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Army clearing northern areaof militants

By Times Wires
Published December 9, 2007

MINGORA, Pakistan

The Pakistani army has driven Islamic militants from all the towns in a scenic northern valley and killed 290 of the followers of a pro-Taliban cleric who has called for a holy war against the government, a general said Saturday. The militants, followers of firebrand preacher Maulana Fazlullah, had taken control of at least eight towns in the Swat valley since July, scattering outgunned police and erecting "Taliban station" signboards outside former police stations. Officials accuse them of imposing a reign of terror, shuttering schools for girls and beheading locals who opposed them. President Pervez Musharraf has cited the stepped-up militancy in northern regions like Swat to justify imposing a state of emergency on Nov. 3 - a move critics say was designed to silence opposition forces weary of his military rule.

Oil exporters using more themselves

The economies of many big oil-exporting countries are growing so fast that their need for energy within their borders is crimping how much they can sell abroad, adding new strains to the global oil market. Experts say the sharp growth, if it continues, means several of the world's most important suppliers may need to start importing oil within a decade. Indonesia has already made this flip. By some projections, the same thing could happen within five years to Mexico, the No. 2 source of foreign oil for the United States, and soon after that to Iran, the world's fourth-largest exporter.

NARA, Japan

Mix silkworms and spiders, get socks

A sock wholesaling manufacturer in Nara prefecture and a university professor are working together to produce stronger, more elastic socks using a new type of silk thread made by incorporating spider thread genes into silkworm eggs. The new type of thread, called "spider silk," was developed by professor Masao Nakagaki, an insect genetics researcher, at Shinshu University. Nakagaki expects the new thread to be twice as strong and elastic as conventional silk thread. He also said the new thread could be used for sutures and fishing line. Nakagaki said genes are extracted from spider thread and injected into silkworm eggs. The resulting worms spin thread that's about 10 percent spider thread.

MANILA, Philippines

Official gunned down in town hall

Two gunmen barged into a central Philippine town hall Friday and killed the vice mayor, a human rights advocate who had condemned a series of killings of left-wing activists, officials said Saturday. After being shot once, Vice Mayor Regolo Moran wrestled with one of the attackers but was shot again by the other and died soon after, said Rep. Crispin Beltran. The gunmen escaped and police had not established a motive Saturday.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil

Carnival cash aims to drive out crime

Brazil will budget $6.8-million a year for Rio de Janeiro's Carnival parade to reduce the influence of numbers runners and gangsters who have traditionally controlled the parade groups, or "samba schools," President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Saturday. Silva said the funds will be split among the 12 top groups, which spend as much as $1-million a year to put on their lavish performances.

[Last modified December 9, 2007, 00:16:22]