Daily Current Affairs - 23 Nov 2020

Daily Current Affairs Capsule

23rd November 2020

International

Worldwide Cost of Living 2020

Hong Kong, Paris and Zurich are the world’s most expensive cities, according to The EIU’s 2020 Worldwide Cost of Living (WCOL) Survey.

1. The survey, which compares the price of a basket of 138 items in about 130 cities around the world.
2. Damascus (Syria), Taskent (Uzbekistan), Lusaka (Zambia) ranked the last three spots as the cheapest cities in the list.

2nd edition of SITMEX-20 underway in Andaman Sea

Indian Navy Ships including indigenously built ASW corvette Kamorta and missile corvette Karmuk are participating in the 2nd edition of India, Singapore and Thailand Trilateral Maritime Exercise SITMEX-20 in Andaman Sea.

1. First edition of SITMEX, hosted by Indian Navy, was conducted off Port Blair in September last year.
2. The SITMEX series of exercises are conducted to enhance mutual inter-operability and imbibing best practices between Indian Navy, Republic of Singapore Navy and Royal Thai Navy.
3. The 2020 edition of the exercise is being hosted by Republic of Singapore Navy.

National

Nirmala Sitharaman attends G20 Finance Ministers' virtual meeting

Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman virtually participated in the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in New Delhi.

1. Finance Ministers of the G20 countries gathered to discuss their views on the global economic outlook and downside risks in wake of the COVID-19 crisis and how G20 could carry forward the collective global action initiated during the crisis.
2. Highlighting the Debt Service Suspension Initiative as an important outcome under the G20 Ms Sitharaman also congratulated the Saudi Arabian Presidency for their tireless efforts and exceptional leadership to steer the G20 agenda in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

India becomes 4th nation to get IMO nod for navigation satellite system

The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) has been recognised by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as a part of the World Wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS) for operation in the Indian Ocean Region.

1. India has become the fourth country in the world to have its independent regional navigation satellite system recognised by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
2. The other three countries that have its navigation systems recognised by the IMO are the US, Russia and China.
3. IMO headquarters: London, United Kingdom
4. Founded: 17 March 1948

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan addresses Boston Center of Excellence for Health & Human Development

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan addressed the Boston Center of Excellence for Health and Human Development through a Video Conference.

1. Saluting millions of front-line health workers who bravely carried on with their duty in spite of risk and adversity, including professionals other than doctors and nurses, Dr. Vardhan elaborated India’s strategy to contain COVID-19.
2. He also congratulated the Boston Center of Excellence for Health and Human Development for bringing together experts to research a better cure and better healthcare for all.

India International Cherry Blossom Festival in Shillong cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

India International Cherry Blossom Festival, the calendar event of Meghalaya which attracts record number of tourists annually in Shillong, has been cancelled this year in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

1. The capital, Shillong hosts the only Cherry Blossoms festival in India.
2. These beautiful flowers can be spotted across Meghalaya during this time of the year.
3. It is expected that the flowers will continue to bloom till the end of November.
4. The beautiful hill station Shillong in Meghalaya has turned pink with blooming cherry blossoms.

Cyclone Nivar likely to make landfall between Karaikal in Puducherry & Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu

The Low Pressure Area in the south and the central Bay of Bengal is expected to get intensified into a Depression.

1. Met Department in Chennai said it will turn into a cyclone in the next 24-hours.
2. It is likely to make landfall on 25 November between Karaikal in Puducherry and Mamallapuram in northern Tamil Nadu.
3. 12 other districts including Chennai and Puducherry are expected to witness isolated heavy rain.
4. As per the naming convention, the cyclone in the Bay of Bengal will be known by the name Nivar, once it is formed.

Kumbh Mela to be held in its divine form at Haridwar in 2021

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has asserted that Kumbh Mela will be held in its divine form at Haridwar in 2021 despite the practical problems arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

1. Kumbh Mela works are being reviewed periodically and efforts of the state government will be to ensure that the devotees do not face any inconvenience.
2. 35 to 50 lakh people are expected to take the holy dip in Ganga daily during the Kumbh Mela 2021.
3. Kumbh Mela is a major pilgrimage and festival in Hinduism.
4. It is celebrated in a cycle of approximately 12 years at four river-bank pilgrimage sites: the Prayagraj (Ganges-Yamuna Saraswati rivers confluence), Haridwar (Ganges), Nashik (Godavari), and Ujjain (Shipra).

Awards

Naseeruddin Shah honoured with Aditya Vikram Birla Kalashikhar Puraskar

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has been honoured with the 2020 Aditya Vikram Birla Kalashikhar Puraskar at annual Sangit Kala Kendra Awards.

1. Alongside, two emerging stars, in the firmament of theatrics – Neel Choudhary and Irawati Karnik were awarded the Aditya Vikram Birla Kalakiran Puraskars.
2. “Theatre” is the central theme, for this year’s awards.
3. The Aditya Vikram Birla Kalashikhar and Kalakiran Puraskar awards, were instituted in 1996 by the Sangeet Kala Kendra (SKK), which was founded in 1973 by Aditya Vikram Birla (former Chairman of Aditya Birla Group), to honor excellence in theatre and performing arts.

Sports

Daniil Medvedev beat Dominic Thiem to win ATP Tour Finals in London

In Tennis, Daniil Medvedev beat Dominic Thiem to win ATP Tour Finals, the biggest title of his career.

1. Medvedev fought back from losing the first set to beat Thiem 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 in a thrilling final in London.
2. In the doubles final, Dutch-Croatian duo Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic claimed their first title together edging Jurgen Melzer and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-2, 3-6, 10-5.