Democratic governments in West and Central Africa are being increasingly challenged by the military.

For the latest updates, go to bbc.com/africalive

Women give the BBC harrowing accounts of rape by fighters, as conflict rages in the country.

West African leaders set a seven-day deadline for the junta to reinstate the ousted president.

The opposition is boycotting the poll and says Faustin-Archange Touadéra wants to be leader for life.

It comes after the US declared its "unflagging support" for ousted president Mohamed Bazoum.

Doctors in Nigeria's public hospitals have started a “total and indefinite strike” over what they describe as the government’s failure to address their grievances.

Julius Malema divides opinion like few other politicians but he is celebrating his party's 10th anniversary.

After the elected president is overthrown, here’s why it matters for the region, Russia and the West.

That's all from the BBC Africa Live team for now, we will be back on Monday morning. There will be an automated news feed here until then.

You can also get the latest updates at BBCAfrica.com and listen to the new Focus on Africa podcast for stories behind the news.

A reminder of the day's wise words:

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

And we leave you with this photo of Super Falcons star Asisat Oshoala stripping off as she celebrates scoring the third goal for Nigeria, sealing their victory over co-hosts Australia at the Women's World Cup - one of our favourites from this week's gallery of the best shots from Africa.

Image source, Fifa

Zeinab Mohammed Salih
Journalist, Omdurman, Greater Khartoum

Image source, @RSFSudan

Sudan’s paramilitary force has posted a video on Twitter of its leader addressing fighters - his first video appearance since the conflict erupted in April.

Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as "Hemedti", looked thin in the footage, external and commentators say he was holding one of his arms oddly. There has been speculation that the commander, who is in his late 40s, has been injured in the war.

His speech included his usual rhetoric against Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the military with whom he is involved in a bitter power struggle for control of the country.

He said if the leadership of the army changed, he would agree to a peace deal within 72 hours.

Hemedti first rose to power through the ranks of the Janjaweed militia, accused of ethnic cleansing during the Darfur conflict. The RSF was created by former President Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted after street protests in 2019.

The RSF leader backed his removal as a way to manoeuvre himself into a more powerful position. But his alliance with Gen Burhan fell apart disastrously three months ago.

Since the war began the RSF has moved into bases in many residential areas of the three cities that make up Greater Khartoum - Bahri, Khartoum and Omdurman - that are often hit by air strikes.

In his speech, Hemedti was particularly vitriolic about Yasir al-Atta, a top-ranking army officer who is leading operations in Omdurman.

He apologised to Sudanese people for the “disaster of the war”, which he maintained had been imposed on the RSF.

Surrounded by armed fighters in the five-minute clip, he also denied that those accused of mass looting in Khartoum and elsewhere were RSF members.

DJ Edu
Presenter of This Is Africa on BBC World Service

Image source, @aypapii_

Candy Bleakz is an Afrobeats rapper from Nigeria whose widespread appeal has earned her the title "Queen of the Streets".

She is also known as the "Ladies Dragon" because she has been said to spit fire...

She definitely has a style of her own with her colourful dreads and androgynous fashion sense.

Born Blessing Mariam Akiode, she had a tough childhood in Lagos.

“Growing up wasn’t really beautiful you know. I didn’t grow up with much love because my parents were divorced since I was three years old."

She had to spend time between her father’s place, her grandmother’s and with her mother, who had remarried.

“While struggling and living around, I managed to get some sort of street orientation."

But she says it is a life she does not want for herself or her children.

She puts her tomboy dress sense down to the fact that she did not have anybody to buy her clothes and so she used to share her older brother’s wardrobe.

Candy Bleakz went to university but when her parents could not continue paying her fees she did a freestyle on Facebook and was contacted by music video director Jimmy Strings.

He offered to shoot a video for her and she stayed at his studios for two years to learn video directing - and that brought her into contact with other artists.

She won the Lagos Got Talent competition and subsequently performed at the annual Felabration festival where she won the best rapper award.

She was then signed by Chocolate City Music record label and was nominated for an Afrimma award aged just 19.

In 2021 she was asked to record a video for the Grammy’s digital series Global Spin, which she says gives her the belief that she can achieve her goals.

