Insights Current Affairs Dec 2017

135 Pages·2017·7.81 MB·English

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INSIGHTSONINDIA

DAILY CURRENT EVENTS
DECEMBER 2017
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Table of Contents
GS PAPER - I ___________________________________________________________________________________ 8
Paper 1 Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to
modern times. _______________________________________________________________________________ 8
Kathakar __________________________________________________________________________________ 8
Hornbill Festival ____________________________________________________________________________ 8
Kumbh Mela ______________________________________________________________________________ 8
BODHI PARVA _____________________________________________________________________________ 9
27th Vyas Samman _________________________________________________________________________ 9
UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture ______________________________________ 10
‘Prasad’ scheme ___________________________________________________________________________ 11
Paper 1 Topic: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India. _____________________________________ 11
Uniform Civil Code _________________________________________________________________________ 11
Minority tag for Hindus: NCM forms committee _________________________________________________ 12
Paper 1 Topic: Role of women and women’s organization ____________________________________________ 12
Adultery law _____________________________________________________________________________ 12
Triple talaq draft bill _______________________________________________________________________ 13
“Safe City Surveillance” scheme ______________________________________________________________ 14
Buenos Aires Declaration on Women and Trade _________________________________________________ 14
Sakhi One Stop Centres _____________________________________________________________________ 15
India’s digital gender gap could further marginalise women: UNICEF ________________________________ 16
Paper 1 Topic: Population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, Urbanization, their problems
and their remedies. __________________________________________________________________________ 16
Green habitat _____________________________________________________________________________ 16
Ganga Gram Project _______________________________________________________________________ 17
Cities need a sustainable transport update _____________________________________________________ 18
Paper 1 Topic: Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc. _ 18
Cyclone Ockhi ____________________________________________________________________________ 18
Solar wind flows __________________________________________________________________________ 19
Why meteoroids explode before reaching Earth decoded _________________________________________ 20
GS PAPER - II _________________________________________________________________________________ 21
Paper 2 Topic: Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act. ___________________________________ 21
SC agrees to examine plea to bar politicians from contesting from two seats __________________________ 21
The Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill of 2017 ______________________________________ 21
Paper 2 Topic: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Ministries and
Departments of the Government; _______________________________________________________________ 22
Special courts to try politicians _______________________________________________________________ 22
Paper 2 Topic: Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various
Constitutional Bodies. ________________________________________________________________________ 22
Autonomy of Election Commission____________________________________________________________ 22

