Tens of thousands of Hungarians braved pouring rain Wednesday in a massive show of force for Hungary’s emerging TISZA Party, led by opposition politician Péter Magyar, who accused Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of betraying the ideals of 1989 when he once demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Hungary.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered brief, upbeat remarks in Jerusalem on Thursday, even as tensions between Washington and Jerusalem escalated over a controversial Israeli bill to annex parts of Judea and Samaria (also known as the West Bank).

Republicans’ attempts to avert the worst effects of the ongoing government shutdown failed Thursday after Senate Democrats blocked a bill that would ensure essential federal employees are paid on time.

The U.S. national debt has surpassed $38 trillion for the first time in history, according to new Treasury Department data released Wednesday — marking another alarming milestone in the government’s rapidly escalating borrowing spree.

A riverside resort in western Serbia, once marketed as “a unique oasis for rest and recreation,” is at the center of allegations that Russia used the site for training citizens to incite unrest before Moldova’s recent parliamentary elections.

Serbian authorities said at least one man was injured Wednesday after gunfire and a fire erupted at a camp of government supporters outside the national parliament, prompting President Aleksandar Vučić to call the incident a “terrorist act.”

Hamas has begun detaining and torturing its rivals in underground prison facilities in Gaza, stepping up its internal repression even as the ceasefire with Israel holds, Israel Hayom reported Thursday.

A Protestant pastor in Kyrgyzstan who was reportedly tortured by secret police has suffered traumatic brain injuries and lasting cognitive impairment, according to his family, doctors, and United Nations experts cited by rights monitors.

More than 80 pro-life and faith-based organizations have sent a joint letter to Congress urging Republican lawmakers to resist Democrat demands for extending Obamacare subsidies they say fund abortion coverage.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Wednesday, emphasizing that the United States does not seek to control Israel’s actions amid ongoing coordination over the Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction plan.