Africa

Archaeologists have uncovered a vast harbor complex, which is believed to be the oldest harbor ever found, that helped to extend the domain of Egyptian pharaoh Khufu by shipping copper and other minerals from Egypt to the rest of the Mediterranean world.

The harbor is believed to be about 4,500 years old. Pierre Tallet, an Egyptologist at the University of Paris-Sorbonne and director of the archaeological mission, says that the harbor "predates by more than 1,000 years any other port structure known in the world."

The harbor was constructed along the shores of the Red Sea in the Wadi al-Jarf region about 112 miles south of Suez. It's discovery was made by a French-Egyptian group from the French Institute for Archaeological Studies.

The researchers also discovered, in addition to the dock structures, several anchors that had been carved of stone, storage jars, fragments of rope, and pieces of pottery. They also unearthed some exceptionally well-preserved papyrus documents, which Mohamed Ibrahim, Minister of State for Antiquities, says is "the oldest papyri ever found in Egypt."

Researchers have discovered two new species of mouse lemur on the African island nation of Madagascar, and are now showing off the tea-cup sized primates to the world.

The mouse lemurs have so much in common that it is impossible to tell them apart without genetic sequencing. They also only weight about 2.5 to 3 ounces. They feature grey-brown fur, large eyes, and are shy and nocturnal and blend in with the rainforest.

The first of the two new species is called Anosy mouse lemur, Microcebus tanosi. The other species is the Marohita mouse lemur, Microcebus marohita. Despite being cousins, the two species apparently do not interbreed.

These two species of lemurs were first discovered in 2003 and 2007, when study co-author Rodin Rasoloarison captured them. He then weighed and measured the tiny primates, and took skin samples for genetic analysis in the lab.

The species looked similar on the outside, however their DNA told a different story. In order to determine where the animals fit into the lemur family tree, scientists analyzed two mitochondrial and four nuclear DNA genes.

Oscar Pistorius, the legless Olympian who made international headlines last month after shooting dead his girlfriend in his home, is said to be "on the verge of suicide" as he tries to sell off his belongings in order to fund his murder defense.

A close friend of the sprinter says that Pistorius, 26, is torturing himself over the Valentine's Day killing of his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The friend, Michael Azzie, said during a BBC documentary, "Oscar Pistorius: What Really Happened?":

“He doesn’t know where he is going. I would say that, just by speaking to him, he is a broken man. I’d go as far as to say he would be on the verge of suicide.”

With his sponsors having bailed on him, Pistorius is now struggling to pay his lega bills, which already have surpassed $300,000. Azzie says that Oscar is now looking to sell off his racehorses:

Scientists believe that they've discovered the remains of a lost continent off the coast of Africa on the floor of the Indian Ocean. After analyzing beach sands from the island of Mauritius, the research team from Norway, South Africa, Germany, and the United Kingdom were able to identify the "microcontinent."

The researchers believe that Mauritius was split from the larger island of Madagascar, located about 900 kilometers (560 miles) to the west, by volcanic eruptions between 61 and 84 million years ago. The beach sands were deposited by subsequent eruptions within the last nine million years.

Even more intriguing, however, was the finding of a smattering of zircon grains that were about 2 billion years old, which suggests that the recent volcanoes had spewed out fragments of an ancient continental crust.

According to an explosive new report from the National Enquirer, Oscar Pistorius was concerned that his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, was cheating on him with one of his close friends. This is what supposed sparked the argument between the couple. Reeva then reportedly used this opportunity to inform Oscar that she was pregnant with his child, news that she thought would placate him, but instead it only added fuel to the fire. The Enquirer claims that the pregnancy news sent him over the edge.

A source revealed to the Enquirer that police were called out to Pistorius' home on the evening of February 13 after receiving complaints from neighbors about shouting and fighting coming from the house. The source noted:

"Police were called to investigate, but it appeared to be just another lover's spat, so nothing was done except ask them to quiet down."

It was around 3am, say police, that things too a deadly turn.

The source revealed to the magazine:

"Police theorize that Pistorius was in a rage...and bludgeoned Reeva with a cricket bat during a fierce argument. When police found the bat, there was lots of blood on it."

The source adds:

"Investigators believe Pistorius shot the young woman once while they were fighting."

It is then thought that bleeding heavily, Reeva managed to escape and lock herself in the bathroom before Pistorius fired three more shots from his Taurus 9mm pistol through the door.

On Friday, a South African magistrate ruled that Olympian Oscar Pistorius will be released on bail while awaiting trial in the shooting death of his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp.

