SAfrican ministry says Semenya to keep gold medal

Nov 19, 2009 - ILE - This is an Aug. 28, 2009, file photo showing South African runner Caster Semenya, center, surrounded by local children at her welcome home celebration at the Masehlong village in Moletjie, South Africa. Semenya says she isn't comfortable with her fame since her world championship title was obscured by gender-test revelations. - 14 Comments

Barrick shuts hedge book as world gold supply runs out

Nov 11, 2009 - Barrick shuts hedge book as world gold supply runs out Global gold production is in terminal decline despite record prices and Herculean efforts by mining companies to discover fresh sources of ore in remote spots, according to the world's top producer Barrick Gold. By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, International Business Editor Published: 7:20PM GMT 11 Nov 2009 Comments 11 | Comment on this article Pouring gold bullion - Barrick shuts hedge book as world gold supply runs out Liquid gold: Gold is poured from the induction kiln Photo: JULIAN SIMMONDS Aaron Regent, president of the Canadian gold giant, said that global output has been falling by roughly 1m ounces a year since the start of the decade. Total mine supply has dropped by 10pc as ore quality erodes, implying that the roaring bull market of the last eight years may have further to run. - 1 Comment

Spooky new spider weaves monster webs

Oct 29, 2009 - One of the largest orb-weaving spiders had remained hidden from entomologists in plain sight. The new species of giant golden orb weaver (Nephila komaci), which builds meter-wide webs, entangled a doctoral student who stumbled upon a specimen in a museum collection. "It was surprising to find a giant female Nephila from South Africa in the collection…that did not match any of the described species," Matjaz Kuntner, who is now chair of the Institute of Biology of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts and co-author of the paper, said in a prepared statement. - 10 Comments

Catholic Church makes some changes

Oct 20, 2009 - http://news.aol.com/article/vatican-creates-new-structure-to-ease/728295?icid=main|main|dl2|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fvatican-creates-new-structure-to-ease%2F728295 Catholic Church Makes 'Stunning' Move By JAMES GRAFF, World Editor ,   (Oct. 20) -- The number of married Catholic priests could grow sharply as the result of the Vatican's epochal decision to welcome thousands of disaffected Anglicans and Episcopalians into the Catholic Church. At press conferences in Rome and London on Tuesday, Vatican officials announced that the Church would set up a special canonical structure that will ease the conversion of members of the Anglican Communion without them having to give up what the Vatican called "the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony." - 40 Comments

Big wedding: 20,000 gather for mass nuptials

Oct 14, 2009 - ASAN, South Korea - Brides in white gowns and Japanese kimonos joined grooms in black suits and red ties Wednesday for the Unification Church's biggest mass wedding in a decade — a spectacle church officials say involves 40,000 people around the world. The "blessing ceremony" is the church's largest since 1999, and may well be the last on such a grand scale officiated by the 89-year-old Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the controversial founder of the Unification Church. - 3 Comments

S. African mine discovers 507-carat white diamond

Sep 29, 2009 - JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – Mining group Petra Diamonds has discovered a 507.55 carat white diamond at South Africa's Cullinan mine, one of the largest high-quality rough diamonds ever found, the firm said on Tuesday. "This spectacular gemstone was recovered on Thursday 24 September and is currently with experts for analysis," said a statement released by the London-listed company which operates mainly in Africa. Initial examinations of the diamond which weighs just over 100 grams (3.5 ounces), have shown it to be of exceptional colour and clarity. - 17 Comments