According to the preliminary result of the first 11 months of 2021, the gross industrial output reached MNT 17.0 trillion, increased by MNT 2.1 trillion (14.2 percent) from the same period of the previous year. This increase was mainly due to MNT 1.2 trillion (11.3 percent) increase in mining and quarrying gross output and MNT 771.6 billion (23.6 percent) increase in manufacturing output. Also, the electricity, thermal energy and water supply production output increased by MNT 138.4 billion (12.9 percent) and the water supply, and sewerage, waste management, and remediation activities production output increased by MNT 30.9 billion (25.2 percent) from the same period of the previous year.

In November 2021, the gross industrial output reached MNT 1.6 trillion, decreased by MNT 83.9 billion (5.0 percent) from the previous month. This decrease was mainly due to MNT 131.6 billion (11.3 percent) decrease in mining and quarrying gross output.

In November 2021, the mining and quarrying gross output reached MNT 1.0 trillion, decreased by MNT 266.2 billion (20.5 percent) from the same period of the previous year. This decrease was mainly due to decreases in the mining of coal and lignite by MNT 395.3 billion (66.7 percent) from the same period of the previous year.

By the preliminary results of the first 11 months of 2021, the mining and quarrying sector, extraction of copper concentrate, brown coal and crude oil increased by 5.2 percent to 30.1 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. In the manufacturing sector, production of sanitizer, spirit, copper cathode (99 percent), pure water, soft drink, juice, cement, meat, alcoholic beverage, milk, lime, coal briquette, concentrated coal, cigarettes and metal steel increased by 1.0 percent to 2.2 times compared to the same period of the previous year.

In the mining and quarrying sector, the extraction of iron ore, gold, fluorspar, and hard coal decreased by 1.1 – 31.4 percent. In the manufacturing sector, productions of wheat flour, combed cashmere, face covering and cashmere products decreased by 6.2 – 64.8 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. By the preliminary results of the first 11 months of 2021, the sales of industrial output reached MNT 22.7 trillion, increased by MNT 5.1 trillion (28.9 percent) compared to the same period of the previous year. This increase mainly resulted from MNT 4.3 trillion (36.0 percent) increase in sales of mining and quarrying output.

This increase mainly resulted from MNT 4.3 trillion (36.0 percent) increase in sales of mining and quarrying output.

The sales of mining and quarrying output increased by MNT 4.3 trillion (36.0 percent) compared to the same period of the previous year. This increase mainly resulted from MNT 4.4 trillion (56.4 percent) increase in sales of mining of metal ores output, MNT 338.4 billion (93.3 percent) increase in sales of crude petroleum and MNT 84.1 billion (36.5 percent) increase in sales of other mining and quarrying output, respectively.

In the first 11 months of 2021, the total sales of mining and quarrying output was MNT 14.2 trillion, of which, 74.3 percent was metal ores, increased by 13.9 percent points, 5.4 percent was crude petroleum, increased by 1.1 percent points, while 18.8 percent was coal and lignite, decreased by 14.8 percent points, and 1.5 percent was other mining and quarrying, decreased by 0.2 percent points compared to the same period of the previous year. In November 2021, the seasonally adjusted industrial production index was 180.1 (2015=100), increased by 30.4 percent from the same period of the previous year.

Source: National Statistics Office

According to the preliminary results in the first 11 months of 2021, the total revenue of the general government budget was MNT 13.4 trillion, increased by MNT 4.3 trillion (47.3 percent) compared to the same period of previous year. The equilibrated revenue of the general government budget was MNT 11.7 trillion, increased by MNT 3.4 (41.5 percent) trillion compared to the same period of previous year.

On the other hand, the total expenditure and net lending was MNT 13.6 trillion in the first 11 months of 2021, resulting in deficit of MNT 1.9 trillion decreased by MNT 1.8 (49.1 percent) trillion compared to the same period of previous year.

In November 2021, the total equilibrated revenue and grants of general government budget was MNT 1.0 trillion, increased by MNT 31.4 billion (3.2 percent) compared to the previous month. The total expenditure and net lending were MNT 1.4 trillion, increased by MNT 100.3 billion (8.0 percent) compared to the previous month. The equilibrated balance of the general government budget was in deficit of 236.1 billion in September, in deficit of 270.3 billion in October and 339.2 billion in November 2021.

In the first 11 months of 2021, stabilization fund revenue increased by 4.8 percentage points and nontax revenue increased by 1.6 percentage points while tax revenue decreased by 5.3 percentage points and the future heritage fund revenue decreased by 1.2 percentage points compared to the same period of previous year.

In the first 11 months of 2021, tax revenue reached MNT 10.3 trillion, increased by MNT 2.8 trillion (38.0 percent) compared to the same period of previous year. This increase was mainly due to MNT 1.3 trillion (68.3 percent) increase in income tax revenue, MNT 584.0 billion (42.9 percent) increase in social security revenue, MNT 528.2 billion (25.9 percent) increase in value added tax revenue, MNT 169.2 billion (25.2 percent) increase in other taxes revenue and MNT 167.6 billion (24.5 percent) increase in foreign activity revenue.

