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 a negative outlook. The cut leaves Botswana at the lowest investment-grade level and comes as…

    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 data showed tax revenue reached 52.9 trillion won in the month, up 6.2 trillion won…

    MUMBAI: India’s foreign exchange reserves rose to a record $728.494 billion in the week ended Feb. 27, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India on Friday. The stockpile increased $4.885 billion from $723.608 billion a week earlier, reversing the prior week’s decline. India’s forex reserves comprise foreign…

    BEIJING: China’s top economic and financial officials pledged expanded support for technology firms, a push toward more balanced trade and deeper capital market reforms during a news conference on the sidelines of the annual National People’s Congress. The briefing brought together leaders from the economic planning agency, the commerce ministry,…

    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,…

    DUBAI: Jessica Pegula captured her first Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships crown on Saturday, beating two-time champion Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-4 in the women’s singles final to secure an early birthday milestone at a WTA 1000 event.…

    MENA Newswire, RABAT: Egypt and Nigeria secured places in the quarter-finals of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday after winning their respective Round of 16 matches, with Egypt defeating Benin 3-1 after extra time and Nigeria recording a 4-0 victory over…

    ABU DHABI, December 23, 2025: Canadian tennis player Victoria Mboko has been named the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Newcomer of the Year for 2025 following a breakout season that propelled her from outside the world’s top 300 to…

    DOHA, Qatar, December 18, 2025: French forward Ousmane Dembélé was named The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2025 at the annual awards ceremony in Doha on Monday, marking the Paris Saint-Germain winger’s first win at the prestigious global football event. Dembélé secured the honor following…

    TASHKENT, December 13, 2025: Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been re-elected as President of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the international federation for mobility organisations. The decision was confirmed…

    SANTIAGO, Chile, October 20, 2025: Morocco made football history on Sunday night by becoming the first Arab nation to win the FIFA U-20 World Cup, defeating Argentina 2-0 in the final held at Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago,…

    Engineers at Don State Technical University in Russia have unveiled an AI-powered training robot aimed at enhancing athletic performance while minimizing the risk of injury. The development is positioned as a response to a shortage of qualified trainers, particularly…

    The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has confirmed the global calendar for its major world championships in 2026, reinforcing the Middle East’s role as a key destination for international motorsport. The announcements were made during the…