructure surge. Estimates show the AI industry may require $3.7 trillion in data centre investment. Running inference on cloud platforms is energy-intensive, and maintaining profitability is becoming increasingly challenging as demand surges and per-query revenue declines.

Meanwhile, communities may ultimately foot the bill through increased energy prices and infrastructure strain.

In Conclusion

Yes, cloud platforms make launching AI feel magical. But beneath every “one-click deployment” lies a labyrinth of complexity, a hidden cost ecosystem spanning storage, operations, ethics, environment, and infrastructure. Understanding it isn’t about fear, it’s about empowering smarter decisions.

Stay curious, stay critical because real innovation knows the true cost before it pays it.

Also read: What C-Suites Leaders Need to Know Before Choosing a Cloud Strategy

How to Improve Neural Network Explainability for Transparent AI Systems

Vaishnavi K V
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How to Improve Neural Network Explainability for Transparent AI Systems

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a futuristic idea—it is powering real-world AI applications across industries. From diagnosing medical conditions to predicting financial risks, AI is changing how decisions are made. But as these systems become more influential, one challenge remains: trust. Can we rely on results if we don’t understand how they were produced? This is where explainability becomes critical for building transparent AI systems.

Why Explainability Matters in Transparent AI Systems

At the core of many advanced AI solutions lies the neural network, a system modeled after the human brain. While neural networks excel at detecting patterns and making accurate predictions, they are often seen as “black boxes.” Users rarely know how an input leads to a particular output. This lack of visibility can create hesitation, especially in high-stakes areas like healthcare, law, or finance. For AI to be transparent and ethical, explainability must be prioritized.

Also Read: Does AI-Generated Art Diminish the Value of Human Creativity

Strategies to Improve Neural Network Explainability

Visualization Techniques

Tools like saliency maps and attention heatmaps highlight which data points influenced the neural network’s decisions, offering more clarity.

Post-Hoc Analysis

Methods such as SHAP (SHapley Additive Explanations) and LIME (Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations) break down predictions into understandable factors, helping users trace outputs.

Simplified Hybrid Models

Combining neural networks with interpretable models, such as decision trees, allows businesses to balance complexity with readability.

Feature Importance Tracking

By identifying which variables are most influential, organizations can validate results and detect potential biases within AI applications.

Building Trust Through Transparency

Transparent AI systems are not only about compliance with regulations—they are about building confidence. When businesses adopt explainable AI practices, users feel more comfortable relying on results. Transparency also helps reduce bias, ensures accountability, and supports ethical decision-making. In short, explainability strengthens trust in both the technology and the organization deploying it.

The Future of Transparent AI Systems

As AI continues to evolve, explainability will play a central role in its growth. Regulators are demanding clarity, and consumers are expecting fairness. Organizations that invest in explainable neural networks will not only meet these requirements but also set themselves apart as leaders in responsible innovation.

Full-Stack Development as a Strategic Driver for Digital Transformation

Samita Nayak
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0
Full-Stack Development as a Strategic Driver for Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is not a choice anymore; it is a requirement. As businesses race to modernize systems, scale digital experiences, and deliver new solutions faster, the way they develop becomes a strategic differentiator. And that’s where full-stack development comes into play as the heart of agility, end-to-end, efficiency, and business impact.

ALSO READ: How CMS Integrates with CDPs, DXP, and Martech Stacks

The Business Case for Full-Stack Development

To truly grasp its value, leaders need to look at how full-stack development affects business results.

Full-stack developers are flexible. If the developer, along with programming the user interface, is also able to write server code, the silos become thinner and the focus on a specific language is reduced. This means shorter development cycles, smaller teams, and quicker go-to-market implementation. For organizations on the journey through digital transformation, this agility is essential to outpace competitors and satisfy consumers.

Driving Cost Efficiency and Innovation

For budget-conscious leaders who have to balance budgets with innovation, full-stack teams make an attractive argument.

Rather than holding highly specialized large teams, companies can use smaller cross-functional teams that work on complete projects from start to finish. Not only does this optimize use of resources, but it also drives innovation, with developers seeing across the stack—pushing creative problem-solving and frictionless feature integration.

Enabling Scalable Digital Transformation

For scaling and fulfilling development, organizations must have development models that can evolve with them.

Full-stack development is best supported by cloud-native, microservices, and containerization strategies. When full-stack strategies are combined with contemporary infrastructure, organizations are better able to scale applications rapidly, facilitate global growth, and continually develop digital products—all at a reasonable cost.

Leadership’s Role in Full-Stack Adoption

Winning in full-stack development is not only about attracting brilliant minds—it is about strategy and leadership.

Business leaders need to encourage cross-functional collaboration, invest in training programs, and build a culture where developers can feel emboldened to try things out and make an impact. By calculating an ROI based on defined KPIs such as time to release, lower operational costs, and improved customer satisfaction, development is able to link its efforts back to business growth.

Full-Stack in the Era of AI and Automation

With the way AI and automation are changing industries, full-stack development is also undergoing its own transformation.

Artificial intelligence-based training assistants, low-code tools, and DevOps automation are making full-stack teams more productive. Those who can leverage this convergence will be able to innovate more quickly, enhance customer experience, and capture new revenue streams.

Coffee Chats Without Coffee: Creative Ways to Bond with Your Online MBA Peers

Ishani Mohanty
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0
Coffee Chats Without Coffee: Creative Ways to Bond with Your Online MBA Peers

Intro: Connection Beyond Caffeine

In today’s virtual world, “coffee chats” with your online MBA peers aren’t just about the drink, they’re about creating moments of genuine connection across screens. But what happens when a hot brew isn’t your cup of tea? Or when schedules, cultures, or preferences diverge? That’s where chats without coffee come in—creative alternatives to break the ice, build community, and spark lasting bonds, without relying on actual coffee.

1. Build a Virtual Campus, Not Just a Zoom Room

Platforms like Gather Town offer immersive 2D virtual campuses where avatars navigate spontaneous conversations, near libraries, lounges, or even random “water cooler” spots, mimicking real-life interactions and enabling chats without coffee. Durham University Business School has pioneered this for online MBA students, transforming orientation and networking into lively, natural experiences.

2. Coffee Chat Roulette — With a Twist

Embrace serendipity with randomised peer pairing. Reddit users suggest “Chat Roulette” to randomly match classmates for low-pressure interactions. Mix in virtual fun like online escape rooms, Jackbox games, or even silent coworking calls where you simply work side-by-side and share lighthearted chats without coffee during breaks.

3. Swap Beverages, Not the Conversation

The term coffee chat doesn’t require coffee. Online suggestions highlight the silliness, and freedom in choosing your drink. Think smoothies, decaf, water in a “coffee cup,” or even whatever you like! As one Redditor put it:

“The term coffee chat isn’t literal.”
“You can order whatever you want… you’re a grown adult.”
Take that to heart—let preferences reflect personality, not pressure.

4. Ice-Breaker Games to Spark Laughter

A structured activity can be far more engaging than small talk. Try:
• Tea vs. Coffee (or Waffles vs. Pancakes) debates to share quirky favourites
• Share your top three desserts, travel destinations, or pet peeves
• Two Truths and a Lie, virtual scavenger hunts, or pop-culture trivia to keep energy high

5. “Nook” Conversations: Pick Your Topic

Take inspiration from “Nooks,” Slack-based safe rooms where conversation topics—like chats without coffee—are shared without social pressure about who initiated them. This can help shy peers join in comfortably by interest, not invitation.

6. Meaningful, Shared Conversations

Go beyond surface-level chat by crafting thoughtful, open-ended questions:

• What milestone are you most proud of this term
• What fun project would you love to design with peers
• Which language or skill would you learn instantly if you could

Even simple reflection prompts like this help shift conversations from generic to genuine.

7. Blend Peer Growth with Peer Play

Mini Masterclasses: Peers can teach 5-minute lessons on anything from tarot reading to budget spreadsheets.
Show-and-Tell: Share something meaningful; your favourite book, a hobby item, or a workspace pet.
Mixed Media: Host themed challenges like playlist swaps, hobbies quick-shares, or meme rounds.

Also read: 5 Networking Tips to Expand and Strengthen Your Network

The Role of Academic and Industry Collaboration in Cybersecurity Research

Vaishnavi K V
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0
The Role of Academic and Industry Collaboration in Cybersecurity Research

Every time we log in, send an email, or make a digital payment, we trust that the systems behind the screen will keep our data safe. But with cyberattacks becoming more advanced and relentless, that trust is constantly being tested. The truth is, no single organization—or even government—can fight these battles alone. That’s why cybersecurity research is increasingly powered by collaboration between academia and industry, creating stronger defenses for a digital-first world.

Also Read: How to Build a Ransomware-Proof Backup Strategy

Why Collaboration Matters

No single entity can address the complexity of global cyber threats alone. Academic institutions bring deep theoretical knowledge, advanced research labs, and a focus on innovation. On the other hand, industries provide real-world use cases, access to large-scale data, and practical implementation frameworks. By combining forces, they accelerate the development of digital security solutions that are not only cutting-edge but also actionable.

