Indonesian elephant fossil opens window to past

Scientists arrange the bones of an estimated 200,000 year-old giant elephant at Geology Museum in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, Thursday, June 18, 2009. Indonesian scientists are reconstructing the largest, most complete skeleton of an ancient elephant ever found in the tropics, a finding that may offer new clues into the largely mysterious origins of its modern Asian cousin. Based on the fossil, the ancient elephant stood four meters (13-feet) tall, was five meters (16-feet) long and weighed more than 10 tons, considerably larger than the great Asian mammals now on Earth. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

BANDUNG, Indonesia (AP): Indonesian scientists are reconstructing the largest, most complete skeleton of a prehistoric giant elephant ever found in the tropics, a finding that may offer new clues into the largely mysterious origins of its modern Asian cousin.

The prehistoric elephant is believed to have been submerged in quicksand shortly after dying on a riverbed in Java around 200,000 years ago. Its bones--almost perfectly preserved--were discovered by chance in March.

The animal stood four meters (13-feet) tall, was five meters (16-feet) long and weighed more than 10 tons. It was considerably larger than the great Asian mammals now on Earth, and closely resembled the woolly mammoth of the same period in terms of size.

Animal fossils are rare in the humid, hot climate of the equator because decomposition occurs extremely quickly.

A team of seven paleontologists from the Geology Museum in Bandung, West Java, set the bones in plaster for the trip back to their office after a monthlong excavation and the laborious process of piecing them together then began.

"We believe from the shape of its teeth that it was a very primitive elephant," but little else has been verified, said paleontologist Fachroel Aziz, who is heading a 12-strong skeletal reconstruction team.

Scientists agree it is the first time an entire prehistoric elephant skeleton has been unearthed since vertebrate fossil findings began to be recorded in Indonesia in 1863.

"It is very uncommon to discover a fossil like this in a tropical region like Indonesia," said Edi Sunardi, an independent expert at Indonesia's Pajajaran University in Bandung, West Java. "It apparently was covered by volcanic sediment that protected it from high temperatures, erosion and decay."

"From its feet to its skull, from the trunk to its tail bone, it's all complete," he said.

A piece of the 2.5-meter (8.2-foot) tusk of the extinct species was discovered five years ago by a geologist on a mapping project in the hilly village of Sungun, Central Java. The bigger find came three months ago when an old sand quarry collapsed during annual monsoon rains.

The next challenge will be removing the delicate bones from their molds and joining them into a stable, upright structure, a process that experts said is already being hampered by a lack of funding, inadequate tools and poor expertise.

Indonesia, an emerging and impoverished democracy of 235 million people, cannot afford to allocate more than a token sum to its aging museums, even for projects that have the potential to advance knowledge about the origin of key native species.

Gert van den Berg, a researcher at Australia's Wollongong University who helped dig up the skeleton, said tests are under way to determine its precise age and species, but that it will certainly answer lingering questions about the morphology of Asian elephants.

"This is the first time that an individual skeleton has been found that is so complete," Van den Berg said. Around 90 percent of the skeleton has been collected, including the skull and vertebrate which he said can provide details "about when the modern elephants evolved into what they are now."

About 2,000 old elephant remains have been found across the island nation over the past 150 years, but never in such good condition, said Aziz, describing how this elephant probably slipped into a pit of quicksand and was quickly buried.

"We want to exhibit it publicly because this is a spectacular discovery," he said. (By NINIEK KARMINI/Associated Press Writer)

Michael Jackson auction called off: official

LOS ANGELES: A huge sale of items belonging to former "King of Pop" Michael Jackson due to take place next week has been cancelled, the auction house organizing the sell-off confirmed Tuesday.

Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien's Auctions, told AFP that the hotly anticipated sale had been scrapped after a settlement had been reached with the eccentric pop star's legal team.

Jackson's management company had been attempting to halt the April 22-25 auction despite earlier approving the sale and co-operating with Julien's.

"I can tell you that both parties today agreed not to move forward with the auction on April 22," Nolan told AFP. "The collection will stay together to be returned to Michael Jackson and MJJ Productions."

