The Vermont Senate has voted against the extension of the operating licence of the US state's only nuclear power plant - Entergy's Vermont Yankee plant - for a further 20 years beyond 2012.

A new Centre for Nuclear Energy Technology (C-NET) that will help develop nuclear industry professionals and support nuclear R&D has secured a share of a major UK government funding initiative.

The Russian government is welcoming anticipated talks with the European Union (EU) to negotiate a nuclear partnership agreement that would facilitate nuclear trade and exchange of knowledge on safety issues.

The financial liability of Swedish nuclear power reactor owners in the event of an accident would quadruple under a bill introduced by the country's government. The bill would also allow the construction of new reactors in the country.

Iran is still not providing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with the necessary cooperation to confirm that its nuclear activities are purely peaceful. Nor has Syria enabled the agency to resolve issues relating to sites where uranium particles have been found.

A survey of US electric power industry leaders by Black & Veatch shows that nuclear energy is widely considered best suited to meet the country's environmental standards while meeting increased electricity demand.

Victor Yanukovych's win of the presidential elections in Ukraine on 7 February bodes well for Ukraine's ambitions as a nuclear fuel producer.

Almost half of Finns are now in favour of nuclear power, an opinion poll commissioned by Finland's energy industry has found.

After two years of negotiations, the UK and India have signed a joint declaration on cooperation in civil nuclear energy, the text of which was agree last week.

A cabinet meeting on 10 February saw the Italian cabinet approve the nuclear law that should return nuclear energy to the country. It sets out a framework for a number of vital new-build issues, such as siting and waste management.

Iranian engineers may begin to enrich uranium to a higher level in order to refuel an important research reactor in Tehran. The order was given as the latest move in the strategic battle over nuclear capabilities.

A memorandum of understanding to cooperate in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy has been signed between Russian state nuclear company Rosatom and Argentina's Ministry of Federal Planning, Investment and Services.