Driving Innovation Through Shared Knowledge

Collaboration bridges the gap between research and application. Universities often pioneer advanced studies in encryption, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, while businesses focus on applying these innovations to cyber defense strategies. Together, they enhance threat intelligence and create adaptive tools to predict, detect, and prevent cyberattacks. This blend of theory and practice ensures that solutions are both innovative and scalable.

Preparing the Next Generation of Experts

Another key benefit of academic-industry partnerships is workforce development. Students and researchers gain exposure to real-world problems, internships, and applied projects, equipping them with the skills businesses urgently need. In return, industries gain access to fresh talent and innovative thinking—closing the global cybersecurity skills gap.

Building Resilience Against Future Threats

As technology evolves—whether it’s IoT, quantum computing, or AI—so do cyber risks. Continuous cybersecurity research driven by collaboration ensures businesses and governments are not reacting to threats but anticipating them. This proactive approach leads to stronger infrastructures, smarter digital security solutions, and a more resilient cyber ecosystem.

Final Thoughts

The role of academic and industry collaboration in cybersecurity research is clear: together, they are shaping the future of digital defense. By combining theoretical expertise with practical experience, they’re building innovative solutions, nurturing skilled professionals, and strengthening the fight against cybercrime. In an era where cyber risks evolve daily, these partnerships aren’t optional—they’re essential for global security.

Telecom’s Role in Smart City Development

Samita Nayak
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0
Telecom’s Role in Smart City Development

Once just a futuristic idea, smart cities are fast becoming the new reality for cities across the globe. Urban ecosystems, which incorporate emerging technologies, data science, and connectivity to promote quality of life, sustainability, and more efficient public services, are crucial as the world population urbanizes to around 70% by mid-century. Telecommunications infrastructure is the silent backbone to deliver smart city initiatives and functions, it is this transformation.

Today, from high-speed networks to IoT integration, telecom providers have come a long way, and they are much more than just a service vendor; they are strategic partners for building the cities of tomorrow.

ALSO READ: The Impact of Internet Telephony on Remote Work and Distributed Teams

Building Smart City Digital Infrastructure

The success of a smart city will depend in part on its ability to collect, process, and act on data in real-time from every location. However, that will require them to have very strong, reliable, scalable telecom networks.

  • Fast data transmission with fiber-optic infrastructure
  • 5G connectivity enables ultra-low latency communication between devices
  • IoT platforms serve to connect everything from traffic lights to water meters

Telecom is the foundation of the digital platform, so no matter how good your smart city applications are, if they do not draw on telecom, they will not work at all or can deliver very limited value.

Enabling IoT-Powered Urban Services

Internet of Things (IoT) devices are the lifeblood of smart cities, but they rely heavily on telecom networks for connectivity.

Telecom providers facilitate:

  • Smart transportation systems with real-time traffic data and adaptive signals
  • Connected utilities that optimize water and energy usage
  • Public safety solutions like connected surveillance and emergency response networks

These services allow urban living to be more efficient, sustainable, and responsive.

Fueling 5G Uptake for Applications of the Future

While 4G has supported many digital services, 5G is the real game changer for smart cities. Its high capacity, ultra-low latency, and ability to connect millions of devices per square kilometer open new possibilities.

  • Autonomous vehicle communication
  • Remote healthcare monitoring
  • High-definition video streaming for public safety

Telecom providers play a crucial role in creating and managing 5G networks to allow these developments.

Working with Governments and Urban Planners

City development is all about collaboration. The integrated solution is hence designed through collaborative efforts of telecom providers, municipal authorities, technology vendors as well as the infrastructure companies.

  • Joint infrastructure projects to reduce deployment costs
  • Public-private partnerships to accelerate 5G and fiber rollout
  • Shared innovation labs for testing urban technologies

These relationships guarantee that the telecom framework is set up with a view to the urban planning for an entire city.

Addressing Security and Privacy Challenges

As connectivity expands, so do cybersecurity risks. Telecom providers are critical in safeguarding smart city networks.

  • Implementing end-to-end encryption for data transmission
  • Using network segmentation to isolate critical systems
  • Adhering to strict compliance standards for privacy protection

More than a technical imperative, security is also a fundamental element of trust between citizens and administrators.

Building Sustainable, Resilient Cities

Telecom-enabled solutions can help cities reduce carbon footprints, improve disaster response, and optimize energy use. From smart grids to predictive maintenance for infrastructure, telecom’s role in sustainability is undeniable.

The convergence of green technology and resilient networks is the key that will enable cities to flourish in both environmental and operational duress.

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