USAF Buys Prop Bomber For Afghanistan

The USAF has selected the A-29 Super Tucano for its Light Air Support program. The Super Tucano was designed by the Brazilian-based company Embraer but will contract out to Florida-based Sierra Nevada to complete 20 Super Tucanos for $427.5 million. They will be sent to Afghanistan and be given to the Afghan Air Force as US forces leave the country. The Light Air Support program has faced harsh criticism from Air Force officials in the past who did not want to buy low-cost propeller driven attack planes but in times of tightening budgets and the need to hand off aircraft that Afghans will find useful and operable the low cost, high capacity Super Tucano won the contract over some interesting rivals. 

Italian Election Solves No Problems

The general election in Italy ended in a political gridlock as no party was able to gain a majority in the senate while in the house a coalition of the center-left Italy Common Good gained enough support to gain a majority. In the senate, the votes gained by upstart former comedian Beppe Grillo's Five Star Movement that is against the euro prevents an active coalition being formed. Former Prime Minister Silvio Burlusconi's People of Freedom coalition gained 29.1% of the vote despite Burlusconi being on trial for seeing an underage prostitute with the promise of repealing a recent property tax that has proven very unpopular. Economists fear an economic downturn based on gridlock, the showing of the anti-euro faction, and the probability of another election soon. New austerity measures, which many see as essential to the Italian economy are politically impossible with the outcome of the election. 

India Launches 7 Satellites On One Rocket

India launched its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle   from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India with seven satellites on board, including an Indo-French weather satellite, a satellite to detect asteroids, and two small space telescopes. It was the 23rd successful launch of the PSLV. 

Arrow 3 Missile Defense System Successfully Tested By Israel

The Israeli Defense Ministry announced that it conducted a successful test of its new high altitude missile defense system, the Arrow 3. The system is a joint project of the Israeli Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure and the US Defense Department's Missile Defense Agency. The Arrow 3 is the long range interceptor of the Israeli anti-missile system that includes the successfully deployed "Iron Dome" used for short ranged missiles. The Arrow reached an altitude of 100 kilometers, attained hypersonic speed, but did not intercept another missile, that will come at a later test. according to officials. 

South Africa To Investigate Zimbabwe's Mugabe For Crimes Against Humanity

   The South Africa's Priority Crimes Litigation Unit of National Prosecuting Authority and the Directorate for the Priority Crime Investigation Unit of the Police Service are to open an investigation of the use of wide-spread rape by members of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's political party ZANU-PF as a political tool in the 2008 presidential election according to NGO AIDS Free World. A South African court ruled in 2012 that the country was obligated to investigate the charges due to international law obligations. This may be the first time that "universal jurisdiction" has been claimed in a rape case. 
   Evidence has been gathered from 84 victims in Zimbabwe that have identified over 200 perpetrators and organizers. According to the reports rapists would wear ZANU-PF shirts, sing party songs and made political statements. Victims would be taken to party camps that may be used during this year's election and raped on average at least five times but that may be an underestimate since many of the women fell unconscious during the rapes. None of the rapists have been charged by Zimbabwe authorities. 
   The investigation is seen as putting Mugabe on notice that he is being watched while a constitutional referendum and a national election go on this year. Zimbabwe refuses to ratify the International Criminal Court and is protected from investigation by China's UN veto. There are also reports that civil society leaders in Zimbabwe have been arrested or attacked in recent weeks in advance of the votes. 

Syrian Foreign Minister Opens Door For Talks With Rebels

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Muallem said in Moscow that the government is ready to hold talks with all parties to end the two-year long civil war in the country. In a press conference before meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Al-Muallem also indicated that there was willingness to create a new coalition that would be willing to negotiate with both internal and external opposition. Lavrov also stressed that a political solution is the only alternative, this is contrasted by US Secretary of State John Kerry's proclamation that Assad must go. This comes after a Syrian opposition leader Moaz Alkhatib last week rejected talks while in Moscow and a statement earlier today saying that the government has not contacted the opposition to open talks and criticized Moscow for not condemning the killing in Syria.

US To Fly 140000 Tear Gas Bombs To Egypt

   According to reports on January 28, 2013 a permit was obtained from the US government by the Egyptian government to buy 140000 tear gas canisters since current stocks have been depleted over the course of two years of revolution and strife.  A letter from the Egyptian Interior Ministry to the Defense Ministry asked that an order for more bombs be made because the incidents were ongoing and that they were needed to preserve the nation's safety from rioters. The Interior Ministry also asked that the shipment be sent by air after a delay in sea transportation because of an 'urgent need.' 
   A US State Department spokesperson, when asked about the transfer, said, "Whether we're talking about Egypt or any other country or any other country on the planet, frankly, we support the right of peaceful protest as one means for citizens to express themselves to their government. But the protest has to be peaceful and the response to the protest has to be restrained and peaceful on the part of the government." 
    Letters between the Egyptian Interior and Defense Ministries indicate that the permit from the US was only allowed after the tear gas had labels of the country of origin removed from them. This is in response to pictures like the one posted above of a tear gas canister used against protesters in Tahrir Square in Egypt in 2011 that show that the tear gas was made in the US state of Pennsylvania.