A leader of Niger's Tuareg rebels is threatening an offensive against uranium mining operations in the country.

Toshiba Corporation today announced that the company would participate in the Kharassan uranium mines project, a new development project in southern Kazakhstan promoted by Kazatomprom (herein after, KAP), a Republic of Kazakhstan state-owned enterprise. Toshiba’s participation is in line with its policy of enhancing its nuclear energy business.

A trio of security vulnerabilities surrounding the use of nuclear power are highlighted in research papers online with Inderscience Publishers.

Uranium has been a hot topic of late, but one environmental engineer believes nuclear energy does not have a justifiable place in Australia's future. Australia's Prime Minister John Howard believes nuclear power is part of the solution to Australia's future energy needs.

The spot price for uranium has jumped by $US18 in a week, and is now at $US113 per pound. The price was paid for about 50 tonnes of uranium at an auction in the US.

Limited supplies of fuel for nuclear power plants may thwart the renewed and growing interest in nuclear energy in the United States and other nations, says an MIT expert on the industry.

Analysts say it will take many years for a dramatic spike in uranium prices to filter through to the operators of Australia's existing uranium mines.