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed but Nolan said both parties were happy with the deal.

More than 1,300 items--including a customized Rolls Royce limousine and dozens of Jackson's concert costumes--had been due to go under the hammer in Beverly Hills in an auction expected to raise millions.

Items up for sale had been taken from Jackson's sprawling Neverland Ranch in California, which the singer left and has never returned to following his acquittal on child abuse charges in 2005.

All the auction lots were on display Tuesday at a public exhibition ahead of the sale which had sparked worldwide interest from memorabilia collectors and Jackson fans.

Jackson's production company MJJ Productions had contracted Julien's to arrange an auction of Neverland items last year before suddenly seeking to halt the sale in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles last month.

A judge said the sale could ahead at a hearing on April 3, although Jackson's lawyers had been due to argue for an injunction at a further hearing scheduled for Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Nolan said he believed that the reaction of Jackson's fans following news of the auction had made the singer think twice about going ahead with the sale.

"There was such a sentimental reaction from fans all over the world about the dispersal of the collection from Neverland that it made Michael aware of the level of the loyalty of the fans," Nolan told AFP.

Nolan said while he expected prospective buyers would be disappointed by the cancellation "there's going to be rejoicing as well because at the end of the day there was a touch of sadness about the dispersal of Neverland."

"But now it's going to stay together and there will eventually be a permanent museum," he said. Nolan would not speculate on where any future Jackson museum was likely to be placed.

Jackson, who dominated the pop world with hit albums like "Thriller" and "Bad" in the 1980s, has virtually vanished from public view since being cleared at his "Trial of the Century" in California four years ago.

Jackson is currently preparing for a series of comeback concerts in London in July. Tickets sold out within hours when they went on sale. (AFP)

Malaysia pushing for WHO to adopt exit screening

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is pushing for the World Health Organisation (WHO) to adopt a requirement for affected countries to implement exit screening to stop the spread of the new Influenza A disease, following concerns that a second wave of the H1N1 disease can be more deadly.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said currently WHO did not make exit screening mandatory to contain the spread of the disease and this had created tremendous pressure on other countries that were not affected by the outbreak to remain so.

WHO is not recommending travel restrictions following the outbreak, but has advised individuals who are ill to delay their travel plans and returning travellers who fall ill, to seek appropriate medical care.

The issue of exit screening was first brought up during the Asean Plus Three Health Ministers Meeting in Bangkok last week, but some countries were against making it mandatory as it would have an impact on travel and trade, especially at a time when many countries are facing an economic downturn, with huge costs involved.

"If we can have travellers from affected countries screened before they are allowed to travel out, this will help us to contain the spread of such virus to other places," he told Bernama here before leaving for the 62nd WHO General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

However, while on transit in London, Liow confirmed Malaysia's first confirmed case of influenza A(H1N1) case involving a 21-year-old student who returned to Malaysia two days ago and is now quarantined at the Sungai Buloh Hospital.

The WHO general assembly, scheduled for May 18-22, will discuss a number of public health issues, including pandemic influenza preparedness, sharing of information on the influenza virus and access to vaccines and other benefits.

Liow said Malaysia and some other countries would push for WHO to adopt exit screening as a compulsory measure in the case of any outbreak in any country.

"We are pushing for this during the WHO general assembly in Geneva this weekend. Even at the Asean Plus Three Health Ministers Meeting in Bangkok (last week), not all countries agreed to it. But we hope WHO will pay attention to this," he said.

Apart from that, Liow said Malaysia would get the latest information on the H1N1 virus from WHO, as well as on the development of new vaccines while looking into stockpiling more anti-viral drugs for the country.

"We would like to bring to WHO's attention on the need for equal distribution of anti-viral drugs as well as other stockpiles as we are worried about the second wave of attack," he said.

Experts have said that the Influenza A(H1NI) outbreak is similar to the 1918 influenza pandemic as the viruses are similar and mutated. The 1918 influenza pandemic, which killed tens of millions of people, began mild and returned within six months in a much more lethal form.

