Raul Castro (R), head of Cuba's army and brother of Cuba's President Fidel Castro, stands near Cuba's Minister of Communication Ramiro Valdez during a meeting of the National Assembly in Havana December 22, 2006. Cuba's National Assembly began its year-end session on Friday without ailing leader Fidel Castro, who was last seen in public on July 26. REUTERS/Claudia Daut (CUBA)