Venezuela earthquakes: nearly 600 people now confirmed dead

0:00This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

0:29Snapdragon. That's how. Imagine buying a toy for your kid, but it doesn't come with batteries. That sucks. But honestly, it's even worse when you buy business software. You end up with fragmented, disconnected systems that cost a fortune and don't talk to each other. Odoo completely changes that. Odoo comes fully complete, with all your business apps perfectly integrated and working together seamlessly. It's everything your business needs in one place, saving you time, headaches and serious money. Stop paying for missing pieces. Go to odoo.com. That's O-D-O-O dot com to learn more. This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

1:16I'm Alex Ritson and at 15 hours GMT on Friday the 26th of June, these are our main stories. Nearly 600 people are known to have died in two huge earthquakes which struck Venezuela on Wednesday. Life in prison for a former high-ranking security official in Ukraine for passing secrets to Russia. And Japan is bracing itself for two tropical storms approaching. Also in this podcast, Egypt and Iran are annoyed that their World Cup match in Seattle coincides with the city's gay pride march, but the organizers call for tolerance. We're excited to have you in Seattle. You are welcome in Seattle. While you're here, learn about who we are.

2:02Learn about our culture. Homosexuality is treated as a crime in both countries.

2:11International rescue teams are arriving in Venezuela to help find survivors trapped under rubble of collapsed buildings after two powerful earthquakes. The president, Dulce Rodriguez, says nearly 600 people are now known to have died. Many more people are feared dead, with others left homeless or too afraid to stay in damaged, unsafe buildings, sleeping in the streets after the disaster. The earthquakes struck on Wednesday evening, a national holiday in Venezuela, which meant more people would have been at home than on a normal weekday. The coastal region of La Guarea, near the capital Caracas, was the worst hit, and local rescuers there have been hard at work.

2:51They pulled this woman, Graciela Mora, out alive from under the rubble.

3:06When the earthquake started, I clung as tightly as I could to the doorframe, so tightly that I broke my finger. I held on tight, really tight to the doorframe until all the floors collapsed. Andres Ortiz is a gastroenterologist in Caracas. He talked to the BBC from one of the main hospitals in the city where he's volunteering today. Yesterday, the government, they issued some information and they're saying that they had to close down eight hospitals near Caracas and La Guayda And they're moving all those patients from those eight hospitals towards the other hospitals in Caracas. So that's overflowing the capacity of all the hospitals in Caracas.

3:52On my way to this hospital, I did see a lot of people sleeping on the streets and a lot of people sleeping in tents near the hospital. and like in parks and green areas around the city, you can see a lot of people sleeping in tents and not only tents but provisional tents that the government has set up, I guess. The acting president, Dulce Rodriguez, said dozens of people had been rescued alive in La Guarria, but opposition leaders have criticized the government for not doing enough. Freddy Guevara is a former member of the Venezuelan National Assembly who was imprisoned under President Nicolas Maduro and is now part of the opposition in exile.

4:36The official number doesn't make sense at all. We have open crowdsourcing platforms that says that we have around 30 ,000 people missing. We don't know about the deaths. And it's absolutely horrible. We have entire areas of cities that are on the rubble. You would think that you're looking at Ukraine or Gaza but not, it's the cities of Venezuela that are devastated. And the situation gets worse because it's not just the natural disaster, the earthquake that can happen to everyone. But this is one of the, it's a country that has the first resources on oil in the world. What you're seeing now, people having to work with their bare hands because, you know, firefighters and first responders, no one has tools.

5:22There's nothing. That's why everyone is having to send help because, you know, the situation is so dire and so desperate. that people are dying not because of the earthquake, but because there was no capacity to respond. For more on the situation, I talk to our America's online editor, Vanessa Buschluter. The good news is that some of the international teams have arrived in the worst affected areas. So a team from the Mexican military, a Swiss rescue team and one from El Salvador, all who've got very good expertise in trying to salvage people from these situations. They've got drones, they've got highly trained dogs.

6:02A civilian team from Mexico known as the Moles, Los Topos, is also on its way there. They are well known for having the best search dogs and they have saved many lives in the past. How are hospitals coping? Not very well. As Freddy Guevara was saying there in that interview, the hospitals in Venezuela have for many years suffered from underfunding. Last year, the Venezuelan government only spent 3.5 % of its GDP on health, compare that to an average of 10 % in most countries worldwide. So you can imagine that they don't have enough medication. In fact, many times when there's a scheduled surgery, people have to bring their own medication with them.

