In his remarks, Francis praised Mongolia\u2019s tradition of religious liberty, noting that such tolerance existed even during the period of the Mongol Empire\u2019s vast expansion over much of the world. At its height, the empire stretched as far west as Hungary to become the largest contiguous land empire in world history. Nowadays, the landlocked nation sandwiched between Russia and China is overwhelmingly Buddhist, with traditional links to Tibet\u2019s leading lamas, including the Dalai Lama.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that the empire could embrace such distant and varied lands over the centuries bears witness to the remarkable ability of your ancestors to acknowledge the outstanding qualities of the peoples present in its immense territory and to put those qualities at the service of a common development,\u201d Francis told the president, diplomats and cultural leaders in remarks at the state palace.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis model should be valued and re-proposed in our own day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Referring to the 13th-century period of relative political stability within the Mongol Empire that allowed trade and travel to flourish, Francis called for such a period of fraternity and peace to take root today.<\/p>\n
\u201cMay heaven grant that today, on this earth devastated by countless conflicts, there be a renewal, respectful of international laws, of the condition of what was once the pax Mongolica, that is the absence of conflicts,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Khurelsukh also referred to the \u201cpax Mongolica\" in his remarks, saying that same spirit still guides Mongolia's efforts to be a peaceful, multilateral player on the world stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cAchievements of pax Mongolica have created the solid grounds for the development of mutual respect between different nations of the world, cherishing each other's values and identities, enabling peaceful coexistence of various civilizations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Francis noted that he was giving the president an authenticated copy of the letter that the then-ruler of the Mongol Empire, Guyuk Khan, wrote to Pope Innocent IV in 1246 after the pontiff sent emissaries east seeking to understand the intentions of the vastly advancing empire.<\/p>\n
According to a translated copy of the letter reproduced in the 1955 book \u201cThe Mongol Mission,\u201d Guyuk indicated he didn\u2019t understand the pope\u2019s request that he convert to Christianity and insisted that God was on his side, commanding his troops to conquer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThough thou likewise sayest that I should become a trembling Nestorian Christian, worship God and be an ascetic, how knowest thou whom God absolves, in truth to whom He shows mercy?\u201d he wrote, according to the translation. \u201cFrom the rising of the sun to its setting, all the lands have been made subject to me. Who could do this contrary to the command of God?\u201d<\/p>\n
In his remarks, Francis also praised Mongolia\u2019s efforts to care for the environment. The vast, landlocked country, historically afflicted by weather extremes, is considered to be one of the countries most affected by climate change.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The country has already experienced a 2.1-degree Celsius increase in average temperatures over the past 70 years, and an estimated 77 per cent of its land is degraded because of overgrazing and climate change, according to the United Nations Development Program.<\/p>\n
Mongolia is set to host the 2026 UN conference on desertification and has launched a campaign to plant 1 billion trees across its vast steppes and mountains of grasslands.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou help us to appreciate and carefully cultivate what we Christians consider to be God\u2019s creation, the fruit of his benevolent design, and to combat the effects of human devastation by a culture of care and foresight reflected in responsible ecological policies,\u201d Francis said.<\/p>\n
The pope, however, noted the need to combat corruption, an apparent reference to a scandal over Mongolia\u2019s trade with China over the alleged theft of 385,000 tons of coal. In December, hundreds of people braved freezing cold temperatures in the capital to protest the scandal.<\/p>\n
\"Corruption is the fruit of a utilitarian and unscrupulous mentality that has impoverished whole countries,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is a sign of a vision that fails to look up to the sky and flees the vast horizons of fraternity, becoming instead self-enclosed and concerned with its own interests alone.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said religions in particular can represent a safeguard against the \u201cinsidious threat of corruption, which effectively represents a serious menace to the development of any human community.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mongolian government has declared 2023 to be an \u201canti-corruption year\u201d and says it is carrying out a five-part plan based on Transparency International, the global anti-graft watchdog that ranked Mongolia 116th last year in its corruption perceptions index.<\/p>\n
Later Saturday, Francis was to meet with the priests and missionaries who tend to the country's tiny Catholic community at the capital\u2019s St. Peter and Paul Cathedral.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1693615851,"updatedAt":1723539856,"publishedAt":1693643173,"firstPublishedAt":1693643175,"lastPublishedAt":1693671974,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/86\/48\/58\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_8b6a66b5-62f0-5595-b69a-54df7c927d33-7864858.jpg","altText":"Mongolian President Ukhnaagin Khurelsukh, left, and Pope Francis meet, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in front of a gigantic statue of Genghis Khan","caption":"Mongolian President Ukhnaagin Khurelsukh, left, and Pope Francis meet, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in front of a gigantic statue of Genghis Khan","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ng Han Guan\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/86\/48\/58\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_16588805-48bf-52e6-aa94-21311c314a8d-7864858.jpg","altText":"People hold pictures of Pope Francis with the national flags of the People's Republic of China and of the Vatican as they wait for Pope Francis to arrive on Saturday, Sept 2.","caption":"People hold pictures of Pope Francis with the national flags of the People's Republic of China and of the Vatican as they wait for Pope Francis to arrive on Saturday, Sept 2.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ng Han Guan\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/86\/48\/58\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_a409813d-5eda-5bd3-81b1-731282acfe85-7864858.jpg","altText":"Mongolian President Ukhnaagin Khurelsukh, right, and Pope Francis meet, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in front of the Saaral Ordon Government Building in Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaan","caption":"Mongolian President Ukhnaagin Khurelsukh, right, and Pope Francis meet, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in front of the Saaral Ordon Government Building in Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaan","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Andrew Medichini\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/86\/48\/58\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_c8fda9fc-c740-5432-a06c-885c7cf5bc59-7864858.jpg","altText":"Mongolian President Ukhnaagin Khurelsukh, right, claps his hands at Pope Francis signing the honor book as they meet, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, at the State Palace in Sukhbaata","caption":"Mongolian President Ukhnaagin Khurelsukh, right, claps his hands at Pope Francis signing the honor book as they meet, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, at the State Palace in Sukhbaata","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Remo Casilli\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/86\/48\/58\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_e4fc7945-297d-5199-a17a-530437556566-7864858.jpg","altText":"Mongolian President Ukhnaagin Khurelsukh, right, and Pope Francis meet, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, at the State Palace in Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar. ","caption":"Mongolian President Ukhnaagin Khurelsukh, right, and Pope Francis meet, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, at the State Palace in Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar. ","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Remo Casilli\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/86\/48\/66\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f6d438e9-d698-5bec-8bf6-8ec7fe02b623-7864866.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"HANDOUT\/AFP","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":682}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":199,"slug":"mongolia","urlSafeValue":"mongolia","title":"Mongolia","titleRaw":"Mongolia"},{"id":9005,"slug":"pope","urlSafeValue":"pope","title":"Pope","titleRaw":"Pope"},{"id":11574,"slug":"pope-francis","urlSafeValue":"pope-francis","title":"Pope Francis","titleRaw":"Pope Francis"},{"id":9425,"slug":"diplomatic-mission","urlSafeValue":"diplomatic-mission","title":"Diplomatic mission","titleRaw":"Diplomatic mission"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":3},{"slug":"related","count":2}],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"B1sliaBhLlc"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/23\/09\/02\/en\/230902_NWSU_52958813_52958842_60000_181053_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":59600,"filesizeBytes":7696880,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/23\/09\/02\/en\/230902_NWSU_52958813_52958842_60000_181053_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":59600,"filesizeBytes":11725808,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":199,"urlSafeValue":"mongolia","title":"Mongolia","url":"\/news\/asia\/mongolia"},"town":{"id":2189,"urlSafeValue":"ulan-bator","title":"Ulan Bator"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":"'gv_safe','gb_safe','gb_safe_from_high','gb_safe_from_high_med','pos_ukrainecriris_ru','gs_science','gs_society_religion','gs_society','gs_busfin'","versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2023\/09\/02\/pope-starts-mongolia-visit-by-praising-the-countrys-religious-freedom-dating-back-to-gengh","lastModified":1693671974},{"id":2360046,"cid":7863552,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"230901_NCSU_52948482","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NC1 POPE VISITS MONGOLIA","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Watch: Mongolia's children turn out in traditional dress to greet Pope Francis","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":" Mongolia's children greet Pope Francis in traditional dress","titleListing2":"Watch: Mongolia's children turn out in traditional dress to greet Pope Francis","leadin":"With just 1,450 Roman Catholics, Mongolia is one of the newest catholic communities in the world.","summary":"With just 1,450 Roman Catholics, Mongolia is one of the newest catholic communities in the world.","keySentence":"","url":"watch-mongolias-children-turn-out-in-traditional-dress-to-greet-pope-francis","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2023\/09\/01\/watch-mongolias-children-turn-out-in-traditional-dress-to-greet-pope-francis","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Pope Francis arrived in Mongolia on Friday for the first papal visit to the Asian nation, which only has 1,450 Roman Catholics. \n\nAfter an official welcome at the airport including a guard of honour, the 86-year-old pontiff headed into the capital Ulaanbaatar to visit the church\u2019s youngest Cardinal, Bishop Giorgio Marengo. \n\nThere he was greeted by crowds of cheering children, many wearing traditional costumes.. Seated in his wheelchair, Pope Francis watched as the children danced. \n\n","htmlText":"
Pope Francis arrived in Mongolia on Friday for the first papal visit to the Asian nation, which only has 1,450 Roman Catholics.<\/p>\n
After an official welcome at the airport including a guard of honour, the 86-year-old pontiff headed into the capital Ulaanbaatar to visit the church\u2019s youngest Cardinal, Bishop Giorgio Marengo.<\/p>\n
