Four state-owned companies have agreed the shareholdings they will each hold in the entity set up to build and operate Poland's first nuclear power plant. Utility Polska Grupa Energetyczna will retain a 70% stake in the company, PGE EJ1.

The approval of a two-year extension to a cooperation text between the USA and South Korea could enable the countries to conclude a mutually beneficial successor agreement for the long term, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute.

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."

Areva and EDF have signed cooperation agreements with four Polish companies to bolster their local supply chain in the country. Areva's EPR is one of four reactor designs under consideration for Poland's first nuclear power plant.

Reactor vendors are lining up to pursue potential contracts in Saudi Arabia's fledgling nuclear power program, with the announcement of two separate memoranda of understanding both involving the nuclear operational expertise of Exelon.

Rosatom, Fortum and Rolls-Royce have agreed to work together to investigate building Russian-designed VVER pressurised water reactors in the UK. A memorandum of understanding signed by the UK and Russia will underpin the work.

China's State Nuclear Power Technology Corp (SNPTC) has set up its first South American office in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

A final shipment of low-enriched uranium has marked the completion of Russia's commitments under the Megatons to Megawatts program. The US-Russian agreement to downblend weapons-grade uranium will expire later this year.

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.

Vitkovice Power Engineering will produce a mock-up of an AP1000 plant sub-module in the latest of a series of agreements that Westinghouse has signed with Czech companies as it seeks to build two new reactors at Temelin.

A new nuclear cooperation agreement struck between South Africa and the European Union (EU) will support joint nuclear research and could help open access to South Africa's uranium resources.