Trade policy has taken a beating on the U.S. presidential campaign trail. It’s been blamed for the United States’ economic troubles and for creating the social strife and unease that has driven an unusually populist presidential campaign season. It’s a difficult context in which to pitch the Trans Pacific Partnership, one of the most ambitious trade agreements in history. But ...

  Prashanth Parameswaran SPECIAL TO EMIRATES BUSINESS On May 6, Singapore and Australia announced a series of moves that they had undertaken to boost their defense relationship. While much of the initial media coverage has focused narrowly on a new, multi-billion dollar agreement to jointly develop military training areas and facilities in Australia and what it says about China’s regional ...

  Gary Sands SPECIAL TO EMIRATES BUSINESS On May 1, residents of Ho Chi Minh City, still commonly referred to as Saigon, were waking up after marking the 41st anniversary of the reunification of Vietnam. Fireworks the previous night gloriously celebrated the victory of a steadfast army of communist North Vietnamese over the crumbling government of South Vietnam and the ...

  Havana / DPA Tourists from the United States love it in the restaurant with Soviet-style decor in Havana. They even enjoy it when the lights go off, as is frequent in Cuba because of power cuts. The manager of Nazdarovie said that visitors are amused when they have to dine by candlelight in the Russian restaurant with Soviet motifs ...

  Las Vegas / AFP Last year, 23 million metric tonnes of seafood certified as sustainable was sold worldwide to the tune of US$11.5 billion (10 billion euros), accounting for 14 percent of global production, according to a study published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). That marks a dramatic rise from just a decade earlier, when only ...

  ABU DHABI / Emirates Business Etihad Airways’ finance team has continued its winning streak by landing two key awards — for best treasury team and for securing a unique US$700 million bond agreement — from the Middle East chapter of the Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT ME). Last year’s landmark finance transaction for Etihad Airways Partners’ (EAP), a brand ...

  RITIKA SHARMA / Emirates Business Looking beyond the conventional trade ties, Citigate Commodities Trading Limited, a Dubai-based company, is exploring the little known African nation Sierra Leone aiming to create a platform for local investors to access the emerging market of diamond mining industry in West Africa. Citigate Commodities announced the acquisition and launch of a 79.9 sq km ...

  Sunaina Rana / Emirates Business The UAE’s retail market was ranked as the most attractive market in the Middle East and eighth globally in 2015. However, challenging economy has not left the sector untouched. Emirates first public joint stock company, Marka, has announced its Q1 2016 financial report. The UAE’s first retail-focussed company reported total revenue of AED 75,730 ...

  Dubai / Emirates Business Serco Middle East, a leading provider of public services, supporting governments and others operating in the public sector will be exhibiting at this year’s Careers UAE 2016 with plans to accelerate its nationalisation mandate. Serco Middle East’s principles are aligned with the event which is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin ...

  Dubai / Emirates Business The use of stone in construction and interior design now extends beyond flooring and furniture production. In line with the same, Smart Konnect recently launched FlexStone, an exclusive gallery displaying a unique range of chic, fashionable and eco-friendly artificial stones, murals & floors for interior & exterior application. “We are extremely pleased to launch a ...