Magistrate Desmon Nair heard final arguments on the fourth day of the bail hearing, before ruling in favor of the defense. Pistorius is charged with premeditated murder in the death of Steenkamp.

Nair told the courtroom that the prosecution failed to prove that Pistorius, who was born without fibulas and wears prosthetic legs, is a flight risk. He also said that they failed to prove that he has "a propensity for violence."

The defense was charged with showing that "exceptional circumstances" existed in order for Pistorius to be granted bail. Pistorius' lawyer, Barry Roux, argued that he is not a flight risk because his prosthetic legs "need maintenance and adjustment on a monthly basis."

Oscar Pistorius made a name for himself last summer in the London Olympics as the first double-amputee track athlete to complete in the Games. Now, however, he's sure to be known for something much more sinister - killing his model girlfriend. Pistorius, who shot her four times, claims that he thought he was shooting at an intruder. His story sounds incredulous to even the most open-minded, but now a South African investigator says that Pistorius' account of how the night went down is consistent with what police have found at the crime scene.

Under questioning from Pistorius' defense team on Wednesday, Detective Hilton Botha acknowledge that the crime scene matched the Olympian's description of events that evening.

It was the second day of his bail hearing in Pretoria, which is set to continue on Thursday.

Pistorius insists that he believed he was shooting at a burglar, and says that he had no intentions of killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his home last Thursday. Prosecutors, however, say that the nighttime shooting through a bathroom door constitutes premeditated murder.

Oscar Pistorius appeared in South African court on Tuesday for a bail hearing, and gave his account of the night that he shot his model girlfriend dead. In a statement read out to Pretoria magistrates court, Pistorius claimed that he mistook Reeva Steenkamp for a burglar when he woke up in the middle of the night.

The Paralympic athlete told the court that he had been on the balcony of his house when he heard noises from the bathroom. Believing that Steenkamp was asleep in bed, he says that he grabbed his gun and shouted a warning before firing four shots through the door.

Pistorius says that it was only after he fired the shots that he realized Steenkamp was not in bed. He said:

"I kicked the door open. I tried to help her but she died in my arms."

Following his appearance in court today, Pistorius was sent back to his cell to spend his sixth night in jail. The bail hearing will begin again tomorrow morning.

After a magistrate ruled that he faces a charge of premeditated murder, bail is unlikely and Pistorius could be looking at spending months in jail.

Pistorius struggled to remain composed during court today, sobbing uncontrolably. At one point the magistrate stopped the court proceedings to allow him to regain composure and have an energy drink.

Corporate sponsors have already started distancing themselves from "blade runner" Oscar Pistorius, who stands accused of murdering his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in his South Africa home. On Monday, both Nike and Oakley announced that they would cease running ads featuring Pistorius.

Pistorius earned his "blade runner" moniker after gaining worldwide fame in the Olympics for running on high-tech carbon fiber blades after being born without fibulas.

In the early part of the day, Nike commented that it had "no plans" to use Pistorius in future ad campaigns and had already pulled an Internet ad featuring the double-amputee starting to sprint along with the caption "I am the bullet in the chamber."

Oakley spokeswoman Cheri Quigley said in a statement issued Monday afternoon:

"In light of the recent allegations, Oakley is suspending its contract with Oscar Pistorius, effective immediately. Our hearts are with the families during this difficult time and we'll continue to follow the developments in this tragic case."

Nike and Oakley made their announcements shortly after Pistorius' agent, Peeet van Zyl, said publicly that he expected that the sponsors would stick by Pistorius' side during the legal process. He was clearly wrong.

In addition to finding a bloody cricket bat in the home of Oscar Pistorius, who is accused of murdering his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, authorities have also found illegal steroids.

The Olympian will now be tested for the banned substance, potentially in anticipation of a possible defense claim that Pistorius acted in "roid rage."

A source revealed to the UK gossip mag The Sun:

“Steroid drugs were found at Pistorius’s home together with evidence of heavy drinking. That’s why police have specifically ordered that he be tested for steroids.”

It is not yet known whose blood was on the cricket bat, but forensic testing will be able to determine whose blood it was. Investigators believe that Pistorius, 26, may have bashed Steenkamp, 29, with the bat, or she may have used it to defend herself.

Steenkamp was declared dead shortly after 3am on Thursday morning at Pistorius' home in a well-guarded, gated community in the South African capital of Pretoria. The model had been found shot in the head, hand, hip, and arm. Her skull was also reportedly fractured. Pistorius was immediately arrested, and claimed that he mistook her for a burglar. Officers found a 9 mm pistol inside the home.