Zimbabwe swears in Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangawa AKA the crocodile as new president.

Zimbabwe on Friday saw its first new head of state in 37 years with the swearing in of former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Robert Mugabe, the only leader Zimbabwe has ever known, was forced to resign earlier this week after 37 years in power.

I Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, swear that as president of the republic of Zimbabwe, that I will uphold and defend the constitution and all of the laws of Zimbabwe. Mnangagwa attested during a pomp-filled, exuberant ceremony that included music, dancing, dignitaries – and promises.

President Mnangagwa won't have time to rest on his laurels and celebrate winning the job he clearly eyed for decades while serving as Mugabe's right-hand man.

He will serve out the remainder of Mugabe's term, which is slated to end in mid-2018. Nevertheless, he laid out an ambitious program of economic, social and political reforms.

"For the time that I shall be president of Zimbabwe, I solemnly promise that I shall, to the best of my ability, serve everyone, everyone, who calls and considers Zimbabwe their home," he stated to a cheering audience. "I encourage all of us to remain peaceful even as preparations for political contestations for next year's harmonized free and fair elections gather momentum. The voice of the people is the voice of God."

Attendees said they were most interested in the economic promises that Mnangagwa made, which comprised the majority of his speech. He said Zimbabwe would attempt to pay its international debts, would loosen import restrictions, and would work to make sure Zimbabweans could get easier access to hard currency – a promise which drew massive cheers in a nation where nine currencies are legal tender, but where cash is woefully scarce.

The 60,000-seat stadium in the capital was packed to the rafters, with thousands of revelers who arrived several hours before the main event. But one absence stood out: 93-year-old Robert Mugabe was nowhere to be found among the front row of southern African presidents, current and former.

Mnangagwa – who was a close ally of Mugabe until Mugabe fired him earlier this month and set off the crisis that prompted Mugabe to resign – praised his predecessor and urged people to forgive.

Some attendees traveled a long way for the ceremony. Solomon Gatsa, 34, took a five-hour bus ridefrom the nation's second city of Bulawayo. He offered the new president some simple advice.

The first thing, he starts to change the economy. After that, the people need to have a job

Mnangagwa, too, appeared pleased as he accepted the ceremonial sash and trappings of the presidency. But, he said, Zimbabwe has many, many challenges ahead, and told his people that for things to improve, everyone would need to get to work.

US to send F-22 jets to South Korea in a show of force

The US will send six F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets to South Korea in a new show of force aimed at Pyongyang, amid heightened tensions over North Korea's missile and nuclear programs.

"Six F-22 fighters from the US Air Force are scheduled to join the joint South Korea-US exercise Vigilant Ace from December 4-8," South Korean military officials told Yonhap.

The fighters will fly to the Korean Peninsula from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan and stay at an air base in South Korea throughout the exercise, according to officials.

Up to four F-35A Lightning stealth fighters are also likely to join the deployment, they said.

This would mark the first time the US has deployed six Raptors to Korea at once.

Local media reported that the US aircraft will engage in precision strike drills with South Korean AirForce fighter jets.

The Vigilant Ace drill is held regularly by the US and South Korea to simulate wartime operations.

The move comes as the US pushes what President Donald Trump has called a "maximum pressure campaign" against the North's nuclear program.

Further escalating tensions, on Monday US President Donald Trump declared North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism, a move designed to punish the Asian nation over its nuclear and missile programs.

North Korea denounced the decision, saying the move amounts to a "serious provocation" that justifies Pyongyang's development of nuclear weapons.

Experts have warned that blacklisting North Korea would have limited practical effect but makes finding a diplomatic solution to the standoff more difficult.

Meanwhile, the international push for a diplomatic solution took another blow on Tuesday, when the Trump administration imposed a series of new sanctions on a number of North Korean shipping firms as well as Chinese companies.

The move has infuriated China, which is North Korea's main trading partner.

Suspected Islamic Militants Kill 235 in Sinai Mosque Attack EGYPT

Egyptian security officials said 235 people were killed Friday by suspected militants in an attack on a packed mosque in the volatile northern Sinai Peninsula.

The government's MENA news agency said extremists targeted the al-Rawdah mosque in Bir al-Abed, west of the provincial capital, el-Arish.

