1. Morocco to get world’s largest concentrated solar plant
(i) The world’s largest concentrated solar plant is set to come up in the Moroccan city of Quarzazate and has been given the name Noor complex.
(ii) Recently, the north African country’s king switched on the first phase of the three-part project. As per the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) finance group, on completion of the project, the plant could generate enough energy to meet the needs of over one million households by 2018 along with resulting in an estimated carbon emission reduction of 760,000 tons per year.
2. India stands 2nd last on International Intellectual Property Index
(i) Recently, the International Intellectual Property Index was released by the US Chamber of Commerce’s Global International Intellectual Property Centre. The 38 economies benchmarked in the 2016 Index account for nearly 85% of the global GDP.
(ii) The US topped the index followed by the UK, Germany, France and Sweden. The report was released on the heels of the US government finalising a National Intellectual Property policy to improve the IP regime, increase awareness and bolster implementation of IP rules. Among BRICS nations, Russia was ranked 20th, China (22nd), South Africa (26th) and Brazil (29th).
(iii) With 37th rank, India was placed second last on the index, while Venezuela figured last with 38th rank.
3. NATO signs agreement with EU on cyber defence cooperation
(i) The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the European Union signed an agreement to improve cooperation in the area of cyber defence co-operation.
(ii) NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has called it a concrete example of the two Brussels-based organisations joining forces to combat modern forms of hybrid warfare.
(iii) The agreement aims to create a framework for emergency response teams from NATO and the European Union to share information and best practices in order to strengthen cyber incident prevention, detection and response.
4. Harinder Sidhu appointed as Australian High Commissioner to India
(i) The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia, appointed Indian-origin Harinder Sidhu as the nation’s new High Commissioner to India.
(ii) Sidhu, who has earlier served in Moscow and Damascus, will replace Patrick Suckling. Australian foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop said that India is one of Australia’s closest and most significant partners in the Indo-Pacific region and that the nation will continue to push for the conclusion of a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement with India.
5. Coco – Cola’s indian arm HCCB to shut 3 units in India
(i) Recently, Coca-Cola India’s bottling arm Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd
(HCCB) decided to suspend manufacturing at 3 units in India due to the absence of
“long-term economic viability”. Manufacturing will be stopped at Kaladera near Jaipur
(Rajasthan), Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and Brynihat (Meghalaya), which may
affect at least 300 employees.
(ii) A HCCB spokesperson said, “Like with any other
manufacturing organisation, we are going through a process of consolidation where new
state-of-the art facilities are being built and existing production capacities are being
optimised.”
Note: HCCB has 54 plants in India and Coca-Cola India sells several soft drinks
including Coca-Cola, Thums Up, Fanta, Limca, Sprite and Maaza, among others.
6. India set to get its first bio-fuel refinery in Assam by 2019
(i) India is expected to get its first biofuel refinery in Assam by 2019. Lately, Indian oil marketing
companies (OMCs) have seen a hike in the requirement of biofuel, as national policies
necessitate certain percentage of its blending with petrol and diesel.
(ii) Currently, the ‘National
Policy on bio-fuel 2009’ mandates 10% blending of petrol and diesel and targets to increase this
level to 20% in near future.
Assam-based Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) will implement the refinery project in
partnership with Chempolis Oy, a Finland-based company.
(iii) The Rs.950-crore project will use
bamboo, which grows amply in the region, as its feedstock and produce fuel grade bio-ethanol.
7. YES Bank ties-up with Smartbox Ecommerce Solutions
(i) YES Bank tied-up with Smartbox Ecommerce Solutions in order to solve problems
related to last-mile delivery for e-commerce players. The bank will help power the payment
solutions for Smartbox network of Automated Parcel Delivery Terminals.
(ii) Cash-on-delivery is the
most preferred payment mode for consumers, accounting for 50% of the e-commerce market.
(iii) This is further expected to reach $100 billion by 2020 and the partnership with YES Bank will
bring down costs for e-commerce firms while ensuring convenience to online shoppers.
8. Aurobindo Mukherjee who passed away
(i) Recently, veteran film-maker Aurobindo Mukherjee passed away at his residence, aged 97.
(ii) Mukherjee was known for cult Bengali movies like ‘Agniswar’, ‘Mouchak’ and ‘Nishipadma’-all featuring matinee idol Uttam Kumar-in the early 70s.
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