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Paper 2 Topic: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies. __________________________________ 23
Controller General of Accounts ______________________________________________________________ 23
Small Farmers’ Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC) ________________________________________________ 23
NGT to form one-member benches ___________________________________________________________ 24
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) _________________________________________________ 25
Medical Council of India ____________________________________________________________________ 25
Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety ________________________________________________________ 26
India’s first National Rail and Transportation University at Vadodara ________________________________ 27
National Highways Investment Promotion Cell (NHIPC) ___________________________________________ 27
National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) ________________________________________________________ 28
Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) _______________________________________________________ 28
FSDC ____________________________________________________________________________________ 28
Paper 2 Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the
performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and
betterment of these vulnerable sections. __________________________________________________________ 29
National Nutrition Mission __________________________________________________________________ 29
Transgender Persons Bill, 2016 _______________________________________________________________ 30
International Day of Persons with Disabilities ___________________________________________________ 31
Courts can turn down child repatriation, says Supreme Court ______________________________________ 32
Universal social security payments____________________________________________________________ 32
Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act, 2015 ________________________________________________________________ 33
The Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill 2017 _______________________ 34
Paper 2 Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of
their design and implementation. _______________________________________________________________ 35
Sustainable Action for Transforming Human capital ______________________________________________ 35
Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill 2017 _____________________________________________ 36
FAME India scheme ________________________________________________________________________ 36
Government to regulate ads on pre-natal sex ___________________________________________________ 37
SANKALP Project __________________________________________________________________________ 38
National Ayush Mission (NAM) _______________________________________________________________ 38
North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) ___________________________________ 39
NLCPR ___________________________________________________________________________________ 39
Indian Forest Act __________________________________________________________________________ 39
Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2017 ___________________________________________________ 41
IIM Bill __________________________________________________________________________________ 41
Central Road Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2017 _____________________________________________________ 42
Immovable Property (Amendment) Bill ________________________________________________________ 42
Triple Talaq bill ___________________________________________________________________________ 43
The Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy Bill, 2017 ___________________________________________ 43
Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga _________________________________________________________________ 44
Paper 2 Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health,
Education, Human Resources. __________________________________________________________________ 44
World AIDS Day 2017 ______________________________________________________________________ 44
Trachoma ________________________________________________________________________________ 45
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Why are there disparities between States on diseases? ___________________________________________ 46
One nation, one education board _____________________________________________________________ 47
Legatum Prosperity Index ___________________________________________________________________ 48
ATL Community Day _______________________________________________________________________ 49
Atal Innovation Mission ____________________________________________________________________ 49
World Trade Organization conference _________________________________________________________ 50
Karnataka HC strikes down rule on stringent tobacco pack warnings ________________________________ 51
Meghalaya launches India’s first social audit law ________________________________________________ 51
IMA tightens the screws on antibiotic prescriptions ______________________________________________ 52
E-cigarettes ______________________________________________________________________________ 53
WHO to recognize gaming disorder as mental health condition in 2018 ______________________________ 54
Paper 2 Topic: Development processes and the development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and
associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders. ____________________________________ 54
6th International Tourism Mart ______________________________________________________________ 54
CSR Summit for Pioneering Cochlear Implant Surgery ____________________________________________ 55
National Service Scheme ____________________________________________________________________ 56
The Prevention of Torture Bill, 2017___________________________________________________________ 56
Action plan for the backward districts _________________________________________________________ 57
25th National Children’s Science Congress _____________________________________________________ 58
Plea in SC seeks OBC status for farmers ________________________________________________________ 58
Strive Project _____________________________________________________________________________ 59
Paper 2 Topic: Role of civil services in a democracy. _________________________________________________ 59
Rajasthan ordinance on immunity for public servants ____________________________________________ 59
Good Governance Day 2017 _________________________________________________________________ 60
Centre moves SC against fixed term for police chiefs _____________________________________________ 60
Paper 2 Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance-applications,
models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and
other measures. _____________________________________________________________________________ 61
MSME Sambandh _________________________________________________________________________ 61
E-Courts Project ___________________________________________________________________________ 61
Laqshya | Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative __________________________________________ 62
DARPAN Project___________________________________________________________________________ 63
Vahan ___________________________________________________________________________________ 63
electronic - Human Resource Management System (e-HRMS) ______________________________________ 64