6:49So they have to source it often from relatives who may be living abroad and send it to them. There's a lack of operating theatres as well. Only 40 % of the operating theatres in public hospitals are functioning. Yeah, because as you allude, I mean, this is a country that is already on its knees. That's right. And of course, under the government of Nicolás Maduro, a lot of money was spent on the military. He wanted to buy the loyalty of the military so that there wouldn't be any discontent amongst their ranks. And he didn't spend that money on equipping the police or the rescue services. And that's very noticeable now.

7:26Of course, in times gone by, USAID would have been a big part of a rescue operation of this sort. What is the American involvement now? The American involvement will be military. And in fact, a major general has already arrived in the country to coordinate the US response. and several maritime vessels are on their way with badly needed medication. So the response will be swift, the Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, and Donald Trump also promised help. You will remember that, of course, the US removed Nicolás Maduro in a military raid and Donald Trump has often referred to the new government as friendly and doing well and he is now willing to provide them with help but in a military format.

8:10Vanessa Bushluter. To Ukraine now, and the former head of the Counterintelligence Service has been convicted of treason and sentenced to life in prison. Dmitry Kozyura was found guilty of passing top secret military information to the Russians. Our global affairs reporter, Paul Moss, told me what sort of information Konol Kozyura was passing on. What the Russians mainly wanted to know from him is how much does Ukraine know about what we're up to? I know that sounds a little confusing, but that's the nature of someone who was effectively a double agent. He was supposed to be snooping on Russia.

8:46It turns out he was snooping for Russia. We also know he was telling the Russians about critical infrastructure in Ukraine, the damage their attacks were causing. He also passed on information about the people who were working at the Ukrainian security services. What kind of people were they, their personalities? Presumably that would be useful for the Russians because there may be other people within the SBU that they thought they could recruit. Kuzura himself, by the way, was recruited back in 2018. We know that. The Russians recruited him in Vienna, clearly with an eye to the future. And they then kept him as what's called a sleeper.

9:21And he was then activated once their invasion began. How was he caught? Well, the SBU are calling it an unprecedented operation, long and complicated. And you can imagine this because, you know, imagine how difficult it was. You've got this man who's working as a senior figure within the SBU with lots of friends and colleagues. They have to investigate him without him finding out. It seems to have focused on a safe house he was using, the communications methods, a phone and an Internet router. But it was very important he didn't know he was being investigated for one crucial reason. Once they identified him, the SBU did not immediately arrest him.

9:58And what they did was rather cleverer. They started feeding him false information, knowing that he would then pass that back to the Russians, who would then use this wrong information. How unusual is this case? Well, it's obviously unusual in the seniority of Koinal Kizura. I mean, you know, that kind of figure being a spy for the Russians. But in fact, the scale of Russian penetration of Ukraine is pretty remarkable. We know that there have been thousands, maybe 10 ,000 investigations launched since the invasion. We know that hundreds of people have been successfully prosecuted for spying for Russia.

10:32And, you know, maybe we shouldn't be surprised. I mean, first of all, I'm afraid there's no way around it. Ukraine is a country with a high level of corruption. People are bribed to do all sorts of things. And it seems lots of them have been motivated by money. And we should say Russians are also pretty seasoned at this kind of thing. They were doing it right the way through the Cold War. We know, for instance, they've used the old method of recruiting people by seduction. I mean, there was an extraordinary story in 2024, a 19-year-old woman, the daughter of a priest, was effectively charmed by a Russian handler.

11:03She was going up into the high windows of her father's church, filming Ukrainian troop movements and passing them on. But remember also, there will be people in Ukraine, older people, who remember when they were one country, the USSR. For them, this feels a bit like a civil war. They remember when they were one country. They will have friends and allies in Russia. and perhaps those people also are open to the possibility of spying. Certainly the scale of it has been a major problem for Ukraine. Paul Moss, and we have more on this story on our YouTube channel. Search for BBC News on YouTube and you'll find Global News Podcast in the podcast section.

11:40There's a new story available every weekday. Next to Japan, where many flights are being cancelled and more than a million people have been ordered to evacuate their homes as two separate tropical storms approach the country. Both storms are heading side by side over the Pacific Ocean and are expected to make landfall on the east coast. This could result in a rare phenomenon known as the Fujiwara effect when two storms interact, making forecasting their movements and strengths more difficult. I heard from our correspondent Kurumi Mori, who's in Kyoto. It is pouring rain right now. This morning, I just walked along the river, the Kamo River, which runs along the city, and it was way higher.

12:23The water levels are way higher than they normally are. Luckily, it seems like no injuries at all. So, so far, people seem to be staying away, staying safe. One million residents across Japan, including about 100 ,000 here in the Kyoto region alone, have been ordered to move away from their homes and any dangerous bodies of water as river levels just continue to rise. You're increasing that risk of flooding and landslides. Government officials clearly a bit worried. We've been checking with the Ministry of Land and Transport and they say that the severe weather has impacts all across transportation in the country.

12:59Yeah, two storms at once. How unusual is this? Yeah, we don't see this very often. I mean, Japan is prone to many natural disasters, unfortunately. But this double storm system is really bringing some heavy rain, strong winds, and it's already hitting southern and western Japan. And forecasters warn that these two storms could cross and interact over the weekend. So in the coming days to create that phenomenon, the Fujiwara effect, and that would really make the path of both of those storms a bit harder to predict. One bright note on this is that Typhoon No. 8, what it was called, has now been downgraded.

13:41And some forecasters are saying that it looks like it's getting more loose, it's more weak, which means that the impact potentially could be less than they had feared initially. But another complication I want to add to this mix right now is earthquakes. Japan had a really strong earthquake, 7.2 magnitude in Aomori, which is North Japan, just yesterday. This afternoon, we had another magnitude, 5.8 in Chiba, which borders Tokyo. And we had buildings reportedly were shaking. And so Japan just facing a multitude of natural events in just the past few days. And briefly, presumably, Japan is fairly well prepared to cope with this?

14:17By and large, I would say yes, as much as one could hope. Over the years, the government officials have really stepped up efforts when it comes to public awareness and alert systems. Generally, people have emergency kits like water, food and flashlights at home. Karimi Mori in Kyoto. Next week marks the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. It began on the 1st of July, 1916, one of the bloodiest days in the British Army's history, with nearly 20 ,000 men killed. Even today, more than a century later, human remains are still being found at the site of the battle in northern France. Jordan Dunbar has been speaking with a family who continues to be affected by its legacy.

15:02Come, come, come to me for... Northern France. Jordan Dunbar has been speaking with a family who continue to be affected by its legacy.

15:21Somebody in our bedroom is trying to kill us by singing Thora. Surviving more than 110 years later, the words of Victor Hember, writing home about some of the lighter moments in the trenches of World War I. His great-nephew, Chris Garnsworthy, had something to show me. Wow! Look at all these letters! Hundreds in there? Yeah, probably even thousands. Boxes upon boxes of Victor's letters filled the floor of his attic in London, a rare treasure trove of memorabilia from the war. Alongside his brother, David Garnsworthy, Chris found them a few years ago, hidden in their father's loft. Can we take some of these downstairs?

16:05Let's go through them. From the darkness of the attic to the sunlight of Chris's kitchen table, we read Victor's words from the yellowing pages of his letters. Look at this, last Wednesday we went to the cinema. My habitation at present is in a little house about 600 yards behind the trenches. Victor's letters take a darker turn as the days go on. Men can be such utter fools as to know no other way of settling their disputes except by causing such destruction to life that can never be replaced. The Somme on the 1st of July 1916, Victor joined soldiers from across Britain and parts of its empire in one of the bloodiest days in British Army history.

16:50The violence left a lasting impact on many, including Charles Taylor, who in 1964 recalled how the horrors stayed with him long after the war. I never seen so many dead men. clumped together, is what I saw about it. And I thought to myself, oh, the world's dead. They're all dead. Nearly 20 ,000 men died on the 1st of July, including Victor. His body was never found. Every year, more remains of British and Commonwealth soldiers are discovered. Under a clear blue sky and surrounded by rolling green fields, the Somme's landscape today is a far cry from the muddy mar it was at the battle, nearly 110 years ago.

17:34A huge brick arched tower is above the fields now, the Teepfal War Memorial. Amongst its rows of white headstones, Rosie Barron from the Ministry of Defence joined me to witness the burial of an unknown soldier. There's still a region of 100-odd sets of remains probably found every year. We now commit his earthly remains to this hallowed ground. He was found on the Somme when some wind turbines were being put in. Elements of a Brodie helmet were found with him. And we also, there were some buttons and British boots. So at the very least, we know he's Commonwealth. Probably British, though, based on the artefacts.

18:13At least he now has a final resting place amongst his comrades.

18:24Chris and David Garnsworthy also came to pay their respects. I think it was important that we paid our respects. to that unknown soldier and also all the other soldiers as well as Victor. It just makes me realise that we have to make sure that the future generations give the same respect that we've seen today. That report by Jordan Dunbar. And you can watch the full documentary, What Happened at the Somme, on BBC iPlayer in Britain and on the BBC World Service YouTube channel. Still to come in this podcast, why the authorities in Paris have temporarily banned drinking alcohol in public. It is known from experience that when there are large crowds out in the sun drinking heavily, the number of hospitalisations goes up.

