Kazakhstan's Institute of Nuclear Physics has implemented "significant" modifications and upgrades to improve the safety of its research reactor, an IAEA Integrated Nuclear Safety Assessment of Research Reactors mission has concluded. The IAEA team reviewed the comprehensive safety programs at the light water reactor called WWR-K, including improvements to reactor safety systems and to the training and qualification program for staff.

Russian nuclear fuel manufacturer TVEL has signed a contract with the China Institute of Atomic Energy for the supply of fuel to the Chinese Experimental Fast Reactor.

WEST is the new name for Tore Supra, a plasma facility near Cadarache in southern France, which has been upgraded to undertake research towards the Iter fusion project. The reactor celebrated its first plasma on 14 December as part of its mission to support the Iter project.

UPDATED The governor of Fukui prefecture has called the Japanese government's proposal to decommission the Monju prototype fast breeder reactor (FBR) as "totally unacceptable". However, the government announced a formal decision on 20 December to scrap the reactor.

The Australian Synchrotron and Opal Nuclear Research Reactor are identified as landmark facilities that will require ongoing investment in a draft National Infrastructure Research Roadmap released for public comment.

The Korean Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) tokamak-type nuclear fusion reactor has achieved a world record of 70 seconds in high-performance plasma operation, South Korea's National Fusion Research Institute has announced.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has completed a safety assessment of Jordan's first nuclear reactor ahead of its routine operation. The Jordan Research and Training Reactor has finished its test run and been declared complete by its Korean constructors.

The Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group announced yesterday it has successfully demonstrated the capability to measure material expansion during irradiation with micrometer accuracy at temperatures above 750°C. The technology – developed at the High Flux Reactor at Petten in the Netherlands - will help in the development of improved reactor materials and nuclear fuels.

UPDATED A small amount of radioactive iodine was released into the environment yesterday during an incident involving the handling of test fuel in the reactor hall of the Halden research reactor in Norway.

The Radiological and Nuclear Regulatory Authority of Paraguay and Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

The head of Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has confirmed the importance of fast breeder reactor (FBR) development in Japan at a meeting of public and private sector representatives. Japanese governmental policy on FBRs - including the future of the Monju prototype fast breeder reactor - is to be finalized by the end of the year.

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Integrated Nuclear Safety Assessment of Research Reactors (INSARR) mission has concluded that NRG of the Netherlands has promoted and further developed a strong safety culture based on a mature management system at its Petten research reactor.