International Business

Cigarette, Alcohol Prices Soar in Cuba: The government has begun a series of increases, announced a week ago, intended to help sort out the country’s chaotic internal finances. Cigarettes, the prices of which vary according to a ration system, rose four- to tenfold, and rum went up about three times and beer’s price doubled. However a threefold rise in the price of gasoline, which had also been due to take effect, was postponed. Authorities on the Communist-ruled Caribbean island, which is suffering from a severe economic crisis, said the measures will be painful but are necessary to cut the budget deficit.