Morning briefs

* Venezuela’s state-owned oil company will take a majority share of four crude projects along the Orinoco River as part of their strategy to control all of Venezuela’s oil production.

* Olympic men’s basketball champs Argentina continue their unbeaten run in the world basketball championships and will face Spain in the semi-finals. (Image of Andres Nocioni in the quarterfinal match aginst Turkey via TSN).

* Ecuador’s Defense Minister unexpectedly resigned and gave no public explanation as to why.

Venezuela, sports, Ecuador, Argentina, international economy, international politics, oil