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NATIONAL AFFAIRS
MoSPI Launched eSankhyiki Portal for Enhanced User Experience and Ease of Data Access
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has launched the eSankhyiki portal (https://esankhyiki.mospi.gov.in/), an online platform which will offer real-time data to planners, policy-makers, researchers and the general public.
- It aims to establish a comprehensive data management and sharing system which will easily disseminate the official statistics in India.
- The portal was launched by Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Chairman, 16th Finance Commission of India on occasion of National Statistics Day (on 29th June, 2024) at an event held in New Delhi, Delhi.
- Theme of Statistics Day 2024: ‘Use of data for Decision making’.
About eSankhyiki portal:
i.It is a user centric data portal which facilitates the use and reuse of information for data value addition and analysis by the users and can also be accessed through the website of MoSPI.
ii.The portal has basically two modules namely, Data Catalogue and Macro Indicators.
iii.Data Catalogue module offers the major data assets of the Ministry at one place which make it easier for user to access the data. This module allows the users to search within the datasets which includes: within tables, and download data of interest to increase its value and reusability.
- The module has 7 data products such as: National Accounts Statistics (NAS), Consumer Price Index (CPI), Index of Industrial Production (IIP), Annual Survey of Industries, Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), Household Consumption Expenditure Survey and Multiple Indicator Survey.
- It already has over 2291 datasets along with specific metadata and visualization for each dataset for user convenience.
iii.The Macro Indicators module offers time series data of key macro indicators, with features for filtering and visualizing data. It allows the users to download custom data sets, visualizations, and share them through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
- At present, the module contains products of MoSPI, including NAS, CPI, IIP, and Annual Survey of Industries.
Note: Based on the updated Sustainable Development Goals – National Indicator Framework (SDGs- NIF), MoSPI released 3 progress reports on SDGs with time series data.
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI):
It is the nodal Ministry for integrated development of the national statistical system in the country which is in line with the international statistical practices and data dissemination standards.
Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge)- Rao Inderjit Singh (Lok Sabha constituency- Gurugram, Haryana)
Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability (9th Amendment) Regulations, 2024 comes into force from 1st July, 2024
On 28th June 2024, The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications (MoC), Government of India (GoI), has announced that Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability (9thAmendment) Regulations, 2024 issued on 14th March, 2024, will come into force from 1st July, 2024.
- These new regulations aimed to curb the porting of mobile numbers by way of fraudulent Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) swap or replacement by unscrupulous elements.
- TRAI has amended the Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability Regulations, 2009 in exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 36, read with sub-clauses (i), (iii), and (v) of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 11, of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997.
Key Features:
i.The new regulations has introduced an additional criterion for rejecting the request for allocation of a Unique Porting Code (UPC), the 1st step to changing service providers using Mobile Number Portability (MNP).
ii.It further mandates that the UPC should not be allocated if the request for UPC has been made before the expiry of 7 days (earlier, it was 10 days) from the date of SIM swap or replacement of the mobile number.
- It is applicable only for those users who have lost their SIM card and applied for a replacement and for users who are upgrading their SIM card, there is no restriction on porting.
iii.The new regulations permits the users to choose the MNP facility which will enable them to retain their mobile number when they move from one access provider to another access provider in India.
Note:
The MNP facility was 1st introduced in Haryana telecom circle in November 2010 on pilot basis. Later, MNP was extended to the entire India in July, 2015.
About Unique Porting Code (UPC):
It is a code allocated to users after they made request for MNP. Users are supposed to share this code with their new telecom service providers as well as with their same telecom operator in case of SIM replacement, to successfully port their mobile number into their network.
About Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI):
It is statutory body that regulates the telecommunications sector in India. It was established in 1997 by an Act of Parliament, called the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997.
Chairman- Anil Kumar Lahoti
Headquarters- New, Delhi
MoSPI Constituted Advisory Panel to Revise Base Year for GDP
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has constituted 26-member Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics (ACNAS) to revise the base year for Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data.
- The new committee will be headed by Biswanath Goldar, former Professor of Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), as chairman.
