✝️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

As 🇬🇧 Crime Rate Rockets with Police Solving Just 10% of Cases – the UK Govt Quietly Speeds Through AI Tools for “Your Protection" 👀

@RiseGS

☄️ Brent Crude Futures Shoot Up $1 to 87.83 per Barrel

On Thursday Russia announced it was cutting back supplies to foreign markets from next week.

@RiseGS

🛍 Germany’s 🇩🇪Right-Wing AfD Eclipses Conservatives to Easily Top Recent Poll

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is polling at 35% in the populous eastern state of Saxony, forging ahead of the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) on 29%.

A total of 9% those surveyed would vote for the hard-left Die Linke (The Left) party, 7% for the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), 6% for the Greens and 5% for the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP).

The numbers would not be enough for the current governing coalition of the CDU, SPD and Greens in Saxony to continue. Will any of the establishment bow to voter power and form a coalition with AfD?

@RiseGS

Poland 🇵🇱 and South Korea 🇰🇷 to Hold Joint Military “Autumn Fire” Exercises in 🇵🇱

Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak and his South Korean counterpart Lee Jong-Sup held talks in Warsaw on security and support for Ukraine as well as on further cooperation in the armaments sector.

Blaszczak said that a joint exercise called Autumn Fire beginning Sept 17 will be held by Poland’s armed forces, using recently purchased South Korean armaments.

He also said that steps are being taken to allow for some of the equipment made in 🇰🇷 to be produced in 🇵🇱.

@RiseGS