Opinion

  Harsh V. Pant SPECIAL TO EMIRATES BUSINESS Dealing a major blow to Beijing’s insistence that it has special rights to South China Sea and in a victory for the Philippines, an international tribunal of judges decided that China’s claims to the critical waterway are without legal merit. The ruling, handed down by a tribunal based at the Hague’s Permanent …

  There seems to be this idea that just won’t go away — that two or more quarters of negative economic growth mark a recession. This is, of course, incorrect. But it persists, and seems to get new life with every unsettling economic event, because people don’t understand the basics surrounding what an economic contraction is or how we measure …

Given his fearsome rhetoric and blunt speaking it is not surprising that many fear that the new populist president of the Philippines could have a destabilizing impact on the region. Some worry his “Dirty Harry” persona could tip the republic into conflict with China and, through the Philippines’ alliance with the United States, drag the region into a major conflagration. …

  Adam Minter The skylines of some of China’s biggest cities sprout from land that was farmed less than a generation ago. For the government, they’re a soaring testament to the country’s transformation into an urbanized superpower. And despite China’s economic slump, there are plenty of bureaucrats who’d like to see the process continue. According to a report last week, …

  Mark Gilbert The Bundesbank dropped something of a bombshell this week. The eurozone’s most influential central bank and the guardian of all things sacred to monetarists, suggested that sovereign bonds should contain clauses that would automatically delay repayment to investors for countries in financial difficulty. Not paying on schedule may not be the same as default, but it won’t …

  WASHINGTON Neither the unanimous decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, nor China’s rejection of it, was surprising. The timing of it was, however, as serendipitous as China’s rejection is ominous. Coming as Republican delegates convene on Lake Erie’s shore, the tribunal’s opinion about the South China Sea underscores the current frivolousness of American politics, which …

  The recent failed coup attempt was the last thing expected by the Turkish government, which is grappling with a lot of odds that cast shadow over tourism in particular and economy in general. The turmoil will take economic toll on a country where tourism is an essential source of foreign currency to finance current-account deficit. The sector employs 8 …

  Mark Buchanan Voting is partially a social endeavor, in which people consider the opinions of others when making up their own minds. Increasingly, though, they’re being influenced by an inhuman force: software robots specifically designed to deceive them. Lest democracy be undermined, humans need help in distinguishing their brethren from the bots. Two years ago, in a report filed …

  China has taken a leap towards clarifying its claims in the South China Sea, but in a direction that could intensify frictions. The International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea delivered a sweeping ruling Tuesday against China in an arbitration case initiated by the Philippines. The result significantly limits the size of the maritime zones and scope of …

  The attempted coup d’etat by a faction of Turkey’s armed forces on Friday failed for many reasons, including divisions among the military and repeated missteps by the plotters. Social media and mobile communications also played an important role. And it wasn’t the first time this combination has enabled citizens to express their will and have a say in deciding …