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Pope arrives on first visit to Mongolia as Vatican relations with Russia and China remain strained

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AP) — Pope Francis arrived in Mongolia on Friday morning on a visit to encourage one of the world’s smallest and newest Catholic communities.It’s the first time a pope has visited the landlocked Asian country and comes at a time when the Vatican’s relations with Mongolia’s two powerful neighbors, Russia and China, are once again strained.Francis arrived in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar after an overnight flight passing through Chinese airspace, affording the pontiff a rare opportunity to send a note of greetings to President Xi Jinping. Vatican protocol calls for the pope to send such greetings whenever he flies over a foreign country.In his message to Xi, Francis expressed “greetings of good wishes to your excellency and the people of China.”“Assuring you of my prayers for the wellbeing of the nation, I invoke upon all of you the divine blessings of unity and peace,” Francis said.Speaking to reporters en route to Mongolia late Thursday, Francis said...

The yacht life: Kiki at Sea takes diners on a Greek-flavored cruise with spectacular views of the Magic City

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

Kiki on the River Restaurant is using the river how it’s meant to be used … by letting you go with the flow on its custom-designed Kiki at Sea yacht. They want you to taste the yacht life — because someone has to live it.Drake (singing): “Kiki, do you love me?”Drake might have coined the question, “Kiki, do you love me?” But MIA’s Kiki on the River proves there’s love for Greek food on the water.Caroline McDonald, Director of Events and Sales, Kiki on the River: “Kiki on the River is extremely well-known, not only because we really provide the essence of being in the Greek islands, but we also have one of the most infamous parties. We have live entertainment, we have dancers.”So why not move the Kiki way to the way of the sea?Caroline McDonald: “Kiki at Sea is a very exciting project that we just came up with, because we really want to extend the experience from Kiki onto the water.”You can lounge, party and say...

China’s international students and a tale of two fears

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

Jianli Yang is founder and president of Citizen Power Initiatives for China and the author of “Its Time for a Values-Based “Economic NATO.” Leslie Fu is a legal analyst for Citizen Power Initiatives for China. Western politicians and educators have observed that a significant number of overseas Chinese students are unwilling to engage in conversations about China, particularly about the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP). And even if they do, when faced with criticism directed at the government, they often perceive the West, especially the United States, as intentionally trying to stifle China’s ascent. Yet, time and again, Chinese youth are unable to adequately defend the CCP, making it extremely difficult for these institutions to initiate genuine dialogue. However, their reluctance isn’t surprising, as it is shaped by two concerns: fear of being discriminated against abroad, and fear of persecution in their home country. The first of these worries rev...

Germany’s undertaker-in-chief

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

BERLIN — Olaf Scholz was dressing the corpse.“We’ve had a very successful track record this year and last,” the German leader insisted at the outset of a two-day retreat for his fractious Cabinet north of Berlin this week.No one bought it, least of all Scholz.As if to acknowledge as much, the chancellor wore a somber expression as he delivered his monotone “why can’t we all just get along” plea to the cameras.  “It would be good if everyone could use their communications strategies to contribute,” he concluded, with a lifeless functionality.  Standing at dusk in a dark raincoat next to a centuries-old linden tree, Scholz looked more like an undertaker than the chancellor of Germany.It was an apposite choice of clothing: Scholz might have another two years in office, but for all intents and purposes his government is a goner, its ambitious agenda bled dry.It was never going to be easy to mesh the priorities of Germany’s first multiparty national coalition in decades, espec...

Grant Shapps is Britain’s new defense secretary. What does it mean for Ukraine?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

LONDON — With Ben Wallace’s exit as U.K. defense secretary Thursday, the original power duo who came out fighting for Ukraine are now both gone. While Boris Johnson gained grudging respect across the world for his rapid response to the Russian invasion — and bromance with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — Johnson’s old pal Wallace was equally lauded for standing four-square behind him and doing much of the legwork.Now Wallace’s replacement at the Ministry of Defense, Grant Shapps, must show he’s just as tough.Shapps is a well-established figure at the top of British politics, yet a surprise pick for defense secretary all the same. With the exception of one junior role in the department for international development, he has only ever held domestic portfolios over a long career in office which began back in 2010 under David Cameron’s leadership. The former business and energy secretary is also one of only three ministers without some form of milita...

Person hit in head by plane propeller at Norwood Airport

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

A person was taken to a Boston hospital Thursday after they were hit in the head by a plane propeller at Norwood Memorial Airport, fire officials said. Emergency crews responded to the airport Thursday night and were spotted on scene examining the plane involved in this incident after 9 p.m. Officials said the injured person had been trying to kickstart the propeller on a small-single engine aircraft at the time of the incident. The person’s injuries were considered non-life-threatening as of Thursday night, according to officials. Emergency crews had cleared the scene as of around 10 p.m. 

Patriots claim QB Matt Corral off waivers, place WR Tyquan Thornton on injured reserve

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Mac Jones time as the only quarterback on the Patriots’ active roster lasted for just one day.New England claimed quarterback Matt Corral off waivers from Carolina on Thursday after coach Bill Belichick cut both Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham while paring down his initial 53-man roster.Zappe and Cunningham have since been signed to the practice squad, but the addition of Corral slots him as Jones’ backup as the Patriots begin preparations for their Sept. 10 season opener against Philadelphia.Corral was the Panthers’ third-round draft pick in 2022 after starring at Mississippi, but never got on the field in the regular season. He missed his entire rookie season after suffering a foot injury in a preseason game against New England.Carolina moved up in the 2022 draft to select Corral, using the 94th overall pick it received in a trade with the Patriots in exchange for compensation that included a fourth-round pick (147th overall) that New England event...

Sand sculpture exhibition set to open in NH

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

As beach days dwindle, one company is giving sand a fall feel with an exhibition set to open in New Hampshire this weekend.Sculptured Sand: Tales of the Dark Forest will open in North Woodstock on Friday, featuring more than 25 unique sand sculptures. The sculptures by a variety of artists will depict fantasy creatures and characters along a winding trail through a scenic autumn forest. “Princesses, centaurs, trees that have come alive — every one is really a mural incorporating all sorts of different artistic elements and characters which is really exciting,” said Sculptured Sand Operations Director Jared Henningsen. “It’s something for the whole family.”The exhibition is one of the largest of its kind in North America. Once open, the exhibition’s sculptures will be on display through Oct. 29. Learn more on the sculptured sand website here.

Joe Battenfeld’s political columns

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

Click here for all of Joe Battenfeld’s political columns — there’s no one better.

UN chief warns that rise in global distrust and improvements in nukes are `recipe for annihilation’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — An alarming rise in global distrust and division coupled with efforts by countries to improve the accuracy and destructive power of nuclear weapons is “a recipe for annihilation,” the United Nations chief warned Tuesday.In a statement marking the International Day Against Nuclear Tests, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that with nearly 13,000 nuclear weapons stockpiled around the world, “a legally binding prohibition on nuclear tests is a fundamental step in our quest for a world free of nuclear weapons.”The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty has 196 member states — 186 have signed it and 178 have ratified it, including eight in the last 18 months. But the pact has not taken effect because it needs ratification by the eight nations that had nuclear power reactors or research reactors when the U.N. General Assembly adopted the treaty in 1996.At a high-level meeting of the 193-member assembly to observe the day there was no indication that those eight c...