Public Financial Management System (PFMS) ___________________________________________________ 65
Fiber grid project __________________________________________________________________________ 65
Paper 2 Topic: India and its neighbourhood- relations. _______________________________________________ 66
Pact on Rohingya __________________________________________________________________________ 66
INSTC ___________________________________________________________________________________ 66
International Solar Alliance__________________________________________________________________ 67
ASEAN-India Connectivity Summit (AICS) ______________________________________________________ 68
India, Australia call for ‘open’ Asia-Pacific zone _________________________________________________ 68
Hambantota port __________________________________________________________________________ 69
‘Ekuverin’ ________________________________________________________________________________ 69
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Ujh Project _______________________________________________________________________________ 69
Paper 2 Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s
interests. ___________________________________________________________________________________ 70
BIMSTEC Coastal Shipping Agreement _________________________________________________________ 70
UN’s Global Compact on Migration ___________________________________________________________ 71
Wassenaar Arrangement ___________________________________________________________________ 72
Ajeya Warrior 2017 ________________________________________________________________________ 72
Sendai Framework _________________________________________________________________________ 72
Kimberley Process _________________________________________________________________________ 74
India-Swiss deal inked on data sharing ________________________________________________________ 74
India inks pact to restore normalcy in Rakhine __________________________________________________ 75
Paper 2 Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian
diaspora. __________________________________________________________________________________ 76
US recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital _____________________________________________________ 76
WORLD MIGRATION REPORT 2018 ____________________________________________________________ 77
MEA launches SAMEEP _____________________________________________________________________ 77
UN imposes new sanctions on North Korea _____________________________________________________ 78
Paper 2 Topic: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate. _____________ 79
International Maritime Council ______________________________________________________________ 79
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ______________________________________________________________ 79
Asian Harmonization Working Party (AHWP) ___________________________________________________ 80
UN Peace keeping _________________________________________________________________________ 81
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership ____________________________________________________ 81
ICAN receives Nobel Peace Prize _____________________________________________________________ 82
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank _________________________________________________________ 82
International Court of Justice (ICJ) ____________________________________________________________ 83
International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography ______________________________________ 84
GS PAPER - III _________________________________________________________________________________ 85
Paper 3 Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development
and employment. ____________________________________________________________________________ 85
Special package for employment generation in leather and footwear sector __________________________ 85
Prompt correction action (PCA) ______________________________________________________________ 85
Finance Ministry to issue recapitalisation bonds to PSBs __________________________________________ 86
Special Economic Zone (SEZ) _________________________________________________________________ 87
Paper 3 Topic: Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial
growth. ____________________________________________________________________________________ 88
RERA’s administration under Urban Affairs Ministry’s domain _____________________________________ 88
Amendments to Companies Act ______________________________________________________________ 88
Scheme for Capacity Building in Textiles Sector (SCBTS) ___________________________________________ 88
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) ___________________________________________ 89
Paper 3 Topic: Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and
irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-
technology in the aid of farmers. ________________________________________________________________ 90
Soil Health Card ___________________________________________________________________________ 90
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Paper 3 Topic: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution
System objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology
missions; economics of animal-rearing. ___________________________________________________________ 91
Fund to help milk co-ops expand capacity ______________________________________________________ 91
LDF-Mobile App ___________________________________________________________________________ 92
Paper 3 Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc. ______________________________ 92
Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) _________________________________________________________ 92
Railways appoints IRSDC as nodal agency for station redevelopment plan ____________________________ 93
Asian Development Bank (ADB) ______________________________________________________________ 93
New bridges inaugurated in eastern Arunachal Pradesh __________________________________________ 94
IMT highway _____________________________________________________________________________ 94
Tuitial Hydroelectric Power Project ___________________________________________________________ 95
Bharatmala ______________________________________________________________________________ 95
BBIN motor pact __________________________________________________________________________ 96
Pare Hydroelectric Plant ____________________________________________________________________ 97
India’s first pod taxi on the way, to follow U.S. safety norms _______________________________________ 98
Government eyes 100% electric public transport through FAME II __________________________________ 99
Paper 3 Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. _ 99
Akash Missile _____________________________________________________________________________ 99
New form of matter ‘excitonium’ ____________________________________________________________ 100
China’s First Solar Highway _________________________________________________________________ 100
Bio-CNG ________________________________________________________________________________ 101
Paper 3 Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and
issues relating to intellectual property rights. _____________________________________________________ 101
China’s DAMPE probe _____________________________________________________________________ 101
‘Petro’ cryptocurrency_____________________________________________________________________ 102
Clinical trials_____________________________________________________________________________ 103
