This is A-P News Minute.(Pool)SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY HAS KICKED OFF HIS FIRST OFFICIAL OVERSEAS TRIP BY MEETING WITH BRITISH LEADERS IN LONDON ON THE FIRST LEG OF A HECTIC NINE-DAY DASH THROUGH EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST. KERRY MET WITH BRITISH PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON MONDAY.(AP Television)CUBAN PRESIDENT RAUL CASTRO SAYS HE'LL BE STEPPING DOWN IN 2018, ENDING THE CASTRO ERA THAT BEGAN WITH HIS BROTHER FIDEL IN THE 1959 REVOLUTION. RAUL CASTRO HAS TAPPED RISING STAR MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL AS HIS TOP LIEUTENANT AND FIRST IN THE LINE OF SUCCESSION. (AP Television)ROUGHLY 85 PERCENT OF SMALL BUSINESSES NEAR NEW YORK'S SOUTH STREET SEAPORT ARE STILL BOARDED UP FOLLOWING SUPERSTORM SANDY. IT COULD BE MONTHS, IF EVER, BEFORE THEY REOPEN, THANKS TO THE RUIN OF SEVERAL FEET OF SALT WATER THAT RACED UP FROM THE EAST RIVER.(CLIP COURTESY AMPAS 2013 - MUST COURTESY)THE ACADEMY AWARDS FOR BEST ACTOR AND ACTRESS THIS YEAR GO TO DANIEL DAY-LEWIS FOR "LINCOLN" AND JENNIFER LAWRENCE FOR "SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK.". BEN AFFLECK'S "ARGO" EARNED BEST PICTURE AND ANG LEE WON BEST DIRECTOR FOR "LIFE OF PI." Matt Small, The Associated Press with AP News Minute. (****END****)