From Rich Perelman at CigarCyclopedia:

General Cigar was awarded use of the Cohiba trademark in the U.S. by the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals in a decision announced on Thursday afternoon in New York.

Circuit Judge Chester J. Staub, writing for a unanimous three-judge panel, affirmed the dismissal of all causes of action against General Cigar, concurring with the District Court’s opinion, but also dismissing the single count on which District Court judge Robert Sweet had upheld Cubatabaco’s ownership of the Cohiba mark.

The options for Empresa Cubana del Tabaco are to accept the judgement, ask for a re-hearing by the entire Second Circuit, or most likely, ask for the case to be heard by the United States Supreme Court.

From Rich Perelman at CigarCyclopedia:

Score one for Agent 007 and his Havana cigar!

Despite the lobbying effort of anti-smoking groups, the British Board of Film Classification – the body that gives films ratings for appropriateness for children, teenagers and adults – decided that Pierce Brosnan’s on-screen puffs of a Havana cigar passed the smell test.

While the Board acknowledged that the glamorization of smoking will be a concern in rating future films, the 2002 release “Die Another Day” passed the test, despite anti-tobacco group protests.

(more…)