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Sammed Shikharji row: Another Jain monk on indefinite fasting against Jharkhand govt’s decision dies in Jaipur

OpIndia Staff
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Sammed Shikharji row: Another Jain monk on indefinite fasting against Jharkhand govt’s decision dies in Jaipur

Another Jain monk who was on an indefinite fasting against Jharkhand government’s decision turn the fame Shri Sammed Shikharji shrine into a tourism spot lost his life on Thursday night.

Muni Samarth Sagar died in the Jain temple at Sanganer, in Jaipur. He had been fasting against the Jharkhand government’s decision since December 25. This is the second such death in four days, after Muni Sugyeya Sagar breathed his last protesting against the same issue.

As per reports, he lost his life at about 1.17 am (local time) in Jaipur. 

While the central government halted all the activities at the site, the Parasnath Hills in Jharkhand, the monk was too weak due to fasting.

Protests erupt against Jharkhand government’s decision on Shri Sammed Shikharji

The deaths come in the wake of countrywide protests by the Jain community against the Jharkhand government’s move to develop Shri Sammed Shikharji as a tourism centre, a decision that members of the Jain community and their monks believe would chip away at the region’s spiritual significance and make way for the commercialisation of a pilgrim centre from where 20 out of the total 24 Tirthankaras of the current cycle attained salvation.

Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, New Delhi, Surat, and many other cities saw large crowds of Jains protesting against the Jharkhand government’s decision to promote religious tourism at Parasnath Hills, claiming that it would tarnish the sanctity of Shri Sammed Shikharji. The protests have continued this week, with thousands of protesters in several cities across the expanse of the country hitting the streets and demanding a rollback on the Jharkhand government’s decision.

Centre issues directive halting all activities at the site

In wake of nationwide protests by the Jain community against the Hemant Soren government’s decision to turn Shri Sammed Shikharji Tirth in Jharkhand into a tourism hub, the central government has issued directives to halt all such activities in the larger Parasnath Hills. The revered pilgrimage site of the Jain community is located in these hills.

Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav took to Twitter to share information about the same. “Met Jain community members who have been urging to protect the sanctity of Sammed Shikhar. Assured them that PM Shri @narendramodi ji’s government is committed to preserving and protecting the rights of Jain community over all their religious sites, including Sammed Shikhar,” the Union Minister Tweeted.

Conversion attempt using grape juice as the blood of Jesus foiled in Pune, case registered against three people

OpIndia Staff
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Conversion attempt using grape juice as the blood of Jesus foiled in Pune, case registered against three people

A shocking incident of an attempt to convert to Christianity in Pune’s Alandi has come to light. The video of the incident is currently going viral on social media. The incident took place in the Sathenagar area of Alandi and the police have registered a case against three persons after a formal complaint was lodged in this regard. After a complaint was lodged by Uddhav Nagnath Kamble, a case has since been registered against the trio including one Sudhakar Baburao Suryavanshi. The incident took place on 1st January 2023 at around 7 pm.

The video shows some people in a household being informed about Christianity. Also, a woman seen in the video has a plate in her hand, and glasses with a red fluid are also seen in it. According to the police, it has been revealed that this red fluid is grape juice and it is being given as the blood of Jesus by the preachers to convert people.

According to the video that has gone viral, the woman is telling the attendees that Jesus is their God and suggesting throwing the other Gods out of the house. The video shows the woman reading some prayers and asking the people in the household to follow.

According to the police, the police complaint states that the accused, Sudhakar Baburao Suryavanshi, along with two of his accomplices, in Sathe Nagar locality in Alandi, was forcing some locals to convert by saying “cure your illnesses by praying for Christianity, you worship Jesus, your financial and health problems will be removed, you leave Hinduism and convert to Christianity”. The three have been booked for forcing locals to join Christianity. The police are investigating the matter further.

Afghan refugees, most of them women and children, languish in Pakistani jails after escaping from Taliban

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Afghan refugees, most of them women and children, languish in Pakistani jails after escaping from Taliban

Many illegal Afghani immigrants are kept in Pakistani prisons, their deportation is prolonged and their cases are stuck in the courts on various pretexts, according to Peace for Asia.

After the Taliban took over Afghanistan last year, several civilians fled to different countries in order to seek refuge. Some of them also went to Pakistan for shelter but instead of giving attention, Pakistan took action against Afghani migrants.

Most of the immigrants were women and children. Among them, some women are sick and some women are expecting mothers. These medical facilities are inadequate. A few women have given birth to children in prison and cannot access medical care.

