Congo

Gunfire as government foils coup attempt in capital

Forces loyal to Congo’s leader crushed a coup attempt Friday by renegades within his own presidential guard in fighting that sent gunfire and explosions echoing through the capital of Africa’s third-largest nation.

The crisis was the second this month for the 14-month-old government led by President Joseph Kabila, established to close a 1998-2002 war that was Africa’s deadliest ever.

Kabila, appearing on state TV in khaki uniform hours after the uprising’s leaders were sent fleeing, told Congolese to brace for challenges.

“Stay calm, prepare yourself to resist — because I will allow nobody to try a coup d’etat or to throw off course our peace process,” Kabila declared.

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Serbs admit for first time troops massacred Muslims

Bosnian Serb officials have acknowledged for the first time that their security forces carried out the massacre of up to 8,000 Muslims at Srebrenica, according to an investigative report Friday.

An official commission examining Europe’s worst massacre since World War II “established participation of (Bosnian Serb) military and police units, including special (police) units” in the deaths, international administration spokesman Vedran Persic told The Associated Press, quoting from the panel’s report.

During the height of the 3 1/2-year Bosnian war, Serb troops overran a U.N.-declared safe zone in Srebrenica and slaughtered up to 8,000 Muslim men and boys in what the U.N. war crimes tribunal has declared an act of genocide.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Study: Alcohol abuse up but alcoholism down in U.S.

Alcohol abuse is up in America — sharply for most groups — a government study said Friday. At the same time, alcoholism was down.

About 4.65 percent of the adult population reported alcohol abuse in 2001-2002, up from 3.03 percent a decade earlier, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism said.

During the same period, the share of the population who were judged to be alcoholics slipped from 4.38 percent to 3.81 percent of people aged 18 and over, the institute said.

Alcohol abuse, which increased, is defined as drinking-related failure to fulfill major obligations at work, school or home, interpersonal social or legal problems and drinking in hazardous situations. Alcoholism, which declined, is characterized by compulsive drinking, preoccupation with drinking and tolerance to alcohol.

Pakistan

Dozens killed in three days of clashes with foreign militants

Pakistani troops pounded suspected al-Qaida hideouts and a training facility with artillery, mortar and small arms fire Friday in a third day of violence in a lawless tribal region near the Afghan border.

The army said it had killed 35 insurgents. Fifteen security forces were killed in an attack on a checkpoint on the first day of the fighting Wednesday, army spokesman Gen. Shaukat Sultan said.

He said the army had retrieved the soldiers’ bodies, many of which had been mutilated.