Saturday, July 11, 2009 LONDON/L'AQUILA: Britain said eight soldiers had been killed in Afghanistan, its worst death toll in a 24-hour period.Five troops on foot patrol were killed by two blasts, the highest death toll in a single attack. Britain has now lost 184 soldiers in Afghanistan since it joined the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, more than the 179 deaths during its campaign in Iraq that began in 2003. Fifteen soldiers, including four officers, have been killedin the past 10 days in the fight against Taliban insurgents. On the other hand, the head of Britain's military insisted the Taliban were losing the fight in Afghanistan, as London reflected Saturday on one of the most tragic days for its troops in decades. Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup admitted it was "tough going" in Afghanistan after eight soldiers were killed within 24 hours, taking the British military death toll higher than in Iraq.
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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