BEIRUT: Indifference and skepticism prevail among Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, feelings also present among most Arab nations, where little or nothing is expected from the future Israeli government.Leaders of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Osama Hamdan, residing in Lebanon, and Fawzi Barhoum, in Gaza, said the expect "more of the same" from the Israeli policy.Hamdan affirmed he expects little from the administration that will emerge from the already complex negotiations between the Kadima and Likud parties, as their electoral program is pretty similar.According to preliminary results of the Israeli elections on Tuesday, current Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, the Kadima leader, has won 28 of the 120 parliamentary seats.Conservative Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud leader, goes next with 27 seats, followed by ultranationalist Avigdor Lieberman (15), from Yisrael Beiteinu faction, thus making believe the future executive will comprise the most radical sectors, chiefly anti-Palestinians.In principle, it seems Netanyahu could obtain 65 seats from alliances with ultra-rightists and ultra-religious, while Livni would only win 55.Meanwhile, Barhoum rated Gaza as "the first victim of electoral demagogy by the Israeli runners," and sustained he sees no difference among the Zionist parties."We have known them for many years, and they have all massacred the Palestinian people," the Islamic leader affirmed when noting that all those factions have tried to "demonstrate which is the most extremist with Palestinians to win the elections."
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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