SEOUL: South Korea’s central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.50% on Thursday, maintaining the Base Rate as policymakers balanced a steady inflation backdrop with improving economic momentum and ongoing financial stability concerns. The Bank of Korea’s Monetary Policy Board said it would hold the current…

    HARARE: Zimbabwe has suspended the export of all raw minerals and lithium concentrates with immediate effect, the  Ministry of Mines and Mining Development said, ordering the restriction to be observed “until further notice.” The ministry said the suspension applies to all minerals, including shipments already in transit.…

    NEW DELHI: India joined the Pax Silica initiative on Feb. 20 by signing the Pax Silica Declaration and a bilateral addendum titled the Joint Statement on the India-U.S. AI Opportunity Partnership at an event held on the margins of the AI Impact Summit. The documents were signed…

    NEW DELHI: India’s Union Cabinet has approved a new state-backed venture capital initiative, clearing the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore (about $1.1 billion) to mobilize venture capital for the country’s startup ecosystem, the government said in a statement issued Feb.…

    Travel

    SHARJAH: Air Arabia said it will expand its European network with a new daily, non-stop route between Sharjah International Airport and Rome Fiumicino Airport, with flights scheduled to begin on July 1, 2026. The…

    ABU DHABI: Etihad Airways carried 2.2 million passengers in January 2026, the Abu Dhabi based airline said in its monthly traffic update, reporting a 29% increase from 1.7 million passengers in January 2025. The…

    HANOI: Vietnam recorded its strongest ever month for inbound tourism in January 2026, welcoming nearly 2.5 million foreign visitors, according to official statistics. The total was the highest monthly figure on record and marked…

    WASHINGTON: The U.S. State Department will begin an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries on Jan. 21, applying revised screening standards under the public charge provision of U.S. immigration law.…

    MENA Newswire, HANOI: Vietnam’s tourism sector is accelerating a transition toward greener and more sustainable development as authorities position the industry to support national economic growth in 2026. The shift follows a strong recovery…

    DUBAI, Nov 11: Dubai-based airline flydubai has signed the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Safety Leadership Charter, reinforcing its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety and strengthening its internal safety culture. The…