The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) has awarded a contract worth A$83 million ($73 million) to design and construct a new molybdenum-99 manufacturing facility to Watpac Limited.

A consortium has been formally set up for the construction of a demonstration lead-cooled fast reactor in Romania. The Advanced Lead Fast Reactor European Demonstrator (Alfred) is being developed under an EU initiative.

The dome of the Jules Horowitz Reactor, under construction at Cadarache in southern France, has been installed. Once in operation, the reactor will be used for testing current and future fuel designs.

The first concrete has been poured for the basemat of the Tokamak complex of the Iter fusion reactor project at Cadarache in southern France.

The last used fuel from the Low Flux Reactor (LFR) at Petten has been transported to the Netherlands' central radioactive waste storage facility. Decommissioning of the research reactor is underway.

Separate incidents at research reactors supplying molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) have once again illustrated the fragile nature of the medical isotope's supply chain. Meanwhile a unique new facility has started production of lead-212.

The final consignment of high-enriched uranium (HEU) has been shipped from Hungary to Russia, making the country the 12th nation from which all HEU has been removed since 2009.

A Franco-German consortium has been awarded a contract for the supply of climatic, mechanical and electrical systems at thirteen buildings, including the Tokamak complex, at the Iter fusion reactor project.

Belgium's SCK-CEN has awarded a €24 million ($32 million) contract for front-end engineering design for the Myrrha accelerator-driven research reactor to a multinational consortium led by Areva.

Russia and the USA have agreed to cooperate on a range of nuclear-related research areas such as safeguards, security, fast reactors - and "defence from asteroids."

Russia is funding a new technology centre in Vietnam and cooperating with an Argentine university, helping develop the skills needed for nuclear programs in those countries. Meanwhile, Rosatom claims more than 15,000 jobs could be created if South Africa proceeds with its nuclear energy expansion plans.

Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd has reached a settlement with Nordion over its decision in 2008 to abandon the two MAPLE isotope production reactors before they began operation.