Frustrated by years of fruitless campaigns, researchers are now turning to the last line of defence: schools - to protect Senegal's endangered medicinal plants. ''We must create botanical gardens, which include endangered plants, on school grounds,'' says Sidi Diallo, a teacher at Mbour secondary school.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is asking EU diplomats to give 4 minutes of their time to listen to the views of African fishermen before deciding on the future of fishing deals between the EU and developing countries. The European Commission proposes to turn its ‘cash for access’ deals - whereby the EU pays developing countries for EU boats to fish in their waters - into “partnership agreements” aimed at developing sustainable fisheries. But WWF, and African fishermen, are very critical of the EU’s record on fishing in developing countries.

The European Union (EU) has agreed to grant Senegal 307 million (US$351 million) over a five-year period to fund development programmes and debt relief, the European Commission office in Dakar said in a statement.

The online daily Wal Fadjri has relaunched itself. Part of Sonatel Multimedia, it claims that the new version is qualitatively better than the old version. It is now possible to listen to Walf FM on the internet using streaming from its site but according to Osiris, it still suffers some problems with there being different versions of Flash used on the site.

The candidate will develop & manage a 3-year multi level campaign to enhance the quality and quantity of coverage of health issues in the African media with a focus on HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria. Fluent written and spoken English and French are essential. This position requires an experienced journalist with knowledge of public health issues in Africa and a proven track record of coordination and management of media projects in Africa.

Legendary Senegalese band Orchestra Baobab, who reformed last year after 15 years apart, are the biggest winners at this year's BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards. The group, one of the most popular bands on the world music scene, won the prestigious critics' choice award and were named best African artists.

Wolimata Thiao is a towering, one-woman, tour de force. She has mobilised the women of Popenguine and surrounding villages, north of the Senegalese capital, Dakar, to reclaim and protect nature. The dynamic village women of Popenguine, Popenguine Serere, Kiniabour 1 and 2, Guerew, Thiafoura, Soro Hassap and Ndayane, persevered and proved their critics and detractors wrong. Slowly, they won over their husbands, and other villagers, proving that they could regenerate and conserve their environment, encourage eco-tourism, ensure reforestation and the survival of both flora and fauna.

Siwre Thiambe is one of 49 women's groups under the umbrella organisation PROFEMU, which was set up with Oxfam's support to help improve the lives of its 2,000 members in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, and in the nearby town of Thiès. PROFEMU's wide-ranging programme includes a loan scheme, which has enabled the women of the Siwre Thiambe group to borrow money and set up a tie-dyeing business.

Prostitution was legalized in this predominantly Muslim country in 1969, and today the government tolerates it as long as each prostitute registers with the state, is over 21 years old, and comes regularly to a center run by the Ministry of Health for checkups, education, and medical treatment. And that's a big reason why this West African nation of 10.5 million, according to the World Health Organisation, has an HIV infection rate of about two percent while many of its nearest neighbors face rates several times higher.

Thirty rebels and four government soldiers have been killed in recent fighting in the troubled southern province of Casamance, an army source says. For the past 21 years, a separatist movement has waged a violent campaign to create a separate state in southern Senegal.

West African efforts to halt war in Ivory Coast swung to Senegal on Wednesday as leaders headed there for last-ditch talks, while France hovered in the wings with its own peace initiatives.

On 14 December 2002, Libasse Ndiaye, a cameraman for African Television News (ATN) and Senegal correspondent for the Agence Internationale d'Images de Télévision (AITV) and TV5, was assaulted by security forces at the end of a demonstration. The protest was held by relatives of individuals who perished in a 26 September shipwreck. More than 1,000 people who were travelling on the vessel Joola died on that day.

Residents in Senegal are bettering their livelihood, improving their businesses and maintaining contact with family and friends through telecentres. The computer hubs are allowing residents to get online at reasonable prices to search for information and even improve business efficiencies. More and more centres are springing up around Senegal, giving residents a new opportunity to learn about technology and benefit from its access.

Healers who brew medicines from indigenous plants are using computers to help preserve their knowledge and to provide them with an income.

The Senegalese Health Ministry confirmed 41 cases and four deaths of yellow fever as of 24 October, a World Health Organisation update said.

Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade announced the dismissal of Latif Gueye, a Senegalese citizen and head of the humanitarian organisation Africa Helps Africa, on national television, accusing him of committing "extremely serious errors" for his alleged role in trafficking AIDS drugs that were meant for Africa but were sold in Europe.

The Ministry of Health has officially confirmed 15 cases and 2 deaths of yellow fever in Mbacké and Bambey départements, Diourbel region. Laboratory confirmation was made by the WHO Collaborating Centre at the Institut Pasteur in Dakar. All cases except one have been reported in the city of Touba. The other case was reported in Bambey, 70 km west of Touba.

The Senegalese Ministry of Health has reported some 12 cases of yellow fever particularly in the central Mbaké department, which includes the city of Touba with 800 000 inhabitants, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

Senegal abandoned the recovery of victims from the MS Joola Tuesday, with only 80 of at least 970 identified — saying its next step might be to sink the doomed ferry together with its dead to the Atlantic Ocean floor. Senegal's government suffered its first backlash Tuesday for Africa's deadliest ferry disaster ever, with Cabinet ministers for the armed forces and transport resigning.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is planning to convene a peace meeting on Liberia that would include President Charles Taylor and the rebels of Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), news agencies reported last Friday.