News in Brief
Saudi Arabia oil exports hit 21-month low
REUTERS – Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports fell for a third straight month in June to their lowest since September 2021, data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI) showed on Wednesday.
The kingdom’s crude exports totalled 6.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in June, down about 1.8% from May’s 6.93 million bpd.
Monthly export figures are provided by Riyadh and other members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to the JODI, which publishes them on its website.
Kenya’s debt rises to historic high
CNBC – Kenya’s debt level has reached record highs despite President William Ruto’s vow to tame the country’s appetite for loans, treasury figures show.
Total public debt rose by a record 1.56 trillion shillings ($10.8 billion) in the financial year ended June 30 to 10.1 trillion shillings ($70.75 billion), breaching a debt ceiling of 10 trillion shillings.
“The increase in the public debt is attributed to external loan disbursements, exchange rate fluctuations and the uptake of domestic and external debt,” the treasury said.
Total says gas exploration rig arrives
off Lebanon
AFP – French firm TotalEnergies said Wednesday that a drilling rig had reach Lebanese waters ahead of exploration for offshore gas reserves.
“TotalEnergies, the operator of Block 9, announces the arrival of the drilling rig, Transocean Barents, on the block, at around 120 kilometres (75 miles) off the coast of Beirut,” a statement said, adding that a transport helicopter had also reached Beirut airport.