VIENNA: Two Austrians kidnapped in Tunisia by an al-Qaida affiliate have been released, ending an eight-month ordeal and anguished diplomatic attempts to win their freedom. Wolfgang Ebner, 51, and Andrea Kloiber, 43, were freed on Thursday after 252 days in captivity and were under the protection of Mali's military, Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said on Friday. Al-Qaida in Islamic North Africa had claimed responsibility for abducting the pair Feb. 22 while they were on vacation in Tunisia. The precise circumstances leading up to the pair's release remained unclear, but Plassnik said the kidnappers let them go and Defense Minister Norbert Darabos said no rescue operation had been mounted. Austria's government had feared the worst after three deadlines set by their captors had expired with no sign of the missing couple from Salzburg - and no clear sense of exactly where they were being held. The group had unsuccessfully demanded the release of a Muslim husband and wife from an Austrian jail and pressed Austria to withdraw what it said were four Austrian officers in Afghanistan. Austria's Defense Ministry said there were only two officers serving in NATO's force in Afghanistan. In Mali, presidential spokesman Diarra Diakite said the Austrians were being driven Friday from the northeastern town of Douentza to the capital, Bamako. Austrian President Heinz Fischer expressed relief and thanked officials in Mali for their help. "Now the many months of waiting and worrying are over," he said. Kloiber's mother, Christine Lenz, wept on national TV as news of her daughter's release was announced. "I still can't believe it," she said. "I won't completely believe it until I'm able to wrap my arms around Andrea."
Sunday, February 28, 2010 HAVANA: Hundreds of wealthy merchants and cigar aficionados from all parts of the world gathered in Havana this week to bid high stakes for humidors full of premium cigars. Cuba's annual Habanos festival ended on Friday night with an auction of ornate humidors of cedar and mahogany stacked with hand-rolled stogies that raised 800,000 euros ($1.09 million dollars). Habanos S.A. executives this month said cigar sales fell 8 percent to $360 million in 2009, so they have created the Julieta, a smaller, milder version of the Romeo y Julieta cigar, aimed specifically at female smokers. Women now make up only 5 to 10 percent of customers for Habanos. But even with the creation of the Julieta, Garcia said Habanos has only modest hopes for 2010 sales, due largely to a weak economy in Spain, the biggest market for Cuban cigars. The flavor of premium tobacco relies on the soil and climate in which it is grown. The western province of Pinar Del Rio, famous fo...
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