Nuclear fuel innovation company Clean Core Thorium Energy has signed a new strategic partnership agreement with the US Department of Energy which details next steps for irradiation testing and qualification of its Advanced Nuclear Energy for Enriched Life fuel in Idaho National Laboratory's Advanced Test Reactor.

The US Department of Energy's Frontier supercomputer system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been ranked as the fastest computer in the world, as well as becoming the first to break the exascale performance barrier.

This is a "fantastic moment" for the USA to reclaim global nuclear energy leadership, says Kathryn Huff.

Idaho National Laboratory has been selected as one of four national laboratories to take part in a USD38 million decarbonisation initiative. The Department of Energy's Net Zero Labs Pilot Initiative will lay the foundation for net-zero solutions that can be replicated at facilities across DOE, as well as federal government, state and local governments.

A demonstration project for the deep underground exploration of hydrothermal uranium deposits in southern China recently passed a national acceptance check. Meanwhile, Chinese researchers have developed an innovative method of pre-enriching uranium in seawater by membrane filtration.

Belgium's SCK-CEN nuclear research centre will receive a budget of EUR100 million (USD107 million) from the federal government to conduct research into small modular reactors.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Plasma Science and Fusion Center is to expand its fusion energy research and education activities under a new five-year agreement with its spinout company Commonwealth Fusion Systems.

Idaho National Laboratory has been identified as the preferred site for the construction and operation of the sodium-cooled fast neutron reactor in the Final Environmental Impact Statement released by the US Department of Energy.

Oklo Inc has become the first developer to run tests at Argonne National Laboratory's new Thermal Hydraulic Experimental Test Article capability. The tests will support the licensing of liquid metal fast reactor designs.

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is seeking proposals for Phases 2 and 3 of its Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations programme, which aims to demonstrate a nuclear thermal propulsion system in orbit in fiscal year 2026.

Norwegian shipbuilder Ulstein has launched the design concept for a replenishment, research and rescue vessel - referred to as Thor - that will feature a thorium molten salt reactor. It says the ship could be used as a mobile power/charging station for a new breed of battery-driven cruise ships.

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will establish a demonstration hydrogen production project at the High-Temperature Test Reactor in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture.