January 2023 - Page 39 of 60 - Lokmarg

Slow Subsidence Up To 9 cm Recorded In Joshimath: ISRO

By LokMarg 13th January 2023

Slow subsidence up to 9 cm is recorded in Joshimath town over a period of seven months, between April and November 2022, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) satellite-based report.

National Remote Sensing Centre, ISRO said several reports over the last few days highlighted the subsidence occurring in Joshimath.
Due to landslide-related creep, cracks have appeared in around 700 houses. Roads along with the hotels and hospitals present there have developed cracks, said NRSC.

ISRO, in its observation, said, “Slow subsidence up to 9 cm within the Joshimath town is recorded over a period of 7 months, between April and November 2022. Between December 27, 2022 and January 8, 2023 a rapid subsidence event was triggered.”

The region subsided around 5 cm within a span of a few days and the areal extent of

subsidence has also increased. But it is confined to the central part of Joshimath town, said the space agency of India.

A subsidence zone resembling a generic landslide shape was identified (tapered top and

fanning out at base). The Crown of the subsidence is located near Joshimath-Auli road at a

height of 2,180 metres, said ISRO report.

The identified subsidence zone was correlated with new Cartosat-2S satellite data acquired by ISRO.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that the Prime Minister is personally distressed about the land subsidence in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath.

He further added that the Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami is constantly working to bring the situation under control.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also enquired about the situation in Joshimath over the phone from Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the Home Minister assured all possible assistance to the Uttarakhand government for Joshimath.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday chaired a meeting with all stakeholders on the Joshimath land subsidence issue.

During the meeting, the chief minister interacted with the Army, ITBP, NDRF and scientists from various establishments engaged in landslide investigation, district administration, police and district-level officers associated with essential services at Sunil ITBP camp.

The CM said that the safety of the citizens is our biggest responsibility. He instructed everyone to ensure all arrangements for the safety of the people, a release from the chief minister’s office said.

The Chief Minister also interacted with the scientists of various establishments engaged in the investigation of landslides and inquired about the ongoing studies and research into the causes of landslides in Joshimath. During the meeting, scientists informed the chief minister about the investigation so far.

“I have met with everyone and assured people that state administration is with the people of Joshimath. We will help everyone,” CM Pushkar Dhami told the media after the meeting.

He said it is our priority to lay the way forward for those affected while protecting their lives and property, an official statement added.

Later, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a meeting with local public representatives and eminent citizens. He asked everyone to work in coordination with the administration in times of disaster.

CM said, that 1.50 lakhs are being given immediately as interim assistance to all those whose houses, shops, and businesses have been affected. (ANI)

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Budget Session 2023 To Begin January 31, Continue Till April 6

By LokMarg 13th January 2023

The Budget Session of Parliament is set to commence from January 31 and slated to continue till April 6, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi said on Friday.

There will be 27 sittings spread over a period of 66 days and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to present the Union Budget on February 1. This would be the fifth Union Budget that Sitharaman would present.
The Union budget will be presented as the final full-year budget under PM Narendra Modi’s government, before the national elections slated for 2024.

“Budget Session 2023 of Parliament will commence from 31 January and continue till 6 April with 27 sittings spread over 66 days with usual recess. Amid Amrit Kaal looking forward to discussions on Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address, Union Budget and other items” Joshi tweeted.

The Union minister said during the Budget session of 2023, the recess will be from February 14 till March 12 to enable the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees to examine the demands for grants and make reports relating to their ministries or departments.

According to sources, the session will go on from January 31 till February 13, with the recess in between and then the session will start from March 13 and carry on till April 6.

During the first part of the Budget Session, the two Houses have a detailed discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address followed by a discussion on the Union Budget.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, the Finance Minister will reply to the debate on the union budget.

During the second part of the Budget Session, the major focus is on the discussion on the demands for grants for various ministries apart from the government’s legislative agenda. The Union Budget, a money bill, is passed during this part of the session.

The work on the new Parliament building is being carried out as part of the Central Vista development. Those involved in the construction of the Parliament are confident that the second part of the Budget Session can be conducted in the new Parliament building

During the last session, nine bills were introduced in Lok Sabha and seven bills were passed by the lower House of Parliament.

The Rajya Sabha passed nine bills and the total number of bills passed by both Houses of Parliament during the session was nine. (ANI)

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‘Sad To Hear Demise Of Big Brother…’ Lalu Condoles Death Of Sharad Yadav

By LokMarg 13th January 2023

Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on Friday condoled the demise of former Union Minister and socialist leader Sharad Yadav in a video message from Singapore.

