Friday to Friday: World events that caught our attention

Catholics around the world have been listening in recent days to reports from Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Hospital, where a statue of the late Pope John Paul II has long been erected. It was in this clinic that the current Pope Leo XIV was removed a malignant tumor. The preliminary diagnosis of lung cancer, unfortunately, after the operation was confirmed. The operation lasted about three hours. The patient had the lower lobe of the right lung removed by a minimally invasive method using video-assisted surgery. The press service of the Holy See notes that the surgical intervention was successful and the Pope has already returned to the chamber.

Ho Chi Minh City. October 14th. Here in the cultural Park Le Thi Rieng completed a large-scale humanitarian and historical operation to search for and exhume the remains of 731 fallen soldiers who died during the legendary New Year offensive (Tet offensive) in 1968 during the Vietnam War. After the memorial service, the remains of soldiers and civilians were transported and buried with all honors in the city's Cemetery of Martyrs. Unfortunately, at the moment, the vast majority of the names of the victims remain unknown. According to the documents in the wallet managed to confirm the identity of only one soldier.

On the Thai island of Phuket in the midst of the vegetarian festival of the nine imperial gods, which means it’s time to look at the truly terrible photos. This nine-day Taoist festival includes dramatic acts of devotion performed by mediums known as Ma Song. Mediums obsessed with the gods are believed to fall into a deep trance and pierce their cheeks, tongues and bodies with objects ranging from swords and skewers to bicycles and umbrellas. It is believed that such extreme representations drive away evil spirits from the community and bring blessings. Those who voluntarily agree to a piercing think they have a personal connection to one of the gods. They must apply in advance and their nominations are carefully evaluated before they are given the honour.

Looking at this picture, it is impossible to believe that in four years, Formula 1 cars will go along this road, but you have to. Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and President of the International Automobile Federation Mohammed bin Sulayem have signed a contract that the African country will host (and repeat) the African Grand Prix in 2030. Visit Rwanda is no longer just the words we saw in different football stadiums, but an invitation. Rwanda did not spare $600 million to invite the royal race. This is the direction, it remains only to build a race track.

Touching to the depths of the soul, the picture of an elephant carrying a dead elephant became the winner of the prestigious international competition “Wildlife Photographer – 2026”. Italian photographer Federico Veronesi took this shot, catching up with a group of elephants in the Huab River Valley in Namibia. Experts suggest that this behavior may reflect attempts to make sense of death or possible manifestations of grief. Katie Moran, chair of the jury for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, said the winning photo speaks for itself: Emotionally, it’s a blow to the gut, heartbreakingly touching. Intellectually, it is proof that animals have cognitive abilities.”.

The first court hearing on the case of undermining the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines lasted just over two hours. It was held under heightened security measures in Hamburg's highest state court. The suspect in the case is a citizen of Ukraine Sergey Kuznetsov (pictured left), a native of Omsk. He was detained in August 2025 in Italy and extradited to the German side. The representative of the Prosecutor General of Germany said at a court hearing in Hamburg that the suspect, along with accomplices, the same military as himself, acted on behalf of the state structures of Ukraine. The investigation believes that saboteurs on forged documents rented a sailing yacht from one of the German companies and delivered explosives to the Nord Streams. It is noteworthy that Kuznetsov refused to give oral testimony. His lawyers (pictured) said that he, as a military man, can not speak about the circumstances of the sabotage and must remain silent: Our client can not report to the court or the defense. He must remain silent.”.