Gabon coup, Prigozhin's legacy, Spanish football scandal, Venice Film Festival

<p>When the week began, it was all about France defying an ultimatum by Niger's coup leaders to recall its ambassador. Now, another precinct has been heard from. A twin surprise came from Gabon overnight on Wednesday, with military brass cancelling the flawed re-election to a third term of President Ali Bongo. Instead, a coup ended a 55-year old father-son dynasty in that oil-rich Central African nation. Quick to emerge from the pack was the head of the Republican Guard, General Brice Oligui Nguema – himself a cousin of the Bongos.</p> <p>Guess who paid a call on coup leaders who have left their border open with <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/niger/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">Niger</a>? <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/russia/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">Russia</a>'s Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov was in <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/burkina-faso/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">Burkina Faso</a> on Thursday to offer his services to junta leader Ibrahim Traoré. It's the same Yevkurov who was in <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/libya/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">Libya</a> simultaneously with <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/yevgeny-prigozhin/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">Yevgeny Prigozhin</a>'s final tour of <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/africa/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">Africa</a>. On that score, the Grey Zone Telegram channel Thursday published images of the late <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/wagner-group/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">Wagner Group</a> leader.</p><p>Last Friday, everyone gathered for his resignation speech. Instead, Spanish <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/football/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">football</a> federation president Luis Rubiales stunned the world by defying the outrage over his <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/the-51/20230901-a-kiss-that-shook-the-world-spanish-football-faces-reckoning-over-sexism">forced kiss of World Cup winning striker Jenni Hermoso</a>, refusing