Chinese tech giant Huawei has revealed that its revenue increased 2.4 percent year on year to 456.6 billion yuan (about 63.6 billion U.S. dollars) in the first three quarters of this year, Azernews reports, citing Xinhua.
Day: October 29, 2023
Thousands of Americans protest against Israel’s Gaza assault, urge Biden to stop as a participant of the war crimes and massacres of Palestinians.
Thousands of Americans have taken to the streets in various cities across the country to protest against Israel’s ongoing military assault on Gaza and demand that President Joe Biden take action to stop the bloodshed.
The protesters said they were expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people, who have been subjected to a brutal blockade and bombardment by Israel for more than a decade. They accused Israel of committing war crimes and violating international law by targeting civilians, hospitals, schools and media offices in Gaza.
Nurgaliyev owns the Sukhum airport
The Russian investor who will restore and operate the airport in Sukhum was kept secret for a long time. And now, it was revealed to be the company “Infrastructural Development,” owned by Rashid Nurgaliyev Jr., the son of the deputy secretary of the Russian security council, despite having no prior experience in the aviation industry.
This company, registered in Moscow as recently as July 2023, primarily engages in financial services, accounting and auditing, and provides consulting on commercial and management matters.
Under the terms of a “Public-private partnership agreement” with the Government of Abkhazia, the investor will undertake various projects, including the reconstruction of the runway, construction of a new passenger terminal, and the refurbishment of the historic airport building to accommodate officials and delegations.
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The new air terminal complex will have a capacity of 1,300 passengers per hour, and the estimated cost of the reconstruction work is 8 billion rubles [approximately $84 million dollars]. The airport is scheduled to be operational by December 31, 2024.
The Abkhazian authorities view the restoration of Sukhum airport as a vital infrastructure project that will bring a significant boost to the republic’s economy.
In contrast, the opposition is highly critical and accuses the authorities of including “exclusive state guarantees, unaltered tax rates and benefits, as well as the prioritized allocation of land plots” in the agreement.
The list of benefits for the investor is indeed remarkable.
It includes exemptions from customs duties on all construction materials, equipment, and even aviation fuel and special liquids necessary for airport restoration and operations.
The investor is also granted a waiver on property and income taxes during the payback period, which extends up to 25 years. Additionally, the electricity consumed will be billed at a rate reserved for the most privileged category of legal entities, such as schools and hospitals.
According to Abkhazian economist Akhra Aristav, the Russian investor, in fact, hired the government of Abkhazia to solve issues:
“Regrettably, the airport agreement hardly resembles a true public-private partnership. It appears more like a scenario where a foreign investor has effectively enlisted the government’s assistance to secure all advantages in their favor, including land acquisitions, 25-year tax benefits, expedited permit issuance, and more.”
Sukhumi airport has not functioned for 30 years, since the end of the Georgian-Abkhazian war in 1992-93. Once restored, it will not have international status and will only serve Russian airlines.
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Tbilisi Condemns Moscow’s Reported Plan To Establish Naval Base In Breakaway Abkhazia Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
If you believe that you’re entitled to live free from terror, and you’ve been attacked like Israel, then you have a right to defend yourself up to and including eliminating the threat of terror itself. Biden needs to take his hand off Bibi’s belt and let Israel go forward with a… https://t.co/smqR9ll49U
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) October 28, 2023
If you believe that you’re entitled to live free from terror, and you’ve been attacked like Israel, then you have a right to defend yourself up to and including eliminating the threat of terror itself. Biden needs to take his hand off Bibi’s belt and let Israel go forward with a… https://t.co/smqR9ll49U
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) October 28, 2023