The death toll from the earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed past 5,000 as rescuers continue to pull victims from the rubble and aid struggles to reach hard-hit areas. The mounting casualties make it one of the deadliest natural disasters in the region in decades, straining an already fragile nation gripped by economic collapse and political isolation. The scale of the catastrophe is expected to test international relief efforts and Venezuela's beleaguered government.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a new statement rejecting any ceasefire with Washington, dismissing President Trump's signature as 'worthless and invalid' and warning of 'unforgettable lessons' if U.S. strikes continue. The defiant message signals Tehran has no intention of standing down as the renewed conflict enters its second week and American forces come under attack in the region. The hardened stance dims prospects for a negotiated pause and points toward a prolonged confrontation with rising risks to U.S. troops and allies.

Efforts to contain an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo are being crippled by insecurity, with more than 12 attacks recorded against health responders. The violence is preventing teams from reaching affected communities and threatens to let the virus spread further in an already unstable region. The situation highlights the deadly intersection of armed conflict and disease control that has repeatedly undermined outbreak responses across central Africa.

Ukrainian drone strikes on multiple Russian regions killed at least nine people and wounded more than 60, with attacks reportedly hitting online-retail warehouses deep inside Russian territory. The barrage marks another escalation in Kyiv's long-range campaign as it seeks to bring the war's costs home to Russian civilians and infrastructure. The strikes underscore how drone warfare continues to reshape the conflict and complicate any prospects for de-escalation.

Iranian attacks on at least two military bases in Jordan this week injured several U.S. service members, according to a CBS News report. The strikes mark a dangerous widening of the conflict as U.S. forces continue nightly bombardments of Iran. The injuries raise the stakes for an administration already weighing how far to escalate against Tehran.

The first death has been reported in a Legionnaires' disease outbreak on Manhattan's Upper East Side, where cases have risen to 67. Twelve people have been hospitalized as investigators trace Legionella bacteria to dozens of cooling towers in the neighborhood. Health officials are racing to contain the source as the cluster grows.

Two U.S. Forest Service workers taken hostage in rural Northern California were freed early Friday. Officials expressed relief that both employees were recovered safely after the ordeal. Authorities have not yet detailed a motive or announced arrests in the case.

The United States backed a new Iraq-Syria agreement to rehabilitate an oil pipeline that would provide an alternative export route and reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz. The deal comes as U.S.-Iran tensions threaten shipping through the strategic waterway. It also follows a flurry of American energy deals with Iraq touted by President Trump.

Heavy flooding struck the Kurung Kumey district of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India, devastating the community and sweeping away local churches, including a Catholic church. The flash floods crippled the border town and left residents scrambling amid the destruction. The disaster compounds hardship for Christian communities in a remote region already facing limited resources.

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck off Mexico's Pacific coast, prompting a tsunami advisory. The U.S. Tsunami Warning Center recorded small waves of about 0.3 meters near Puerto Madero and Chiapas. Authorities were assessing potential damage in the affected coastal regions.

Rep. Ralph Norman announced a bid for the late Lindsey Graham's South Carolina Senate seat, defying President Trump's endorsement of Darline Graham for the post. The move sets up a contested Republican primary and tests Trump's grip over the party's nominating fights in a deep-red state. Norman's entry adds another prominent conservative to an already crowded field vying to shape the seat's future.

The Justice Department has invoked a special 'alien terrorist' removal court for the first time in its history to pursue a deportation, activating a rarely used legal mechanism. The unprecedented step signals an aggressive expansion of the Trump administration's immigration-enforcement tools aimed at suspected national-security threats. Civil-liberties advocates are likely to scrutinize the move given the court's classified procedures and limited due-process protections.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley will rejoin the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez abruptly exited the race. The reshuffle scrambles a contest that also features socialist candidate Francesca Hong. The developments set up a competitive Democratic field in a key battleground state heading into 2026.

Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was charged with a misdemeanor hit-and-run in California. Prosecutors say he crashed into an unoccupied parked car and left the scene weeks earlier. Public records show a history of traffic infractions dating back more than a decade.

A women's charity founded by 'Harry Potter' author J.K. Rowling is threatening to sue Amnesty International after a report branded the group 'anti-rights.' Britain's charities regulator is now assessing concerns raised over Amnesty's characterization. The clash marks a new front in the ongoing dispute over women's sex-based rights and gender ideology.

A federal judge ruled Friday that the Trump administration illegally fired former FEMA Chief Financial Officer Mary Comans last year. The decision adds to a series of court setbacks over the administration's removal of federal officials. It could force reinstatement or back pay and further test the limits of executive authority over the civil service.

President Trump asked Darline Graham Nordone, appointed to temporarily fill her late brother Lindsey Graham's Senate seat, to run for a full term and offered his endorsement. The move could clear a crowded Republican field that had formed to replace the longtime South Carolina senator. Nordone has not yet said whether she will enter the race.

Police figures show children in the UK are being arrested in record numbers for sexual offenses, a spike experts link to social media exposure. The data underscores growing alarm over how online content is shaping the behavior of minors. Advocates say the trend demands urgent attention to protecting children in the digital age.

A judge largely sided with Houston megachurch Second Baptist, the former church of Ed Young Sr., in a lawsuit brought by congregants who claimed leaders deceptively changed the bylaws to cut out voting members. The ruling affirms the church's authority to restructure its governance over member objections. The case has drawn wide attention as a test of accountability and control within large evangelical congregations.

A coalition of local governments and organizations, including Planned Parenthood, sued HHS to block the Trump administration's changes to the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program that steer funding toward abstinence-only approaches. The plaintiffs argue the new requirements undermine comprehensive sex education. The suit sets up another court fight over the administration's reshaping of federal health and family policy.

Researchers say an experimental drug may repair DNA damage at the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease and has already passed safety trials, raising hopes for a treatment that targets the condition before symptoms take hold. If confirmed in larger studies, the approach could shift Alzheimer's care toward prevention rather than management. The findings add to a growing wave of research seeking to slow or reverse neurodegeneration.

An Indian space start-up launched the country's first commercially developed rocket designed to reach orbit, a milestone for India's fast-growing private space sector. The achievement signals India's ambition to compete in the global commercial launch market long dominated by state agencies and Western firms. It reflects a broader shift as private companies increasingly drive innovation and lower the cost of reaching space.

The FAA will again let Boeing sign off on airworthiness certificates for its 737 MAX and 787 jets, restoring a self-certification authority the agency had stripped after safety failures. The decision reflects renewed regulator confidence in Boeing's oversight and could speed aircraft deliveries. Critics remain wary given the manufacturer's troubled safety record.

A billing error at Amazon Web Services caused some customers' monthly bills to balloon from a few cents to billions of dollars. The glitch rattled businesses that rely on the cloud giant for critical infrastructure. Amazon moved to correct the erroneous charges as customers scrambled to verify their accounts.

San Francisco's city attorney ordered Apple and Google to remove AI 'nudify' apps from their stores, saying the companies likely earned millions in fees from the tools. The apps use AI to generate non-consensual explicit images, raising alarm over abuse and exploitation. The move ramps up legal pressure on platform operators to stop profiting from harmful AI applications.

A new generation of navigation satellites in low-Earth orbit is making a comeback as an alternative and backup to the aging GPS system. The stronger, harder-to-jam signals could bolster positioning for everything from smartphones to military systems. The shift reflects growing concern over the vulnerability of the single constellation the modern world depends on.

OnePlus announced it is halting operations in the United States and Europe, pulling the smartphone maker out of two of its most prominent Western markets. The retreat reflects mounting competitive and regulatory pressures facing Chinese-founded device brands abroad. The move leaves existing customers questioning the future of support and software updates for their devices.