Sentinel satellite _________________________________________________________________________ 104
New graphene-based battery _______________________________________________________________ 104
VoLTE services ___________________________________________________________________________ 105
Plants that can glow ______________________________________________________________________ 106
Deep learning neural networks _____________________________________________________________ 106
AP signs MoU with Google _________________________________________________________________ 107
Blockchain technology ____________________________________________________________________ 108
Reservoir computing system ________________________________________________________________ 109
India to have its own gravitational wave detector in 2025 ________________________________________ 110
SOFIA - NASA’s flying telescope _____________________________________________________________ 111
Paper 3 Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. ___ 111
Strategy on Resource Efficiency (RE) _________________________________________________________ 111
Clean Sea-2017 __________________________________________________________________________ 112
Certificate of Commendation to WCCB _______________________________________________________ 113
Petcoke imports from US will choke India further: Experts _______________________________________ 113
UNICEF report on air pollution ______________________________________________________________ 114
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Electronic/electrical waste in India __________________________________________________________ 115
ECO-NIWAS _____________________________________________________________________________ 116
Alien invasive animal species _______________________________________________________________ 117
Methanol Economy Fund __________________________________________________________________ 118
India unveils anti-smog cannon in fight against Delhi pollution ____________________________________ 118
CPCB may consider using LiDAR devices to monitor air pollution __________________________________ 119
Blue Flag for Beach Clean-up _______________________________________________________________ 119
Protection of Majuli Island _________________________________________________________________ 119
Regional Project to Tackle Stubble Burning ____________________________________________________ 120
Centre releases draft action plan to tackle air pollution in Delhi ___________________________________ 121
Paper 3 Topic: Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with
terrorism. _________________________________________________________________________________ 122
Border Protection Grid (BPG) _______________________________________________________________ 122
Scorpene-class submarine Kalvari ___________________________________________________________ 123
UPCOCA bill _____________________________________________________________________________ 123
Paper 3 Topic: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social
networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention. _ 124
Benami Act ______________________________________________________________________________ 124
NIC CERT ________________________________________________________________________________ 125
Crackdown against Bitcoins ________________________________________________________________ 125
Facts for Prelims _____________________________________________________________________________ 126
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant ______________________________________________________________ 126
Ajeya Warrior-2017 _______________________________________________________________________ 126
World’s first IT campus for differently-abled in Hyderabad _______________________________________ 126
Kapu reservation bill ______________________________________________________________________ 126
Vigilant Ace _____________________________________________________________________________ 127
International Tourism Mart ________________________________________________________________ 127
Arogya 2017 _____________________________________________________________________________ 127
UN Environment’s Patron for Clean Air _______________________________________________________ 127
Rape of minors to attract death in MP ________________________________________________________ 127
New Zealand kiwi birds ____________________________________________________________________ 127
OP Sahayam _____________________________________________________________________________ 127
SAICON 2017 ____________________________________________________________________________ 128
Time person of the year 2017 _______________________________________________________________ 128
Burial urn, pots unearthed in Pallavaram _____________________________________________________ 128
World’s oldest eye ________________________________________________________________________ 128
India’s first energy-efficient railway station ___________________________________________________ 128
Universal Health Coverage Day _____________________________________________________________ 128
India’s First Ever Mobile Food-Testing Lab _____________________________________________________ 129
Amarnath cave declared a ‘silent zone’ _______________________________________________________ 129
Rajasthan becomes first in country to offer e-mail IDs in Hindi ____________________________________ 129
“PRATAP” helicopters _____________________________________________________________________ 129
Nyaya Gram project ______________________________________________________________________ 129
Global conference on functional materials ____________________________________________________ 129
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Goa sets up task force to fight drug menace ___________________________________________________ 130
HAMESHA VIJAYEE _______________________________________________________________________ 130
Naseem-Al-Bahr _________________________________________________________________________ 130
ICGS - Sujay _____________________________________________________________________________ 130
Odorrana arunachalensis __________________________________________________________________ 130
Country’s first AC suburban local train in Mumbai ______________________________________________ 130
Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line ________________________________________________________________ 130
World’s largest amphibious aircraft takes off in China ___________________________________________ 131
India’s first design university ‘World University of Design’ opens campus ___________________________ 131
Odisha recognised as ‘Champion State’ for exports _____________________________________________ 131
Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya (BND-4201) ______________________________________________________ 131
‘Mission Seven Summits’ __________________________________________________________________ 131
Yaogan 30 project ________________________________________________________________________ 131
Kabul-Mumbai cargo service on _____________________________________________________________ 132
PIIGS ___________________________________________________________________________________ 132
Bali declares ‘garbage emergency’ amid sea of waste ___________________________________________ 132
Forest Carbon Partnership Facility ___________________________________________________________ 132
BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes (ISFL) _________________________________ 133
Carbon Initiative for Development (Ci-Dev) ____________________________________________________ 133

