Wednesday, October 21, 2009 MANILA: The Philippines prepared for the onslaught of a powerful typhoon Wednesday as it struggled to recover from the damage left by two deadly storms in the past month, officials said. The government weather station said Typhoon Lupit's advance had slowed, and that it was now likely to hit the country's north on Friday, a day later than forecast. Lupit will then cross the tip of the main island of Luzon before blowing out to the South China Sea over the weekend, it said. Rescue and relief units and supplies have already been positioned in parts of the northern Philippines, which are expected to bear the brunt of the typhoon.
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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