Daily Current Affairs - 18 Nov 2020

Daily Current Affairs Capsule

18th November 2020

National

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2020: 15 November

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is marked every year on Third Sunday in the month of November.

1. In 2020, World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims falls on 15 November 2020.
2. The purpose of the day is to remember those killed and injured on the roads, together with their families, friends, and others affected.
3. 2020 theme: “First Responders”.
4. The day was started by the British road crash victim charity, Road Peace, in 1993 and was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005.

SpaceX launches 4 astronauts to space

SpaceX launched four astronauts to the International Space Station on the first full-fledged taxi flight for NASA by a private company.

1. The Falcon rocket thundered into the night from Kennedy Space Center with three Americans and one Japanese, the second crew to be launched by SpaceX.
2. The Dragon capsule on top has been named as ‘Resilience’.

Ministry of AYUSH Observes Third Naturopathy Day

The National Naturopathy Day is observed in India on 18 November every year, to promote positive mental and physical health through a drugless system of medicine, called Naturopathy.

1. The day was declared by the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy), Government of India, on November 18, 2018.
2. The 48-day program of webinars will continue till the third National Naturopathy Day.

Four-day celebrations of Chhath Puja begin

The four-day celebrations of Chhath Puja have begun in different parts of the country with the traditional Nahay Khay ceremony.

1. Puja will conclude after paying oblation to the rising Sun.
2. Chhath Puja is celebrated to worship the Sun God and thank him for supporting life on earth.
3. In Bihar, elaborate arrangements have been made at various sun temples including at Aurangabad, Nalanda and Patna.

First solar power-enabled Textile Mill in Asia to come up in Parbhani district

In Maharashtra, the first solar power-enabled Textile Mill in Asia is coming up in Parbhani district.

1. The project, once functional, will provide jobs to many women in the district.
2. The Jai Bhawani women's cooperative textile mill will be the first in Asia that will operate on solar power.
3. Spread across thirty acres of land the mill will process cotton to cloth.
4. Ginning, pressing, weaving and spinning of cotton will be done in the mill.
5. The cost of the project is 100 crore rupees and with the operationalization of the mill it will certainly give momentum to the industrial sector in the district.

Business

Goldman Sachs projects India GDP to shrink 10.3%

Investment bank Goldman Sachs expects India's gross domestic product (GDP) to contract by 10.3 percent in the financial year 2020-21.

1. The American firm projected India’s GDP to rebound to 13 percent in the succeeding fiscal, FY22.
2. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) expects India's GDP to contract by 9.5 percent on a real basis during the ongoing fiscal due to the impact suffered by the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reserve Bank places Lakshmi Vilas Bank Ltd under moratorium

In view of its weak financials, the Reserve Bank has placed the Lakshmi Vilas Bank Limited under moratorium with immediate effect.

1. RBI said the moratorium will be effective for thirty days with a view to protect depositors’ interest.
2. Accordingly, RBI has capped all cash withdrawals from the bank to twenty five thousand rupees.
3. According to the banking regulator, the private sector lender has seen a steady decline in its financials with it incurring losses over the last three years.
4. RBI has appointed the former Non Executive Chairman of Canara Bank, T. N. Manoharan as the banks’ administrator for the moratorium period.

Equitas Small Finance Bank launches ‘Eva’ savings account for women

Equitas Small Finance Bank has launched a women-centered product ‘Eva’.

1. Eva is a unique savings account for women to address the well-being of Indian women in every aspect such as health, wealth and prosperity.
2. It also offers free health check-up and unlimited teleconsultation with women doctors, gynecologists and mental health experts.
3. The Bank has roped in Indian Woman cricketer Smriti Mandhana as the brand ambassador for its newly launched product ‘EVA’.

Awards

Education Minister virtually launches AICTE's Lilavati Award-2020

Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank” virtually launched the Lilavati Award-2020: AICTE's Innovative education program to empower women.

1. With women empowerment as the theme, the objective of the award is to create awareness about issues like sanitation, hygiene, health, nutrition, literacy, and employment among women.
2. The Minister emphasized on the necessity to impart quality education to girl child to make them self-reliant, confident and successful.
3. The Minister added that with the Lilavati Award-2020, AICTE has once again championed the cause of women empowerment and paved a way towards equality in education and innovation.

Sports

FIFA cancels Women's Under-17 football World Cup; India to host 2022 edition

The Women's Under-17 football World Cup in India, which was initially postponed to next year due to COVID-19 pandemic, was cancelled by FIFA, but India was handed the hosting rights of the 2022 edition.

1. The FIFA cancelled both the women's U-17 World Cup and U-20 World Cup which were scheduled to be held in India and Costa Rica respectively but handed both the countries the hosting rights of the 2022 editions.
2. It has also announced that the FIFA Club World Cup, originally planned for next month, will now be held from February 1st to 11 next year in Doha.