There he was greeted by crowds of cheering children, many wearing traditional costumes.. Seated in his wheelchair, Pope Francis watched as the children danced.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1693570450,"updatedAt":1723539856,"publishedAt":1693578207,"firstPublishedAt":1693578211,"lastPublishedAt":1693578211,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/86\/35\/52\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_c674eef3-4dc1-5da5-87a7-8b52fbc93d0f-7863552.jpg","altText":"Pope Francis is greeted by Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, left, Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, and faithful gathered outside the Apostolic Prefecture, Sept 1, 2023 ","caption":"Pope Francis is greeted by Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, left, Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, and faithful gathered outside the Apostolic Prefecture, Sept 1, 2023 ","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Louise Delmotte\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":199,"slug":"mongolia","urlSafeValue":"mongolia","title":"Mongolia","titleRaw":"Mongolia"},{"id":11574,"slug":"pope-francis","urlSafeValue":"pope-francis","title":"Pope Francis","titleRaw":"Pope Francis"},{"id":297,"slug":"vatican","urlSafeValue":"vatican","title":"Vatican","titleRaw":"Vatican"}],"widgets":[],"related":[{"id":2359510},{"id":2359846},{"id":2306612}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"nfFlz1AKTJc","dailymotionId":"x8nmted"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NC\/SU\/23\/09\/01\/en\/230901_NCSU_52948482_52948711_60000_141908_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":8031921,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NC\/SU\/23\/09\/01\/en\/230901_NCSU_52948482_52948711_60000_141908_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":12252337,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AFP, AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"nocomment","urlSafeValue":"nocomment","title":"No Comment","online":1,"url":"\/nocomment"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":199,"urlSafeValue":"mongolia","title":"Mongolia","url":"\/news\/asia\/mongolia"},"town":{"id":2189,"urlSafeValue":"ulan-bator","title":"Ulan Bator"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":"'gv_safe','gb_safe','gb_safe_from_high','gb_safe_from_high_med','gs_society','gs_society_religion','gs_fashion','gs_genres','gt_positive'","versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/video\/2023\/09\/01\/watch-mongolias-children-turn-out-in-traditional-dress-to-greet-pope-francis","lastModified":1693578211},{"id":2359846,"cid":7862836,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"230901_NWSU_52944220","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"POPE IN MONGOLIA UPDATE","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Pope Francis visits one of the world's smallest and newest Catholic communities in Mongolia","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Pope Francis visits Mongolia, home to 1,400 Roman Catholics","titleListing2":"Pope Francis visits one of the world's smallest and newest Catholic communities in Mongolia","leadin":"The Pope will visit a cardinal and a charity run by nuns as well as meeting political leaders in Mongolia","summary":"The Pope will visit a cardinal and a charity run by nuns as well as meeting political leaders in Mongolia","keySentence":"","url":"pope-francis-visits-one-of-the-worlds-smallest-and-newest-catholic-communities-in-mongolia","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2023\/09\/01\/pope-francis-visits-one-of-the-worlds-smallest-and-newest-catholic-communities-in-mongolia","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Pope Francis arrived in Mongolia on Friday morning to encourage one of the world's smallest and newest Catholic communities. \n\nIt'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 neighbours, Russia and China, are once again strained. \n\nFrancis 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. \n\nIn his message to Xi, Francis expressed \"greetings of good wishes to your excellency and the people of China.\" \n\n\"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. \n\nGoodwill gesture \n\nDespite strains in the relationship, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the greeting showed \"friendliness and goodwill.\" \n\n\"China is willing to continue to walk in the same direction with the Vatican, conduct constructive dialogues, enhance understanding, accumulate mutual trust, and promote the process of improving the relationship of the two sides,\" Wang said at a daily briefing. \n\nUpon arrival, Francis, who uses a wheelchair, was met on the tarmac by helmeted honour guards along with Mongolia's foreign minister and was offered a taste of dried yoghurt from a woman in traditional dress, as a sign of welcome. He made no public comments. Along with priests and others gathered on the tarmac, several dozen watched his arrival from the airport terminal. \n\nSpeaking to reporters en route to Mongolia late Thursday, Francis said he was looking forward to visiting a country that has just a few people, but with a culture that you need your senses to understand. \n\n\"There are only a few inhabitants \u2014 a small people, but a big culture,\" he said aboard the ITA charter plane. \"I think it will do us good to try to understand this long, big silence, understand what it means but not intellectually, but with senses.\" He added: \"Mongolia, you understand with your senses.\" \n\nOn tap are official meetings with the Mongolian president and prime minister and a speech before Mongolian government, cultural and business leaders, followed by Francis' first encounter with the bishops, priests and nuns who form the backbone of a tiny Catholic community of 1,450 that has only been in existence for a generation. \n\nWhile Christianity has been present in the region for hundreds of years, the Catholic Church has only had a sanctioned presence in Mongolia since 1992, after the country shrugged off its Soviet-allied communist government and enshrined religious freedom in its constitution. \n\nThe Holy See and Mongolia have had diplomatic relations ever since, and a handful of missionary religious orders including Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity have nurtured the tiny community through its first three decades of life. \n\nFour Missionaries of Charity sisters \u2014 Jeanne Francoise from Rwanda; Chanmi from South Korea; Viera from Slovakia and Suder from India \u2014 run a nursing home on the northern outskirts of Ulaanbaatar with a capacity of 30 beds. There, they provide care for elderly people with mental or physical disabilities, or who are homeless, undocumented, or otherwise ostracised by their families. \n\nSister Jeanne Francoise said it was an honour that Francis was coming to Mongolia, saying she had seen him once before when she was living in Rome but that it was never as \"close\" as it would be in Mongolia. \n\nFrancis has long praised the work of missionaries and has tried to reinvigorate the missionary focus of the church at large by visiting them and encouraging their work. One of his first events in Mongolia is to preside over an encounter with missionaries Saturday afternoon at the capital's St. Peter and Paul cathedral, and he ends his visit by inaugurating a new church-run charity house to tend to Mongolia's poorest. \n\n\"I want people to know that the Catholic religion, the Catholic Church, and Catholic believers also exist in Mongolia,\" the Rev. Sanjaajav Tserenkhand, a Mongolian priest, said outside the cathedral. He said he hoped that Francis' visit would also show Mongolians that Christianity isn't a \"foreign religion,\" but is also rooted in the country. \n\nCardinal Giorgio Marengo \n\nThe Argentine pontiff has long prioritised visiting Catholic communities in what he calls the peripheries, staying away from the global centres of Catholicism to minister instead to small churches where Catholics are often a minority. He has made cardinals out of their leaders to show the universal reach of the 1.3-billion-strong Catholic Church, including the head of the Mongolian church, Cardinal Giorgio Marengo. \n\n\"His heart burns with love for the universal church, and especially the church where she lives in a minority context,\" Marengo told journalists during a recent visit to Rome. \"And that is the wonderful meaning of his coming all the way to Mongolia.\" \n\nThe other main focus of Francis' four-day visit is to highlight Mongolia's long tradition of interfaith coexistence. The Mongol Empire under its famed founder Genghis Khan was known for tolerating people of different faiths among those it conquered, and Francis will likely emphasise that tradition when he presides over an interfaith meeting Sunday. \n\nInvited are Mongolian Buddhists, who are the majority in the nation of 3.3 million, as well as Jewish, Muslim and Shinto representatives and members of Christian churches that have established a presence in Mongolia in the last 30 years, including the Russian Orthodox Church. \n\nDiplomatic tightrope \n\nThat encounter could enable Francis to once again offer greetings to the Moscow patriarchate, which has strongly supported the Kremlin's war in Ukraine. Francis has tried to steer a diplomatic tightrope in not antagonising Moscow, consistent with the Vatican's tradition of diplomatic neutrality in conflicts. \n\nDays before his visit, he sparked outrage in Ukraine over his praise of Russia's imperial past, comments that the Vatican insisted were by no means an endorsement of Moscow's current war of aggression in Ukraine. \n\nWhile the Vatican has insisted Francis is going to Mongolia \u2014 not China or Russia \u2014 the China question will be ever-present: A group of Chinese Catholics, as well as Russian Catholics, are expected to attend Francis' Mass on Sunday in the Steppe Arena, but Beijing's crackdown on religious minorities remains the backdrop to the trip. \n\nIn addition, China's opposition to the Dalai Lama could come to the fore as Mongolian Buddhism is closely tied to Tibet's strain and traditionally reveres the Dalai Lama. Francis has made a hallmark of meeting with religious leaders from around the world, but he has so far refrained from meeting the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader, for fear of antagonising Beijing. \n\n","htmlText":"
Pope Francis arrived in Mongolia on Friday morning to encourage one of the world's smallest and newest Catholic communities.<\/p>\n
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 neighbours, Russia and China, are once again strained.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In his message to Xi, Francis expressed \"greetings of good wishes to your excellency and the people of China.\"<\/p>\n
\"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.<\/p>\n
Despite strains in the relationship, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the greeting showed \"friendliness and goodwill.\"<\/p>\n
\"China is willing to continue to walk in the same direction with the Vatican, conduct constructive dialogues, enhance understanding, accumulate mutual trust, and promote the process of improving the relationship of the two sides,\" Wang said at a daily briefing.<\/p>\n
Upon arrival, Francis, who uses a wheelchair, was met on the tarmac by helmeted honour guards along with Mongolia's foreign minister and was offered a taste of dried yoghurt from a woman in traditional dress, as a sign of welcome. He made no public comments. Along with priests and others gathered on the tarmac, several dozen watched his arrival from the airport terminal.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters en route to Mongolia late Thursday, Francis said he was looking forward to visiting a country that has just a few people, but with a culture that you need your senses to understand.<\/p>\n
\"There are only a few inhabitants \u2014 a small people, but a big culture,\" he said aboard the ITA charter plane. \"I think it will do us good to try to understand this long, big silence, understand what it means but not intellectually, but with senses.\" He added: \"Mongolia, you understand with your senses.\"<\/p>\n
On tap are official meetings with the Mongolian president and prime minister and a speech before Mongolian government, cultural and business leaders, followed by Francis' first encounter with the bishops, priests and nuns who form the backbone of a tiny Catholic community of 1,450 that has only been in existence for a generation.<\/p>\n
While Christianity has been present in the region for hundreds of years, the Catholic Church has only had a sanctioned presence in Mongolia since 1992, after the country shrugged off its Soviet-allied communist government and enshrined religious freedom in its constitution.<\/p>\n
The Holy See and Mongolia have had diplomatic relations ever since, and a handful of missionary religious orders including Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity have nurtured the tiny community through its first three decades of life.<\/p>\n
Four Missionaries of Charity sisters \u2014 Jeanne Francoise from Rwanda; Chanmi from South Korea; Viera from Slovakia and Suder from India \u2014 run a nursing home on the northern outskirts of Ulaanbaatar with a capacity of 30 beds. There, they provide care for elderly people with mental or physical disabilities, or who are homeless, undocumented, or otherwise ostracised by their families.<\/p>\n
Sister Jeanne Francoise said it was an honour that Francis was coming to Mongolia, saying she had seen him once before when she was living in Rome but that it was never as \"close\" as it would be in Mongolia.<\/p>\n
Francis has long praised the work of missionaries and has tried to reinvigorate the missionary focus of the church at large by visiting them and encouraging their work. One of his first events in Mongolia is to preside over an encounter with missionaries Saturday afternoon at the capital's St. Peter and Paul cathedral, and he ends his visit by inaugurating a new church-run charity house to tend to Mongolia's poorest.<\/p>\n
\"I want people to know that the Catholic religion, the Catholic Church, and Catholic believers also exist in Mongolia,\" the Rev. Sanjaajav Tserenkhand, a Mongolian priest, said outside the cathedral. He said he hoped that Francis' visit would also show Mongolians that Christianity isn't a \"foreign religion,\" but is also rooted in the country.<\/p>\n
The Argentine pontiff has long prioritised visiting Catholic communities in what he calls the peripheries, staying away from the global centres of Catholicism to minister instead to small churches where Catholics are often a minority. He has made cardinals out of their leaders to show the universal reach of the 1.3-billion-strong Catholic Church, including the head of the Mongolian church, Cardinal Giorgio Marengo.<\/p>\n
\"His heart burns with love for the universal church, and especially the church where she lives in a minority context,\" Marengo told journalists during a recent visit to Rome. \"And that is the wonderful meaning of his coming all the way to Mongolia.\"<\/p>\n
The other main focus of Francis' four-day visit is to highlight Mongolia's long tradition of interfaith coexistence. The Mongol Empire under its famed founder Genghis Khan was known for tolerating people of different faiths among those it conquered, and Francis will likely emphasise that tradition when he presides over an interfaith meeting Sunday.<\/p>\n
Invited are Mongolian Buddhists, who are the majority in the nation of 3.3 million, as well as Jewish, Muslim and Shinto representatives and members of Christian churches that have established a presence in Mongolia in the last 30 years, including the Russian Orthodox Church.<\/p>\n
That encounter could enable Francis to once again offer greetings to the Moscow patriarchate, which has strongly supported the Kremlin's war in Ukraine. Francis has tried to steer a diplomatic tightrope in not antagonising Moscow, consistent with the Vatican's tradition of diplomatic neutrality in conflicts.<\/p>\n
Days before his visit, he sparked outrage in Ukraine over his praise of Russia's imperial past, comments that the Vatican insisted were by no means an endorsement of Moscow's current war of aggression in Ukraine.<\/p>\n
While the Vatican has insisted Francis is going to Mongolia \u2014 not China or Russia \u2014 the China question will be ever-present: A group of Chinese Catholics, as well as Russian Catholics, are expected to attend Francis' Mass on Sunday in the Steppe Arena, but Beijing's crackdown on religious minorities remains the backdrop to the trip.<\/p>\n
In addition, China's opposition to the Dalai Lama could come to the fore as Mongolian Buddhism is closely tied to Tibet's strain and traditionally reveres the Dalai Lama. Francis has made a hallmark of meeting with religious leaders from around the world, but he has so far refrained from meeting the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader, for fear of antagonising Beijing.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1693561684,"updatedAt":1723539856,"publishedAt":1693567298,"firstPublishedAt":1693567301,"lastPublishedAt":1693567301,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/86\/28\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_33e059f7-ffff-57c8-9af9-1458381282a5-7862836.jpg","altText":"Pope Francis is received by the Foreign Minister of Mongolia, Batmunkh Battsetseg, right, as he arrives at Ulaanbaatar's airport Chinggis Khaan, Friday, Sept. 1, 2023","caption":"Pope Francis is received by the Foreign Minister of Mongolia, Batmunkh Battsetseg, right, as he arrives at Ulaanbaatar's airport Chinggis Khaan, Friday, Sept. 1, 2023","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ng Han Guan\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/86\/28\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_cfd0c710-b663-5cf9-9112-c80906732cff-7862836.jpg","altText":"Children run past a mural featuring Pope Francis outside Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Cathedral in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.","caption":"Children run past a mural featuring Pope Francis outside Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Cathedral in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Louise Delmotte\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/86\/28\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_531a93b9-6771-59ec-91da-72e96806e311-7862836.jpg","altText":"Pope Francis, left, is flanked by his spokeperson Matteo Bruni as he talks with journalist on their flight to Mongolia, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.","caption":"Pope Francis, left, is flanked by his spokeperson Matteo Bruni as he talks with journalist on their flight to Mongolia, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Alberto Pizzoli\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/86\/28\/36\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_870e8228-1040-5dd2-8e48-402adac2fd89-7862836.jpg","altText":"The Pope's plane lands in Mongolia, September 1, 2023","caption":"The Pope's plane lands in Mongolia, September 1, 2023","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ng Han Guan\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":199,"slug":"mongolia","urlSafeValue":"mongolia","title":"Mongolia","titleRaw":"Mongolia"},{"id":11574,"slug":"pope-francis","urlSafeValue":"pope-francis","title":"Pope Francis","titleRaw":"Pope Francis"},{"id":27428,"slug":"central-asia","urlSafeValue":"central-asia","title":"Central Asia","titleRaw":"Central Asia"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":3}],"related":[{"id":2357516},{"id":2337370},{"id":2360046}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"OvTz-RAz2yU","dailymotionId":"x8nmp1l"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/23\/09\/01\/en\/230901_NWSU_52944220_52944260_67000_131405_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":67000,"filesizeBytes":8908579,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/23\/09\/01\/en\/230901_NWSU_52944220_52944260_67000_131405_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":67000,"filesizeBytes":13896995,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP, AFP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World 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Bator"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":"'gv_safe','gb_safe','gb_safe_from_high','gb_safe_from_high_med','pos_equinor','pos_facebook','pos_pmi','gs_society','gs_society_religion','gs_science_geography','gs_science','shadow9hu7_pos_ukrainecrisis','neg_facebook_2021','neg_nespresso','gt_positive','sm_politics','gs_politics_issues_policy','gs_politics_misc','neg_intel_mobkoi','neg_religion_google_en','neg_mobkoi_creed_eng','gs_busfin','gs_family_children'","versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2023\/09\/01\/pope-francis-visits-one-of-the-worlds-smallest-and-newest-catholic-communities-in-mongolia","lastModified":1693567301},{"id":2359510,"cid":7861808,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"230901_NWSU_52940878","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"POPE ARRIVES IN MONGOLIA","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Pope Francis lands in Ulaanbaatar at start of historic visit to Mongolia","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Pope Francis in Ulaanbaatar at start of historic visit to Mongolia","titleListing2":"Pope Francis lands in Ulaanbaatar at start of historic visit to Mongolia","leadin":"The former Soviet country has fewer than 1,500 Roman Catholics","summary":"The former Soviet country has fewer than 1,500 Roman Catholics","keySentence":"","url":"pope-francis-lands-in-ulaanbaatar-at-start-of-historic-visit-to-mongolia","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2023\/09\/01\/pope-francis-lands-in-ulaanbaatar-at-start-of-historic-visit-to-mongolia","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Pope Francis arrived Friday in Mongolia for a visit to one of the world\u2019s smallest and newest Catholic communities. \n\nFrancis landed in the Mongol capital Ulaanbaatar where he was welcomed by honour guards and state officials. \n\nIt is the first papal visit to the Asian country at a time when the Vatican\u2019s relations with Mongolia's two powerful neighbours Russia and China are once again strained. \n\nFrancis will take the remainder of the day off to rest before his official programme begins on Saturday. \n\nSpeaking to reporters en route to Mongolia late Thursday, Francis said he was looking forward to visiting a country that has just a few people, but with a culture that you need your senses to understand. \n\nHis schedule involves official meetings with the Mongolian president and prime minister, a speech before the Mongolian government, and cultural and business leaders, followed by Francis' first encounter with the bishops, priests and nuns who form the backbone of a tiny Catholic community of 1,450 that has only been in existence for a generation. \n\nWhile Christianity has been present in the region for hundreds of years, the Catholic Church has only had a sanctioned presence in Mongolia since 1992, after the country shrugged off its Soviet-allied communist government and enshrined religious freedom in its constitution. \n\nThe Holy See and Mongolia have had diplomatic relations ever since, and a handful of missionary religious orders including Mother Teresa\u2019s Missionaries of Charity have nurtured the tiny community through its first three decades of life. \n\n","htmlText":"
Pope Francis arrived Friday in Mongolia for a visit to one of the world\u2019s smallest and newest Catholic communities.<\/p>\n
Francis landed in the Mongol capital Ulaanbaatar where he was welcomed by honour guards and state officials.<\/p>\n
It is the first papal visit to the Asian country at a time when the Vatican\u2019s relations with Mongolia's two powerful neighbours Russia and China are once again strained.<\/p>\n
Francis will take the remainder of the day off to rest before his official programme begins on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters en route to Mongolia late Thursday, Francis said he was looking forward to visiting a country that has just a few people, but with a culture that you need your senses to understand.<\/p>\n
His schedule involves official meetings with the Mongolian president and prime minister, a speech before the Mongolian government, and cultural and business leaders, followed by Francis' first encounter with the bishops, priests and nuns who form the backbone of a tiny Catholic community of 1,450 that has only been in existence for a generation.<\/p>\n
While Christianity has been present in the region for hundreds of years, the Catholic Church has only had a sanctioned presence in Mongolia since 1992, after the country shrugged off its Soviet-allied communist government and enshrined religious freedom in its constitution.<\/p>\n
