Keep a sharp eye on fresh developments in both Canada and Cuba, two countries with rogue, corrupt and repressive regimes that don’t know when to cut their losses and leave town.

First, to Cuber, where new reports on Fidel’s health are generating new attention in diplomatic circles, as well as South Florida. The 80-year-old thuggish dictator is said to be suffering from a variety of ailments:

On Wednesday, authorities in Havana did not immediately respond to a request for reaction to the latest reports about Castro’s health, first published in the The Miami Herald. The newspaper cited two unidentified U.S. government officials as saying the CIA believed Castro had Parkinson’s and has warned major American policymakers to be prepared if he grows sick in the coming years.

Cuban officials insist there will be an orderly transition to younger (yet 74 himself) brother Raul, but who can say for sure what will happen?

Then, to Canada, where Prime Minister Paul Martin’s corrupt band of Librano$ are still clinging to power, but the situation is ever more tenuous.

Captain Ed continues to serve as America’s blogospheric ambassador to Canada, publishing the latest poll figures, which are especially dire for the Liberal Party. They show Martin’s government shedding six points in the last three weeks.

With cracks even in the minority government coalition with the socialist New Democratic Party that has allowed them to remain in power, time is quickly running out and elections are now a near-certainty.

Note desperate Liberals are suddenly offering tax cuts in a transparent, eleventh-hour gimmick.

Besides Ed, other good sources for the latest Canadian developments include small dead animals, Alberta’s CIVITATENSIS, Ontario’s Colbert’s Comments and of course the Western Standard, Canada’s answer to the National Review.