NEW DELHI: Japanese vessel MT Stolt Valor, that had been hijacked near the Gulf of Aden on September 15 with 22 crew, including 18 Indians, on board, was released on Sunday. The Stolt Valor crew also had one Bangladeshi, two Filipinos and one Russian. Chairman of NSFA said that all crew members are safe. Seema Goyal, wife of captain Prabhat Goyal onboard the ship, is said to have received the information from the company which owns the ship. Initial reports suggested that the demands of the pirates were met after prolonged negotiations. The Japanese company reportedly paid the ransom to the pirates. Soon after this news, Seema Goyal, who has been crusading for the early release of the Indians on board said, "I am so happy today. Finally the wait is over. I received a call from the company and Japanese officials today morning and they informed me that the pirates have released the ship, which was held in captive for over 2 months now." She further added, "The ship is on its way to Mumbai and will be around in the next 3-4 days. I am looking forward to the Indians coming back home. Meanwhile, I would like to thank TIMES NOW for supporting me and also all those who prayed for the early release." The seafarers on board MT Stlot Valor were held hostage by the pirates, who hijacked the cargo ship on September 15. The ship is owned by a Japanese company and managed by Fleet Marine Ltd in Mumbai. The hijackers had initially demanded a ransom of $6m for the release of the crew.
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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