BASRA, IRAQ / MENA Newswire / – Iraq’s state-run Basra Oil Company signed a five-year integrated management contract with Halliburton for the Bin Omar and Sindbad oil fields in Basra province, Iraq’s Ministry of Oil said. The agreement covers field management work aimed at raising crude oil and associated gas production at two southern oil assets. Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair attended the signing, according to the ministry statement. The contract sets production targets for both fields over the five-year term. Bin Omar output is planned to reach 150,000 barrels per day. Associated gas production at the field is set…
Author: menewscast.com
NEW DELHI, INDIA / MENA Newswire / – India and Japan broadened their Special Strategic and Global Partnership at the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit in New Delhi, adding cooperation in artificial intelligence, economic security, energy resilience, defence and mobility. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae during her official visit from July 1 to 3. Japan’s delegation included senior officials, chief executives and industry leaders. The summit produced 16 listed outcomes across government, business, finance, science and technology. The two governments identified three main areas of work: defence and security, economic partnership, and people-to-people exchanges. The economic…
LOS ANGELES / MENA Newswire / – Spain moved into the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 with a 3-0 win over Austria on Thursday at Los Angeles Stadium. Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice, and Pedro Porro added the other goal. The result ended Austria’s campaign in the Round of 32 and extended Spain’s stay in the knockout stage. Spain took control of the match through steady pressure and clean passing in the first half. Austria held out for more than half an hour before Oyarzabal opened the scoring in the 36th minute. The forward found space in the area…
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES / MENA Newswire / – Emirates said customers have made more than one million connections to Starlink Wi-Fi since the service entered its fleet seven months ago. The Dubai-based airline said passengers have used more than one petabyte of data through the satellite internet service. The milestone covers free onboard access on aircraft already fitted with the system. The Starlink Wi-Fi service now operates on 33 Boeing 777 aircraft and three Airbus A380 aircraft in the Emirates fleet. The airline said more than 60 Starlink-equipped flights operate each day. Passengers use the service for streaming, video…
RABAT, MOROCCO / MENA Newswire / – The World Bank has approved $265 million to support Morocco’s Ifahsa Pumped Hydropower Storage Project, a 300-megawatt clean energy facility planned for the country’s north. The financing backs a major storage project designed to help Morocco add more renewable power to its national electricity grid. The project will be built near Chefchaouen and will use pumped hydropower storage technology. The system pumps water to an upper reservoir when electricity supply is high, then releases it through turbines when demand rises. This model helps balance power supply from solar and wind plants. The facility…
TOKYO, JAPAN / MENA Newswire / – Japan’s new car sales rose 1.8% in the first half of 2026, marking a second straight first-half gain for the domestic auto market. Automakers sold 2,387,189 new vehicles from January through June, including minivehicles. The increase followed a stronger second quarter, after the market opened the year with softer first-quarter demand. Industry data released Wednesday showed a broad but modest recovery across Japan’s vehicle market. The Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association compiled the figures for registered vehicles and kei-class minivehicles. Registered vehicles include standard passenger…
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / MENA Newswire / – South Korea’s exports topped US$100 billion in a single month for the first time in June, setting a national record as semiconductor shipments nearly tripled. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said exports rose 70.9% from a year earlier to US$102.25 billion. Imports climbed 30.1% to US$66.10 billion. The result gave Asia’s fourth-largest economy a monthly trade surplus of US$36.15 billion, also a record for the country. The June figure made South Korea the fourth country to pass US$100 billion in monthly exports, after Germany, China and the United States. Average…
AMMAN, JORDAN / MENA Newswire / – The World Bank approved a US$700 million loan for Jordan to support private investment, job creation and economic reforms. The financing falls under the Jordan Growth and Competitiveness Development Policy Financing II program. It supports steps linked to the country’s Economic Modernization Vision and focuses on business conditions, access to finance, digital services, green finance and energy sector reforms. The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors cleared the loan after Jordan recorded 2.8 percent real GDP growth in 2025. The country also kept a sovereign credit rating upgrade first secured in 2024, its…
MEXICO CITY / MENA Newswire / – Mexico advanced to the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 on Tuesday. The co-host beat Ecuador 2-0 at Mexico City Stadium. Julián Quiñones scored in the 22nd minute. Raúl Jiménez added the second goal nine minutes later. The win sent Mexico through from the Round of 32 in front of more than 80,000 fans. It also ended a long knockout-stage drought. Mexico had not won a World Cup knockout match since its 1986 victory over Bulgaria on home soil. Mexico took control before halftime with a fast and direct attack. Roberto Alvarado set…
ATLANTA, GEORGIA / MENA Newswire / – England reached the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 16 after captain Harry Kane scored twice late in a 2-1 win over Congo DR at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday. Congo DR led through Brian Cipenga’s seventh-minute goal and held that advantage at halftime. Kane equalized in the 75th minute, then scored again in the 86th to complete England’s comeback in the Round of 32. Cipenga gave Congo DR an early lead with a low right-footed finish from the left side of the area. The chance followed a long pass from Chancel Mbemba that…