It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
TikTok CEO summoned to European Parliament over role in shock Romania election
The role of Chinese-owned TikTok is under scrutiny following the shock victory of a far-right candidate in Romania’s election.
The first-round victory of the ultranationalist and pro-Russian Călin Georgescu has triggered shockwaves about the political trajectory of the EU and NATO country. | Daniel Mihailescu/Getty Images
BRUSSELS — A top EU lawmaker is demanding that TikTok's chief executive appear before the European Parliament to answer questions about the platform's role in Sunday's Romanian presidential election, as researchers warn of covert activity on thousands of fake accounts leading up to the vote.
The first-round victory of the ultranationalist and pro-Russian Călin Georgescu has triggered shockwaves about the political trajectory of the EU and NATO country, with many concerns focused on how a TikTok campaign managed to propel an unknown candidate from obscurity. A second-round will be held on Dec. 8.
"We call on the CEO of TikTok to come to speak in this house and to ensure his platform conducted to no infringement under the DSA," said Valérie Hayer, head of the liberal Renew Europe group, told a press conference on Thursday, referring to the Digital Services Act, Europe's rulebook for online content.
"Romania is a warning bell: Radicalisation and disinformation can happen all over Europe with harmful consequences," added Hayer, an ally of French President Emmanuel Macron.
Hayer's appeal comes only two days after Georgescu's shock victory. He had no party backing and polls had failed to pick up on his popularity — though researchers are now zeroing on a major TikTok campaign he led in the days leading up to the election.
"We believed that Tiktok was misused and was led to be misused by him and an army of fake accounts that were used for his purpose," said Bogdan Manolea, executive director of the Romanian campaign group, Association for Technology and Internet.
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu on Tuesday said funding for Georgescu's campaign on TikTok needed to be reviewed. "It's a system, I don't know how legal it is, I understood how the system was used. The source of financing, in my opinion, is to be followed, 'follow the money."
A top EU lawmaker is demanding that TikTok's chief executive appear before the European Parliament. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
There is, however, no proof at this stage of involvement by Russia or other state actors.
Manolea added TikTok should have seen the "wave of thousands of fake accounts" and that the company should be responsible for that under the DSA.
While paid political advertising isn't allowed under TikTok's terms and conditions, this time that rule was "largely ineffective," said Keith Kiely, coordinator for the Bulgarian Romanian Observatory on Digital Media.
The platform had a "significant influence" in the elections, he added.
It's not the first time that TikTok, which is owners by China's Bytedance, has come in for criticism in the EU. In 2023, Macron called TikTok "deceptively innocent" and a cause of "real addiction" among users, though the EU has yet to levy any major fines or penalties against the platform.
TikTok declined to comment on its role in the Romanian elections. The company had set up an election center inside the app to provide reliable election information and partnered with a local NGO to boost digital literacy and counter disinformation.
Mali cuts TV news station's signal over broadcast criticizing Burkina Faso's ruling junta
Mali’s ruling junta cut the signal of the popular news broadcaster Joliba TV News after a prominent politician criticized the military rulers of neighboring Burkina Faso during a televised debate, a journalist for the channel said Tuesday.
“This morning, the authorities cut off our TV channel signal, but we’re still hopeful that they’ll restore it soon,” Attaher Halidou, the journalist who chaired the debate, told The Associated Press.
Earlier this month, Malian authorities arrested and jailed politician Issa Kaou N’Djim after he claimed during the debate on Joliba TV that the military rulers of Burkina Faso had fabricated evidence of a foiled coup in September. The director of the broadcaster was also questioned by the authorities.
The Press House of Mali, which represents journalists and the media in the West African country, threatened on Sunday to rebroadcast the televised debate if the authorities revoked Joliba's license.
"We are in talks with the Malian authorities to find a global solution that not only concerns the restoration of Joliba TV’s signal, but also the threat of withdrawal of its license and all other factors concerning press freedom,” Bandiougou Danté, the president of the press organization, told The Associated Press.
N’Djim was one of the vice presidents of the National Transitional Council, Mali’s legislative body under the junta. He later distanced himself from the military regime and said he favored a return to electoral democracy. In 2021, he received a six-month prison sentence after he criticized the military regime on social media.
Mali has been ruled by military regimes since a series of coups which capitalized on popular discontent with previous democratically elected governments over security issues. With Niger and Burkina Faso, it is a member of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a mutual defense pact which was created by the three states in 2023.
The security situation in the AES member countries has worsened in recent times, analysts say, with a record number of attacks by Islamic extremists. Government forces have also been accused of killing civilians they suspect of collaborating with militants.