Scientists have discovered a new species of monkey with distinctive orange lips, found 'hiding' in a forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The find adds to the remarkable biodiversity still being documented in Central Africa's threatened rainforests. It underscores how much of the natural world remains unknown even as habitat loss accelerates.

A Windows zero-day dubbed HiveLegacy surfaced the same day Microsoft released a record number of security patches. Researchers describe the exploit as a 'powerful primitive' likely capable of a range of other malicious actions.

With AI-generated music already saturating streaming platforms, the record industry is proposing new labels to flag it, similar to warnings used for explicit lyrics. The push aims to protect human artists and give listeners transparency about what they are hearing. It marks an early attempt to draw regulatory lines as generative AI reshapes creative industries.

Popular Bible teacher Mike Winger is rallying Christians to help a U.S. evangelist and his family move to a safe house after receiving threats from Muslims angered by his ministry. The appeal highlights growing security concerns facing Christian evangelists who engage publicly with other faith communities. It also underscores how believers are increasingly mobilizing online networks to protect one another amid rising hostility.

Former 'Saturday Night Live' cast member Victoria Jackson reflected on how she viewed her years on the sketch-comedy show as a 'mission field' to share the Gospel with colleagues and audiences. Her account offers a window into the faith of a comedian who navigated one of television's most secular stages. The reflection adds to a broader conversation about Christian witness within the entertainment industry.

Two North Dakota men who learned they had been switched as newborns decades ago are suing the hospital they say sent them home with the wrong families. The discovery upended their sense of identity and reunited them with biological relatives they never knew. The lawsuit revives longstanding questions about hospital accountability and the lifelong consequences of such errors.

Churches across Texas are stepping in to help families devastated by the record-breaking floods, providing shelter, supplies, and emotional and spiritual support to those who lost homes and loved ones. Their grassroots response is filling gaps as communities begin the long recovery from one of the state's deadliest recent disasters. The mobilization reflects a long tradition of local congregations serving as first responders of compassion in the wake of catastrophe.

An Arizona teenager is being hailed as a hero after spotting and helping a woman with dementia who was wandering alone in 103-degree heat and guiding her to safety. His quick, compassionate action likely prevented a tragedy amid a punishing heat wave. The story stands out as a reminder of everyday courage and the difference one attentive young person can make for a vulnerable neighbor.

A 19th-century diary written by Adam Francis Plummer, an enslaved Maryland man, is now on view at the Smithsonian as a rare firsthand record of his life and family. It is believed to be the country's only known multigenerational journal begun by an enslaved person. The chronicle offers an extraordinary and deeply personal window into American history.

Homegrown catnip plants have proven as effective as DEET for repelling mosquitoes in rural Uganda, according to research presented at an international science conference in Florence. The low-cost, locally grown remedy could offer communities a practical defense against malaria-carrying mosquitoes. The findings point to an affordable, sustainable tool for regions hit hardest by insect-borne disease.

A lonely 4-year-old in North Carolina unexpectedly brought his neighbors together, forging connections none of them had before. What began as a child's search for playmates grew into a story about community and belonging. The heartwarming account is a reminder of how the smallest people can knit a neighborhood back together.

A U.S. federal judge ruled that Saeed Abedini, a pastor formerly imprisoned in Iran, must return his 5-year-old daughter to her mother, an Iranian refugee now living in Turkey. The custody decision closes another chapter in the turbulent personal life of a man once celebrated as a symbol of Christian persecution. The case highlights the complicated legacy of a figure whose imprisonment drew international attention a decade ago.

Christianity Today profiles Zion Church leaders Ren Zhong and Wang Cong, whose Beijing home was raided and who remain imprisoned amid China's crackdown on unregistered house churches. Their family's ordeal illustrates the mounting cost of faith for Chinese Christians who refuse state control. The account puts a human face on a persecution campaign that continues largely out of Western view.