Posting a video message for the deceased leader on Twitter, Lalu Yadav from his hospital bed in Singapore where he is recuperating from a kidney transplant surgery, said, “I am saddened to hear the news of big brother Sharad Yadav’s death. He, besides late Mulayam Singh Yadav, Nitish Kumar and myself learnt politics of socialism from Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpoori Thakur.”
“On many an occasion, Sharad Yadav and I fought with each other. But our disagreements never led to any bitterness,” Lalu Yadav added.

Sharad Yadav passed away on Thursday, informed his daughter Subhashini Sharad Yadav through a social media post.

Yadav who had launched his own party Loktantrik Janata Dal merged with Lalu Yadav’s outfit RJD in March 2020 which he said was the “first step towards a united opposition”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed condolences over the demise of veteran politician and founder-member of Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) Sharad Yadav.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said, “Pained by the passing away of Shri Sharad Yadav Ji. In his long years in public life, he distinguished himself as MP and Minister. He was greatly inspired by Dr Lohia’s ideals. I will always cherish our interactions. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.”

The condolence messages also came from Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge.

“I am saddened by the demise of Sharad Yadav, a senior leader of the socialist stream of the country, former JDU president. Serving the country as a former Union Minister and an outstanding Parliamentarian for decades, he strengthened the politics of equality. My deepest condolences to his family and supporters,” Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted in Hindi.

“Deeply saddened by the demise of my friend, veteran leader and our colleague in Parliament Sharad Yadav. He was a distinguished student leader who rose to the highest heights in public life. He was an outspoken leader and deeply committed to an inclusive India,” Congress Rajya Sabha MP Anand Sharma said on his official Twitter handle.

Sharad Yadav was a former union minister in various governments.

Sharad Yadav had formed Loktantrik Janata Dal in 2018 miffed with Janata Dal (United) returning to an alliance with the BJP in Bihar. (ANI)

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Ganga Vilas To Culminate Cruise On Feb 28 In Assam

Modi Flags Off World’s Longest Cruise MV Ganga Vilas In Varanasi

By LokMarg 13th January 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the world’s longest river Cruise, MV Ganga Vilas in Varanasi via video conferencing on Friday.

Prime Minister also inaugurated the Tent City at Varanasi and laid the foundation stones for several other inland waterways projects worth more than Rs 1,000 crore.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were present at Varanasi on the occasion.

Speaking at the occasion, Sonowal said, “Today will be written in the history of the world’s river cruise as it will be the longest journey in the world. It will go through UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Bangladesh till Dibrugarh. Through this journey, not only the path of tourism but also the path of trade will open.”

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “In the last three days, tourists of the river cruise MV Ganga Vilas visited Varanasi and nearby places and experienced the culture. PM will inaugurate five new jetties in the state today. Kashi is moving ahead with a new identity today.”

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma who joined the ceremony virtually thanked PM Modi for flagging of river cruise connecting Kashi to Assam.

“Passengers who will come on this cruise will get the opportunity to visit Maa Kamakhya Temple, Kaziranga National Park and other place,” Chief Minister Sarma said.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav also joined the event virtually. He said the river cruise MV Ganga Vilas will visit Buxar, Chapra, Patna, Munger, Sultanganj and Kahalgaon in the state.

“The tourists will be accorded a traditional welcome at each port and taken to visit historical places,” Tejashwi Yadav said.

An official of Port, Shipping and Waterways told ANI that the world’s longest River Cruise MV Ganga Vilas is the first-ever cruise vessel to be made in India.

MV Ganga Vilas will begin its journey from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and travel around 3,200 km in 51 days to reach Dibrugarh in Assam via Bangladesh, sailing across 27 river systems in India and Bangladesh.

MV Ganga Vilas has three decks, 18 suites on board with a capacity of 36 tourists, with all the luxury amenities. The maiden voyage has 32 tourists from Switzerland signing up for the entire length of the journey.

The MV Ganga Vilas cruise is curated to bring out the best of the country to be showcased to the world. The 51 days cruise is planned with visits to 50 tourist spots including World Heritage Sites, National Parks, River Ghats, and major cities like Patna in Bihar, Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh, and Guwahati in Assam.

The journey will give the tourists an opportunity to embark upon an experiential voyage and indulge in the art, culture, history, and spirituality of India and Bangladesh.

