29th July, 2024 Top Current Affairs

INTERNATIONAL

Japan’s Sado Gold Mine Gains UNESCO Status

• The UNESCO World Heritage committee on July 27 decided to register Japan’s controversial Sado gold mine as a cultural heritage site. The country agreed to include it in an exhibit of its dark history of abusing Korean laborers during World War II. The decision signals an improvement in ties between Tokyo and Seoul.
• The mine on an island off the coast of Niigata in northern Japan operated for nearly 400 years and was once the world’s largest gold producer before closing in 1989. It was also linked to Japan’s wartime abuse of Korean laborers.
• Japan had to demonstrate a commitment to face its wartime atrocities in order to gain support from South Korea, which had opposed the UNESCO bid because of the wartime abuse of Korean laborers. Such disputes over history that have consistently strained bilateral ties. Seoul has said some Koreans brought to Japan during its 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean Peninsula were put to forced labor at the mine.

Dr. S. Jaishankar At The Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting In Tokyo.

• Foreign ministers from Australia, India, Japan and the United States said on July 29, they were seriously concerned about intimidating and dangerous manoeuvres in the South China Sea and pledged to bolster maritime security in the region. The joint statement came after talks between the so-called ‘Quad’ countries in Tokyo, attended by Australia’s Penny Wong, India’s Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japan’s Yoko Kamikawa and Antony Blinken from the U.S.
• The Quad group said they were working on a series of initiatives to maintain “the free and open maritime order” including helping partners improve domain awareness via satellite data, training and capacity building. They also announced a plan to set up a new maritime legal dialogue.
• The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), commonly known as the Quad, is a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States that is maintained by talks between member countries. The dialogue was initiated in 2007 by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with the support of Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney. The dialogue was paralleled by joint military exercises of an unprecedented scale, titled Exercise Malabar.

ECONOMY

India’s Coal Production Surges By 11.65% In FY2023-24.

• In 2023-24, India’s coal production surged by 11.65 percent, underscoring the government’s dedication to achieving self-reliance. The Ministry of Coal is leading a transformative initiative to reduce coal imports and boost coal exports, marking a pivotal shift in India’s energy landscape. This strategic plan is designed to enhance domestic coal production, bolster energy security, and stimulate growth in the coal sector. For 2024-25, the production target has been set at 1,080 million tonnes.
• To streamline the reduction of coal imports, an Inter-Ministerial Committee has been established. This committee will facilitate discussions and coordinate efforts across various ministries to explore opportunities for import substitution. Increased coal production and exports will drive economic growth, and create jobs.

SPORTS

Manu Bhakar won Bronze at Paris Olympics 2024

• India’s squad, consisting of 117 athletes, will compete in 16 disciplines, including archery, shooting, and boxing. The team, made up of 70 men and 47 women, will participate in 69 events, vying for a total of 95 medals. The contingent also includes a 29-member athletics squad.
• The campaign started on a positive note with shooter Manu Bhaker securing India’s first medal, a bronze, in the 10m air pistol event. Moreover, India has a shot at two more medals with Arjun Babuta and Ramita Jindal qualifying for the finals of men’s and women’s 10m air rifle shooting respectively.