Convalescing Cuban leader Fidel Castro has appeared on state television, looking frail but alert and laughing off speculation he was on his death bed after a long absence from public view.
"Well, here I am ... nobody knows when they will die," Castro, 81, said during an interview on Friday.
The absence of pictures of the veteran revolutionary leader since June 5 had fueled a flood of rumors of his death.
"He is dying, he is dead, he will die the day after tomorrow," Castro said, summing up the wild speculation over his condition.
Castro underwent intestinal surgery on July 27 last year and has not been seen in public since. Just after the operation he "provisionally" handed power to his brother Raul, Cuba's longtime No. 2, though Cuban authorities insist the veteran leader is still involved in major issues.
Wearing a track suit in the red, white and blue colors of Cuba, Fidel Castro spoke in a soft, slow voice as he discussed the US economy, global oil prices and the rambling essays he has been writing over the past months.
He mentioned Friday's dollar-to-euro exchange rate, confirming that the hour-long interview had been taped earlier in the day, as officials said.
Castro sat in an armchair in the hospital-like room where he has been convalescing since undergoing surgery.
Holed up at an undisclosed location, Castro has become a prolific writer, discussing a wide variety of topics in lengthy articles published by state-run media. His latest musings on the Cold War came up during Friday's interview with Randy Alonso, who runs state television's daily Round Table program.
The one issue he barely addressed was that of his health.
Castro's top ally, friend and frequent visitor, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, said on Friday the Cuban leader had undergone several blood transfusions but could "live 100 more years."
"What little problem does he have? One operation, two operations, three operations. At 81, you can imagine he almost died," he said during a visit to Brazil. "They changed nearly all his blood. Fidel is alive because he is Fidel."
EXPRESSING GRATITUDE: Without its Taiwanese partners which are ‘working around the clock,’ Nvidia could not meet AI demand, CEO Jensen Huang said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) and US-based artificial intelligence (AI) chip designer Nvidia Corp have partnered with each other on silicon photonics development, Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said. Speaking with reporters after he met with TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) in Taipei on Friday, Huang said his company was working with the world’s largest contract chipmaker on silicon photonics, but admitted it was unlikely for the cooperation to yield results any time soon, and both sides would need several years to achieve concrete outcomes. To have a stake in the silicon photonics supply chain, TSMC and
SILICON VALLEY HUB: The office would showcase Taiwan’s strengths in semiconductors and artificial intelligence, and help Taiwanese start-ups connect with global opportunities Taiwan has established an office in Palo Alto, one of the principal cities of Silicon Valley in California, aimed at helping Taiwanese technology start-ups gain global visibility, the National Development Council said yesterday. The “Startup Island Taiwan Silicon Valley hub” at No. 299 California Avenue is focused on “supporting start-ups and innovators by providing professional consulting, co-working spaces, and community platforms,” the council said in a post on its Web site. The office is the second overseas start-up hub established by the council, after a similar site was set up in Tokyo in September last year. Representatives from Taiwanese start-ups, local businesses and
‘DETERRENT’: US national security adviser-designate Mike Waltz said that he wants to speed up deliveries of weapons purchased by Taiwan to deter threats from China US president-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for US secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, affirmed his commitment to peace in the Taiwan Strait during his confirmation hearing in Washington on Tuesday. Hegseth called China “the most comprehensive and serious challenge to US national security” and said that he would aim to limit Beijing’s expansion in the Indo-Pacific region, Voice of America reported. He would also adhere to long-standing policies to prevent miscalculations, Hegseth added. The US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing was the first for a nominee of Trump’s incoming Cabinet, and questions mostly focused on whether he was fit for the
SHARED VALUES: The US, Taiwan and other allies hope to maintain the cross-strait ‘status quo’ to foster regional prosperity and growth, the former US vice president said Former US vice president Mike Pence yesterday vowed to continue to support US-Taiwan relations, and to defend the security and interests of both countries and the free world. At a meeting with President William Lai (賴清德) at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Pence said that the US and Taiwan enjoy strong and continued friendship based on the shared values of freedom, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Such foundations exceed limitations imposed by geography and culture, said Pence, who is visiting Taiwan for the first time. The US and Taiwan have shared interests, and Americans are increasingly concerned about China’s
RSS