Wednesday, June 03, 2009 WASHINGTON: A resumption of direct talks between the United States and Cuban on migration issues and a direct mail service is in both countries' interest, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Tuesday.Gibbs said President Barack Obama was pleased that Cuba had agreed to the talks."Obviously, it's in the interest of both governments," he said. "Obviously, I think direct mail would increase the ability for the president's initiative to be able to reach out directly to the Cuban people."Though its interest section in Washington, Cuba on Saturday accepted the US invitation to resume talks on migratory issues, which have been suspended since 2003.Mail between the two countries currently goes through third countries.The latest move to thaw relations followed Obama's decision in April to authorize travel and money transfers to the island by US nationals of Cuban descent.
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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