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  • Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano

    Geologists have detected a swarm of earthquakes at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano, though it was not erupting.

    Kilauea Volcano

    • Kilauea is about 200 miles south of Honolulu, on the Big Island of Hawaii.
    • It is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, having erupted 34 times since 1952. In Hawaiian tradition, Kilauea is home to the volcano goddess Pele.
    • From 1983 to 2018, it erupted almost continuously, in some cases sending streams of lava that covered farms and homes.
    • At the end of this decades-long eruption, Kilauea spewed lava from vents in a residential neighborhood on its eastern flank and destroyed more than 700 homes.
    • In December, Kilauea erupted at the crater, creating a lake with enough lava to fill 10 Hoover dams. That eruption ended in May.

    Do not skip answering this PYQ:

    Consider the following statements:

    1. The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian Territory.
    2. Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.
    3. The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (CSP 2014)

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) 3 only

    (d) 1 and 3 only

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

    Back2Basics: Volcanic Landforms

    • Note the intrinsic and extrinsic types of volcanic landforms

    • A volcano has 3 main characteristics
    1. Cone shaped mountain
    2. Formed by rock or ash thrown from the inside of the earth
    3. At times, opening or depression at top
    • The three main types of volcanos are:

    1. Cinder cone Volcano: The cinder cones are small volcanoes with steep sides. Even though they are small, these are the ones you probably hear about.  They are very explosive and made of ash and rock.  Most of the cinder cones are small and less than 500 meters high.  A famous cinder cone is Sunset Crater Volcano in Arizona.
    2. Shield Volcanoes: A shield is a low and broad volcano that usually has a very wide crater (a dent in the Earth’s surface). It is formed from thin layers of lava after consistent low-grade eruptions.  The largest volcano in the world is a shield volcano.  It is located in Hawaii.
    3. Composite volcanoes: They are the tallest type of volcano. They look very impressive but do usually have quiet and slow lava flows.  They sometimes have small eruptions that cause ash and rock to go flying.  One of the most famous volcanoes in the world is a composite volcano.  It is Mount Fuji in Japan.

  • Making of the Modern City of Kolkata

    A 2003 judgment by the Calcutta High Court generates discussion of the city’s age, its date of founding, and Job Charnock, whom many credits for having “found” the city of Calcutta.

    Calcutta: Who founded the city?

    Nobody.

    • A place then called Kalikatah was an important religious centre due to the existence of the Kali temple in the adjacent village of Kalighat.
    • The first literary reference to the site is found in Bipradas Pipilai’s magnum opus Manasa Mangala which dates back to 1495.
    • Abul Fazl’s Ain-I-Akbari dating 1596 also mentions the place.
    • The Sabarna Roy Choudhury family was granted the Jagirdari of Kalikatah by Emperor Jehangir in 1608.

    Who was Job Charnock?

    • Job Charnock (1630–1693) was an English administrator with the East India Company.
    • He was once regarded as the founder of the city of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta).
    • However, this view is challenged, and in 2003 the Calcutta High Court declared that he ought not to be regarded as the founder.
    • Charnock was entrusted with procuring the Company’s saltpetre and appointed to the centre of the trade, Patna in Bihar in1659.

    Beginning of Urbanization

    • The establishment of the Government House in 1767 and the Lottery Commission in 1817 were the other important developments in the city’s history that gave its urban landscape more defined contours.
    • This commission was entirely responsible for the setting up of the city’s roads, streets and lanes.
    • Some markers of urban settlements include planned roads, water supply and transport.
    • The establishment of these in the early 19th century was responsible for making Calcutta the great city that it eventually became.

    Significance of Kolkata

    One of the most significant developments that gave the city a semblance of urban formation occurred in 1756 when the Nawab of Bengal Siraj ud-Daulah lay siege to Calcutta.

    • This was in retaliation for the British East India Company engaging in unauthorized development of the structure that is now known as Fort William.
    • The East India Company was defeated in a decisive battle, making them realise the vulnerability of the fort.
    • Post 1757 the fort was remade and fortified with enhanced protection, the construction was exceptionally well done.
    • It was really this attack on Fort William, a bastion of the British and other Europeans living there, that changed the map of Calcutta.
    • The Europeans who used to primarily lived inside the fort—the European merchants, the administrators etc—started moving out.
    • They knew that if there was an attack, there was infrastructure to save them. That was European Calcutta, what we call ‘White Town’.

    Hey! We won’t let you move away without answering this PYQ:

    Wellesley established the Fort William College at Calcutta because (CSP 2020):

    (a) He was asked by the board of directors at London to do so

    (b) He wanted to revive interest in oriental learning in India

    (c) He wanted to provide William Carey and his associates with employment

    (d) He wanted to train British civilians for administrative purposes in India.

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”dyj3y3x5ai” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here: [/wpdiscuz-feedback]

  • SUJALAM Campaign

    The Ministry of Jal Shakti began ‘SUJALAM’, a ‘100 days campaign’ to create more and more ODF Plus villages by undertaking wastewater management at the village level.

    SUJALAM Campaign

    The key activities that will be organized in the villages under this campaign include:

    • Organizing Community consultations, Khuli Baithaks and Gram Sabha meetings to analyze the current situation
    • Pass resolution to maintain ODF sustainability and achieve a needed number of soak pits to manage the greywater
    • Develop a 100 days’ plan to undertake sustainability and soak pit construction-related activities
    • Construct a requisite number of soak pits
    • Retrofit toilets where needed through IEC and community mobilization and
    • Ensure all newly emerging Households in the village have access to toilets

    Objectives of the campaign

    • The effort of the campaign would be directed towards achieving the ODF plus status for villages across the country in an accelerated manner in a short time.
    • The campaign will not only build desired infrastructure soak pit for management of greywater in villages but will also aid in sustainable management of water bodies.
    • The disposal of wastewater and clogging of water bodies in the villages or on the outskirts of the villages remain one of the major problems.
    • The Campaign would help in the management of the wastewater and in turn, would help to revive the water bodies.

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • 26th August 2021| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1    Factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).

    GS-2    India and its Neighborhood- Relations.

     GS-3   Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.

    GS-4    Probity in Governance: Information sharing and_ transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.

    Questions:

    Question 1)

     

    Q.1 Give an account of the geographical distribution pattern of major agro-based industries in India. Also, explain their multiplier effect on rural economy. (15 Marks)

     

    Question 2)

    Q.2 What are the doctrines followed in international law for the recognition of the government of the State? What should be India’s approach towards recognising Taliban government in Afghanistan? (10 Marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.3. How Automated Facial Recognition Systems work? What are the issues with the National Automated Facial Recognition System in India? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q.4 Compassion should never be considered as weakness, but rather as an essential element for providing a congenial administrative working environment. Discuss. (10 Marks)

     

    HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

    1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

    2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

    3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

    4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

    5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

    6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 1st August is uploaded on 1st August then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

    7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 1st August is uploaded on 3rd August, then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

    8. We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

    *In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. 

    For the philosophy of AWE and payment: 

    CLICK HERE To join Daily AWE

  • 26th August 2021 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

    [WpProQuiz 753]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 753]

  • 5 High-value topics for Prelims 2021 and how to Prepare Polity for UPSC 2022 || Free Session || High scoring topic details shared

    5 High-value topics for Prelims 2021 and how to Prepare Polity for UPSC 2022 || Free Session || High scoring topic details shared

    Dear aspirants,

    Polity is the key to success in UPSC, and here’s why:

    1. Up to 20 questions in Prelims – 40 marks!
    2. Command over Polity means great writing material in essays.
    3. The knowledge of polity can be used in GS papers, IR, and national issues.
    4. Polity concepts are highly useful in writing Ethics answer.
    5. Master polity and your score can rise by 100 marks in Mains.
    6. It is easy to master the subject if you know the right tricks!

    This is why we believe that all UPSC aspirants who are serious about clearing Prelims in this attempt should know the 5 Most Valuable Topics in polity and the smart way of completing the syllabus in time. And we would like to share these with you for FREE in the upcoming session with Sudhanshu Sir.

    For example, these are the areas that UPSC has focused on in the previous years:

    And this is where these questions were sourced from:

    But what about this year? Sudhanshu sir will explain, in detail, in the session.

    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR FREE session

    What can you expect to learn in the session?

    1. 5 Most valuable topics to be covered for Prelims.
    2. How to complete the Polity syllabus ‘effectively.’
    3. How to revise the syllabus in record time.
    4. How to use the knowledge of Polity for better answer writing.
    5. How to use the knowledge of polity for writing better essays.
    6. How to make sure you answer ALL the polity questions in Prelims correctly.
    7. How to use Polity to gain advantage over other candidates.

    You can learn all of this and more for absolutely free in the session. 

