A Syrian member of parliament thought to be familiar with the thinking of President Bashar al-Assad is quoted in the London-based pan-Arab daily newspaper Al-Quds al-Arabi on Saturday as saying that Syria could strike Israel’s nuclear reactor in Dimona as retaliation for any future violations of Syrian sovereignty.
In an interview with the paper, Mohammad Habash [...]

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A former CIA officer who has advised U.S. President George Bush on the Middle East believes Israel is more likely than ever to attack Iran.
In an interview with Newsweek magazine published Thursday, Bruce Riedel said that he talked to defense officials and to officials in the Mossad, or Israeli secret service, during a recent visit.
“I [...]

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The Russian armed forces will receive a new submarine-based intercontinental ballistic missile in 2008 and a new type of tank in 2009, local news agencies quoted a top Russian general as saying on Saturday.
Deputy Defence Minister Nikolai Makarov was quoted as saying the nuclear submarine Yuri Dolgoruky, equipped with the Bulava missile, will become part [...]

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The submarine is known as Project 20120 in Russian design terminology. She apparently employs the small nuclear reactor — known to some engineers as a “teakettle” — to keep a charge on the battery, providing essentially unlimited underwater endurance on relatively quiet electric propulsion. In effect, this is an Air-Indpendent Propulsion (AIP) system.
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India has woken up to China’s new army capabilities. A major overhaul is needed.
On a visit on December 2 to the Sino-Indian border, Union defence minister A.K. Antony gave voice to a concern that has been getting reiterated for long by his country’s military. “It’s an eye-opener,” said a shocked Antony, as he toured forward [...]

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For the last 13 years Jack has been the most popular boys’ name in the land.
But in multicultural Britain children named after the Muslim prophet Mohammed come a close second.
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The most popular names for baby boys in 2006
1 Jack 6,928, 2 Muhammad (all spellings) 5,991, 3 Thomas 5,921, 4 Joshua 5,808, 5 Oliver [...]

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