"We've got to be prepared for this second, or even possible third wave while the government has decided to take all the precautionary measures as a long-term or permanent solution to the influenza outbreak," Liow said.

WHO said the new H1N1 flu virus could still mutate into a more virulent form and spark an influenza pandemic that could be expected to circle the globe up to three times.

The world health body has warned that the impact of any pandemic would vary, as a virus that causes only mild illness in countries with a strong healthcare system can become "devastating" in those with a weak healthcare system, shortage of drugs and poorly equipped hospitals.

According to WHO, the H1N1 viral infection, commonly referred to as swine flu, "appears to be more contagious than seasonal influenza and nearly the world's whole population lacks immunity to the new disease."

So far, the virus shows no signs of sustained person-to-person spread outside North America.

Some 6,497 people have been infected in 33 countries, according to WHO's tally on Friday with the hardest hit being Mexico with 60 deaths so far. (By ALAN TING/Bernama)

3 to 6 Months

3 TO 6 MONTHS

What a time of wonder these first few months are! From a sleeping and eating machine to a smiling, responsive infant, your baby will grow by leaps and bounds in many ways, including physically.
HOW MUCH SHOULD MY BABY GROW?

After losing some of his birth weight during the first few days of life, your baby will be starting to grow steadily. By the middle of his first month, he will probably be gaining about 300gm to 600gm per month.
After the first month, weight gain may average 0.9kg to 1.2 kg and length may increase 2.5cm to 3.75cm per month. These are just averages; as long as your baby is staying on his own growth curve, you should have no concerns about his progress. Your paediatrician will measure his weight, length, and head circumference and plot your baby's own growth path on a chart, so any growth problems can be spotted early.

THE SENSES: SIGHT
By the end of this period, your infant's distance vision should improve dramatically. He'll be able to recognise you as you enter a room, well before you have picked him up. You'll catch him gazing out a window or at a picture on the other side of the room. Human faces are still one of his favourite things to look at, especially his parents' and his own.

THE SENSES: HEARING
Your baby loves to hear your voice. So talk, babble, sing and coo away during these first few months. Take special advantage of your baby's own 'talking' to have a `conversation'. If you hear him make a sound, repeat it and wait for him to make another. You are teaching your baby valuable lessons about tone, pacing and taking turns when talking to someone else.
Besides voices, your infant will enjoy listening to music (try out a variety and see which one he likes best). He'll be fascinated by the routine sounds of life as well. Keep him nearby as you rattle pans while making dinner, for instance.

THE SENSES: TOUCH
Between one and three months, your baby is depending on you to bring touch to him. Infants know they are loved and cared
for when they are held, caressed, massaged and kissed.

LEARNING AND PLAY
Your 1-3 month old is more alert and aware of his surroundings than he was as a newborn. He already recognises his parents' voices and faces, and he might be ready to respond to them with smiles. Your baby is ready to be an active participant in play.

WHAT WILL MY BABY LEARN?
Your baby will carefully watch your facial expressions and listen to your voice. By listening to you, he is learning the importance of speech before he understands or repeats any words himself. He'll also learn during this period that he has the ability to vocalise, too; make sure to answer his coos and gurgles with your own sounds, and he will be more willing to express himself.
Now that your baby's hands are open (and he's discovered them), he'll begin to use them to learn about the world. He'll play with his fingers, bring his hands to his mouth, and try to swing at things within view. In this way, he is learning hand-eye coordination. When lying down, he'll stretch out his arms and legs - soon he will learn to grasp and kick!
You will learn to recognise when your baby is alert and ready to learn and play, and when he'd rather be left alone. Sometimes your baby will need to protect himself from overstimulation by 'shutting down' for a bit.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Remember that play is not just 'play' to babies and children. Play is how they learn, so be enthusiastic when your baby shows interest in playing. Take every opportunity to interact with him - provided he's in the mood. Don't overstimulate him with too many activities at once, and let him tell you when he's bored.
Your baby will enjoy listening to music, the sounds his toys make, and your singing - and he won't care whether or not you 're any good. His eyesight is improving, so he'll be fascinated by brightly coloured pictures in books and the mobile above his crib. And he won't be able to take his eyes off himself if he has an unbreakable crib mirror.
As your baby's hands open, offer him a rattle to hold, and watch his search for the source of the rattle 's sounds. Give him safe objects of different textures, shapes, sizes, colours, and weights to hold. Dangle objects above your baby and let him swat at them.
To get his hands moving, clap them together. Move his legs like a bicycle with your hands. These body games will help him learn to control his movements.
Once your baby can hold his head up, introduce these classic games, or make up your own:
Elevator: Lie on your back and lift your baby up over you. Say, 'I'm going to kiss you! ' while you lower him down and give him a kiss.
Bouncing rides: Place your baby on your lap and hold him under his arms. Move forward until you 're at the edge of the seat, then raise and lower your heels to give him a gentle bounce. Reciting rhymes while you do this will add to the fun and encourage language development.

