Hello. Today, as the US marks 250 years of independence, our correspondent tells the story of her own family's American dream, and how the country's aspirational ethos is under strain.

In Hungary, it's cucumber season, normally a time of slow news days, but the new PM has got off to a roaring start,

turning politics into a national obsession.

And we're at a bazaar on the border of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan,

where two cousins separated by the collapse of the Soviet Union are finally reunited after decades apart.

But first to Venezuela, where neighbours, family and friends, have joined rescue workers this

week battling to find survivors after two earthquakes hit the country's north last week.

The damage caused was devastating, with apartment buildings collapsing in on themselves,

not able to withstand the force of the tremors. Just six months ago, Venezuela had been in the

news for an altogether different reason, as the former leader, Nicholas Maduro, was captured

by US forces, bringing to an end 12 years in power.

Now the country's fragile political state has exacerbated problems implementing an effective rescue

effort. Will Grant has been in the earthquake-affected region.

There's a row of small businesses in Katia Lamar on Venezuela's northern coast where

people driving down to the beach from Caracas would stop to fuel up. You would fill up the tank with

heavily subsidised petrol, buy a weak black coffee and fried marlin empanadas for breakfast,

and load up the cooler with ice and drinks, which would be perfectly cold by the time

you got to the beach. It was the same in the other direction, turning east towards the coastal

town of La Guida. Most of the stores sold plastic inflatables and cheap bikinis, modelled on

mannequins with oversized busts to replicate Latin America's panchant for plastic surgery.

All of them sold beer. The mood during a public holiday is invariably upbeat and relaxed.

Inigua' ta' last week, mobile phone videos showed throngs of people in the streets

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