Washington, D.C.: Sharpton files for president

The Rev. Al Sharpton joined the race for the Democrats’ 2004 presidential nomination Tuesday, saying the party needed to expand its base of support.

“I think that the campaign that we are beginning to officially embark upon will change American politics,” the civil rights leader said at a news conference after filing campaign papers at the Federal Election Commission.

Sharpton, 48, said he was the only candidate who was “anti-war, anti-death penalty, anti-tax cut across the board.” Sharpton said he would reach out to disaffected voters, including Latinos, blacks, gays and lesbians, and young people.

Sharpton has unsuccessfully run for New York mayor and the U.S. Senate.

Mexico: Strong earthquake reported

A powerful earthquake shook west-central Mexico late Tuesday, sending panicked residents spilling into the streets of major cities and knocking out power to many areas. At least 19 people were killed in the western state of Colima.

Mexico’s national seismological service put the quake’s magnitude at 7.6. The agency said it struck at 8:07 p.m. in Colima, a small state roughly 300 miles west of Mexico City. Butch Kinerney, a spokesman for the U.S. Geological Survey, said scientists there calculated the magnitude at 7.8.

The quake was felt in Mexico City. No damage or injuries were reported there.

Kuwait: No arrests made in shooting of American

One civilian contractor for the U.S. military was killed Tuesday and a second one was injured when their vehicle was sprayed by gunfire from an assault rifle. The attack was the third on Americans here in less than four months, as the United States builds up its forces for a possible invasion of Iraq.

The dead man was identified as Michael Rene Pouliot, 46, a software engineer for Tapestry Solutions of San Diego. The driver, David Caraway, a senior software engineer for the same firm, sustained gunshot wounds in the shoulder, chest and thigh and was listed in stable condition at a Kuwaiti hospital.

There were no arrests or claims of responsibility for the attack.