Daily Current Affairs 29 may 2024

NSDC and ILO forge strategic partnership to enhance Skill Development and Lifelong Learning

• The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) announced a strategic partnership to advance skill development and lifelong learning in India and globally.
• This collaboration aims to empower individuals across the globe, by equipping them with essential competencies and qualifications, thereby enhancing employability and sustainable economic growth.
• This partnership is dedicated to developing effective policies, governance and financing structures which will enhance skill development, both nationally and internationally.
• A key aspect of the partnership is the implementation of the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH).

About ILO

The International Labour Organization (ILO), established in 1919, is a United Nations agency that sets international labor standards to promote rights at work, enhance social protection, and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues.

It brings together governments, employers, and workers to formulate policies and programs aimed at fostering decent work opportunities and conditions worldwide.

The ILO’s core values include the promotion of social justice, human rights, and fair globalization.

Gilbert F. Houngbo is the 11th Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

China’s Hua Chunying appointed as Vice Foreign Minister

• Hua Chunying, the outspoken head of China’s foreign ministry press department, has been promoted to vice-minister. Beijing announced this appointment on 27 May 2024.
• Hua, who has been a foreign ministry spokeswoman since 2012, is the youngest of the five foreign vice-ministers and the only woman among them.
• Her promotion reflects her role in embodying China’s Wolf Warrior diplomacy, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• She has called on the US to open up its lab in Fort Detrick, Maryland, for investigation in response to accusations that a lab in Wuhan was the origin of the virus.

President of China – Xi Jinping

Capital of China – Beijing

Currency of China – Yuan

World Hunger Day

• World Hunger Day is observed annually on 28 May.
• The day is a global initiative to raise awareness about the critical issue of hunger and malnutrition.
• The day also serves as a platform to promote sustainable food systems and practices that can help to reduce hunger and malnutrition.
• The theme for World Hunger Day 2024 is – Thriving Mothers. Thriving world.

Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii crowned Miss USA Title

• Savannah Gankiewicz, born on 28 November, 1995, in Oahu, Hawaii, is an American model and beauty pageant titleholder.
• She was crowned Miss USA 2023 after the original winner, Noelia Voigt, resigned in May 2024.
• Gankiewicz, who previously held the title of Miss Hawaii USA 2023, became the fifth woman from Hawaii to win the prestigious Miss USA crown.
• She is a strong advocate for female empowerment and represents the spirit of Hawaii on the national stage.

Mukesh Ambani launched affordable 5G Telecom venture in Ghana

• Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest man and the chairman of Reliance Industries Limited, is making his first significant foray into Africa by launching a telecom venture in Ghana.
• The initiative involves the Next-Gen Infrastructure Company (NGIC), a Ghana-based entity.
• NGIC aims to provide affordable 5G mobile broadband services nationwide by the end of 2024.
• The company plans to invest $145 million in Ghana’s infrastructure over the next three years.

GAIL (India) Ltd. Commissions India’s First Green Hydrogen Plant

• GAIL (Gas Authority of India Ltd) has achieved a significant milestone by commissioning India’s first green hydrogen plant at Vijaipur in Madhya Pradesh.
• This groundbreaking initiative aligns with the National Green Hydrogen Mission and represents a major step toward alternative energy sources.
• The plant utilizes 10MW PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) Electrolyzer units to produce 4.3 TPD of hydrogen through water electrolysis using renewable power.

Charles Leclerc creates F1 history with win in Monaco

• Charles Leclerc, the talented Monegasque driver, etched his name in Formula One history by securing a breakthrough victory at the Monaco Grand Prix.
• This achievement marked his third pole position at the iconic Circuit de Monaco, overcoming previous heartaches where technical issues and pit stop challenges denied him the top spot.
• Leclerc’s calm and collected drive ensured he retained his lead, leaving McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz trailing behind.

Divya Deshmukh wins Sharjah Challengers 2024

• Divya Deshmukh, the talented Indian chess player, emerged as the champion in the Sharjah Challengers 2024.
• With an impressive score of seven out of a possible nine, she secured victory with better tie-breaks.
• Divya’s unbeaten performance included five wins and four draws, earning her a total of 7 points.

NASA launches Small Climate Satellite to study Earth’s Poles

• NASA has successfully launched a compact satellite from Mahia, New Zealand to monitor climate change in the polar regions.
• The satellite, similar in size to a shoebox, was propelled into space by an Electron rocket built by Rocket Lab.
• This mission, called PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment), consists of two CubeSats.
• These shoebox-size satellites will measure the amount of heat Earth radiates into space from the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

South African regulator fines SBI’s South Africa branch

• The Prudential Authority of the South African Reserve Bank has imposed a financial penalty of 10 million rand (₹4.5 crore) on the State Bank of India’s South Africa branch.
• This penalty was imposed under Section 45C of the country’s Financial Intelligence Centre Act 38 of 2001 (FIC Act) for non-compliance with certain provisions of the FIC Act or other related orders or directives.
• The bank informed the stock exchange that the financial penalty consists of an immediately payable portion of 5.50 million rand, which the SBI branch in South Africa has already paid.