MOVEMENT AND COORDINATION
Your infant is now on his way toward more voluntary movement as some of the initial reflexes noticeable after birth begin to disappear. By the end of the second month, most infants should be able to lift their heads 45 degrees off the crib mattress while lying on their stomachs; some may even be able to lift up further. By the end of this period, he should be able to bring his head up and look around.
You'll notice increasing neck strength as you hold your baby, too; he'll be able to control his head more and more on his own, although he'll still depend on you to watch that he has proper head support. While it will still be difficult for him to lift his head while lying flat on his back, you'll notice that his neck is less floppy if you lift him by the arms. Baby's legs will gradually straighten out, and his leg strength will become more apparent with each kick. Although his kicks may still be mostly reflexive, he may soon be strong enough to push himself over from his front to his back with his leg. This is why you should never leave your baby unattended on a changing table, bed, or other high surface. You never know when your baby will decide that he wants to roll over!
Your infant will grow increasingly aware of his own hands during this period. Although he has been able to grasp your finger or a light object reflexively since birth, during these months he'll learn how to control that grasp: how to open and shut his hand and how to bring a hand (or an object it is holding) to his mouth. He can swipe his hands at objects hung above him. He can shake a rattle or other toy placed in his hand - and drop it when he loses interest in it. He may continually attempt to get his own hand into his mouth during these months, but may fall short of this goal until about the fourth month. Then he'll get that thumb where he wants it and will be able to keep it there!

COMMUNICATION
Your baby will recognise Mummy and Daddy, laugh, squeal and smile spontaneously. His personality begins to become evident. Crying will continue to be your baby's primary means of communication for many months. Aside from letting you know that he needs something (and perhaps even what he needs by the way he cries), your baby may cry when he is overwhelmed by all the sights and sounds of the world. sometimes he may cry for no apparent reason at all.
Your baby will respond to the sound of your voice by becoming quiet, smiling or getting excited, and moving his arms and legs. He will begin smiling regularly at you at this point. He probably won't smile and be friendly to strangers, but he may warm up to them with coos and baby talk - or at least a curious stare.
Babies this age discover that they have the ability to vocalise; soon you'll have a cooing and gurgling machine! Some babies begin to repeat some vowel sounds, like'ah-ah' or'ooh-ooh' at about two months. Your baby will 'talk' to you with a variety of sounds; he'll also smile at you and wait for your response, and respond to your smiles with his own. His arms and legs will move, and his hands will open up. He may even mimic your facial expressions.

SLEEP
Now your baby will probably begin to stay awake longer during the day and sleep more at night than he did when he was born. Since your baby is more alert and aware of his surroundings during the daylight hours, he will be more inclined to sleep during the night, especially if you fight the urge to play or talk to him during night-time feedings or diaper changes.
Your baby is adapting to the sleep-wake cycle that his parents favour, and his stomach is growing and holding more breast milk or formula. That means he might even be sleeping up to seven or eight hours without waking up because of hunger. At about three months, if you feed your infant and put him to bed at 10pm, you may find yourself actually sleeping until dawn! Again, not all infants keep to the same timetable.