Opinion

The release this weekend by WikiLeaks of the purported transcript of discussions among International Monetary Fund officials about the best way to compel Greece’s creditors to accept debt restructuring led to much finger pointing and seeming indignation. Yet the economic case for forgiving that country’s debt is straightforward: Without relief within a comprehensive reform program, Greece will struggle to grow, …

China’s State Grid Corporation, the world’s biggest power company, is on an impressive buying binge. As Bloomberg News reports, the company is “actively in bidding” for power assets in Australia, hoping to add them to a portfolio of Italian, Brazilian, and Filipino companies. The goal isn’t simply to invest, however. State Grid’s Chairman Liu Zhenya has a plan that he …

China’s intelligence service, the Ministry of State Security (MSS), offers a snapshot of the political intrigue taking place within the regime of President Xi Jinping. The MSS has replaced two vice ministers within the last four years, after reports of political infighting and scandal. The current minister is said to be a figurehead, with the real power held by a …

International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) recommendations to adopt policies that support research and development to promote innovation could play a pivotal role in reversing the global economic slowdown. Such recommendations could be implemented through structural reforms in labour and product markets that take innovation into account. “Fiscal policy can play an important role in stimulating innovation through its effects on research …

Shannon Tiezzi SPECIAL TO EMIRATES BUSINESS China’s State Grid Corp. has unveiled an ambitious blueprint for creating a global electricity network. As Wall Street Journal reports, on Wednesday State Grid chairman Liu Zhenya outlined the $50 trillion plan, which calls for long-range transmission lines to create a world grid that heavily incorporates wind and solar energy from the Arctic and …

When Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff walked down the ramp at the presidential palace in Brasilia the other day, she might have been a national hero. “There will be struggle, there will be resistance,” a gruff-voiced leader of the homeless workers’ movement announced, turning the announcement of a new federal housing initiative into a political rally. “This bogus coup attempt will …

For years, in news rooms across the region, reporters and editors have argued about the merits of sending teams of journalists and photographers to cover the annual ASEAN summits. Interest is in a state of constant decline even as costs escalate. A major problem is rarely do ASEAN gatherings offer news that would be considered worthy for the front pages …

Donald Trump is taking a troubled brand — the Republican Party — and making it worse. In last week’s Bloomberg Politics national survey, 60 percent of Americans said they had an unfavorable view of Republicans, the highest level in seven years. Since 2009, when this survey began, a plurality of the public has regarded the party with disfavor, but over …

You have to give credit to China’s Anbang. Only days ago, the Chinese insurance group was shoved aside in its long quest to acquire U.S. hotel operator Starwood. A rival suitor, U.S. hotelier Marriott, had recaptured Starwood’s affections with a sweetened bid. Undeterred, Anbang roared back on Mar. 26 with an even juicier offer. Obviously, the company is not easily …

The Nuclear Security Summit, which concluded on Friday in Washington, did not rule out catastrophic nuclear attacks. It was a global forum that gathered the world leaders to find ways to avert such apocalyptic scenarios. The timing of the summit was important as it came in the wake of attacks in Paris and Brussels that have killed dozens and exposed …