The lack of clean drinking water and proper hygiene fuelled the spread of cholera in the south and southwest of the Republic of Congo, says the Congolese Red Cross, which has just completed a campaign to teach people how to recognise and stem the spread of the disease.

The final of the Ibori U-20 final organised by the West African football Union (WAFU) comes up Wednesday, with Ghana playing Senegal at the Oghara Township Stadium in Oghara, Delta State.

Ghana U-20 captain, Dominic Adiyiah, admits that Wednesday's Ibori Cup U-20 final against Senegal would be tough.

Flying Eagles coach, Ladan Bosso, is still very optimistic about the team's chances at the upcoming African Youth Championship in Rwanda despite the quarter-final loss to the Young Terenga Lions of Senegal in the ongoing WAFU U-20 championship holding in Delta state.

After the Flying Eagles penalty shootout loss to Senegal in the quarterfinals of the WAFU Under-20 championship, coach Ladan Bosso was left ruing the missed opportunity to play against the junior Elephants of Ivory Coast, one of his first round opponents at next year's African Youth Championship in Rwanda.

After leading his team to a surprise penalty shootout victory over Nigeria's Flying Eagles in the quarterfinals of the WAFU Under-20 championship, Senegal coach Mayacine Mar has expressed regret that his team had to play the Flying Eagles in the qualifiers for the African Youth Championship.

It was reported this week that the Dutch Minister for development cooperation, Bert Koenders, has called upon his European counterparts to address the issue of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) who are a threat to the security in the region.

The First Lady, Mrs. Jeannette Kagame, participated in the 15th Edition of the International Conference on AIDS and sexually transmissible diseases in Africa (ICASA) which took place in Dakar, Senegal on Thursday, December 4, 2008.

The Flying Eagles loss to Senegal in the quarter-final of the on-going WAFU Under-20 Championship in Delta state has left coach Ladan Bosso disappointed as he is regretting the missed opportunity to play against the junior Elephants of Cote d 'Ivore who are one of his first round opponent at the African Youth Championship holding early next year in Rwanda.

An Appeal court in Dakar on 2 December 2008 rejected the bail application filed by lawyers of El Malick Seck, jailed editor-in-chief of the privately-owned "24 Heures Chrono" newspaper.

Preparations are in high gear for the World Festival of Black Arts (WFBA), code named FESMAN III, a continental celebration of everything arts, scheduled for December 1st to - 21st 2009, in Senegal. The mega cultural event will encompass all genres of art: music, visual arts, theatre, dance and other activities highlighting Black's contribution in the progress of humanity.

At least 70 percent of patients diagnosed with cancer in the Republic of Congo die within 12 months of screening because treatment facilities are expensive and inadequate, health specialists said.

As the 15th edition of the International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) opened in Dakar, Senegal yesterday, African leaders have urged emphasis on prevention, treatment and research.

A United Nations-backed AIDS conference opened in Dakar, Senegal, today, with participants set to discuss how to sustain progress made in preventing new HIV infections and reaching more people with antiretroviral treatment.

Government measures aimed at reducing the cost of staple commodities in the Republic of Congo, where salaries have remained unchanged for years, have failed to stem food inflation. Many people have been forced to change their diets, which has had an adverse impact on health.

Assan Njie,the undisputable and erudite Senegalese Mbalax super star of our time,on Saturday,November 29th stages a rare musical and thrilling performance at the prestigious and glamorous Paradise Suite Hotel in Kololi.

Two years ago, little fancied Congo Brazzaville took full home advantage to win the African U-20 Youth Championships, but the million francs question is, can Rwanda do the same when the next edition unfolds on Rwandan soil on January 18? The first time, a championship of this scale and status is being staged in the region.

Guy-Blaise Bakala, a timber worker in Pointe-Noire in the south of the Republic of Congo, has been sleeping badly since his bosses first announced they would have to let some workers go because the financial crisis is hitting the key timber sector.

While albinos in West Africa are not facing the violent attacks seen in recent weeks in other parts of the continent, people with albinism in countries like Senegal face grave and even life-threatening discrimination.

In Senegal people with albinism are marginalised and find little support for coping with the daily challenges of their condition. IRIN spoke with four people with albinism in the capital Dakar.