19:23Take the leash off your laptop with the processor that gives you long battery life. Work on the go. Jump between back-to-back calls. Stay locked in from brewing morning coffee to burning the midnight oil. Get maximum performance, even when unplugged. Finally, the freedom to move across the room or across the world is here. Snapdragon, that's how. Did you know not all batteries are the same? For example, only Duracell batteries are built different with power boost ingredients. And Duracell are the only batteries that make this sound every time you say power boost ingredients. See? Duracell batteries with power boost ingredients.

20:06You try. Duracell batteries with power boost ingredients. Told you. Duracell batteries are built different with power boost ingredients. And they're built right here in the USA with U.S. and Global Parts. It's called soccer. It's called football. Uh, soccer. Football. Domino's best deal ever lets you get any pizza, including stuffed crust, with any toppings for$9.99. We can agree on that. Yeah, fully. So, pineapple? Don't ruin it. Get any pizza, including stuffed crust, with any toppings for$9.99. Finally something everyone can get behind. And if the refs disagree, that's between them and Domino's.

20:49Which means the only thing left to fight over is who's ordering. Domino's. Price is higher for some locations. Excludes XL and specialty pizzas. Select this offer from$615 to$726. Online only. Size availability varies by crust type. Max 7 toppings. 6 for pan and New York style crust. Minimum purchase required for delivery. Prices participation delivery area and charges may vary. John Daly here. You know what day it is? Neither do I. I live life daily. That's why I only spend on Moto Casino. Moto's got daily free bonuses, daily tournaments, new slots added daily. And the best part? Guaranteed daily jackpots.

21:22You can't beat that. So today's the day you're gripping to spend it with me on Modo, America's Social Casino. Play for free on Modo.us. Modo Casino, the social casino. What were prohibited? No purchase necessary. Visit Modo.us for more details. Download the Modo Casino app today. Must be 21 plus. Modo Casino, America's Social Casino.

21:43This is the Global News Podcast. Stock markets across Asia tumbled on Friday, pulled lower by the region's biggest technology shares. The biggest rout was in South Korea, where the COSPI, the world's best performing index since the start of last year, fell 8 % at one point. Investors appear split on whether the boom in artificial intelligence spending is all but done or just beginning. I heard more from our business reporter in Singapore, Surinjana Tawari. The COSPI, especially in South Korea, has been really volatile in recent weeks and months. And that's largely because South Korea makes a lot of memory chips that are used in the AI build-up in data centres and that sort of thing.

22:28Now, today's falls were very significant, more than 8%. And actually, South Korea's COSPI has a mechanism to curb panic selling when it falls significantly. So that was initiated today because of the steep falls and the index ended up closing about 5.8 % lower. The issue is definitely the questions over the AI investment boom, but Apple also increased prices over in the US on some of its iPads and MacBooks because of the soaring cost of computer chips. And that all comes back to the high demand for chips as a result of the AI boom as well. Yeah, as you say, there are concerns about whether artificial intelligence firms are overvalued, but surely no one is seriously suggesting this technology is going to go away.

23:18Well, if you look at the investments, that would suggest no. Having said that, it does take time to build out that AI infrastructure and it takes even more time before AI will start showing those returns on investment. For example, improved productivity, which could ultimately lead to economic growth for countries around the world. So there are still lots of questions and a lot of time And essentially, all these investors are currently putting in money for something that we won't see the returns of many, many years down the line. And there are fears that this could be the start of the popping of a much bigger bubble.

23:55Yeah, there's lots of concerns that the AI boom is actually a bubble similar to the dot-com bubble in the 1990s. But, you know, I speak to analysts every single day and they seem to say that, no, this technology is definitely going to produce rewards in the near future. Having said that, there is obviously huge demand. Many chip makers around the world are saying they are unable to meet that demand. The world can't make enough chips to meet that demand. And we're also seeing not just Apple, but also Microsoft increasing prices for its Xbox gaming consoles as a result of those chip shortages and higher costs in general of making the components that go into these new technologies.

24:38Surinjana Tawari in Singapore. A court in Germany has sentenced a man to life in prison for the deadly attack on a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg in 2024. He was found guilty of murdering six people, including a child. More details from Bethany Bell. The court imposed the maximum sentence on Taleb al-Abdol Mohsen. Prosecutors say he drove through the crowded Christmas market at speed at around seven in the evening when it was packed with revellers. A nine-year-old boy and five women were killed. Prosecutors said Taleb al-Abdol Mohsen, a refugee, planned the attack well in advance and had acted alone.