WASHINGTON: Terrorist attacks in Pakistan more than doubled last year despite a general decline in such violence and its casualties worldwide, according to U.S. government figures released on Thursday.The death toll from worldwide terrorism fell to 15,765 from 22,508 in 2007, while the number of attacks dropped to 11,770 from 14,506, according to data compiled by the U.S. intelligence community and released in a U.S. State Department report.The general decline reflected diminished violence in Iraq following U.S. President George W. Bush's 2007 decision to send additional troops to the country, which U.S.-led forces invaded in 2003 to topple former dictator Saddam Hussein.However, the report said that attacks in Pakistan more than doubled in 2008.U.S. officials have grown increasingly worried about the stability of nuclear-armed Pakistan, a U.S. ally seen as vital to stabilizing Afghanistan, as the Taliban have advanced from their Swat Valley stronghold to other parts of the country.
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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