Venezuelans search rubble for survivors after 2 strong quakes kill at least 188

LA GUAIRA, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelans searched for survivors beneath collapsed buildings and rescue teams raced to northern areas rocked by a pair of powerful earthquakes that officials say killed at least 188 people and trapped more than 200. The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that hit Wednesday evening were among the strongest in Venezuela in more than a century, and could be felt throughout the region. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said authorities were shifting rescue teams from other parts of the country to La Guaira, north of the capital, Caracas. The natural disaster is just the latest challenge for Rodríguez, who took office in January after the U.S. seized then-president Nicolas Maduro in a surprise military operation.

UN agency pauses evacuation of ships through the Strait of Hormuz

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A U.N. maritime agency has paused the evacuation of ships through the Strait of Hormuz after the British military said a vessel was hit Thursday by a projectile off the coast of Oman. The head of the International Maritime Organization said the plan to move stranded ships through the strait will be on hold until the agency can confirm safety guarantees for the ships on the evacuation list and in the region. It was unclear who launched the projectile or the type of vessel that was targeted. The report of a strike came hours after Iran threatened vessels to stop using a U.N.-approved route through the strait without Tehran’s permission.

The Supreme Court lets the Trump administration end legal protections for Haitians and Syrians

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to end legal protections for migrants fleeing violence and natural disaster in Haiti and Syria, exposing hundreds of thousands more people to potential deportation. The decision Thursday blocks lower court orders and allows the Department of Homeland Security to swiftly end temporary protected status. That program protects a total of 1.3 million people from 17 countries. The administration had argued that Homeland Security can revoke protections without court interference. Immigration lawyers say the decision to end the program ignored the law and was tainted by racial animus.

Reflecting Pool liner was cut with a sharp knife or razor, National Park Service says

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top official at the National Park Service says a liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor this month, causing damage to the foam sealant installed as part of a $16 million rehabilitation project. The park service reported the June 9 incident to U.S. Park Police. Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the park service, said about 70 fence post tops also were thrown into the pool. Lands made the statements in a court document filed late Wednesday as part of a lawsuit filed by a nonprofit organization to halt the administration’s work on the project.

Federal judge halts Trump’s election executive order seeking to create a federal voter list

BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge has halted President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to create a federal voter list and limit who can receive a mail ballot. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani on Thursday sided with a coalition of nearly two dozen states that challenged the Republican president’s order. Her ruling applies to this year’s midterm election cycle. Plaintiffs argued in two lawsuits filed in the same court that Trump’s order should be found unconstitutional because the states and Congress, not the president, have the power to set election rules. The White House stood by Trump’s executive order and indicated the administration would appeal the ruling.

Supreme Court clears way for Trump administration to revive restrictive policy for asylum seekers

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to potentially revive an immigration policy once used to turn back migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. The justices overturned a lower court order on Thursday blocking the practice used by presidents of both parties. It limited the number of people who could apply for asylum each day during President Donald Trump’s first term. Advocates said the tactic created a humanitarian crisis as thousands of people settled in unsafe makeshift shelters to await their turn. The Trump administration said it was necessary to deal with an increase of asylum seekers at the border.

Supreme Court strikes down Hawaii law requiring permission to carry guns in stores and hotels

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has struck down a Hawaii law requiring people to get permission to carry guns into places such as stores and hotels. The Thursday decision is the high court’s latest ruling backing Second Amendment rights. President Donald Trump’s Republican administration opposed the law, arguing Hawaii had violated gun rights by effectively banning them from a wide range of places generally open to the public. Hawaii, on the other hand, said the 2023 measure was aimed at protecting the rights of property owners. The decision doesn’t stop businesses from taking their own steps to ban guns on their property.

Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ immigration detention center has closed, governor says

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced the closure of the temporary immigration center known as “Alligator Alcatraz.” The center was built in the Florida swamps last year. DeSantis said Thursday that about 21,000 people were deported through the center. Federal officials say they no longer need the extra capacity to handle detention and deportation because they have more permanent facilities. Immigration advocates criticized the center for unsafe and inhumane conditions. Detainees reported issues like poor access to lawyers, unsanitary conditions and insect infestations.

Get a load of this: Humans and great apes share similar giggles

NEW YORK (AP) — A new study suggests humans and great apes have been giggling in similar ways dating back 15 million years. Many other animals also laugh, but the giggles don’t match human patterns as closely. Scientists trying to uncover how laughter evolved recorded apes and children being tickled. Primatologist Chiara De Gregorio at the University of Warwick concluded that gorillas, orangutans and humans laugh in similar rhythms. But human laughter has become faster and more complex, sounding different based on context, from a polite chuckle to a full-bodied guffaw. Her research was published Thursday in the journal Communications Biology.

Key inflation gauge jumps to 3-year high in latest sign of affordability challenges

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge rose to a new three-year high in May as gas prices peaked, a sign rising costs could pose political problems for President Trump as midterm elections near. The increase was largely driven by more expensive gas, as well as pricier semiconductors and other computer equipment that are in high demand for the AI buildout. Rising prices have caused the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve to keep their key rate unchanged this year, a reversal from January when they had penciled in two cuts. Some economists forecast the central bank could lift rates this year instead.