The UK plans to make it easier for scientists from overseas to work and live in the country following its departure from the European Union. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the "fast-track visa route" during his visit yesterday to the Culham Science Centre in Oxfordshire, England.

The US Department of Energy has formally announced the preparation of an environmental impact statement for the construction of a Versatile Test Reactor to test fuels and materials for use in advanced civilian nuclear power reactors.

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories has launched a new research and development programme to accelerate the deployment of small modular reactors in Canada. The Canadian Nuclear Research Initiative will provide reactor vendors access to world-class research facilities, it said.

Moltex Energy USA LLC has been awarded USD2.55 million of US federal funding to develop technologies that will be capable of shortening Stable Salt Reactor construction timelines to under three years.

The US Department of Energy has announced USD49.3 million in funding for nuclear energy research, facility access, crosscutting technology development, and infrastructure for 58 advanced nuclear technology projects in 25 states.

UK-based research and development company Innovative Physics Ltd and China Environmental Protection Company Ltd have signed an agreement on technologies and skills to further improve the safety of nuclear power plants in China and overseas.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the ITER International Fusion Energy Organisation are to enhance their cooperation in nuclear fusion research and related activities following the signing of an agreement that expands one signed in 2008.

Engineers at Lancaster University are developing computer systems for robots handling hazardous nuclear waste. The software will make the robots semi-autonomous - simplifying human control, which has to be done remotely due to the highly radioactive environments in which the robots operate.

Six university projects will develop instrumentation and tools for the USA's forthcoming Versatile Test Reactor using USD1.7 million in funding just allocated by Idaho National Laboratory.

Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has used the experience it has gained from developing robots for inspecting nuclear power plants in accident situations to develop an explosion-proof robot for inspecting and monitoring industrial facilities. A prototype EX ROVR robot has been tested at a Japanese oil refinery.

A new use of neutron detectors for reactor monitoring and safeguards, developed by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Ltd, could potentially be used for the independent verification of nuclear reactor activities and for monitoring the sealed cores of some small modular reactors.

Faster research into nuclear fuel performance is now possible at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's High Flux Isotope Reactor through the use of tiny samples, known as MiniFuel.