Current affairs: August 16, 2016
Global Innovation Index (GII) 2016:
Global Innovation Index (GII) 2016 has been released. It is published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization, in
partnership with other organizations and institutions.
- GII 2016 Theme: “Winning with Global Innovation”.
- India's Rank - 66 (in 2015-81)
Committee on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs):
According to a committee set up by NITI Aayog, drones are better
than satellites in crop insurance schemes.
- The committee was tasked by NITI Aayog with studying how unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Sri Lanka-India economic pact may soon be a
reality:
Y.K. Sinha, India’s High Commissioner in Colombo, recently
indicated that the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement
(ETCA) between India and Sri Lanka, which would be an improvement over the
existing Free Trade Agreement (FTA), may soon be a reality. He also observed
that there has to be “genuine debate and discussion” among stakeholders in Sri
Lanka on this matter.
GM mustard trials: CIC asks
govt to reveal bio-safety data:
The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the
environment ministry to reveal safety data regarding trials of genetically
modified (GM) mustard without further delay.
- CIC has noted that any attempt to postpone or delay the disclosure will block the public discussion on the controversial issue.
- The CIC has also directed the ministry to put in the public domain bio-safety data pertaining to all other GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in the pipeline.
Call to remove IP clauses from trade pact
Ahead of the next round of Regional Comprehensive EconomicPartnership (RCEP) trade talks, humanitarian aid organisation Médecins Sans
Frontières (MSF) has called for the removal of intellectual property provisions
— known as the TRIPS-plus provisions — from the agreement.
