2 Deadly Earthquakes Hit Venezuela, and Why Chemo Drugs Could Soon Be Rationed

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Headlines – “2 Deadly Earthquakes Hit Venezuela, and Why Chemo Drugs Could Soon Be Rationed”

Host: Tracy Mumford, The New York Times
Release Date: June 25, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode covers the aftermath of two catastrophic earthquakes in Venezuela, dramatic political machinations in Congress regarding housing and voting rights bills, a critical national shortage of chemotherapy drugs, and the role of AI in scouting Brazil’s next soccer stars. Times reporters and experts provide in-depth analysis and firsthand accounts, illuminating the global and domestic implications of these breaking stories.

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1. Deadly Earthquakes Devastate Venezuela

Segment: [00:34–03:04]

Main Points:

• Venezuela was struck by two major earthquakes, one measuring 7.5 in magnitude—the largest in over a century.
• Scenes of chaos unfolded as buildings collapsed, and people rushed into the streets. Rescue crews worked through the night searching for survivors.
• The damage was most severe along Venezuela’s Caribbean coast, home to densely populated and impoverished communities with abundant substandard housing.

Notable Insights:

• Government Secrecy:

  "This is a government that's sort of been shaped by secrecy, that has not published any public data for years, in many cases for decades, and have been very strict about information that they provide to the public."
  — Anatoly Kermanaev, Venezuela correspondent [01:49]

• Official casualty estimates remain uncertain due to governmental opacity; as of early morning, several dozen were reported dead, 700 injured, but these numbers are likely understated.

• US and International Response:

  • With Venezuela under US administration following the capture of its former leader earlier this year, American search-and-rescue teams are being deployed. Humanitarian aid is also forthcoming from the US, Spain, Chile, Argentina, and other nations.

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2. Tumultuous Day in Congress: Housing and Voting Rights

Segment: [03:04–05:29]

Main Points:

• The Republican-controlled Congress experienced rapid reversals and political drama over the course of a single day.
• Initially planning to celebrate the passage of a major housing bill, Republicans abruptly shifted focus when President Trump refused to sign it without accompanying passage of a new, controversial voting restrictions bill.

Key Moments and Quotes:

• On Republican Priorities:

  "That's what the Republicans stand for, to give more people a chance to restore the American dream. That's what we promised to the voters and that's what we are delivering."
  — Unnamed Republican Representative [03:37]

• Trump's Sudden Demands:

  "It's not compromise, it's voter id. It's proof of citizenship, and it's also the mail in ballots."
  — President Donald Trump [04:01]

• Trump's anger was further fueled by a Senate-passed war powers resolution challenging his Iran policy. The day ended with a symbolic reversal, but the damage to Congressional unity was evident.

• On Shifting Congressional Focus:

  "The day began with Republicans hoping to show voters something that they had accomplished. But it ended with them shifting to prove something just to Donald Trump..."
  — Robert Jemison [05:08]

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3. Chemo Drug Shortage Threatens Cancer Care

Segment: [05:29–07:25]

Main Points:

• Doctors nationwide are facing a critical shortage of key chemotherapy drugs, potentially leading to the rationing of life-saving cancer treatments.
• The shortage affects drugs central to treating breast, lung, ovarian, and other cancers. Some clinics are already delaying doses and prioritizing certain patients.

Memorable Quote:

• On Ethical Dilemmas:

  "Physicians there are already starting to prioritize some patients over others, a process that tends to favor those who are younger and have a better chance at recovery. He said the situation puts medical providers, patients and families, quote, in a horrific situation."
  — Tracy Mumford [05:48]

Context and Causes:

• The issue is global, tied to disruptions at a major manufacturer and the high cost of raw materials. Previous shortages led to heated but largely unfruitful debate in Congress.
• The Department of Health and Human Services is considering importing medications from nontraditional foreign suppliers to ease the crisis, but no concrete solutions have emerged.

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4. Brazil Advances in World Cup & Embraces AI Scouting

Segment: [07:25–09:14]

Main Points:

• Brazil advanced in the World Cup, continuing its legacy of soccer excellence.
• The country is increasingly leveraging AI to scout young players, with thousands uploading personal highlight reels for algorithmic assessment.

Insights:

• AI helps cover Brazil’s vast territory, accelerating the identification of promising talent where traditional scouting is challenging.
• However, AI's reliance on physical metrics may overlook unconventional or less physically imposing players. Despite technological advances, many scouts still value in-person observation.

Memorable Quote:

• On the Value of Human Scouts:

  "There is nothing like standing on the sidelines watching for yourself. Like one recruiter who told the Times he was about to travel 600 miles the next day just to see one promising player in person."
  — Tracy Mumford [08:57]

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Notable Timestamps

| Topic | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------------|------------| | Earthquakes devastate Venezuela | 00:34–03:04| | Congress in turmoil over housing & voting bills | 03:04–05:29| | Chemo drug shortage threatens cancer care | 05:29–07:25| | Brazil’s World Cup win & AI in soccer scouting | 07:25–09:14|

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Memorable Quotes (with Attribution and Timestamps)

• “This is a government that’s sort of been shaped by secrecy... be important to keep that in mind that the official estimates... may not be an accurate reflection of reality.”
  — Anatoly Kermanaev [01:49]

• “It's not compromise, it's voter id. It's proof of citizenship, and it's also the mail in ballots.”
  — President Donald Trump [04:01]

• “The day began with Republicans hoping to show voters something that they had accomplished. But it ended with them shifting to prove something just to Donald Trump, a clear reminder of who controls and sets the agenda for the Republican Party.”
  — Robert Jemison [05:08]

• “Physicians there are already starting to prioritize some patients over others, a process that tends to favor those who are younger and have a better chance at recovery. He said the situation puts medical providers, patients and families, quote, in a horrific situation.”
  — Tracy Mumford [05:48]

• “There is nothing like standing on the sidelines watching for yourself...”
  — Tracy Mumford [08:57]

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This episode provides an urgent, nuanced look at global disasters, US political flux, healthcare supply crises, and tech-driven change in sports. Each story blends vivid reporting, expert analysis, and perspectives that underscore their complexity and stakes.

Transcript

[Podcast Sponsor]

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[Tracy Mumford]

from the New York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Thursday, June 25th. Here's what we're covering. In Venezuela. Last night, the country was rocked by a pair of huge, deadly earthquakes. One of the quakes, with a magnitude of 7.5, was the largest there in more than a century, and people describe scenes of terror and confusion as building after building collapsed and residents flooded into the streets. Footage posted online showed rescue crews working through the night as they picked over the rubble, looking for survivors.

[Anatoly Kermanaev]

The areas that appear to be the hardest hits are coastal areas, Venezuela's Caribbean coast, which is a densely populated area, one of the poorest areas of the country. So a lot of substandard housing, a lot of informal housing, and the images that we are seeing show widespread devastation.

[Tracy Mumford]

Anatoly Kermanaev covers Venezuela for the Times. He says that the full scale of the disaster is not yet clear. As of early this morning, Venezuela's president said several dozen people had been killed and 700 had been injured, numbers that are expected to rise.

[Anatoly Kermanaev]

Keep in mind that this is a government that's sort of been shaped by secrecy, that has not published any public data for years, in many cases for decades, and have been very strict about information that they provide to the public. So it's important to keep that in mind that the official estimates that we're going to be seeing in the next few days or weeks may not be an accurate reflection of reality or even of the numbers that the government has internally.

[Tracy Mumford]

The earthquakes are the latest blow to Venezuela, which has been in a state of upheaval for years, facing economic devastation and the dramatic US Capture of its authoritarian leader, Nicolas Maduro. Since Maduro was seized by American troops in January, the Trump administration took control of the country's oil industry, turning Venezuela into something resembling a vassal state. Last night, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US Is deploying search and rescue teams to Venezuela as well as humanitarian assistance. And other countries, including Spain, Chile and Argentina, have also offered to send help. You can find live coverage of the latest on the earthquakes in the Times app [e-mail]. Now in Congress.

[Robert Jemison]

You know, by the end of the day on Wednesday, it was almost challenging to even remember how the day had begun.

[Tracy Mumford]

My colleague Robert Jemison's been tracking what's been a head spinning back and forth at the Capitol over the last 24 hours.

[Robert Jemison]

We started with Republicans arriving on Capitol Hill optimistic. They expected to spend the day, probably the rest of the week, in a good bit of their recess over the Fourth of July holiday, touting a major housing bill that they believed would strengthen their message on affordability as they make the turn into midterm campaign season.

[Republican Representative]

That's what the Republicans stand for, to give more people a chance to restore the American dream. That's what we promised to the voters and that's what we are delivering.

[Tracy Mumford]

But Robert says partway through a GOP press conference, as the stage was being put up for President Trump to sign that housing bill, Trump canceled, saying he would not do it until lawmakers passed a separate bill imposing controversial new voting restrictions.

[President Donald Trump]

It's not compromise, it's voter id. It's proof of citizenship, and it's also the mail in ballots.

[Robert Jemison]

By lunch, Republicans were being castigated by President Trump. He blasted them for failing to pass his preferred voting legislation. And he was extremely upset that the two chambers, both controlled by Republicans, allowed a war powers resolution to be approved, an overt rebuke of his handling of the war in Iran.

[President Donald Trump]

The Senate has voted that they'd like Trump to stop the war. So Iran sees that and they go, what's that all about now? You know, it's meaningless.

[Robert Jemison]

Everything that followed that lunch was an exercise in appeasement. Republican leaders spent the rest of the day searching for a way to undo what Trump had seen as political damage.

[Tracy Mumford]

By the end of last night, the Senate took another vote, this time reversing course and defeating a measure that would have called for Trump to end the war. It was largely symbolic, but Trump still celebrated it on social media as a winner.

[Robert Jemison]

The day began with Republicans hoping to show voters something that they had accomplished. But it ended with them shifting to prove something just to Donald Trump, a clear reminder of who controls and sets the agenda for the Republican Party.

[Tracy Mumford]

Across the country, doctors treating cancer patients are facing a critical shortage of chemotherapy drugs treatment due to supply chain issues. The drugs in short supply are among the most effective treatments for some breast, lung, ovarian and other cancers. And there are growing fears the situation could lead to widespread rationing. That hasn't happened yet, but some clinics have started spacing out the time between doses, and one cancer doctor in Michigan told the Times that physicians there are already starting to prioritize some patients over others, a process that tends to favor those who are younger and have a better chance at recovery. He said the situation puts medical providers, patients and families, quote, in a horrific situation. The chemo drug shortage is a global problem caused by disruptions at a major manufacturer over hygienic issues, the soaring costs of materials and other factors. And this is not the first time this has happened. A few years ago, there was a similar shortage and some of the same drugs were rationed in the US which set off intense discussions among lawmakers about how to find a solution. But few new measures were put into place this week. A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services said the agency is working to alleviate the shortage and is considering allowing imports of medications from companies that don't typically ship to the US. And finally, At the World cup last night, Brazil breezed by Scotland, advancing in the tournament and taking first place in its group, something the country's done in every World cup since 1982.

[Sports Commentator]

It's a comfortable three nil win for Brazil on the night.

[Tracy Mumford]

Brazil produces some of the most elite soccer talent on earth. Now the Times has been looking at how it's increasingly using AI to find its next generation of stars. For a long time, finding that talent had meant traveling to far flung corners of the massive country, from big cities to the Amazon rainforest, as scouts scoured amateur matches, school tournaments and neighborhood games looking for the next Pele. But now, hundreds of thousands of young Brazilian hopefuls are uploading footage of themselves from drills or matches into AI programs. The apps analyze everything from speed to ball control and generate a score. Then agents, human ones, can sift through that data, looking for the highest ranking players. The technology is already widely used in Europe, but it could be particularly transformative in Brazil given the huge amount of territory scouts are trying to cover. Of course, there are trade offs. For example, the AI metrics can favor taller, stronger athletes and overlook less conventional talent. And some scouts say even if you are using new technology, there is nothing like standing on the sidelines watching for yourself. Like one recruiter who told the Times he was about to travel 600 miles the next day just to see one promising player in person. Those are the headlines today on the Daily what this week's primary sweep by left wing candidates in New York could mean for the Democratic Party's chances in the midterms. You can listen to that in the New York Times app or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Tracy Mumford. We'll be back tomorrow with the latest and the Friday News quiz.

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