Wow. I thought he was going to die in the hot seat! But I like this even better – when last did a figure in Fidel’s position just resign? Bob Mugabe should be taking notes.

Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro said on Tuesday that he will not return to lead the country, retiring as head of state 49 years after he seized power in an armed revolution.

“To my dear compatriots, who gave me the immense honor in recent days of electing me a member of parliament … I communicate to you that I will not aspire to or accept … the position of president of council of state and commander in chief,” Castro said in a statement published on the Web site of the Communist Party’s Granma newspaper.

This is actually pretty big. And it quite possibly spells the end of the “Cuban getaway” in the sense that it currently exists. What’s going to happen now? What’s going to change? I can’t say that I’m totally down with the whole US/Cuba vibe, but love him or hate him, you’ve got to respect a man who has been waving his cock for half a century at the most beefcake nation in the world from within its own shadow. That takes balls. I like balls.

In other news (I’ve just heard on the radio), Pervez Musharraf has conceded victory in the Pakistani elections. Nothing wrong with being a real man and stepping aside, is there? It’s been a good day already.