The Holy See and Mongolia have had diplomatic relations ever since, and a handful of missionary religious orders including Mother Teresa\u2019s Missionaries of Charity have nurtured the tiny community through its first three decades of life.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1693534789,"updatedAt":1723539856,"publishedAt":1693551922,"firstPublishedAt":1693551924,"lastPublishedAt":1693551924,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/86\/18\/08\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_28a1e2db-c81c-55bf-8b72-e7ed63eaf65a-7861808.jpg","altText":"Pope Francis is received by the Foreign Minister of Mongolia, Batmunkh Battsetseg, right, as he arrives at Ulaanbaatar's International airport Chinggis Khaan, Friday, Sept. 1,","caption":"Pope Francis is received by the Foreign Minister of Mongolia, Batmunkh Battsetseg, right, as he arrives at Ulaanbaatar's International airport Chinggis Khaan, Friday, Sept. 1,","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Andrew Medichini\/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/86\/18\/06\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_7ae49b43-1e1c-5309-a0af-32f15374713d-7861806.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AFP","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":11574,"slug":"pope-francis","urlSafeValue":"pope-francis","title":"Pope Francis","titleRaw":"Pope Francis"},{"id":12,"slug":"asia","urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia","titleRaw":"Asia"},{"id":199,"slug":"mongolia","urlSafeValue":"mongolia","title":"Mongolia","titleRaw":"Mongolia"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2357560}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"2roKlAzC97w","dailymotionId":"x8nmhpa"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/NW\/SU\/23\/09\/01\/en\/230901_NWSU_52940878_52940905_35000_080655_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":35000,"filesizeBytes":4559714,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/NW\/SU\/23\/09\/01\/en\/230901_NWSU_52940878_52940905_35000_080655_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":35000,"filesizeBytes":7027042,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":199,"urlSafeValue":"mongolia","title":"Mongolia","url":"\/news\/asia\/mongolia"},"town":{"id":2189,"urlSafeValue":"ulan-bator","title":"Ulan Bator"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":"'gv_safe','gb_safe','gb_safe_from_high','gb_safe_from_high_med','gs_science','gs_science_geography','gs_society_religion','gs_society','gs_travel','gs_news_and_weather','gs_travel_type','gt_negative','gt_negative_fear'","versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2023\/09\/01\/pope-francis-lands-in-ulaanbaatar-at-start-of-historic-visit-to-mongolia","lastModified":1693551924},{"id":2305964,"cid":7704614,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"230624_SPSU_52180301","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"JUDO ULAANBAATAR GRAND SLAM DAY 2","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Japanese judoka on amazing form in Ulaanbaatar","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":null,"titleListing2":"Japanese judoka on amazing form in Ulaanbaatar","leadin":"Japan takes all four gold medals up for offer on day two in Mongolia","summary":"Japan takes all four gold medals up for offer on day two in Mongolia","keySentence":"","url":"japanese-judoka-on-amazing-form-in-ulaanbaatar","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2023\/06\/24\/japanese-judoka-on-amazing-form-in-ulaanbaatar","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Mongolia is the land of Chinggis Khan, a vast landscape that's home to tradition but also the bustling city of Ulaanbaatar, and the second day of its second Judo Grand Slam. A beautiful opening ceremony showcased traditional culture and fantastic local artists. \n\nIJF Secretary General Dr Lisa Allan declared the competition open, alongside Sodbaatar Yangug the Chief of Staff of the Office of the President of Mongolia. \n\nNabekura takes gold at\u00a0-63kg \n\nAt -63kg Nabekura Nami looked back on top form, some swift footwork got the decisive score in the final, much to the joy of the Japanese judoka \n\nBat-Erdene Badmaanyambuu Minister for Sports of Mongolia gave out the medals \n\n\u201cI am so happy to have fans in Mongolia,\" said Nabekura. \"It was really wonderful to meet all the young fans here and sign autographs for them\u201d \n\nOyoshi Ken executed a massive counter-attack to take the -73kg title. \n\nAfter a lovely moment shared with his coach, a troupe of young fans looking for selfies, a familiar sight in Mongolia. \n\nHe was awarded his medal by Sodbaatar Yangug, Chief of Staff of the Office of the President of Mongolia. \n\n\u201cI am so happy to show my best performance here in Mongolia,\" said Oyoshi. \"It was great to show my best Judo to the young Judo fans here\u201d \n\nKohara makes it four out of four for Japan \n\nTanaka Shiho took a tactical victory over Croatia\u2019s Lara Cvjetko at -70kg and also celebrated with the judo-loving crowd. \n\nShe was awarded her medal by Dr Lisa Allan Secretary General of the International Judo Federation. \n\nKohara Kenya made it four out of four gold medals for Japan on Day 2 of the Grand Slam with an exciting one-handed uchi-mata attack in the -81kg final. \n\nZundui Tumurtumuu Deputy Governor of Ulaanbaatar City made the presentations. \n\nErdenebayar Batzaya was the day 2 home hero, with a powerful performance on his way to the bronze medal contest at -73kg. \n\nThere he brought the crowd to their feet with a clever change of direction, giving all the Mongolian fans in attendance a great chance to cheer! \n\nA fantastic way to end the second day of the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam, in Mongolia, don\u2019t miss the final day tomorrow \n\n","htmlText":"
Mongolia is the land of Chinggis Khan, a vast landscape that's home to tradition but also the bustling city of Ulaanbaatar, and the second day of its second Judo Grand Slam. A beautiful opening ceremony showcased traditional culture and fantastic local artists.<\/p>\n
IJF Secretary General Dr Lisa Allan declared the competition open, alongside Sodbaatar Yangug the Chief of Staff of the Office of the President of Mongolia.<\/p>\n
At -63kg Nabekura Nami looked back on top form, some swift footwork got the decisive score in the final, much to the joy of the Japanese judoka<\/p>\n
Bat-Erdene Badmaanyambuu Minister for Sports of Mongolia gave out the medals<\/p>\n
\u201cI am so happy to have fans in Mongolia,\" said Nabekura. \"It was really wonderful to meet all the young fans here and sign autographs for them\u201d<\/p>\n
Oyoshi Ken executed a massive counter-attack to take the -73kg title.<\/p>\n
After a lovely moment shared with his coach, a troupe of young fans looking for selfies, a familiar sight in Mongolia.<\/p>\n
He was awarded his medal by Sodbaatar Yangug, Chief of Staff of the Office of the President of Mongolia.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am so happy to show my best performance here in Mongolia,\" said Oyoshi. \"It was great to show my best Judo to the young Judo fans here\u201d<\/p>\n
Tanaka Shiho took a tactical victory over Croatia\u2019s Lara Cvjetko at -70kg and also celebrated with the judo-loving crowd.<\/p>\n
She was awarded her medal by Dr Lisa Allan Secretary General of the International Judo Federation.<\/p>\n
Kohara Kenya made it four out of four gold medals for Japan on Day 2 of the Grand Slam with an exciting one-handed uchi-mata attack in the -81kg final.<\/p>\n
Zundui Tumurtumuu Deputy Governor of Ulaanbaatar City made the presentations.<\/p>\n
Erdenebayar Batzaya was the day 2 home hero, with a powerful performance on his way to the bronze medal contest at -73kg.<\/p>\n
There he brought the crowd to their feet with a clever change of direction, giving all the Mongolian fans in attendance a great chance to cheer!<\/p>\n
A fantastic way to end the second day of the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam, in Mongolia, don\u2019t miss the final day tomorrow<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1687603725,"updatedAt":1723539856,"publishedAt":1687612780,"firstPublishedAt":1687612784,"lastPublishedAt":1687612784,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/70\/46\/12\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_8fefec25-a868-568d-b25e-0626e3c41edc-7704612.jpg","altText":"Japan takes all four golds in Mongolia","caption":"Japan takes all four golds in Mongolia","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Emanuele Di Feliciantonio\/IJF","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1280,"height":853}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":10007,"slug":"judo","urlSafeValue":"judo","title":"Judo","titleRaw":"Judo"},{"id":7829,"slug":"sport","urlSafeValue":"sport","title":"Sport","titleRaw":"Sport"},{"id":199,"slug":"mongolia","urlSafeValue":"mongolia","title":"Mongolia","titleRaw":"Mongolia"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"twitter","count":2}],"related":[{"id":2299576},{"id":2298868}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"rU3FkwGkUnU","dailymotionId":"x8m0nh9"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/SP\/SU\/23\/06\/24\/en\/230624_SPSU_52180301_52180326_180000_160112_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":180000,"filesizeBytes":23240024,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/SP\/SU\/23\/06\/24\/en\/230624_SPSU_52180301_52180326_180000_160112_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":180000,"filesizeBytes":35636568,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"IJF","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"sport","urlSafeValue":"sport","title":"Sport","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/sport"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"sport","urlSafeValue":"sport","title":"Sport","url":"\/news\/sport"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":8,"urlSafeValue":"sport","title":"Sport"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":199,"urlSafeValue":"mongolia","title":"Mongolia","url":"\/news\/asia\/mongolia"},"town":{"id":2189,"urlSafeValue":"ulan-bator","title":"Ulan Bator"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":"'gv_safe','gb_safe','pos_equinor','pos_facebook','pos_pmi','pos_ukraine-russia','gt_positive','gs_sport','neg_facebook_2021','gt_positive_happiness','gs_sport_misc','shadow9hu7_pos_ukrainecrisis','neg_bucherer','castrol_negative_uk','neg_mobkoi_castrol','neg_nespresso','gt_positive_love'","versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2023\/06\/24\/japanese-judoka-on-amazing-form-in-ulaanbaatar","lastModified":1687612784},{"id":2279662,"cid":7624396,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":"230523_NWSU_51757496","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"WEB MACRON MONGOLIA VISIT","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Mongolia: Emmanuel Macron supports controversial uranium mining during official visit","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Searching for uranium in Mongolia, Macron stirs up mining controversy","titleListing2":"\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddf3 Searching for uranium in Mongolia, Macron stirs up mining controversy in his bid for more domestic energy independence.","leadin":"The French president is trying to boost a project that could strengthen domestic energy independence, but which is considered controversial by some in the Asian nation.","summary":"The French president is trying to boost a project that could strengthen domestic energy independence, but which is considered controversial by some in the Asian nation.","keySentence":"","url":"mongolia-emmanuel-macron-supports-controversial-uranium-mining-during-official-visit","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2023\/05\/24\/mongolia-emmanuel-macron-supports-controversial-uranium-mining-during-official-visit","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Emmanuel Macron is the first sitting French president to set foot on Mongolian soil since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1965 between the two countries. \n\nMongolian President Ukhnaagiin Kh\u00fcrels\u00fckh welcomed Macron with a grand ceremony, to a country almost three times the size of France but with a population of only 3.3 million. \n\nIt is no coincidence that Macron stopped off in Ulaanbaatar, the capital. He is making every effort to reach out to countries that have not clearly condemned Russia's war in Ukraine. Macron could see this as an opportunity to consolidate relations with countries bordering Russia, as he did recently when he welcomed the Uzbek and Kazakh presidents to Paris. \n\nParis announced that it wanted to \u201cloosen the constraint on Russia's neighbours and give them a choice of options\u201d. Mongolia is landlocked between Russia and China and remains dependent in terms of exports, 86% of which end up in China. \n\nSince the war in Ukraine, France has sought to detach itself from Russia to obtain uranium supplies by diversifying its imports among several countries, such as Kazakhstan, Niger and Australia.\u00a0 \n\nMongolia is next on France's list of suppliers.\u00a0 \n\nA soil rich in uranium \n\nThe French nuclear group Orano (formerly Areva) has been operating in Mongolia sice 1997 with several natural uranium mining projects . Uranium exports to France are still insignificant, but Orano has a significant presence in Mongolia, where it is working with state-owned companies to exploit deposits in the Gobi desert in the southeast of the country. \n\nThe two heads of state have committed to accelerating the development of two uranium deposits: Dulaan Uul and Zoovch Ovoo, whose resources are estimated at 64,000 tonnes. France consumes about 7,000 tonnes of natural uranium per year to produce 40% of its energy. \n\nIt is estimated the Mongolian mines would be in operation for the next three decades, employing 800 local workers.\u00a0\u00a0 \n\nThe problem is that local populations don\u2019t approve of this project, which \"brings a lot of bitterness\", says Khishig-Erdene Gonchig, a PhD in legal science and a promoter of cultural and educational projects in Mongolia. \n\nShe recalls Laurent Fabius' visit to Mongolia in 2013 when Areva (now Orano) signed an association agreement with the Mongolian state-owned company Mon-Atom to develop these two uranium mines in the Gobi desert. Even then, \"it wasn't exactly applauded,\" she says ironically. \n\nThe Mongolians respect the \"mother earth\", which they consider sacred, says Gonchig, and take a dim view of the establishment of industrialists, as they did when the Anglo-Australian giant Rio Tinto started up its copper mine in March. \n\nIn 2018, Orano had been targeted by a judicial investigation by the French Parquet national financier (PNF) for suspicions of \"bribery of a foreign public official\" in Mongolia. Eurotradia International, the consulting firm that played a decisive role in the authorisation of uranium mining in the Gobi desert, is suspected of corruption by PNF. Orano has since announced that it is \"terminating the contracts with Eurotradia\". \n\nThe management of the country's oil and mining resources has been plagued by endemic corruption for years. In December 2022, thousands of people marched in the capital accusing MPs and company executives of embezzlement after the revelation that one million tonnes of coal had been misappropriated over nine years. \n\nComplaint filed against Orano\u2019s project \n\nEmmanuel Macron's visit brought \"something very joyful but marked by a commercial state of mind\", Chimegmaa Orsoo, a PhD in political science and anti-nuclear activist based in France, told Euronews. She has recorded serious health incidents among local populations living around the mine operating sites in Mongolia.\u00a0 \n\nWith a group of Mongolian citizens, she filed a complaint in 2018 against Badrakh Energy, Orano's subsidiary in Mongolia. The plaintiffs claim that mining has caused, among other things, malformations in livestock, cancers and miscarriages. Orano insists that its \"in-situ leaching\" (ISL) extraction method is \"safe for humans and the environment\". \n\nThe French\u00a0 Sortir du Nucl\u00e9aire network of associations has criticised this extraction method, which injects \"enormous quantities of sulphuric acid into the ground, hundreds of tonnes to extract one tonne of uranium\". They say this could contaminate the wells used in this desert region by the population. \n\nEuronews was given access to documents from the legal proceedings which appear to indicate that wells near Orano's facilities have been contaminated with strontium and arsenic. Orano replied to Euronews in an email saying that the groundwater in the area \"is unfit for human consumption [...] due to its natural chemical composition\".\u00a0 \n\n\"The poor quality of the water was recorded in the pilot area long before the first Badrakh Energy operations began,\" Orano adds.\u00a0 \n\nOrano also explains that it commissioned the independent international organisation Stantec to conduct a study, which concluded that \"the uranium mine project has no negative impact on the environment, human and livestock health.\" \n\nThe plaintiffs are now seeking an independent expert opinion that may or may not prove, at trial, the link between the uranium mines and the health problems observed in their vicinity. \n\nThe Mongolian embassy in Paris was unable to respond to Euronews' interview requests. \n\n","htmlText":"
Emmanuel Macron is the first sitting French president to set foot on Mongolian soil since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1965 between the two countries.<\/p>\n
Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Kh\u00fcrels\u00fckh welcomed Macron with a grand ceremony, to a country almost three times the size of France but with a population of only 3.3 million.<\/p>\n
It is no coincidence that Macron stopped off in Ulaanbaatar, the capital. He is making every effort to reach out to countries that have not clearly condemned Russia's war in Ukraine. Macron could see this as an opportunity to consolidate relations with countries bordering Russia, as he did recently when he welcomed the Uzbek and Kazakh presidents to Paris.<\/p>\n
Paris announced that it wanted to \u201cloosen the constraint on Russia's neighbours and give them a choice of options\u201d. Mongolia is landlocked between Russia and China and remains dependent in terms of exports, 86% of which end up in China.<\/p>\n
Since the war in Ukraine, France has sought to detach itself from Russia to obtain uranium supplies by diversifying its imports among several countries, such as Kazakhstan, Niger and Australia.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mongolia is next on France's list of suppliers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The French nuclear group Orano<\/strong><\/a> (formerly Areva) has been operating in Mongolia sice 1997 with several natural uranium mining projects<\/strong><\/a>. Uranium exports to France are still insignificant, but Orano has a significant presence in Mongolia, where it is working with state-owned companies to exploit deposits in the Gobi desert in the southeast of the country.<\/p>\n The two heads of state have committed to accelerating the development of two uranium deposits: Dulaan Uul and Zoovch Ovoo, whose resources are estimated at 64,000 tonnes. France consumes about 7,000 tonnes of natural uranium per year to produce 40% of its energy.<\/p>\n It is estimated the Mongolian mines would be in operation for the next three decades, employing 800 local workers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The problem is that local populations don\u2019t approve of this project, which \"brings a lot of bitterness\", says Khishig-Erdene Gonchig, a PhD in legal science and a promoter of cultural and educational projects in Mongolia.<\/p>\n She recalls Laurent Fabius' visit to Mongolia in 2013 when Areva (now Orano) signed an association agreement with the Mongolian state-owned company Mon-Atom to develop these two uranium mines in the Gobi desert. Even then, \"it wasn't exactly applauded,\" she says ironically.<\/p>\n The Mongolians respect the \"mother earth\", which they consider sacred, says Gonchig, and take a dim view of the establishment of industrialists, as they did when the Anglo-Australian giant Rio Tinto started up its copper mine in March.<\/p>\n In 2018, Orano had been targeted by a judicial investigation by the French Parquet national financier (PNF) for suspicions of \"bribery of a foreign public official\" in Mongolia. Eurotradia International, the consulting firm that played a decisive role in the authorisation of uranium mining in the Gobi desert, is suspected of corruption by PNF. Orano has since announced that it is \"terminating the contracts with Eurotradia\".<\/p>\n The management of the country's oil and mining resources has been plagued by endemic corruption for years. In December 2022, thousands of people marched in the capital accusing MPs and company executives of embezzlement after the revelation that one million tonnes of coal had been misappropriated over nine years.<\/p>\n Emmanuel Macron's visit brought \"something very joyful but marked by a commercial state of mind\", Chimegmaa Orsoo, a PhD in political science and anti-nuclear activist based in France, told Euronews. She has recorded serious health incidents among local populations living around the mine operating sites in Mongolia.\u00a0<\/p>\n With a group of Mongolian citizens, she filed a complaint in 2018 against Badrakh Energy, Orano's subsidiary in Mongolia. The plaintiffs claim that mining has caused, among other things, malformations in livestock, cancers and miscarriages. Orano insists that its \"in-situ leaching\" (ISL) extraction method is \"safe for humans and the environment\".<\/p>\n The French\u00a0Sortir du Nucl\u00e9aire<\/strong><\/a> network of associations has criticised this extraction method, which injects \"enormous quantities of sulphuric acid into the ground, hundreds of tonnes to extract one tonne of uranium\". They say this could contaminate the wells used in this desert region by the population.<\/p>\n Euronews was given access to documents from the legal proceedings which appear to indicate that wells near Orano's facilities have been contaminated with strontium and arsenic. Orano replied to Euronews in an email saying that the groundwater in the area \"is unfit for human consumption [...] due to its natural chemical composition\".\u00a0<\/p>\n \"The poor quality of the water was recorded in the pilot area long before the first Badrakh Energy operations began,\" Orano adds.\u00a0<\/p>\n Orano also explains that it commissioned the independent international organisation Stantec<\/strong><\/a> to conduct a study, which concluded that \"the uranium mine project has no negative impact on the environment, human and livestock health.\"<\/p>\n The plaintiffs are now seeking an independent expert opinion that may or may not prove, at trial, the link between the uranium mines and the health problems observed in their vicinity.<\/p>\n The Mongolian embassy in Paris was unable to respond to Euronews' interview requests.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1684842949,"updatedAt":1723539856,"publishedAt":1684935416,"firstPublishedAt":1684935420,"lastPublishedAt":1684935420,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/07\/62\/43\/98\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_9e48c846-fdc5-548c-95e9-20150429f471-7624398.jpg","altText":"Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Kh\u00fcrels\u00fckh welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron upon his arrival at the government palace in Ulaanbaatar on May 21, 2023.","caption":"Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Kh\u00fcrels\u00fckh welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron upon his arrival at the government palace in Ulaanbaatar on May 21, 2023.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"LUDOVIC MARIN \/ AFP","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2624,"urlSafeValue":"camba","title":"Gael 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ULAANBAATAR DAY 3","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Judo: Women shine on Day 3 of Mongolia's Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam ","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Judo: Women shine on Day 3 of Mongolia's Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam ","titleListing2":"Judo: Women shine on Day 3 of Mongolia's Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam ","leadin":"On the final day of Mongolia's inaugural Judo Grand Slam, it was time for the heavyweights -- and the competing women rose to the occasion.","summary":"On the final day of Mongolia's inaugural Judo Grand Slam, it was time for the heavyweights -- and the competing women rose to the occasion.","keySentence":"","url":"women-shine-on-day-3-of-the-ulaanbaatar-grand-slam","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2022\/06\/26\/women-shine-on-day-3-of-the-ulaanbaatar-grand-slam","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"After two fantastic days of Judo in Mongolia, Day 3 of the inaugural Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam saw the whole judo world on tenterhooks for the heavyweights. \n\nIn front of a packed-out stadium, the final day saw the women rise to the occasion, showcasing incredible power and skill. \n\nAmong them was the under 78-kilogramme Japanese judoka and 2015 World Champion, Umeki Mami. \n\n\u00a0She took on Israel\u2019s Inbar Lanir who has been making her mark in the category. But Umeki\u2019s experience won out, with a powerful uchi-mata, winning her 9th World Judo Tour gold medal. \n\n\"My opponent in the final has a lot of momentum behind her at the moment. I decided to focus on a strong gripping tactic so that I could win the contest,\" Umeki Mami, gold medalist in the -78kg category said. \n\n\nMami was awarded her medal by a Mongolian parliament MP Damdiny Tsogtbaatar. \n\nMongolian hopes dashed in the +78kg category \n\nIn the over 78 kilogramme category, local hopes rested on the ever-consistent Adiyasuren Amarsaikhan. The heavyweight Mongolian had the support of the crowd and her teammates and dominated throughout her fights to earn a spot in the final.\u00a0 \n\nThere she met one of the most dynamic fighters in the category, Raz Hershko of Israel.\u00a0 \n\nHershko used her well-known dropping attacks, which although did not score, opened up an opportunity to transition into groundwork. A strong pin ended hopes for a Mongolian gold at the heavyweights. \n\nThe medals were awarded by Mongolian MP Badmaanyambuugiin Bat-Erdene. \n\nKorea\u2019s Kim Hayun delivered a phenomenal ippon in the over 78kg bronze contest. After winning the Grand Prix in Portugal earlier this year, and taking bronze in Paris, she is surely one to watch in the category. \n\nAfter the three days of competition, the IJF neutral banner topped the medals board with five gold medals, two silver and two bronze.\u00a0 \n\nJapan tallied four gold, one silver and two bronze; Mongolia came third, with a total of two gold medals, four silver and five bronze. \n\nThe popularity of judo in Mongolia has grown immensely, largely due to their recent successes, and the young heavyweights were there to prove that the future is bright.