Current affairs 29 April 2024

Sunita Williams set to pilot Starliner spacecraft to ISS.

• NASA's Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore set to pilot Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the ISS, marking Williams's first visit in 12 years.
• The upcoming Crew Flight Test mission heralds a crucial development in US space travel, aiming to complement SpaceX’s Crew Dragon for continuous crew transport to the ISS, stressing a flexible launch target by May 6th.
• NASA Administrator - Bill Nelson.

India triumphs over South Korea for historic Archery Gold.

• India's men's recurve team defeated South Korea at the Archery World Cup, marking their first win against the champions in a World Cup final.
• The victory, led by Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, and Pravin Jadhav, ends a 14-year wait for a World Cup gold.
• The win adds to India's tally at the season-opening Stage 1 World Cup, with five golds, one silver, and a bronze.

Iraq implements strict Law against LGBT rights.

• Iraq's parliament has passed a law criminalizing same-sex relationships, with penalties including up to 15 years in prison.
• The law also targets those who promote homosexuality or prostitution, and punishes gender expression that deviates from one's biological sex.
• Same-sex sexual acts are legal in more than 130 countries while more than 60 countries have criminalised gay sex.

,

India Today's AI anchor Sana wins global media award.

• Sana clinched the 2024 Global Media Award from the International News Media Association (INMA).
• Recognized as South Asia's best for AI newsroom innovation, Sana exemplifies cutting-edge use of AI in enhancing customer engagement through its multilingual and versatile reporting capabilities.
• India Today Group introduced Sana as India’s first AI anchor in 2023.

Gina Justus wins 2024 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards.

• Gina Justus, a dedicated teacher from Our Own English High School, Sharjah Girls’ Branch, wins the MENA regional 2024 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards.
• Originating from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and serving in the UAE since 2005, Justus stands out among over 14,840 nominations from 141 countries.
• It is a global competition that honors exceptional primary and secondary school teachers.