CURRENT EVENTS JAN 2012 TO JAN 2013 India on 1 August 2012 signed an agreement with Belgium to modernise the

Indian Railways and make some of the country's railway stations world class International Current Affairs 2012. India and Israel signed a MoU on 2 August 20 12 for starting a collaborative academic research programme Study found that tumors contain their own pool of stem cells that can multiply a nd keep fueling the cancer, seeding regrowth An environment project made by Hand in Hand India was named the winner of World Environment Day Challenge 2012 A special tribunal in its decision pronounced on 1 August 2012 approved the MHA move to declare SIMI as an unlawful association The Union Government of India on 2 August 2012 approved relaxation in policies r elating to transfer of government land Gilead Sciences signed with 3 Indian companies for low-cost HIV drugs on 2 Augus t 2012 SBI reduced the interest rate on the deposits of more than 5 years on 2 August 2 012 Hero MotoCorp invested 20 million dollar in US based Erik Buell for R&D on 2 Aug ust 2012 The US Senate on 27 July 2012 unanimously passed a resolution to label the dread ed Haqqani network as a foreign terrorist organisation The Kerala High Court on 2 August 2012 refused to stay the state government's ba n on manufacture, storage and sale of gutka, pan masala and their variants Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 2 August 2012 announced to quit as the UN special envoy to Syria India signed Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with Monaco on 31 July 20 12 in New Delhi. It will allow the two countries to check tax evasion India s leading bank State Bank of India (SBI) on 1 August 2012 reduced its intere st rate on home and car loans by up to 0.5 percent United States announced fresh sanctions against foreign banks that helps Iran se ll its oil on 1 August 2012 Karnataka Bank with NABCONS signed MoU for Bank customer s consultancy services on 1 August 2012 RBI in July 2012 signed MoU with financial regulators of 9 countries to promote greater co-operation and sharing of supervisory information between the regulato rs Toshiba launched its new Thinking LED range RZ1 of TV sets on 1 August 2012 EGoM on drought on 31 July 2012 approved Rs. 1900 cr drought package for the far mers to help them save the standing kharif crop through irrigation in the face o

f drought like conditions During April-June 2012-13, the cumulative growth rate of the core industries was 3.6 % as against their growth at 5.2% during the corresponding period in 2011-1 2 Star Health launched Star Comprehensive and Star Family Delite Insurance Policy on 1 August 2012 Indian government on 1 August 2012 decided to allow investment from Pakistan wit h the objective of boosting bilateral economic relations Uttar Pradesh government on 1 August 2012 inaugurated State Service Delivery Gat eway, in Lucknow The Election Commission of India and South Korean Election Commission on 1 Augus t 2012 signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) to strengthen democracy After a week long negotiations, Pakistan and US on 31 July 2012 finally signed a n agreement on transporting supplies for NATO troops The union government announced a financial assistance of 1900 crore under variou s schemes for the rain deficient states India's national news broadcasting channel NDTV sued the country s only television audience measurement company TAM India India witnessed its biggest ever power blackout on 31 July2012. Power Tripped in Northern, Eastern and Northern Eastern Grids. Over 60 million people affected. Kaushik Basu ended his tenure as India s Chief Economic Advisor on 31 July 2012.