
FRANCE — The bond between a woman and her boar: French horse breeder Elodie Cappe poses with “Rillette,” a wild boar she rescued as a piglet in 2023 that is now at the center of a legal dispute over the keeping of wild animals in France, near stables at her farm in Chaource, France, Jan. 15, 2025. French animal protection and anti-cruelty laws are strict, even if the person keeping a listed wild animal has developed bonds with the creature.
Although it is legal to keep piglets in France, the third largest producer of pork in the European Union, there are strict regulations regarding the animals’ welfare, particularly involving castration.
ITALY — Skiers looking slick: Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. in action during Women’s Downhill Training in Alpine Skiing at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Jan. 16, 2025. However, according to the FIS Alpine Ski rankings after Thursday’s training, Ms. Vonn was listed among those who did not finish this first training event, along with skiers from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Australia.
The three top finishers in this event all represent Italy.
ISTANBUL — Zeytin in refuge: Baby gorilla “Zeytin,” Olive in Turkish, which was seized at Istanbul Airport by Turkish authorities as it was being smuggled from Nigeria to Thailand, is pictured in an enclosure in Istanbul, Turkey, Jan. 15, 2025. Customs officials discovered the bewildered gorilla and placed it in the care of Turkey’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry so it could recover and regain strength, according to The Travel. He will later return to his natural habitat.
Zeytin got its name from a contest that zoo officials launched on social media. Olives are an essential ingredient of Turkish cuisine.
KYIV — A photo album on the wall, lest a soul not be forgotten: A soldier stands before The Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine at St. Michael’s Square in Ukraine, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. On this same day, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a wreath-laying ceremony in Kyiv, paying tribute to those killed in the conflict with Russia.
The memorial is a joint project of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, the National Military History Museum of Ukraine, the editorial board of the book “Memory of the Fallen for Ukraine,” and the historical and cultural society Amulet of Time.
INDIA — When you pick the shortest straw in the village: A bull jumps over a villager as others try to control the bull during a bull-taming festival, known as “Jallikattu,” part of south India’s harvest festival of Pongal, on the outskirts of Madurai town, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, Jan. 16, 2025. These festivals can quickly turn tragic. An elderly spectator was gored to death while 55 persons, including tamers, sustained injuries in the annual Jallikattu event held at Rachandar Thirumal, according to DTNext.
The prize for the best tamer was a car. The best-performing bull was awarded a tractor.
VATICAN — Back on duty after a tumble: Pope Francis, with his arm in a sling after suffering a contusion to his right forearm due to a fall, poses for a picture with Hajji Dede Edmond Brahimaj, leader of the Bektashi Order in Tirana, during their meeting at the Vatican Jan. 16, 2025. The man on the left was not identified but was present as part of the 36th annual World Day of Catholic-Jewish Dialogue observance held at a Catholic university, according to Reuters.
The Bektashi is an Islamic Sufi mystic order that originated in 13th-century Anatolia (modern-day Türkiye) and became popular throughout the Ottoman Empire.
MELBOURNE — Muscling to the finals: Ben Shelton of the U.S. plays a backhand return to Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain during their second-round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Australia, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.
Shelton won in four sets after Carreno took the third set.
The 22-year-old Shelton takes on Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti on Friday.
BANGKOK — Taking festivities underwater: Divers perform a dragon dance ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations at the Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World aquarium in Thailand, Jan. 16, 2025.
The Lunar New Year (also known as the Chinese New Year) begins on Wednesday, Jan. 29. According to the 12-year Zodiac cycle, this will become the Year of the Snake.