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☆ Sixteen killed in accident at state-owned coal mine in China's Guizhou province
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Sixteen people were killed in a coal mine accident in Panzhou city in southern China's Guizhou province on Sunday, according to a filing by the mine's owner, Guizhou Panjiang Refined Coal Co, with the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Monday. All coal mines in Panzhou city have suspending production for a day, according to Shanghai-based commodities consultancy Mysteel. The area has a total production capacity of about 52.5 million metric tons per year of mostly coking coal, representing about 5% of China's coking coal production capacity, according to Mysteel. The company operates seven coal mines with a total capacity of about 17.3 million tons. The mine where the accident took place has an annual capacity of 3.1 million tons, according to Mysteel.

Persons: Andrew Hayley, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Shanghai Stock Exchange, Reuters, Authorities, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Panzhou, China's Guizhou, Guizhou, Shanghai, Inner Mongolia, Beijing

The sources said other senior Russian energy officials would also be in the delegation. Gazprom, the world's biggest natural gas producer, and Rosneft, Russia's biggest oil producer, did not immediately reply to requests for comments. The proposed pipeline would bring gas from the Yamal peninsula fields in western Siberia to China, the world's top energy consumer and a growing gas consumer. China and Russia have yet to agree on the terms of gas deliveries via the route, including pricing. Negotiations are complex, in part because China is not expected to need more gas until after 2030, industry analysts said.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Rosneft Igor Sechin, Yuri Trutnev, Alexei Miller, Igor Sechin, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, Xi Jinping, Sechin, Xi, Vladimir Soldatkin, Gareth Jones, Guy Faulconbridge, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Zvezda, Gazprom, Reuters, China's, Moscow, Thomson Locations: Bolshoy Kamen, Vladivostok, Russia, Ukraine, MOSCOW, China, Beijing, Moscow, Russian, Asia, Europe, Siberia, Mongolia

☆ China's 1.4 billion population isn't enough to fill the country's empty homes, former official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A former Chinese official said the country's entire population couldn't fill its empty homes. He Keng said China's 1.4 billion population was likely insufficient to fill all its vacant houses. AdvertisementAdvertisementChina has long relied on real-estate development as a safe investment to bolster economic growth. Today, farmers have taken over the ghost town, plowing the land and letting cattle roam free around the empty mansions. But by 2016, its population was only around 100,000, and it has been described as "the largest ghost town in the world."

Persons: Keng, Evergrande, that's, Li Gan, Shenyang . Jade Gao Organizations: Service, Reuters, China News Service, Texas, M University, Greenland Group, Getty, Nikkei Locations: China, Wall, Silicon, France, City's, Shenyang, Shenyang ., AFP, Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, Ordos, Nikkei Asia

☆ Two mainland China bishops to attend big Vatican meeting after tensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVATICAN CITY, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Two bishops from mainland China are due to attend a major Vatican meeting next month, officials said on Thursday, a positive sign after recent tensions between the Holy See and Beijing. The two bishops were chosen by their brother bishops in China, meaning they likely had approval from the Communist government, which holds great sway over the Chinese Catholic Church. Two other Chinese bishops were allowed by the government to attend another synod for the first time in 2018 but did not stay for the entire meeting. A landmark 2018 agreement between the Vatican and China on the appointment of bishops has been tenuous at best, with the Vatican complaining that Beijing has violated it several times. Two months ago the Vatican chided Beijing for not consulting over the transfer of two bishops from one diocese to another.

Persons: Pope Francis, Anthony Yao Shun, Jining, Joseph Yang Yongqiang, Francis, Philip Pullella, Alex Richardson Organizations: Vatican, Handout, REUTERS, CITY, Communist, Catholic Church, Communist Party, Catholic, Churches, Thomson Locations: China, Beijing, Zhoucun, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vatican, Mongolia

Xie Xuguang, from CNOOC Gas and Power Group's research centre, told a conference on Thursday that China's total gas demand may reach 396.4 billion cubic metres (bcm) this year. "We're expecting industrial gas demand to recover in the second half. Gas demand growth this year was seen at between 5.7% and 7.4%, according to estimates this week by ICIS, Energy Aspects and SIA Energy. China's total gas demand was forecast to peak in 2040 at 700 bcm, Xie added, echoing a previous forecast by state major Sinopec. Imports of both piped gas and liquefied natural gas were both expected to increase to meet rising domestic demand.

