romance de La Roja Spain ultimately showed their class as they beat Belgium 2-1 to advance to only their second World Cup semifinal. A look... Merino does it again A few days after scoring the winner against Portugal in injury-time, the midfielder, who had only been on the field for three minutes, finished from close range to score the winner in the 88th minute Meeting France BHUBANESWAR l sunday l july 12, 2026 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l LATE CITY EDITION As soon as the draw was out, the brackets had suggested this and so it has come to pass. Two of the world’s best sides against will face each other in the first semifinal at Dallas for a place in the final. And it promises to be a cracker CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ■ ■ NZ ties scaled up to strategic partnership Trade target set at `35,000 crore by 2030; Two sides announce maritime cooperation pact J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi India and New Zealand elevated their relationship to a Strategic Partnership on Saturday, marking the most significant upgrade in bilateral ties in decades, with the two countries unveiling an ambitious defence, maritime and economic agenda aimed at deepening cooperation in the IndoPacific. Following wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon, the two sides announced 18 outcomes, including 10 agreements spanning defence, maritime security, trade, supply chains and regional cooperation. The two sides launched a Maritime Secu- PM Narendra Modi with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon at an Indian diaspora event in Auckland | PTI rity Dialogue, a reciprocal logistics support arrangement between the Indian Navy and the New Zealand Defence Force, a maritime cooperation pact between their defence ministries, and a roadmap to expand bilateral engagement over the next four years. The leaders also set an ambitious target of doubling bilateral trade in goods and services to NZ$7 billion (around `35,000 crore) by 2030, while committing to ensure the early implementation of the recently signed IndiaNew Zealand Free Trade Agreement. “I am delighted that we are going to take our relationship forward through a Strategic Partnership. This milestone will motivate us to move ahead with greater energy, confidence and determination,” said Modi, the first Indian PM to visit New Zealand in four decades. The agreements underscore New Zealand’s growing strategic engagement with India as Wellington seeks to diversify partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, while reflecting New Delhi’s efforts to strengthen cooperation with like-minded maritime democracies against the backdrop of China’s expanding regional influence. The joint statement reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to a free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific, stressing respect for sovereignty , territorial integrity and the rules-based international order. Both PMs also reiterated support for freedom of navigation and overflight. Game On W I T H T H I S I SS U E PLUS 12 P AGES 15 Indians killed in Vietnam boat mishap Aditya Birla to invest `12K cr in Kashipur refinery j aya n t h j a c o b @ New Delhi AT least 15 Indian tourists, including 13 men and two women, were killed after a tourist boat carrying Indian visitors capsized off Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island on Saturday, prompting a major search-and-rescue operation and emergency assistance by Indian diplomatic missions. The vessel, carrying 36 people, 32 Indian tourists, three crew members and one attendant, overturned around 1 pm local time (11.30 am IST) while returning from Hon May Rut Ngoai Island to An Thoi Port amid rough seas and strong winds. Authorities said 21 people PM assures speedy assistance Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government was extending all possible assistance. “My sincere condolences to families who lost their loved ones. Our Embassy are providing all possible assistance.” were rescued and taken to hosp i t a l , w i t h t wo re p o r t e d critical. The Indian embassy said its Ambassador, accompanied by mission officials, was travelling to Phu Quoc to oversee consular assistance, coordinate with Vi- etnamese authorities and support the affected Indian nationals. Lava Mobiles said some of its employees and channel partners were among those killed in the boat accident. In a statement on X, Lava said, “Our immediate priority is to extend all possible support to those affected and their families. Our teams in both India and Vietnam are in regular contact with the families and are providing all possible assistance.” Sources said around 110 Lava distributors and employees from South India were travelling together on the Vietnam trip, although only a section of them was travelling on the ill-fated boat. E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Bhubaneswar The Aditya Birla Group has proposed an additional investment of `12,000 crore to expand the capacity of its greenfield alumina refinery at Kansariguda in Kashipur block of Rayagada district, tripling the plant’s capacity from 1 million tonne per annum (MTPA) to 3 MTPA. Group chair man Kumar Mangalam Birla discussed the proposal with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at Lok Seva Bhawan on Saturday . The refinery being developed by Hindalco Industries Limited, a subsidiary of Aditya Birla Group, was originally planned as a 1 MTPA facility with investment of about `8,000 crore. The proposed expansion would add 2 MTPA of refining capacity through a fresh investment of `12,000 crore, taking the total investment to `20,000 crore. The expansion will generate significant direct and indirect employment while creating business opportunities for local enterprises, contractors and downstream industries linked to the aluminium value chain. Welcoming the proposal, Majhi said Odisha intends to leverage its rich mineral resources to promote higher value-addition and advanced manufactur- Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in discussion with Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla at Lok Seva Bhawan | express ing in the state. He described aluminium as a key pillar of the state’s industrial strategy, with the government aiming to develop an integrated ecosystem spanning alumina refin- ing, primary aluminium production and downstream manufacturing. “We intend not only to lead the country in alumina and aluminium production but also build a globally competitive ecosystem across the entire value chain, from refining and primary metals to downstream and advanced products,” Majhi said. The chief minister assured Aditya Birla Group of continued government support for timely execution of the project, including facilitation of land, infrastructure, utilities and statutory clearances through a coordinated mechanism.  Continued on P5