CHECHNYA: The Russian Interior Ministry's branch in Chechnya says rebels planted explosive device killed two police officers and a civilian.It says in a statement that the explosion occurred Wednesday near the village of Belgatoi in the Vedeno region in southern Chechnya's mountains. Investigators believe the explosive device was attached to a vehicle the victims were riding in.The Kremlin last month formally ended a federal counter terrorism operation in Chechnya, which has seen two bloody separatist wars in the past 15 years. But insurgents continue to stage sporadic attacks on troops and authorities in Chechnya despite increased stability under Kremlin-backed regional President Ramzan Kadyrov.
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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