UNO - Current Affairs for December, 2015

Government has taken considerable steps to improve production of pulses and reduce dependence on imports. Steps are in line with the 2016 International Year of Pulses launched by the UN. UN launched the year at the FAO headquarters in Rome on 10th November 2015. The theme nutritious seeds has been launched for a sustainable future.

Clearance has been received from the Competition Commission of India by Thomas Cook India Ltd along with wholly owned subsidiary Travel Corporation India Ltd to complete the acquisition of 100% stake in Kuoni Travel India Pvt Ltd. Transaction was formally concluded on 16th December and the deal worth INR 535 crore was announced in early August 2015 and Thomas Cook India has said the transaction will close in the third quarter of the current financial year. Thomas Cook will gain control over Kuoni’s India and Hong King Operations and acquisition now allows the acquiescing company to use the SOTC brand (including SITA) forever, which has been the Kuoni brand for 12 months in India and 5 years in Hong Kong.

UNSC has adopted a resolution for cutting off all sources of funding to IS and Al Qaeda with finance ministers from member nations vowing to increase sanctions against terror groups. The resolution was adopted on 17th December at the first ever meeting of the finance minsters, whereby the 15 member body has called for enhanced actions to stop funding to terror groups. Council has also stressed existing resolutions should ensure financial assets are not transferred to terrorists by persons within a territory. Council also called on Member States for promoting enhanced vigilance by persons within their jurisdiction to detect diversion of explosive and raw materials which can be used for the purpose of manufacturing IEDs or unconventional weapons.

Varanasi and Jaipur have made it to the network in the following categories- City of Music and City of Crafts and Folk Art respectively. UNESCO DG Irina Bokova has announced the designation of 47 cities from 33 nations as part of the Creative Cities Network. India applied for the first time in these categories to UNESCO in 2015.