In 2005, a gigantic rift broke open desert ground in Ethiopia in 2005, and since then scientists have speculated that it was the first step in a process that will eventually split eastern Ethiopia and Somalia from the African continent by a new Ocean. Four years later, researchers have proof that this will indeed happen.

When the rigt was created in 2005, it almost went unnoted because of the sparse population of the Ethiopian desert. At 34.8 miles large, or 56 kilometers, it sounds impossible that it couldn't be noticed. Indeed, it was noticed. Satellite imagery clearly showed that the landscape had changed. At the time, geologists believed that the rift was the start of a new ocean as two parts of the African continent pulled apart. This claim was controversial at the time, however.

Scientists from several countries now confirm that the volcanic activity at work beneath the Ethiopian rift are identical to those at the bottom of the worl'd oceans. And they say that the rift is likely the beginning of a new sea.

Usain Bolt, a World and Olympic sprint champion, adopted a cheetah in Kenya on Monday for about $13,700. He was at first reluctant to hold the orphaned cheetah, which he has named Lightning Bolt, but eventually he got over his fear and even fed the 3-month old some milk.

Bolt said that he has no plans to race the cheetah, but will be paying about $3,000 for its annual upkeep. He said:

“This is my first time in Africa, and of course in Kenya. I’ve had a lot of experiences, and a lot of animals have scared the crap out of me, but I am ok now.”

On Monday Bolt had some other close encounters with the animals of Africa. While riding in a car with CEO his sponsor, Puma AG, Jochen Zeitz in Naivasha, their vehicle came too close to a baby elephant and was shooed away by an adult. Bolt also got a bit of a scare when Kenyan Prime Minster Raila Odinga cuddled two lion cubs he had just adopted. He also nearly ran away when he was asked to pet a fully grown cheetah for a photo shoot with the PM. He had Zeitz stand in for him until he saw that the animal seemed harmless.

According to the UK's Guardian, South African runner Caster Semenya has now gone into hiding and is receiving "trauma counseling" after the results of her gender testing were announced publicly last week. Australian media claimed that they were leaked the results of her gender tests, which were said to reveal that she is a hermaphrodite.

Semenya, 18, won the women's 800-meters at the World Championships in Berlin on August 19. However, her deep voice and masculine build sparked concerns over her gender. Test results did show that her testosterone levels exceeded the average for a woman, but further testing was needed to determine her gender.

The Sydney Daily Telegraph said that the tests conducted showed that the world champ has a chromosomal abnormality which means that she is without a womb and ovaries, but has internal testes that produce the male hormone testosterone.

Semenya withdrew from competition on Saturday. She was supposed to compete in a 4km cross country race in Pretoria. Athletics South Africa spokeswoman Phiwe Mlangeni-Tsholesane confirmed that Semenya was receiving counselling, but denied reports that she is suicidal. The spokeswoman said:

South African track star Caster Semenya dropped out of a race Saturday after reports claimed that she is a hermaphrodite. Citing an unnamed source, both the Sydney Daily Telegraphy and Sydney Morning Herald claimed earlier this week that Caster has both male and female sex organs.

The International Association of Athletics Federation ordered a gender test after she won the women's 800-meters at the world championships in August in Berli. However, they would not confirm or deny the reports. The IAAF said it would continue to review the test results and release their findings in November.

Caster's coach, Michael Seme, said:

"We have decided that Caster will not run [Saturday]," adding that the 18-year-old was "not feeling well."

The newspaper report claiming that Caster is a hermaphrodite has angered her family and supporters, who say that they will not allow her to be banned from international competition.

South African sports minister Makhenskesi Stofile said:

"We will go to the highest levels of contesting such a decision. I think it would be the Third World War.

After doubts were raised about Caster Semenya's gender, the 18-year-old South African was forced to take a gender test. According to reports, Caster has no womb or ovaries and her testosterone levels are more than three times higher than those of a normal female.

The tests were ordered by The International Association of Athletics Federations after Semenya's 800-meter victory in the World Championships. These tests determined that she is what is known as a hermaphrodite, meaning she has both male and female organs.

According to Australia's Daily Telegraph, Semenya could be stripped of the gold medal she won in Berlin last month. In addition, her future in competition is also up in the air. The IAAF is also expected to advise her to have surgery to fix the potentially deadly condition.

The results of the testing have not yet been officially released, and as such the IAAF refuses to comment on the reports.

A source with knowledge of the test results said that Semenya has internal testes, the male sexual organ which produces testosterone.

After a spectacular performance in the 800m in Berlin at the World Championship final, South African runner Caster Semenya's gender was called into question. Afterall, se not only performed exceptionally well, but she didn't look much like a woman. The controversy can now be laid to rest, as testing shows that her testosterone levels were found to be higher than normal, but still within the range that will allow her to continue to participate in women's races.

