<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class="">Mayors from major cities in CA, TX, LA, WA, AZ and elsewhere call on the WTO to urgently agree to a TRIPS waiver…</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">
Arthur Stamoulis<br class="">Citizens Trade Campaign<br class="">(202) 494-8826<br class=""><br class=""><br class=""><br class="">
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<h2 style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 18pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 2.4pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230);" class=""><span style="font-size: 21pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98); font-weight: normal;" class="">C40 Mayors Vaccine Equity Statement</span></h2><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class=""> </span></div><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class=""><a href="https://www.c40.org/press_releases/c40-mayors-vaccine-equity-statement" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="font-weight: normal;" class="">Statement from C40 Mayors on Vaccine Equity</span></a></span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">7 May 2021</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Our mission is to overcome the climate emergency, but that will not be possible unless we first overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. That is why today C40 mayors from across the world have again spoken out to support vaccine equity in our cities and around the world, and joined the call for fairer, faster, and more affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines, including a call – now backed by more than 100 countries – that Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) should urgently agree to waive relevant intellectual property obligations to accelerate the manufacture and distribution of vaccines in developing countries.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">In many of our cities the threat from the COVID-19 virus is now receding, thanks to strong public health measures to eliminate the virus and accelerate widespread vaccination. But at the same time, new waves of suffering from the pandemic are rising across the globe – most seriously at present in our sister cities in India.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Our collective success in creating multiple, safe, and highly effective vaccines against this new virus is a testament to the ingenuity and resilience of our species. Yet now these vaccines exist, every newly bereaved family and hardship felt by those around the world represents a failure of our shared humanity. With every day that passes, the lack of access to vaccines is making the impact of the pandemic increasingly inequitable and undermining our collective health.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Our member cities in the USA and Europe generally now have sufficient vaccines for our populations, but sister cities elsewhere have only been able to access vaccines for a small fraction of their populations. As we heard when we met recently with World Health Organization Director-General, Tedros Adhanom, ensuring that the most vulnerable in every country have access to a free vaccine is essential to ending the pandemic. WTO action is a vital and necessary step to bringing an end to this pandemic. It must be combined with efforts to facilitate the transfer of vaccine know-how and technology.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">This affects all of us, and no one is safe from the impact of this pandemic until everyone has access to this life saving tool. C40 cities will continue to support each other, sharing advice and experience on effective public health approaches to stop transmission of the virus and achieve a fast and comprehensive vaccination of our residents.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Signed,<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">C40 Chair, Mayor Eric Garcetti</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Los Angeles<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Rotterdam<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Steve Adler</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Austin<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Freetown<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Athens<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Governor Anies Baswedan</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Jakarta<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Joy Belmonte</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Quezon City<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor LaToya Cantrell</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, New Orleans<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Ada Colau</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Barcelona<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Jenny Durkan</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Seattle<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Soham El Wardini</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Dakar<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Kate Gallego</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Phoenix<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Phil Goff</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Auckland<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Rafael Greca</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Curitiba<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Anne Hidalgo</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Paris<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Istanbul<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Raymond Johansen</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Oslo<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Durban<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Sadiq Khan</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, London<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Governor Yuriko Koike</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Tokyo<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Claudia López</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Bogotá<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Executive Mayor Geoff Makhubo</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Johannesburg<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Acting Mayor Eduardo Fabián Martinez</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Guadalajara<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Fernando Medina</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Lisbon<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Jorge Muñoz</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Lima<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Acting Mayor Ricardo Nunes</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, São Paulo<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Oh Se-hoon</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Seoul<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Eduardo Paes</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Rio de Janeiro<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Dan Plato</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Cape Town<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Daniel Quintero</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Medellín<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Horacio Rodríguez-Larreta</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Buenos Aires<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Giuseppe Sala</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Milan<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor M. Adjei Sowah</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Accra<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Kennedy Stewart</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Vancouver<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Sylvester Turner</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Houston<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 9pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 19.2pt; background-color: rgb(221, 228, 230); box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">Mayor Randall Williams</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class="">, Tshwane<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><div class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; color: rgb(91, 93, 98);" class=""><br class=""></span></div></body></html>