A man claiming to have been inside the mosque during the attack told Arab media that militants in four-wheel-drive vehicles opened fire inside the house of worship following an explosion.

Eyewitnesses also said the militants fired on ambulances as emergency personnel tried to evacuate the wounded to hospitals. The state news agency said 109 people were wounded in the attack.

The attack targeted a mosque frequented by Sufis, members of a mystic movement within Islam.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but an Islamic State affiliate has been carrying out attacks in the region since 2013.

Egyptian government warplanes reportedly attacked terrorist targets in the Sinai following the carnage at the mosque.

President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi vowed that the attack "will not go unpunished" but did not specify what steps might be taken.

U.S. President Donald Trump reacted to the violence, calling it a "horrible and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent and defenseless worshippers."

Trump added, "The world cannot tolerate terrorism, we must defeat them militarily and discredit the extremist ideology that forms the basis of their existence!" in a tweet sent from Florida, where he is staying over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Neighboring Israel sent condolences to Egypt following the attack. Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty in 1979 and maintain close security cooperation.

Egypt's security forces are battling an Islamic State insurgency, mostly in the northern region of Sinai, where militants have killed hundreds of police officers and soldiers since fighting there intensified in the past three years.

Militants have targeted security forces, but have also struck beyond the Sinai by hitting Christian churches and civilians in other parts of Egypt.

Egyptian media reported that Sissi met with top security officials, including the defense and interior ministers, immediately after the attack as security was stepped up around government buildings.

Details of HK416F assault rifle

The HK416 assault rifle was developed by Heckler & Koch company in the 1990s to meet US Army's Delta Force requirement. It is and improved version of the M4 carbine, that is widely used by the US military. However the HK416 is independently made and modified. Originally it was marketed as the Heckler & Koch M4, but the name was changed after Colt threatened H&K with legal action over trademark infringement. Still though this weapon is sometimes unofficially referred as HK M4, or German M4 carbine. In 2004 this weapon was adopted by the Delta Force, where it replaced the M4 carbine. Currently the HK416 it is used by more than 20 countries, including Australia, Francem Georgia, Indonesia, Irealand, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the Philippines, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Turkey and the United States. It is mainly by special forces, law enforcement forces and civilian government agencies. Despite that the HK416 is the primary service rifle of the Norwegian armed forces.

   It is worth noting, that a couple of years earlier the Heckler & Koch company successfully improved the British Army L85 assault rifle and cured a lot of its problems.

   In terms of appearance the HK416 resembles the M4. Due to similarity it has a familiar feel for soldiers, reducing the time needed for retraining. However the safety and reliability margins of the HK416 are significantly increased over the M4 and M16.

   The HK416 is a gas-operated automatic weapon. Internally it is similar to Stoner-designed weapons, such as the M16. However the HK416 uses a patented gas piston system, derived from the Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifle, which is more reliable. This new operating system significantly reduced malfunctions and increased life of parts, comparing with the original Colt M4 carbine. During tests in 60 000 total rounds the HK416 had 233 stoppages, while the M4 had 882 stoppages.

   Due to the different operating system the HK416 can safely be fired when drenched with water, or even while fully-submerged. A water-logged M4 or M16 would explode if fired. It has also been reportedly demonstrated that the HK416 will safely fire even when dragged through fine sand and mud. In similar conditions the M4 is likely to jam before firing 10 rounds. While the M4 will not cycle ammunition efficiently (in some cases, not at all) at some angles, notably while upside-down, the HK416 will operate normally at any orientation.

   This assault rifle has a cold hammer-forged barrel. It has a 20 000 round service life. Four models with different barrel lengths are available, including full-size assault rifle with 505 mm (19.9 in) barrel, compact assault rifle with 419 mm (16.5 in barrel), carbine with 368 mm (14.5 in) barrel and sub-compact assault rifle with 264/279 mm (10.4/11 in) barrel. Special forces, including Delta Force, often prefer more compact assault rifles, that still retain full-auto firing capability.

   Fire mode selector has three positions for "safe", "semi-auto" and "full-auto".

   This assault rifle is fed from 30-round magazines. It is compatible with standard NATO 5.56 mm magazines.