Sources within the Athletics South Africa organization said that she was tested three years ago. Semenya had reportedly taken a standard urine test, which is taken by all athletes, instead of a gender verification test to make sure that she was eligible to compete.

The source told the Guardian:

"She was tested three years ago when she started competing and it was found that she is a woman. She may have rather high levels of male hormones but she is definitely a woman."

Another source revealed to the paper that she had been tested and found to be a woman. In addition, the source revealed that the issue of whether or not an athlete is tested has to be kept confidential, and tat the results are only made known if there is a problem.

A new strain of HIV has been discovered in France, and most worrying is the fact that it may not be detected on standard AIDS tests. The new variety of human immunodeficiency virus appears to have originated in a gorilla disease that was first isolated in 2006.

The three previously known HIV strains were related to a chimpanzee illness. Experts say that the new strain should still be treatable with the same anti-retroviral drugs that help curb the other strains of HIV.

Researchers indicated that they found the new strain in a 62-year-old woman who tested positive in 2004, shortly after she moved to Paris from Cameroon. The woman is not sick, and had lived in a suburb of the Cameroonian capital and had no contact with apes or wild animal meat. She did, however, indicate that she had several sexual partners. Researchers said the likely contracted the new HIV strain from another person infected with it.

Writing in the magazine Nature, researcher Jean-Christophe Plantier of the University of Rouen said that the discovery "highlights the continuing need to watch closely for the emergence for new HIV variants, particularly in western central Africa, the origin of all existing HIV-1 groups."

Professor Paul Sharp of the University of Edinburgh told the BBC that the virus may have jumped from gorillas to chimps to humans. He added:

"The medical implication is that, because this virus is not very closely related to the other three HIV-1 groups, it is not detected by conventional tests.

The original strain of HIV is believed to have jumped from apes to humans about a century ago, from either the bite of an infected animal, or a person killing and eating a sick chimp. Analysis of tissues perserved by doctors in colonial-era Belgian Congo show that HIV-1 began to spread among humans between 1884 and 1924.

Madonna, 50, who was barred from taking home four-year-old Malawian girl Chifundo "Mercy" James in April because she was not a resident of the country for the required 18 months, was told earlier today that she would be allowed to give the girl a new home. During a 90 minute hearing held earlier today at Malawi's Supreme Court, Madonna found out the good news.

Malawi's chief justice Lovemore Munlo said:

“In our view, Chifundo James would be better taken care of if she was adopted by foreign parents who will give her love and affection. We therefore grant the adoption.”

In making his decision, the judge said that he took into consideration Madonna's commitment to giving Malawian orphans an improved standard of life, and commented that her financial stability made her a good candidate for adoption.

Madonna is said to be very "excited" by the news. Her lawyer, Alan Chinula, said:

Madonna is very “excited” with the news. The pop superstar’s lawyer Alan Chinula said:

“It's the wee hours of morning in New York but she is excited at the news. As her lawyer I am happy this has settled this contentious issue.”

WHO Declares First Global Flu Pandemic in 41 Years

For the past several years we've been subjected to the warning ads in various media - radio, television, and print - that the world is overdue for a flu pandemic and that one is sure to be coming soon. The day has finally arrived. On Thursday the World Health Organization declared a swine flu pandemic, the first global flu epidemic in 41 years.

Infections around the globe, including the United States, Europe, South America, and Australia, have now climbed to nearly 30,000 cases.

The announcement of the pandemic is official scientific confirmation that a new flu virus has emerged and is quickly making its rounds globally. Now that the WHO has upgraded the situation to pandemic levels, they will begin asking drugmakers to speed up the production of a swine flu vaccine. The declaration should also prompt governments to devote additional funds towards efforts to contain the virus.

Dr. Margaret Chan made the announcement Thursday following an emergency meeting with flu experts. Chan indicated that the WHO would be moving the world up to the agency's highest alert level - phase 6. Phase 6 means that a pandemic, or global epidemic, is already under way.

Madonna was decidedly devastated after her attempts to adopt a girl from Malawi were thwarted by the government, but now she will get a second chance. According to her lawyer, an appeals court will hear her request to adopt 4-year old Mercy James on May 4.

Lawyer Alan Chinula said:

"I cannot disclose our grounds of appeal, but I can confirm the court will hear our appeal."

Madonna herself is not expected to appear at the hearing.

Earlier this month a Malawi judge rejected her adoption efforts, suggesting that Malawian children were better of living in their homeland. He also said that celebrity adoptions send the wrong message, and could spark a rush of child-trafficking.