Via BBC: Low-key birthday for Fidel Castro

Cuba is set to break with tradition and not hold official celebrations to mark the birthday of its 81-year-old president, Fidel Castro.

There were fireworks at midnight in the Cuban capital Havana to mark the occasion but nothing else was planned.

So, another milestone passes without an appearance by Fidel. I seriously have to wonder as to the exact state of his condition, as the press releases have made it appear as if he could at least do a brief greeting and do the whole balcony wave routine. Instead, he hasn’t been seen in public for over a year.