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GS PAPER - I

Paper 1 Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from
ancient to modern times.
Kathakar
Context: 7th edition of three day ‘Kathakar: International Storytellers Festival’ was recently inaugurated at the Indira
Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi. The partners for this year’s festival are the IGNCA of Union
Ministry of Culture in Delhi, Heritage Transport Museum in Gurugram and the NCPA in Mumbai.
About Kathakar:
 What is it? Kathakar is the only oral storytelling festival in India and is a part of Ghummakkad Narain- the Travelling
Literature Festival which was started under the aegis of UNESCO in 2010. Kathakar is an attempt to not just
preserve the art form but also create new audiences for the same.
Background:
Kathakar is a special initiative within the bigger festival, Ghummakkad Narain, to promote the oral storytelling tradition
which has existed across the world. Though performance storytelling has seen a revival in Europe, in India only few
efforts have been made to contemporize the art form.
Sources: pib.

Hornbill Festival
Context: Hornbill Festival was celebrated on the State
Formation Day of Nagaland on December 1. The Hornbill
Festival is the perfect showcase of rich Naga culture and
traditions, preserved over the years in the form of music,
dance and food.
About the Hornbill Festival:
 Hornbill Festival is the most anticipated festivals of
Nagaland held between December 1st to December 10th
every year.
 The aim of the festival is to revive and protect the rich culture of Nagaland and display its traditional extravaganza.
All the tribes of Nagaland, around 16, take part in this week long festival, with utmost zeal.
 The Hornbill festival is named after the hornbill bird. The bird is highly respected and its importance is reflected
in tribal folklore, songs and dances.
Sources: pib.

Kumbh Mela
Context:
The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of
the Intangible Cultural Heritage under UNESCO has inscribed
´KumbhMela´ on the Representative List of Intangible
Cultural Heritage of Humanity during its 12th session being
held at Jeju, South Korea.
This inscription is the third in two years following the
inscriptions of ´Yoga´ and ´Nouroz´ in December.
About Kumbh Mela:
Kumbh Mela is the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims
on earth. The festival, held in Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain
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and Nasik, represents a syncretic set of rituals related to worship and ritual cleansing in holy rivers in India. As a
religious festival, the tolerance and inclusiveness that Kumbh Mela demonstrates are especially valuable for the
contemporary world.
What is intangible cultural heritage?
The UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage, adopted in 2003, defines intangible cultural
heritage as the practices, representations, expressions as well as knowledge and skills that communities, groups and,
in some cases, individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage.
Sources: the hindu.

BODHI PARVA
Context:
India is hosting the 2017 edition of “Bodhi Parva: BIMSTEC Festival of
Buddhist Heritage” in New Delhi as part of celebrations of 20th
Anniversary of BIMSTEC. The festival is organized by the Ministry of
External Affairs (MEA) along with Teamwork Arts.
Why This Festival?
To emphasise and raise awareness of this rich and common heritage
and mark the 20th anniversary of this unique organisation group, a
BIMSTEC Buddhism Festival ‘’Bodhi Parva: BIMSTEC Festival of
Buddhist Heritage” has been presented by the BIMSTEC division of the Ministry of External Affairs and produced by
Teamwork Arts.
A mélange of international performances, films, art, chanting, meditation and philosophical dialogues by known
practitioners and scholars will bring out the essence of Buddhism. The universal message of peace and tolerance
practiced by Buddhism can address the growing sense of inadequacy in the face of changes and conflicts that people
and the world face.
About Bodhi Parva:
‘’Bodhi Parva: BIMSTEC Buddhist Heritage Festival” aims to look at the different aspects of Buddhism, in today’s
context. BIMSTEC has a deep connect with Buddhism, which originated in South Asia and then travelled and rooted
itself in South East Asia. Buddhism constitutes a bridge between South and South-East Asia.
About BIMSTEC:
 The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international
organization involving a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia. The BIMSTEC comprises of seven
countries, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
 The main objective of BIMSTEC is technological and economical cooperation among South Asian and South East
Asian countries along the coast of the Bay of Bengal. The headquarters of BIMSTEC is in Dhaka.
Sources: pib.

27th Vyas Samman
Context:
Eminent Hindi writer Mamta Kalia will be honoured with literary award Vyas Samman for year 2017 for her novel
“Dukkham Sukkham”. The author has earlier received “Yashpal Katha Samman” from Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan,
“Sahitya Bhushan Samman” and “Ram Manohar Lohia Samman”.
About Vyas Samman awards- facts:
 The Vyas Samman is given to a Hindi literary work published in the past 10 years.
 Eminent literary critic and poet Ram Vilas Sharma is the first recipient of this award in 1991.
 The writer will receive an amount of Rs 3.5 lakh as the prize money.
 It is awarded annually by the K.K. Birla Foundation.
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