WASHINGTON: Newly compiled U.S. State Department data show the country issued about 250,000 fewer immigrant and nonimmigrant visas from January through August 2025 than in the same period a year earlier. That amounted to an 11% decline in permanent and temporary visas excluding tourist visas,…

    Business

    GABORONE: Botswana is facing renewed pressure on its diamond-driven economy after S&P Global Ratings lowered the country’s long-term sovereign rating to BBB- from BBB and its short-term rating to A-3 from A-2, while keeping…

    SEOUL: South Korea posted an 11.3 trillion won managed fiscal surplus in January as stronger tax collection offset higher government spending, with value-added tax and income tax leading the increase in receipts. Finance ministry…

    Health

    DUBAI: UNICEF, Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) have launched a US$300 million partnership aimed at helping save 3 million children from malnutrition, the organisations announced…

    Travel

    Technology

    NEW DELHI: India is preparing a new fund worth more than 1 trillion rupees, or about $11 billion, to support domestic semiconductor production, according to a report published Thursday. The report said the proposed funding would provide…

    Sports

    DUBAI: Tallon Griekspoor will face former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in the men’s singles final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships after both players won their semifinals on Friday at the ATP 500 event. Griekspoor, ranked 25th, reached his first Dubai final by beating fifth seed Andrey Rublev 7-5, 7-6(6). Medvedev,…

    Entertainment

    The 47th edition of the Moscow International Film Festival (MIFF) commenced on Thursday in the Russian capital, opening a week-long program that will spotlight 200 films representing 50 countries and regions.…