\u00a0 Thank you, Ulaanbaatar, for hosting a great event and see you next year! \n\n","htmlText":" After two fantastic days of Judo in Mongolia, Day 3 of the inaugural Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam saw the whole judo world on tenterhooks for the heavyweights.<\/p>\n In front of a packed-out stadium, the final day saw the women rise to the occasion, showcasing incredible power and skill.<\/p>\n Among them was the under 78-kilogramme Japanese judoka and 2015 World Champion, Umeki Mami.<\/p>\n \u00a0She took on Israel\u2019s Inbar Lanir who has been making her mark in the category. But Umeki\u2019s experience won out, with a powerful uchi-mata, winning her 9th World Judo Tour gold medal.<\/p>\n \"My opponent in the final has a lot of momentum behind her at the moment. I decided to focus on a strong gripping tactic so that I could win the contest,\" Umeki Mami, gold medalist in the -78kg category said. <\/p>\n Mami was awarded her medal by a Mongolian parliament MP Damdiny Tsogtbaatar.<\/p>\n In the over 78 kilogramme category, local hopes rested on the ever-consistent Adiyasuren Amarsaikhan. The heavyweight Mongolian had the support of the crowd and her teammates and dominated throughout her fights to earn a spot in the final.\u00a0<\/p>\n There she met one of the most dynamic fighters in the category, Raz Hershko of Israel.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hershko used her well-known dropping attacks, which although did not score, opened up an opportunity to transition into groundwork. A strong pin ended hopes for a Mongolian gold at the heavyweights.<\/p>\n The medals were awarded by Mongolian MP Badmaanyambuugiin Bat-Erdene.<\/p>\n Korea\u2019s Kim Hayun delivered a phenomenal ippon in the over 78kg bronze contest. After winning the Grand Prix in Portugal earlier this year, and taking bronze in Paris, she is surely one to watch in the category.<\/p>\n After the three days of competition, the IJF neutral banner topped the medals board with five gold medals, two silver and two bronze.\u00a0<\/p>\n Japan tallied four gold, one silver and two bronze; Mongolia came third, with a total of two gold medals, four silver and five bronze.<\/p>\n The popularity of judo in Mongolia has grown immensely, largely due to their recent successes, and the young heavyweights were there to prove that the future is bright.\u00a0Thank you, Ulaanbaatar, for hosting a great event and see you next year!<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1656249035,"updatedAt":1723539856,"publishedAt":1656260466,"firstPublishedAt":1656260502,"lastPublishedAt":1656262567,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/06\/80\/29\/12\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_b5933a9b-1ce7-5073-b160-d0f5495df96f-6802912.jpg","altText":"Raz Hershko (Israel) wins Gold in over 78kg category","caption":"Raz Hershko (Israel) wins Gold in over 78kg category","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"(c) Di Feliciantonio Emanuele","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":5184,"height":3456}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2538,"urlSafeValue":"mouriquand","title":"David 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sees Japan and Mongolia go for gold with Japans Nabekura winning Gold for the women's under 63kg category and Mongolia's Tsend-Ochir Tsogtbaatar for the men's under 81kg group","summary":"Day 2 of the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam sees Japan and Mongolia go for gold with Japans Nabekura winning Gold for the women's under 63kg category and Mongolia's Tsend-Ochir Tsogtbaatar for the men's under 81kg group","keySentence":"","url":"day-2-of-the-ulaanbaatar-grand-slam-sees-japan-and-mongolia-go-for-gold","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2022\/06\/25\/day-2-of-the-ulaanbaatar-grand-slam-sees-japan-and-mongolia-go-for-gold","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Day 2 of the inaugural Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam in Mongolia saw a majestic opening ceremony in front of a packed-out stadium. Performances in traditional Mongolian attire and incredible dances entertained both the locals and the international audience. \n\n\n There to get the crowd ready for the judo were Mongolia Judo Association President H.E Mr Battulga Khaltmaa, and Director General of the International Judo Federation, Mr. Vlad Marinescu. \n\nFor the under 63kg category, Japan's Nabekura Nami took the gold medal. Using a clever foot sweep, for which she is well known, she clinched the title and brought home the 3rd gold medal for her country in this tournament. \n\nChampions Camp Founder & CEO Mr Namsrai Batsaikhan was on hand to award the medals \n\nAll the talk of the day was about the return of Nagase Takanori, the current Olympic Champion for the under -81kg group. As this was his first tournament with the Gold back patch, he had a clear target on his back and was the one to beat. But the experienced Japanese athlete was calm and collected as always. \n\n\nIn his first heat, he executed a fantastic o-soto, a technique he is well known for, and started his day with a strong Ippon. \n\nNext, he fought the young Korean Lee Joonhwan, in Lee\u2019s second ever IJF tournament. And he shocked the Judo world, by catching Nagase with a fantastic dropping technique, typical of Korean judo. \n\nLee was absolutely delighted to put his name firmly on the map, and put the -81kg category on high alert. . \n\n\nHe then took on Olympic Bronze Medallist Borchasvili in the final, and once again a lightning fast dropping technique won him the contest, and earned him his second gold medal in as many IJF tournaments. An incredible feat from the young Judoka. \n\nThe medals were awarded by Ulaanbaatar City Mayor Mr Dolgorsuren Sumiyabazar. \n\n The Mongolian team were here in full force, led by Tsend-Ochir Tsogtbaatar, their Olympic Bronze medallist. Some fantastic Judo earned him a silver medal, and created the momentum for the rest of the team to perform, using their unorthodox style to chase Judo\u2019s ultimate goal: the Ippon. \n\n2 fantastic days of Judo here in Mongolia, with the whole judo world holding its breath for the heavyweights tomorrow. \n\n","htmlText":" Day 2 of the inaugural Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam in Mongolia saw a majestic opening ceremony in front of a packed-out stadium. Performances in traditional Mongolian attire and incredible dances entertained both the locals and the international audience.<\/strong> <\/p>\n There to get the crowd ready for the judo were Mongolia Judo Association President H.E Mr Battulga Khaltmaa, and Director General of the International Judo Federation, Mr. Vlad Marinescu.<\/p>\n For the under 63kg category, Japan's Nabekura Nami took the gold medal. Using a clever foot sweep, for which she is well known, she clinched the title and brought home the 3rd gold medal for her country in this tournament.<\/p>\n Champions Camp Founder & CEO Mr Namsrai Batsaikhan was on hand to award the medals<\/p>\n All the talk of the day was about the return of Nagase Takanori, the current Olympic Champion for the under -81kg group. As this was his first tournament with the Gold back patch, he had a clear target on his back and was the one to beat. But the experienced Japanese athlete was calm and collected as always. <\/p>\n In his first heat, he executed a fantastic o-soto, a technique he is well known for, and started his day with a strong Ippon.<\/p>\n Next, he fought the young Korean Lee Joonhwan, in Lee\u2019s second ever IJF tournament. And he shocked the Judo world, by catching Nagase with a fantastic dropping technique, typical of Korean judo.<\/p>\n Lee was absolutely delighted to put his name firmly on the map, and put the -81kg category on high alert.. <\/p>\n He then took on Olympic Bronze Medallist Borchasvili in the final, and once again a lightning fast dropping technique won him the contest, and earned him his second gold medal in as many IJF tournaments. An incredible feat from the young Judoka.<\/p>\n The medals were awarded by Ulaanbaatar City Mayor Mr Dolgorsuren Sumiyabazar.<\/p>\n The Mongolian team were here in full force, led by Tsend-Ochir Tsogtbaatar, their Olympic Bronze medallist. Some fantastic Judo earned him a silver medal, and created the momentum for the rest of the team to perform, using their unorthodox style to chase Judo\u2019s ultimate goal: the Ippon.<\/p>\n 2 fantastic days of Judo here in Mongolia, with the whole judo world holding its breath for the heavyweights tomorrow.<\/strong><\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1656156057,"updatedAt":1723539856,"publishedAt":1656177129,"firstPublishedAt":1656177133,"lastPublishedAt":1656177133,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/06\/80\/12\/12\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_d21c3bb3-b789-55d1-99f5-9fd9fc9c0571-6801212.jpg","altText":"Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam 2022, -81 kg, FINAL AUT BORCHASHVILI vs KOR LEE","caption":"Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam 2022, -81 kg, FINAL AUT BORCHASHVILI vs KOR LEE","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"(c) IJF\/Sabau Gabriela","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1772,"height":997},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/06\/80\/12\/04\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_ecef9eb0-98c0-5a4f-b91b-d83b6185ae73-6801204.jpg","altText":"Women's Day 2 medal ceremony","caption":"Women's Day 2 medal ceremony","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"IJF","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1621,"height":1080},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/06\/80\/12\/04\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f22b51d3-fcf0-565a-9f5c-3c6b923e9635-6801204.jpg","altText":"Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam 2022","caption":"Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam 2022","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"IJF","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":960,"height":540},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/06\/80\/12\/14\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_77e079aa-c4d1-5126-8311-71e824c6af8d-6801214.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"(c) Sabau Gabriela","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2048,"height":1471}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":10007,"slug":"judo","urlSafeValue":"judo","title":"Judo","titleRaw":"Judo"},{"id":8525,"slug":"other-sports","urlSafeValue":"other-sports","title":"Other sports","titleRaw":"Other 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Bator"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":"'gs_sport','gs_news_and_weather','gs_news','gs_sport_tennis','gs_sport_martial','gv_safe'","versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2022\/06\/25\/day-2-of-the-ulaanbaatar-grand-slam-sees-japan-and-mongolia-go-for-gold","lastModified":1656177133},{"id":1977514,"cid":6797884,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":"220624_SPSU_47096229","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"JUDO DAY 1 GS ULAANBAATAR","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Day 1 of the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam 2022 sees Japan and Mongolia on top form","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Mongolia & Japan tie in gold medals on Day 1 of Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam","titleListing2":"Day 1 of the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam 2022","leadin":"Mongolia and Japan receive gold medals on the first day of the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam.","summary":"Mongolia and Japan receive gold medals on the first day of the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam.","keySentence":"","url":"day-1-of-the-ulaanbaatar-grand-slam-2022-sees-japan-and-mongolia-on-top-form","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2022\/06\/24\/day-1-of-the-ulaanbaatar-grand-slam-2022-sees-japan-and-mongolia-on-top-form","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Judo returned to Mongolia as Ulaanbaatar hosted its first ever Grand Slam event.