AFP Samsung Electronics took another hit Monday over its recalled Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, acknowledging it was “adjusting production” of the device after major distributors stopped offering replacements because of continued safety concerns. The South Korean electronics giant has struggled in the wake of its September 2 decision to issue a global recall for 2.5 million Note 7s because …

  Relaxnews Microsoft appears to have a spectacular revamp in store for its legendary Paint drawing program, a Windows staple since 1985, with new functions for creating and animating 3D images. The news comes from videos leaked on social media. A minor revolution could be brewing in the world of Windows, as leaked videos suggest that the upcoming version of …

AFP Facebook released a mobile app for finding local happenings to enjoy with friends. The Events app tailored for iPhones hit Apple’s online shop, with a version “coming soon” for smartphones powered by Google-backed Android software, Facebook product manager Aditya Koolwal said in on online post. Events is a stand-alone spin on a section at the leading online social network …

  Relaxnews Messaging service WhatsApp is taking a page from Snapchat’s playbook with the launch of new camera features that allow users to add images, emoji and text to their photos. After capturing a new photo or video, users will automatically see new editing tools allowing them to customize images. A front-facing flash has also been added to the WhatsApp …

  Madrid / AFP They may be cute, colourful and chatty, but South American quaker parrots have taken up residence in Madrid and other Spanish cities, irritating residents with their shrill squawks and destabilising the ecosystem. The small, bright green and grey-breasted birds — also known as monk parakeets — first arrived in Spain in cages as entertaining pets, but …

Ranomafana / AFP “Last time, I burnt a section about that big,” says Mihareta Laivoa, pointing to a parcel of land about the size of a football field, as the farmer admitted to having destroyed forest to make way for his crops. “I don’t own a piece of land in the valley, so I have no choice,” explains the 41-year-old …

  Tehran / AFP Mansour Faridfar did well on the black market until the law caught up and left him jobless, forcing him to join the thousands of “shakhsi” unofficial taxi drivers clogging Tehran’s streets. “I used to be very well off and I thought my fate was in my hands, but I gradually learned that was not true,” said the …

DUBAI / WAM Smart Dubai will bring together 55 partners from the government and private sector for the first collaborative exhibition to showcase a true smart city experience for Dubai. The exhibition will take place in a 3,800-square-metre pavilion during the 36th edition of Gitex Technology Week 2016 from October 16-20. An initiative, Smart Dubai is anchored in the vision …

  Abu Dhabi / EMIRATES BUSINESS HE Engineer Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori, UAE Minister of Economy, will be leading the country’s first government and economic trade delegation to visit the Republic of Bulgaria on October 11-13. The official visit is aimed towards promoting economic trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, placing strong focus on key sectors like …

  Sharjah / WAM Air Arabia, the Sharjah-based low cost carrier, has been ranked number three on Airfinance journal’s list of top 50 global airlines. The list includes an evaluation of the performance of 137 airlines, based on a set of “operational and financial parameters, including Total Revenue, Net Income, Passenger Yield, Liquidity, and Leverage,” according to an Air Arabia …