Jay Gotera

The Philippines braced for yet another catastrophic storm on Thursday as typhoon Hagupit (Filipino for "lash") roared toward the central part of the country packing winds of up to 195 kph (120 mph) with gusts of up to 230 kph.

For the first time in history, leaders of the world's major religions came together at the Vatican on Tuesday to sign a declaration condemning modern slavery and urging the world to stamp out all forms of this "crime against humanity" by 2020.

At least three major space events will take place this month in a dramatic escalation of humankind's quest to explore other worlds.

Former NBA star Charles Barkley appeared to have stirred a hornet's nest after making blunt remarks that contradicted those made by prominent black leaders and athletes who assailed the grand jury decision not to indict officer Darren Wilson in the Michael Brown shooting.

Thanks to a powerful telescope in Chile, we can now see the intricately woven beauty of the Universe, in particular the Wishing Well Cluster of stars (scientifically called NGC 3532) some 1,300 light-years from our Sun. Since one light year is equivalent to about 6 trillion miles, as defined by the International Astronomical Union, NGC 3532 is about 7,800 mind-numbing trillion miles from where we are now.

In an extraordinary display of Christian unity, Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople kissed the head of Pope Francis as they issued a joint declaration urging world leaders to extend more assistance to victims of Islamic extremists in Iraq and Syria, including Christians who have been living in the region for 2,000 years.

The Earth is mysteriously being protected in space by a powerful yet invisible shield surrounding the planet similar to the "force fields" in "Star Trek" movies, scientists have revealed. In a study published in the Nov. 27 issue of Nature, Professor Daniel Baker from the University of Colorado Boulder said the shield is located some 7,200 miles above Earth and is made up of high-energy electrons and protons.

Pope Francis began a three-day visit to Turkey on Friday to bring the light of peace and goodwill in a region darkened by the clouds of religious and political conflict.

This Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, 2014, NBC is releasing the official trailer of the epic "A.D." – a 12-episode TV mini-series that promises to jolt viewers with a fresh and riveting portrayal of the Passion of Jesus Christ.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has finally responded to the mounting calls for him to fight Manny Pacquiao. But, unfortunately, his answer was neither "yes" or "no." On Wednesday night, the still undefeated 37-year-old boxing champion emerged from his apparent seclusion by posting on his official Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts a 15-second video clip of Pacquiao's Round 6 knockout at the hands of Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez during their fourth match in 2012.

Even if he has become the target of Islamic radicals, Pope Francis said his door "is always open" for peace initiatives, indicating his willingness to talk peace with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).