Pope Leo XIV Returns to Vatican After Lung Cancer Surgery as Europe Erupts in Unrest

Pope Leo XIV Back at the Vatican After Swift Recovery

One week after the world held its breath, Pope Leo XIV is back home. The 71-year-old pontiff was discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital on October 17, just four days after undergoing lung cancer surgery. He walked out of the hospital unaided, greeting well-wishers, including a 13-year-old Ukrainian girl who gave him a stuffed toy as a gift. The speed of his recovery surprised many — and offered a moment of relief to the more than one billion Catholics watching closely.

Pope Leo XIV had been diagnosed with lung cancer following a 90-minute surgery on October 13, during which surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung. The Holy See Press Office confirmed the nodule removed during the surgery is a type of non-small cell lung cancer. The 71-year-old pontiff offered a rare level of transparency about the first publicly disclosed major health problem of his 17-month papacy, revealing the discovery of the small, localized nodule during his Sunday prayer and announcing that he would have it removed. Today, Sunday October 18, he recited the Angelus from the window of the papal study on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace — a powerful symbol of normalcy just days after major surgery.

In an interview with Vatican News, chief surgeon Dr. Stefano Margaritora said he saw "no clinical reasons" for why Leo's planned November 6–13 trip to three South American countries shouldn't take place. The pope is scheduled to make a packed trip to Latin America from November 6–17, including Uruguay, Argentina, and a "homecoming" to Peru where he served as a missionary and bishop for years. So far, Leo's doctors have given no indication that the pontiff might need any further treatment, and the Vatican has not indicated whether the cancer might have spread.

France Erupts: Hundreds of Thousands March, Hundreds Arrested

While Rome breathed a sigh of relief, Paris was burning — figuratively and literally. Paris police reported that 855 people were arrested in the French capital region after violent groups clashed with officers and looted shops during a protest march on October 17 that drew about 110,000 people who denounced rising living costs and poor conditions in schools. Authorities said about 550,000 people took part in protests across France, while organizers counted about 800,000.

Cars were set on fire and shops were looted in Paris as police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent protesters. France's Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said 1,200 people were arrested in protests across the country on Saturday, and 150 police were hurt. Trade unions and citizens branding themselves as "yellow vests" were protesting against the cost-of-living crisis and rising fuel prices. A large number of students also joined the nationwide protests, demanding a revamp of the country's educational system, upgrades to classrooms and facilities, and greater access to resources.

Norwegian Teen Jailed for Iran-Linked UK Murder Plot

In a case that reads like a spy thriller, a Norwegian teenager convicted of traveling to Britain to carry out a contract killing on behalf of an international crime gang linked to Iran was sentenced on October 16 to 20 years in prison. Johannes Kongsnes Natland, 19, was found guilty in July of conspiracy to murder for agreeing to shoot an unknown target for 25,000 euros, and was arrested at a hotel in Huddersfield in northern England with two guns and ammunition, two days after arriving in the UK.

Natland, who was working part-time at a pizza restaurant at the time of his arrest, was recruited by a Swedish organized crime group known as the Foxtrot Network while he was playing a game online. British prosecutors said the Foxtrot Network pays young people to carry out "violence as a service" on behalf of clients, including the Iranian state. The case was one of a number in recent years involving young adults who have stood trial in Britain over serious criminal acts carried out after being recruited online, with Britain saying some of them have ended up acting as unwitting proxies for foreign states such as Iran or Russia.

Romania Pushes NATO to Confront Black Sea Drone Threat

Rounding out a turbulent week in European security, Romanian President Nicușor Dan warned in an interview that Black Sea security is under growing pressure as drone attacks hit commercial vessels off Romania and Bulgaria. Romania has proposed a joint NATO military command for the Black Sea, as drones hit four merchant ships in 24 hours, three of them off its coast. The new structure would