A period of national mourning was underway in Venezuela on Thursday as hope of finding survivors faded following last week’s devastating twin earthquakes, with the official death toll nearing 2,000 and tens of thousands of people still unaccounted for.

Researchers say they have taken a major step toward creating life from scratch after building tiny synthetic cell-like structures that can feed, grow, copy genetic material, and divide in a laboratory dish.

Numerous people have been killed and injured in a massive overnight Russian attack on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv that forced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to cut short his visit to Ireland, officials said early Thursday.

The Council of Europe’s top constitutional advisory body arrives in Hungary on Thursday to assess a controversial constitutional amendment that would remove President Tamás Sulyok from office, amid growing domestic and international concern over the country’s democratic institutions.

The Catholic Church faced one of its most serious internal confrontations in decades Wednesday after the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) consecrated four bishops without papal approval, despite an emotional last-minute appeal from Pope Leo XIV.

Thousands of police officers were deployed across South Africa this week after large-scale protests against illegal immigration erupted into violence, looting, and clashes with authorities across multiple cities.

Archaeologists excavating biblical Shiloh say new discoveries may strengthen the case that they have uncovered ruins connected to the ancient Israelite Tabernacle — the sacred worship center where Scripture says the Ark of the Covenant once rested.

Russian drone developers and operators are openly framing their next major gathering around preparation for a possible war with NATO, raising fresh concerns across Europe as the Kremlin continues to deny any intention of attacking the alliance.

President Donald Trump announced that the Republican Party will hold its first-ever national midterm convention this September in Dallas, an unprecedented political gathering designed to energize conservatives, showcase the administration’s record, and build momentum before the 2026 congressional elections.

A new red heifer born in Israel’s Galilee region has reignited calls among Temple-focused rabbis, educators, and activists for a broader national movement to prepare the Jewish people for the restoration of Temple service in Jerusalem.