    DO NOT miss this opportunity to know the right way of completing your Polity syllabus for UPSC 2022. The session is absolutely free and you can gain up to 40 MARKS in Prelims by attending this session. But there are just limited slots available so we request you to register now!

    Date: 28/8/21

    Time: 5:30 P.M.

    Click here to register for free session

  • [Yojana Archive] Long-term Peace & Development in NER

    NORTH-EAST REGION

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    Context

    • In the past decade, there has been long term peace all over the Northeast region leading to new ideas flourishing and investments flowing in.
    • There are many examples that the North East is changing as this new breed is going into unchartered territory as the region provides more opportunities than challenges.
    • There are sporadic incidents, slow pace in achieving a Naga solution, but the peace has taken an irreversible stand and today in front of the mighty denim of peace for all the people.
    • The emerging challenge is to invent new ways of ensuring the participation of States in the formulation of national policies and motivating them for effective implementation in key development areas.

    Achievements in NER

    • Today the North East is insurgency free.
    • Occasional incidents arc too insignificant in front of the grater picture.
    • Sooner or later the last remaining accord- the Naga Accord will be signed.

    Opportunities for NER: Gateway to the East

    • The region is a vantage entry point to southeastern Asian markets.
    • Moreover, no less than five major bridges over Brahmaputra, along with the world’s longest bridge at Dhubri-Phulbari are in the various stages of construction which are going to unlock North East India completely.
    • The two single biggest fast-moving projects is the 1500-kilometer-long Trans Arunachal Highway from Sousa north of Teepee to Naharkatiya near Nagaland through Arunachal Pradesh. The project is worth $1.4 Billion.
    • The other one is the Jirbam-Imphal railway line, opening up Manipur to the vast railway network of India.
    • Under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme in North-East (SARDP-NE), the Trans-Arunachal highway is being developed.
    • Under the initiative, a sub-regional Motor Vehicle Agreement allows buses and later private vehicles with a Bhutan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal (BBIN) permit.

    Concerns

    • Lack of Agricultural Infrastructure: The absence of efficient cold storage chains exposes cultivators to market fluctuations.
    • Tourism isn’t in full capacity: Tourism, too, has not made much headway due to poor infrastructure development.
    • Federal Issues: There are uncoordinated and fragmented efforts by individual states.
    • High expenditure: Each Ministry of the Union Government is required to spend at least 10 per cent of its budget in the North-East.
    • Lack of investment: To harness the full potential of these sectors, significant investments will be required in upgrading the region’s infrastructure, education and skill development.

    SWOT Analysis of the NER

    Strengths

    • Several tourist attractions such as Blue Mountain (Phawngpui-Mizoram), Palak Lake (Mizoram), Kangla Fort (Manipur), Majuli (river island in Assam).
    • Presence of an ethnic, tribal culture each with unique customs and traditions.
    • The north-eastern region has a very well-performing gender development index.
    • Rich bamboo reserves.
    • The abundance of natural resources like limestone as well as water for hydropower potential.
    • Safe and clean, pollution-free environment.

    Weakness

    • Lack of proper connectivity.
    • Limited tourism infrastructure facilities.
    • Scarcity of skilled and unskilled labour.
    • Floods and landslides in the monsoons make places inaccessible.
    • Landlocked states.

    Opportunities

    • Development of the handicraft industry.
    • Flood management system to improve accessibility.
    • Linkages to existing tourism circuits.
    • Trade can drastically be improved by improving infrastructural facilities and accessibility.

    Threats

    • Overuse and commercialization of eco-sensitive zones could lead to depletion of resources and weakening of attraction.
    • Regional connectivity concerns.
    • Land banks and land availability not addressed.
    • Migration of local people to urban areas for employment prospects.

    Conclusion

    • The North-East region has great potential to develop not just as a self, sustaining economic unit of India but also contribute to the success story of the country, which is reflected by the PM’s focus on this region.

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  • Streak Daily Compilation of Questions & Videos || Aug 25, 2021

    Maintaining consistency is one of the biggest issues faced by IAS Aspirants. Streak’s initiative is to help Aspirants in their day-to-day preparation. You can follow the monthly, weekly, and daily timetables and continue this streak until you find yourself on the final list.

    Please register for Streak free initiative through this link:- https://www.civilsdaily.com/course/streak-daily-initiative/

    You will get following study material:-

    1. Questions (PDF).
    2. RSTV/Yojana monthly notes (PDF).
    3. Burning issue (PDF).
    4. Subject specific (PDF).
    5. Mentor’s phone call for support & encouragement.