“I’m dreaming like really, really, really high.”

You can hear my conversation with Candy Bleakz on This is Africa this Saturday on BBC World Service radio - available online - and on partner stations across Africa.

A key government online platform has been down for several days and mobile money services are also affected.

West African leaders will be holding an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the recent coup in Niger.

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu is to host the meeting in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.

Mr Tinubu currently chairs the regional West African body Ecowas.

A statement from the president said he condemned the takeover in neighbouring Niger and had promised that "Ecowas and the international community would do everything to defend democracy and ensure democratic governance continues to take firm root in the region".

Meanwhile at the summit, Vladimir Putin said Russia was ready to send free grain exports to Africa.

Anthony Irungu
BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, Reuters

Kenya’s Court of Appeal has lifted the suspension of a controversial finance law which has led to deadly unrest.

The legislation, which allows the government to raise taxes, was frozen while a senator challenged its legality.

It had been approved by President William Ruto in June and prompted demonstrations across Kenya. More than 30 people have died in clashes between police and protesters, who were mainly opposition supporters.

The law raises the VAT on fuel products from 8% to 16%. It also introduces a 1.5% housing tax.

The ruling is likely to trigger further protests, led by veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga.

The tax increases are expected to raise more than $2bn (£1.6bn) for the government, which is running low on funds.

Organisers in South Africa say investigations are continuing at “highest level” after Jamaica captain says she was victim of theft.

Kenya's President William Ruto has condemned the coup in Niger.

He called for the immediate release of ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and for him to to be restored as the democratically elected head of state:

Kenya's State House spokesman tweeted the video of Mr Ruto's full statement:

Tchima Illa Issoufou
BBC News, Niamey

Image source, AFP

Life has largely returned to normal in Niger's capital, Niamey, after the drama of Wednesday's coup with markets and shops all open.

The only exception is that civil servants in the presidential palace and nearby ministries have been told to go home and leave their offices, which they have done.

The junta has also released a statement warning against any attempt to try and oust them.

They accused members of the ousted government who have taken refuge in foreign embassies of plotting against them.

They said any such attempt would lead to bloodshed, which has so far been avoided.

Little is known about the new strongman, Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, although some say he is feared by his fellow soldiers - and that is why those who did not agree with his takeover decided not to confront him.

Among ordinary people, opinion remains divided, with some saying that his reasons for taking power do not stand up - that the security situation was not as bad as he made out.

While others agree that something had to change.

Zeinab Mohammed Salih
Journalist, Omdurman, Greater Khartoum

Image source, Getty Images

Paramilitary fighters have destroyed three military jets at the Wadi Seidna airbase north of the capital, Khartoum, army sources have confirmed.

The airfield is used by the military to carry out air strikes on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), whose troops have bases in many residential areas of the three cities that make up Greater Khartoum, Bahri, Khartoum and Omdurman, which lie on the banks of the River Nile.

The Wadi Seidna air base was also used by foreign governments to evacuate their nationals not long after the brutal power struggle between the military and RSF erupted in mid-April.

The RSF shot artillery shells from the eastern bank of the Nile in Bahri towards Wadi Saeedna on the western side of the river on Thursday.

The sources denied that anyone was killed or injured - as stated by the RSF - but confirmed that the planes, some of those used in air strikes, had been destroyed.

It is the first major assault by the RSF on the army in several weeks. The lull in their attacks has coincided with a trip made by the deputy leader of the RSF to Chad and several other countries to drum up support.

Deputy commander Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo is brother to RSF leader Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as "Hemedti".

Chad borders Sudan’s western region of Darfur, where the RSF has its origins in the notorious Janjaweed militia that brutally fought rebels and were accused of ethnic cleansing in the early 2000s.

However, air and artillery strikes in the capital by the army have continued - with rockets now landing at night.

Given the RSF forces are based in residential areas, it is often civilians who are killed in these attacks.

On Wednesday night, dozens of residents were killed in one area of Omdurman.

Official figures put the number of dead in the conflict at around 3,000, but it is thought to be far higher.

Some estimates from Darfur say the death toll in one city alone is 11,000.

Analysis:

• Sudan conflict: Army outnumbered on Khartoum's streets