The International Atomic Energy Agency celebrated its 60th anniversary on 29 July, the date in 1957 when it formally came into existence after 26 countries ratified its Statute. The Vienna-based agency now has 168 Member States.

All contracting parties to the international Convention on Nuclear Safety have now made their national reports on the implementation of their obligations publicly available, the first time this has happened since the convention was established in 1996.

The conversion of Ghana's research reactor to run on low-enriched uranium (LEU) instead of highly-enriched uranium (HEU) has been completed. It is the first of five such Chinese-supplied reactors outside of China to be converted.

Italy is committed to the safe and effective decommissioning of nuclear sites and management of associated radioactive waste, an International Atomic Energy Agency mission has concluded. However, it noted areas for potential improvement.

The UK government's Department for Exiting the European Union has today published a position paper on nuclear materials and safeguards issues, which the head of the country's Nuclear Industry Association says "demonstrates the complexity" of replicating arrangements with the European Atomic Energy Community.

Nigeria has a committed regulatory body that works for the continuous improvement of nuclear and radiation safety, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) peer review mission has concluded. However, it noted challenges related to its independence in implementing regulatory decisions and activities.

Hungary has made commendable progress in implementing recommendations from an International Physical Protection Advisory Service mission conducted in 2013, the International Atomic Energy Agency has said. A follow-up IPPAS mission was completed today.

Bangladesh is making significant progress in building its first nuclear power plant, International Atomic Energy Agency director general Yukiya Amano said following a visit to the site of the Rooppur plant on 3 July.

Workers at unit 1 of the Qinshan nuclear power plant in China's Zhejiang province have made significant progress in long-term operational safety, an International Atomic Energy Agency team has concluded. The plant has applied to operate beyond its original 30-year design life.

International Atomic Energy Agency director-general Yukiya Amano yesterday updated the agency's board of governors on recent developments including the IAEA's storage facility for low-enriched uranium - known as the LEU Bank - which will be inaugurated on 29 August and should receive its first uranium in 2018.

The International Atomic Energy Agency's Technical Cooperation program has produced another 15 agreements, which were signed during last week's conference to mark the 60th anniversary of the program. IAEA deputy director-general Dazhu Yang said the latest agreements were testimony to the importance of partnerships in the pursuit of development objectives.

Canada's Bruce B nuclear power plant has made significant progress in implementing the safety improvement recommendations of a 2015 International Atomic Energy Agency Operational Safety Review Team, a follow-up mission has confirmed.