International organizations donated huge amounts to the Pakistani government for Afghan refugees but little do they know that their money is not used for their benefit. Women and human rights organizations have not reached out to these victims.

The Pashtun Protection Movement (PTM) was helping these imprisoned Afghan refugees, with financial and legal support. There is only one female lawyer in Karachi, Advocate Manza Kakar fighting for the rights of Afghan women and children and raising funds for them, reported Peace for Asia.

Regarding Afghan refugees’ plight, PTM’s leader Manzoor Pashteen tweeted, “Afghan girls are deprived of knowledge in Afghanistan and innocent Afghan girls are imprisoned in Pakistan”. In response to this tweet, a Sindh Government Minister questioned these claims.

Pashteen challenged the Sindh government to rectify its claims following which it deleted the tweet that claimed there were no Afghan refugees in Sindh’s jails. According to Peace for Asia, the PTM has raised its voices on various forums, including social media and the protest demonstrations in support of Afghan women, girls and children languishing in Pakistan’s jails.

One of the main reasons is that a few political parties in Sindh have been campaigning to expel Afghan refugees from Sindh for some time now. Under pressure from these political parties, and to strengthen its vote bank, the Sindh government’s actions against the Afghans go against basic human rights and refugee laws.

Afghans face a dual challenge, both in Afghanistan and Pakistan. On the one hand, Afghans are being arrested and deported on the orders of the Sindh government, reported Peace for Asia.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Israeli minister visits Al Aqsa mosque, built on holy Jewish site: Here is how UN, Palestine and ‘liberals’ lost their mind

OpIndia Staff
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Israeli minister visits Al Aqsa mosque, built on holy Jewish site: Here is how UN, Palestine and ‘liberals’ lost their mind

On Tuesday (January 3), Israeli Minister for National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem in the presence of Israeli forces. The incident was dubbed as an act of desecration, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China calling for an emergency session of the United Nations.

The Jewish Minister was labelled as a ‘far right’ leader and was accused of ‘storming’ the holy site with ‘illegal Jewish settlers under police protection.’ The UAE, which had normalised its bilateral ties with Israel condemned the move by Itamar Ben-Gvir.

In a statement on the same day, it said, “The UAE today strongly condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard by an Israeli minister under the protection of Israeli forces.”

“The Ministry called upon Israeli authorities to assume responsibility for reducing escalation and instability in the region,” it further added. The Israeli Minister also drew the ire of the Foreign Ministry of Jordan, which condemned him for violating the ‘sanctity’ of the mosque.

On Wednesday (January 4), a meeting was held by the council of Arab ambassadors to the United Nations. Thereafter, another meeting was arranged by the council of ambassadors of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Whiles speaking about the development, Palestine’s permanent representative to the UN, Riyadh Mansour, told Arab News “You see that within the span of 48 hours, the international community is reacting strongly and in a unified way against (this) fascist member of the Israeli cabinet Ben-Gvir.”

Nonetheless, the visit of Itamar Ben-Gvir to the Al Aqsa mosque rattled several pro-Palestine propagandists. Emirati royal, Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al Qasimi, tweeted, “Israeli far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entry of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound draws fierce condemnation. In the history of stupid actions – this takes the cake.”

While dubbing Israel as ‘Zionist regime’, the radical Islamist Taliban regime of Afghanistan also condemned the supposed ‘desecration’ of the Al-Aqsa mosque by Itamar Ben-Gvir.

“Visit? Contested? That a fanatic Jewish supremacist & convicted criminal raids Al Aqsa Mosque with armed guards does not make it contested! Another example when @BBCNews⁩ and western mainstream media reporting in general is part of the problem,” Palestinian Ambassador Husam Zomlot said.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also did not leave behind in standing up for ‘Ummah.’ He tweeted, “Pakistan strongly condemns the insensitive and provocative visit of Israeli Minister of National Security to the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.”

The history of the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem

A source of major resentment in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the religious divide between the Israeli Jewish people and the Palestinian Muslims. The Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism where Jews turn during prayer is in the Old City of Jerusalem.

The Temple Mount complex is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. the Western Wall, and the Dome of the Rock (an Islamic shrine that is instantly recognizable because of its gold-plated dome).

However, before the construction of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, there was a grand Jewish temple in the same location on the Temple Mount.

This Jewish Holy Temple, called the Second Temple, was the holiest Jewish site of worship until it was destroyed by the Roman Empire in the 70 A.D. as punishment for a Jewish revolt.

The Second Temple was constructed in 516 BCE after the First Temple or Solomon’s temple was destroyed by the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 586 BCE. The Foundation Stone, the holiest site for the Jews at present, is located on the floor of the Dome of the Rock.

