Israel joins nuclear terror initiative

Israel will become a partner nation of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, the U.S. State Department said. The Jewish state, along with Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, decided to join the initiative at the most recent meeting of the Global Initiative in Ankara, Turkey, in February. Partner nations will meet again in Kazakhstan in June to review the progress of Global Initiative activities to address gaps in implementation and welcome new members. With more than 30 member nations, the Global Initiative was launched in July 2006 by President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin to help combat nuclear terrorism.