HARARE (Reuters) — Zimbabwe’s military seized power early on Wednesday saying it was targeting "criminals" around President Robert Mugabe, the only ruler the country has known in its 37 years of independence. 
More than 20 Zimbabwean protesters were physically assaulted by riot police Thursday and Friday, leading human rights activists to call for international condemnation ahead of longtime President Robert Mugabe’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly this week. 
Lawmakers on Thursday urged U.S. officials to maintain stringent pressure on the regime of longtime Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and questioned U.S. funding of a regional association that declared the country’s recent election results credible despite widespread allegations of voting irregularities. 
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, Africa's oldest leader at 89, began a new five-year term on Thursday by calling the West "vile" for questioning his re-election and vowing to press ahead with nationalist economic policies. 
A Zimbabwean government official denied that the country completed a deal last year to supply Iran with uranium despite his comments to a British newspaper that an agreement was reached, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) reports. 
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe dismissed allegations on Monday of widespread voter fraud during the country’s recent elections and told his opponents to “commit suicide if they so wish,” the Daily Mail reports. 