Current Affairs 14,15.11.2022

 

Current Affairs 14,15.11.2022

1. The government is all set to launch the world's longest luxury river cruise from Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Bangladesh next year. The world's longest luxury river cruise aims to spur development of Indian inland waterways. The cruise departs from Varanasi and reaches Bogibeel in Dibrugarh district of Assam via Kolkata and Dhaka.

The World's Longest Luxury River Cruise (Ganga Vilas Cruise) is a 50-day river cruise from Varanasi to Dibrugarh. This 50-day journey covers 27 river systems and visits 50 tourist destinations including World Heritage Sites.

The longest luxury river cruise in the world. It will be the largest river cruise in the world by a single river ship. This journey puts India and Bangladesh on the river cruise map of the world.

In the words of Union Ports Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, cruise services are one of the government's priorities in the development of coastal and rover shipping, and he informed that more such services would be launched to utilize the country's immense potential. Development of inland waterway systems also facilitated trade and cargo services. It also boosts tourism around the region along its routes.

Varanasi DeBrugger Cruise is expected to run on PPP model with MU to operate the first cruise liners signed between Island Waterways Authority of India and Anatara Luxury River Cruises and JM Baxi River Cruises. Operators decide the ticket price on a cost plus basis without any intervention from the Centre.

2. Kerala Tourism bagged the prestigious Responsible Tourism Global Award. It was held at the World Travel Mart in London. State Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Rias received the award on behalf of the department in London. The award was given to the street project implemented by the Responsible Tourism Mission of Kerala Government. The jury made special comments on the water street project being implemented at Maravanthuruth in Kottayam district.

Sustainable, Tangible, Responsible, Experiential, Ethnic and Tourism Hub. It was implemented by the Responsible Tourism Mission of the Government of Kerala on March 31, 2022. The Street Project is an initiative (with public participation) to promote water conservation and protection.

The project involves deepening and cleaning of canals and other water bodies to promote tourism. Because Kerala is famous for its backwaters and also conserves water bodies that need to be maintained in good condition.

As a part of it eco-friendly coconut fabric is covered on the banks of waterbodies. Natural earth made of coconut fiber is called coir soil and stops erosion during monsoons.

3. Cochin Shipyard signs MoU with Inland Waterways Authority of India to build country's first hydrogen fuel cell catamaran vessel for Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The shipyard signed another MoU for the construction of six electric catamaran vessels for Uttar Pradesh and two more such vessels for Guwahati.

The MoU was signed by the shipyard in the presence of Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal. Union Minister of Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other senior officials participated in the programme.

Cochin Shipyard has announced that the air-conditioned hydrogen fuel cell catamaran vessel will have a seating capacity of 100 passengers. After testing and trials in Kochi it will be installed in Varanasi. Air-conditioned electric hybrid vessels are designed for short distance journeys in river waters. It has a seating capacity of 50 passengers.

Apart from toilet and washroom facilities for passengers, these ships also provide onboard accommodation for crew. Ships contribute significantly to reducing pollution levels in national waterways.

4. The Kabaddi World Cup will be held in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom. The Kabaddi World Cup 2025 announced by the World Kabaddi Federation will be held outside Asia for the first time.

The region hosts the sport's most prestigious global tournament, featuring the world's best kabaddi players from leading men's and women's teams from India, Iran and Pakistan. The Kabaddi World Cup 2025 will be held in the West Midlands in the first quarter.

Kabaddi World Cup 2025 will be the first edition after the 2020 edition which was canceled due to Covid-19. The previous three editions of the Kabaddi World Cup were held in India. The home team has won all three editions.

Kabaddi World Cup 2025 will be organized by England Kabaddi Scottish Kabaddi and British Kabaddi League. West Midlands Growth Company, the region's official economic development agency, will support and champion the event to ensure its impact across the West Midlands and across the UK.

World Kabaddi Federation and England Kabaddi President Ashok Das said the decision to host the Kabaddi World Cup 2025 in the UK is a milestone in the global growth and expansion of the sport across Europe.