However, the Jews are not allowed to visit it as it is located inside the Islamic shrine.

Iraq: 17-year-old girl attacked by dozens of Muslim men in Kurdistan for coming to watch a bike race and causing ‘distraction’

OpIndia Staff
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Iraq: 17-year-old girl attacked by dozens of Muslim men in Kurdistan for coming to watch a bike race and causing ‘distraction’

A video has recently gone viral on social media in which a teenage girl is seen attacked by several men at a motorbike race in Sulaimani city in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. 

Reportedly, the 17-year-old girl who has been identified as L. Tarani was attacked by a large group of men for dressing ‘immodestly’. The girl was attacked by the men present at the racing event as they were opposed to women attending the event. The attackers hurled abuses at the girl and called her ‘wh**e’for ‘distracting’ the drivers by dressing ‘indecently’.

While the girl managed to escape the spot, a man who helped her get away was reportedly stabbed.

In a series of tweets, a local NGO named Kurdistan Watch informed on December 31 that the girl had earlier also attended the racing events, but the men claimed that women should not be allowed there as “they will attract all the attention”.

Kurdistan Watch described the Hwana suburb, where the attack took place as one of the most unsafe areas in Sulaimani adding that the place is known for the widespread use of drugs.

According to a local media portal Draw Media report, the participants of the race have been bringing some girls along with them. On the day the attack took place that is December 30th, it was decided that girls will not be allowed at the event, however, L. Tarani arrived at the event. The report adds that it remained unclear whether the girl deliberately arrived at the event or was unaware of the decision prohibiting women from attending the race.

According to Kurdistan Watch, the girl is an Iranian national, and the Sulaimani Police have arrested 16 men for assaulting the Iranian girl. 

It is notable that the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Masrour Barzani called the attack ‘unacceptable’ and directed the relevant ministers to hold the perpetrators accountable. 

“The mob attack on a young girl in Slemani yesterday, at a moment that should’ve been about celebrating the New Year, is shameful, inexcusable, and completely unacceptable. I’ve spoken to the Interior and Justice Ministers to investigate and hold those responsible accountable -MB,” Barzani tweeted.

Taking to Twitter on December 30, 2022, Rewaz Faeq, Speaker of the Kurdistan Parliament condemned the attack on the girl. “The senseless assault by these male predators on the girl who like any ordinary person merely wished to watch a race is the result of a barbaric narrative used systematically against our women. A society or authority not awakened by this barbarism should await a rapid death, Faeq tweeted.

Condemning the attack, Jutiar Adel, the Spokesperson of the Regional Government of Kurdistan issued a statement that read, “The attack and assault on a young lady in Sualimani’s Huana area are disgraceful as another incident of assault towards another woman occurred in Sulaimani province in recent days. Such incidents are unacceptable and the Kurdistan Regional Government stands against all kinds of violence and violations of human rights in general and women’s rights and legal action should be taken against the perpetrators of these crimes immediately.

Amit Shah inaugurates the Marjing Polo statue in Imphal: Know about the Meitei Deity associated with Sagol Kangjei

OpIndia Staff
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Amit Shah inaugurates the Marjing Polo statue in Imphal: Know about the Meitei Deity associated with Sagol Kangjei

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Marjing Polo statue in Manipur’s capital Imphal. The statue of the polo player is 120 feet high. Chief Minister N Biren Singh was also present on the occasion. The construction of this 120-feet-tall effigy of Sagol Kangjei (Polo) player at Heingang hill, the shrine of Ibudhou Marjing in Imphal East was completed in December 2022.

This huge Polo statue erected above the high top of Ibudhou Marjing highlands, a semi-god who established Sagol Kangjei (polo), would glorify Manipur – the homeland of polo sport. Additionally, the project will increase visitor traffic, creating job possibilities for the local population.

Marjing Polo statue inaugurated by Amit Shah (Source: Twitter)

The Union Home Minister took to Twitter to inform his followers about the inauguration of the Marjing Polo statue. “It is believed that Sagol Kangjei, the modern-day Polo game originated in Manipur. Today, inaugurated a 122 feet Marjing polo statue at the Marjing Polo Complex in Imphal. This will surely take the legacy forward and inspire more youngsters toward the game,” he tweeted.

The Home Minister will also inaugurate the Chudachandrapur Medical College and Hospital. Shah will hoist the national flag at Moirang in the Bishnupur district. This is the same place where the soldiers of the ‘Indian National Army’ hoisted the flag for the first time on Indian soil. He is also scheduled to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several other projects in the Chingei Lampak area of the Bishnupur district.

