WNN - China and Belgium have signed a framework agreement on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The agreement was one of several accords signed in Brussels yesterday during a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.

WNN - The US Department of Energy (DOE) has established a new policy framework on civil nuclear cooperation with China, following a government policy review led by the US National Security Council. The policy covers exports of technology, equipment and components, and material to China.

REUTERS - The United States is tightening controls on China’s imports of civil nuclear technology to prevent use for military or other unauthorized purposes, the U.S. Department of Energy said on Thursday amid increased trade tensions.

WNN - The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and the Vietnam Atomic Energy Agency (VAEA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to allow further collaboration between the two organisations.

IEA - Switzerland has the lowest carbon-intensity of its energy supply among all IEA countries thanks to a largely carbon-free electricity sector dominated by hydro and nuclear generation. However, with the country’s 2017 decision to gradually phase-out nuclear power, Switzerland faces a considerable energy-sector transition in coming decades.

REUTERS - French utility EDF said on Tuesday that nuclear electricity generation from its reactors in France rose 2.7 percent to 30.1 terrawatt hour (TWh) compared with the same month a year ago, due to lower volume of outages.

WNN - A large increase in the use of nuclear power would help keep global warming to below 1.5 degrees, according to a United Nations report published today. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report - Global Warming of 1.5 degrees - was commissioned by governments at the Paris climate talks in 2015 and will inform the COP24 summit in Katowice, Poland this December.

WNN - Russia and India have agreed to work together to increase the level of Indian localisation in a project to build six nuclear units at a new site in India. The Action Plan for Prioritisation and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field was signed today on the sidelines of the 19th India-Russia Bilateral Summit in New Delhi.

PLATTS - The two leaders, who met during a state visit to India by Putin, said in a statement that companies should "consider a wide range of opportunities for cooperation, including long-term contracts, joint ventures and acquisitions of energy assets in both countries, as well as possible cooperation in third countries".

REUTERS - The United States on Thursday charged seven Russian intelligence officers with conspiring to hack computers and steal data from the nuclear energy company Westinghouse Electric Co as well as anti-doping watchdogs, sporting federations and an international agency probing the use of chemical weapons.

U.S. EIA - During 2017, owners and operators of U.S. nuclear power plants purchased 40 million pounds of uranium from foreign suppliers. Canada, Australia, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan represented the top five countries of origin and together accounted for 84% of total U.S. uranium purchases in 2017.

IAEA - The Agency’s verification activities in Iran are being carried out based on the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) concluded with Iran and the Additional Protocol, that Iran is provisionally implementing. In addition, the Agency is also carrying out verification and monitoring of Iran’s nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

THE GUARDIAN - Backers of mini nuclear power stations have asked for billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to build their first UK projects, according to an official document.

REW-2018 - Russian President Vladimir Putin will take part in the plenary session ‘Sustainable Energy for a Changing World’ during the Russian Energy Week International Forum.

PLATTS - Limited supply-side flexibility in the gas market, a shortfall in Belgian nuclear and Nordic hydro in the power sector and a bullish wider energy complex have pushed gas, power and carbon prices to record highs, improving coal-fired generation spreads in the process.