12th August 2015 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• Today (12th August) is International Youth Day.
• The first International Youth Day was observed on 12th August 2000 by United Nations.
• The purpose of this day is to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues surrounding youth.
• Theme of International Youth Day 2015 : Youth Civic Engagement
• The Australian government has announced its emissions reduction target, signalling a reduction of 26-28 percent in carbon emissions by 2030.
• Australia is currently aiming to reduce emissions by 5 per cent by 2020, based on the level of emissions in 2000.
• Japan has restarted its controversial nuclear power program after a shutdown triggered by the 2011 Fukushima crisis, as the government pushes to return to a cheaper energy source despite widespread public opposition.
• The move marks the first time Japan has generated nuclear power since a post-Fukushima shutdown of all its 44 operable reactors two years ago.

National Affairs

• Maharashtra government has set up a cabinet sub-committee to prepare an action plan to tackle the impending drought crisis. 
• This committee will be headed by state Agriculture Minister Eknath Khadse and will also comprise Water Supply Minister Babanrao Lonikar, Rural Development Minister Pankaja Munde and Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar.

Business & Economy

• Greece's government has announced that it had reached the outline of a deal for an international bailout worth 85 billion euros ($94 billion) to save its stricken economy from collapse.
• Indian Government today announced that the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has been accredited by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as an implementing entity for undertaking climate change related projects in India.
• The Green Climate Fund (GCF) was set up under the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2010 to help developing countries finance clean energy, other mitigation efforts and adaptation to climate change.
• The Financing Agreement for World Bank (IDA) assistance of US$ 104.00 million for Additional Financing under National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project-I (NCRMP-I) was signed between Government of India and the World Bank today.
• The objective of Additional Financing under NCRMP-I is to reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities to cyclone and other hydro meteorological hazards in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
• It would also provide improved access to emergency shelter and evacuation against wind storms, flooding and storm surge in high risk areas currently not covered by the original project (NCRMP-I).
• This project is implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs through National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
• Thermal Powertech Corporation India Ltd has synchronised the second 660 mega watt (MW) unit of its 1320 MW thermal power plant with the grid.
• The coal-fired power plant located in Krishnapatnam in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh has signed a power purchase agreement with Andhra Pradesh Power Distribution Companies for the supply of 500 MW to the Central, Eastern, Southern and Northern Power Distribution Companies for 25 years.
• The plant’s first unit of 660 MW, which was synchronised in December 2014, started commercial operations in February 2015. 
• Note : With the synchronisation of its second unit, TPCIL is on course to commence commercial operations of its total 1,320 MW operating capacity by the end of September 2015.

New Appointments

• Acharya Dev Vrat today sworn in as the 27th governor of Himachal Pradesh.
• Bollywood Actor Amitabh Bachchan will be Maharashtra's new ambassador for the tiger conservation.
• Note : Bachchan is also brand ambassador of the state of Gujarat.
• Larsen and Toubro today announced that it has appointed former Infosys executive Sanjay Jalona as the Managing Director and CEO of its IT arm, L&T Infotech.

Awards & Honors

• Forbes magazine's inaugural list of 20 richest tech honchos has two Indians -  Wipro Chairman Azim Premji (13th Rank) and HCL founder Shiv Nadar (14th Rank).

• Microsaft's Bill Gates has ben ranked first in the list  followed by Oracle chairman and CTO Ellison and Jeff Bezos of Amazon.
• Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg stood at fourth place followed by Google co-founder Larry Page at five and  Alibaba chief Jack Ma at seven.

Deaths

• Veteran Marathi stage actor, singer and drama producer Bhalchandra Pendharkar passed away.
• Pendharkar gained immense popularity with his play "Duritanche Timir Javo".
• He received many awards, including the Bal Gandharva award and the Vishnudas Bhave award. 
• He was also a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2004. 

Sports

• Former International Olympic Committee director-general Francois Carrard has been appointed head of the FIFA reform taskforce.
• He will lead a 12-person panel in a review of football's scandal-hit world governing body.

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