Castro, Alive, Gives Interview

Fidel Castro, though a little worse for the wear, has recovered enough from last year's intestinal surgery to appear on TV for an interview.

Looking like his old self and with his old beard, Fidel Castro gave a TV interview on Friday. This was the first time since July of last year that he has put in an appearance.

Castro looked thin and spoke slowly after long pauses, which might be expected of an 81-year-old man who has undergone intestinal surgery and 50 years of interminably long speeches before his party and people.

Just so there was no doubt that it was the here and now, Castro went out of his way to mention the exchange rate between and euro and dollar, no doubt delighted at the recent fall of the dollar against the euro. In addition, he also mentioned the up-to-date price of a barrel of oil and presented his latest anti-American material.

Although Castro has been writing regular newspaper editorials, there was no actual proof till now that he was still alive and that he rather than his ghostly presence from a state of limbo wasn't writing them.