Marjing is a Meitei Deity

In Meitei mythology of the ancient Manipuri culture, Marjing is a primordial deity. The god has significant mythological and theological importance in relation to the game of polo. Ponies, polo, hockey, sports, and warfare are all associated with Marjing. Additionally, he is the protector of the northeastern direction. The polo game was created by him, so the myth goes. At the peak of the Heingang hills, he lives with his heavenly companion Samadon Ayangba. Samadon Ayangba is a holy horse with wings. God Marjing is One of the five gods that assume a position as a soul inside a human body.

In Meitei culture, polo is a sport of the gods. It is played with seven players on a side. A ball made from bamboo root is used in this game. The Meitei deity also carries a bamboo stick in his hands just like a polo player. Amit Shah inaugurated this statue of the deity. The construction of the statue took four years. I was started in 2018 and completed by the end of 2022.

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar announces 50% hike in salary of Muslim clerics, makes provision for a 5% hike every year

OpIndia Staff
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Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar announces 50% hike in salary of Muslim clerics, makes provision for a 5% hike every year

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar has announced a 50 per cent hike in the salaries of Imams and Maulanas in the state and promised them a 5 per cent increment every year. In the wake of this decision, the Haryana Waqf Board organised a felicitation ceremony at Gurugram University on Thursday (January 5) where it felicitated the Haryana CM for hiking the honorarium.

Tanzeem Aima-e-Auqaf, an organisation of the imams, said the salary hike was unprecedented and at least 800 imams working with various mosques in Haryana will benefit from this decision. Imams are paid salaries by Haryana Waqf Board, which gets grants from the state government and also generates income from its own properties.

Zakir Hussain, the administrator of the Haryana Waqf Board, said that imams will be paid between Rs. 14,000 and Rs. 16,000 as honorarium per month. “The provision of a 5% yearly hike in imams’ salary has never happened anywhere in India,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Khattar said, “Every possible effort is being made to increase brotherhood in Haryana. Considering the demands of Imam organisations, we have increased the honorarium of Maulanas and Imams. The demands were not taken into consideration for the past several years.”

Addressing the media after the programme, chief minister Khattar said, “Imams can play a crucial road in improving education and health facilities in areas such as Mewat. We are also working on creating more infrastructure and development in this region. The imams have also played an important role in the success of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign in Mewat as well as the Swachh Bharat campaign,” he said.

Khattar went on to say that the government is striving to ensure that temple priests are also paid a minimum wage by the organisations that employ them. “A board has been formed by the government to oversee this aspect and also for the welfare of this section,” he said.

WHO slams China for ‘underreporting’ COVID-19 cases, ‘too narrow’ definition of infected deaths

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WHO slams China for ‘underreporting’ COVID-19 cases, ‘too narrow’ definition of infected deaths

The World Health Organization officials, who have grappled with Beijing’s tight control of data access throughout the pandemic, have become increasingly vocal in their calls for reliable information as a major outbreak rips through China’s urban centres in the wake of an abrupt relaxation of disease control last month, reported CNN.

WHO has accused China of “under-representing” the severity of its Covid outbreak and criticized its “narrow” definition of what constitutes a Covid death, as top global health officials urge Beijing to share more data about the explosive spread.

“We continue to ask China for more rapid, regular, reliable data on hospitalizations and deaths, as well as more comprehensive, real-time viral sequencing,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a media briefing in Geneva Wednesday.

“WHO is concerned about the risk to life in China and has reiterated the importance of vaccination, including booster doses, to protect against hospitalization, severe disease, and death,” he said.

Speaking in more detail, WHO executive director for health emergencies Mike Ryan said the numbers released by China “under-represent the true impact of the disease” in terms of hospital and ICU admissions, as well as deaths, reported CNN.

He acknowledged that many countries have seen lags in reporting hospital data, but pointed to China’s “narrow” definition of a Covid death as part of the issue.

The country only lists those Covid patients who succumbed to respiratory failure as having died of Covid. In the two weeks prior to January 5, China reported fewer than 20 deaths from local Covid cases, according to figures released on the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

However, on Thursday, China’s Foreign Ministry said the country has always shared epidemic information “in a timely, open and transparent manner” and insisted its Covid situation was “under control,” reported CNN.

China continues to battle the sudden surge in Covid cases following the relaxation of the zero-Covid policy of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Incidentally, the scale of the current outbreak of the Covid infections has made it difficult for the authorities to track the Covid infections, following the end of the mandatory mass testing as part of the easing of Covid restrictions.

