Nuclear Project Throws Light on Middle East

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is backing a new project to build a giant machine to generate intense light beams for scientific and technological research.

The IAEA is providing $1m for the project called SESAME (Synchrotron-Light for Experimental Science and Applications for the Middle East).

Participating nations include Jordan, Egypt, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority.

Over the next three years, total ISEA investment for training SESAME staff, scientists and engineers could total $920,000.

The research facility is expected to open in 2010.

Reported by Ozge Ibrahim