NPR News: 06-29-2026 6PM EDT

Ryland Barton· Host0:00

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. The official death toll in Venezuela is now more than 1,700 after two powerful earthquakes five days ago. NPR's Eder Peralta reports on rescue operations in Caracas.

Eder Peralta0:13

Overnight, rescue crews did manage to extract one person with life, but they are now digging through rubble for a fifth day, and the chances of finding people alive is diminishing. Jorge Rodriguez, the president of National Assembly, said more than 5,000 people were injured and that 855 buildings had been damaged. 189 of them were completely collapsed. The government says they've opened shelters, but on the streets of Caracas, the displaced are sleeping on sidewalks and in parks. Eder Peralta, NPR News, Caracas.

Ryland Barton· Host0:45

The Supreme Court says Lisa Cook can keep her job as a member of the Federal Reserve's governing board, at least for now. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the decision is a setback for President Trump.

Scott Horsley0:55

In a five-four ruling, the High Court said the president failed to give Lisa Cook due process when he tried to fire her from the Fed board. The attempted dismissal was part of a broader campaign by the president to bend the central bank to his will in hopes of forcing lower interest rates. "While the decision was made on narrow procedural grounds," Chief Justice Roberts wrote, "the Fed was deliberately designed to be insulated from political pressure to help prevent the kind of economic panics that were common before the central bank was established." That carve-out for the Fed is in contrast to the Supreme Court's general direction of giving the White House greater control over agencies that were once considered independent.