Members of ACNAS:
i.The 26 members of ACNAS include eminent personalities like
- GC Manna, former Director-General (DG) of Central Statistical Office (CSO);
- Chetan Ghate, Director of IEG, New Delhi (Delhi);
- Partha Ray, Director of National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM),Pune (Maharashtra);
- Subrata Guha, professor Centre of Economic Studies and Planning, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU);
- Mausami Das, Professor Delhi School of Economics;
- Shalabh, Professor of Statistics and Dean of Academic Affairs, Department of Mathematic & Statistics, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh(UP).
ii.The committee will also have representation from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), NITI Aayog(National Institution for Transforming India), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare(MoA&FW), Goods and Services Tax (GST) Network, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
Functions of ACNAS:
i.ACNAS has been tasked to review the existing databases and advise on inclusion of new data sources for enhancing the estimates of national accounts.
ii.The committee will have tenure of 5 years or until the completion of the next base year revision, whichever is later.
iii.The committee will also advise on a new base year for national accounts and its alignment with other related products like Wholesale Price Index(WPI), Producer Price Index (PPI), Consumer Price Index (CPI).
- These are currently based on 2011-2012 (FY12) data but proposed for revision to 2020-2021(FY21).
- At present, the key measures like Index of Industrial Production (IIP), WPI and National Income are based on FY12, previously benchmarked to FY05.
ii.The committee will also advise on implementation of latest United Nations standards, adoption of new classifications recommended by the UN Statistics Division in development of sequence of accounts for various institutional sectors.
About the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI):
Ministers of State (Independent Charge)– Rao Inderjit Singh (Constituency- Gurgaon, Haryana)
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
6th & Final FATF Plenary held in Singapore; FATF Adopts Mutual Evaluation Report of India
The 6th and final Plenary of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) was held under the Presidency of T. Raja Kumar of Singapore held from 26th to 28th June 2024 in Singapore.
- The FATF discussed and adopted the joint FATF/APG/EAG Mutual Evaluation Report(MER) of India which places India in the ‘regular follow-up’ category along with four other G20 (group of 20) countries: Russia, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom(UK).
Participants: Delegates from over 200 jurisdictions and observers from international organisations participated in the discussions on key money laundering(ML), terrorism financing (TF) and proliferation financing issues.
Outcomes FATF Plenary:
i.The FATF President met with Chairs of nine FATF-Style Regional Bodies (FSRBs) to strengthen partnership and set Global Network priorities.
ii.The Women in FATF and Global Network (WFGN) initiative was launched under Singapore Presidency, featuring multi-cultural pilot mentoring programme involving 15 mentor-mentee pairs from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
iii.An e-book “Breaking Barriers: Inspiring the Next Generation of Women Leaders” on women leaders was also launched during the event.
iv.The FATF agreed to publish the fifth annual update on virtual assets and service providers.
vi.The suspension of the Russian Federation‘s membership remains in effect.
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Note: Mexico assumes the FATF Presidency from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2026 under Elisa de Anda Madrazo.
FATF updated Grey List:
Jamaica and Türkiye were removed from the grey list of the FATF. These jurisdictions are no longer subject to increased monitoring by the FATF.
Jamaica and Türkiye has been on the grey list since 2020 and 2021 respectively.
FATF has added Monaco and Venezuela to the Grey list of FATF. These jurisdictions are now subject to increased monitoring.
India’s efforts recognised by FATF:
i.Mitigating the risks arising from ML/TF, including the laundering of proceeds from corruption, fraud, and organised crime.
ii.Efforts by India to transition from a cash-based to a digital economy to reduce ML/TF risks.
iii. The JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile) Trinity and strict cash transaction regulations have increased financial inclusion and digital transactions. These measures have made transactions more traceable, reducing ML/TF risks and boosting financial inclusion.
Key Points:
i.India demonstrates the overall stability and integrity of the financial system on on the FATF Mutual Evaluation.
ii.The rating will provide better access to global financial markets and institutions and increase investor confidence and help in global expansion of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), India’s fast payment system.
About Financial Action Task Force (FATF):
Elisa de Anda Madrazo of Mexico is the FATF President from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2026. She succeeded Mr. T. Raja Kumar of Singapore. It is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1989.India became a member of FATF in 2010.
Members– 40
Headquarters– Paris, France
India received USD120bn in remittances in 2023: World Bank
On June 26, 2024, the World Bank (WB) released a report titled ‘Migration and Development Brief 40 June 2024: Remittances Slowed in 2023,Expected to Grow Faster in 2024‘. As per it, India received USD 120 billion in remittances in 2023, a 7.5% increase.
- The reason behind this increase is lower inflation and strong labor markets in the United States of America (USA) and Europe.