Chinese hospitals and crematoriums are also struggling with an influx of patients and dead bodies with rural areas facing most of the brunt.

However, the Chinese authorities have been circulating a narrative that the peak of the current Covid wave had already passed in most of the cities including Beijing, in order to address the concerns of both domestic and international communities and to justify the CCP’s announcement regarding further relaxation of epidemic prevention and control measures from January 8, reported CNN.

With the annual holidays commencing on January 15, rural areas may witness a further surge of Covid infections due to the return of the workforce from cities to their respective villages.

The surge in cases in a country of 1.4 billion has also raised global concerns about the potential emergence of new variants – and of China’s levels of monitoring and sharing data, reported CNN.

A number of countries have implemented Covid testing requirements for travellers from China, citing a dearth of data on strains circulating there.

On Wednesday, the European Union “strongly encouraged” its member states to introduce a requirement for a negative Covid test for passengers travelling from China to the EU, according to a statement released by the Swedish presidency of the bloc.

China’s Foreign Ministry earlier this week decried the measures as unscientific and vowed to take “corresponding countermeasures for different situations in accordance with the principle of reciprocity.”

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Clashes erupt between BJP and AAP members before Delhi Mayor Elections inside Civic Centre

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Clashes erupt between BJP and AAP members before Delhi Mayor Elections inside Civic Centre

A huge ruckus was created on Friday at Civic Centre before the commencement of voting for the MCD’s Mayoral elections.

The ruckus was created regarding the swearing-in of nominated councillors. BJP and AAP councillors clashed with each other and raise slogans against each other ahead of the Delhi Mayor polls at Civic Centre.

Following the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) mayoral election today, Delhi will pick a new mayor, deputy mayor, and speaker of the house.

Aam Aadmi Party has fielded Shally Oberoi and BJP has fielded Rekha Gupta for the post of mayor.

On Congress’s decision to walk out during the voting, Aam Aadmi Party leader and spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “The walkout of congress during the voting is directly benefiting the BJP, especially in the Standing Committee elections.”

Aam Aadmi Party leaders Saurabh Bhardwaj and Atishi both alleged that the fixup between the Congress and the BJP was already decided.

Citing the example of Congress councillor Nazia Danish from Zakir Nagar, Saurabh said, “The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi VK Saxena appointed Nazia Danish as a member of the Haj Committee without the consent of the Delhi government.”

Saurabh even said that through the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, the BJP is allotting posts to the Muslim councillors won by the Congress so that they help the BJP in the election of the Congress Standing Committee.

Although Saurabh Bhardwaj claims his party will be victorious in the Standing Committee including Mayor, and Deputy Mayor, the Aam Aadmi Party fears that the BJP may break into the Standing Committee with 274 votes, and 250 elected councillors will vote.

Along with this, 7 Lok Sabha MPs of Delhi, 3 Rajya Sabha MPs and 14 MLAs among the nominated people, who have been made on the consent of the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, will also take part in the voting.

Along with the post of mayor and deputy mayor, the standing committee members will also be elected.

Seven candidates are in the fray for 6 posts on the Standing Committee. Aam Aadmi Party has fielded Amil Malik, Raminder Kaur, Mohini Jeenwal and Sarika Chowdhary while BJP has Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Gajendra Daral and Pankaj Luthra as its candidates for the Standing Committee.

In the MCD elections, the Aam Aadmi Party won 134 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party won 104 wards.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Madhya Pradesh: Training aircraft crashes into a temple in Rewa; one pilot dead

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Training aircraft crashes into a temple in Rewa; one pilot dead

On Thursday, January 5, a training aircraft crashed in the Rewa area in Madhya Pradesh, 400 kilometres from the state capital Bhopal. The plane crashed 3 km away from Chorhatta airstrip after hitting the dome of a temple and a tree while on a training sortie. The plane that went down belonged to the Falcon training academy, said Rewa Superintendent of Police Navneet Bhasin.

The captain of the aircraft, Vishal Yadav (30), a resident of Patna died while the trainee pilot Anshul Yadav, a resident of Jaipur, who was on board, was injured in the incident.

The mishap took place at around 11.30 pm on Thursday, said an official.

According to reports, the trainee pilot who was injured in the collision is being treated at Rewa’s Sanjay Gandhi Hospital.

Rewa collector Manoj Pushp and Superintendent of Police Navneet Bhasin have reached the spot and further details about the crash were awaited, district officials said.

A team of police personnel reached the spot. Prima facie, bad weather and fog condition prevailing in the area are being attributed as the reason for the crash. 

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