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MPs in Ghana are set to debate a draft bill which seeks to introduce some of the harshest laws in Africa against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

UN human rights experts have warned it could establish a system of state-sponsored discrimination and violence.

The bill named "Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values" would see LGBTQ Ghanaians face prison or be coerced into so-called "conversion therapy", a widely-discredited practice debunked by much of the international medical and psychiatric communities.

If passed, advocates of the LGBTQ community would face up to a decade in prison, public displays of same-sex affection or cross dressing could lead to a fine or detention and certain types of medical support would be made illegal.

The new law would also make the distribution of material deemed pro-LGBTQ by news organisations or websites illegal.

It would also encourage Ghanaians to turn over those they suspect of being from the LGBTQ community.

Ethiopian air force has conducted a fresh round of bombing in Mekelle, the main city of the northern Tigray region.

In a statement, the government’s communications office said Tuesday's offensive targeted a rebels' training camp in the outskirts of the city.

Tigray Television, controlled by rebel forces, has confirmed the air raids but did respond to the government's claims of targeting training facilities.

Last week the air force carried out strikes in the city as well as other areas in the western and northern Tigray.

Rebel forces accuse the government of targeting and killing civilians in the air raids because it was losing ground battles.

But the authorities in Addis Ababa say the air raids are directed at rebel targets.

On 4 November the Horn of Africa nation will mark a year since fighting broke out between federal forces and fighters loyal to Tigray People's Liberation Front.

Thousands have been killed, many more face famine conditions and millions have been displaced.

More on the Tigray crisis:

• EXPLAINER: Ethiopia's Tigray war - and how it erupted
• VIEWPOINT: Why Tigray is starving but no famine declared
• PROFILE: The Nobel Peace Prize winner who went to war

• ANALYSIS: How the West has fallen out with Ethiopia's PM

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Sudan's most senior general says the military seized power on Monday in order to avoid a civil war.

Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said political groups had been inciting civilians against the security forces.

He said he'd been keeping the deposed civilian Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, in his house "for his safety" but that he would return to his own home on Tuesday.

Protests are continuing for a second day in the capital, Khartoum, with many roads, bridges and shops closed.

Phone and internet links have been severely disrupted. At least ten people are reported to have been killed since the unrest began.

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A high court in South Africa has dismissed an application by former president Jacob Zuma to have a lead prosecutor removed from this corruption and racketeering trial.

In his application Mr Zuma had accused Billy Downer of being biased against him and leaking his private medical records to the media – claims that were not proven.

The former president has avoided prosecution for almost two decades over charges of allegedly receiving kickbacks from French arms company Thales relating to a $2bn (£1.4bn) weapons contract. Both Mr Zuma and Thales have denied the charges.

In the Pietermaritzburg High Court, Judge Piet Koen found that there was no basis to claims made by Mr Zuma that he would not have a fair trial unless Mr Downer was removed.

He also dismissed the argument that Mr Downer did not have the title to prosecute - saying he was constitutionally mandated to lead prosecutions in South Africa.

The judge lamented the numerous delays to the trial, saying that in the interests of justice the matter should be heard as soon as possible.

Mr Zuma’s legal team has said it intends to appeal against the latest ruling in a higher court.

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The authorities in Uganda say a suicide bomber was behind an explosion on a bus in the capital, Kampala, on Monday.

"The attacker died in the explosion," police spokesman Fred Enanga said on Tuesday.

He added that the attacker was "on a wanted list" and was a member of the Islamist militant group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which operates from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Several passengers were injured in Monday's blast.

On Saturday another blast in a restaurant in Kampala killed one person and injured three others.

The police said Saturday's blast was caused by an explosive device containing nails and pieces of metal, covered by a plastic bag.

Mr Enanga said investigators had established "a high connectivity" between the two attacks.

"There are individuals or groups of individuals preparing these IED [improvised explosive devices] who (belong to) the same group of attackers," Mr Enanga said.

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Reports from Nigeria’s Niger state say at least 18 people were killed on Monday after gunmen on motorbikes attacked a mosque in Maza-Kuka community.

Many other worshippers were injured.

