To say that Venezuela is in acute crisis would be an understatement. It is staring at a massive collapse that is getting harder to prevent by the day. The country’s economy is in a free-fall amid the financial and political commotion. In 2016, its GDP will contract 10% and inflation accelerate to around 700%. Its gold reserves are shrinking …

  Joseph Bosco In its courageous and comprehensive decision on the South China Sea, the arbitration tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration has rendered an invaluable service to the region and the international community. It has established an international law overlay to China’s sweeping territorial and maritime claims and thereby provided important guidance for all six competing claimants. …

  For the past 70 years, Japan has been a crucible of experimentation in economic policy. During its go-go years, Tokyo’s unusual practices to spur rapid growth became a model for much of the rest of Asia, while its unconventional attempts to revive its post-bubble economy have helped economists understand what should and could be done to recover from financial …

  The Aug. 5 opening of the 2016 Summer Olympics is still a week away, but Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Paes is already playing catch-up. A squad of blue overall-clad plumbers, electricians and custodians descended on the Athletes Village this week for emergency repairs. It turns out the brand new, $900 million complex of apartment buildings — “the best …

When President Barack Obama is trying to persuade Americans not to do something, he has a go-to line: “That’s not who we are.” Whether the issue involves discrimination, immigration, torture, criminal violence or health care, he invokes the nation’s very identity. And he likes to follow it by adding, “We are better than that.” In this way, throughout his political …

  Cecilia Tortajada and Udisha Saklani On July 30 and 31, 2012, India witnessed its worst power failure in a decade. Eight states were in complete darkness as the northern grid collapsed. The second day, July 31, saw another acute power failure that affected more than 600 million people in 20 states across the country. Essential services were interrupted for …

  Dubai / WAM Dubai’s active initiatives towards encouraging 3D printing are set to make it the world’s leading destination in this additive manufacturing technology, a leading 3D printing expert has said. Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, recently launched the ‘Dubai 3D Printing Strategy’, a unique global initiative …

ABU DHABI / WAM Abu Dhabi City Municipality (ADM) held a gathering (Al Multaqa) with Al Falah residents to assess their needs for basic services, cement partnership with them in developing concepts & plans for uplifting public services, improving the standard of living, and upgrading public facilities. The forum was attended by many executives, representatives of public institutions and a large …

  Dubai / EMIRATES BUSINESS Her Excellency Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, UAE Minister of State for Happiness, announced the selection of 60 Chief Happiness and Positivity Officers representing federal and local government entities. The candidates will undergo a practical, comprehensive, and intense training programme – the first of its kind on a global level – as of September, to …

  Dubai / WAM Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, headed the second meeting of the Higher Committee for Environmental Coordination for 2016, hosted by the Municipality and Planning Department in Ajman, where the meeting was held at Al Zorah Nature Reserve in Ajman and attended by the committee members from concerned departments across the …