Vienna - Developing countries on Thursday effectively blocked plans by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for nuclear fuel banks that aim to keep countries from acquiring sensitive nuclear technology by offering them alternatives.

The Vienna-based IAEA had asked member countries of its governing board to give the green light for fleshing out proposals to sway countries to buy nuclear fuel from abroad, by providing them with an insurance in case their supply is cut off for political reasons.

Vienna - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has detected particles of highly enriched uranium at a nuclear research site in Egypt, according to a report made available to German Press Agency dpa on Wednesday.

The traces were found in 2007 and 2008 in samples taken at the Inshas research reactor, said the agency in its annual report on its nuclear inspection activities.

Vienna- Inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) started Tuesday to reinstall seals and cameras in its plutonium reprocessing plant, a source close to the agency said.

On Monday, the Vienna-based agency announced that the reclusive Stalinist state had reversed its ban on IAEA inspections, after the United States struck the country from its terrorism blacklist on Saturday.

In September, North Korea had ordered the IAEA to remove monitoring technology from its plutonium reprocessing facility in its Yongbyon nuclear complex.

Vienna- North Korea has allowed inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) back into its nuclear facilities after banning them from doing their work last week, a Western diplomat told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa Monday.

The development came after the US State Department announced on Saturday that North Korea had agreed to allow rigorous inspections of all its nuclear activities, in turn with Washington responding by removing the Stalinist state from a terrorism blacklist.

Washington - The United States urged North Korea on Thursday to reverse its decision to ban international inspectors from its main nuclear complex.

"It's a regrettable step but one that is reversible," US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

North Korea had earlier told the UN nuclear monitoring body, the International Atomic Energy Agency, that its inspectors were no longer allowed into the Yongbyon facilities.

Vienna  - North Korea has banned inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from all facilities at its nuclear complex in Yongbyon, the agency said Thursday.

According to an IAEA document sent to member states, Pyongyang told inspectors on Thursday that "since it is preparing to restart the facilities, Agency monitoring of the shut down and sealing of these facilities ... is no longer appropriate."

Vienna- Western countries are seeking to keep Syria from taking a rotating seat on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board, as the Middle Eastern nation is alleged to have built a secret nuclear reactor.

Vienna - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed Elbaradei warned Monday in Vienna that the agency's ability to carry out its core work was at risk unless funding was increased.

As member states of the Vienna-based agency have hardly raised its budget since the early 1980s, some areas of work, such as the prevention of nuclear terrorism, are being funded through special contributions by individual countries.

Tehran  - The head of the Iranian Atomic Organization will go to Vienna to attend the General Assembly of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), official news agency IRNA reported Saturday.

Gholam-Reza Aqazadeh, who is also vice-president, is scheduled to address the assembly Monday and is also expected to meet with IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei, IRNA said.

Aqazadeh is in charge of the technical aspects of Iran's nuclear programmes while Saeid Jalili, as chief nuclear negotiator, is in charge of political talks with the world powers through European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

Vienna  - The European Union said Wednesday it stood ready to start comprehensive talks with Iran on its nuclear programme, but also restated its general support for new measures should Tehran continue to defy the United Nations Security Council.

"We have to react," French Ambassador Francois-Xavier Deniau told the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. France holds the rotating EU presidency.

Like other IAEA members, EU countries are concerned about lingering questions over past Iranian research that could have been related to the development of nuclear weapons.