World leaders: Who’s coming, who isn’t to Beijing Olympics

BEIJING (AP) — The U.S., Britain and a handful of others aren’t sending dignitaries to the Beijing Winter Games as part of a diplomatic boycott, but the Chinese capital is still attracting an array of world leaders for Friday’s opening ceremony.  Russia’s Vladimir Putin is meeting Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, underscoring closer ties between Beijing and Moscow as they face Western criticism and pressure. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the AP he sees the Games as a chance for people to come together with a “message of solidarity.” Although the diplomatic boycott is relatively limited, other leaders are also staying away, with many citing the pandemic.