Further, Tent City has been conceptualized on the banks of the River Ganga to tap the potential of tourism in the region. The project has been developed opposite to city ghats which will provide accommodation facilities and cater to the increased tourist influx in Varanasi, especially since the inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Dham.

It has been developed by Varanasi Development Authority. The tourists will reach the Tent City by boats from different Ghats situated in the vicinity. The tent city will be operational from October to June every year and will be dismantled for three months due to rise in river water level in the rainy season.

Prime Minister inaugurated Haldia Multi-Modal Terminal in West Bengal. Developed under Jal Marg Vikas Project, Haldia Multi-Modal Terminal has a cargo handling capacity of around over 3 Million Metric Tonne Per Annum (MMTPA) and the berths are designed to handle vessels up to around 3000 Deadweight tonnage (DWT).

Further, he also inaugurated four floating community jetties at Saidpur, Chochakpur, and Zamania in Ghazipur district, and at Kanspur in Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh. Besides, a foundation stone was laid for the five Community Jetties at Digha, Nakta Diyara, Barh, Panapur in Patna district, and Hasanpur in Samastipur district in Bihar.

More than 60 community jetties are being constructed along river Ganga across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal to boost economic activities and improve the livelihoods of local communities in the region.

The community jetties would play a key role in improving the livelihoods of people by providing simple logistics solutions for small farmers, fishery units, unorganized farm-producing units, horticulturists, florists, and artisans focussing on economic activities in and around the hinterland of river Ganga.

A Maritime Skill Development Centre for North East at Guwahati was also be inaugurated. It will help honing the rich talent pool in the North Eastern region and will provide for better employment opportunities in the burgeoning logistics industry.

In addition to these, Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for a ship repair facility and an elevated road at Pandu Terminal in Guwahati. The Ship Repair facility at the Pandu Terminal will save a lot of valuable time as it takes more than a month for a ship to be transported to the Kolkata Repair facility and back.

Moreover, it will also result in huge savings in terms of money as the transportation cost of the ship will also be saved. The dedicated road connecting the Pandu Terminal to NH 27 will enable 24-hour connectivity. (ANI)

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SpiceJet Delhi-Pune Departure Delayed After Bomb Threat

By LokMarg 12th January 2023

A SpiceJet flight’s departure from Delhi airport was delayed after a call regarding the presence of a bomb inside the aircraft was received on Thursday evening, sending security agencies and airport authorities in the national capital into a tizzy.

The flight was bound to go to Pune and the call was received before take-off.
Delhi police officials, after an initial security drill, said that nothing serious was found on the flight.

“A call regarding a bomb in a Pune-bound Spicejet flight from Delhi was received before the takeoff,” officials said.

Delhi Police officials said that the flight is being checked at Delhi Airport and the CISF and Police are on alert.

“So far nothing suspicious has been found but a security drill will be followed as per SOP,” the police said.

Further details awaited. (ANI)

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Pak’s Industries Bracing For Cut In Production, Layoffs

Viral Video Claims Pak’s Food Crisis ‘State-Manufactured’

By LokMarg 12th January 2023

In one of the several videos that have gone viral in Pakistan following the outbreak of an unprecedented food crisis, a man recording the video showing the purported stacks of wheat sacks has accused the ruling dispensation of opacity and said the current crisis was a ‘state-manufactured crisis’.

He accused all Pakistani politicians across the board of utter incompetence for he believed the current crisis could have been prevented with timely action.

A massive food shortage has descended in the country amidst an already fragile political situation.

The man in the video said the government had adequate grains but the leadership failed in preempting the crisis and everything that was in storage was rotten before they came to senses.

Pakistani social media is flooded with a number of videos where the citizens are either seen accusing the government or are seen jostling for food, including staples.

One of those, which has gone viral across the globe, shows how people in the country’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were fighting for flour as some armed men distributed wheat packets from mini-trucks.

Incidents of chaos and stampede were also reported from other parts of the country. The price of wheat has skyrocketed in recent days with 1kg of grain costing 160 PKR.

Pakistan has been seeking global assistance for rebuilding the country that is still reeling under the trail of destruction of massive floods that struck the country last year.

Around 40 countries and some private players recently pledged over USD 9 billion at the donor conference organized by Pakistan in collaboration with the United Nations in Geneva.

