Rescuers scramble to seek out Venezuela earthquake survivors. And, SCOTUS guidelines on asylum

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At this time’s high tales

Rescuers are persevering with their search via rubble for 1000’s of individuals who’re nonetheless lacking in Venezuela after two devastating earthquakes struck on Wednesday night time. The Venezuelan authorities says that a minimum of 235 individuals are confirmed lifeless and 1000’s have been injured. The quakes struck the capital metropolis of Caracas and surrounding areas, leading to widespread destruction and overwhelming native response efforts. Officers warn that the demise toll is prone to rise because the search efforts proceed. The final earthquake of comparable magnitude to hit Caracas occurred in 1967, when greater than 200 folks have been killed by a magnitude 6.7 quake. Wednesday’s quakes measured at magnitudes of seven.2 and seven.5.

• 🎧 Some folks within the capital say that sure areas there resemble a conflict zone as a result of so many buildings have utterly collapsed, reporter Manuel Rueda tells Up First. The destruction has left 1000’s of individuals homeless and sleeping in parks at night time. Some people whose buildings could not have collapsed are additionally selecting to sleep exterior for worry of aftershocks. Tons of of individuals trapped in buildings are desperately ready for a search-and-rescue response, however Venezuela has little expertise coping with main earthquakes, as they do not occur there typically. Humanitarian teams there say that supporting affected people might be a prolonged course of, as they may want meals, shelter and medical help. This effort is anticipated to take a number of weeks, Rueda says.
• ➡️ The truth that the 2 quakes struck on land, close to main inhabitants facilities, made them particularly lethal, in accordance with geologist William Barnhart. This is what consultants say made them so totally different.
• ➡️ See images of Venezuela’s destruction after the earthquakes.
• ➡️ In Texas and different components of the U.S., Venezuelans have organized donation drives to assist these of their residence nation.

The U.S. Supreme Courtroom yesterday gave the Trump administration a robust device that might make it more difficult for asylum seekers to enter the US. In a 6-3 vote, the excessive courtroom dominated that federal regulation permits the federal government to forestall asylum seekers from bodily setting foot into the nation, successfully blocking them from making use of for asylum. Asylum is a type of authorized safety granted to people fleeing persecution of their residence international locations, supplied they meet sure standards. One other resolution permits the administration to proceed with revoking momentary authorized standing for tons of of 1000’s of immigrants.

• 🎧 This case was particularly concerning the 1000’s of recipients of the Momentary Protected Standing (TPS) program from Haiti and Syria, but it surely has broader implications, NPR’s Ximena Bustillo says. The TPS designation for every nation can final from six to 18 months, on the Secretary of Homeland safety’s discretion. The courtroom has agreed with the federal government that the choice to make these designations is as much as the secretary and not topic to authorized overview. These presently enrolled on this program should both modify their standing — which might solely be performed in very restricted circumstances — or depart the nation. Failing to do both places them vulnerable to dropping their authorized standing, which might result in arrest, detention and deportation. Many may lose their jobs, as employers will not have the ability to legally make use of 1000’s of staff with no legitimate TPS standing. Ira Kurzban, an legal professional representing the Haitian TPS holders, argues that Haiti, Syria and different international locations should not steady sufficient for folks to return.
• ➡️ The Supreme Courtroom additionally dominated yesterday that states can’t require gun homeowners to get permission from property homeowners earlier than bringing weapons onto their land, and agreed to protect Monsanto from legal responsibility over its fashionable weed killer, Roundup.

President Trump hosted farmers within the White Home Rose Backyard final night time. Through the occasion, he mentioned just a few coverage proposals, together with a request for $11 billion in farm support. If Congress approves this funding, it will likely be along with the $12 billion supplied earlier this 12 months.

• 🎧 The proposal comes because the White Home more and more focuses consideration on farmers, NPR’s Danielle Kurtzleben says. They’ve traditionally proven sturdy help for the president prior to now, and Kurtzleben says Trump’s want for extra funds seems to be a part of an effort to win them over forward of the upcoming midterm elections, after tariffs and the Iran conflict damage their funds. There was a farmer’s roundtable in Wisconsin just a few weeks in the past and the administration has put ahead a plan that will basically require Iran to buy U.S. agricultural merchandise. Only a few particulars about this proposed plan with Iran have been launched. Officers have stated that the U.S. and Qatar would oversee any unfrozen property, requiring that Iran purchase U.S. corn, soybeans and wheat. Iran shortly responded that it might not settle for such a plan. This idea raises questions, together with whether or not it might complicate the U.S. relationship with the international locations from which Iran presently buys its meals, a few of that are U.S. allies. Although these plans could make some farmers happier with Trump, Kurtzleben says many favor good income over authorities checks.

