Daily GK Update: 11th March 2021

 National & International Appointments

1. Girish Murmu re-appointed Chairman of UN Panel of External Auditors

• Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, Girish Chandra Murmu has been re-appointed as Chairman of United Nations Panel of External Auditors for 2021
• He was elected as Chairman of this Panel for 2020
• Panel of External Auditors:
  • Consists of 13 countries: India, Germany, Chile, China, UK, France, Philippines, Switzerland, Italy, Ghana, Indonesia, Canada, Russia
  • Established: 1959
  • It is a forum to support delivery of high quality, standards-based assurance.

 National & International Organizations

2. Singapore tops Economic Freedom Index 2021

• Singapore has topped in Economic Freedom Index 2021, for 2nd year in row with overall score of 89.7, followed by New Zealand and Australia
• The index is published by US conservative think-tank, The Heritage Foundation
• It covered 184 countries that covered the period from July 2019 to June 2020
• India has been placed at 121 position in the index, with a score of 56.5 out of 100 under Mostly Unfree category
• Among Asia-Pacific countries, India ranks 26 out of 40 countries

 Defense

3. India-Uzbekistan joint military exercise DUSTLIK II commences in Ranikhet

• India - Uzbekistan joint military exercise titled ‘DUSTLIK II’ has been commenced in Ranikhet in Uttarakhand.
• This is the 2nd Edition of annual bilateral joint exercise of both armies.
• It will continue till the 19th March
• 1st edition of DUSTLIK II exercise: Uzbekistan in November 2019.
• It will culminate into a 36 hours joint validation exercise scheduled from 17th to 18th March.
• The validation exercise will be a test bed for the soldiers of both armies.

 National Affairs

4. Rajya Sabha passes Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2021

• Parliament has given its nod to Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2021
• The new legislation will amend Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
• It contains provisions related to domestic and international arbitration and defines the law for conducting conciliation proceedings.
• Bill replaces an Ordinance with the same provisions promulgated on 4th Nov, 2020
• Bill also aims at giving greater flexibility to the Arbitration Council of India.

 International Affairs

5. France launches first military exercises in space

• France has launched its first military exercise in space to evaluate its ability to defend its satellites and other defence equipment from an attack.
• This was the first such exercise for French army and Europe
• It has been codenamed as ‘AsterX’ in memory of the first French satellite from 1965 and will be based on 18 simulated events 
• French military will monitor potentially dangerous space object 
• US Space Force and German space agencies are taking part in French exercise

 Defense

6. NS Karanj commissioned into the Indian Navy in Mumbai

• Third Scorpene-class submarine ‘INS Karanj’ was commissioned into Indian Navy in Mumbai
• INS Karanj:
  • It is third in the series of six Scorpene-class diesel-electric submarine, being built for Indian Navy
  • It has been designed by France’s Naval Group and is being built in India by Mazagon Dock Limited under Project 75.
  • Other submarines: INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Vela, INS Vagir and Vagsheer.

 Honours & Awards

7. Niger’s Mahamadou Issoufou wins Africa’s top prize for Leadership

• Incumbent President of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou (69 years) has won ‘2020 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership’
• It is world’s largest leadership prize, worth $5 million.
• Mahamadou Issoufou became the President of Niger in 2011 and was then re-elected in 2016.
• He is stepping down as president of Niger in April 2021
• Ibrahim Prize was introduced in 2006, by Sudanese billionaire Mo Ibrahim’s foundation to promote good governance in the world’s poorest continent.

 Sports

8. Chess Player Koneru Humpy named BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2021

• World rapid chess champion Koneru Humpy (33 years) has won BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award for 2021.
• She was the youngest grandmaster in 2002 at the age of 15. She has received the Arjuna Award in 2003 and the Padma Shri in 2007.
• She hails from Andhra Pradesh
• Veteran athlete Anju Bobby George won the Lifetime Achievement award.
• Young shooter Manu Bhaker won the Emerging Player-of-the-Year award.

 Sports

9. R Ashwin declared ICC Men’s Player of the Month for February 2021

• India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been named as the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for February 2021
• He played three Tests against England in February 2021, scoring 24 wickets and 176 runs.
• Apart from him, England’s Tammy Beaumont has been declared ICC Women’s Player of the Month for February 2021
• She played three ODIs in February against New Zealand where she passed fifty in each with total 231 runs.
• Rishabh Pant was named ICC’s Men’s Player of January 2021

 International Affairs

10. China to launch e-health certificate for outbound Chinese travellers

• Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be launching Chinese version of electronic health certificate.
• It will be rolled out for outbound Chinese travelers but It did not say anything on its availability for foreigners in China
• It will be available in two formats, digital and in paper, with certificate-holder's NAT and IgG anti-body test results and vaccination status 
• It will facilitate the issuance of visas, making cross-border travel much easier

 Obituaries

11. Veteran Marathi Actor Shrikant Moghe passes away

• Marathi stage and film actor Shrikant Moghe (91 years) passed away in Pune after suffering from age-related ailments.
• He was popular for his work in both Marathi and Hindi languages.
• Shrikant Moghe was born at Kirloskarwadi in Sangli district of Maharashtra.
• His famous Marathi films are Madhuchandra, Sinhaasan, Gammat Jammat and Umbaratha, and plays such as Varyavarchu Varaat and Tuze Aahe Tujapashi.

 International Affairs

12. China inks MoU with Russia to jointly build Lunar Space Station

• China has signed MoU with Russia to jointly construct a lunar space station that will be open to all countries.
• This Lunar space station will be known as International Scientific Lunar Station (ISLS)
• ISLS: Complex of experimental and research facilities, created on the moon’s surface or in orbit of the moon.
• It will be strengthening research cooperation and promoting the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes in the interests of all mankind.

 Banking & Finance

13. OECD projects India to be fastest growing major economy in 2021 at 12.6%

• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has projected GDP of India to be grow 12.6% in 2021, compared to -7.4% in 2020 in its OECD Economic Outlook, Interim Report March 2021
• India is set to regain its title as the world’s fastest growing major economy in 2021.
• India’s positive growth is highest among the world’s 20 major economies.
• Global GDP growth is projected at 5.5% in 2021 and 4% in 2022 by OECD.
• OECD HQs: Paris, France.