Castro resigns as Cuban president: official media

Fidel Castro resigned Tuesday as president and commander in chief of Cuba in a message published in the online version of the official daily Granma.

"I neither will aspire to nor will I accept -- I repeat -- I neither will aspire to nor will I accept, the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief," wrote the Cuban leader, who had been in power for almost 50 years. (AFP)