    _______________________________________________

    UPSC PRELIMS-2021 || Current Affairs based Most Probable Questions for Prelims 2021 – by Sukanya Rana

    Q1) Consider the following statements with respect to Brucellosis:

    1. It is a fungal disease caused by Blastomyces which causes respiratory disease in humans.

    2. Brucellosis is often spread when people eat contaminated food, which may include raw meat and unpasteurized milk.

    Which of the statement(s) given above is/are incorrect?

    a. 1 only

    b. 2 only

    c. Both 1 and 2

    d. Neither 1 nor 2

    Q2) With respect to mRNA vaccines, consider the following statements:

    1. They are non-infectious, non-integrating in nature, and degraded by standard cellular mechanisms.

    2. They are highly efficacious because of their inherent capability of being translatable into the protein structure inside the cell cytoplasm.

    3. They are fully synthetic and do not require a host, like eggs or bacteria, for growth.

    Which of the statements given above are correct?

    a. 1 and 2 only

    b. 1 and 3 only

    c. 2 and 3 only

    d. 1, 2 and 3

    Q3) Consider the following statements with respect to Ultra White Paint:

    1. It is made of calcium carbonate and reflects 85% of white light.

    2. It remains cooler than the ambient temperature in full sunlight.

    Which of the statement(s) given above is/are incorrect?

    a. 1 only

    b. 2 only

    c. Both 1 and 2

    d. Neither 1 nor 2

    Q4) Which of the following statements are correct with respect to Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC):

    1. It aims to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade.

    2. The Membership of the Commission is open to all Member Nations and Associate Members of FAO and WHO.

    Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

    a. 1 only

    b. 2 only

    c. Both 1 and 2

    d. Neither 1 nor 2

    Q5) Consider the following statements with respect to Python-5 Missile:

    1. It is a fifth generation infra-red air-to-air missile.

    2. It has a range of around 20 km.

    Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

    a. 1 only

    b. 2 only

    c. Both 1 and 2

    d. Neither 1 nor 2

    UPSC PRELIMS-2021 || Most Probable Questions for UPSC Prelims 2021 – by Santosh Gupta

    Q1) Consider the following statements regarding “Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence”:

    1. It envisages responsible and human-centric development and use of artificial intelligence
    2. India is one of the founding members of the GPAI initiative.
    3. The GPAI initiative was conceived by Germany and France during their G7 presidencies.

    Which of the given statements is/are correct?

    (a) 1  AND 2 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) All of them

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

    Q2) Which of the following sectors is included in the NITI Aayog’s “National AI Strategy”:

    1. Agriculture
    2. MSME
    3. Education
    4. MOBILITY
    5. Oil and Natural Gas

    Select the correct code:

    (a) 1 and 4 only

    (b) 2 and 5 only

    (c) 3 and 5 only

    (d) 1, 3 and 4 only

    Q3) Consider the following statements regarding “eVIN”

    1. It digitizes Covid Vaccination supply chain.
    2. Both state Government and private companies can place their orders directly for vaccine through this portal

    Which of the given statements is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

    Q4) Consider the following statement about the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI):

    1. It is a WHO led alliance of public health organizations of UN members. 
    2. The objective is to ensure immunization for all. 

    Which of the given statements is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

    Q5) Which of the following given statements is/are true about India’s supercomputer Param Siddhi?:

    1. It is ranked in the top 100 among 500 most powerful non-distributed computer systems in the world.
    2. It has been developed under the National Supercomputing Mission.
    3. It is the fastest supercomputer of India till now

    Which of the given statements is/are correct?

    (a) 1 and 2 only

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) All of them

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

  • The legal challenges in recognising the Taliban

    Context

    The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan has triggered a new debate in international law on the issue of recognising an entity that claims to be the new government of a state.

    Legal challenge of recognising a government

    • Questions of recognition do not arise when the change of government within a state occurs when political power is transferred through legal means.
    • However, things are different when the change of government happens through extra-legal methods like ousting the sitting government using unconstitutional means.
    • China and Russia, two of the five permanent United Nations Security Council members, have seemingly shown readiness to recognise a Taliban-led government.
    • Whereas countries like Canada have opposed it.
    • Recognition of governments under international law is vital for several reasons.
    • Recognition of government Vs. Recognition of State: Malcolm Shaw, the international lawyer, writes, “a change in government, however, accomplished, does not affect the identity of the State itself.”
    • Thus, in the current debate, the issue is not about the recognition of Afghanistan, whose legal personality remains intact it’s about the recognition of government.