- Remittances to India are forecasted to grow 3.7% to USD 124 billion in 2024 and 4% to USD 129 billion in 2025.
- Remittances from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), accounted for 18% of India’s remittances, the second-largest source of India’s remittances after the US.
About World Bank (WB):
President– Ajay Banga
Headquarters– Washington, DC, USA
Establishment– 1944
>> Read Full News
BANKING & FINANCE
Union Bank of India Launches “Union Premier” Branches for High-Value Customers in RUSU Markets
The Union Bank of India, one of the largest government-owned banks of India, launched its new “Union Premier” branches, designed for Union Bank’s high-value customers in the Rural and Semi-Urban (RUSU) markets at an event in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- These branches provide personalised banking services, offering a wide range of products and services under one roof for high-value RUSU customers.
Objective: The initiative aims to enhance customer satisfaction with dedicated attention, ambient branches, and high-quality service.
i.Dedicated Personal Relationship Manager (RM) for each Union Premier customer for all banking needs.
ii.The Union Premier branches are equipped with the latest digital technologies for seamless banking.
iii.Customers will enjoy quick services with minimal turnaround time.
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
IRS Officer Ravi Agrawal Appointed as Chairman Of CBDT 
Ravi Agrawal has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the administrative body for the Income Tax Department. He is a 1988-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer.
- He succeeded Nitin Gupta, whose extended tenure ended on June 30, 2024.
- Gupta was appointed as the chairman of CBDT in June 2022 and he was scheduled to retire in September 2023, but he was given a nine-month extension till June 2024.
Note:The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) issued that his appointment will be on contract basis until June 30 2025, while his scheduled retirement is in September 2024.
About Ravi Agrawal:
i.Ravi Agrawal was appointed as member of CBDT to oversee direct tax issues.
ii.He was also a member admin in CBDT and served as Director General (DG) of Income Tax Investigation in Delhi.
iii.He was appointed as a member of CBDT (Administration)in July 2023.
CBDT Board Members:
i.The CBDT, headed by a chairman and can have six members of special secretary rank.
ii.The other serving members in the board includes Pragya Sahay Saksena, HBS Gill, Pravin Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, and Sanjay Kumar Verma (retired on June 30 2024).
About Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT):
Chairman – Ravi Agrawal
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established – 1963
Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi Takes Charge as 30th Chief of the Army Staff
On June 30 2024, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, the former Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) took charge as the 30th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army (IA).
- He succeeded General Manoj Pande, who took charge as COAS in May 2022. Manoj Pande was superannuated on June 30 2024, after completing four decades of distinguished service in the IA.
About General Upendra Dwivedi:
i.General Upendra Dwivedi, an accomplished military leader joined the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA) in January 1981 and was commissioned into the 18th Battalion of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Rifles on 15 December 1984.
ii.He has also commanded the 9 Corps (Rising Star Corps) and led Assam Rifles formations in the North-East (NE)both in the rank of a Brigadier and a Major General.
iii.He was involved in the modernization and equipping of India’s largest Army command, where he oversaw the implementation of indigenous equipment as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
iv.Prior to his appointment as VCOAS on February 19 2024, Gen Dwivedi was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of Northern Command from 2022-2024.
Awards & Honours:
General Upendra Dwivedi has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM)and Ati Vishisht Seva Medals (AVSM), as well as three GOC-in-C Commendation cards for his illustrious service.
Lt Gen Subramani Takes Charge as VCOAS; Lieutenant Gen Anindya Sengupta as GOC-in-C
On June 30 2024, Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani took charge as the new Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) of the IA. He succeeded General Upendra Dwivedi, who was appointed as VCOAS on February 19 2024. He is presently the Chief of Staff in Northern Command.
- Further Lieutenant General Anindya Sengupta took charge as the new General Officer Commander-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Central Command succeeding General NS Raja Subramani, who was appointed as GOC-in-C on March 1 2023.
About General NS Raja Subramani:
i.Lt Gen Subramani was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in 1985.
ii.He also commanded Uttar Bharat Area in 2020 and the premier Kharga Corps at Ambala.
iii.He has the distinction of commanding a battalion during ‘Operation Rhino’, an Infantry Brigade along the International Boundary and the Black Cat Division in NE India.
iv.He has been awarded PVSM, AVSM, Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for his exemplary service.
