NEW YORK (AP) — A collection of early public writings by the future Pope Leo XIV will be published this fall for the first time in English.

Devotees covered in mud and banana leaves took part in the annual Taong Putik festival in the Philippine village of Bibiclat, honoring St. John the Baptist in a tradition that blends Catholic faith and local customs. The Taong Putik, or Mud People, festival is held annually in this village in Asia’s largest Catholic nation as devotees thank the local patron saint for miracles and fulfill vows made in prayer. It dates back to the 1800s, when farmers smeared themselves with mud as an expression of humility and covered themselves with dried banana leaves to conceal their identities.

The head of Latin America’s top development bank has made a case to Pope Leo XIV about the potential of rare earth mining. Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, argues it could benefit Latin America if done responsibly. Goldfajn met with the pope on Friday, acknowledging the Vatican’s opposition to multinational mining corporations. The Vatican has long supported Indigenous peoples affected by mining. Goldfajn believes the region can benefit from mining if proper standards and conditions are met. The Inter-American Development Bank has a $4 billion pipeline of mineral projects, mostly in Chile, Argentina, and Brazil.

Steven Spielberg's new film “Disclosure Day” explores extraterrestrial life and its impact on religion. UFOs, now also called UAPs, are gaining mainstream attention. The Pentagon released UFO files in May, sparking public curiosity. Former President Barack Obama set off a media frenzy by suggesting aliens exist in an interview. Some believe extraterrestrial life could challenge religious beliefs, while others see it as beneficial. Some Catholic figures — such as Vice President JD Vance and Monsignor Stephen Rossetti — view UFOs as demonic, though the Catholic Church remains open to the idea of alien life. Theologians and historians note that interest in otherworldly beings dates back centuries.

Pope Leo XIV is warning human traffickers that they will face God’s wrath for exploiting the desperation of migrants. Leo urged Friday they stop and repent during his final day in this epicenter of the African migration route to Europe. Leo wrapped up his weeklong trip to Spain in the Canary Islands. The Spanish archipelago is closer to Africa than the Iberian Peninsula and was a key point of entry for migrants who make the perilous Atlantic crossing from West Africa. He is fulfilling a wish of Pope Francis to visit the islands to commemorate the thousands of lives lost at sea. He is also drawing attention to the Catholic Church’s biblically-mandated mantra to “welcome the stranger.”