Good morning. We have a dispatch from reporter Jennifer Yoon, who headed to South Korea last month in part to get a first-hand look at the country's demographic crisis. We also bring you the latest on the salary dispute that has legal experts worried about people's "perception of justice." Plus, why Canada could face lawsuits over its secret Indigenous spying program.

But first, here's the latest on the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela.

Strong back-to-back earthquakes hit Venezuela, killing at least 164 and injuring hundreds

Thousands of Venezuelans are feared dead after two powerful earthquakes wreaked havoc in and around the capital of Caracas. 

What's happening: A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160 kilometres west of the capital, followed less than a minute later by a stronger, magnitude 7.5 tremor. At least 164 people were confirmed dead as of early Thursday, according to acting President Delcy Rodriguez, with 971 injured. Many Venezuelans were at home when the quakes struck, on a public holiday. The country's opposition leaders — many of whom live abroad — set up a website to track missing people; as of 2 a.m. local time it listed more than 6,600 people.
 
Why it matters: These are the strongest earthquakes to hit the South American country in more than a century, with aftershocks continuing to rattle the capital into the early hours. The U.S., Qatar, Mexico and El Salvador are among countries that have sent out rescue personnel, or have pledged to do so. Many residents in Caracas lost cellphone signal due to the quake, deepening the distress for many, especially for those among the more than 7.7 million who have left the country during its protracted political crisis.