The Observer, Sunday June 29, 2008  Peter Beaumont, Rory McCarthy, Tracy McVeigh and Paul Harris

Israeli fighter jets flew 1,500 kms across the Mediterranean this month, in a dry run for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Tehran has threatened to treat such a raid as a declaration of war. As the Middle East braces itself for a stand-off of epic proportions, how close is the region to that nightmare scenario?

The meeting at the home of Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was not supposed to be public. The man invited into Olmert's official residence in Jerusalem was Aviam Sela, architect of Operation Opera in 1981, when Israel launched a long-range strike against Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor. Regarded as a brilliant aviation tactician, in particular in the field of in-flight refuelling, Olmert's office tried to play down the meeting. But the rumours in Israel's defence establishment were already flying.

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By Angus McDowall Last Updated: 1:30PM BST 28/06/2008

The head of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards has threatened to hurt Western economies by cutting off Gulf oil supplies if his country's nuclear facilities are attacked.

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Officers seize Christians from their home, leaving ill 4-year-old girl
unattended.

LOS ANGELES, June 28 (Compass Direct News) – Security police officials
in Tehran this month tortured a newly converted couple and threatened to
put their 4-year-old daughter in an institution after arresting them for
holding Bible studies and attending a house church.

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The Associated Press
Friday, June 27, 2008; 10:03 AM

NEW DELHI -- A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck off India's Andaman
Islands on Friday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or
injuries, officials and police said.

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