Reuters: Wart-stricken man sees improvement 16 April

"Tree man" Dede as he's known, has been ostracised by society because of his rare illness. He's seeking help from American doctor, Anthony Gaspari. Gaspari became involved in the case through a Discovery Channel documentary. Dede was admitted to a local hospital in 1993, but doctors could not find a cure for his condition.

But experts said Arak Krakatau, which lies in the Sunda strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra some 130 kilometres west of the capital Jakarta, might not erupt immediately. Meanwhile, authorities lowered the alert level for Mount Kelud on the densely populated island of Java after a decline in its activity, and advised people to return to their homes. Joanna Partridge reports

Herve Ynsa claims the title of France's "most tattooed man" -- and competes for the honour on the European circuit. From the age of 16, and at the cost of some 20,000 euros, he's added a sun, a samurai, a Japanese demon and other designs to his skin, but says his goal is to cover his entire body.

Suharto was rushed to hospital last week suffering from anaemia and low blood pressure due to heart, lung and kidney problems. His medical team now says he's improving, and they have started to cut the dose of medication. A steady stream of high-profile visitors, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, visited him over the weekend - a sign of Suharto's lingering influence among Indonesia's elite.

Public health experts have heralded progress in fighting tuberculosis, which has nearly been eradicated in the Western world. But the disease continues to plague developing countries like India, where thousands of new cases are reported every year. To add to concerns, health professionals are now warning that new multi-drug-resistant strains are an increasing problem, and threaten to filter back into First World countries once again. A voiced report.

Despite a raft of conservation policies, the EU's precious biological diversity - essential for supporting life on this planet - continues to be under serious threat.

David George sought refuge up the tree after realising he had stumbled into the middle of a swampy crocodile nest in the dark.

Members of Suharto's family gathered late last night at Pertamina hospital in Jakarta where he was being treated after his health suddenly deteriorated. The head of the medical team who treated him said he passed away peacefully at 13.10 (0610 GMT).

In the south of the Indonesian Sulawesi island live the Toraja people. There, Ne’Uban (the old man with white hair) has dedicated his life to buffalo. The Torajas would not exist without the buffalo. An old legend recounts that when the world began, the Toraja ancestor came down to earth with a buffalo that walked behind him. Ever since, the Toraja feel that the dead need a guide to help them find the land of happy souls, and only the buffalo know the way. That is why they must respect their buffalos, care for them and love them, so that they will agree to be sacrificed, when the time comes for the buffalo to accompany their soul.

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