Castro returns to the limelight

Castro returns to the limelight

havana

A relaxed and lucid Fidel Castro returned to the limelight Monday after years spent largely out of public view, discussing world events in a raspy voice in his most prominent television interview since falling seriously ill four years ago.

The 83-year-old former president talked about how tension between the United States and both North Korea and Iran could ultimately trigger a global nuclear war, in an interview on “Mesa Redonda” — or “Round Table” — a daily Cuban talk show on current events.

One thing Castro did not discuss were events in Cuba, where the government on Monday released and sent into exile the first of some 52 political prisoners they have promised to free in coming months.

Gingrich considers presidential run

des moines, iowa

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Monday he’s seriously considering seeking the Republican presidential nomination and will announce his decision early next year.

Gingrich, 67, told The Associated Press that he would focus on helping Republican candidates through the midterm elections in November, then decide in February or March whether to seek the GOP nomination.

“I’ve never been this serious,” Gingrich said.

Crew member won’t talk about fatal crash

philadelphia

A crew member refusing to talk to federal investigators about a fatal duck-boat crash in Philadelphia was piloting the tug that slammed into the duck boat, a Coast Guard official said Monday.

The mate exercised his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and refused to meet with investigators over the weekend, according to the National Transportation and Safety Board.

U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Todd Gatlin confirmed to The Associated Press that the mate was on duty as the tug pushed a 250-foot barge up the Delaware River.

The crew of the duck boat told the NTSB that its radio calls to the tug “received no response,” although other boat operators nearby reported hearing them.

The collision last week sank the tourist vessel, dumping 37 people overboard and killing two young Hungarians.

First lady touts plan to battle obesity

kansas city, mo.

A child obesity epidemic fed by fast food, sugary drinks and too much television threatens to create the first generation of American youths who live shorter lives than their parents, Michelle Obama said Monday.

The first lady was keynote speaker at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s national convention in Kansas City. She spent much of her half-hour address discussing her “Let’s Move” initiative to combat child obesity.

Obama said the black community is hit especially hard by child obesity, in part because fresh fruits and vegetables often are not available in poor urban areas.

More civilian deaths

kabul, afghanistan

Taliban insurgents are carrying out more attacks this year than at any time since early in the war, killing increasing numbers of civilians as U.S.-led forces push into the militants’ southern strongholds, an Afghan- rights group said Monday.

International troops were responsible for about one-fifth of civilian deaths — down from previous years, thanks to restrictive rules of engagement that some soldiers feel put their own lives at risk.

Associated Press