Earlier, the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres had called on for 16 billion USD assistance to rebuild Pakistan which is still reeling under the trail of destruction left by unprecedented floods last year.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is visiting different countries to ask for more funds. (ANI)

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National Skiing Championship At Auli Cancelled Due To Less Snowfall

HP Receives Fresh Snowfall; More Likely During Next 48 Hrs

By LokMarg 12th January 2023

The hill state of Himachal Pradesh has received fresh snowfall during the past 24 hours, and the higher mountain regions have received moderate snowfall and rainfall, said India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials on Thursday.

The India Meteorological Department forecasted snowfall in higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh during the next two days. The IMD has forecasted moderate snowfall during the next two days in the Kinnaur, Chamba, Lahaul -Spiti, Shimla, and Kullu districts of the state.
As per IMD after January 14, the weather is expected to remain dry, while a coldwave alert in the lower districts of Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Una and Mandi has been sounded in the region.

“The higher reaches in Himachal Pradesh during the past 24 hours received fresh snowfall. Kothi in Kullu district received 15CM snowfall, Hansa in Lahaul-Spiti recorded 9CM fresh snowfall and higher reaches of Shimla district recorded 5 of a fresh snowfall,” said IMD Senior Scientist HP Sandeep Kumar Sharma.

He further added that during the next 48 hours, the higher reaches in Kinnaur, Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti, Kullu, and Shimla districts are expected to get light to moderate snowfall.

“The lower parts of the state have received rainfall. The temperature during 24 hours has also fallen by 3 degree Celsius in the state. After January 14 the weather is expected to remain dry and a cold wave alert has also been sounded for Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and other lower areas of the state,” said Senior Scientist Sandeep Kumar Sharma, IMD HP.

Earlier in the day, mesmerizing images emerged from Himachal Pradesh’s Narkanda as the area received heavy snowfall overnight and on Thursday morning.

Trees and hills were covered in snow and the minimum temperature was recorded at a bone-chilling 1 degree Celsius.

According to a Met forecast, Narkanda is likely to receive light rainfall on January 13 and the mercury might drop to as low as -3 degrees Celsius.

North India is headed for another severe cold spell from January 14-19, a Met expert predicted on Thursday.

The Gangotri Dham of Uttarakhand was shrouded in white after heavy snowfall on Wednesday late at night.

Even as the popular pilgrimage site, covered in snow, made for a pretty picture, the fresh burst of snow brought with it a biting chill sweeping the lower reaches of the Dham.

The snowfall and the chill dragged the mercury down further to -3 degrees Celsius.

The Met department said the temperature is likely to drop to as low as -9 degrees Celsius in a fresh spell of severe cold that is likely to grip the northern plains over the weekend and over the next week.

Already in the grip of a severe cold spell, there’s more bad news in the offing for North India as vast swathes of the region are likely to experience a drop in temperatures to a minimum of -4 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 2 degrees Celsius in the plains, according to a weather expert.

According to a tweet by the weather expert, the icy, severe chill would be experienced between January 14 and 19 and is likely to peak from January 16 to 18. (ANI)

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FBI Chief Confirms Covid-19 Originated From Lab Incident In Wuhan

Drugs Standards Body Collects AMBRONOL Syrup Samples

By LokMarg 12th January 2023

After the World Health Organisation (WHO) made a recommendation against using two cough syrups made by Noida-based Marion Biotech on account of their “substandard quality”, Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation on Thursday collected four samples of AMBRONOL syrup for investigation.

“The team of CDSCO has collected four samples of AMBRONOL syrup for investigation from Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd,” the Drug inspector of Gautam Buddh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh Vaibhav Babbar said.
It’s a joint inspection by a team of state drugs inspectors and CDSCO.

WHO on Wednesday said that two cough syrups made by Noida-based company Marion Biotech should not be used for children in Uzbekistan.

In a medical product alert on Wednesday, the WHO said the “substandard medical products”, manufactured by Marion Biotech, “are products that fail to meet quality standards or specifications and are therefore out of specification.”

“This WHO Medical Product Alert refers to two substandard (contaminated) products, identified in Uzbekistan and reported to WHO on 22 December 2022. Substandard medical products are products that fail to meet quality standards or specifications and are therefore out of specification,” the WHO said in an alert released on its website.

“The two products are AMBRONOL syrup and DOK-1 Max syrup. The stated manufacturer of both products is MARION BIOTECH PVT. LTD, (Uttar Pradesh, India). To date, the stated manufacturer has not provided guarantees to WHO on the safety and quality of these products,” the alert added.

Noida-based pharma Marion Biotech has come under a cloud as reports emerged about the death of children after consuming cough syrup came in from Uzbekistan.

