-The Hindu In an atmosphere of mistrust of the government, only an independent safety regulatory mechanism can counter the scaremongering against civilian nuclear power I work at an institution funded by the Department of Atomic Energy (which, however, does no nuclear research: the DAE funds a wide variety of institutions and areas in science). About a year ago, I had an e-mail from a journalist who wondered why scientists (including colleagues at...

-The Hindu Based on ground-level report of the 7-member AERB teams carrying scrutiny at the plant The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) on Thursday said the fuel loading at the first 1000 MWe unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) had not yet begun owing to last minute checks. The AERB would give the final clearance for fuel loading only after a review of the ground-level report of its seven-member team carrying...

-Reuters India opened its supermarket sector to foreign chains on Friday after months of dithering, pushing ahead with the boldest reforms yet in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government as it tries to revive the country's tottering economic growth. The government has decided to allow foreign airlines to buy stakes of up to 49 per cent in local carriers, heavy industries minister Praful Patel said on Friday, in a much-awaited policy move that...

-The Hindu As the situation in Kudankulam and nearby areas remained incident-free but tense on Tuesday after a day of violent protests, officials said a team of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) finished yet another inspection and preparations were almost complete for loading enriched uranium in the first of the two 1,000-MWe reactors of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP). As fuel-loading is expected to begin in the next 48 hours,...

-Live Mint The judgement whittles down an already embattled freedom available to the Press  In an important judgement it delivered on Tuesday, the Supreme Court has institutionalized the power to temporarily prohibit the Press from reporting court proceedings in case it interferes with the right to a free and fair trial. While the court shied from prescribing guidelines for the Press on court reporting, in the same breath it allowed individuals and companies...