Cubans celebrate as Castro turns 81

Fireworks exploded over Havana Bay as ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro turned 81 yesterday, spending his second consecutive birthday convalescing at an unknown location.

"Today we celebrate one more anniversary of the birthday of our Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, who turned 81 and who will continue celebrating many more birthdays with Cuba and the world," Havana resident Rosa Maria Suarez said in the early hours of yesterday.

She and hundreds of others stood on the Malecon sea front just after midnight to watch the fireworks marking Castro's birthday and the end of Havana's annual summer carnival.