The Gambian authorities have released Ousman Jatta, the United Democratic Party Councillor for Old Cape Point Ward, Bakau, after being held incommunicado for 385 days. - Monday 15 October 2007

On 8 October 2007, the National Communication Council (Conseil national de la communication, CNC), Gabon’s media regulatory body, suspended two newspapers: "La Nation", a privately-owned bi-monthly based in the capital, Libreville, and "Le Gri-Gri International", a satirical, privately-owned bi-monthly published in Paris, but distributed in Gabon. - Thursday 11 October 2007

Rev Maxwell Kapachawo is the only known pastor in Zimbabwe who publicly admits to being HIV-positive; he is also encouraging any of his peers infected and affected by the disease to speak openly about HIV/AIDS from the pulpit.

Churches in Zimbabwe tend to approach HIV/AIDS as a moral issue, Kapachawo told IRIN, and treat those infected as immoral, but the disease afflicting one in five Zimbabweans between the ages of 15 and 49 should actually be addressed as a medical matter.

- Thursday 4 October 2007