Relaxnews Column inches in newspapers and on tech blogs may still outnumber the devices in the average consumer’s home but 2017 could be the year that the Internet of Things (IoT) truly becomes a thing. According to Juniper Research, by 2021, the number of connected devices, sensors and activators in use will total 46 billion, that’s a 200% jump ...

  DUBAI / Emirates business LG Electronics (LG) has long been a key driver in innovation, applying analytics-driven insights to its appliances and electronics to produce a unified consumer experience that is as intuitive as it is effortless. The home appliances and home entertainment market is currently undergoing a great change where consumers are starting to shift from traditional products ...

  Bloomberg Facebook Inc. is changing its powerful news feed in an effort to stamp out fake stories following a firestorm around the social network’s role in spreading false information. The new features, rolled out to select US users on Thursday, add options for readers and third-party fact checkers to flag articles, tweak Facebook’s algorithm and provide more restrictions on ...

  ABU DHABI / WAM Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) signed on Saturday an agreement with BP, awarding the British oil and gas giant a 10 percent interest in Abu Dhabi’s onshore oil concession operated by ADCO, the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Petroleum Operations. As part of BP’s interest in the concession, it will become asset leader for ...

  DUBAI / WAM The Ministry of Finance (MoF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC) to exchange experiences and coordinate on matters related to the strategic plan for ‘Dubai the Capital of Islamic Economy 2017-2021’, aimed at strengthening country’s position and enhancing the Emirate of Dubai as the capital of the Islamic economy. ...

  Ajman / WAM The Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi Foundation’s board of trustees has approved an estimated budget of AED27 million for 2017. Approved at a board meeting chaired by HH Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, the budget funds the foundation’s charitable and humanitarian projects. Sheikh Ammar directed the board of trustees to launch ...

  UMM AL QAIWAIN / WAM From humble beginnings in late 2014, the Umm Al Qaiwain Free Trade Zone (UAQ FTZ) has progressed dramatically in this bustling emirate with investors leapfrogging from a few hundred to over 2,500 licenses till date. Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu’alla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al ...

  The fall of Aleppo is a human catastrophe. It’s also a demonstration of the perils of choosing the middle course in a military conflict. Sometimes it’s possible to talk and fight at the same time. But in Syria, America’s decision to pursue a dual-track, halfway approach made the mayhem worse. A battered Secretary of State John Kerry made one ...

  OK, I should have headlined it, “My favorite economics books of 2016.” There surely are many good books that I missed. Still, the four below share certain appealing characteristics. They tell us stuff we don’t know, which alters our view of the world. They are all deeply researched and reported. They’re clearly written. For your dedicated economics wonk or ...

  In questioning the “One China” policy that’s governed US-China relations for nearly four decades, President-elect Donald Trump seems to believe he’s wielding powerful leverage to persuade leaders in Beijing to give the US a better deal on trade. In fact, he’s setting himself up to fail —and ignoring the more effective tools at his disposal. The 1979 decision to ...