About General Anindya Sengupta:
i.Lt Gen Anindya acted as Chief of Staff for the Command Post Exercise of Exercise YudhAbhyas 2013, which included troops from the IA’s 99 Mountain Brigade, 5 Gurkha Rifles, 50 Independent Para Brigade and 54 Engineers Regiment.
ii.He has been awarded Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM), Yudh Seva Medal (YSM) and AVSM for his illustrious service.
Note: Lt Gen Debu Sharma takes over the charge as the new Commander Army Training Command (ARTRAC). Lt Gen Manjinder Singh and Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth take over the charge of South Western Command and Southern Command respectively.
About the Indian Army (IA):
Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) – General Upendra Dwivedi
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established – 1895
Theme of the year 2024 – ‘Year of Technology Absorption’
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Japan Launched ALOS-4, an Earth Observation Satellite, on its New Flagship H3 Rocket
On 1st July 2024, Japan launched an earth observation satellite named, Advanced Land Observation Satellite-4 “DAICHI-4” (ALOS-4) on its new flagship third H3 Launch Vehicle (H3 F3: Flight No.3) from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC), off the coast of Kyushu, Japan.
- The satellite was successfully placed to the Lower Earth Orbit (LEO).
Note: This marks the 3rd deployment of H3 system, after it successfully deployed a dummy satellite, Vehicle Evaluation Payload 4 (VEP 4) along with two microsatellites into the space, on 17th February, 2024.
About ALOS-4:
i.The ALOS-4 will take over from DAICHI-2 (ALOS-2), its predecessor. It can observe a much wider area. For the time being, Japan will operate both.
ii.It is equipped with an infrared sensor developed by the defence ministry of Japan. It is mainly tasked with earth observation and aimed to collect data for disaster response and mapmaking.
iii.The satellite with the help of an infrared sensor is capable of monitoring military activity like: missile launches.
About H3 Rocket System:
i.H3 rocket was developed by JAXA in partnership with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited (MHI).
ii.It is the successor to the H-IIA launch system, which was 1st launched in 2001.
iii.It is an cost effective rocket which is designed specifically to carry a 6.5 metric tonne payload into space for 5 billion Japanese Yen (JPY) or USD 33 million per launch.
About Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA):
President- Yamakawa Hiroshi
Headquarters- Chōfu City, Japan
Established- 2003
India Develops & Certifies New Explosive “SEBEX 2” With TNT Equivalence of 2.01
India has developed and certified SEBEX 2, a new high-performance explosive that is 2.01 times more lethal than standard Trinitrotoluene (TNT). The indigenously manufactured explosive SEBEX 2 completed certification tests by the Indian Navy under its Defence Export Promotion Scheme.
- SEBEX 2 has been developed by the Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), Nagpur (Maharashtra), a subsidiary of Solar Industries, under the Make In India initiative.
- With a TNT equivalence of 2.01, SEBEX 2 is among the most potent non-nuclear explosives globally, aimed at revolutionising various munitions without adding extra weight.
- SEBEX 2 utilises a High-Melting explosive (HMX) composition, to boost the lethality of various munitions like warheads, aerial bombs, etc.
Note: TNT equivalence measures an explosive’s power relative to Trinitrotoluene (TNT). India’s deadliest conventional explosive, which is used in the Brahmos warhead, has a TNT equivalence of around 1.50.
SPORTS
F1: Mercedes’ George Russell Wins 2024 Austrian Grand Prix
On 30 June 2024, Mercedes’ George Russell, a British racing driver, won the Austrian Grand Prix (GP), officially known as the Formula 1(F1) Qatar Airways Austrian Grand Prix 2024, at the Red Bull Ring circuit in Spielberg, Austria.
- This marks Russell’s 2nd career win and first career podium finish at the Red Bull Ring.
- This also marks Mercedes’ first win since Russel won the 2022 São Paulo Grand Prix, Brazil.
- McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, an Australian racing driver, finished 2nd, and Scuderia Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, a Spanish racing driver, finished 3rd.
Note: Austrian GP marks the 11th round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship. F1 Qatar Airways British GP 2024, the 12th round will be held from 5th to 7th July 2024 in Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom (UK).
Key Points:
i.This marks Oscar Piastri’s 3rd career 2nd-place finish. He previously finished 2nd in Qatar GP 2023; and GP De Monaco 2024.
ii.This marks Sainz’s 1st podium finish at the Red Bull Ring circuit.