This article is adapted from AQ’s special report on food security in Latin America. To see other organizations working on this issue, click here.
SAN MIGUEL SUCHIXTEPEC, Mexico — Growing up in the rural Oaxacan town of San Baltazar Chichicapam, Faustino Hernández, 46, would help his parents grow corn, beans and squash on their plot of land. The produce fed the family, with enough left over to sell.
As an adult, though, he hasn’t been able to keep up that practice. He took different jobs in a bigger city, and planting got harder as rains became more infrequent. One recent morning, in Oaxaca’s damp mountain air, he picked up where he’d left off and learned new techniques. Hernández joined a hands-on lesson on how to plant and maintain a huerto, or vegetable garden, using only organic materials—no herbicides, synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilizers. He plans to teach what he learned to the students at the school where he works as a cleaner.
The workshop was organized by local NGO Mbis Bin, which means “seeds for sowing” in Zapotec. Mbis Bin is a community enterprise dedicated to the research, development and creation of agricultural products. The organization also provides training to promote sustainable agriculture and addresses food insecurity, which affects one in four people in Oaxaca state.
Co-founder and president Blanca Sánchez grew up seeing farmers use chemical fertilizers in her town of San Miguel Suchixtepec, where there was a common perception that these were superior to natural alternatives. After studying rural development planning in Puebla, she and three others founded Mbis Bin to help spread alternative models of planting.
That morning’s workshop was part of the Harvesting Resilience project, funded by the Citi Foundation and NUUP. The 18 participants, all residents of San Miguel Suchixtepec and nearby towns, ranged from people in their 60s to small children learning with their parents. On a hilltop plot overlooking a valley, they planted an organic huerto from scratch, following the milpa method, a Mesoamerican planting technique in which a variety of fruits and vegetables are interspersed in the same plot.
Among them was María Sánchez Hernández, 63. When it came time to add pesticides to the soil, Mbis Bin co-founder César Ramírez brought out a low-cost organic product. María Hernández shared the method she had learned from her now 84-year-old mother: adding ashes to the soil. Both work great, Hernández assured. And if all goes well, another 18 sustainable huertos will be planted in this corner of Oaxaca.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Franco is an editor, writer and podcast producer at AQ.
MEXICO CITY—There is little doubt that Mexico is among the countries President-elect Donald Trump will target in his first days in power. His recent threat to impose a 25% tariff on goods and services produced south of the Rio Grande and his pledges to initiate massive deportations and dismantle criminal cartels signal an era of change. And none should be more prepared for his comeback than President Claudia Sheinbaum.
While Mexico won’t be alone in facing these trying times—the “Tariff Man” is also threatening Canada and China with levies—the nascent administration of President Sheinbaum needs to act expeditiously to confront the new reality. But on many fronts, Mexico is ill-prepared for the contentious negotiations ahead. The argument that the two countries are “producing together” and therefore that tariffs on Mexico will be counterproductive for the U.S. has apparently gone unheeded in the incoming Trump 2.0 government.
Just yesterday, Trump made clear again that he plans to negotiate trade, immigration, and security simultaneously, treating them as interconnected issues to reset the countries’ relationship. Therefore, Mexico should be ready to present a multidisciplinary strategy for these three areas that combines its best arguments and actions. Migration flows, cartels trafficking synthetic drugs like fentanyl, and the fact that Mexico is the U.S.’s biggest trading partner will no longer be separate tracks of this bilateral relationship.
Reacting to Trump’s announcement, Sheinbaum hinted that Mexico could retaliate by applying its own tariffs on U.S. products. “One tariff would be followed by another in response, and so on until we put at risk common businesses,” Sheinbaum said in her morning briefing. Trade between the two countries reached almost $800 billion last year, so one could assume that money will talk. But things seem to be different with Trump’s comeback.
On immigration, Sheinbaum has stated that her strategy will focus on demonstrating to Trump’s transition team the contribution of Mexican migrants in the U.S., which amounts to $338 billion annually, according to the Mexican government. While she mentioned that her administration is prepared to respond to potential large-scale deportations, she has yet to provide details.
With all things considered, to confront the U.S. complex political and legal backdrop, Mexico needs to build on its institutional framework and apply its best diplomatic strategy. It will face a scenario shaped by hawkish officials and a president who are eager to impose substantial levies on Mexican imports and initiate large-scale deportations reminiscent of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s notorious 1954 “Operation Wetback.”
The specter of mass deportations
Days ago, Trump confirmed he would declare a national emergency to start the deportations of millions of undocumented immigrants, and just before getting elected, he pledged to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to dismantle migrant criminal networks.
