Thursday, September 10, 2009 MEXICO CITY: Some of the passengers from a hijacked Aero Mexico flight were seen leaving the plane Wednesday, witnesses said. Passengers have been freed from a hijacked airplane in Mexico City, but the crew remains aboard. Passenger Adriana Romero told media that all passengers have been released unharmed from the Cancun-to-Mexico City flight, Aero Mexico Flight 576, but the crew is still being held hostage. The airplane is sitting on the runway at Mexico City's international airport. The airport remains open. Mexican news media report the hijackers are three Bolivian citizens who are demanding to talk with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, though Romero says she saw only one hijacker.Mexican network TV says the plane was carrying 104 passengers. Mexican television shows police leading at least 5 handcuffed men from hijacked jetliner.
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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