Gabon's president Ali Bongo, whose family have ruled the country for 56 years, was named winner on Wednesday of a presidential election - only for military officers to appear on television minutes later to announce that they had seized power. 

Libreville

Multiple countries across Africa are dealing with unrest after military coups, including Niger, Gabon & Sudan. There are claims Russian meddling is fuelling much of the violence.

African Unrest

Gabon military officers say they have seized power

Crowds cheered the military in Gabon on Wednesday after a group of senior officers claimed to have seized power. That television announcement came just minutes after incumbent President Ali Bongo had been announced the winner of a recent election. The officers, who said they represented all Gabonese security and defence forces, said they had decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime. The general elections of August 26th, 2023, as well as the truncated results, are cancelled. The borders are closed until further notice. All institutions of the republic are dissolved. Bongo's family has ruled oil-producing but poor Gabon for more than half a century. His detractors say he has done little to channel the country's oil wealth towards the population, a third of whom live in poverty. There was no immediate comment from Gabon's government and no immediate reports on Bongo's whereabouts. He'd been announced the winner of a third term with nearly two-thirds of the vote. But there were concerns over the transparency of the electoral process amid a lack of international observers as well as an internet blackout and night-time curfew after the poll. The military takeover, if successful, will be West and Central Africa's eighth coup since 2020. In other countries, such as Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, struggles against jihadist insurgencies have eroded faith in democracy. Gabon is not facing the same challenges. However, a coup would demonstrate a further shift away from democracy in an increasingly volatile region.

Rescuers are searching for survivors of a flash flood that hit central Texas on Friday, leaving at least 43 people dead, including 15 children. Authorities in Texas are now facing questions about whether they issued proper warnings in advance of rain-fuelled flooding.

Hunt

Death toll from Texas flooding rises to 43

Experts link the rising frequency and intensity of heatwaves in Europe to climate change, warning that such extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common.

Athens

Firefighters across Europe battle wildfires

Rallies on the streets of Tel Aviv were held as the Israeli security cabinet reportedly gathered to discuss Hamas' response to a potential ceasefire-hostage deal.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Middle East Conflict

Tel Aviv rally calls for the release of the remaining hostages

The Iranian Supreme Leader on Saturday made his first public appearance since the conflict between Israel and Iran began.

Tehran

Iran's supreme leader makes first public appearance since war started

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday (July 5) that his latest conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump this week was the best and "most productive" he has had to date.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy says latest Trump call the 'most productive' yet

Catastrophic flooding in Texas has killed at least 32 people, Fourteen of them children. Another 27 are missing from a girls' sleep-away camp. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said more than 850 people have been rescued as crews search 30 miles of river for survivors.

Dozens of children among missing from Texas flood waters

The unemployment rate for new college graduates has recently surged. Economists say businesses are now replacing entry-level jobs with artificial intelligence. Ali Bauman has the story.

Cambridge

Unemployment surges as employers replace new hires with AI

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is sending a delegation to Qatar on Sunday for talks on a possible ceasefire deal. Hamas calls the latest response "positive." Meanwhile, Israeli strikes on Saturday killed at least 14 in Gaza.

Renewed momentum for Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza

The deadline is fast approaching for countries to make new tariff agreements with the U.S. or face a higher rate. The Trump administration is putting them on notice.

Washington

Global Tariffs

Trump turns attention to trade after major legislative win

The funeral proceedings of the late football players Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva took place in the church of Gondomar in their hometown in the east of Porto. Family members, teammates and coaches joined thousands of mourners to pay their final respects.

Gondomar

Thousands gather to bid farewell to Liverpool's Diogo Jota

McMahon's most recent projects included Netflix's whodunit "The Residence" and the Nicolas Cage drama "The Surfer," which premiered earlier in the year at SXSW.

Melbourne

Australian-American actor Julian McMahon dies, 56

Diplomatic efforts are ongoing as U.S President Donald Trump looks to secure a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Israel has previously accepted the US proposal, meanwile Hamas has "submitted a positive response" to the mediators.

Doha

Israeli hostage negotiation team to fly to Doha to hold talks with Hamas

A forestry worker injured in a wildfire in the western Turkish province of Izmir has died from his injuries, raising the death toll in recent days from the fires to three, as emergency crews also continued to battle a blaze in a province bordering Syria.

Hatay

Turkiye’s wildfires declared national emergency

Search and rescue operations continued overnight after flash floods slammed central Texas, killing dozens, officials said. More than 20 children are still missing from Camp Mystic, an all-girls camp hit by the floods, the Kerr County sheriff said.

Kerrville

Rescues continue in central Texas after deadly flash floods

Officials in the U.S. state of Texas say at least 13 people have died in overnight flash floods after torrential rains triggered an overflow of the Guadalupe River. Nearly 20 children attending a summer camp in the south-central area are missing.

Kerr County

Deadly Texas floods: Search efforts underway for missing children

Türkiye has been battling wildfires for more than a week, with its western province of Izmir among the hardest hit. Thousands have been forced to flee as flames threaten homes and villages.

Ödemiş

Turkiye wildfires: At least two dead as fires burn for eighth day

It was not clear if Hamas’ statement meant it had accepted the proposal from US President Donald Trump for a 60-day ceasefire.

Jerusalem

Hamas says it is  'positive' about latest ceasefire proposal

President Trump brought pomp and circumstance to his signing of the "big, beautiful bill" on Friday, with an Independence Day ceremony at the White House that included a B-2 bomber flyover.

Trump signs "big, beautiful bill" as tariff deadline looms

Heavy rainfall in central Texas caused the Guadalupe River to overflow and unleash a torrent of water. The bodies of at least 13 children and adults have been recovered and more than 20 girls are missing from a sleepaway camp.

Floods kill at least 13 in Texas, over 20 missing from summer camp

The talk comes a day after President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Ukraine, Iran and other issues in a call the Kremlin described as "frank and constructive."

Zelenskyy, Trump agree on joint defense efforts in phone call

Russia pummeled Kyiv with the largest drone attack of the war, injuring at least 23 people and damaging buildings across the capital only hours after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Russia's Vladimir Putin, officials said.

Russia hits Kyiv with largest drone attack after Trump-Putin call

U.S. President Donald Trump marked the passage of the new spending bill, which includes changes to food assistance, student loan programs, and clean energy credits. Robert Costa joins "CBS Mornings" to break down what's in the legislation.

Trump set to sign "big, beautiful bill"

More than 80 Palestinians were killed in Gaza on Thursday (July 3), according to health officials, as Israel intensified its strikes, hitting a school-turned-displacement facility. CNN’s Paula Hancocks looks at the damage and humanitarian toll.

More than 80 people killed in Gaza in one day

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv will do "anything" to advance EU accession talks. Zelenskyy spoke alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Ukraine will do 'anything' to advance EU accession talks: Zelenskyy

President Donald Trump said Washington will start sending letters to countries on Friday specifying what tariff rates they will face on imports to the United States, a clear shift from earlier pledges to strike scores of individual deals.

Trump: Letters telling countries their tariff rate going out Friday

Indonesian rescuers on Thursday (July 3) temporarily halted a search for 30 people still missing after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near the island of Bali with the loss of six lives, the national search and rescue agency said.

Gilimanuk

Indonesia suspends search for 30 missing after ferry sinks near Bali

After marathon debate sessions in the Senate and House, President Donald Trump’s budget bill passed in the House. Republicans secured the biggest win of Trump’s presidency.

Trump’s landmark ‘big, beautiful bill’ narrowly passes U.S. House

Florida says the first group of migrant detainees have arrived at the new immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." CBS News correspondent Shanelle Kaul has more.

Ochopee

First group of detainees arrive at "Alligator Alcatraz," Florida says

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday (July 3) that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that he plans to hold a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. CBS News White House reporter Willie James Inman has more.

Trump speaks with Putin, plans call with Zelenskyy

CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez reports on a lawsuit from lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia alleging he suffered “torture and mistreatment” after he was wrongfully deported and held in El Salvador’s notorious mega prison.

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African Unrest