ALTON BAY: Authorities are on the scene of a massive Easter fire that has damaged dozens of buildings on the grounds of a Christian center in New Hampshire.Firefighters tell a television station in Manchester that 52 buildings burned at the Alton Bay Christian Conference Center, 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Concord. The buildings are cottage-type seasonal homes. There are no reports of civilian injuries. One firefighter has been hurt. The cause of the fire hasn't been determined. The center's Web site says its purpose is to change lives by “encouraging commitment to Jesus Christ and offering opportunities to mature in one's Christian life style.'' It says it tries to accomplish this through evangelism, encouragement of believers and equipping Christians to be effective leaders. The center was founded in 1863. It sits along New Hampshire's biggest lake.
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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