DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ IAEA says no sign of 'dirty bomb' work at sites inspected in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VIENNA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Thursday it had found no sign of undeclared nuclear activity at three sites in Ukraine that it inspected at Kyiv's request in response to Russian allegations that work was being done on a "dirty bomb". Some Ukrainian and Western officials have accused Moscow of making the allegation to give itself cover to detonate its own dirty bomb and pin the blame on Kyiv. The International Atomic Energy Agency said last month it would inspect two locations in Ukraine following a request by Kyiv. The IAEA named the locations as the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv, Eastern Mining and Processing Plant in Zhovti Kody, and Production Association Pivdennyi Machine-Building Plant in Dnipro. Inspectors also took environmental samples that will be sent off for lab analysis and the IAEA will report back on the results, the statement added.

Seoul, South Korea CNN —The South Korean military said Wednesday North Korea launched the highest number of short-range missiles in a day as Seoul retaliated to Pyongyang’s latest barrage of weapons tests, further escalating tensions in the region. JCS said the South Korean Air Force targeted international waters north of the NLL at an equal distance to that which the North Korean missile had earlier landed south of the line. North Korea is “fully responsible” for the situation as they are the ones continuing to provoke despite warnings, JCS added. South Korea responded to North Korea's barrage of missiles on Wednesday by firing three air-to-surface missiles from F-15K and KF-16 fighter jets. Correction: This story has been updated to clarify that this is not the first time North and South Korea have fired missiles off their respective coasts, and to reflect that North Korea fired a number of missiles of various types and the distance in kilometers from the NLL.

☆ U.S. says China resisting nuclear talks after Xi vow to boost deterrent
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Pentagon says China is undergoing a major expansion of its nuclear forces and is moving toward having 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030. But Beijing has long resisted arms control talks with Washington, arguing that the United States already has a much larger arsenal. But Xi signaled during a Communist Party Congress in October that China would strengthen its strategic deterrent, a term often used to describe nuclear weapons. We're saying, let's talk about putting some guardrails into the relationship so that we don't have unnecessary crises," he said. Reporting by Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom; editing by Richard PullinOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ North Korea fires missiles toward sea as U.S. warns against using nuclear weapons
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

South Korea’s military has strengthened its surveillance posture and maintains readiness amid close coordination with the United States, it said. North Korea sees such regular drills by Seoul and Washington as practice for launching an attack on the North, though the allies say their exercises are defensive in nature. The area was apparently closer to South Korea than any other missile launch site North Korea has used so far this year. South Korea and the United States have strongly warned North Korea against using its nuclear weapons preemptively. North Korea has said the artillery firings were in reaction to South Korean live-fire exercises at land border areas.

☆ Putin says there is 'no need' to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine; Biden casts doubt on the claims
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Western and Russian leaders exchanged claims and accusations over each other's willingness to use nuclear weapons, with U.S. President Joe Biden expressing skepticism over Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks that Russia had "no need" to deploy such weapons in Ukraine. In previous weeks, Putin made several remarks vowing to use "all means" available to protect land Moscow claimed as its own — which is widely believed to include the illegally annexed Ukrainian territories. Ukraine continues to reel from Russian attacks on its critical energy infrastructure, with blackouts in many major cities. Local authorities have urged residents to limit their electricity use and will schedule pre-planned blackouts to prevent uncontrolled power outages. At Kyiv's request, a team from the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency will be visiting Ukraine's nuclear power facilities, which Ukrainian officials say will disprove Russia's accusations.

☆ Iran is an ever more 'relevant' problem, nuclear watchdog chief says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VIENNA, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Iran is a problem that is ever more "relevant", the U.N. nuclear watchdog's chief, Rafael Grossi, said on Friday, in an apparent reference to the growing number of advanced centrifuges the Islamic Republic is using to enrich uranium. Asked in an on-stage discussion in Washington how he sees the world today, Grossi started with Iran rather than Ukraine and said it "continues to be a problem". "I see every day through my inspectors how this problem is getting more and more relevant, and I'm choosing a word which is neutral. It's an even more relevant problem every day," Grossi told the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference, without elaborating. He added later that he would not cave to political pressure over his investigation of the uranium traces and his efforts to obtain explanations from Iran on how they came to be there.

☆ Ukraine alleges Russian operatives are doing 'secret' work at a captured nuclear power plant and could make a dirty bomb
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine alleged Russian forces are doing "secret" work at a captured nuclear power plant. The country's state nuclear operator said the unauthorized activity could yield a dirty bomb. Energoatom, Ukraine's state energy operator, alleged Russian operatives have been carrying out "unauthorized construction works" over the last few days at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant's Dry Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility, where spent nuclear fuel is kept. "Russian lies about Ukraine allegedly planning to use a 'dirty bomb' are as absurd as they are dangerous. "Russia's statements about the creation of a [dirty nuclear bomb] may indicate that [Russia] is preparing an act of nuclear terrorism," Energoatom said.

☆ U.S. developing domestic uranium strategy -energy secretary
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Timothy Gardner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The United States relies on Russia and its allies Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for roughly half of the uranium powering its nuclear power plants. "The United States wants to be able to source its own fuel from ourselves and that's why we are developing a uranium strategy," Granholm told reporters at an International Atomic Energy Agency conference in Washington. In September, the White House asked Congress for another $1.5 billion in a temporary government funding bill to boost domestic supply of low enriched uranium and HALEU. The Department of Energy has supplies of heavily enriched uranium, from which it can downblend fuel for reactors. Some nuclear power proponents also want to boost U.S. mining and processing of uranium, practices many environmentalists want to limit.

☆ Russia raises accusation at U.N. of Ukraine 'dirty bomb' plans
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Russia on Tuesday took its accusation that Ukraine was preparing to use a dirty bomb - an explosive device laced with radioactive material - to the United Nations Security Council, voicing its concerns during a closed-door meeting of the 15-member body. Russia has alleged that Kyiv has ordered two organizations to create a dirty bomb, without giving any evidence. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has responded by accusing Russia of planning such an attack itself to blame on Ukraine. 'WASTING OUR TIME'The Security Council discussion on Tuesday was the first of three likely meetings requested by Russia this week. The move comes after Ukraine and Western allies accused Russia of using Iranian-made drones in Ukraine in violation of the resolution and asked Guterres to investigate.

☆ IAEA preparing to inspect two sites in Ukraine over 'dirty bomb' claims
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VIENNA, Oct 24 (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog is preparing to send inspectors in the coming days to two Ukrainian sites at Kyiv's request, it said on Monday, in an apparent reaction to Russian claims that Ukraine could deploy a so-called dirty bomb, which Ukraine denies. read moreRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"The IAEA is preparing to visit the locations in the coming days. The purpose of the safeguards visits is to detect any possible undeclared nuclear activities and material," it added. "No undeclared nuclear activities or material were found there." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted earlier in the day that he had spoken to Grossi and urged him to "send experts to peaceful facilities in Ukraine which Russia deceitfully claims to be developing a "dirty bomb."

☆ Iran's atomic energy organization says e-mail was hacked
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Iran's atomic energy organization said that an e-mail server belonging to one of its subsidiaries had been hacked from a foreign country and information published online, state media reported on Sunday. An Iranian hacking group, Black Reward, said in a statement published on Twitter that it had released hacked information relating to Iranian nuclear activities, declaring the action an act of support for protesters in Iran. Their statement, published on Saturday, ended with the words "In the name of Mahsa Amini and for women, life, freedom" - a show of support for protests ignited by her death in the custody of morality police last month. The atomic energy organization's general department of public diplomacy and information played down the significance of the released information, saying "this move was made with the aim of attracting public attention". Black Reward, in a statement published on Oct. 21, had threatened to release hacked information in 24 hours unless the authorities released political prisoners and people arrested during the unrest.

☆ Iran's atomic energy organization says e-mail was hacked, state media says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

DUBAI, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Iran's atomic energy organization said that an e-mail server of one of its subsidiaries was hacked from a foreign country, leading to some information being published online, state media reported on Sunday. "This move was made with the aim of attracting public attention," the atomic energy organization's general department of public diplomacy and information said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EXCLUSIVE At least half of Ukraine's thermal power capacity hit by Russian strikes - minister
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Max Hunder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Firefighters work to put out a fire in a thermal power plant, damaged by a Russian missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, October 18, 2022. I can tell you that it's... at least half of thermal generation capacity, even more," Galushchenko said, when asked about the scale of the damage. Earlier this week towns and cities restricted power supplies and limited electricity use this week so energy companies could repair power facilities hit by a wave of Russian air strikes. He said he saw no signs of progress towards a deal involving Russia, Ukraine and the U.N. nuclear watchdog on resolving the situation at the plant, Europe's biggest nuclear power station. Russian forces have occupied the plant in southern Ukraine since shortly after Moscow's invasion but it is still operated by its Ukrainian staff.