2024 Driver Standings (As of 1st July 2024)
| Position | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 237 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 156 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 150 |
About Red Bull Ring Race Circuit:
Number of Laps: 71
Circuit Length: 4.318 kilometer (km)
Race Distance: 306.452 km
i.The circuit formerly known as A1-Ring has hosted the Austrian GP for 18 consecutive years, from 1970 to 1987 and from 1997 to 2003.
ii.Red Bull’s Dietrich Mateschitz purchased the circuit in 2004, rebuilt it, and renamed the Red Bull Ring. The track was reopened on 15 May 2011.
iii.F1 returned to the circuit in the 2014 season, and MotoGP returned to the circuit in 2016.
IMPORTANT DAYS
International Asteroid Day 2024 – June 30
The United Nations (UN) International Asteroid Day (IAD) is a global awareness campaign, annually observed across the globe on 30 June, to raise public awareness about asteroid impact hazards and inform the public about the worldwide crisis communication actions for credible Near-Earth Object (NEO) threats.
Background:
i.On 6 December 2016, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted resolution A/RES/71/90, declaring June 30 as International Asteroid Day.
ii.The 1st ever IAD was observed on 30 June 2017.
About the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA):
The UNOOSA established in 1958, promotes international cooperation in the peaceful use and exploration of space and the utilisation of space science and technology for sustainable economic and social development.
Director– Aarti Holla-Maini
Headquarters– Vienna, Austria
>> Read Full News
International Day of Parliamentarism 2024 – June 30
The United Nations (UN) International Day of Parliamentarism (also known as World Parliament Day) is annually observed across the globe on 30 June to raise awareness of Parliaments globally, and their contribution to serving as the foundation of democracies.
- This Day marks the anniversary of the foundation of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the 1st political multilateral organisation in the world, in 1889 in Paris, France.
- The 2024 observance aims to communicate with the 148th IPU Assembly’s final declaration, “Geneva Declaration: Parliamentary diplomacy: Building bridges for peace and understanding.”
30 June 2024 marks the 135th anniversary of the IPU.
Background:
i.On 22 May 2018, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/72/278, proclaiming the 30 June of each year the International Day of Parliamentarism.
ii.The 1st ever International Day of Parliamentarism was observed on 30 June 2018.
About the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU):
President– Dr. Tulia Ackson
Secretary General– Martin Chungong
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
Members– 180 Member Parliaments; 15 Associate Members
Slogan– For Democracy. For everyone
>> Read Full News
STATE NEWS
Sujata Saunik Becomes Maharashtra’s First Woman Chief Secretary
On 30th June 2024, Sujata Saunik, a 1987 batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre, has become the first woman Chief Secretary (CS) of Maharashtra.
- She has been appointed following the retirement of Nitin Kareer, who has been serving as the CS of Maharashtra since January 2024.
- She will serve a one-year term before retiring in June 2025.
- She will be the 45th CS of Maharashtra since the state came into being in 1960.
i.Prior to the appointment, she served as the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, Government of Maharashtra.
ii.She has also served as Additional Chief Secretary in the General Administration Department, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of Skill Development, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department (SDEED) and Principal Secretary of Public Health and Financial Reform.
Hemis Tsechu Festival Commences in Ladakh
Hemis festival, also known as Hemis Tsechu, is annually celebrated in Ladakh on the 10th day of the Tse-Chu, the lunar month in the Tibetan calendar, to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, the Indian Buddhist mystic and the founder of Tibetan Buddhism.
- Hemis Festival 2024 was celebrated from 16th to 17th June 2024.
About Hemis festival:
i.The main highlight of Hemis festival is the gathering of the lamas around the central flagpole of the monastery, where they perform the mystic mask dances (Chams) and sacred plays.
ii.The festival features a series of elaborate mask dances, 13 Black Hat dancers, the Sixteen Brass mask dance, and the eight manifestations of Guru Padmasambhava: Guru Tsokye Dorje, Guru Padmasambhava, Guru Lodan Chod Sred, Guru Padma Gyalpo, Guru Nyima Odzer, Guru Shakya Senge, Guru Senge Dragong, and Guru Dorje Drolod.
ii.It has been celebrated ever since founded in 17th century by Galras Rinpoche, the son of King of Ladakh, Deskong Namgyal.
iii.It concludes with monks gathering to worship Gyalpo Pehar (Dharmapala), the protector of Hemis Monastery.
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