World Briefs

NEWTON, Iowa – Marking Earth Day with a pitch for his energy plan, President Barack Obama on Wednesday called for a "new era of energy exploration in America" and argued that his proposal would help both the economy and the environment. He said in Iowa: "The nation that leads the world in creating new sources of clean energy will be the nation that leads the 21st century global economy."

HAVANA – Fidel Castro says Obama "misinterpreted" his brother Raul's remarks regarding the United States and bristled at the suggestion that Cuba should free political prisoners or cut taxes on dollars people send to the island.

Raul Castro touched off a whirlwind of speculation last week that the US and Cuba could be headed toward a thaw after nearly a half-century of chilly relations.

KABUL – Millions of new textbooks promised and paid for by the US and other foreign donors have not been delivered to schools in Afghanistan, The Associated Press has found. Other books were so poorly made they are falling apart.

About a third of the school books ordered for 2008 were never delivered to the provinces, the AP learned in interviews with officials from all 34 provinces and examinations of Education Ministry records and contract documents.

LONDON – It is a page-turner of a tale — but one with seven missing paragraphs. Lawyers for several media groups appealed Wednesday to a British court to disclose redacted information they say could show that the British government knew more than it has admitted about the alleged torture of former Guantanamo detainee and U.K. resident Binyam Mohamed.

LIMA, Peru – A Venezuelan court has ordered the arrest of a key opponent of Venezuelan President Hugo who has fled to Peru seeking political asylum, prosecutors said Wednesday.

In Lima, Venezuelan opposition leader Manuel Rosales made his first public appearance in three weeks to call the charges against him trumped-up and heaped ridicule on Chavez.

JERUSALEM – Human rights activists, some charging whitewash, demanded an independent war crimes probe after Israel's military on Wednesday cleared itself of wrongdoing over civilian deaths in the Gaza war.

Army commanders acknowledged "rare mishaps" during the three-week offensive against Gaza's Hamas rulers. However, they said Israel did not violate international humanitarian law and that Hamas is to blame for civilian deaths, amounting to at least 1,100 people.