{
  "id": 15327905,
  "title": "Smiling pope returns to Vatican after cancer surgery",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/smiling-pope-returns-to-vatican-after-cancer-surgery",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-18T01:56:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Le Monde English",
    "slug": "le-monde-english",
    "url": "https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2026/10/18/smiling-pope-returns-to-vatican-after-cancer-surgery_6758720_4.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Pope Leo XIV returned to the Vatican on Saturday following his discharge from Gemelli Hospital in Rome. The 71-year-old, Chicago-born pope underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove the lower lobe of his right lung to extract a malignant lung adenocarcinoma. Free Malaysia Today reported that the pope was seen walking through the hospital lobby and smiling while shaking hands and waving to well-wishers. According to Qatar Tribune, the pope is currently undergoing physiotherapy to assist his breathing and is able to perform normal daily activities independently.\n\nThe Vatican announced that the pope will lead the Angelus prayer on Sunday. While surgeon Stefano Margaritora told Vatican News that the pope is in satisfactory clinical condition, he estimated ten days before a full recovery. CBC News and Japan Today reported that the surgeon stated there are no clinical reasons to prevent the pope's planned trip to Latin America next month.\n\nDuring his recovery, the pope spoke via telephone on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin to urge a ceasefire in Oleshky, Ukraine. Le Monde English noted that his discharge ended a period of uncertainty for the Vatican and the world's 1.4 billion Catholics less than two years into his papacy.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Global News",
        "title": "Pope Leo will leave the hospital Saturday following lung cancer surgery, Vatican says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/pope-leo-will-leave-the-hospital-saturday-following-lung-cancer",
        "published": "2026-10-17T13:25:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "Smiling pope returns to Vatican after cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/smiling-pope-returns-to-vatican-after-cancer-surgery",
        "published": "2026-10-17T15:20:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NDTV",
        "title": "Pope Leo Returns to Vatican After Successful Cancer Surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/pope-leo-returns-to-vatican-after-successful-cancer-surgery",
        "published": "2026-10-17T17:18:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Smiling pope returns to Vatican after cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/smiling-pope-returns-to-vatican-after-cancer-surgery-15272859",
        "published": "2026-10-17T20:23:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Smiling pope returns to Vatican after cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/smiling-pope-returns-to-vatican-after-cancer-surgery-15296912",
        "published": "2026-10-17T21:50:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Toronto Sun",
        "title": "Smiling pope returns to Vatican after cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/smiling-pope-returns-to-vatican-after-cancer-surgery-15288041",
        "published": "2026-10-17T22:04:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Qatar Tribune",
        "title": "Vatican says pope able to leave hospital following cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/vatican-says-pope-able-to-leave-hospital-following-cancer-surgery",
        "published": "2026-10-17T22:14:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}