Persons: Stringer, Xie Xuguang, Xie, CNOOC, Andrew Hayley, Chen Aizhu, Christian Schmollinger, Michael Perry Organizations: Sinopec, Inner, Inner Mongolia Autonomous, REUTERS, CNOOC Gas, Power, ICIS, SIA Energy, Imports, Thomson Locations: Erdos, Inner Mongolia, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, TIANJIN, Japan, Russia's, Siberia, Russia

☆ Opinion | Can We Put a Price on Climate Damages?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( David Wallace-Wells | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

But whenever anyone tries to put an actual price on the damages from global warming — to calibrate a carbon tax, assess past responsibility or aid in litigation against fossil-fuel malefactors — the numbers are almost too much to process. One problem is that the damage accumulates over time, like a compound interest of climate degradation. Most carbon, once emitted, hangs in the air for centuries — and some of it lingers even longer. A lump of coal being burned in Shaanxi or Inner Mongolia today does climate damage equivalent to a lump that was burned in 19th-century Newcastle or 20th-century Pittsburgh, and an oil well decommissioned three decades ago may still be doing climate damage three centuries from now. I used an optimistically low future price for such technology and assumed no obstacles to scaling that tech, though many analysts see many such roadblocks.

Locations: United States, China, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, Newcastle, Pittsburgh

☆ China's diesel exports surge in August, have nearly tripled so far in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Total diesel exports for the first eight months of the year are up 197.2% versus the same period in 2022. Gasoline exports were up 23.7% to 1.38 million tons from 1.12 million tons in August last year. Jet fuel exports were 1.55 million tons, up 98.1% from 780,000 tons a year earlier. China's surging fuel exports have coincided with monthly refinery throughput rising to a record 15.23 million bpd in August. (This story has been corrected to say that domestic flight levels are around 17% above pre-pandemic levels, not 17% of pre-pandemic levels, in paragraph 7)Reporting by Andrew Hayley; Editing by Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Stringer, refiners, Andrew Hayley, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Dalian Airlines, REUTERS, Administration, Customs, Total, Domestic, Jet, Citi, Thomson Locations: Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China, BEIJING

☆ The global treasures in the running for UNESCO’s World Heritage status
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

This year, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is reviewing nominations from both 2022 and 2023, with participants from across the world attending the session in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to examine almost 50 contenders. According to UNESCO, sites must be of “outstanding universal value” to be included on the World Heritage List. So far, the World Heritage Committee has inscribed approximately 1,157 sites in 167 different countries onto the World Heritage List. Seo Heun Kang/UNESCO World Heritage Nomination OfficeOnly those countries that sign the convention creating the World Heritage Committee and list are permitted to nominate sites. Gordion, the capital city of ancient Phrygia in Ankara, Turkey, is also nominated for a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Persons: John E, Seo Heun Kang, Bale, Gordion, Mustafa Ciftci, Midas, Morten Rasmussen, Sarah Langrand, Dominique Marck, Bani Ma’arid, Bani Ma'arid, Hamad Al Qahtani, Koh Ker, Mount Pelée, Canada Bale, Francesca Street Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Cultural Organization, UNESCO World Heritage, Heritage, World, Anadolu Agency, Danish Agency for Culture, Fine Arts Department, de Nîmes, National Center for Wildlife, Architectural Museum, Kazan Federal University, Khinalig, Tunisia ESMA Museum, Clandestine Center of Detention, Wooden Posts, Greece Historic Center of Guimarães Locations: Gaya, Denmark, Thai, Ohio, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Hancock, United States, Goryeong, South Korea, Addis Ababa, Phrygia, Turkey, Ankara, B.C.E, Madagascar, Si Thep, Thailand, Si, Nîmes, France, Gorokhovets, Russia, Vladimir Oblast, Erfurt, Germany, Cambodia, Khmer, Courland, Latvia, Kaunas, Lithuania, Ab’aj, Guatemala, India, Karakum, Tajikistan, Menorca, Spain, Ethiopia, Iran, Klondike, Canada, Czech, Odzala, Kokoua, Congo, Mount, Northern Martinique, Benin Ha Long, Ba Archipelago, Vietnam, Forests, Azerbaijan, Jericho, Palestinian Territories, Kazan, Tunisia, Argentina, Belgium, Suriname Royal, Netherlands, Anatolia, Bisesero, Rwanda, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Masouleh, Turan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Northern Apennines, Italy, Tajikistan Highlands, Mongolian, Mongolia, Greece, Portugal

