Israel bans reporter

Israel has banned a British journalist, who first reported the revelations of nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu, from entering the country, an Interior Ministry spokeswoman said on Sunday. ‘‘(Interior) Minister (Avraham) Poraz took the decision today because he is convinced that Peter Hounam is likely to act in ways which would hurt state security,’’ Tova Ellison said. Hounam was part of The Sunday Times which broke the story about Israel’s secret nuclear weapons programme in 1986. Details about the programme were leaked to Hounam by Vanunu. —(AFP)