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BBC News with David Harper.
Thousands of opposition supporters have gathered across Venezuela, demanding a timetable for presidential elections, among other things. In Caracas, demonstrators gathered in Plaza Venezuela, draped in flags and holding placards. Here's our global affairs reporter, Mimi Swaby. They're demanding three things. Firstly, the release of all political prisoners. Rights groups believe there are still between 300 and 500 political prisoners detained in the country. Secondly, protesters are demanding the safe return of the opposition leader María Corina Machado. She is currently in Panama, where she's been for several months, despite repeatedly trying to get back into the country. Lastly, demonstrators are demanding for free and fair elections. They're saying that they are demanding there is a date set for next year, something we've heard repeated calls for. President Trump has said Venezuela isn't ready for elections just yet. A magnitude 7 earthquake has struck a sparsely populated mountainous region of Tibet. China's state news agency is reporting that so far 16 people are known to have died, with 46 others injured, some of them seriously. From Beijing, here's Laura Bicker. Video posts on social media show villagers running into the streets as buildings shake violently in the dark. The earthquake struck late on Thursday night and was followed by several strong aftershocks. At least 339 houses have collapsed, according to Chinese state media, and the damage is still being assessed. Rescue teams have arrived at the epicenter of the quake, which is at a high altitude of more than 4,800 meters. The Tibetan plateau is highly prone to earthquakes. President Donald Trump says SpaceX's Starshield satellite network is back in Ukraine and that Elon Musk had restored it. Earlier, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the system, which is vital for Kyiv's defenses, had yet to be fully restored. Last week, Ukraine's connectivity was restricted to making Kyiv's interceptor drones less effective. Mr. Musk has previously denied he was behind the slowdown, saying it was down to the U.S. military. Police in South Africa say a foreign national has been beaten to death by a crowd of about 50 people. They say the unidentified man was first approached by two men on the roadside in Durban before being assaulted by a larger group. Temesghen Debesai reports. Police have launched a murder investigation after the man believed to be in his late 30s or early 40s was pronounced dead at the scene. No motive has been established. The killing follows a wave of anti-immigrant protests in South Africa this year, some of which have turned violent. Earlier this month, shops and cars were set on fire in Durban and Soweto near Johannesburg. The government has urged demonstrators to remain peaceful while acknowledging calls for immigration reforms. Tens of thousands of foreign nationals have been deported or repatriated since it tightened restrictions earlier this year. Temesghen Debesai reporting. This is the latest world news from the BBC. Several cities in France, including Marseille and Nice, have banned demonstrations on Saturday after riots marred protests last weekend. In Paris, one march is being permitted along an agreed route and some of the main museums will be closed. The government is promising to be better prepared and put more police on the streets after thousands of shops were damaged or looted and public buildings damaged. A [pub...] police officer in the U.S. state of Florida has appeared in court accused of impersonating a dead man to take possession of his home and move in. He has been released on bail. Arjen Schippers has the details. Brian Sguros was on a welfare check at a house in Lauderhill in 2022 when he found a homeowner, Dennis West, dead of natural causes. Investigators say Officer Sguros then embarked on a complex scheme to take over the property. He allegedly stole Mr. West's identity to pay bills and taxes and renovated the house. He lived there undetected until relatives of Mr. West tried to sell it. According to court documents, Mr. Sguros said he did it to keep squatters away and because the structure was unstable. The New York City council has voted to ban horse-drawn carriages in Central Park from 2028. The move ends a popular tourist attraction that's been around for more than 150 years. Critics of the ride say the horses suffer while advocates champion the jobs the tradition creates. The drive to ban the carriages gained new momentum after several recent horse-related accidents. In June, a tourist died after he fell out of the carriage when the horse bolted. The bill includes provisions for compensation and job opportunities for the approximately 150 carriage drivers. The British singer-songwriter, Raye, has won this year's Mercury Prize for her album, This Music May Contain Hope. The "Where Is My Husband?" singer beat 11 other nominees, including Florence + the Machine, Dave, and Olivia Dean, to take home the prize, which honors the best music from the U.K. and Ireland. And that's the latest BBC News. |