☆ I make up to $20,000 a month as a full-time traveler. I started posting my adventures on Instagram and have funded my way to 159 countries.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Elle Hardy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Tom Grond has been traveling full time since 2012 and sharing his adventures on social media. I travel full time, and I've visited 159 countries, including Vatican City, Kosovo, and Taiwan. After my big backpacking trip, I went back home and returned to my job, which I liked. When I was working as a dive guide in Ko Tao, Thailand, I started posting pictures of my work on Instagram, which had started getting popular. I love traveling, but I don't like to live as a touristAfter 4,000 days of traveling, I don't need to see every attraction.

Persons: Tom Grond, he's, I've, Instagram, Ko, it's, Joe Biden, that's Organizations: Google, Service, Vatican City, Tourism Locations: Wall, Silicon, Simpelveld, Netherlands, Vatican, Kosovo, Taiwan, Aruba, Americas, Ko Tao, Thailand, Bangkok, Maldives, Istanbul, Dubai, Mongolia, Colombia, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Italy, Vanuatu, Nepal, Argentina, Hawaii, Namibia, New Zealand, Guyana, Syria, Homs, Tom Grond Pakistan, Kashmir, United States, Iran, Algeria, Pakistan, Switzerland, Grond

It was near midnight, in a storm, on a dirt road in the middle of Mongolia. “Go for it.”Cole accelerated and the front tires plunged off an unseen embankment, slamming onto the rocks below. We were perched at a precarious angle, and the front half of the truck was submerged. Drawn by the noise, two young men came over from a nearby tent camp. One waded toward the car into the waist-deep water with a message typed on Google Translate: “This is dangerous.” I was too embarrassed to be scared.

Persons: Cole Paullin, ”, “, ” Cole Organizations: Google Locations: Mongolia

☆ Chinese rare earth prices hit 20-month high on Myanmar supply worry
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING/HANOI (Reuters) -Chinese rare earth prices jumped to their highest in 20 months, as mining suspension in major producer Myanmar sparked stockpiling ahead of the peak consumption season, analysts said on Thursday. A mining machine is seen at the Bayan Obo mine containing rare earth minerals, in Inner Mongolia, China July 16, 2011. Rare earth is a prized group of 17 minerals used in consumer electronics and military equipment. Myanmar accounted for 38% of rare earth imports into China in January-July, Chinese trade data showed, while the Southeast Asian country was the fourth biggest source of rare earth mining in 2022, data by the U.S. Geological Survey showed. ($1 = 7.3275 Chinese yuan renminbi)

Persons: Stringer, Eikon, SMM, “, ”, Yang Jiawen, David Merriman, Merriman, ” Merriman, SMM’s Yang Organizations: REUTERS, Shanghai Metals, Mines, U.S . Geological Survey, Reuters Locations: BEIJING, HANOI, Myanmar, Bayan, Inner Mongolia, China, Myanmar’s Pangwa, Kachin State, Chipwi, Pangwa, Kachin, Southern China, Laos, Jiangxi province

☆ Wall, what wall? Two detained after leveling part of China's Great Wall
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Lisa Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

It may have seemed like a good idea at the time. In an apparent attempt to create a shortcut, two people allegedly used heavy machinery to remove a sizeable section of the Great Wall of China in Shanxi province, according to an online notice by local authorities. The duo used an excavator to widen a pre-existing gap so that their heavy machinery could pass through it, according to the notice issued by Youyu County security officials. The pair — a 38-year-old man named Zheng and a 55-year-old woman named Wang — removed the wall "to shorten a journey," according to a CNBC translation of the notice published on Aug. 31. The suspects are both from Inner Mongolia.