   Weapon has a telescopic buttstock, that can be extended or collapsed to suit the shooter. It has 6 different lengths of pull. Also it has a new pistol handle, that is more ergonomic, comparing with that of the M4 carbine.

   The HK416 comes as standard with diopter-type iron sights. It also has a Picatinny-type scope rail and can be used with various scopes. Furthermore there is accessory rail on all four sides of the forearm. Most current accessories for the M4 and M16 can be used on the HK416, including a 40-mm underbarrel grenade launcher.

France replacing assault rifle with HK416F

The German gun manufacturer Heckler & Koch has recently delivered the first batch of HK416F 5.56x45mm assault rifles to the French Army. The new gun was chosen to replace the French FAMAS weapon which has been in service since the late 1970s. France intends to buy more than 102,000 rifles for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Forces, under the under the future personal weapon program worth €168 million (U.S. $184 million). The contract also covers the procurement of 10,767 grenade launchers The rifles in the photo are designated the future sidearm or “Arme Individuelle Future (AIF)”. The HK416F-S is shown above, with a 14.5 inch and the HK416F-C, with an 11-inch barrel, below. Both were displayed at MILIPOL 2017. The HK416 is also in service with the Norwegian military.

US making the last moves before military action on North Korea

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today sanctioned one individual, 13 entities, and 20 vessels as the United States continues to take action multilaterally and unilaterally to disrupt North Korea's illicit funding of its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Today's sanctions target third-country persons with long-standing commercial ties to North Korea, as well as the transportation networks that facilitate North Korea's revenue generation and operations.

"As North Korea continues to threaten international peace and security, we are steadfast in our determination to maximize economic pressure to isolate it from outside sources of trade and revenue while exposing its evasive tactics," said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. "These designations include companies that have engaged in trade with North Korea cumulatively worth hundreds of millions of dollars. We are also sanctioning the shipping and transportation companies, and their vessels, that facilitate North Korea's trade and its deceptive maneuvers."

Eleven of today's designations were issued pursuant to E.O. 13810, which targets, among others, persons that operate in the North Korean transportation industry, as well as persons who have engaged in a significant importation from or exportation to North Korea. The remaining entities were sanctioned pursuant to E.O. 13722, which targets, among others, persons involved in the exportation of workers from North Korea, including exportation to generate revenue for the Government of North Korea or the Workers' Party of Korea, and blocks the property and interests in property of the Government of North Korea and the Workers' Party of Korea. As a result of today's actions, any property or interests in property of those designated by OFAC within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and transactions by U.S. persons involving the designated persons are generally prohibited.

Chinese Trading Companies and Individual

OFAC designated Dandong Kehua Economy & Trade Co., Ltd., Dandong Xianghe Trading Co., Ltd., and Dandong Hongda Trade Co. Ltd. pursuant to E.O. 13810. Between January 1, 2013 and August 31, 2017, these three companies cumulatively exported approximately $650 million worth of goods to North Korea and cumulatively imported more than $100 million worth of goods from North Korea. These goods have included notebook computers, anthracite coal, iron, iron ore, lead ore, zinc ore, silver ore, lead, and ferrous products.

OFAC designated Sun Sidong and his company, Dandong Dongyuan Industrial Co., Ltd. (Dongyuan), pursuant to E.O. 13810. Sun and Dongyuan were responsible for exporting over $28 million worth of goods to North Korea over several years, including motor vehicles, electrical machinery, radio navigational items, aluminum, iron, pipes, and items associated with nuclear reactors. Dongyuan has also been associated with front companies for weapons of mass destruction-related North Korean organizations.

North Korean Shipping and Trading Companies and Vessels

OFAC identified the Maritime Administration of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Ministry of Land and Maritime Transportation of the DPRK as agencies, instrumentalities, or controlled entities of the Government of North Korea, pursuant to E.O. 13722. OFAC also designated six North Korean shipping and trading companies pursuant to E.O. 13810 for operating in the transportation industry in North Korea, and OFAC blocked 20 of their vessels, all of which are DPRK-flagged:

- Korea Rungrado Shipping Company and its vessels PU HUNG 1, RUNG RA DO, and YANG GAK DO;
- Korea Rungrado Ryongak Trading and its vessels RUNG RA 1 and RUNG RA 2;
- Yusong Shipping Company and its vessels WON SAN 2, ZA RYOK 2, 7-28, YU SONG 12, and YU SONG 7;
- Dawn Marine Management Co. Ltd and its vessels JANG GYONG, KUM SONG 3, KUM SONG 5, KUM SONG 7, and KUM UN SAN 3;
- Korea Daebong Shipping Company and its vessel RAK RANG; and
- Korea Kumbyol Trading Company and its vessels KANG SONG 1, KU BONG RYONG, SO BAEK SAN, and RYE SONG GANG 1.

