The United States has announced it plans to sell the latest version of the Patriot interceptor missile to Kuwait. The Pentagon said Kuwait was seeking more than 200 of the missiles in a deal valued at about $900 million. It said Kuwait needed the missiles to counter threats of enemy air-to-ground weapons.
Zimbabwe has begun its first authorized sale of diamonds since the lifting of a suspension imposed last November by the Kimberley Process which seeks to prevent trade in diamonds fuelling conflict. International buyers joined members of the government at Harare airport to mark the lifting of the suspension. But a local human rights lawyer, Irene Petras, questioned the decision. She said not enough had been done to address allegations of abuses by the military at the Marange diamond fields. The Zimbabwean Vice President John Nkomo said it was an important day for Zimbabwe.
"We have cause to celebrate this remarkable achievement that has seen our diamonds from Marange being
certified
by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme."
John Nkomo.
The Russian air force says it's deployed surface-to-air missiles in the breakaway region of Abkhazia in Georgia. The air force commander General Alexander Zelin said the purpose was to defend the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, another breakaway region of Georgia. Russia, which already has military bases in both regions, is one of the few countries to recognize the two territories as independent.