February 22

Dolly is the first mammal to have been successfully cloned from an adult cell

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Scientists in Scotland have announced the birth of the world's first successfully cloned mammal, Dolly the sheep.

Dolly, who was created at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, was actually born on 5 July 1996 although her arrival has only just been revealed.

Dolly is the first mammal to have been successfully cloned from an adult cell. Previous clonings have been from embryo cells.

The sheep's birth has been heralded as one of the most significant scientific breakthroughs of the decade although it is likely to spark ethical controversy.

Scientists in Scotland cloned a ewe by inserting DNA from a single sheep cell into an egg and implanted it in asurrogatemother.

They now have a healthy seven-month-old sheep - Dolly - who is an exact genetic duplicate of the animal from which the single cell was taken.

DNA tests have revealed that Dolly is identical to the ewe who donated the udder cell and is unrelated to the surrogate mother.

Embryologist Dr Ian Wilmut, from the Roslin Institute, said: "It will enable us to study genetic diseases for which there is presently no cure and track down the mechanisms that are involved."

The research, published in Nature magazine, follows the Edinburgh team's success in cloning sheep embryos. Last year they produced two identical sheep, which were clones of an original embryo.

The company which has bought the rights to the research, PPL Therapeutics, said Dolly would help to improve understanding of ageing and genetics and lead to the production of cheaper medicines.

US President Bill Clinton has set up a special task force to investigate cloning in order to examine the legal and ethical implications.

President Marcos claims to have control of the army

Yesterday, Defence Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and chief of staff Lieutenant-General Fidel Ramos accused the president of planning to arrest leaders of the opposition.

They called on ministers and army officers to help them topple Marcos and then took over Camp Aguinaldo, the defence ministry.

Speaking from Camp Aguinaldo, Mr Enrile told the press Mrs Aquino had won the election and Marcos should step down.

"We had no plans to stage a coup d'etat. But we are going to defend ourselves from an imminent assault," Mr Enrile said.

Lt-Gen Ramos told American TV all 13 regional army commanders had pledged their support for a coup, while Marcos claimed he had control of "99% of the military".

Heavily armed troops have surrounded the building and President Marcos has said the situation is "under control".

He also accused the two men of conspiring to assassinate him and his wife, Imelda, and demanded their surrender.

In elections held on 7 February, the main opposition party, led by Corazon Aquino, and President Marcos both claimed victory.

The US has attempted to mediate by sending US special envoy Philip Habib who reports back to President Reagan later today.

Mrs Aquino, widow of Benigno Aquino assassinated on his return from exile three years ago by Marcos supporters, rejected Mr Habib's proposal last week for a power-sharing government.

Mrs Aquino has accused the president of stealing power and called for a one-day general strike next week and a boycott of businesses owned by the Marcosentourage.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines, Cardinal Jaime Sin, is also demanding an uprising.

He has called on the people to support Mr Enrile - despite the fact that he helped Marcos impose martial law in 1972 - and Lt-Gen Ramos.

"If such a government does not of itself freely correct the evil it has inflicted on the people then it is our serious moral obligation as a people to make it do so," he said.

"The way indicated to us now is the way of non-violent struggle for justice."

surrogate: a deputy; a delegate; a substitute（代孕的）

entourage: surroundings; specif., collectively, one's attendants or associates（随从；周围）