GOLD

Spot gold suddenly dropped 2 percent Wednesday to as low as $1,826, nearly $100 off the all-time high above $1,920 hit in the previous session, tracking heavy losses on U.S. gold futures on technical selling.

Moammar Gadhafi was last tracked heading for Libya's southern border, the man leading the hunt for the deposed dictator told Reuters, and French and Niger military sources said scores of vehicles carrying his forces had crossed into Niger.

As a Libyan convoy of almost 200 vehicles rolls through Niger, speculation swirls that Moammar Gadhafi might be on an escape route to Burkina Faso. What would life be like in the West African country?

With the price of gold at a record high, thieves are increasingly targeting the valuable commodity, the Associated Press reported.

Scores of Libyan army vehicles crossed the desert frontier into Niger in what may be a bid by Muammar Gaddafi to seek refuge in a friendly African state, military sources from France and Niger told Reuters on Tuesday.

In a flight to safety, the 10-Year Treasury yield has fallen below 2.00 percent, while gold futures are slightly higher.

Loyalists of ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi crossed into Niger late on Monday in a convoy of vehicles, carrying gold and cash, officials from Libya's interim ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) said on Tuesday.

Hong Kong shares edged higher on Tuesday, as a late short covering rally helped snap a two-day losing streak, but strong gains in utilities names and low turnover suggest that investors remain skeptical the bounce can be sustained.

Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold's Indonesia mine workers are set to strike from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 unless the firm meets their demands for a pay rise, Julia Parorongan, the firm's workers union spokeswoman, told Reuters on Tuesday.

Asian shares fell and U.S. Treasury yields dropped to the lowest levels in at least 60 years on Tuesday on fears that Europe's sovereign debt troubles are worsening and could trigger a second full-blown banking crisis.

Asian shares fell and the euro slipped Tuesday amid fears that Europe's sovereign debt troubles are worsening and could trigger a second full-blown banking crisis.

South Africa's stocks fell more than 2 percent on Monday and the rand hit one-week lows to the dollar, with further losses seen this week as worries about the global economy and euro zone debt crisis persist.

A British perspective on the gold markets of the 1970s and today

The United States won the women's 4x100 meters relay title at the world championships on Sunday, Carmelita Jeter bringing the anchor leg home in a time of 41.56.

American Christian Taylor stunned defending champion Phillips Idowu with a world leading leap of 17.96 meters to win triple jump gold at the world championships on Sunday.

The world's fastest man Usain Bolt anchored Jamaica to a golden 4x100m relay world record in the final race of the 13th world athletics championships on Sunday.

There were tears and glory, a solitary world record and athletics firsts. There was even a Daegu curse. But for most, the story of the 13th world athletics championships will be disqualifications.

The United States maintained their grip on the women's 4x400 meters crown on Saturday with their third consecutive world championships' victory.

Jamaican Usain Bolt blazed to the 200 metres title at the world championships on Saturday in 19.40 seconds to confirm his reputation as the king of sprinters.

Usain Bolt raced to redemption in 19.40 golden seconds on Saturday to retain his world 200 metres title while Anna Chicherova ended Blanka Vlasic's four-year run as high jump world champion.

While Apple is still not making any announcement regarding the iPhone 5 release, IFA Germany has taken the wraps off some latest smartphones that can pose a major threat to the impending next generation iPhone.