DESPITE CUTS, ISRAEL'S MILITARY GROOMS R&D

TEL AVIV [MENL] -- Despite severe cuts that threaten a range of programs,Israel's military has intensified efforts to expand research anddevelopment. Officials said the Israel Defense Forces has accelerated its recruitmentof university students in special programs to develop applied researchtechnology in the military. The programs link the military with severalleading Israeli universities and provide access for budding engineering andother students to complete their studies as part of defense research anddevelopment programs.