Monster spider web spun in Texas

WILLS POINT, Texas (AP) -- Entomologists are debating the origin and rarity of a sprawling spider web that blankets several trees, shrubs and the ground along a 200-yard stretch of trail in a North Texas park.

Lake Tawokoni State Park rangers Mike McCord, left, and Freddie Gowin check out a giant spider web at the park.

Officials at Lake Tawakoni State Park say the massive mosquito trap is a big attraction for some visitors, while others won't go anywhere near it.

"At first, it was so white it looked like fairyland," said Donna Garde, superintendent of the park about 45 miles east of Dallas. "Now it's filled with so many mosquitoes that it's turned a little brown. There are times you can literally hear the screech of millions of mosquitoes caught in those webs."

Spider experts say the web may have been constructed by social cobweb spiders, which work together, or could be the result of a mass dispersal in which the arachnids spin webs to spread out from one another.

"I've been hearing from entomologists from Ohio, Kansas, British Columbia -- all over the place," said Mike Quinn, an invertebrate biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department who first posted photos online.

Herbert A. "Joe" Pase, a Texas Forest Service entomologist, said the massive web is very unusual.

"From what I'm hearing it could be a once-in-a-lifetime event," he said.

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But John Jackman, a professor and extension entomologist for Texas A&M University, said he hears reports of similar webs every couple of years.

"There are a lot of folks that don't realize spiders do that," said Jackman, author of "A Field Guide to the Spiders and Scorpions of Texas."

"Until we get some samples sent to us, we really won't know what species of spider we're talking about," Jackman said.

Garde invited the entomologists out to the park to get a firsthand look at the giant web.

"Somebody needs to come out that's an expert. I would love to see some entomology intern come out and study this," she said.

Park rangers said they expect the web to last until fall, when the spiders will start dying off.
(CNN.COM)

Sharif names Pakistan return date

Pakistan's exiled former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will return home on 10 September to challenge President General Pervez Musharraf, he says.

Mr Sharif, deposed by Gen Musharraf in 1999, was speaking in London a week after Pakistan's top court defied the government to rule his return legal.

The United States reminded Mr Musharraf of his commitment to resign his army position before fighting elections.

"We expect him to honour that commitment" said a US spokesman.

The Pakistani leader "has said he's going to deal... with this issue in accordance with the constitution," said State Department spokesman Tom Casey.

From the White House, spokesman Gordon Johndroe said that the US primarily "seeks free and fair elections" in Pakistan.

'Unfortunate'

Mr Sharif's announcement came as former PM Benazir Bhutto claims she is nearing a deal to share power with Gen Musharraf.

Correspondents have said Mr Sharif could still face jail if he goes home.

Mr Sharif said he planned to "start a decisive struggle against dictatorship", adding that Gen Musharraf should step down from the presidency and from his army post.

MUSHARRAF UNDER PRESSURE 9 March: Musharraf suspends chief justice for "abuse of power". Lawyers protest April: Protests grow, amid clashes with police 12 May: 34 people die as rival political groups clash in Karachi 11 July: 102 people die when army storms radical Red Mosque in Islamabad July-Aug: Sharp rise in suicide attacks by pro-Taleban militants 20 July: Supreme Court reinstates chief justice 9 Aug: Musharraf rejects emergency rule 23 Aug: Supreme Court says exiled ex-PM Nawaz Sharif can return

The former prime minister, who served two terms between 1990 and 1993 and from 1997 to 1999, said it would be "unfortunate" if Ms Bhutto made a deal with Gen Musharraf.

"I disagree with Ms Bhutto's current policy of shaking hands with a dictator," he said.

Referring to an electoral pact he signed with Ms Bhutto last year agreeing to fight Gen Musharraf's rule, he said: "She has given me her word, and she is going back on it."

Gen Musharraf is seeking support for presidential elections that could give him another five-year term.

But he is under pressure to reach a deal with the opposition after several Supreme Court rulings have gone against him.

'Right to return'

Under Pakistani law, prime ministers cannot serve more than two terms - which would disqualify both Ms Bhutto and Mr Sharif.

Mr Sharif has spent most of his exile in the UK and Saudi Arabia

Ms Bhutto wants this clause removed from constitution, and she says a deal will only be made with Gen Musharraf if he resigns his army role.

The general's spokesman said on Thursday he was considering standing down from his army position, but no decision had yet been made.

Mr Sharif was sentenced to life in prison for offences including tax evasion and treason after the 1999 coup.

Pakistani authorities say Mr Sharif promised to stay out of the country and away from politics for 10 years in exchange for his freedom.

But last week the country's Supreme Court ruled that he and his family had "an inalienable right to return and remain in the country as citizens of Pakistan".

(bbc.co.uk)

US Open 2007

British number one Andy Murray came through a gruelling match against Jonas Bjorkman 5-7 6-3 6-1 4-6 6-1 to reach the third round of the US Open.

The 20-year-old was in trouble when he dropped a tight first set and quickly went a break down in the second.

But from 2-3 down, he reeled off nine games in a row to take control.

Bjorkman, 35, took advantage of a weary Murray to force a decider but the Scot found the energy to break serve early and the Swede could not recover.

Murray will face an unexpected foe in round three after 31-year-old Korean Hyung-Taik Lee stunned 14th seed Guillermo Canas 7-5 7-5 6-3.

The Briton said he was pleased to come through a five-set match after spending four months out with a wrist injury.

"It's a good win for me: to play in this heat for three hours and 45 minutes and come through against a player of Jonas's quality," said Murray.

"I was hitting my forehand harder and more consistently - although it still needs to get more consistent.

"Jonas is in great shape for his age and he knows how to pace himself in a five-set match so you need to be pretty switched on.

"For me to play him is great - he's been awesome for tennis these last 15 years or so."

After a comfortable first-round win, Murray had spoken of trying to enjoy his tennis more - but there was little evidence of that on a sweltering day in New York.

During a scrappy first set, the 20-year-old frequently muttered angrily to himself as his groundstrokes - in particular his forehand - failed to find their mark.

His serve, too, was misfiring and Bjorkman took advantage of Murray's first-serve percentage of 49% to edge a tight first set.

Matters did not improve at the start of the second set and Murray received a warning for an audible obscenity after dropping serve to go 2-0 down.

But after breaking straight back, Murray suddenly found a rich vein of form.

The world number 19 produced some dazzling winners, which left Bjorkman, for all his experience, looking dumbfounded.

Murray rattled through the third set in 34 minutes - but Bjorkman refused to capitulate.

The Swede twice went a break up as his younger opponent, who is short on match practice after a long lay-off with a wrist injury, began to struggle physically.

Murray hit back both times but at 4-5, his first serve deserted him and Bjorkman put away a crisp volley to take the match into a decider.

But as the fifth set got under way, it was the 35-year-old's turn to look weary as Murray found new reserves of energy.

Once he had broken serve in the opening game, Murray concentrated on getting a high percentage of first serves in and it proved to be a decisive tactic.

The Scot raced through the deciding set in 34 minutes, before slumping into his chair with relief.

(bbc.co.uk)