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In Benghazi, A Baboon Breakout Amidst Human Warfare

In Benghazi, A Baboon Breakout Amidst Human Warfare

A dozen baboons escaped Sunday from Benghazi's zoo and roamed around the city amid deadly clashes between the army and anti-government militias that have killed more than 300 people in the past three weeks.

All but two were returned to their enclosures by Tuesday — but not before they baffled residents and posed for pictures in the practically deserted city, says the Libya Herald.

According to a local resident, a group of young boys had started to go to the city's central zoo where there was an absence of any real security; it is widely thought that they were the ones who released the primates.

After reports of attacks on the city’s residents, some of the baboons were reportedly shot and killed, as shown by photos that have circulated on social media over the past few days.

Main photo: @libyaamazigh101

So in the middle of the battle for #Benghazi the monkeys escaped from the zoo &are now running riot across the city pic.twitter.com/XfqgPgltjn

— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) November 9, 2014

The absurdity in #Libya reaching new levels. Baboons & monkeys escaped zoo in #Benghazi now attacking people. pic.twitter.com/lYet7UwmKa

— Assem #Libya (@libyaamazigh101) November 9, 2014

Several monkeys escaped from #benghazi#Libya zoo , sadly some were killed . No place to run for the poor animals pic.twitter.com/ShfXetgzPv

— Aisha Mansurey (@WORLDLOVERPEACE) November 9, 2014

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food / travel

Meet Blanca Alsogaray, The First Woman To Win Cuba's "Oscar Of Cigars"

For the first time, Cuba's prestigious annual cigar festival recognized a woman, Alsogaray, owner of an iconic cigar shop in Buenos Aires, as the top representative of this celebrated lifeline of the Cuban economy.

Photo of a woman smoking a cigar.

Alsogaray smoking a cigar at her shop in Buenos Aires

Mariana Iglesias

BUENOS AIRES — Cigars are traditionally reserved for a man's world. But this year, for the first time, a Latin American woman has won one of three awards given at the 23rd Habano Festival in Cuba.

Every year since 2000, the Festival has gathered the top players in the world of Cuban cigars including sellers, distributors, specialists and aficionados. A prize is given to an outstanding personality in one of three areas: production, communication and sales. The latter went to Blanca Alsogaray, owner of the Buenos Aires shop La Casa del Habano. She says these prizes are not unlike the "Oscars of cigars."

"It's a sexist world for sure, but I won," she said of a prize which was called "Habano Man" (Hombre habano) until this year, when the word was changed for her.

"It recognizes a lifetime's work, which I consider so important as Argentina isn't an easy place for business, and less so being a woman." She was competing with two men. "In truth," she added. "I really do deserve it."

Alsogaray opened her shop in 1993. At the time there were only two sellers anywhere of Cuba's premium, hand-rolled cigars, the other one being in Mexico. Now habanos are sold in 150 outlets worldwide. "I want to celebrate these 30 years, and the prize. We're going to have a big party," she said. The firm celebrated its 30th anniversary on May 16.

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