LONDON / AP Global stocks rose on the first day of 2017, though trading volumes were thin as many major markets observed New Year’s holidays. KEEPING SCORE: Germany’s DAX was up 0.8 percent at 11,574 and France’s CAC 40 was 0.4 percent higher at 4,883. Italy’s FTSE MIB was up 1.5 percent at 18,520, though trading was still suspended …

  Bloomberg The mega-extravaganza of the tech world in Las Vegas is showcasing an array of new devices that get smarts from computer chips, sensors and artificial intelligence, but go further by opening doors to augmented or virtual realities. The Consumer Electronics Show, which begins with a series of media events on Tuesday will offer trade professionals a look at …

  Bloomberg What distinguishes mainstream news sites from those devoted to fake news or other hyper-partisan takes on events? It’s not just the stories they run, but also the way they use online technology that tracks readers and shows them ads, according to a new study by a web analytics firm. In particular, the study — from the New York-based …

  Bloomberg Samsung Electronics Co. sees growth slowing in key markets and uncertainties increasing around trade protectionism and currency fluctuations. In his annual New Year’s speech Monday, Samsung Vice Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer Kwon Oh-hyun urged employees to learn from costly failures as the consumer electronics giant seeks to recover from 2016’s bruising debacle surrounding the Note 7 smartphone. …

  Relaxnews Twitter recently launched live 360-degree video via its periscope live-streaming platform. While everyone can watch these immersive videos, for now only a select group of broadcasters can post live 360- degree video content. But the service is coming to all users shortly, and the tools to make and stream immersive video are already available to the public. Several …

  Beijing / AFP China will further tighten controls on individuals’ foreign currency purchases to try to curb massive capital flight from the country as the yuan falls sharply against the dollar. Individuals wishing to convert yuan to foreign currencies will now have to provide more detailed information to their bank, including an explanation of the funds concerned in addition …

  ABU DHABI / WAM Emirati and Kazakh officials discussed ways of promoting co-operation and co-ordination on religious affairs to project the genuine and bright image of Islam, its upholding of ethical and human values as well as its call to spread tolerance and peaceful co-existence and reject fanaticism, extremism and terrorism. Chairman of the UAE General Authority of Islamic …

  Dubai / WAM Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, on Saturday night inspected the Dubai Police operations room, set up to secure the New Year celebrations at the Burj Khalifa and on Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard in Downtown Dubai. No incidents, security breaches or injuries were reported during the …

    Dubai / WAM The Ministry of Education will launch a specialised training programme tomorrow, so far the biggest such initiative, targeting 11,500 teachers, 1,000 school principals, 92 academic supervisors and 300 laboratories specialists, in addition to 340 learning resource specialists and 370 special education teachers. The 1,000 principals will include regional managers, their assistants, school principals and their assistants, …

  Dubai / WAM Rising to the call of the ‘100 Days of Positivity’ programme, students of Academia Management Solutions International (AMSI) — a leading academic solutions provider which manages both ISAS and Al Mawakeb Schools — participated in special activities and merged them into their school routines. The initiative, launched by the National Program for Happiness and Positivity, along with …