In Venezuela a 15-year-old boy has been killed in protests against the closure of a television station.

Students were demonstrating for freedom of speech outside the television station, which has been taken off air by the authorities. The broadcaster regularly criticised President Hugo Chávez.

The government says the closure is purely an administrative sanction. It says the station can go back on air as soon as it agrees to a new broadcasting law and airs obligatory presidential speeches.

Photo: "No closure" demonstrator - Flickr/M e y