Despite this emphasis on enforcement, restriction, and strict interpretation of U.S. immigration law, significant legal, financial, and logistical hurdles will undoubtedly arise, as will widespread concern over potential human rights violations. The U.S. immigration system is already strained by a backlog of 3.5 million pending cases across 56 immigration courts and limited capacity with just 20,000 ICE agents. It seems ill-equipped to manage the scale of deportations envisioned by Trump’s team.
I got a good sense of the U.S. political zeitgeist as I spent Election Day in York, Pennsylvania, engaging with voters who emphasized how pivotal migration is in shaping their views. Some expressed fear of migrants, perceiving them as a national security threat, and supported calls for a completely sealed border. What struck me most were conversations with Latino voters who, somewhat paradoxically, downplayed the potential impact of stricter immigration measures. Many contended that such policies would primarily target “new arrivals” rather than long-established residents like themselves.
While some misleading narratives undermine the contributions migrants make to the U.S., it remains undeniable that immigration is a top priority for the American electorate that backed Trump, and he is likely to take strong action to meet their demands.
The appointments of Tom Homan as “border czar” and Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff for policy in Trump’s incoming administration—neither of whom will require Senate confirmation—emphasize the former president’s commitment to an aggressive and unwavering immigration policy.
Homan, acting director of ICE during Trump’s first term, will oversee both the southern and northern U.S. borders as well as maritime and aviation security. During the presidential campaign, he warned undocumented immigrants to “start packing,” promising the “largest deportation operation” the country has ever seen. His emphasis on “well-targeted” deportations, while presented as humane, belies the scale of enforcement he intends to implement. This includes deportations of entire families, regardless of whether children have U.S. citizenship. About 4.4 million U.S.-born children under 18 live with an unauthorized immigrant parent.
Miller, who helped shape many of Trump’s most controversial immigration policies, is returning to a prominent position with even greater influence. Miller’s vision for a second Trump term includes a tenfold increase in deportations, targeting over 1 million undocumented immigrants annually. He also advocates for reductions in legal immigration.
Homan and Miller’s combined influence at the helm signals that Trump’s vision for the U.S. border will be executed beginning on Inauguration Day, with minimal concessions, regardless of the legal or economic consequences.
What can be expected?
Since Trump is a media-savvy figure, we can anticipate highly dramatic scenes during his first 100 days in office, with images of large-scale deportations dominating the narrative. We can also expect the reinstatement of programs like “Remain in Mexico,” which forces asylum seekers to wait for their hearings in Mexican border cities, and Title 42, enacted initially during the COVID-19 pandemic to block asylum claims on public health grounds. These measures, which have already strained Mexico’s border towns such as Tijuana, Matamoros and Ciudad Juárez, will likely exacerbate the pressure on already overwhelmed shelters and dire conditions.
The data highlight the scale of Mexico’s challenges. Although the number of undocumented Mexican immigrants has decreased significantly over the past two decades, total migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border surged to a record high of nearly 2.5 million in 2022-23. According to the Pew Research Center, of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., 4 million are Mexican nationals. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the Trump administration may also deport non-Mexican immigrants to Mexico.
The economic consequences of mass deportations would be profound. Last year, Mexican migrant remittances reached a record $63 billion, providing lifelines for millions of Mexican households and serving as a pillar of the national economy, accounting for up to nearly 4.2% of GDP. A significant reduction in these flows due to deportations would deepen poverty and destabilize Mexico’s most vulnerable regions.
Conversely, the U.S. economy also relies heavily on undocumented labor. Construction and hospitality depend on this workforce, and Trump’s deportation plan has also caused panic among American farmers. The American Business Immigration Coalition estimates that the incoming administration’s plans could lead to a decline in agricultural output of between $30 and $60 billion.
Historically, restrictive immigration policies have proven economically counterproductive. The Immigration Act of 1924 sharply curtailed annual immigration, exacerbating labor shortages during the Great Depression. On the other hand, initiatives like the Bracero Program, which facilitated regulated migration, demonstrated the economic benefits of pragmatic immigration policies.
The Mexican side of the border
Last week, Mexico witnessed the departure of a third migrant caravan since the U.S. presidential election, comprising 1,600 individuals who set out from the southern city of Tapachula intending to reach the U.S. border before Trump’s inauguration on January 20. While some participants are Mexican nationals, many more hail from nations such as El Salvador, Guatemala and Colombia. The largest contingent comes from Venezuela, where the deepening political and economic crisis—exacerbated by the fraudulent presidential election—has forced many to flee in search of better prospects.
Mexico is poorly equipped to tackle this growing phenomenon or manage the repercussions of large-scale deportations. The Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR) and the National Migration Institute are already underfunded and overstretched. Both suffer from chronic corruption and lack institutional capacity. Furthermore, the dissolution of the National Migration Institute’s Directorate of International Affairs has left the agency without a specialized body to negotiate effectively with the U.S.
One thing is clear: A surge in deportations, coupled with higher tariffs on Mexican goods as Trump threatens, would destabilize Mexico’s economy, increasing incentives and pressures for migration. Regardless of how high the wall might rise, migration flows would increase, with smugglers emerging as the primary beneficiaries.
Bilateral challenge
The proposed migration policies will further complicate the complex relations between the U.S. and Mexico. Trump’s transactional approach to diplomacy—leveraging issues such as migration, trade and security to exert pressure—will complicate Mexico’s domestic priorities while stretching its limited resources.
The stakes are monumental for Sheinbaum’s nascent administration. While her government has committed to addressing the structural drivers of migration and protecting Mexican nationals abroad, it will likely face compounded humanitarian, economic and security crises that a second Trump presidency would intensify.
It would be naive to assume that Mexico can simply “weather” four difficult years under Trump. This perspective ignores the broader ideological shift within U.S. politics. Trump’s policies reflect a vision that has gained traction within the Republican Party, ensuring that such narratives will likely persist beyond 2028.
Mexico must prepare for a future in which migration, trade and security are inextricably linked in increasingly fraught negotiations. Building institutional capacity, strategic foresight and diplomatic acumen to navigate this complex landscape is not just advisable but imperative for safeguarding national interests in a geopolitically polarized world.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Estefan is a professor at IPADE Business School in Mexico City
and a columnist at Reforma, Mexico’s leading newspaper.
Ministerial Declaration Adopted on Importance of Nuclear Science for Addressing Global Challenges
IAEA Member States have adopted a declaration recognizing the important role of nuclear science, technology and applications in addressing current and evolving global challenges.
The role of the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Programme was stressed as a major mechanism to transfer, expand and further accelerate access to nuclear technology, materials, equipment and expertise to countries for peaceful uses and support capacity building. And the importance of the IAEA’s Nuclear Applications Laboratories in Seibersdorf, Vienna and Monaco was recognised for developing and refining relevant nuclear techniques and in delivering them to countries.
The declaration acknowledged the IAEA’s contribution to the transfer of technology and expertise through its major initiatives ZODIAC, NUTEC Plastics, Rays of Hope, Atoms4Food and Atoms4NetZero, and recognized, among other things, the need to attract more women into the field of nuclear sciences and foster the next generation of nuclear scientists, engineers and professionals. It also appreciated the IAEA’s efforts to promote partnerships throughout the UN family and with traditional and non-traditional donors, such as the private sector.
VIDEO:
How the IAEA and Nuclear Techniques Support a Sustainable Future
26 November 2024
Nuclear science and technology play a significant role in improving the lives and well-being of people worldwide, especially in the fields of health, food and agriculture and the environment. Over decades, the IAEA has worked with countries to transfer knowledge about nuclear techniques and build up regional expertise. Four recently launched IAEA flagship initiatives are pushing that work further, helping more countries provide their people with a prosperous existence.
There are no longer any doubts about climate change, as its effects are evident to everyone. People’s suffering continues to grow, but climate spending and the politics surrounding it have caused significant division. The global right-wing and those burdened by rising living costs protest the expenses tied to climate initiatives, while the global left and climate activists demand more funding for climate action. As this polarization grows, the United Nations held its annual Climate Change Conference, COP29, in Azerbaijan, a country made up of oil. The conference took place in Baku from November 11 to 22, 2024.
Unlike previous years, the event failed to generate significant attention. Despite the Azerbaijani government investing substantial oil revenues in PR campaigns, international media provided minimal coverage. The conference lost the global focus it once enjoyed, though it sparked some interesting controversies. The controversy began with the choice of hosts. Last year, Dubai—a wealthy, oil-rich desert hub—hosted the conference. This year, the decision to hold COP29 in Azerbaijan raised eyebrows once again. Azerbaijan, a major oil and gas producer, is also known for its authoritarian governance and widespread corruption. Adding to the controversy, Mukhtar Babayev, a longtime official with Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil company SOCAR, served as the president of COP29. These contradictions are glaring, much like LGBTQ+ advocates supporting Muslim rights. The peak of these ironies fuels doubts among the public and erodes trust in global climate efforts. Many accuse these actions of greenwashing, with little positive impact on the climate. Countries and businesses use climate change as a means to generate public opinion, much like how sports-washing works.
COP29 Chief Executive Elnur Soltanov was secretly recorded discussing potential oil and gas deals during the conference, raising serious concerns about the need for such high-cost events. And EU diplomats criticized Azerbaijan for excluding fossil fuel phase-out from the conference agenda, which focused solely on mitigation. These events led Papua New Guinea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Justin Tkatchenko, to announce a boycott of the summit, calling it a total waste of time.
Discussions largely focused on climate-related finances. A key agenda item was negotiating the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance, which sought to establish a new financial target to support developing nations after 2025, building on the previous $100 billion annual commitment. Proposed solutions included blended finance, which combines public and private investments to boost funding for climate initiatives, and debt-for-nature swaps, allowing countries to redirect debt repayments toward environmental and climate projects. COP29 encouraged global financial institutions and the private sector to increase climate finance and invest in green innovation.
Delegates also agreed on rules and established a UN registry to facilitate and track international carbon credit trading. Key points of tension in the negotiations involved the donor base. Developed economies, such as the US and the European Union, argued that resource-rich countries like China and Gulf Cooperation Council nations should automatically contribute. Another point of contention was the share of funding coming from public budgets, with developing countries demanding significant increases in public, non-loan grants. The final $300 billion climate finance agreement stipulates that both public and private sources will provide funding and encourages voluntary contributions from developing countries, including China and Middle Eastern nations.
The next COP, set to take place in Brazil in 2025, is expected to witness more intense political friction. The United States will have a new president, one who has shown little interest in climate-related issues. This shift could influence major countries, particularly in Europe, where there is significant opposition to spending large amounts of money on climate initiatives. The rise of right-wing movements and the weakening of climate-focused green parties in Europe may further undermine pledges, as they may not come to fruition. Meanwhile, China and India, the world’s growing economies, are unlikely to bear the burden even though they find clear opportunities in the process. As a result, the climate will continue to heat up.
Emma Baugh BBC News, Peterborough Kate Moser Andon BBC political reporter, Cambridgeshire
Emma Baugh/BBC Poppy Ludgate left a retail job to retrain as a carpenter but said the pay cut was off-putting
A 22-year-old carpenter has welcomed plans to invest in more opportunities for young people's education and training but wanted to see "a bit more" for apprenticeships.
Poppy Ludgate said she took a "big pay cut" when she left her job as a shop assistant to become an apprentice in 2022.
She was among a group of apprentices and former students from Peterborough College who met Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on Monday ahead of announcing new employment reforms.
Miss Ludgate welcomed measures to give young people more opportunities, but said more could be done for apprenticeships.
"Apprenticeships give you a better opportunity to understand if you actually enjoy doing the work you're going to be doing," she said.
Miss Ludgate said low pay was the biggest reason people were put off from signing up to an apprenticeship.
"I took a big pay cut to go from a shop assistant, which is the minimum wage down to like £5 an hour on an apprentice[ship], which isn't quite right because you've got the travel costs."
Emma Baugh/BBC Szymon Olszewski said apprenticeships should involve high-quality training
Szymon Olszewski, 19, an apprentice in manufacturing engineering, said he wanted to challenge how the government thinks about low-paying apprenticeships.
"I believe there's a major fear with a lot of apprentices, that if they go to training [...] they're not provided with the quality and standard they should be."
Mr Olszewski said training and facilities should be of a high standard.
He still thought people his age were increasingly likely to choose an apprenticeship over university.
"My generation, I believe, they are trying to find ways to involve themselves [in] more hands-on [work] rather than doing a lot uni book work and whatnot and getting in debt."
Emma Baugh/BBC The youth guarantee promised 18 to 21-year-olds a place to learn, train or do paid work
Ms Kendall, who published her white paper on Tuesday, said young people had a "responsibility" to take up opportunities given to them.
"We'll fulfil our side of the bargain to make that happen," she said.
The strategy named Cambridgeshire and Peterborough as one of eight "youth trailblazer" areas where the government plans to spend £45m on identifying young people at risk of falling out of education or employment.
Paul Bristow, the Conservative combined authority mayoral candidate and former Peterborough MP, said he was "always keen" to see more funding for the city, but that more information was needed.
"The devil often lurks in the detail – particularly with this new government," he said.
"Unless training and course lead to getting a job, we aren’t helping anyone."
ENEC and ADNOC team up to support UAE energy diversification
Tuesday, 26 November 2024
The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and government-owned diversified energy group ADNOC are to evaluate the deployment of advanced nuclear technology such as small modular reactors to support the UAE's energy diversification strategy, and will look into using excess heat from the Barakah nuclear power plant in ADNOC's oil and gas operations.