☆ EXCLUSIVE At least half of Ukraine's thermal power capacity hit by Russian strikes -minister
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Max Hunder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Firefighters work to put out a fire in a thermal power plant, damaged by a Russian missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, October 18, 2022. I can tell you that it's... at least half of thermal (power) generation capacity, even more," Galushchenko said, when asked about the scale of the damage. Earlier this week towns and cities restricted power supplies and limited electricity use this week so energy companies could repair power facilities hit by a wave of Russian air strikes. He said he saw no signs of progress towards a deal involving Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations nuclear watchdog on resolving the situation at the plant, Europe's biggest nuclear power station. Russian forces have occupied the plant in southern Ukraine since shortly after Moscow's invasion but it is still operated by its Ukrainian staff.

☆ Russia says U.S. blocked its participation in nuclear conference
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A view shows a board with the logo of Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia June 16, 2022. REUTERS/Anton VaganovSummarySummary Companies This content was produced in Russia, where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in UkraineMOSCOW, Oct 21 (Reuters) - The Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said on Friday that the United States had effectively blocked Russia's participation in a nuclear energy conference in Washington by failing to issue entry visas. Relations between the United States and Russia have sunk to their lowest level since the depths of the Cold War after Moscow sent its armed forces troops into Ukraine in February. "The American side has effectively blocked Russia's participation in this international IAEA conference, which it undertook to hold in the United States." The corporation plays a large role in the global nuclear industry and, unlike many Russian state enterprises, has not been subjected to Western sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine.

Students at a Missouri elementary school where "unacceptably high" levels of radioactive waste were found will switch to virtual learning, the school board has announced. Many said they first found out about the radioactive waste in their children’s school from Facebook posts or news reports. It has been testing the area around the creek for years, but never tested inside or within 300 feet of the elementary school. Hazelwood School District Board Meeting announces Jana Elementary School educational measures, in Florissant, Mo., on Wednesday. Karen Nickel, co-founder of environmental activist group Just Moms STL, attended Hazelwood School District as a child and told the school board she has several autoimmune conditions.

BUENOS AIRES, Oct 18 (Reuters) - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi expects to return "soon" to Ukraine, he told Reuters on Tuesday, amid negotiations to establish a security protection zone around the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The talks are seen as key to defusing concerns that have mounted since August about the risks of shelling at or near Zaporizhzhia, Europe's largest nuclear power station. Russia and Ukraine have both blamed each other for the shelling. The head of the IAEA, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, said that separate Russian threats to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine could not be ruled out but that it was "not an immediate possibility". "I believe that the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons is not an immediate possibility.

☆ U.N. nuclear watchdog concerned about detention of two Zaporizhzhia staff
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

VIENNA, Oct 18 (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog on Tuesday said its chief Rafael Grossi was deeply concerned by the detention of two Ukrainian staff from the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP), which Ukraine says was a kidnapping by Russia. "The IAEA team on site has learned of the release of a ZNPP Deputy Director General, Valeriy Martynyuk, who was detained early last week," the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement. "However, Director General Grossi expressed deep concern about the recent detentions of two other ZNPP staff members, which have been confirmed by the IAEA." Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Mark PorterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Explainer: How will Germany implement its nuclear power extension?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The operators of the three remaining nuclear power plants are E.ON (Isar 2), RWE (RWEG.DE) (Emsland) and EnBW (EBKG.DE) (Neckarwestheim 2). HOW LONG CAN THE PLANTS RUN WITH EXISTING FUEL RODS? According to industry group Nuclear Technology Germany (KernD), it usually takes around one year until fresh fuel rods are delivered. CAN GERMANY EXTEND NUCLEAR POWER BEYOND APRIL 2023? Politically, extending the lifespan of nuclear power is a red line for the Greens party, which has ruled out buying new fuel rods for longer operation of the country's remaining nuclear power plants.

