A new earthquake has been detected off the northern coast of Venezuela, registering as magnitude 4.9 on the Richter scale.

The tremor on Friday comes days after a pair of powerful earthquakes struck the country on Wednesday evening, killing at least 920 people and leaving parts of the capital of Caracas devastated.

The earthquake tracker organisation EMSC said in a social media post that the latest earthquake took place 61 kilometres (36 miles) northwest of Maracay in northern Venezuela.

Additional details are not yet known, but the news service Reuters reported that tremors from Friday’s earthquake were felt in Maracay and Caracas, citing local witnesses.

The South American nation is still reeling from the two earthquakes on Wednesday, one which registered 7.2 and the other 7.5 on the nine-point Richter scale.

The death toll is expected to climb, with the US Geological Survey estimating that the number of casualties could exceed 10,000.

At least 3,360 people have been reported injured, and more than 172 people remain trapped beneath the rubble. The number of missing has surpassed 50,000, according to the Venezuelan government.

On Friday, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced that there would be restricted access to some of the areas hardest hit by the earthquake in the state of La Guaira.

Residents have been organising to collect supplies and search for survivors. Some have even used their vehicles as improvised ambulances.

The Venezuelan government, meanwhile, has loosened restrictions on social media platforms like X, which were blocked in the wake of the disputed 2024 presidential election.

That, in turn, has allowed community members to share information about missing loved ones.

“It’s the community that has managed to get people out alive,” said 25-year-old Jennifer Palacios, whose six-year-old son is buried beneath the rubble along with five relatives. “We need them to bring cranes to move the slabs. There are still people trapped.”

[Aljazeera]

The United States has renewed its attacks against Iran in response to an incident a day earlier when a cargo vessel was struck by an Iranian drone.

On Friday, the US Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said it had issued a “powerful response to yesterday’s attack”.

“US aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

“Iran’s dangerous behavior undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor.”

US strikes were reported near the southern Iranian port of Sirik after the announcement.

Afterwards, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it responded with attacks against US military installations in the region.

In a statement to the government news service IRNA, the IRGC warned, “In the event of repeated aggression, our response will be more extensive than this.”

The exchange of fire has left questions swirling over whether a June 17 memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the US and Iran will hold.

Each side has accused the other of violating the deal, which included a ceasefire.

The document called for a “permanent” end to “military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon”, effectively pausing the war the US and Israel had launched against Iran on February 28.

The memorandum was not final but was rather framed as a precursor to further negotiations, including over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global trade.

[Aljazeera]

Sri Lanka kept alive their slim hopes of making it to the semi-finals of the 2026 T20 World Cup with a nervy win over Scotland in Manchester.

Chasing 152, they found themselves needing seven from the final over. Nilakshika Silva and Sugandika Kumari took four off the first three balls of Rachel Slater before the seamer hobbled off with what looked like a knee issue. Priyanaz Chatterji came on to bowl the remaining three balls. She conceded a single off the fourth delivery but with two needed from two, Sugandika slashed through short third for four to seal the win.

Sri Lanka now rely on England beating New Zealand and Ireland handing a thrashing to West Indies to make it to the final four. On the other hand, Scotland would rue a golden opportunity of securing a direct qualification to the 2028 edition of the tournament.

Darcey Carter and Katherine Fraser gave Scotland a brisk start. Carter didn’t hesitate to take the aerial route and picked up four fours off the first ten balls she faced. Fraser too chipped in with a couple of boundaries but Silva’s excellent catch diving to her right at mid-off off Mithali Ayodhya ended her innings on 12.

Carter and Kathryn Bryce took the side to 45 for 1 in the powerplay. During this period, Carter also became the leading run getter in the tournament, going past England’s Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s tally of 193.

Sri Lanka made a comeback once the field restrictions were relaxed. Even though Kathryn hit Athapaththu for a six and a four off successive balls in the ninth over, she could manage only 23 off 23 before being caught and bowled by Kavisha Dilhari.

Carter tried to break the shackles but her aerial shots failed to clear or beat the boundary riders. After being 18 off ten at one point, she could manage only 16 off the next 26 deliveries she faced. As a result, Scotland could score only 43 in eight overs after the powerplay.

Sarah Bryce and Ailsa Lister put the Scotland innings back on track with a fourth-wicket stand of 53 in just 32 balls. The stand was broken when Lister was run out for 26 off 17 as Silva nailed a direct hit at the non-striker’s end after fielding the ball in her follow-through. Chatterji was also run out on the very ball but Sarah carried on. She hit two fours off Ayodhya in the final over to take her side past 150. That meant Scotland scored 63 in the last six overs.

Coming off an unbeaten 106 against Ireland, Athapaththu once again was at her attacking best. She started by smashing two fours off Kathryn in the opening over before taking down Gabriella Fontenla in the next. She hit Fontenla three fours and a six in an 18-run over. Imesha Dulani fell cheaply but Athapaththu and Hasini Perera took Sri Lanka past fifty in just 4.4 overs.

Just when it started to look like another easy chase for Sri Lanka, Fraser bowled Athapaththu from around the wicket for 33 off 16. Harshitha Samarawickrama showed good intent, hitting two fours off the first three balls, but just like the first innings, the scoring rate dropped after the powerplay. Kathryn then had Perera caught at mid-off in the ninth over and Fraser trapped Hansima Karunaratne lbw in the tenth to make it 78 for 4.

Fraser and Kirstie Gordon bowled enough dots to keep Sri Lanka under pressure. But with 27 required from 18 balls, Gabriella Fontenla dropped two catches in two overs. In the penultimate over, Kathryn also felt the pressure and gave away ten, including two in the form of wides. In contrast, the experienced Silva stayed calm and took her side home in the company of Sugandika.

Scores:
Sri Lanka Women 154 for 7 in 19.5 overs  (Chamari Athapaththu 33, Hasini Perera 23, Harshitha Samarawickrama 27, Kavisha Dilhari 18, Nilakshiaka Silva 21*, Kaushini Nuthyangana 12; Kathryn Bryce 2-28, Rachel Slater 2-31, Kathryn  Farser 2-25, Kirstie Gordon 1-24) beat Scotland Women  151 for 6 in 20 overs (Sarah Bryce 47*, Darcey Carter 34, Katherine Fraser 12, Kathryn Bryce 23, Alisa Lister 26; Mithali Ayodhya 2-34, Sugandika Kumari 1-25, Kavisha Dilhari 1-19) by three wickets

[Cricinfo]