French president Emmanuel Macron promises to co-operate with UK on small-boat crossings
French president Emmanuel Macron has promised to deliver on measures to cut the number of migrants crossing the English Channel.
Mr Macron, who is due to attend a summit with UK prime minister Keir Starmer tomorrow, said the issue of irregular migration was a 'burden' to both countries.
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RTÉ News
8 hours ago
- RTÉ News
UK gives green light to £38 bn Sizewell C nuclear plant
The UK government has today given new British nuclear power plant Sizewell C the final go-ahead after reaching a deal with investors, aiming to bolster net zero and energy security goals. The UK government, the largest shareholder in the project, said Sizewell C, in eastern England, will cost around £38 billion to construct. The project will also be funded by Canadian pension fund La Caisse, British Gas owner Centrica, Amber Infrastructure and French energy giant EDF. "It is time to do big things and build big projects in this country again," Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said in a statement. "Today we announce an investment that will provide clean, homegrown power to millions of homes for generations to come," he added. The plant, which has been in financial limbo for over a decade, is not expected to start generating electricity until the 2030s. The projected construction cost of £38 billion exceeds previous official estimates of £20 to £30 billion - and campaigners have warned that further cost overruns or delays could impact households. The final investment decision gives the government a 44.9% stake in the project. Among the new investors in Sizewell C, La Caisse holds a 20% stake, Centrica 15% and investment manager Amber Infrastructure an "initial" 7.6%. EDF announced earlier this month that it will take a 12.5% stake in the project - down from 16.2% ownership at the end of 2024. The UK has refocused on shoring up nuclear power since the start of the war in Ukraine, in the name of energy security and faced with a fleet of ageing power stations. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government has also pledged by 2035 to reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by 81% on 1990 levels, under plans to reach net-zero by 2050. The use of nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuels is highly controversial, however, with many environmental groups warning about safety risks and the disposal of nuclear waste. The plans for Sizewell C have been met with anger by some local residents worried about the impact of the new plant on the town of Leiston in Suffolk. Once operational, the project will power around six million homes and create around 10,000 jobs, according to the government. Near to Sizewell C is the Sizewell B nuclear power station which is due to close in 2035 - and Sizewell A which is in the process of being decommissioned. EDF is also building the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in southwestern England, although it has been plagued by delays and rising construction costs.
The Journal
10 hours ago
- The Journal
UK gives the green light to huge new nuclear power plant
THE UK GOVERNMENT has announced the construction of the Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk will cost around £38 billion, as it struck a deal with a group of investors. The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) said Energy Secretary Ed Miliband had signed the final investment decision for the development. The government will become the biggest equity shareholder in the project with a 44.9% stake. New Sizewell C investors include La Caisse with 20%, Centrica with 15%, and Amber Infrastructure with an initial 7.6%. It comes alongside French energy giant EDF announcing earlier this month it was taking a 12.5% stake – lower than its previously stated 16.2% ownership. The final deal clinches the investment needed to deliver the long-awaited nuclear plant since it was first earmarked for development in 2010. It also confirms the cost of Sizewell C's construction, which was forecast to be about £20 billion by developer EDF five years ago. Advertisement DESNZ said the cost is about 20% cheaper than the development of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset. Sizewell C will power the equivalent of six million homes and create some 10,000 jobs once it is operational, which is expected to be in the 2030s. Miliband said: 'It is time to do big things and build big projects in this country again – and today we announce an investment that will provide clean, homegrown power to millions of homes for generations to come. 'This government is making the investment needed to deliver a new golden age of nuclear, so we can end delays and free us from the ravages of the global fossil fuel markets to bring bills down for good.' Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: 'La Caisse, Centrica and Amber's multibillion-pound investment is a powerful endorsement of the UK as the best place to do business and as a global hub for nuclear energy. 'Delivering next generation, publicly owned clean power is vital to our energy security and growth, which is why we backed Sizewell C.' Chris O'Shea, Centrica's chief executive, said Sizewell C was a 'compelling investment for our shareholders and the country as a whole'. 'This isn't just an investment in a new power station – it's an investment in Britain's energy independence, our net zero journey, and thousands of high-quality jobs across the country,' he added.
