BBC news with Jerry Smit.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Venezuela have marched through the streets of the capital, Caracas, in rival demonstrations. One group was calling for the removal of president Nicolas Maduro, blaming him for Venezuela's deep economic crisis. Mr Maduro's supporters also rallied in huge numbers.

The army in Pakistan has for the first time acknowledged the presence of Islamic State militants in the country. It says it has arrested more than 300 members of IS, including its mastermind and top commander.

The government of Gabon has detained more than 1,000 people during a second day of violent protest by the opposition following disputed presidential elections. Reports say 3 people were killed in the capital, Libreville. The opposition says the poll, won narrowly by president Ali Bongo, was rigged.

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.1 has shaken the northern island in New Zealand. The US geological service says the epicenter of the quake was about 170 kilometers northeast to the city of Gisborne.

The former Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff, has filed an appeal of the Supreme Court against the senate's decision to dismiss her. She was removed for illegally manipulating the budget 2 years ago.

A rocket operated by the aerospace company, SpaceX, has exploded at a launch complex at Cape Canaveral in Florida. No one was injured.

Police in Zimbabwe have banned all public demonstrations in the central business district of Harare for the next two weeks. The capital has seen violent protest against president Robert Mugabe.

In Uzbekistan celebrities and state television presenters have posted messages of distress on social media as speculation mounts that president Islam Karimov may have died. Public workers in Samarkand have been mobilized to clean the streets. One of the president's daughters said on Monday that her father has suffered a brain hemorrhage.

BBC news.