6th January 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• Today (6th January 2016) is World Day for War Orphans.
• This day was initiated by the French organisation, SOS Enfants en Detresses.
• Held on 6th January each year, this special day enables the International Community to recognise the plight of a particularly vulnerable group.
• North Korea today claimed that it has successfully tested hydrogen bomb.
• But International community condemned the act.
• United Nations Security Council is going to hold an emergency meeting tonight to discuss North Korea conducting hydrogen bomb test.
• India expressed deep concern over North Korea's act in violation of its international commitments.

National Affairs

• Government decides to jump from Bharat Stage-4 to Bharat Stage-6 from 1st April, 2020 to curb vehicular pollution.
• At present, BS IV norms are followed in parts of India and by April 1, 2017, the whole of the country is scheduled to be covered under it.
• The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will soon deploy about 300 women commandos for undertaking operations in some of the states affected by Naxal extremism.
• Note : Recently, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) had declared that it will post its women personnel in full combat role at its units along the Sino-Indian border.
• Director General of CRPF : Prakash Mishra
• The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post-facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Bangladesh for 
1. MoU and Mode of Operation of Border Haats signed on 23.10.2010 with Bangladesh for setting up Border Haats on India-Bangladesh Border, 
2. addendum to the MoU signed on 15.5.2012; 
3. to establish new Border Haats after identification of suitable locations in consultation with Government of Bangladesh and concerned State Governments and 
4. to modify/revise the terms and condition of the above MoU/Addendum in consultation with relevant State Governments/Central Government agencies and Government of Bangladesh.

People in News

• Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, convicted in 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, will be released on February 27 from Pune’s high-security Yerawada Central Prison.

New Appointments

• Filippo Grandi was appointed as the new High Commissioner for UNHCR.
• UNHCR - United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
• He is  succeeding António Guterres who left last week after more than 10 years in office.
• Mobile Internet body IAMAI has appointed FreeCharge co-founder and CEO Kunal Shah as its Chairman.

Business & Economy

• The government has reduced export duty on iron ore pellets to zero from 5 percent, a move that will make the commodity more competitive amid subdued demand and weakening prices.
• Note : In 2014, the government had levied a 5 percent export duty on iron ore pellets, which are value-added products of leftover material or low-grade iron ore and are used in steel-making. 
• Steel and Mines Minister : Narendra Singh Tomar
• The government today approved an assistance of Rs.2,553 crore for Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh to help them handle the fallout of drought and compensate farmers for crop damage.
• The assistance to these drought-hit states comes in addition to the Rs.8,594 crore approved at the end of last year for Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.
• Instagram will hold its first ever photograph exhibition in India tomorrow where photos generated from the photo and video sharing app will be displayed.
• The social media app, owned by Facebook, will put on display community generated Instagram posts around the theme 'Celebrating Diversity of Bengal' at the ICCR gallery Kolkata.

Sports

• India's Apurvi Chandela sets a new world record by clinching Gold medal in women's 10 metre air rifle at Swedish Cup Grand Prix.
• Note : Chandela has already qualified for the Rio Olympics.
• Temba Bavuma became the first black South African to make a test century against England. 

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