ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's chief army spokesman says a suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into a group of paramilitary officers near the Afghan border, killing at least eight troops in the volatile region. The attack on Sunday occurred near Wana, the main town in South Waziristan, a tribal area considered a haven for al-Qaida and Taliban-linked militants. Pakistan has deployed security forces throughout its northwest to tamp down growing militancy. The troops have been frequent targets of attacks. Army spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas says the latest attack occurred at a checkpoint near the main gate of the Zalai Fort, where members of the Frontier Corps were gathered.
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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