Cuba’s Fidel Castro photos appear in media first time since AugFebruary 3, 2015 - 10:17 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Photographs of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, 88, appeared in official media on Monday, Feb 2, for the first time since August, showing him slightly hunched over while seated, but appearing animated as he spoke with a student leader, Reuters reports. Speculation over Castro's health has intensified since the historic Dec 17 announcement by his younger brother, and current president, Raul Castro, and U.S. President Barack Obama, that the two longtime adversaries would restore diplomatic ties. Castro, who periodically writes a column, went silent after the announcement until finally commenting a week ago, when he offered lukewarm support for the pact his brother reached with Obama. The pictures of Castro with student leader Randy Perdomo were taken on Jan 23, according to Perdomo's account, which appeared with the photos on the website of the Communist Party newspaper Granma on Monday night. Granma published 21 pictures of the two men talking, with Castro in various poses of engaged conversation, viewing a video and flipping through a newspaper. A Brazilian theologian who met Castro last week said the former leader was in good health, appearing skinny but lucid. Castro stepped down from power due to poor health, handing over to his brother provisionally in 2006 and definitively in 2008. Though he receives visitors, he has not appeared in public for more than a year. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |