Tuesday, December 01, 2009 MUMBAI: The special trial court hearing the 26/11 terror attack case in Mumbai has sacked Abbas Kazmi, the lawyer of Ajmal Kasab, the only captured terrorist of 26/11, for "non-cooperation."Special sessions judge M L Tahiliyani has sacked Kazmi on charges of non co-operation. A new advocate, KP Pawar, also Kazmis junior has been appointed as the new lawyer in the case.Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said Kazmi was removed as he neither withdrew from the case nor cooperate with the court.“The court had ultimately asked him whether he would like to withdraw from the case or whether he would cooperate with the court or the court should take further action. Mr Kazmi refused to withdraw from the case and since he did not co-operate with the court, the court was compelled to cancel his appointment,” said Nikam.Even as the trial will continue at its regular pace, advocate K P Pawar, who now steps into Kazmi's shoes, initially appointed as an assistant to Kazmi, will now take over Kasab's defense. Amidst much hype the special sessions judge had appointed Kazmi as Kasab's lawyer but all through the 7 months the judge was critical of Kazmi's tendency of seeking extensions. So while the examination of affidavits became the immediate provocation, court sources believe his removal was perhaps in the offing for sometime now.
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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