✝️Pope Visits Mongolia 🇲🇳 for First Time

Pope Francis has landed in Mongolia, a predominantly Buddhist country with just 1,450 Catholics which the Vatican hopes can act as a facilitator to improve relations with🇨🇳.

Francis arrived in capital Ulaanbaatar after an overnight flight passing through Chinese airspace, affording the 86-year-old pontiff a rare opportunity to send a note of greetings to President Xi Jinping.

Once part of the empire of Genghis Khan, Mongolia is dependent on Russia for energy imports and China for the export of its raw materials, primarily coal.

So, papal peace is being used as an excuse to keep ruining the Vatican's carbon footprint as Francis ticks off another country on his “legacy” bucketlist – maybe better to compensate victims of Catholic coverups?

@RiseGS

✈️ Qantas Faces ‘Hundreds of Millions’ in Fines over Already-Canceled Flights - 🇦🇺Consumer Watchdog Warns

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) wants Qantas to be dealt a record fine for a consumer law breach if its allegations about the airline's canceled advertised tickets proves to be true.

The watchdog has launched Federal Court action claiming the troubled airline engaged in false, misleading or deceptive conduct after continuing to sell thousands of tickets that were already canceled.

It is seeking penalties, injunctions, declarations and costs that would ‘deter’ future offences by companies.

@RiseGS

🚩 Thai 🇹🇭King Commutes Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra’s Jail Term to One-Year Within Days of Former Leader Returning from 15 Years of Self-Imposed Exile

He was sentenced to an 8-year prison sentence on his return to the country on Aug 22 - before petitioning for a royal pardon.

Shinawatra fled Thailand in 2008 to avoid corruption charges after he was ousted in a 2006 military coup.

@RiseGS