BP to Explore Venezuelan Offshore Natural Gas Alongside Emirati, Qatari PartnersThe Venezuelan government has granted an offshore natural gas concession to a consortium of British multinational BP, the United Arab Emirates’ XRG, and Qatar’s UCC. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez held an agreement-signing ceremony and press conference on Thursday alongside executives of the three corporations on Wednesday. … Rodríguez emphasized Caracas’ decision to prioritize natural gas ventures to supply the domestic market and boost exports. However, state energy company PDVSA is not a stakeholder in the project.
https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/bp-to-explore-venezuelan-offshore-natural-gas-alongside-emirati-qatari-partners/Dominican Republic’s expulsion of Cuban officials sparks geopolitical tensionIn recent months, several conservative Latin American countries, including Colombia and Ecuador, have cut relations or closed their embassies in Cuba while proclaiming their political alignment with Trump. Cuba’s Foreign Ministry reacted that the expulsion involved 10 officials — not nine as the Dominicans had stated — and expressed regret over the decision by Dominican President Luis Abinader.
https://apnews.com/article/dominican-republic-cuba-expulsion-diplomats-us-embargo-tensions-afc79dfb2c416f2a97909b240857ca9bOnly half of primary school kids have ‘satisfactory knowledge’ of language and mathsThe organisation's report looks at educational trajectories and learning outcomes. It drills down into government data to analyse how many children complete primary school within the expected timeframe, without repeating a year or dropping out, and how many of them simultaneously achieve satisfactory or advanced levels in language and mathematics.
https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/only-half-of-primary-school-kids-have-satisfactory-knowledge-of-language-and-maths.phtmlCanadian plasma clinics pause collections after deaths of two donorsOn the same day, the agency had issued a formal notice of non-compliance for failure to follow blood regulations, a senior official told the Globe and Mail newspaper. The two deaths occurred after plasma donations in October 2025 and January 2026, Health Canada said in March of this year. The donors, both of whom were in the province of Manitoba, went into “distress” while donating, people familiar with the cases said.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/14/canadian-plasma-clinics-pause-collections-after-deaths-of-donors-grifolsLabour divided over indefinite leave to remainSince May 2025, the Labour government has been preparing sweeping changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain status. The Home Office is set to replace the standard five-year route to achieving permanent residence with an ‘earned settlement’ model. For migrants classified as low or mid-skilled workers the route could be extended to 10 or 15 years. People who came to Britain under one set of rules are being forced to adhere to a new set that will make workers more dependent on employers.
https://revolutionarycommunist.org/britain/fight-racism/labour-divided-over-indefinite-leave-to-remain/ US threatens EU over its green reporting rules The U.S. on Friday threatened action against the EU unless Brussels reins in its environmental and human rights rules, which Washington says unfairly burden American companies. Acknowledging Brussels had made “some positive reforms,” Washington said the EU had “failed to fully address U.S. concerns,” and that it “will take any actions necessary to address unreasonable burdens on U.S. commerce.”
https://www.politico.eu/article/us-threatens-eu-over-transatlantic-green-rules/https://archive.ph/d6f80Attacks on healthcare in conflict zones averaging more than four a day in 2026, World Health Organization saysUkraine, Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territory account for the largest share of reported incidents, although attacks have also been recorded in countries including Iran, Sudan, Myanmar, Syria, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Musani said. "What we are witnessing are multiple forms of violence," Musani said, citing the use of heavy weapons, destruction of health facilities and the detention or abduction of healthcare workers and patients. During this period 94 healthcare workers have been detained.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/attacks-healthcare-conflict-zones-averaging-more-than-four-day-2026-world-health-2026-08-14/World’s housing crisis impacts nearly half of humanityApproximately 3.4 billion of the world’s 8 billion population lack access to secure, safe, and adequate housing. Housing inadequacy encompasses insecure tenure, overcrowding, exposure to environmental hazards and a lack of access to basic services such as water, sanitation, power and waste collection. More than 1.1 billion people live in informal settlements and slums, the highest number ever, up from 201 million in 2010.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2026/08/11/ainn-a11.htmlVote counting suspended then restarted in Zambia election after attacks at polling stationsThe main opposition leader claimed he had been questioned by the army, and police said one person was killed at a polling station during Thursday’s vote. Police identified the person as a party official and said they had arrested nine suspects. While the counting was suspended, riot police and soldiers in armored vehicles were deployed to parts of the capital, Lusaka, including the main vote tallying center, though there were no immediate reports of any major unrest.
https://apnews.com/article/zambia-election-vote-counting-suspended-9978128100cfd22e2715d884030ab728Backlash as Ugandan troops post videos of deployment to Gaza Activists took to social media to express anger at the soldiers leaving for the war-battered territory, where over 73,300 Palestinians have been killed, with thousands more unaccounted for. One user labelled them "the scum of the earth", while another said they were "colonial troops".
https://www.newarab.com/news/anger-ugandan-troops-leave-gaza-part-trump-planRights groups accuse Israel of attempting to hide Gaza genocide with rubble clear-up planIn a new report called Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment, the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said the removal of the rubble could be an attempt at demographic engineering and erasing evidence of the genocide the Israelis are accused of carrying out against Palestinians in Gaza.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/rights-groups-accuse-israel-attempting-hide-gaza-genocide-rubble-clear-plan Women and children pay the price | 96 victims in criminal and sectarian-based incidents in 2026 In light of ongoing humanitarian and security challenges facing civilians in Syria, fears escalate of the consequences of crimes and violations against the most fragile category such as women and children.
https://www.syriahr.com/en/385471/