The Barakah nuclear power plant (Image: ENEC)
A strategic collaboration agreement to research and explore developing innovative energy solutions to enhance energy efficiency signed by the two companies involves a comprehensive technical and economic assessment to identify the best-fit nuclear reactor technologies for ADNOC by leveraging ENEC’s expertise in assessing technological performance in pilot projects as well as future technologies under development, ENEC said.
The agreement also covers feasibility studies to assess opportunities to use excess heat from Barakah, with recommendations for advanced technologies that can be demonstrated through existing or upcoming pilot projects.
Ahmed Al Mazrouei, nuclear research and development vice president at ENEC, said the collaboration was a significant step forward in the company's ongoing commitment to advancing new technologies and driving research and development in the UAE’s energy sector. "By focusing on cutting-edge nuclear innovations and exploring new methods to harness excess heat for industrial applications, we are strengthening the UAE’s green economy. Together with ADNOC, we will leverage our combined technical capabilities and expertise to identify and develop nuclear solutions that enhance energy security and sustainability in parallel," he said.
"In collaborating with ENEC, we will explore the deployment of small modular nuclear reactors as we develop innovative energy solutions to enhance our operational efficiency," ADNOC Senior Vice President for Technology and Innovation Ali Al Rawahi said. "Our partnership underscores our mutual commitment to scaling a reliable and clean energy source, as well as developing pioneering advancements in lower-carbon energy and technological innovation."
Founded in 1971, ADNOC - the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company - is a diversified energy group, with a network of fully integrated businesses operating across the energy value chain. The company, which claims already to be among the lowest carbon intensity oil and gas producers in the world, has allocated an initial USD23 billion to advance and accelerate lower-carbon solutions, and is investing in new energies and decarbonisation technologies to reach its ambition of net zero by 2045 and a commitment to zero methane emissions by 2030.
The new collaboration aligns with the UAE's Energy Strategy 2050, which aims to increase the contribution of clean energy sources and improve energy efficiency across the country, ENEC said.
The fourth and final unit of ENEC's Barakah nuclear power plant entered commercial operation in September. The plant is now generating 40 TWh annually, equivalent to 25% of the UAE’s electricity needs, while preventing the release of 22.4 million tonnes of carbon per year.
Applications lodged for Swiss waste disposal facilities
Monday, 25 November 2024
Switzerland's national radioactive waste disposal cooperative Nagra has applied to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy for a general permit for the construction of the planned deep geological repository for radioactive waste and a used nuclear fuel encapsulation plant.
(Image: Nagra)
In September 2022, following a 14-year site selection process, Nagra proposed Nördlich Lägern in northern Switzerland as the site of a deep geological repository, while a used fuel encapsulation plant would be built at the existing Zwilag interim storage facility in Würenlingen in the canton of Aargau. The entrance to the repository, the so-called surface facility, would be constructed in the Haberstal area in the community of Stadel in canton of Zürich.
Applications for general authorisation consist of a safety report and a security report, as well as a report justifying the choice of the site. They also include an environmental impact study report and a report on the concordance with regional planning. With each application, Nagra defines the site of the installation (size and location of the main structures) as well as the maximum limit of exposure of people to radiation in the vicinity of the installation. For deep-geological disposal, the maximum capacity of the repository, the exclusion criteria and the temporary subsoil protection zone around the repository site must also be defined. In addition, there is the concept for the observation phase and the final closure of the installation. Nagra attached the corresponding files to its applications, which it submitted on 19 November.
The concept of the Swiss repository(Image: Nagra)
"We are demonstrating that we can construct and operate this deep geological repository safely - even if it will be challenging," said Nagra CEO Matthias Braun. "We are also showing that the repository is compatible with environmental protection. With this application, we are laying out the facts needed for Switzerland to decide on the safe geological disposal of the nation's radioactive waste."
The competent federal departments will examine by spring 2025 whether all the documents required by law have been provided. Nagra will then publish the entire application documentation and all the scientific reports online - three years earlier than required by law. The authorities will then begin a detailed examination of the content of the applications. The Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) and the Federal Nuclear Safety Commission (CNS) will then begin examining the content of the applications. This assessment is expected to be completed by 2027.
The Swiss Federal Office of Energy will issue the general authorisations based on the examination carried out by the authorities and, in particular, on the opinions of the federal departments concerned and the cantons. According to current planning, the Federal Council will decide on the application in 2029 and Parliament in 2030. A national referendum is expected to take place in 2031.
Nagra said: "With this step, Nagra wants to enable an early and meaningful debate about the project - in parallel with the technical review of the application by the authorities. Nagra will be available for questions and discussions."
"The cross-generational project of deep geological disposal needs to be debated as broadly as possible and should be legitimised as a result of a direct democratic process - in Switzerland, this includes a national referendum," Braun noted.
Once the general authorisation for the repository comes into force, geological studies will be carried out underground in the area of implantation (through the creation of an underground laboratory), with the aim of acquiring more in-depth knowledge with a view to the construction of the repository. The application for a building permit, then later the application for an operating permit, can then be submitted. According to current planning, the repository could come into operation and the first radioactive waste could be stored there from 2050.
Copenhagen Atomics, DeepGeo agree to collaborate
Tuesday, 26 November 2024
US-based multinational repository developer DeepGeo and Danish advanced reactor designer Copenhagen Atomics are to collaborate on better understanding both the radioactive materials and fuel needs of Copenhagen Atomics' small and modular thorium molten salt reactor.
Laura Salonga and Thomas Jam Pedersen at the signing (Image: DeepGeo)
The cooperation agreement was signed in New York by Jam Pedersen, co-founder of Copenhagen Atomics, and Laura Salonga, vice president of industry relations at DeepGeo.
The partners said the agreement is "a first-of-a-kind for the global nuclear sector" and "represents a concrete step towards ensuring the long-term sustainability of nuclear energy".
Important aspects of the collaboration include technology, fuel and waste characterisation and the legislation and regulations of handling, transporting and disposing of these materials between countries.
Copenhagen Atomics is developing a containerised molten salt reactor. Moderated with unpressurised heavy water, the reactor consumes nuclear waste while breeding new fuel from thorium. Small enough to allow for mass manufacturing and assembly line production, the reactor has an output of 100 MWt.
A visualisation of a 1 GW plant based on Copenhagen Atomics' molten salt reactor (Image: UK Atomics)
Copenhagen Atomics' thorium reactors are expected to consume the transuranic elements in used nuclear fuel from conventional nuclear reactors, which radically reduces the amount of long-lived radioactive waste.
To achieve this, Copenhagen Atomics intends to separate used nuclear fuel from light water reactors into four streams: zircaloy, uranium, fission products and transuranics. Its reactor designs can make use of plutonium (a transuranic) to 'kickstart' the use of thorium.
DeepGeo says it is committed to providing services related to medium and low-level waste management and disposal as Copenhagen Atomics begins testing and demonstration. Initially, the collaboration between the parties aims to help establish a better understanding of the economy and requirements of this process, determining what ultimately is waste and what has commercial value.
The establishment of multinational interim storage facilities and repositories that can host a variety of waste forms would provide vital flexibility in support of novel nuclear technologies, applications and business models, says DeepGeo.
"Copenhagen Atomics reactors are able to burn spent nuclear fuel and get 10 times more energy out of it, than when that same fuel is used in a traditional nuclear reactor," Pedersen said. "Together with DeepGeo, Copenhagen Atomics will explore how we can make international handling of spent nuclear fuel radically more efficient and at the same time handle all waste streams responsibly.
"This partnership between Copenhagen Atomics and DeepGeo helps enable the conversion of spent nuclear fuel into a valuable resource rather than an expensive liability, which countries and companies have to deal with. Recycling a large share of spent nuclear fuel, this so-called 'nuclear waste', would allow them to sell it for a positive value, further covering the cost of recycling and transport."
DeepGeo President Link Murray added: "An innovative nuclear sector needs innovative back-end solutions. We are thrilled to be partnering with Copenhagen Atomics, which is again demonstrating that it is a pioneer in the nuclear sector. Working together we can better understand the value of different fuel and waste needs of advanced nuclear reactors, help to accelerate their deployment and ensure the future sustainability of nuclear energy."
The partners said they welcome interest from other nuclear technology and project developers that "are also ready to get serious about their future waste challenges" and explore innovative and multinational solutions.
Kursk NPP preparing for medical isotope production
Monday, 25 November 2024
Rosenergoatom says it will seek permission from regulator Rostekhnadzor in 2025 for the production of medical isotopes at the Kursk nuclear power plant in Russia.
(Image: Kursk NPP)
The company, part of state nuclear giant Rosatom, said the plan for the production of a broad range of medical isotopes had been supported in a public consultation process carried out over the past month. It says more than 300 people took part.