\u00a0For Day 1 of the Competition, both Mongolia and Japan stand tied with two gold medals each. \n\nIn the women\u2019s under 48kg program, Japan took its first gold medal of the tournament as reigning World Champion Natsumi Tsunoda continued her winning streak by defeating local favorite Ganbaatar Narantsetseg. \n\nIJF Vice-President and EJU President Dr Laszlo Toth was on hand to award the medals. \n\nIn the -60kg category, there was more Gold for Japan as Ryuju Nagayama was on fire all day. In the final, he defeated Olympic Silver Medallist Yang Yung Wei with his usual style of attacking Judo. \n\nHe was awarded his medals by Director General of the World Martial Arts Masterships Committee Dr Sung-Min Kang. \n\nIn the -52kg category, Uzbekistan\u2019s Diyora Keldiyorova executed some brilliant Judo throughout the day, to win her second grand slam Gold. \n\nShe was awarded her medals by Bulgan Province Governor Mr Ariun-Erdene Batbayar. \n\nIt was an all Mongolian final in the -66kg category, and both the fighters put on a show for the adoring public. It was Erkhembayar Battogtokh who emerged victorious by beating his fellow countryman Sod-Erdene Gunjinlkham. \n\nThe medals were awarded by Chairman of the State Committee for Physical Culture and Sports in Mongolia Mr Jargalsaikhan Dorjsuren. \n\nBattogtokh stated that the future of the sport was at the forefront of his mind: \u201cI am very happy because lots of children start now doing Judo, we are developing Judo in Mongolia, and in the crowd today there were many, many children and it was so great\u201d \n\nThere was more delight for Mongolia as the final Gold Medal of the day went to Enkhriilen Lkhagvatogoo, in the women\u2019s -57kg category. \n\nShe was awarded the gold medal by IJF EC Member Ms Erdenet-Od Khishigbat. \n\n\u201cIt felt like every cheer, every applause gave me a massive energy boost\u201d, stated Lkhagvatogoo. \u201cIt was a totally new feeling as it was a grand slam at home, the Ulaanbaatar grand slam!\u201d \n\nWith qualifications beginning for the Paris 2024 Olympics, the local team made sure to give the excited fans plenty to cheer for throughout the first day of the Grand Slam. Their unorthodox Judo style, mixed with their strength and agility make Mongolia a nation to keep a close eye on in this new Olympic cycle. \n\n","htmlText":" In the women\u2019s under 48kg program, Japan took its first gold medal of the tournament as reigning World Champion Natsumi Tsunoda continued her winning streak by defeating local favorite Ganbaatar Narantsetseg.<\/p>\n IJF Vice-President and EJU President Dr Laszlo Toth was on hand to award the medals.<\/p>\n In the -60kg category, there was more Gold for Japan as Ryuju Nagayama was on fire all day. In the final, he defeated Olympic Silver Medallist Yang Yung Wei with his usual style of attacking Judo.<\/p>\n He was awarded his medals by Director General of the World Martial Arts Masterships Committee Dr Sung-Min Kang.<\/p>\n In the -52kg category, Uzbekistan\u2019s Diyora Keldiyorova executed some brilliant Judo throughout the day, to win her second grand slam Gold.<\/p>\n She was awarded her medals by Bulgan Province Governor Mr Ariun-Erdene Batbayar.<\/p>\n It was an all Mongolian final in the -66kg category, and both the fighters put on a show for the adoring public. It was Erkhembayar Battogtokh who emerged victorious by beating his fellow countryman Sod-Erdene Gunjinlkham.<\/p>\n The medals were awarded by Chairman of the State Committee for Physical Culture and Sports in Mongolia Mr Jargalsaikhan Dorjsuren.<\/p>\n Battogtokh stated that the future of the sport was at the forefront of his mind: \u201cI am very happy because lots of children start now doing Judo, we are developing Judo in Mongolia, and in the crowd today there were many, many children and it was so great\u201d<\/p>\n There was more delight for Mongolia as the final Gold Medal of the day went to Enkhriilen Lkhagvatogoo, in the women\u2019s -57kg category.<\/p>\n She was awarded the gold medal by IJF EC Member Ms Erdenet-Od Khishigbat.<\/p>\n \u201cIt felt like every cheer, every applause gave me a massive energy boost\u201d, stated Lkhagvatogoo. \u201cIt was a totally new feeling as it was a grand slam at home, the Ulaanbaatar grand slam!\u201d<\/p>\n With qualifications beginning for the Paris 2024 Olympics, the local team made sure to give the excited fans plenty to cheer for throughout the first day of the Grand Slam. Their unorthodox Judo style, mixed with their strength and agility make Mongolia a nation to keep a close eye on in this new Olympic cycle.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1656069690,"updatedAt":1723539856,"publishedAt":1656089014,"firstPublishedAt":1656089018,"lastPublishedAt":1656155189,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/06\/79\/78\/84\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_b91259aa-47f0-58ec-81b5-d7792e72d454-6797884.jpg","altText":"Erkhembayar Battogtokh beats Sod-Erdene Gunjinlkham in the final","caption":"Erkhembayar Battogtokh beats Sod-Erdene Gunjinlkham in the final","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":" \u00a9IJF","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1621,"height":912},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/06\/79\/78\/90\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_1dc9f229-27fa-5705-96d7-9ab36bbfbfc4-6797890.jpg","altText":"Reigning World Champion Natsumi Tsunoda wins gold for Japan in women's under 48kg category","caption":"Reigning World Champion Natsumi Tsunoda wins gold for Japan in women's under 48kg category","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"from Euronews video","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2538,"urlSafeValue":"mouriquand","title":"David Mouriquand","twitter":null}],"producers":[{"id":2538,"urlSafeValue":"mouriquand","title":"David Mouriquand","twitter":null}],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":10007,"slug":"judo","urlSafeValue":"judo","title":"Judo","titleRaw":"Judo"},{"id":8525,"slug":"other-sports","urlSafeValue":"other-sports","title":"Other sports","titleRaw":"Other sports"},{"id":199,"slug":"mongolia","urlSafeValue":"mongolia","title":"Mongolia","titleRaw":"Mongolia"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"twitter","count":2}],"related":[{"id":1955198}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/med\/EN\/SP\/SU\/22\/06\/24\/en\/220624_SPSU_47096229_47096292_180000_175402_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":180000,"filesizeBytes":23498917,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/EN\/SP\/SU\/22\/06\/24\/en\/220624_SPSU_47096229_47096292_180000_175402_en.mp4","editor":"","duration":180000,"filesizeBytes":35822757,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"sport","urlSafeValue":"sport","title":"Sport","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/sport"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"sport","urlSafeValue":"sport","title":"Sport","url":"\/news\/sport"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":8,"urlSafeValue":"sport","title":"Sport"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":199,"urlSafeValue":"mongolia","title":"Mongolia","url":"\/news\/asia\/mongolia"},"town":{"id":2189,"urlSafeValue":"ulan-bator","title":"Ulan 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jabs","leadin":"Nurse Sodkhuu Galbadrakh clutches a box of Covid vaccines on his lap as he journeys along a bumpy track through a remote region of the Mongolian steppe, going home-to-home to offer booster doses to herders","summary":"Nurse Sodkhuu Galbadrakh clutches a box of Covid vaccines on his lap as he journeys along a bumpy track through a remote region of the Mongolian steppe, going home-to-home to offer booster doses to herders","keySentence":"","url":"mongolian-doctors-trek-to-remote-areas-to-give-herders-jabs","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2021\/12\/24\/mongolian-doctors-trek-to-remote-areas-to-give-herders-jabs","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Nurse Sodkhuu Galbadrakh clutches a box of Covid-19 vaccines on his lap as he journeys along a bumpy track through a remote region of the Mongolian steppe, going home to home to offer booster doses to herders. \n\nThe country of three million has taken some of the world's toughest and most enduring measures against the coronavirus pandemic, shutting schools for much of the last two years and closing borders. \n\nIts vaccination programme has seen huge take-up with more than 90 percent of adults receiving two jabs. \n\nBut the booster programme is seeing patchier success among nomadic communities thanks to both online misinformation and the sheer logistical challenge that comes with reaching remote communities in such a vast nation. \n\nMongolia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world and about one-third of the population are nomadic. \n\n","htmlText":" Nurse Sodkhuu Galbadrakh clutches a box of Covid-19 vaccines on his lap as he journeys along a bumpy track through a remote region of the Mongolian steppe, going home to home to offer booster doses to herders.<\/p>\n The country of three million has taken some of the world's toughest and most enduring measures against the coronavirus pandemic, shutting schools for much of the last two years and closing borders.<\/p>\n Its vaccination programme has seen huge take-up with more than 90 percent of adults receiving two jabs.<\/p>\n But the booster programme is seeing patchier success among nomadic communities thanks to both online misinformation and the sheer logistical challenge that comes with reaching remote communities in such a vast nation.<\/p>\n Mongolia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world and about one-third of the population are nomadic.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1640358378,"updatedAt":1723539856,"publishedAt":1640368220,"firstPublishedAt":1640368224,"lastPublishedAt":1640368224,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/06\/32\/66\/60\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_f64d0012-063f-59a5-89f6-9309428cc9bc-6326660.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"from AFP 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FESTIVAL","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12}],"status":2,"title":"COVID-19: Mongolia's traditional Naadam festival goes online due to coronavirus fears","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"COVID-19: Mongolia's traditional Naadam festival goes ahead online","titleListing2":"Only a select audience was allowed to attend the games in person due to #Covid19 concerns, sparking outcry from Mongolians still under lockdown","leadin":"Mongolia's Naadam sporting festival goes ahead behind closed doors but a select audience, including politicians, caused some resentment on the streets","summary":"Mongolia's Naadam sporting festival goes ahead behind closed doors but a select audience, including politicians, caused some resentment on the streets","keySentence":"","url":"covid-19-mongolia-s-traditional-naadam-festival-goes-online-due-to-coronavirus-fears","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2020\/07\/12\/covid-19-mongolia-s-traditional-naadam-festival-goes-online-due-to-coronavirus-fears","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"In Central Asia, Mongolia's Naadam sporting festival kicked-off at the weekend but without the usual crowds of spectators due to Covid-19 fears. \n\nFor the first time in its 800-year history, only a handful of guests - including top politicians - were permitted to attend in person. \n\nAt a ranch near the capital Ulaanbaatar, contestants in the traditional games demonstrated what's known as the \"three manly skills\" of horsemanship, wrestling and archery. \n\nMost Mongolians were only able to watch the games on live broadcasts. \n\nBut on the city's near-deserted streets, the atmosphere was far from festive as the country comes to grips with coronavirus. \n\n\"We can't watch the horse racing,\" said one resident. \"The roads are blocked and it's only accessible to the rich people. And they are the ones who closed the roads since this morning. I don't know what the Nadaam opening ceremony looked like.\" \n\nSome residents were resentful that the festival had gone ahead at all. \n\n\"The government should have distributed the money to general public. We are struggling here. That money could have gone to people like us,\" complained one man. \n\nMongolia, which borders Russia and China, has so far reported only 227 virus cases and no deaths but continues to enforce a strict border lockdown that has prompted protests by citizens stranded overseas. \n\nThe country has lifted some coronavirus-related restrictions in recent days, allowing cinemas and nightclubs to reopen with limited hours, although political protests and most sporting events are still banned. \n\n","htmlText":" In Central Asia, Mongolia's Naadam sporting festival<\/a> kicked-off at the weekend but without the usual crowds of spectators due to Covid-19 fears.<\/p>\n For the first time in its 800-year history, only a handful of guests - including top politicians - were permitted to attend in person.<\/p>\n At a ranch near the capital Ulaanbaatar, contestants in the traditional games demonstrated what's known as the \"three manly skills\" of horsemanship, wrestling and archery.<\/p>\n Most Mongolians were only able to watch the games on live broadcasts.<\/p>\n But on the city's near-deserted streets, the atmosphere was far from festive as the country comes to grips with coronavirus.<\/p>\n \"We can't watch the horse racing,\" said one resident. \"The roads are blocked and it's only accessible to the rich people. And they are the ones who closed the roads since this morning. I don't know what the Nadaam opening ceremony looked like.