North Korea is known to employ deceptive shipping practices, including ship-to-ship transfers, a practice prohibited by United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2375 of September 11, 2017. The images below were taken on October 19, 2017, and they depict a recent attempt by Korea Kumbyol Trading Company's vessel RYE SONG GANG 1 to conduct a ship-to-ship transfer, possibly of oil, in an effort to evade sanctions.

Trump, Putin Discussion on Syria, Taliban and Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump has spoken by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the White House said, adding that Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Ukraine were on the agenda.

Trump's November 21 phone call with the Russian president came a day after Putin met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the Black Sea resort of Sochi ahead of a summit on November 22 in the same location with Turkey and Iran.

In a statement, the White House said that Putin and Trump spoke for about an hour.

The conversation came after Trump and Putin spoke informally several times earlier this month when they attended a summit in Vietnam, where they issued a joint statement on November 11 agreeing that a political solution was needed on Syria and that they would continue efforts to fight the Islamic State (IS) militant group.

Trump at the time called that joint document"extraordinarily important."

The White House said that, during their November 21 phone conversation, "the presidents affirmed their support for the joint statement of the United States and the Russian Federation, issued at theAsia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit on November 11."

Trump and Putin during their phone call voiced support for "the UN-led Geneva process to peacefully resolve the Syrian civil war, end the humanitarian crisis, allow displaced Syrians to return home, and ensure the stability of a unified Syria free of malign intervention and terrorist safe havens," the White House said.

UN-sponsored negotiations aimed at fostering a political solution to the conflict are due to resumein Geneva on November 28.

Syrian opposition groups are expected to meet in Saudi Arabia on November 23 in an attempt to create a single representative body for the latest round of talks in Geneva.

According to a Kremlin statement earlier on November 21, Assad was invited to Russia to get him to agree to potential peace initiatives drafted by Russia, Iran, and Turkey, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Russia and Iran have given crucial military and diplomatic backing to Assad's government throughout the war, which began with a government crackdown on protesters in 2011.

Turkey supports rebels who want to oust the Syrian president.

Assad and Putin refer to the IS group and most of his other opponents as terrorists.

The war has killed more than 330,000 people, created more than 6 million refugees, and forced some 5 million people to become internally displaced.

Putin briefed Trump in the phone call about his talks with the Syrian leader and plans for a political settlement in Syria, saying that Damascus was in favor of finding a political solution to the six-year war, the statement said.

Assad had confirmed to Putin his "commitment to the political process, and conducting constitutional reform and presidential and parliamentary elections," the statement said.

Western powers have called for Assad to step down since the war broke out in 2011, and the Syrian president's fate has been a stumbling block in previous peace talks.

It was the second time Assad has traveled toRussia to meet with Putin in the course of the war.

The first was in October 2015, shortly after Russialaunched its air and ground campaign in Syria to beef up Assad's forces.

The presidents of Russia, Turkey, and Iran were scheduled to meet in Sochi on November 22 to discuss Syria.

The meeting will focus on reducing violence in Syria and matters related to the delivery of humanitarian aid to the region, officials said.

Moscow, Ankara, and Tehran are sponsoring separate talks in the Kazakh capital, Astana, that involve warring sides in the war and focus on battlefield issues, such as the formation of de-escalation zones in key regions of Syria.

The White House also said Trump and Putin on November 21 "affirmed the importance of fighting terrorism together throughout the Middle East andCentral Asia" and agreed to look into ways to step up cooperation in the fight against IS, Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and other terrorist groups.

The two leaders also discussed ways to implement "a lasting peace in Ukraine," as well as the need to keep up international pressure on North Korea "to halt its nuclear weapon and missile programs," the White House said.