2 earthquakes in Venezuela kill at least 164. And, Trump cancels housing bill signing

Special Series Up First Newsletter All Up First Stories Up First Podcast Morning Edition LISTEN & FOLLOW NPR App Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music iHeart Radio YouTube Music RSS link Sign up for the [TITLE] Newsletter Get perks with [Podcast Title]+ Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed. By Brittney Melton 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. At least 164 people have died and 971 were injured after two consecutive earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, the country's acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced early today. The initial earthquake, measuring 7.2 in magnitude, happened around 6 p.m. yesterday, followed by another quake of 7.5 magnitude less than a minute later, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. More than 20 aftershocks have since been recorded. The government has declared a state of emergency due to fears of significant casualties. TOPSHOT - Rescuers search for victims in a collapsed building following an earthquake in Caracas on June 24, 2026. A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Venezuela on Wednesday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported, triggering panic in Caracas, according to AFP journalists. The tremor, which was followed by several aftershocks, was also felt in Colombia. In a social media post, the president wrote that he would not sign the bill, which he called "of minor importance," until Congress approved the strict voter ID law he has been advocating for months known as the SAVE America Act. The housing bill would have addressed one of the most significant concerns among Americans: the rising cost of living. Army Gen. Chris Donahue is expected to announce his retirement soon, according to two U.S. officials who are not authorized to speak publicly. This news caught many people by surprise. Donahue, a Special Forces soldier, currently oversees U.S. Army operations across Europe and Africa. He is possibly best known as the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan in 2021 during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces under the Biden administration. Denis Novikov/Getty Images The summer solstice arrived earlier this week. Make the most out of the season before it flies by. Gretchen Rubin, the author of The Happiness Project, has been sharing exercises on social media to help make your summer more memorable and satisfying. Here are some you can try: For additional guidance on how to make your summer safer and brighter, read this NPR Life Kit article. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more. Women sift gold-bearing sediments in search of gold at the Maidede mine, located a few meters from the Mongbwalu Health Zone in Mongbwalu, Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on June 16, 2026. Arséne Mpiana for NPR hide caption The gold-mining town of Mongbwalu, one of the epicenters of eastern Congo's Ebola outbreak, faces several challenges as officials work to contain the disease. According to the World Health Organization, the outbreak is believed to have originated there, although this has not yet been confirmed. Before the Congolese government declared the outbreak, there was a string of deaths in the area. At first, the cause of these deaths was unclear. After a significant delay, Congo's government eventually identified the illness as Ebola. Now, even more than a month after the outbreak was declared, Ebola infections continue to spread widely in the town. Mongbwalu's population of approximately 130,000 people predominantly consists of impoverished gold panners and diseases are common among this marginalized community. Driven by deep-rooted superstition and fear, many residents are reluctant to seek medical care when they become ill. The rapid spread of the disease is exacerbated by the nature of gold mining, which involves muddy pits filled with miners surrounding the town. Take a look at Mongbwalu through NPR's reporting and photos. U.S. Postal Service mail carrier Marc Jacques makes a delivery in Miami in March. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen. Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor