Ailing Fidel Castro appears on TV

HAVANA, June 18 (UPI) -- Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro has appeared on television for the first time in five months.

The ailing Castro was seen Tuesday on a video shown on state-run television speaking with his younger brother and current Cuban leader Raul Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Granma newspaper reported online.

The 81-year-old Fidel turned over authority to his brother Raul in July 2006 after announcing he was suffering from an undisclosed gastro-intestinal illness. He was last seen on TV in mid-January of this year and Raul was made Cuba's official leader in February.