this is bbc news. the headlines: north korea claims its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test proves any target in the us is now within striking distance. western experts who examined the data from the launch agreed most major us cities could now be in range. pakistan's ruling party has chosen a former petroleum minister as interim prime minister. as did premier nawaz sharif says his brother will eventually take his place leading the country. president trump has described his new chief of staff as a true star of his administration. general kelly's move of homeland security comes asked lance previous was removed from the role. police in hamburg say the suspect in a supermarket knife attack was unknown islamist. he stabbed one shop at a death and wounded six to others in friday's attack. coming up at 10pm kate

silverton will be here with a full round—up of today's news but first, in venezuela's daily protest against the government have resulted in scores of deaths and inflation, malnutrition and starvation are on the rise. the bbc has spoken to activists who say the government are using torture and imprisonment without trial against those who oppose it, claim the government denies. protests have been held against a boat to elect an assembly to change the constitution which opposition parties say could create a dictatorship, so who are the people risking their lives to protest president madeira? vladimir hernandez reports from hernandez. his film contains images and descriptions of violence. welcome to venezuela. once the richestjewel in latin america, it is now a country drowning in political

and economic chaos. a state with the largest oil reserves in the world is now so impoverished that it cannot feed its own people. translation: even if i die, it's worth it, how long is this going to go on for? we are a hungry country. as its people rage, president nicolas maduro‘s grip on power has grown increasingly desperate. all opposition is being systematically crushed. it is feared a new constitution will extinguish democracy and establish a dictatorship. as the battle for venezuelan democracy reaches boiling point, the bbc has heard disturbing allegations of state torture against demonstrators. translation: several

officers there told us, we are going to give you the shock treatment. for venezuela ns, long accustomed to economic hardship, the assault on their democracy is proving the final straw. i have been to caracas, to meet resistance to the resume of nicolas medora and find out what future lies in store for this troubled country. if you want to find out who is behind a demonstration, head to a university. this is uceve, the largest university in venezuela. i was a student here myself. in my day we were protesting against a rise in the bus fare. today it is a rather

more desperate story. in a quiet room on the campus, i meet four young protesters. they have disguised their identities, and we have changed their voices to protect them. the way i see it, the resistance is everybody who is against a regime, many people say it as a dictatorship, at the moment, they are even trying to change the constitution. i think the resistance is those people who come out to protest and are willing to take the lead to confront the police or the national guard. it's not like there is this little group of resistance over here, and a group of normal people over there, no, we are all the resistance, and we are all against what is happening. some have labelled us as terrorists, but i think that all of us youth who make up the resistance are brave fighters, defending our people from the government's brutal repression.

the students are known as escuderos, or shield bearers. young men and women like them see their role in the resistance as protecting the ordinary people who demonstrate every day from the national guard. we are going to meet a resistance group at las mercedes, and then we moved to the place where it normally kicks off. every protest march is accompanied by the escuderos, and when the people move into stop the march, the escuderos will move in and confront them. they never allow us to make it as far as where the march is meant to end, they use the excuse that we will destroy the whole city. our role is also to secure ground. because just as the police and national guard are trying to push us back, we also have to seize our chances to advance. myjob is to pick up any falling helmets or gloves,

to retrieve them and give them back to the boys, or to be looking out for them, or collecting the stones, or whatever, it is notjust a matter of marching forward and that's it, it's really about everyone's duty. there is a naivete about some of their actions, but it is clear that they are brave. most of the dozens who have died in this wave of protest are those at the front. but there is a little resentment that they have been allotted this role in venezuela's struggle for democracy at such a young age. it shouldn't be just up to us to get out there representing thirtysomethings or fortysomethings, i mean, they have to come out as well. i think we suffer the worst of the government's decisions and that's why we haven't any choice. if we want to gain our independence to move forward and make a life for ourselves. what i've noticed in most of the marchers, most of those

at the front are really, really young kids, to be honest, i don't think they should be there, you are supposed to fight what i've noticed in most of the marchers, most of those at the front are really, really young kids, to be honest, i don't think they should be there, you are supposed to fight for your children's future, you should not get your children to fight for your future, right? it wasn't meant to be like this. by the time maduro came to power in 2013, the bolivarian revolution, begun by his charismatic predecessor, hugo chavez, was spluttering badly. price controls and the state seizure of industry had apparently failed. when the oil price fell, venezuel‘s extravagant venezuela's extravagant spending didn't stop. the country found itself borrowing heavily and increasingly reliant on imports of food and medicine. in the last four years, the economy has shrunk by a third. the imf estimates that inflation is running at over 700%. the highest in the world. the people began to go hungry.

three out of four venezuelans lost an average of 18 lb in weight last year. corruption, say critics, helps the regime to stay in power, by controlling foreign exchange, the government decides who prospers. the army are kept onside by being given charge of the most critical imports. the media is muzzled. in march, maduro's supreme court declared the opposition—led national assembly to be illegitimate. days of daily demonstrations and violent clashes with the security forces followed. over 100 have died and thousands more have been arrested. then, in may, president maduro declared that a new constitution would be drawn up, the government wanted to rewrite the rules of the game, and no one was asked if this was wanted. it's hard to get the government to talk to the media,

but the minister in charge of food distribution — a keyjob in today's venezuela — did agree to talk to me. in the chavista worldview, there is a familiar bogeyman. chanting. it's hard to say who represents the opposition in venezuela. but no one would argue against former presidential candidate maria corina machado. disbarred from politics by ruling party legislators, she remains a politicalforce, and is keen to be seen with protesters. chanting. but maria corina machado thinks there is far more to the resistance than violent protests. there is a word going around calling the opposition the resistance, what is the resistance for you? you don't have to look far to find

who she is talking about. street kids like these appear at every demonstration. their enthusiasm to take on the security forces, whilst brave, places them in real danger. their motivation often stems from a profound sense of injustice. translation: three days ago, they nicked me, they tortured me, they asked me who was paying me. it's a lie, nobody gives us money, we come out because we want a better future, we want a better future for venezuela. they split my head, they hit me in the body, they grabbed me, they told me they were going to rate me, they they were going to rape me, they said they were going to kill me.

fuelled by their grievances, some of these young protesters take considerable risks. this is one of the most controversial aspects of the so—called resistance, small pockets of demonstrators at the end of the protest come to places like this, a military base, and try to attack it. in there, there are already scuffles, with some people telling them, "don't do it, you're valuable, you're a young life, don't lose it." because over there, the national guard is already waiting for them. one person trying to cool the hot heads of the protesters is a senior citizen now known as senora de la tanqueta, or tank lady. she rose to fame in april by refusing to move out of the way of a small tank. she was taken to prison and

interrogated before being released. the experience has not put her off going to the demonstrations. the stakes are certainly high for both sides, and the regime is defiant. this residential block in caracas is called los verdes — "the greens."

it has been a focal point of vociferous anti—government protest since april. neighbours here set up barricades on irregular basis barricades on a regular basis, and clashes with the police and national guard are frequent. one evening, the government said, another was enough. one evening, the government said, enough was enough. margarita, her husband, and her cousin who lives in the apartment, were petrified. although her husband

and her cousin were released, the intrusion into their home has badly affected the family. gunfire. but not all members of the tower block were so fortunate. when she heard the police begin their assault, camila and some friends went to hide in a neighbour's apartment. translation: when he opened the door of the wardrobe, the man who grabbed me, he did it by the hair, he lifted me and threw me onto the bed, and then they beat the boys in the head. they really beat up the boys horribly. even though she told police she was pregnant,

they took no notice. translation: we were lying face down on the floor, then they told us to take out our shoelaces. then they kicked me about ten times. in the burn, in the legs... they also beat the rest of the girls. they kept on beating us, even when they took us out of the apartment. they told someone, "come on, i'm going to kill you, "right here, right now." why did they take me? because this is a dictatorship and they nicked whoever they want to, whether you are doing anything or not. camila taken to some of the worst prisons in caracas, before eventually being released. simon was not so lucky — he was arrested at a demonstration, accused of being a member of an opposition political party. translation: they grabbed me

from behind, 18, 20 cops that came down on me, while they were kicking and hitting me, they put me on a bike and took me to the headquarters of the intelligence agency. originally designed as the futuristic shopping centre, today, the helicoide is a place whose name makes even the hardened shudder. held in an overcrowded cell for over two months, simon witnessed prisoners returning from interrogation, with tell—tale signs of having been tortured. translation: one got back, you could tell he was frightened, he couldn't stand up straight, and you could see the burn marks on his ears. and the other guy, you could see his black eye, it was all bruised, so you could see they have given him shocks. later on, several offices there told us, we are going to give us, "we are going to give

"you the shock treatment, and we're going to grab "those two and soak them, keep them soaked all night long." simon was beaten but not tortured, he could not get out of the helicoide. even though he received a release orderfrom a judge, intelligence agency officials ignored it and he was only released over one month later. today, he is still trying to get back on his feet. translation: at night i'm very anxious, any little sound makes me jumpy, i feel like i don't know what is going to happen. i'm still worried that any time, they will come and knock on my door and take me back there. farfrom being intimidated, the opposition are growing in strength. whilst we were filming, with maria corina machado, an extraordinary defection from a chavista loyalist. this is the attorney general of venezuela, now playing a key role in the crisis. the maduro regime was not impressed.

despite the government's denials, the attorney general has claimed that the security forces are using unauthorised firearms. what is clear is that many protesters have been killed and severely injured by the reckless use of riot control munitions. many in the opposition believe that behind the bluster, the endgame is being played out. a recent unofficial plebiscite showed tha seven million voters were against president maduro — as many as had elected him in 2013. do you think we are in the final days of chavism as a proposition in politics?

the president sees a very different future for the opposition in venezuela. whilst the politicians fight it out, the students of uceve continue their own perilous resistance. translation: i don't mind giving up my life out there in the streets if it is for a good cause. i believe i would prefer to die than live in this way. than to live in this way. i will never be able to achieve my attentional as a person here, because the government isn't letting me. translation: i'm scared of dying, i'm scared of seeing someone getting killed, to be near them when it happens. after all, we are supposed to be fighting for the safe of living

in a better venezuela. translation: when you're standing behind a shield and they fire at you, the impact deafens you. it leaves your ears ringing. there's always the risk that by trying to see what is going on a ahead of you, that a pellet can get through the shields and hit you in your eye. that's your eye gone. or it could kill you. translation: i always think that maybe one day, my luck will run out. and i think about those boys who didn't make it back home. every time i get home from the protests, i tell myself that it is a gift. because many of my mates didn't make it back. they may be dead, or under arrest. chanting.

this is a country that has seen many of its youngest people killed, injured, or arrested. people like these are commemorating the lives lost in this wave of political unrest. now, this is very much an open wound, and the consequences are far from known, regardless of who is going to run this nation. the government now plans to convene a new assembly to rewrite venezuela's constitution. it's a future that many in the country are dreading. singing. thanks forjoining me. let's see

what the weather is up to over the next few days. it's been a while since the weather was nice and settled and sunny, warm and dry. it's been very unsettled the last few days and the rest of the weekend and into next week looks no different. this was earlier on saturday, a weather front pushing from the south bringing heavy rain. by from the south bringing heavy rain. by sunday lunchtime the low pressure is on the north sea and in the wake of that low we have a stream of quite strong winds and blustery conditions and lots of showers, showers galore on sunday, some heavy, one or two torrential with maybe thunder but some of us in the south—east will miss them all together and have a fine day for example in kent and sussex. on sunday night into monday still showers around carried by the south—westerly breeze, most in western areas, eastern areas dryer. that's the end of the weekend. guess

what, more showers on the way the week ahead, on the cold side and also a little breezy as well. let's look at the forecast map for monday. low— pressure look at the forecast map for monday. low—pressure still in charge, that was the one over the weekend, linked to it, another coming in affecting northern scotland in particular, so most showers in the north east and north western areas than through the day further ones into south—western england through the midlands into northern england and again one or two cracks of thunder but overall, it will be a relatively fine day for most of us, that is if you miss the shower. monday a little unsettled but could be worse, i guess. monday night into tuesday were low—pressure pulls away, the weather will start to settle down ahead of this next one, so almost a window of better weather on tuesday, still showers around, the best weather i suspect

in the eastern counties, east anglia and the south—east, promised here as well because the wind will be lighter on tuesday so on balance a decent day. on tuesday night into wednesday the low—pressure in the atla ntic starts wednesday the low—pressure in the atlantic starts to nudge in but it is still quite far away and will ta ke is still quite far away and will take time, so many eastern counties at least have an brightness before the rain piles through from wednesday into thursday, then thursday morning looks like the main rain is eastern scotland, out into the north sea, then this blustery wind once again bringing showers. low— pressure wind once again bringing showers. low—pressure very much in charge of our weather through the week. then into the weekend, looks like things are settling down with high—pressure. the jet stream are settling down with high—pressure. thejet stream is still right over us during the weekend so it spells unsettled weather once again so be prepared

for showers during the course of the weekend. but there are hints that as weekend. but there are hints that as we go beyond that, low—pressure will be steered to the north and high pressure will build, which is mostly good news if you want dry and sunny weather. so things look like they will finally settled down. just how dominant this high will be and how much it will influence the uk is a little uncertain, but the basic message is the best weather will be in the south, always a few showers in the south, always a few showers in the north. north korea says its intercontinental ballistic missile test brings all parts of the united states within its range. the missile landed in the sea ofjapan and the regime hailed it a success, saying it was a stern warning to america. after details were released on north korean television, condemnation followed from washington, with criticism from china. also on tonight's programme:

another departure from the trump administration — the president's chief of staff quits after days of public infighting at the white house. the main pension scheme for british universities has a £17 billion deficit — could it lead to higher tuition fees for students? rain affects play at the cricket but not before toby roland—jones