Persons: Zheng, Wang — Organizations: CNBC Locations: China, Shanxi, Youyu, Inner Mongolia

Afterward the summit, Biden and Vietnamese General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong will meet in Hanoi and are expected to announce plans to tighten economic cooperation. The Chinese economy is weighed down by a property bubble, local government debt, high youth unemployment and a broader inability to rebound as expected from pandemic lockdowns. But so far this year, the U.S. economy has outperformed expectations as the Chinese economy has underperformed. Still, China’s economic challenges could create more geopolitical risk as economics can often inform national security strategies. At an August fundraiser in Utah, Biden called China's economy a “ticking time bomb.”“When bad folks have problems, they do bad things,” the president said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Nguyen Phu Trong, ”, Colleen Cottle, Gina Raimondo, Raimondo, ” Raimondo, ” Biden, Xi, Kamala Harris, Jake Sullivan, ” Sullivan, Yun Sun, Narendra Modi, Modi, Tracy Brown Organizations: WASHINGTON, Group, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Biden, South China, White, Associated Press, U.S, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, White House, IMF, Stimson, Indian Locations: India, Vietnam, United States, China, White, New Delhi, Hanoi, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei, South, Washington, U.S, Beijing, Jakarta, Indonesia, The U.S, Pakistan, Kenya, Zambia, Laos, Mongolia, Utah, Ukraine

☆ Ukrainian Catholic bishops rebuke pope over his Russia comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Pope Francis attends a meeting with bishops of the Synod of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church at the Vatican, September 6, 2023. In a statement that was remarkable for its candour, they said their two-hour session with the pope at the Vatican was a "frank conversation". They were welcomed by the Kremlin, which praised the pope for what it said was his knowledge of Russian history. The statement from the Ukrainian bishops said the prelates "expressed the Ukrainian people's pain, suffering, and a certain disappointment" over the papal remarks. The statement quoted the pope as telling the bishops: "The fact that you doubted whom the pope is with was particularly painful for the Ukrainian people.

Persons: Pope Francis, tsars Peter I, Catherine II, Vladimir Putin, Francis, Putin, Philip Pullella, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Catholic Church, Vatican, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, CITY, Kremlin, Thomson Locations: Ukrainian, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Mongolia, Russian, propounding

☆ Catholic Church to Beatify Polish Family, Including New-Born Baby, Killed by Nazis
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Catholic Church is to beatify a Polish family of nine including a new-born baby who died at the hands of the Nazis during World War Two, the Vatican's saint-making department said on Tuesday. The service to beatify Jozef and Wiktoria Ulma and their seven children will be held on Sunday in the Polish town of Markowa where they died in March 1944. The family was killed by German military police for sheltering a family of Jews. Vatican media have noted that it is the first time that an entire family has been honoured together in this manner. The other six Ulma children executed by the Nazis were aged between 18 months and seven, it added.

Persons: beatify Jozef, Wiktoria Ulma, Ulma, Pope Francis, Keith Weir, Alvise, Nick Macfie Organizations: VATICAN CITY, Catholic, Roman Catholic Church, Vatican Locations: Polish, Markowa, Mongolia

☆ Workers Plow Through Great Wall of China, Leaving a Hole
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Livia Albeck-Ripka | More About Livia Albeck-Ripka | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Two workers have been detained in northern China after local authorities said they plowed through a section of the country’s Great Wall with an excavator, leaving a gaping hole. The security bureau said it was first notified of the hole in a section of wall, near the township of Yangqianhexiang, about 215 miles east of Beijing, on the afternoon of Aug. 24. Law enforcement officers rushed to the scene to find that a piece of the wall, believed to have been constructed by the Ming dynasty between the 14th and 17th centuries, had been severely “excavated and damaged by large-scale machinery,” the bureau said. The man, named in the release as Zheng, and the woman, named as Wang, are from the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia in the country’s north and were taken in for investigation, the bureau added. They have been charged with destroying a cultural relic, The China Daily, a state-owned media outlet, reported.

Persons: Zheng, Wang Organizations: Public Security Bureau Locations: China, Youyu, Yangqianhexiang, Beijing, Inner Mongolia

☆ Pope wraps up Mongolia trip, says Church not bent on conversion
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

People wave Chinese and Hong Kong flags, as Pope Francis arrives to attend the Holy Mass in the Steppe Arena, during his Apostolic Journey in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia September 3, 2023. Mongolia was part of China until 1921 and the pope's trip was dotted by allusions or appeals to the superpower next door, where the Vatican has scratchy relations with the communist government. At the end of Sunday's Mass he sent greetings to China, calling its citizens a "noble" people and asking Catholics in China to be "good Christians and good citizens." On Saturday, in words that appeared to be aimed at China rather than Mongolia, Francis said governments have nothing to fear from the Catholic Church because it has no political agenda. Beijing has been following a policy of "Sinicisation" of religion, trying to root out foreign influences and enforce obedience to the Communist Party.

