Tuesday, October 06, 2009 ISTANBUL: Turkish police used water cannons, tear gas and pepper spray on Tuesday to disperse hundreds of demonstrators, protesting against the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) held in Istanbul.Some masked protesters shattered the windows of a McDonald's restaurant and banks and damaged vehicles as they ran into the streets behind Istanbul's Taksim Square, which is less than a kilometer (half a mile) from the venue of the IMF and World Bank meeting.Thousands of police wearing gas masks and protective gear erected barriers around the venue and detained dozens of protesters — mostly members of small leftist parties or labor unions. Media said some foreign protesters were also involved. Police helicopters hovered above the crowds.Clouds of tear gas filled the air above Taksim Square while firefighters battled a blaze apparently set by protesters. Passers-by and reporters were also affected by the tear gas.Several shop owners shuttered their shops along the famous tourist route of Istiklal Street, which was deserted in a matter of minutes as patrons hid inside the shops or bazaars.Last week, a student journalist hurled a shoe at IMF Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn as the finance official answered questions at a university in Istanbul. The shoe missed its target.
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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