Good morning.You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.Rescuers are continuing their search through rubble for thousands of people who are still missing in Venezuela after two devastating earthquakes struck on Wednesday night.
The Venezuelan government says that at least 235 people are confirmed dead and thousands have been injured.The quakes struck the capital city of Caracas and surrounding areas, resulting in widespread destruction and overwhelming local response efforts.
Officials warn that the death toll is likely to rise as the search efforts continue.The last earthquake of comparable magnitude to hit Caracas happened in 1967, when more than 200 people were killed by a magnitude 6.7 quake.
Wednesday's quakes measured at magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5.The U.S.Supreme Court yesterday gave the Trump administration a powerful tool that could make it more challenging for asylum seekers to enter the United States.
In a 6-3 vote, the high court ruled that federal law permits the government to prevent asylum seekers from physically setting foot into the country, effectively blocking them from applying for asylum.Asylum is a form of legal protection granted to individuals fleeing persecution in their home countries, provided they meet certain criteria.
Another decision allows the administration to proceed with revoking temporary legal status for hundreds of thousands of immigrants.President Trump hosted farmers in the White House Rose Garden last night.During the event, he discussed a few policy proposals, including a request for $11 billion in farm aid.
If Congress approves this funding, it will be in addition to the $12 billion provided earlier this year.Former employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have launched a new website, Climate.us, to fill the void left when the Trump administration last year shut...