Persons: Pope Francis, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Francis, Mercy, Italian Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, Philip Pullella, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS, Catholic, Communist Party, United, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, ULAANBAATAR, China, Italian, Beijing, United States, Iran, Russia, Vatican

☆ Pope acknowledges his Russia comments were faulty
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] Pope Francis holds a news conference aboard the papal plane on his flight back after visiting Mongolia, September 4, 2023. "I was not thinking of imperialism when I said that," Francis said about his comments last month. The comments caused an uproar in Ukraine because Russian President Vladimir Putin has invoked the legacies of the two Russian monarchs in justifying his invasion of Ukraine and the annexation of its territory. They were welcomed by the Kremlin, which praised the pope for his knowledge of Russian history. There were dark political years in Russia but the heritage is there, available to all," he said.

Persons: Pope Francis, Ciro Fusco, Pope, Catholic Church Pope, Francis, tsars Peter I, Catherine II, Vladimir Putin, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Peter, Catherine, Francis said, John XXIV, Philip Pullella Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Catholic Church, Kremlin, Communist Party, Vatican, coy, Thomson Locations: Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine, Kremlin China, China, Vatican, Beijing, Vietnam, Marseilles

☆ When It Comes to China, Pope Francis Keeps Criticism in Check
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Jason Horowitz | More About Jason Horowitz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

While Mongolia’s economy relies heavily on its two giant neighbors, and especially China, it has pursued a diplomatic strategy called the “third neighbor” which seeks to reinforce political independence and cultivate allies and investment partners from countries including Japan, South Korea, Germany and the United States. “It is a very real thing here,” said Odbayar Erdenetsogt, the foreign policy adviser to Mongolia’s president. But that didn’t change the fact that the country’s priority was the best relations possible with its two actual neighbors: “Our president is very good friends with Putin. He is very close and very good friends with Xi Jinping. We have to have that connection.”Asked whether that relationship could help the Vatican’s diplomacy with either nation, but especially China, Mr. Erdenetsogt offered a diplomatic reality check.

Persons: Dostoyevsky, “, ” Francis, —, ”, Odbayar Erdenetsogt, Putin, Xi Jinping, Erdenetsogt Locations: Mongolia, Mongolian, — Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, United States

☆ In overture to China, pope sends greetings to a 'noble' people
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins Acquire Licensing RightsULAANBAATAR, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Pope Francis sent greetings to China on Sunday, calling its citizens a "noble" people and asking Catholics in China to be "good Christians and good citizens," in his latest overture to the communist country to ease restrictions on religion. Francis made the unscripted comments at the end of a Mass in Mongolia's capital, calling up the former and current archbishops of Hong Kong, Cardinal John Tong Hon and Archbishop Stephen Chow, to flank him as he spoke. "These two brother bishops - the emeritus of Hong Kong and the current bishop of Hong Kong. I would like to take advantage of their presence to send a warm greeting to the noble Chinese people," he said in Italian. And to Chinese Catholics I ask to be good Christians and good citizens," he said.

Persons: Pope Francis, Cardinal John Tong, Hong Kong's, Stephen Chow, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Francis, Chow, Hong, Philip Pullella, William Mallard, David Evans, Frances Kerry Organizations: REUTERS, Hong, Catholic, Communist Party, Reuters, Catholic Church, Thomson Locations: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, ULAANBAATAR, China, Mongolia's, Hong Kong, Beijing, Vatican, Vietnam, Hanoi, British, Asia

☆ Pope Francis Holds Mass During Historic Visit to Mongolia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Why It’s Never Been More Expensive to Buy a CarSupply-chain issues have largely been resolved and inflation is cooling, but car ownership has never been more expensive. WSJ’s Dion Rabouin walks through the data showing why now may be the worst time to buy a car. Photo: David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Persons: Dion Rabouin, David Zalubowski Organizations: Associated

CNN —Pope Francis urged Chinese Catholics to be “good citizens” and “good Christians,” a rare instance of the Holy Father publicly addressing the issue of religion in China. Mongolia is sandwiched between Russia, whose invasion of Ukraine Francis has publicly criticized, and China, an atheist state where religious practice is heavily curtailed by the government. And to the Chinese Catholics, I ask you to be good Christians and good citizens.”Pope Francis leads Mass at the Steppe Arena in Ulaanbaatar on Sunday. Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty ImagesChina may be officially an atheist state, but religious practice is legal in the country – albeit under tight government supervision and surveillance. Francis landed in Mongolia Friday for a trip that has lacked the usual fanfare of a Papal visit.

