Fidel lives
The week's news at a glance.
Havana
Rumors that Fidel Castro may be dead were dispelled last week, after Cuban state television aired video of the Cuban leader in his Havana hospital room, dressed in a red, white, and blue tracksuit and chatting with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. “I am feeling great” after intestinal surgery, Castro wrote in a message in the official government newspaper Granma to mark his 80th birthday. Cuba, he said, “marches on and will continue marching perfectly well.” But he warned that he faces a long recovery and that his countrymen should be “always ready for bad news.” Castro has temporarily turned over power to his brother Raúl, Cuba’s longtime defense minister.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
July 19 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include a Medicaid time bomb, and Donald Trump's fixation with the Fed's Jerome Powell
-
5 hilariously cutting cartoons about the Department of Education
Cartoons Artists take on being rotten to the core, budget cuts, and more
-
Kartoffelsalat (potato salad) recipe
The Week Recommends German dish is fresh, creamy and an ideal summer meal