KABUL: An end to air strikes in Afghanistan, demanded by President Hamid Karzai after scores of civilians were allegedly killed this week, would deprive Afghan troops of vital protection, a US official said Friday."Airstrikes are not acceptable," Karzai told U.S. TV on Friday during a visit to Washington, adding that his government's information was that nearly 125 to 130 civilians were killed, including women and children, in this week's strikes.The US military in Kabul was expected on Saturday to release the results of its investigation with the Afghan defence and interior ministries into the incident in the western province of Farah overnight Monday into Tuesday. The official told however they believed a figure of more than 100 people killed was "exaggerated". The air strikes in Farah were called in at the request of Afghan officials who were under attack from Taliban fighters, he said."This was not a night raid, this was not a scheduled operation, we came to their assistance," the official said on condition of anonymity. "We were supporting our Afghan partners." With an end to protection from air power, "more of the well-trained Afghan National Security Forces are going to be put in harm's way with very little assistance". There has been no admission from the US military that it killed civilians in the strikes, which locals said destroyed several houses in two villages in the Bala Buluk district where insurgents have a strong presence. A report in the US media, citing Pentagon officials, said US forces dropped about 13 bombs on eight different buildings" from which, troops were taking fire.
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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