Persons: Pope Francis, Francis ’, Pope, Ukraine Francis, Stephen Chow, Cardinal John Tong, ”, Francis, Hong, “, ” Pope Francis, Mass, Pedro Pardo, Pontiff Organizations: CNN, Hong Kong’s, Getty, Vatican News, Mongolian, Sunday Locations: China, Mongolian, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Vatican, Beijing, AFP, Russian

☆ Pope, quoting Buddha, urges religious dialogue to fight fundamentalism
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Pope Francis speaks during an ecumenical and interreligious meeting at the Hun Theatre, during his Apostolic Journey in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia September 3, 2023. REUTERS/Remo Casilli Acquire Licensing RightsULAANBAATAR, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Calling himself one of the "humble heirs" of ancient schools of wisdom and quoting the Buddha, Pope Francis on Sunday urged all religions to live in harmony and shun ideological fundamentalism that foments violence. But the pope repeated on Sunday that he put great importance in "ecumenical, inter-religious and cultural dialogue". "There can be no mixing, then, of religious beliefs and violence, of holiness and oppression, of religious traditions and sectarianism," Francis said. Several of the leaders, including the rabbi and the shaman, imparted a special blessing from their religions on the pope, wishing him health and a long life.

Persons: Pope Francis, Remo Casilli, Francis, Jesus, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Philip Pullella, Lincoln Organizations: Hun, REUTERS, Sunday, Catholic, Mongolian, Conservative, Thomson Locations: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, ULAANBAATAR, Mongolian, China, Beijing, Soviet, Kazakhstan

☆ North Korea hints at tourism reopening, but doubts remain
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

When North Korea slammed its already tight borders closed in 2020, he was one of many travel industry professionals left out in the proverbial cold. One of Cockerell’s business concerns, he says, is that a lack of search engine interest in North Korea trips could hurt his website’s visibility on Google. In 2017, the United States banned its passport holders from traveling to North Korea and has renewed this ban through at least 2024. The 2017 ban on American travel to North Korea came shortly after the death of Otto Warmbier, a recent college graduate from Ohio who participated in a Young Pioneer Tours group trip to North Korea. Warmbier was detained in North Korea in 2016 for allegedly stealing a propaganda poster and held for 17 months.

Persons: Simon Cockerell, ” Cockerell, ”, Cockerell, Kim, Otto Warmbier, Warmbier, CNN’s Paula Hancocks, Irene Nasser, Kate Springer, Yoonjung Seo Organizations: CNN, Air Koryo, of Tourism, United, DPRK, Tours, North Koreans, North Korean Locations: North Korea, North, Pyongyang, Beijing, China, Vladivostok, Russia, Koryo, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Tourism, United States, Ohio

☆ Chinese Catholics sneak a peek at pope in Mongolia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Joseph Campbell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A member of security stands outside Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral on the day Pope Francis meets with bishops, priests, missionaries, consecrated persons and pastoral workers at the cathedral, during his Apostolic Journey in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia September 2, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins Acquire Licensing RightsULAANBAATAR, Sept 2 (Reuters) - A few Chinese Catholics came to sneak a peek at Pope Francis during an official welcome ceremony in the main square of Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar on Saturday, enthusiastically waving their country's flag. The Vatican does not have diplomatic relations with China, instead recognising Chinese-claimed Taiwan, while China's Catholics have long been split between a state-backed official church and an underground flock loyal to the pope. Brandishing red, five-starred Chinese flags, two dozen Chinese nationals who identified themselves as Catholic devotees crowded around a police barrier to catch a glimpse of Francis on Saturday morning. Yang Guang, a 37-year-old Catholic from Shanghai, said he came to Mongolia for a holiday but was glad to catch a glimpse of the pope at Sukhbaatar Square.

Persons: Saints Peter, Paul Cathedral, Pope Francis, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Francis, Yang Guang, I've, It's, I'm, Yang, Suzanne Willis, Willis, Xi Jinping, Joseph Campbell, Ben Blanchard, William Mallard Organizations: Saints, REUTERS, Reuters, Roman Catholic Church, Thomson Locations: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, ULAANBAATAR, China, Taiwan, Shanghai, Sukhbaatar, Hong Kong

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