BBC News Briefing

26 June, 2026

Roland has ginger hair and a ginger beard and is wearing a white shirt. He is wearing glasses with a black frame.

Roland Hughes

Hello. In Venezuela, rescue crews have been working through the night to find victims of Wednesday's earthquakes - new footage shows just how widespread the damage is. Find out what King Charles paid in taxes. And there's dramatic footage of an elephant attack in Sri Lanka.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

A rescue among the ruins of La Guaira

Rescue workers are dwarfed by the collapsed remains of a number of tower blocks

La Guaira has suffered the worst damage, Venezuela's interim president said. Credit: Reuters

The scale of the damage caused by two powerful earthquakes which struck Venezuela less than 48 hours ago is starting to become clear. The official death toll stands at 235, and aerial footage of the coastal city of La Guaira shows several multi-storey buildings have collapsed. One doctor there told the BBC hospitals were "completely overwhelmed" as aid crews begin to arrive. Another video shows a woman pulled alive from the rubble in the city. "I held on tight," said Graciela Mora, "until all the floors collapsed." Across Venezuela and the world, many people continue to wait for news about their loved-ones.

Latest updates

Watch now: The "most Venezuelan city in the US" rallies to help those affected.

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Explained: Why is the country so prone to earthquakes, and why were these ones so devastating?

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What we know: What happened, what the damage is, and the latest reaction in detail.

WORLD CUP HIGHLIGHTS

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Elephant smashes through bus window in attack

The disgruntled animal targeted a vehicle carrying air force employees in Sri Lanka, but no-one was injured.

Watch now >

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NEWS FROM THE UK

Royal accounts: King Charles has become the first monarch to reveal his tax bill - here's what it showed (and didn't).

Buckingham Palace: Meanwhile, it's emerged that the King and Queen won't return to live in the palace once renovations are complete.

Cyber-attack: Two teen hackers who targeted London's transport body were known to law enforcement bodies, the BBC has learnt.

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