Complementing the work of the Kabaddi World Cup, the West Midlands provides a further opportunity to build business and trade links between the UK and India.

5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 108 feet tall bronze statue of Sri Nada Prabhu Kempegowda in Bangalore. The Statue of Prosperity was built to commemorate the contribution of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, the founder of Bangalore.

The statue was conceptualized and sculpted by Ram V Sutar. He also designed the Statue of Unity. The Statue of Prosperity was made of 98 tons of bronze and 120 tons of steel.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot and Union Minister Prahlad Joshi.

PM Modi flagged off Chennai Mysore Vande Bharat Express at Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station. He also flagged off the Bharat Gaurav Kashi Darshan train at KSR Railway Station in Bangalore.

Nadaprabhu Kempegowda:

Nadaprabhu Hirie Kempe Gowda is also known as Kempe Gowda. He was a ruler under the Vijayanagara Empire. Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, was fortified by Kempe Gowda in 1537. He erected many Kannada inscriptions in this region. Kempe Gowda was one of the most educated rulers of all time.

6. One of the most popular festivals among the Garos of Meghalaya is the Vanga Festival of Meghalaya. The Wangala Festival is a harvest festival in honor of Saljong, the sun god of fertility.

The celebration of the festival of Vanga marks the end of the period of labor. It brings good production to the fields. The beginning of the Bangla Festival also marks the beginning of winter.

Vangala festival is also known as 100 drum festival. The Wangala festival is an occasion when tribals offer sacrifices to appease their main deity, Saljong (Sun God). The festival is celebrated for two days and sometimes lasts for weeks. The ceremony performed on the first day is called Ragula. It is held in the headman's house.

The second day is called Kakkar. Young and old wear colorful clothes and dance with feathered turbans to the music played on long oval-shaped drums. The Vangala Festival is a place to relax and for days the hills and valleys echo with the extraordinary drumbeat. The popular dance forms performed during the festival have some subtle variations. The main motif is a queue of two parallel lines one of men and the other of women dressed in their festive finery. Young and old alike participate enthusiastically in the festivities. Men beat drums. The line moves forward rhythmically.

7. World leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping have gathered in Indonesia for the 17th Group of 20 Summit in Bali.

The two-day summit is themed Renew Stronger Together and will focus on global economic recovery, global health infrastructure, digital transformation, sustainable energy transition and climate change.

Before leaving Delhi, Prime Minister Modi said on the sidelines of the Bali summit that he will hold a wide-ranging discussion with other G20 leaders on key issues of global concern, including global growth, food and energy security, environment, health and revitalizing the digital transformation. .

The meeting will see Modi-Xi interact after the Galvan border standoff in June 2020. In the first list, US President Biden met with his Chinese counterpart for the first time since taking office. Their meeting comes amid uncertainty and heightened tensions between the superpowers.

The G20 is an intergovernmental forum made up of the Group of Twenty, 19 countries and the European Union. It focuses on major global economic issues such as international financial stability, climate change mitigation and sustainable development. Indonesia holds the presidency of the G20 for the year 2022.

The G20 membership is made up of a mix of industrialized and developing economies. It represents two-thirds of the world's population, 85% of world GDP, 80% of world investment and over 75% of world trade. It represents the top grouping of the G20, which includes the current previous and incoming presidencies of Indonesia, Italy and India. As a member of the Troika, India will work with Indonesia and Italy to ensure stability and continuity of the G20's agenda. India will take over the G20 presidency from Indonesia on 1 December 2022 and will host the G20 leaders' summit in India for the first time in 2023.

The G20 countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and the European Union.

The 2008 financial collapse caused chaos in the Spanish economy, plunging the country into a six-year financial crisis. Since then Spain has participated in Leader Summits as a permanent non-member invitee.

The fight against corruption is investigating tax evasion, stifling terrorist financing, reducing the cost of payments, and market access to critical medicines. Reforms in the World Trade Organization to improve its performance, full implementation of the Paris Agreement.