‘The EPR has improved safety systems'

The last decade has seen the India-France relationship evolving from mere buyer-seller congeniality into a robust strategic partnership with collaborative ventures in assorted realms. The euphoria over the civil nuclear agreement is still in the air, but project delays and widespread resistance to nuclear plants loom large. In an interview French Ambassador to India Jerome Bonnafont seeks to clear the air on some of the issues, contending that the bilateral bond is developing at a good pace, but not rapidly enough. Edited excerpts from the interview, which was conducted on board the French Navy's amphibious assault ship Mistral, as it called at the Kochi port during a five-month-long training cruise.

Protein flaws responsible for complex life

Scientists say tiny structural flaws in proteins may have been responsible for changes, which sparked complex life, a claim that suggests natural selection isn’t only means by which higher organisms came into being.A comparison of proteins across 36 modern species suggests that protein errors called “dehydrons” may have made proteins less stable in water. This would have made them more adhesive and more likely to end up working together, building up complex function, say the scientists.

Centre to sell entire stake in Scooters India

The Central Government on Thursday decided to divest its entire 95 per cent stake in Scooters India Ltd (SIL), which primarily manufactures three-wheelers, with an aim to revive the company that has been incurring losses since 2002-03.“Union Cabinet decided to revive SIL. It is being proposed to revive the company through induction of strategic partner by offloading the entire government equity of around 95 per cent,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters after the meeting. The balance 5 per cent equity will remain with banks, financial institutions, corporate bodies and others.