Beijing / AFP China warned on Thursday of a “decisive response” to provocations in the South China Sea, as it faced mounting pressure to accept an international tribunal’s ruling against its claims to most of the strategically vital waters. The Philippines, which launched the legal challenge, called for China to respect the decision and defied Chinese objections by saying ...

  Baghdad / AFP Iraqi security forces paraded through Baghdad on Thursday to celebrate victories over the IS extremist group, but an unannounced rehearsal two days earlier put a damper on the festivities. PM Haider al-Abadi reviewed the forces from a pavilion as they passed through central Tahrir Square, and military jets and helicopters overflew the city. The parade was ...

  Bloomberg Global stocks climbed as commodities gained and better-than-estimated earnings pointed to resilience in the economy. The yen slumped on speculation Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is contemplating so-called helicopter money to revive Japan. Financial shares led the S&P 500 Index higher, as the equity benchmark extended its record for a fourth day. Emerging-market equities advanced for a sixth day. ...

  Bloomberg The world’s largest oil traders are scraping the bottom of the barrel in search of their next big opportunity. Vitol Group and Trafigura Group Pte’s Puma Energy are adding ships and storage to trade bitumen, a thick, syrupy petroleum product used to make asphalt for roads and tar for roofs. Transport of the material, traditionally by truck, train ...

  DUBAI / Reuters Gulf markets were mixed on Thursday as investors treaded with caution after oil prices dropped the day before, dampening sentiment for riskier asset classes. Uncertainty weighed on regional stocks in the hours before the Bank of England’s first policy meeting since Britain voted to leave the EU. The Bank’s decision to hold rates steady came after ...

  ALKESH SHARMA / Emirates Business Radio industry, which was once considered a dud medium of entertainment, is now growing significantly in the UAE. The Emirates has emerged as one of the most refined radio markets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and has, by far, the highest number radio stations in this part of the world. ...

  RITIKA SHARMA / Emirates Business Like almost all the industries, oil and gas sector deals with big data on a daily basis. Amid the speculations about fluctuations in the sector, regional experts are advising energy firms to sharpen their technology skills and invest in data management strategies to improve production and efficiency. Such is the importance of big data ...

  RITIKA SHARMA / Emirates Business In an effort to keep up pace with evolving technology, telecom companies in the region are exploring cloud-based technological services. Apart from aiming to empower customers through automation of services and operation, the firms are also looking at making their businesses more efficient and accessible to trade partners. In one such move, Etisalat — ...

  Emirates Business Joining the 19th Edition of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings has announced 20% discount on bed and breakfast rates at all hotels within the group’s network in the UAE. Unveiling the offer, Laurent A. Voivenel, CEO of HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings, stated, “DSS is the region’s longest running summer extravaganza of its ...

  Dubai / Emirates Business While the property market appears to be simultaneously booming and crashing, depending on which statistic you follow, or which article you read, one source reports a remarkable increase in the property market arena. compareit4me.com, the region’s leading finance comparison site, has confirmed that mortgage enquiries have rocketed from January 2015 to April 2016. According to ...