China
Vitrified nuclear waste + Covid origin + More loans for coal power
Dear reader,
At some point, every nation operating nuclear power plants has to ask itself where to dispose of the nuclear waste. Radioactive waste needs to be safely stored for thousands of years. China is one of the few nations that is continuing to develop its nuclear power. With German support, the People's Republic is developing methods for vitrifying nuclear waste, Frank Sieren details in his report. State media speak of major breakthroughs. The People's Republic hopes to store nuclear waste safely for 1,000 years. Western researchers, however, remain skeptical.
Investigating the origins of the COVID-19 virus is crucial to stopping the next pandemic in its tracks. The closer science gets to the first infected human, the more likely it is that new pathogens will be discovered early. New data analysis now indicates circumstantial evidence of an earlier COVID-19 outbreak in China. Public institutions in Hubei allegedly ordered PCR tests in large quantities – well before China reported the first Covid-19 infection to the WHO. But experts have their doubts about the new evidence: PCR tests have long been used to identify other pathogens as well, as Marcel Grzanna reports. The question regarding the origin of the pandemic will continue to keep the global community busy – and it remains politically charged.
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