Centre for African food security, defence science group, Bangladesh’s first nuclear plant…

This week in world in brief: Australia sets up centre for African food security; Defence science group upgraded; Russia to build Bangladesh’s first nuclear plant; South Korea plans double green R&D spend; Satellites reveal lost settlements in Libya.

Australia sets up centre for African food security

Prime Minister Julia Gillard told the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Perth on 26 October that Australia will establish a research centre in Canberra aimed at boosting agricultural productivity in Africa. It will cost AU$36 million ($38m) to set up and will be funded through the four-year AU$46.8m Australia-Africa Food Security Initiative. The Australian International Centre for Food Security will stage an international conference on food security for Africa next year.