Daily GK Updates - 15th February, 2017

                     NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. A journey into history: ISRO’s 104 satellites launch: ISRO, on Wednesday – 15^th February 2017, registered itself in record books with the launch of 104 satellites in a single mission. With this, the Indian space agency broke the previous record of launching 37 satellites in one go held by Russia. In this mission, the Cartosat-2 series satellite meant for earth observation, and 103 other co-passenger satellites were put in their respective orbits

2. Nearly three-fold hike in UPSC chief's salary: Union Public Service Commission chairperson has got nearly three-fold hike in his monthly salary as President Pranab Mukherjee cleared a proposal for the increase in salaries of members of the UPSC. As per the new norms, the Chairman shall receive a pay of ₹2.50 lakh and each of the other members shall receive a pay of ₹2.25 lakh per month.

3. PSLV can even launch 400 nano satellites: G Madhavan Nair:After the ISRO's launch of 104 satellites in one go, space scientist G Madhavan Nair said that the PSLV has the capability to even launch 400 nano spacecraft if India makes 3 or 4 kg satellites. "This is no new technology. We started with ten satellites then went to 18 or something; then it's 35. Now it's 100," he was quoted as saying.

4. India in talks with Vietnam for first missile sale - DRDO: India is in talks to sell short-range surface-to-air Akash missiles to Vietnam, the head of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said on Wednesday. The move is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wish to establish India as an arms exporter. Modi had also announced a $500 million credit line to Vietnam to buy defence equipment last year.

5. Centre hikes immediate assistance for bonded labour to ₹20k: The government has increased the immediate assistance to rescued bonded labourers to ₹20,000 from ₹5,000, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said. Besides, financial assistance for adult male beneficiaries was hiked to ₹1 lakh from the existing ₹20,000. It has been increased to ₹2 lakh for females and minors, and to ₹3 lakh for the most deprived and marginalised victims.

6. IMF opens technical assistance and training centre SARTTAC in New Delhi: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has opened a first-of-its-kind South Asia Training and Technical Assistance Centre (SARTTAC) in New Delhi for economic capacity building in South Asia. It will work to support local member countries of South Asia viz. India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka to build human and institutional capacity and implement policies for growth and poverty.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Surge in US air strikes brings ISIS death toll to 60,000: At least 60,000 militants fighting for the Islamic State have been killed in US air strikes in the war on terror, US Special Operations Commander, General Raymond Thomas announced on Tuesday. It was previously reported that 50,000 IS fighters were killed in the two-year campaign till December last year. US officials said the anti-ISIS campaign was escalated in recent months

2. Donald Trump lifts anti-corruption rules for oil companies: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday lifted anti-corruption rules which forced oil companies to disclose payments made to foreign governments to secure mining and drilling rights. The regulations were a part of financial reforms passed by the Barack Obama administration after the 2008 financial crisis. The oil industry had opposed the rules claiming they gave global rivals a competitive edge.

 3. Russia deployed missile violating arms treaty - US: Russia has secretly deployed a cruise missile in violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, a Trump administration official said on Tuesday. The Obama administration had accused Russia of violating the treaty three years ago by developing and testing the missile and had anticipated that Russia would eventually deploy it. However, Russia denied that it violated the treaty.

4. USA's tallest dam collapse warnings were ignored for 12 yrs:Environmentalist group South Yuba River Citizens League has revealed that it had warned authorities about the collapse of USA's tallest Oroville Dam 12 years ago but they were ignored. Notably, on Sunday nearly 2 lakh residents living near the dam were ordered to evacuate over fears of collapse of the dam's spillway.

5. Russia tells US that Crimea won’t be ‘given back’ to Ukraine:Russia's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said Russia will not hand back control of Crimea to Ukraine. "We don't give back our own territory. Crimea is [a] territory belonging to the Russian Federation," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said. This comes after White House spokesperson Sean Spicer said US President Donald Trump expects Moscow to return Crimea.

                       OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Mithali Raj becomes second woman to score 5,500 ODI runs: Indian women's cricket team captain Mithali Raj has become the second woman player to cross 5,500 runs in ODIs, achieving the feat during India's women's World Cup qualifier against South Africa on Wednesday. The 34-year-old recently rose to the second spot in the women's ODI rankings, and is India's highest ODI run-getter, besides playing most 50-over matches for the country.

2. Yusuf Pathan's Hong Kong T20 Blitz stint cancelled: Indian cricketer Yusuf Pathan's stint at the Hong Kong T20 Blitz next month has been scrapped by the BCCI. The 34-year-old was set to play for the Kowloon Cantons in the competition, but the board has now returned to its previous stance of not providing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for players to compete in overseas cricket leagues.

BANKING/FINANCE:

3. Cabinet approves merger of SBI with 5 subsidiary banks: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday announced that the Cabinet has approved the merger of State Bank of India with its five subsidiary banks. The associate banks include State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Patiala, State Bank of Travancore, and State Bank of Hyderabad. The proposal was cleared by SBI last year.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

4. Scientists develop Thubber, stretchable rubber material with high thermal conductivity: It is an electrically insulating composite material that exhibits an unprecedented combination of metal-like thermal conductivity, elasticity similar to soft, biological tissue.