The isotopes to be produced are samarium-153, iodine-131, iodine-125, molybdenum-99 and lutetium-177. They are used for the production of radiopharmaceuticals for the diagnosis and treatment of a range of health conditions included heart-related issues and cancers.
The production of the medical isotopes, as well as radiation-doped silicon, is currently only carried out in Russia at the Leningrad nuclear power plant.
Alexander Uvakin, Director of Kursk NPP, said: "The most important goal of our activities in the production of medical isotopes is the well-being and health of our fellow citizens, increasing the availability of modern methods of diagnosis and treatment of ailments. The nuclear industry benefits not only from its energy component. By developing competencies in the field of modern radiation technologies, we use the ability of our reactors not only to generate electricity, but also to produce products that are in demand in the country and in the world."
Nikolay Kushkovoy, Head of the Radiation Technologies Department of the Kursk NPP, said: "Due to the design features of the RBMK reactors ... without shutting down the reactor, it is possible to load a large amount of starting material, the so-called targets, simultaneously with different types of isotopes. Medical-grade isotopes are irradiated in short periods, allowing them to be produced in larger quantities. For example, it takes 120 hours to produce samarium-153, and iodine-131 takes three weeks. The irradiated target after removal with the help of special equipment will be placed in a packaging shipping container, then delivered to the customer by special transport. At the next stage, the target isotope necessary for the manufacture of radiopharmaceutical products is isolated from the irradiated target."
The Kursk nuclear power plant began producing the cobalt-60 isotope in 2018 - it has applications in sterilising foodstuffs, medical instruments and materials, for stimulating the growth and yield of grain and vegetable crops, disinfecting and cleaning industrial waste, radiation surgery for various pathologies, and for gamma flaw detection of various products.
Rosatom says that demand for its radioisotope products has been growing, with exports up 15% in 2023 and around 2.5 million diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed worldwide using Rosatom's isotopes, which it says are supplied to around 170 companies in 50 countries.
Kursk nuclear power plant is home to four RBMK-1000 reactors. Kursk unit 1 was shut in 2021 after 45 years of operation, while unit 2 shut earlier this year. Units 3 and 4 are due to retire by 2031. They are being replaced by four VVER-TOI reactors at the nearby Kursk II site.
IAEA assesses operational safety at Hungary's Paks nuclear plant
Monday, 25 November 2024
An International Atomic Energy Agency mission team said the operator of Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant shows a commitment to safety, with areas of good practice to share with other operators globally, as well as providing some suggestions to further improve safety.
(Image: MVM)
The Paks plant is located about 180 kilometres southwest of Budapest and is owned by Magyar Villamos Művek (MVM). The existing four units at Paks are VVER-440 reactors that started up between 1982 and 1987 and they produce about half of the country's electricity. Their design lifetime was for 30 years but that was extended in 2005 by 20 years, to between 2032 and 2037, and there are plans for a further 20-year extension.
The aim for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) missions is to assess safety performance against IAEA safety standards, highlight areas of good practice and propose improvements.
During the 18-day mission, the areas of good practice identified by the 13-member team were: the development and implementation of a monitoring and repair programme for confinement systems; the storage of geospatial information on plant structures and components and the sharing of data on different platforms; and the development of software to predict potential initiating emergency events and the progression of events.
The suggestions to further improve safety included: consider enhancing measures to maintain measurement equipment, includinginspections, calibrations, storage and traceability; consider reinforcing plant programmes and work practices to ensure that, in the event of an earthquake, the potential impact of non-fixed items on safety-related equipment is minimised, and consider enhancing processes, procedures and practices to provide personnel with the necessary instructions in the industrial areas of the plant.
OSART team leader Yury Martynenko, senior nuclear safety officer at the IAEA, said: "The team was pleased to see that the plant was very well prepared and cooperated fully and openly with IAEA experts during the mission. The managers and staff of Paks NPP are committed to improving the operational safety and reliability of their plant, and we were pleased to see many actions in progress."
Péter János Horváth, CEO of MVM Paks Nuclear Power Plant Ltd, said: "It was in the spirit of continuous learning that we had requested the IAEA review. The OSART mission has allowed us to make an in-depth assessment of our work. The recommendations and suggestions will help us to continuously improve the plant's operational safety, and thanks to the expertise of our team, we can also contribute to the enrichment of global best practices."
This was the fourth OSART review mission to Paks NPP - the first was in 1988, followed by ones in 2001 and 2014.
A draft copy of the report has been provided to the plant management, and following any factual comments provided, the final copy will be submitted to the Hungarian government within three months. The experts on the review mission were from Argentina, Bulgaria, China, the Czech Republic, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates and the USA, as well as three IAEA officials
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