\"<\/p>\n Some residents were resentful that the festival had gone ahead at all.<\/p>\n \"The government should have distributed the money to general public. We are struggling here. That money could have gone to people like us,\" complained one man.<\/p>\n Mongolia, which borders Russia and China, has so far reported only 227 virus cases and no deaths but continues to enforce a strict border lockdown that has prompted protests by citizens stranded overseas.<\/p>\n The country has lifted some coronavirus-related restrictions in recent days, allowing cinemas and nightclubs to reopen with limited hours, although political protests and most sporting events are still banned.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1594552512,"updatedAt":1723539856,"publishedAt":1594568227,"firstPublishedAt":1594568105,"lastPublishedAt":1594568285,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/04\/81\/01\/48\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_a9a6b18c-59a4-5e46-9557-0e669d4ff2fd-4810148.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AFP","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":960,"height":540}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":976,"urlSafeValue":"armstrong","title":"Mark 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News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":199,"urlSafeValue":"mongolia","title":"Mongolia","url":"\/news\/asia\/mongolia"},"town":{"id":2189,"urlSafeValue":"ulan-bator","title":"Ulan Bator"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":"'gs_covid19','pos_equinor','pos_facebook','pos_pmi','neg_facebook_2021','neg_coronavirus','gs_sport','neg_mobkoi_feb2021','neg_nespresso','gs_politics','neg_citi_campaign_2','neg_citi_campaign_3','neg_facebook_neg12','gs_sport_misc','gs_health','gt_negative','gs_health_misc','gs_politics_misc','gv_safe'","versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"sujet","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"path":"\/2020\/07\/12\/covid-19-mongolia-s-traditional-naadam-festival-goes-online-due-to-coronavirus-fears","lastModified":1594568285},{"id":840214,"cid":4093944,"versionId":4,"archive":0,"housenumber":"190816_WBSU_8832149","owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"WEB Rare earth metals polluting","channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":12}],"status":2,"title":"Why electric cars aren\u2019t as environmentally-friendly as you think","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Why electric cars aren\u2019t as environmentally-friendly as you think","titleListing2":"Why electric cars aren\u2019t as environmentally-friendly as you think","leadin":"There are ecological question marks over the components used in electric cars, including the battery and the use of rare-earth metals.","summary":"There are ecological question marks over the components used in electric cars, including the battery and the use of rare-earth metals.","keySentence":"","url":"exporting-contamination-who-pays-the-environmental-cost-of-electric-car-production","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2019\/08\/17\/exporting-contamination-who-pays-the-environmental-cost-of-electric-car-production","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Electric cars are set to charge ahead and replace their fossil fuel-guzzling cousins in the coming years as Europe hunts for ways to fight climate change. \n\nBut while these new vehicles don\u2019t directly produce any carbon emissions, are they really as good for the environment as we think? \n\nMuch depends on whether the electricity used by the cars is produced by renewable sources or a coal-fired energy plant. \n\nThere are also ecological question marks over the components used in electric cars, including the battery and the use of rare-earth metals. \n\nOne such rare-earth metal is neodymium, which is used to make very strong magnets found in all types of electric motors. \n\nThe mining of such elements generates thorium contamination \u2014 a radioactive element found in the metals that can negatively affect the surrounding environment. \n\nREAD MORE: What are rare earth elements and why are they important in the US-China trade war? \n\nMountain Pass, the biggest rare-earth mine in the US, sits near the national reserve of Mojave Desert in California. \n\nBetween 1965 and 1995, it was the world\u2019s main supplier of rare-earth elements. However, the extraction of the metals came at a high price for the Californian wilderness. A federal investigation in the 1990s found about 2,300 litres of radioactive and other hazardous wastewater had been dumped into the desert soil. \n\nThe company deemed responsible paid a fine of \u20ac1.3 million. Nevertheless, it obtained another 30-year permit for rare earths extraction in the California region. \n\nBut the environmental dangers and the contamination of natural resources has stopped the growth of rare-earth mines in the US. \n\nThat hasn\u2019t been the case elsewhere in the world, notably China, which produces 70% of the world\u2019s rare-earth output. \n\nAt the end of the 1980s, China rapidly developed a mine in Bayan Obo, which has huge deposits of niobium. Situated around 700 kilometres from Beijing, it has the world\u2019s largest reserve of rare-earth metals. \n\nAccording to the Chinese Association of Rare Earths, between 9,600 and 12,000 cubic metres of waste in the form of gas containing concentrated dust, hydrofluoric acid, sulphur dioxide, and sulphuric acid, are expelled for each tonne of extracted rare-earth elements. \n\nAdditionally, around 75 cubic metres of acid wastewater and a tonne of radioactive waste are produced. \n\nAlthough little research has been done on the direct effects on the population of Bayan Obo, a 2015 study from Beijing\u2019s Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research revealed the population\u2019s high vulnerability to being exposed to the metals\u2019 dust. The magnitude of the excavation surrounding the population is visible from satellites in space. \n\nRare-earth metals and the green revolution \n\nThere\u2019s a high probability that the device you\u2019re using to read this article was made with elements from the Chinese mine. \n\nThe use of rare earths in digital societies has reached such a high point that it\u2019s now very difficult to do without them. One of the elements is particularly important for our technology: neodymium, used for electric motors. \n\n## \n\n\u201cThe electrification of societies corresponds to much greater exploitation of neodymium,\u201d Jorge Morales de Labra, industrial engineer and entrepreneur in the electrical sector, told Euronews. \n\n\u201cCan we live without neodymium? I doubt it. It\u2019s the best element we know to make magnets and I don\u2019t think we will find anything better than neodymium. However, we must be aware of the high levels of contamination created by its extraction,\u201d he said. \n\nRare earths are not only essential for high-tech products but also for renewable technologies, explained Juan Diego Rodr\u00edguez-Blanco, a professor of nanomineralogy at Trinity College Dublin and funded investigator in the Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences (iCRAG). \n\nThanks to the increasing use of electric energy, rare earths producers have found a new niche in the market thanks to the \u201cgreen revolution\u201d. \n\nElectric cars and wind turbines require rare earths for their use \u2014 contrasting with the \u201cdirty\u201d process that means extracting them. \n\nHowever, as Morales de Labra said, all human activities generate some kind of impact on the environment. \n\nLaurentino Guti\u00e9rrez, a car engineer, explained that electric cars use two types of motors. On the one hand, they need a synchronous motor, which works with rare earths or electromagnets. \n\n\u201cThey are very efficient but more expensive. If you want a lot of horsepower, it\u2019s complicated to get it with these elements,\u201d he said. \n\nGuti\u00e9rrez said the only carmaker that made cars with a synchronous motor but without rare earths is Renault because they use electromagnets instead. \u201cThey only have between 90 and 110 horsepower, but they are more ecological,\u201d he said. \n\nOn the other hand, are the induction motors that don\u2019t need rare earths. They are mainly used by Tesla, though in their last model they did use the precious metals. \n\nExporting pollution from cities to the countryside? \n\nOne of the main objectives of electric cars is to improve the quality of the air that citizens breathe, mainly in high density areas congested by petrol and diesel vehicles. \n\nBut while electric cars do not directly produce carbon emissions, their manufacturing does. \n\n\u201cMaking an electric car produces the same CO2 emissions as making two fuel cars,\u201d said Guti\u00e9rrez. According to him, an electric car becomes more environmentally-friendly after its first 30,000 to 40,000 kilometres. \n\n\u201cAlthough the global emissions are the same in both cases, in one case you have all the emissions in a factory many kilometres from the city and in the other case the emissions are in the city, where people breathe and there\u2019s a real impact on health,\u201d he said. \n\n\nThe Spanish town that turned its back on rare earths \n\nThe population of Campo de Montiel, a region of the Spanish province of Ciudad Real, did not want to sacrifice their natural resources to obtain the \"gold of the 21st century\". This area has a monazite deposit, a rare earth phosphate containing small amounts of radioactive thorium and uranium. \n\nQuantum Miner\u00eda had applied for an exploitation permit to open an open-sky mine in the region, which has a unique and protected native fauna: the Iberian Lynx and the Imperial Eagle, both endangered species. \n\nBut thanks to the massive local opposition to the mine and a technical report demonstrating a negative environmental impact, the project was stopped. \n\n\u201cThis is experimental mining, there is hardly any experience in Europe with rare earths. Mining is necessary, but it cannot be done anywhere,\u201d said Luis Manuel Gin\u00e9s, president of the anti-rare earths mine association Campo de Montiel, S\u00ed a la Tierra Viva. \n\nRodr\u00edguez-Blanco noted that it is difficult to know the long-term effects of rare earths extraction but they could be dangerous for the aquifers in the area and could affect animals and human beings. \n\nLooking ahead \n\nRare earths seem to be here to stay but even if they have given us the opportunity to free our cars from polluting fossil fuels, we may instead be putting pressure on another finite resource. \n\n\u201cThis is likely to lead to a shortage of some specific rare (less abundant) earths during seasons, within a decade or two, and lead to rare earth mining in places such as Greenland, for example,\u201d said Rodr\u00edguez-Blanco. \n\nHowever, the expert did point out that cleaner extraction methods are being developed that do not cause serious environmental damage. These include recycling or controlling the discharge of acids used during extraction by means of other products that neutralise it or reuse the C02 produced. \n\nWant more news? \n\n","htmlText":" Electric cars are set to charge ahead and replace their fossil fuel-guzzling cousins in the coming years as Europe hunts for ways to fight climate change.<\/p>\n But while these new vehicles don\u2019t directly produce any carbon emissions, are they really as good for the environment as we think?<\/p>\n Much depends on whether the electricity used by the cars is produced by renewable sources or a coal-fired energy plant.<\/p>\n There are also ecological question marks over the components used in electric cars, including the battery and the use of rare-earth metals.<\/p>\n One such rare-earth metal is neodymium, which is used to make very strong magnets found in all types of electric motors.<\/p>\n The mining of such elements generates thorium contamination \u2014 a radioactive element found in the metals that can negatively affect the surrounding environment.<\/p>\n\n
Complaint filed against Orano\u2019s project<\/h2>
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Mongolian hopes dashed in the +78kg category<\/h2>
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\n My favourite technique is Uchi-mata, but today my ashi-waza, such as ko-uchi-gari and ko-soto-gari was effective. I was able to show variations in my technique. It was a good experience overall\u201d<\/span>\n <\/blockquote>\n \n
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I am so grateful that so many people cheered for me today. I will do my utmost to fulfil that expectation in the future!
<\/font><\/font><\/span>\n <\/blockquote>\n \n Judo returned to Mongolia as Ulaanbaatar hosted its first ever Grand Slam event.\u00a0For Day 1 of the Competition, both Mongolia and Japan stand tied with two gold medals each.<\/h2>
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