HAVANA -- Fidel Castro dusted off his military fatigues for the first time since stepping down as president four years ago, a symbolic act in a Communist country where little signals often carry enormous significance.

Mr. Castro, wearing a green military uniform -- minus the star and laurels he held as commander in chief -- told supporters gathered on the main steps of the University of Havana today that an attack on Iran could cause a worldwide nuclear war, state-owned newspaper Juventud Rebelde reported.

The 84-year-old leader of Cuba's 1959 communist revolution returned to the public eye in July, giving his first television interview in at least three years. Fidel began transferring control to his brother Raul in July 2006, when he underwent intestinal surgery, and officially stepped down as president in 2008. He has repeatedly warned of war since returning.

"Iran's conventional ability to respond would provoke a ferocious war," Mr. Castro said. The conflict "would inevitably lead to global nuclear war."

MONTERREY, Mexico -- Mexican soldiers killed at least 30 suspected cartel members in two shootouts near the U.S. border in a region that has become one of the biggest battlegrounds in the country's drug war, authorities said Friday.

All 30 gunmen were believed to belong to the Zetas gang -- the group suspected of killing 72 migrants nearly two weeks ago in what could be Mexico's biggest cartel massacre to date.

KIEV, Ukraine -- Ukraine is willing to give Russia joint control of a pipeline to southeastern Europe in exchange for access to natural gas supplies, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said as the countries negotiate a gas venture.

Ukraine needs to cut energy costs as it phases out subsidies to comply with a $15.2 billion loan program from the International Monetary Fund.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- United Arab Emirates officials are trying to determine why a United Parcel Service Inc. freighter crashed after takeoff from Dubai, killing both pilots, following the crew's report of fire in the cockpit.

The Boeing Co. 747-400 was en route to Cologne, Germany, when it went down yesterday carrying two crew members, UPS said. Rescue workers recovered the bodies, the General Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement.

COMBAT OUTPOST SENJERAY, Afghanistan -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday he saw and heard evidence that the U.S. counterinsurgency strategy is taking hold in critical Kandahar province.

Mr. Gates toured U.S. bases and met with troops in the thick of the fighting in Kandahar city and the Taliban haven of Zhari district, west of the city.

The bulked-up force is aimed at blunting Taliban momentum on their home ground and setting the stage for a gradual U.S. exit from the war beginning next summer.

A car rigged with explosives rammed into a police building in northern Tajikistan on Friday, killing at least one person and wounding 25 others in an apparent suicide attack, police officials said. ... A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck much of New Zealand's South Island early Saturday and caused widespread damage, but there were just two reports of serious injuries.

-- Compiled from news services

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.