Rare blue sapphire found in LankaCOLOMBO: An 880-carat blue sapphire the size of a chicken egg that could become one of the world's most valuable gems has been found in central Sri Lanka. Leela Dharmadasa, owner of the mine in Ratnapura about 70 kms from Colombo, will put the sapphire up for auction after it is cut and polished. The raw stone has been shown to President Chandrika Kumaratunga.Leslie Punchihewa, one of Sri Lanka's top gemologists, said if cut properly the gem will be among the 10 most valuable blue sapphires in the world. The value is difficult to assess but it could approach $1 million, the expert said.Sri Lanka has produced the three largest blue sapphires ever found, including the "Star Of India" on display in New York's museum of natural history. Its gems have been fabled since the days of the 13th century Venetian traveler Marco Polo.Exports have been badly hit in the recent years by low production and competition from new producers, Tanzania, Madagascar and Vietnamofficials said yesterday. A decade ago, the sale of gems and jewellery was the third largest foreign exchange earner. Last year, it fell to sixth.Madonna tops MTV nominationsLOS ANGELES: Madonna, who is enjoying her biggest chart success in years, snatched nine nominations when the contenders for the 15th annual MTV video music awards were announced.Alternative rock band Garbage pulled in eight nominations, followed by actor-rapper Will Smith with six. Veteran rock band Aerosmith, rapper Busta Rhymes, techno outfit Prodigy and moody rockers Radiohead scored four nominations each.The lineup was announced yesterday at a news conference attended by Hole vocalist Courtney Love, Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan and MTV president Judy McGrath. The awards show will take place at the universal amphitheatre in Los Angeles on September 10, screened live by MTV.Madonna, who will also perform at the show, is currently riding high in the international pop charts with her new album "Ray of light."The title track ranks as the highest charting US single of her career - as well as her 40th.Among the categories the "Ray of light" video was listed, in were best video of the year, female video, dance video, direction, choreography, special effects, art direction, editing and cinematography.Other performers will include Hole, Rapper Master P, The Dave Matthews Band and the Beastie Boys.Garbage's "Push It" will compete in the group video, alternative music video, direction, special effects, art direction, editing, cinematography and breakthrough video categories.Other nominees included the Foo Fighters, The Verve and Wyclef Jean featuring Refuge All Stars with three each.Kenyan spiritsNAIROBI: Kenyan authorities sent 400 students from a secondary girls school home and closed the school after pupils claimed they had been assaulted by spirits, the Nairobi Daily Nation reported.Students reported that a number of them were assaulted when the lights are put out, the newspaperreported yesterday.Muthetheni girls school in Machakos, 55 kms east of Nairobi, was closed down on Monday after the girls claimed they were being attacked by unknown forces.Two district education officers have been sent to the school to investigate. Muthetheni is the second school in the region to be closed this term following alleged spirit attacks.Breast implantsCANBERRA: A consumer group may call on Australians to boycott US chemicals giant Dow Corning to protest a settlement offered to local women whose breast implants went badly wrong, a member of the group said today.Dow Corning, a leading manufacturer of silicone breast implants which women claimed caused fatigue, pain and auto-immune disease, last week agreed to pay US $3.2 billion to settle claims by at least 170,000 women.
