International

Hamas claims that one of the militiamen killed an Israeli hostage

The Qasam Brigades, armed wing of the Islamist group Hamas, announced on Monday that one of its militiamen opened fire and “instantaneously killed” an Israeli hostage, while two others kidnapped were seriously injured in another incident; while the Israeli Army assured that it has not been able to confirm the information by its own means.

“Two of our soldiers assigned as captive guards of the enemy opened fire on a Zionist hostage, killing him instantly,” the spokesman of the Qasa Brigades, Abu Obeida, said in a statement.

In a second “separate incident,” two kidnapped were seriously injured and “attempts are being made to save their lives,” Abu Obeida said.

The Israeli Army pointed out, for its part, that it does not have “intelligence information that allows the claims of Hamas to be refuted or confirmed.” “We will continue to examine and verify the credibility of the message and update with the information we obtain,” he added in a statement.

“The Zionist government is fully responsible for massacres and resulting reactions that affect the lives of Zionist prisoners,” said the spokesman for the military wing of Hamas, who pointed out that a committee has been formed to investigate what happened and “the conclusions will be announced later.”

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Of the 251 kidnapped on October 7, 111 captives remain in the enclave, at least 39 of them dead as Israel has been able to confirm – more than 70 according to Hamas -; while there have been four other hostages for years, of them two dead.

Since the war began, Israel and Hamas only achieved a one-week truce agreement at the end of November, which allowed the release of 105 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners; while the international community is now trying to relaunch negotiations for a ceasefire.

Israel announced that it would send a delegation this Thursday, August 15, to meet with the meters -Egypt, Qatar and the United States – but Hamas announced last night that it would not attend the appointment, amid reports pointing to an attack by Iran and Hizbulah against Israel this week in retaliation for the murder in Tehran of the leader of the Palestinian Islamists, Ismail Haniyeh.

Of the total number of captives, four hostages were released by Hamas in October; seven rescued by the Army – one soldier in October, two in Rafah in February and four in Nuseirat in June -; while the bodies of 24 hostages have been recovered, three of whom accidentally killed Israeli troops in December in Shujaiya.

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International

UK braces for potential CO₂ shortage amid Middle East tensions

The government of United Kingdom is preparing contingency measures amid fears of a potential shortage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), which could impact the agri-food industry if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, The Times reported on Thursday.

According to the newspaper, officials assessed this scenario during a recent crisis meeting aimed at evaluating the consequences of a prolonged conflict, triggered on February 28 by joint attacks from United States and Israel against Iran.

Under this scenario, CO₂ supplies—primarily a byproduct of fertilizer production using natural gas—could fall by up to 18%, affecting multiple sectors including agriculture and food production.

The gas is widely used in the slaughter of pigs and poultry, as well as in extending the shelf life of packaged foods. Breweries could also face disruptions due to reduced availability.

“I don’t want to comment on a leak, but now that the information is out there, I hope people feel reassured knowing we are working on it,” said Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in remarks to Sky News.

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While a drop in CO₂ supply is not expected to cause major shortages in supermarkets, it could limit product variety, The Times noted, citing access to internal government documents.

To mitigate the impact, authorities are considering prioritizing CO₂ supply for critical sectors such as healthcare and civil nuclear energy, where it is used in cooling systems for blood reserves, organs, vaccines, and electricity generation. The government may also request domestic producers to increase output.

Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.

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International

Macron meets Machado, stresses need for democratic transition in Venezuela

Emmanuel Macron met on Monday at the Élysée Palace with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, where they discussed the importance of advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela.

In a message shared on social media, Macron highlighted Machado’s commitment to freedom and stressed the need to achieve a transition that is peaceful and respects the will of the Venezuelan people.

“I received María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Together, we discussed her commitment to freedom and the importance of achieving a democratic, peaceful transition in Venezuela that respects the will of its people,” he wrote.

For her part, Machado expressed her “deep gratitude” to Macron and to France for their support of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.

“We have gone through a long and painful journey, and we are now very close to freedom. Venezuela will become a nation of free and equal men and women—prosperous, safe, and united,” she said.