Monday, November 23, 2009 LVOV: Ukraine celebrated on Sunday the fifth anniversary of “the orange revolution”, marking Freedom Day. It was instituted by a decree of President Viktor Yushchenko in November 2005 “in order to establish the ideals of democracy and to bring up the feeling of national dignity”. November 22, 2004 is regarded as the start of “the orange revolution” (the colour of opposition’s flags) in Ukraine, the campaign of protests, rallies, strikes and other actions of civil disobedience mostly of residents in the country’s western regions who supported Yushchenko. They were organised and conducted in Kiev’s central square – Maidan. Yushchenko was the key candidate from the opposition in the presidential elections in November-December 2004. Protests began when the Central Election Commission announced results of the run-off, according to which Viktor Yanukovich was the winner.The Supreme Court ruled to hold the second voting under the pressure of the opposition, as a result of which Yushchenko became president. Festivities with the participation of the president will be held at the Ukrainian House on Sunday. Yushchenko will deliver a speech and award state decorations. It is not reported where and how Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko, former comrade-in-arms in “the orange revolution” and the present key rival of the president, intends to mark Freedom Day.
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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