☆ Russian shelling cuts external power to Ukraine nuclear plant - Kyiv
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, Oct 17 (Reuters) - The Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant in southern Ukraine was operating on emergency diesel generators on Monday after Russian shelling cut off its external power supply, Ukraine's state nuclear energy company said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterEnergoatom said Russia was now targeting all the substations supplying Ukrainian nuclear power stations with electricity, an accusation that Russian state nuclear energy company Rosatom did not immediately comment on. "In recent days, the Russian invaders, shelling the entire territory of Ukraine, deliberately targeted substations connected by high-voltage communication lines to Ukrainian nuclear power plants," Energoatom said on its website. Writing on Facebook, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said: "Such nuclear blackmail by a terrorist country should not go unanswered by the world community! Russian forces have occupied the ZNPP, Europe's largest nuclear power station, since shortly after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine nearly eight months ago.

☆ Ukraine says Russia hits power site near Kyiv
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"Putin knew he would not be able to sustain high-intensity missiles strikes for a long time due to a dwindling arsenal of high-precision missiles," the think tank said. Vorontsov explained the move by citing Moscow's concern about the possibility of the deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons in Poland near the borders of Belarus and Russia. He emphasized that in compliance with the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Russia had no intention for now of fitting nuclear warheads to Belarusian weapons systems or transferring nuclear warheads to the territory of Belarus. He said the shelling of the city of Nikopol, which is located across the Dnieper from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, damaged a dozen residential buildings, several stores and a transportation facility. "Working in very challenging conditions, operating staff at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant are doing everything they can to bolster its fragile offsite power situation," Grossi said.

☆ Exclusive: Ukraine nuclear chief says Zaporizhzhia plant does not need Russian fuel
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Jonathan Landay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A Russian all-terrain armoured vehicle is parked outside the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant during the visit of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expert mission in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict outside Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, September 1, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander ErmochenkoKYIV, Oct 13 (Reuters) - The head of Ukraine's state nuclear energy company on Thursday decried as "fake news" Russian assertions that the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant will need Russian fuel. Energoatom chief Petro Kotin, speaking in a Reuters interview, said there are fresh fuel supplies in storage at the six-reactor plant, the largest in Europe. His comments came after an official of Rosenergoatom, Russia's nuclear power operator, was quoted by Russia's TASS state news agency as saying that the Zaporizhzhia plant would be switched to Russian fuel once its reserves are exhausted. Russian forces seized the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in March, the month after they launched their full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

☆ Russia has kidnapped deputy head of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Ukraine says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, Oct 11 (Reuters) - A deputy head of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine has been kidnapped by Russian forces and is being detained in an unknown location, Ukraine's state nuclear energy company Energoatom said on Tuesday. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe incident follows the detention of the plant's then-chief, Ihor Murashov, on Oct. 1. The facility, Europe's largest nuclear plant, was captured by Russia in the early days of the invasion of Ukraine, but is still operated by Ukrainian staff. Russia announced plans last week for its personnel to take control of the plant, a move that was rejected by Energoatom chief Petro Kotin. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Max Hunder and Francois Murphy; editing by Matthias WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Explainer: What are the risks to Ukraine's nuclear reactors in war
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Guy Faulconbridge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

What nuclear material is at Europe's largest nuclear power plant, what are the risks and why are Russia and Ukraine fighting over it? The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has six Soviet-designed VVER-1000 V-320 water-cooled and water-moderated reactors containing Uranium 235, which has a half-life of more than 700 million years. The biggest risk is from overheating nuclear fuel, which could happen if the power that drives the cooling systems was cut. Besides the reactors, there is also a dry spent fuel storage facility at the site for used nuclear fuel assemblies, and spent fuel pools at each reactor site that are used to cool down the used nuclear fuel. Special Russian military units guard the facility and Russian nuclear specialists are on site.

Any hope of the Nord Stream network resuming shipments to Germany was dashed last month by suspected sabotage. Even then, it is unlikely to make up for the missing Russian gas. A risk is that as energy supplies dwindle, energy demand will not shrink enough. European industrial gas demand has fallen as high gas prices have led factories in energy-intensive sectors such as aluminium, steel and ammonia, have shut production. Europe can't afford any surprises this winter without Russian gasA more comfortable energy supply situation could be many winters away.

Search resuls for: "Atomic Energy"

25 mentions found