Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu presents 2nd National Water Awards
* The Vice President of India, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu presented the National Water Awards (NWAs) for 2019 on 11 November 2020. This is the second edition of the award.
* The award ceremony has been organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation is from 11 & 12 November, 2020 through virtual platform.
* The NWA awards are given to motivate the individuals/organizations to adopt the best usage practices in the field of water resources conservation and management and create awareness among the people about importance of water.
* Among the states category, Tamil Nadu bagged the Best State Award, followed by Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

Noted Writer Ruskin Bond conferred with Tata Literature Lifetime Achievement Award 2020
* Ruskin Bond, one of India’s most cherished authors, has been conferred the 11th Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award for 2020, to recognise his very long literary life of almost seventy years.
* Apart from this, renowned poet, lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has been named as the Poet Laureate of the Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest 2020.
* Both these awards recognises exceptional work and outstanding contribution to writing and literature and poetry in India which has made a significant impact in the Indian literary field.

Moody’s projects India GDP for 2020 at -8.9%; 2021 forecast at 8.6%
* Rating Agency Moody has projected the GDP of India at -8.9% for the calendar year 2020. Earlier this was projected at -9.6%.
Apart from this, India’s GDP growth for Calendar year 2021 is projected at 8.6% by Moody’s from 8.1% earlier.

Paytm Launches Payout Links for businesses
* Indian Fintech major Paytm has launched Payout Links for businesses, enabling them to instantly process payouts to customers, employees and vendors without collecting their bank details.
* Paytm Payout Links initiative has been launched under Paytm Payout, using which businesses can quickly send incentives and refunds to customers through a simple payout link.

India’s First Sandalwood Museum to come up in Mysuru, Karnataka
* The Mysuru Forest Divison has set up India’s first Sandalwood Museum at its premises at the Sandalwood Depot in Aranya Bhavan, Mysuru, Karnataka.
* The museum has been conceptualised to spread awareness about the history and cultivation of sandalwood products as well as behold their awe-inspiring variety in the display.
* The Sandalwood museum will be inaugurated after November 25 and the state government will make efforts to shift the museum to the luxurious Mysuru Palace.

India Successfully Test Fires Quick Reaction Surface-To-Air Missile off Odisha Coast
* India successfully test-fired the Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) system off the coast of Balasore in Odisha on 13 November 2020.
The system achieved a major milestone by a direct hit on to a Banshee Pilotless target aircraft at medium range and medium altitude.
* The QRSAM system has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in association with Bharat Electronics Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited for the Indian Army
* The system is capable of detecting and tracking targets on the move and engaging target with short halts. The system is designed to give air defence coverage against strike columns of the Indian Army.

Bangladeshi teen Sadat Rahman wins International Children’s Peace Prize 2020
* Sadat Rahman from Bangladesh has been awarded the prestigious International Children’s Peace Prize 2020.
* The award was presented to 17-year-old Sadat by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai on 13 November 2020, during a ceremony in the Netherlands. He was selected out of 142 applicants from 42 countries.
* He was awarded the prize for his involvement in setting up his social organization and mobile app ‘Cyber Teens’ to stop cyberbullying.
* The International Children’s Peace Prize is given annually since 2005 by the International children’s rights organization KidsRights based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

India Extends US$1 Million Aid For Covid-19 ASEAN Response Fund
* India has extended financial contribution of USD 1 million to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund.
* This was announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 November 2020 at the 17th ASEAN-India Summit, which was held virtually.
* Leaders from the 10 ASEAN countries welcomed the adoption of the new ASEAN-India Plan of Action for 2021-2025, at the conclusion of the Summit.
PM Modi, participated in the 17th ASEAN-India Summit at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is the current chair of ASEAN.

Lewis Hamilton wins F1 Turkish Grand Prix 2020
* Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) has won the Turkish Grand Prix 2020, held on 15 November 2020.
* This was his 10th victory of the season, and 94th F1 win of his career.
* Also, with this win, he claimed the seventh Formula One championships title of his career to equal the record of Michael Schumacher.
* Sergio Perez (Racing Point-BWT- Mexico) secured second position and Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari finished third.

Aung San Sui Kyi Party claims to win Myanmar Elections
* Myanmar’s ruling party led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi claimed a resounding victory. National League for Democracy (NLD) party has won close to 400 seats while the opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has secured only 21 seats. Around 38 million voted to select the National League of Democracy (NLD) Party for a second term. NLD was required to win at least 2/3rd of the elected seats to win.