London

Study indicates high-fat diet may raise breast cancer risk

A new study reopens the question, long dismissed by researchers, of whether women who eat high-fat diets increase their risk of breast cancer.

The study found that those who average more than 90 grams of fat a day have roughly double the risk of those who eat just 37 grams.

However, the finding is likely to be controversial, because it contradicts many large, careful studies that found no link between what women eat and their risk of this common cancer.

The study, published in this week’s Lancet medical journal, was conducted at Cambridge University in England and involved 13,070 women who kept diet records from 1993 to 1997.

Beijing

China seeks to calm Koreas

As North Korean and South Korean troops exchanged machine-gun fire Thursday across their border, China dispatched an envoy to Washington in hopes of easing the growing threat of war.

“We believe that the situation on the Korean peninsula is at a critical moment,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan. “We hope that the international community and the parties concerned can exercise restraint and calmness to stick to the peaceful route to settlement.”

South Korea’s military said its troops returned fire after the North shot at an observation post in the demilitarized zone, which has divided the peninsula since the Korean War ended with an armistice whose 50th anniversary will be observed July 27.

Sao Tome and Principe

Coup leader vows elections

With a host of influential foreign leaders lined up against him, the leader of a military coup in this tiny West African nation gave assurances Thursday that he had no plans to rule the oil-rich country.

International pressure mounted on Maj. Fernando Pereira to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the crisis with the elected officials he ousted Wednesday in a coup.

Pereira, a 46-year-old artillery officer, said he intended to allow elections.

Diplomats from the United States and Portugal, the country’s former colonial ruler, sought to mediate between the rebellious troops and the deposed government.

Sao Tome lies in the Gulf of Guinea, in West Africa, a region of growing importance to the United States and other nations as a source for oil.

MIAMI

Three Democratic candidates apologize for skipping forum

Three Democrats apologized to the NAACP convention Thursday for bypassing a presidential forum in a political act of contrition.

Joe Lieberman, Dick Gephardt and Dennis Kucinich rearranged their campaign schedules to appear before the NAACP gathering in Miami and say they were sorry. The three White House hopefuls had drawn the wrath of the nation’s oldest civil rights group when they skipped Monday’s forum, earning the description “persona non grata” from the NAACP leader.