Zimbabwe: 2 million people voted in referendum

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe's official election body says an estimated 2 million people cast their vote in a referendum on a new constitution that seeks to curb presidential powers and strengthen human rights.

Judge Rita Makarau, head of the electoral commission, said Sunday the low estimate came from early returns from the nation's 9,400 polling stations.

Zimbabwe has an estimated 6.6 million registered voters. All main political parties had called for a "Yes" vote amid fears of a low voter turnout. Zimbabweans were given just three weeks to read the 170-page draft of the constitution.

Makarau said Saturday's voting was carried out peacefully. Vote counting began late Saturday and full results from isolated areas are expected within five days.

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Cuba says cigar sales $416 million last year

HAVANA (AP) — Cuban cigar sales rose last year despite the ongoing economic crisis in some of the most important European markets including No. 1 buyer Spain, state-run tobacco company officials said Tuesday.

Sales totaled $416 million in 2012, Habanos SA representatives told reporters at a smoky press conference held to kick off Cuba's Cigar Festival in a Havana convention center. That was up from $401 million the previous year.

Some 1,500 participants from 70 countries were attending the island's 15th annual stogie-fest, which will include a sommelier contest, an exhibition of tobacco-infused cooking and an auction of humidors that can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars apiece.

Officials are also trying out a humidor raffle this year with 1,000 tickets being sold at $100 a pop and the proceeds benefitting Cuba's health system.

German tennis great Boris Becker, Cuban crooner Omara Portuondo and a trio of former NBA players including Seattle Supersonics star Gary Payton are among the announced celebrity invitees.

Spain, which is currently suffering from a 26 percent unemployment rate, continues to be the top importer of Cuban cigars, although officials said sales there were hurt by economic woes.

That was offset by a 6 percent uptick in China, the No. 3 buyer and an increasingly important market for cigars.

Washington's 51-year economic embargo prohibits Cuban cigars from being imported to the United States.

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