    Two doctrines in Internation laws for recognising a government

    1) Effectiveness

    • According to this principle, to recognise a government means to determine whether it effectively controls the state it claims to govern.
    • Under this doctrine, it is immaterial how the new government occupied office.
    • Since there is hardly any doubt that the Taliban now effectively controls Afghanistan, as per this test, it would be recognised as Afghanistan’s government for international law and thus, international relations.

    2) Democratic legitimacy

    •  According to this doctrine, recognition of a government also depends on whether it is the legitimate representative of the people it claims to govern.
    • The end of the Cold War, the subsequent spread of democracy in the world, and the growing demand for universal respect for human rights gave an impetus to this doctrine in the last three decades.
    • This doctrine has led many countries to bestow de jure recognition (legal recognition) on governments in exile in place of governments exercising effective control.
    • Two recent examples include recognition by some states of Yemen’s government in exile since 2015.
    • Second, the Nicolás Maduro government in Venezuela is not recognised by several countries due to the alleged lack of democratic legitimacy.
    • The Taliban regime, despite exercising effective control over Afghanistan, lacks democratic legitimacy.
    • Thus, it would fail to be recognised as the legitimate representative of Afghanistan if the doctrine of democratic legitimacy is applied.
    • Nevertheless, there is no binding legal obligation on countries to withhold recognition citing democratic legitimacy.
    • Thus, if Russia and China were to formally recognise the Taliban regime due to its effective control of Afghanistan, it would be consistent with international law.

    Way forward for India

    • India will have to find a way to engage with the Taliban given India’s huge investments in Afghanistan and stakes in the South Asian region.
    • India should adopt a clear policy that it will deal with the Taliban simply because it is the de facto government, not because it is a legitimate one.
    • This principle should be followed for bilateral relations and also for multilateral dealings such as within the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

    Consider the question “What are the doctrines in international law in recognising the government of State? What should be India’s course of action in dealing with the Taliban in Afghanistan?” 

    Conclusion

    Given the Taliban’s brutal past, India is within its right to withhold de jure recognition of the Taliban regime. However, India has to devise a policy to deal with the Taliban as a de facto government.

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Registrations Closing Soon || Live Free Session on Indian Polity Today || 5 High-Value Topics for Prelims 2021 and How to Simplify Polity for UPSC IAS 2022

    Registrations Closing Soon || Live Free Session on Indian Polity Today || 5 High-Value Topics for Prelims 2021 and How to Simplify Polity for UPSC IAS 2022

    Dear aspirants,

    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR FREE session

    Polity is the key to success in UPSC, and here’s why:

    1. Up to 20 questions in Prelims – 40 marks!
    2. Command over Polity means great writing material in essays.
    3. The knowledge of polity can be used in GS papers, IR, and national issues.
    4. Polity concepts are highly useful in writing Ethics answer.
    5. Master polity and your score can rise by 100 marks in Mains.
    6. It is easy to master the subject if you know the right tricks!

    This is why we believe that all UPSC aspirants who are serious about clearing Prelims in this attempt should know the 5 Most Valuable Topics in polity and the smart way of completing the syllabus in time. And we would like to share these with you for FREE in the upcoming webinar with Sudhanshu Sir.

    For example, these are the areas that UPSC has focused on in the previous years:

    And where are these questions sourced from?

    But what about this year? Sudhanshu sir will explain, in detail, in the webinar.

    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR FREE session

    What can you expect to learn in the webinar?

    1. 5 Most valuable topics to be covered for Prelims.
    2. How to complete the Polity syllabus ‘effectively.’
    3. How to revise the syllabus in record time.
    4. How to use the knowledge of Polity for better answer writing.
    5. How to use the knowledge of polity for writing better essays.
    6. How to make sure you answer ALL the polity questions in Prelims correctly.
    7. How to use Polity to gain advantage over other candidates.

    You can learn all of this and more for absolutely free in the webinar. 

    DO NOT miss this opportunity to know the right way of completing your Polity syllabus for UPSC 2022. The webinar is absolutely free and you can gain up to 40 MARKS in Prelims by attending this session. But there are just limited slots available so we request you to register now!

    Date: 28/8/21

    Time: 5:30 P.M.

    Click here to register for free session

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