Villagers said a large group of attackers stormed the mosque and opened fire as the victims were holding early morning prayers.

Local police said one of the attackers was killed by security forces.

This incident is just the latest in Niger state which has witnessed a rise in violence.

On May 30 armed bandits abducted 136 students at an lslamic school in Tegina town.

In February, hundreds of school children were abducted in the state.

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Mali has expelled the Ecowas regional bloc's representative in the country as pressure mounts on it to provide a definitive timeline on its transition to civilian rule.

Hamodou Boly was summoned by the foreign affairs ministry and notified of the government's decision "declaring him 'persona non grata' in view of his actions [that are] incompatible with his status", a statement on state-run ORTM TV said.

Mali has been at loggerheads with the regional body over demands to hold elections in February.

The West African nation was suspended from Ecowas in May after the interim leader, Col Assimi Goïta,carried out a second coup in less than a year.

Prime Minister Choguel Maïga has indicated that the election could be delayed, citing concerns over credibility.

There is concern that the Malian army's preoccupation with the political crisis continues to jeopardise its response to the security crisis that has plagued its northern and central regions.

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Crowds of Sudanese citizens are out on the streets of the capital, Khartoum, to protest for a second day against Monday's military coup.

At least 10 people were reported killed and dozens injured, many of them as a result of soldiers opening fire on protesters.

There is heavy security deployment and units have blocked the bridges connecting the city.

The southern African regional bloc, Sadc, has called for the “unconditional and immediate” lifting of all sanctions against the Zimbabwean government.

“As Sadc, we are concerned by the continuation of sanctions on some individuals or entities of Zimbabwe,” said a statement by Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera, who is the chairperson of the organisation that brings together together 16 countries.

Mr Chakwera said the “prolonged” sanctions have hindered Zimbabwe’s prospects of “economic recovery, human security and sustainable growth”.

Zimbabwe has been under economic sanctions from the US and the European Union (EU), targeting specific individuals and companies - which the government blames for the country's economic problems.

The Sadc statement said Zimbabwe and the regional bloc were committed to talks with the relevant players to enhance democracy, governance and human rights.

The EU and the US have cited a lack of progress in democratic and human rights reforms as well as restrictions on press freedoms.

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Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has announced that he's ending the state of emergency which has been in force since April 2017 in the North African country.

In a Facebook post, President Sisi announced that he would not be extending the state of emergency because Egypt had become "an oasis of security and stability".

He imposed the strict measure four years ago in the aftermath of the bombings of two churches in the northern cities of Alexandria and Tanta.

It gave police wider powers, curtailed civil liberties and put civilians on trial before military courts.

Egypt is no stranger to states of emergency. The late President Hosni Mubarak imposed one following the assassination of his predecessor, Anwar Sadat, in 1981. It remained in place until he was toppled 30 years later.

Mr Sisi has been Egypt's president since 2014, a year after he led the military's overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

He was re-elected in 2018 in an election which was boycotted by the opposition and condemned by human rights groups.

More on this topic:

• Egypt President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi: Ruler with an iron grip

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called for the "immediate restoration" of Sudan's civilian rule "without preconditions".

Sudan's military seized power on Monday and soldiers have reportedly killed at least seven people and wounded 80 others after firing on protesting crowds.

"The United States rejects the dissolution of the transitional government in Sudan by security forces," he tweeted.

The US has halted $700m in direct aid to Sudan's government and called for the release of detained civilian leaders - who include Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

More on the Sudan coup:

• IN PICTURES: Sudan coup protesters take to streets
• Sudan coup: What you need to know
• Are military takeovers on the rise in Africa?

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Crowds of angry Sudanese citizens have continued to protest through the night against Monday's military coup.

At least seven people were reported killed and dozens injured, many of them as a result of soldiers opening fire on protesters.

The UN has demanded that the military release the Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, and other civilian leaders of the transitional government.

The UN Security Council is due to hold an emergency session on Tuesday.

In Washington, a State Department spokesman said they had been unable to contact the prime minister.

In the days before the coup, Mr Hamdok warned of a dangerous crisis after one faction in the transitional government called for the military to takeover.