BBC news with Marion Marshall.

The suspended Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff has urged senators to vote for democracy and against removing her from power at her impeachment trial in Brasilia. She told the senate that the country's future was at stake and the social gains of the past decade were at risk. Ms. Rousseff is being tried for illegally manipulating the budget.

The US deputy national security adviser says the White House opposes any efforts by Turkey to extend its operations further south in Syria against what he described as coalition forces. Ben Rhodes comments come amid US exasperation ata continued fighting in northern Syria between Turkish and Kurdish forces, two of its key allies.

The Defense Minister of the Maldives says the country's security forces are on high alert and are ready to foil any coup attempt. The statement came after the government told the BBC that plans were being made to try to topple President Abudala Yemin.

EU observers monitoring the conduct of Saturday's presidential election in Gabon say it lacked transparency. The incumbent Ali Bongo and his main rival Jean Ping have both claimed victory.

Police in Tanzania arrested and questioned five leaders of the main opposition party before releasing them on bail. It wasn't immediately clear why they were arrested, but they had been meeting to discuss plans for national demonstrations.

A Brazilian judge has ordered the release of a senior member of the International Olympic Committee Patrick Hickey who is arrested as part of an investigation into the illegal sale of tickets for the Rio games. Mr. Hickey won't be able to leave the country until the investigation is over.

New research suggests that Lucy, the fossil of an ancient human who lived more than three million years ago, probably died falling from a mountain. BBC news.