Cuba's Castro denies cancer reports

HAVANA, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Cuban President Fidel Castro is not suffering from cancer, his brother and interim leader Raul Castro said, Granma newspaper reported Monday.

During the weekend, Time magazine reported U.S. officials speculated Fidel was suffering from terminal cancer, though could offer no concrete evidence of the Cuban president's current condition.

Fidel is still recovering from a gastro-intestinal surgery performed in late July. The long-time Cuban president appointed his brother head of state.

Some U.S. officials speculate Fidel's hand over of authority has been something of an experiment to gauge Cuban's reaction to his brother.