Former workers of the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have launched a brand new web site, Local weather.us, to fill the void left when the Trump administration final 12 months shut down a government-run local weather info website. NOAA is the federal government’s lead scientific company for local weather, climate and ocean monitoring. These former workers labored on Local weather.gov till they have been laid off final 12 months as a part of the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) cutbacks. Practically 1 million customers visited Local weather.gov every month, in accordance with 2021 knowledge. Although the information remains to be technically accessible on authorities servers, it’s tough to seek out. Rebecca Lindsey, a former Local weather.gov program director, says the data is “too important” and may “remain in a protected place.”

Image present

Former Park Ranger Melissa Dalley, 49, speaks throughout the America 433 pop up occasion at Harpers Ferry Nationwide Park on June 19.

KT Kanazawich for NPR

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KT Kanazawich for NPR

Because the U.S. gears as much as rejoice its 250th anniversary, former nationwide park rangers are actively internet hosting teach-ins and sharing historical past that the Trump administration sought to erase from federal land. Dozens of displays have been eliminated after Trump signed an government order geared toward “restoring truth and sanity to American history,” a transfer that led to lawsuits and protests. Amongst these pushing again is former Nationwide Park Ranger Elizabeth Kerwin, who helped set up below the banner “Resistance Rangers.” She co-founded an training coalition known as America 433+, named after the 433 websites that type the Nationwide Park System. This summer season, advocates and former federal staff are working to redefine the message of the nation’s anniversary by internet hosting protests, teach-ins, and different occasions that honor the nation’s variety and sophisticated historical past. Take a take a look at how they’re taking motion.

Weekend picks

Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) and Carmy (Jeremy Allen White).

FX

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FX

Take a look at what NPR is watching, studying and listening to this weekend:

🍿 Motion pictures: This Pleasure month, teen films like She’s the He, Women Like Women and Leviticus are all flipping tropes by centering queer characters.

📺 TV: The fifth and remaining season of The Bear premiered yesterday. NPR’s Linda Holmes has seen the primary seven episodes and says that whereas this season feels much less daring, the small wins imply extra.

📚 Books: Earlier than NPR’s iconic Books We Love comes out within the fall, NPR staffers are sharing their favourite reads of 2026 thus far. Take a look at their picks for fiction and nonfiction. Join the NPR Books publication for much more suggestions.

🎵 Music: Albums from T.I., MICO, Lady Hassle and lots of extra launched on streaming platforms at the moment. Dive into singles from every new album with these New Music Friday playlists.

🎮 Gaming: The Star Fox remake options high-effort visuals and an entertaining battle mode, however its marketing campaign feels outdated, NPR’s James Perkins Mastromarino says.

❓ Quiz: From Cristiano Ronaldo breaking a file on the World Cup to the Reflecting Pool dealing with challenges, take a look at your data of this week’s information.

3 issues to know earlier than you go

Norman Rockwell’s 1943 collection So You Wish to See the President! Click on to enlarge.

Bruce M. White/The White Home Historic Affiliation

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Bruce M. White/The White Home Historic Affiliation

Norman Rockwell’s 1943 collection So You Wish to See the President! Click on to enlarge.

Bruce M. White/The White Home Historic Affiliation

1. Norman Rockwell’s So You Wish to See The President! is now on show for public viewing at The Folks’s Home in Washington, D.C. The suite of illustrations first appeared in The Saturday Night Publish journal in November 1943, on the top of World Warfare II.
2. Meta plans to launch a prediction market app known as Enviornment to compete with firms like Kalshi and Polymarket. The brand new platform will permit customers to wager on the outcomes of real-world occasions utilizing “play money.”
3. On this installment of Phrase of the Week, NPR explores how the time period “camp” developed from its origins in Sixteenth-century navy encampments into an integral a part of American childhood, formed by societal fears about modernity and masculinity.

This text was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.