19 February 2019 Current Affairs
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Dr G C Anupama elected as President of ASI
Dr G C Anupama has been elected president of the Astronomical Society of India (ASI). Dr G C Anupama was elected to the post in the ASI Executive Council elections for triennium 2019-22. She has become the first woman to head the prime association of professional astronomers in the country.
Argentina becomes 72nd country to sign solar agreement
Argentina became the 72nd country to sign the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The agreement was inked on the sidelines of the official three-day visit of Argentinian President Mauricio Macri to India by Argentina’s Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie in the presence of ISA’s Director-General Upendra Tripathy.
CBIC appoints Sandeep Mohan Bhatnagar and Ashok Kumar Pandey as its members
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) appointed 2 senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers, Sandeep Mohan Bhatnagar and Ashok Kumar Pandey as its members. Ashok Kumar Pandey is a 1983-batch Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise) officer and Sandeep Mohan Bhatnagar is a 1984-batch IRS officer.
RBI to pay Rs 28,000 crore interim dividend to government
The Reserve Bank has announced that it will transfer an interim surplus of 28,000 crore rupees to the central government for the half-year ended 31st December 2018. The central bank follows a July-June financial year and usually distributes the dividend in August after annual accounts are finalised.
Elise Mertens beats Simona Halep to win Qatar Open
Elise Merten, world number 21 from Belgium beat world number 3, Simona Halep to win the Qatar Open held in Doha, Qatar. This is her first WTA Premier-level crown and fifth title of her overall career. Mertens’ triumph over the Romanian was her third win over a top 10 player in Doha.
Scientists discovered new Universe map which unveiled 3,00,000 more galaxies
A new map of the night sky published in charts hundreds of thousands of previously unknown galaxies discovered using a LOFAR telescope that can detect light sources optical instruments cannot see. More than 200 astronomers from 18 countries were involved in the study, which used radio astronomy to look at a segment of the sky over the northern hemisphere, and found 3,00,000 previously unseen light sources thought to be distant galaxies.
Chris Gayle announces retirement from One-day Internationals
West Indian batsman Chris Gayle has announced that he will retire from One-day Internationals after the forthcoming World Cup. The 39-year old left-hander has scored 9,727 ODI runs, second only to the legendary Brian Lara among West Indians in 284 matches. He needs 677 more runs to surpass Lara, he will be hoping to achieve at his fifth World Cup.
Climate Scientist Wallace Smith Broecker Passes Away
Climate scientist Wallace Smith Broecker, who popularised the term “global warming” has passed away in New York. Eighty-seven-year-old Columbia University professor breathed his last at a New York City hospital.