The term of the Nanavati Commission, which has been probing the 2002 Gujarat riots, has been extended by the Gujarat Government by nine more months till December 31, 2012. This was the 18^th time its term has been raised.

The 2 member-panel comprises of retired Justices G T Nanavati and Akshay Mehta.

In February 2012, Gujarat High Court rejected a petition by Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM- representing some riot victims) seeking directions to the judicial panel to summon chief minister Narendra Modi for questioning in connection with the 2002 riots. The JSM, had approached the high court last year for directing the commission to summon Modi for questioning after the two-member riot panel rejected its similar plea.

With effect from Jaunary 1, 2012, imports of Indian rapeseed meal has been suspended by China.

Why this Indian Rapeseed meal suspended by China?

This was done following alleged malachite green contamination found in some of the consignments of rapeseed meal exported by India.

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20% of its Oil imports from Iran have been cut-off by Turkey. This was done in the wake of US Sanctions. Turkey's national oil company ‘Tupras’ held that the move follows an evaluation to reduce crude purchases from Iran by 20%.

EU, which is halting Iranian oil imports from July 1, 2012 is also taking up other sanctions that also make it harder for other countries to import Iranian oil.

In early March 2012, US granted exemptions to financial institutions from Japan and 10 EU nations for reducing dependency on oil imports from Iran. Now Turkey, which imports one third of its oil from Iran is seeking a similar exemption.

Turkish asserted that it would try to make up for lower imports from Iran by buying more crude from Libya. 

The National Green Tribunal, suspended the environment clearance granted to South Korean company POSCO’s proposed mega steel project in Orissa. The National Green Tribunal directed the Union Environment and Forest Ministry to review afresh the clearance for the long-delayed project and attach specific conditions which POSCO would have to follow in a defined timeline. 

The tribunal decision has come just days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in Seoul that the project will be implemented and there was progress on it.

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Disputes within the sugar industry, b/w mills in northern states and those in western/southern states, have emerged in open. Top Uttar Pradesh-based companies are protesting at a move to do away with the quota system in the latest export approval of 1 million tonnes of sugar and to alternatively allow export on a first come, first served basis that benefits coastal mills.

Why the North Indian Sugar Mills are protesting, what is their demand?

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