- UN Security Council adopts resolution to cut off Islamic State funding
- The UN Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution to cut off funds for the Islamic State the extremist group, in a firmer move by the international community to fight terrorism.
- Measures such as asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo will be taken against the Islamic State, also known as the ISIL and Daesh that controls large swaths of Syria and Iraq, including oil and gas fields
- The resolution was adopted by the 15-nation UN body at an open meeting chaired by US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew
- NSE’s three new group indices
- In a first of its kind in India, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) has launched separate indices on three corporate houses of India – Tata, Aditya Birla and Mahindra Group.
- Nifty Tata Group Index would include 25 companies across 12 sectors with a total market capitalisation of Rs.7.51 lakh crore, which represents 7.83 per cent of the total market capitalisation of companies listed on the NSE.
- The Nifty Aditya Birla Group Index consists of eight companies across seven sectors. The market capitalisation of the index is about Rs.2.08 lakh crore, which is 2.17 per cent of the total market capitalisation of companies listed on the NSE
- The Nifty Mahindra Group Index has seven companies with a market capitalisation of about Rs.1.64 lakh crore.
- French President Francois Hollande to be chief guest at 2016 Republic Day parade
- French President Francois Hollande will be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations next month and his visit is expected to further strengthen the robust strategic partnership between the two countries,
- This will be the fifth time that a French leader will be a Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations — the maximum number from any country so far. Earlier leaders from that country was Chief Guests at Republic Day celebrations in 1976, 1980, 1998 and 2008
- Bhutan has presided four times so far in 1954, 1984, 2005 and 2013.
- RK Mathur set to be new Chief Information Commissioner
- Former defence secretary Radha Krishna Mathur has been cleared for the post of Chief Information Commissioner (CIC)
- He will be serving for nearly three years, making him the second-longest serving CIC –
- Mathur’s selection as the eighth CIC — cleared by the high-level selection panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- UP govt bans use of polythene bags in state
- The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Friday approved a complete ban on the distribution, manufacture and sales of polythene carry bags in the state.
- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) too had recently banned the use of polythene along the Ganga, including areas in Uttar Pradesh, and sources said the cabinet decision was in compliance with those orders.
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