Russian trade and industry minister Denis Manturov aims a weapon during Idex 2015 in Abu Dhabi. Reuters
Russian trade and industry minister Denis Manturov aims a weapon during Idex 2015 in Abu Dhabi. Reuters

Russia and Abu Dhabi in talks to develop major new airport in Cuba



Russia is in talks with Abu Dhabi investors to build a major airport in Cuba to serve as a hub for Latin America.

In an exclusive interview with The National, Russian trade and industry minister Denis Manturov said discussions had taken place with Abu Dhabi’s strategic investment company Mubadala to invest in the vast project.

Mr Manturov said Russia planned to invest at least US$200 million (Dh734.6m) in the project, which could also include redeveloping a port and building a railway line.

“We are deeply involved in these negotiations,” the minister said. “Cuba is developing a transport hub from the seaport and a railway to the airport.

“They have only one international airport and they are planning to use one of the ex-military bases to build a big airport hub for Latin America.”

A Mubadala spokesman said: “The company is regularly reviewing a number of different investment opportunities with its Russian partners.”

Battered by international sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine, Russia is strengthening ties with trading partners in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

After five decades of hostilities, relations between the US and Cuba are thawing, attracting the interest of some international investors.

The port of Mariel is at the centre of a special development zone established to attract foreign investment into Cuba.

Brazilian construction group Odebrecht last year finished an $800m project at the port, west of Havana. A Cuban embassy official said he did not have information on the project.

Russia’s involvement in the project is part of a move by president Vladimir Putin to effectively write off about $32 billion of debt from the Soviet era, when Cuba relied heavily on USSR support.

Cuba will still have to pay back more than $3bn in 10 years under a deal revealed last summer.

Mr Manturov has held several meetings this week with government officials and sovereign wealth funds in Abu Dhabi, where he is leading a huge delegation of Russian arms makers at the Idex military exhibition.

He said that Russia hoped to boost military exports to the UAE and establish ties with its fledgling space agency.

His visit coincided with a threat by the US secretary of state John Kerry of increasing sanctions for recent fighting in Ukraine – a threat the minister shrugged off.

“It is useless to use fear against us because we know what fear is,” Mr Manturov said. “Nobody has ever managed to receive a positive result from the use of force and pressure on our country.”

scronin@thenational.ae

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Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher:  Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5

The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
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Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
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SPECS

Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
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6.30pm: Gifts Of Gold

7.05pm Final Song

7.40pm Equilateral

8.15pm Dark Of Night

8.50pm Mythical Magic

9.25pm Franz Kafka

MATCH INFO

Manchester United 2
(Martial 30', McTominay 90 6')

Manchester City 0

Company%20Profile
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Company profile

Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018

Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: Health-tech

Size: 22 employees

Funding: Seed funding 

Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors

COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Bidzi

● Started: 2024

● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid

● Based: Dubai, UAE

● Industry: M&A

● Funding size: Bootstrapped

● No of employees: Nine

SPECS

Nissan 370z Nismo

Engine: 3.7-litre V6

Transmission: seven-speed automatic

Power: 363hp

Torque: 560Nm

Price: Dh184,500

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

Zakat definitions

Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.

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Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.

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LA LIGA FIXTURES

Saturday  (UAE kick-off times)

Leganes v Getafe (12am)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Levante v Alaves (4pm)

Real Madrid v Sevilla (7pm)

Osasuna v Valladolid (9.30pm)

Sunday

Eibar v Atletico Madrid (12am)

Mallorca v Valencia (3pm)

Real Betis v Real Sociedad (5pm)

Villarreal v Espanyol (7pm)

Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)

Monday

Barcelona v Granada (12am)

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Engine: 0.8-litre four cylinder

Power: 70bhp

Torque: 66Nm

Transmission: four-speed manual

Price: $1,075 new in 1967, now valued at $40,000

On sale: Models from 1966 to 1970

'My Son'

Director: Christian Carion

Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis

Rating: 2/5

The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Power: 268bhp / 536bhp
Torque: 343Nm / 686Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
On sale: Later this year
How the bonus system works

The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.

The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.

There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).

All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.