Irish Independent
16 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Russia targets Ukraine capital in massive assault as talks on US arms deal begin
The attack killed two people and wounded 15, including a 12 year old, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said. A drone struck the entrance to a subway station in Kyiv's Shevchenkivskyi district where people had taken cover. Videos posted on social media showed the station platform engulfed by smoke, with dozens of people inside. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said the station had to be ventilated in what he called an 'enhanced mode'. The heaviest strikes hit the city's Darnytskyi district, where a preschool, supermarket and warehouse facilities caught fire. French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who arrived in Kyiv yesterday for talks with Mr Zelensky, visited some of the damaged area. Mr Zelensky and Mr Barrot spoke about expanding defence co-operation, including a decision by French companies to start manufacturing drones in Ukraine, and advancing Ukraine's path towards EU membership, the Ukrainian leader said on social media. The overnight drone and missile assault on Kyiv underscored the urgency of Ukraine's need for further Western military aid, especially in air defence, a week after Mr Trump said deliveries would arrive in Ukraine within days. The virtual meeting of high-level military officials yesterday was led by British Defence Secretary John Healey and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Nato leader Mark Rutte, as well as Nato's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, attended the meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group. Moscow has intensified its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities, and analysts say the barrages are likely to escalate as Russian drone production expands. Ukraine's new Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal urged allies to speed up deliveries of US air defence systems under the plan put forward by Mr Trump. 'I request the US to make these weapons available for purchase, and our European partners to extend all the needed financing for their procurement,' Mr Shmyhal, who until recently served as prime minister, said as the meeting began. ADVERTISEMENT Mr Trump's arms plan, announced a week ago, involves European nations sending US weapons, including Patriot air defence missile systems, to Ukraine via Nato – either from existing stockpiles or buying and donating new ones. In an shift of tone towards Russia, Mr Trump last week gave Moscow a 50-day deadline to agree to a ceasefire or face tougher sanctions. At yesterday's meeting, Mr Healey was expected to urge Ukraine's Western partners to launch a '50-day drive' to get Kyiv the weapons it needs to fight Russia's bigger army and force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, the UK government said in a statement. Gen Grynkewich told The Associated Press on Thursday that 'preparations are under way' for weapons transfers to Ukraine while US Ambassador to Nato Matthew Whitaker said he could not give a time frame. Germany has said it offered to finance two new Patriot systems for Ukraine and raised the possibility of supplying systems it already owns and having them replaced by the US. But delivery could take time, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, because 'they have to be transported, they have to be set up; that is not a question of hours, it is a question of days, perhaps weeks'. Other Patriot systems could come thanks to Switzerland, whose defence ministry said on Thursday it was informed by the US Defence Department that it will 'reprioritize the delivery' of five previously ordered systems to support Ukraine. While Ukraine waits for Patriots, a senior Nato official said the alliance is still co-ordinating the delivery of other military aid – such as ammunition and artillery rounds – which includes aid from the US that was briefly paused. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. Mr Zelensky said on Saturday that his officials have proposed a new round of peace talks this week. Russian state media on Sunday reported that no date has yet been set for the negotiations, but said that Istanbul would likely remain the host city. The Kremlin spokesman said on Sunday that Russia is open to peace with Ukraine, but achieving its goals remains a priority. The overnight Russian barrage of Kyiv began shortly after midnight and continued until around 6am. Residents of the capital were kept awake by machine-gun fire, buzzing drone engines and multiple loud explosions. Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 426 Shahed and decoy drones overnight into Monday, as well as 24 missiles of various types. It said 200 drones were intercepted with 203 more jammed or lost from radars.