According to WHO, laboratory analysis of samples of cough syrups, undertaken by national quality control laboratories of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan found both products contained unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and /or ethylene glycol as contaminants.

“Both of these products may have marketing authorizations in other countries in the region. They may also have been distributed, through informal markets, to other countries or regions,” the

WHO alert added. On December 22, Uzbekistan alleged that 18 children had died after consuming medicines manufactured by Marion Biotech company. On Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration department suspended the production license of Marion Biotech company linked to Uzbekistan’s deaths of 18 children.

“We have suspended the production license of Marion Biotech company after not providing enough documents, a show-cause notice was also given by the state licensing authority depending upon the documents asked during the inspection which they didn’t provide,” said Gautam Buddh Nagar Drug inspector Vaibhav Babbar. (ANI)

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Rakul Preet Congratulates RRR Team For Golden Globe Win

By LokMarg 12th January 2023

Actor Rakul Preet Singh who is gearing up for the upcoming social comedy film ‘Chhatriwali’ on Thursday congratulated the team ‘RRR’ for winning the Best Original Song Golden Globe Award for the song ‘Naatu Naatu’.

Speaking to ANI, Rakul Preet Singh shared her happiness about RRR Golden Globe win. She said, “I am very proud that an Indian Telugu film illuminates the name of our country by going to the international level. In fact, I have worked with Ram Charan and Jr NTR. It’s just a very happy moment. When such incidents happen, our country also comes together and suddenly it becomes an Indian industry. This a very special thing and I hope more films get recognition at the International level.”

‘Naatu Naatu’ won the award for Best Original Score at the 80th Golden Globe Awards.

‘Naatu Naatu’ a dance number featuring stars Jr NTR and Ram Charan was pitted against Taylor Swift’s ‘Carolina’ from Where the Crawdads Sing, ‘Ciao Papa’ from Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Lady Gaga’s ‘Hold My Hand’ from Top Gun: Maverick, and ‘Lift Me U’ from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, performed by Rihanna.

Naatu Naatu was shot in Ukraine over a period of 20 days. It took 43 retakes before the final cut of the song was approved.

This lyrical composition of ‘Naatu Naatu’ by MM Keeravani, high energy rendition by singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava, unique choreography by Prem Rakshith, and lyrics by Chandrabose are all the elements that make this ‘RRR’ mass anthem a perfect dance craze.

The song was also released in Hindi as ‘Naacho Naacho’, in Tamil as ‘Naattu Koothu’, in Kannada as ‘Halli Naatu’ and in Malayalam as ‘Karinthol’. Its Hindi version was sung by Rahul Sipligunj and Vishal Mishra.

Meanwhile, RRR’s director SS Rajamouli and the film’s lead stars Jr NTR and Ram Charan marked their presence at the 2023 Golden Globes ceremony along with ‘Naatu Naatu’ composer MM Keeravaani. (ANI)

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Malaika My Best Cheerleader: Arjun Kapoor

By LokMarg 12th January 2023

Bollywood diva Malaika Arora, on Thursday, took to her social media and praised her boyfriend Arjun Kapoor’s upcoming film ‘Kuttey’.

Taking to Instagram, Malaika shared a picture on her story which she captioned, “Wat a cracker of a film N fab performances. Watch it in a cinema near you.”

Her boyfriend, Arjun shared the picture on his Instagram story and wrote, “My biggest cheerleader.”

Malaika and Arjun have been dating for quite some time now. However, it was not until a couple of years ago that both decided to make their relationship public.

Even after all the social media trolling because of the 12-year age gap between them, Malaika and Arjun never fail to shower on each other on social media.

‘Kuttey’ marks the directorial debut of Vishal Bhardwaj’s son Aasman Bhardwaj. It stars Arjun Kapoor, Tabu, Radhika Madan, Konkona Sensharma, and Naseeruddin Shah and is all set to hit the theatres on January 13, 2023.

On receiving overwhelming responses over the trailer, Arjun earlier said, “It is really encouraging to see that people, media and the industry has loved the trailer of Kuttey and is excited to see me in this film. I have realized that people want to see me push myself to deliver a credible performance. It happened with me in Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar and I can see the same love coming back to me again with the Kuttey trailer.”

Meanwhile, Arjun will also be seen in an upcoming thriller film ‘The Ladykiller’ alongside Bhumi Pednekar, and an untitled romantic comedy film opposite Bhumi Pednekar and Rakul Preet Singh in his kitty. (ANI)

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