According to the preliminary results of November 2021, tax revenue reached MNT 939.1 billion, increased by MNT 40.2 billion (4.5 percent) compared to previous month. This increase was mainly due to MNT 77.1 billion (37.9 percent) increase in value added tax revenue and MNT 29.4 billion (50.3 percent) increase in excise taxes revenue.

Source: National Statistics Office

MELBOURNE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Board of Rio Tinto has selected Dominic Barton to succeed Simon Thompson as the company’s new Chair. Dominic will join the Board with effect from 4 April, 2022 and be appointed to the role of Chair at the conclusion of the Rio Tinto Limited annual general meeting on 5 May 2022. Simon Thompson will step down as a non-executive director of Rio Tinto and as Chair at that same time on 5 May 2022, having served as Chair for four years and as a non-executive director since 2014.

A Ugandan-born Canadian, Dominic spent over 30 years at McKinsey & Company, including nine as the Global Managing Partner and six as Asia Chairman. Most recently, he has been Canada’s Ambassador to China since 2019. He brings a wealth of global business experience having advised clients in a range of industries, including banking, consumer goods, high tech and industrials, as well as a deep insight of geopolitics, corporate sustainability and governance.

Dominic’s previous corporate governance work includes being Chair of Teck Resources, a non-executive director at Singtel Group and a non-executive director at Investor AB. He has held various public sector leadership positions, including Chair of Canada’s Advisory Council for Economic Growth and Chair of the International Advisory Committee to the President of South Korea on National Future and Vision. His business acumen and public sector insights position him to provide critical guidance and oversight to Rio Tinto’s leadership team during a pivotal time for the company.

Dominic said, “It is a great honour to succeed Simon as Chair of Rio Tinto. Returning to the private sector, I am excited to join a company with world-class people and assets as it navigates a shifting competitive landscape and seeks to emerge as a leader in the climate transition. I look forward to working with Jakob and the Board to implement a strategy that puts decarbonisation at the heart of the business and positions Rio Tinto to be a leader in addressing complex global problems, while building and sustaining trust with host communities.”

Jakob Stausholm, Rio Tinto Chief Executive, said, “I am delighted with the choice of Dominic, who I believe brings exactly the skills and experiences that we in Rio Tinto need. I am truly looking forward to working with Dominic in our effort to continue to strengthen Rio Tinto, in particular drawing on his wealth of experience across Asia in both a business and diplomatic capacity. I would like to thank Simon for his dedication to Rio Tinto and the support and counsel he has provided, and continues to provide, to me during a period of transformative change.”

The search for the new Chair was jointly led by Sam Laidlaw, senior independent director of Rio Tinto plc, and Simon McKeon, senior independent director of Rio Tinto Limited. The process included discussions with a cross-section of the company’s shareholders in relation to the attributes, experience and skills they expected in the new Chair. These included proven experience of managing highly complex, cross-border relationships with multiple stakeholders; a strong track record of working in Asia and emerging markets; a commitment to the highest ESG standards; and a proven ability to lead a Board and act as a mentor to the Executive team.

Sam Laidlaw said, “The Board is delighted to have appointed such an outstanding individual and I know Dominic will lead the Rio Tinto Board with distinction. He has an impressive track-record, with extensive and broad business and diplomatic knowledge and a deep understanding of the link between business, governments and society. On behalf of the Board, I welcome him to Rio Tinto.”

Rio Tinto confirms that there are no matters to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 9.6.13(1) – (6) of the Listing Rules of the UK Listing Authority.

LEI: 213800YOEO5OQ72G2R82

Classification: 3.1. Additional regulated information required to be disclosed under the laws of a Member State.

This announcement is authorised for release to the market by Steve Allen, Rio Tinto’s Group Company Secretary.

Researchers at Australia’s RMIT University and the national science agency CSIRO, have developed a copper surface that kills bacteria more than 100 times faster and more effectively than standard copper and that could help combat the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

“A standard copper surface will kill about 97% of golden staph within four hours,” Ma Qian, one of the scientists involved in the study, said. “Incredibly, when we placed golden staph bacteria on our specially-designed copper surface, it destroyed more than 99.99% of the cells in just two minutes.”

According to Qian, the 120-times faster effectiveness rate was achieved without the assistance of any drug.

“Our copper structure has shown itself to be remarkably potent for such a common material,” he said.

Qian and his colleagues believe there could be a huge range of applications for the new material once further developed, including antimicrobial door handles and other touch surfaces in schools, hospitals, homes and public transport, as well as filters in antimicrobial respirators or air ventilation systems, and in face masks.

The team is also looking to investigate the enhanced copper’s effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2, including assessing 3D-printed samples.

In a paper published in the journal Biomaterials, the group explained that a special copper mould casting process was used to make an alloy, arranging copper and manganese atoms into specific formations. The manganese atoms were then removed from the alloy using a cheap and scalable chemical process called “dealloying”, leaving pure copper full of tiny microscale and nanoscale cavities on its surface.

“Our copper is composed of comb-like microscale cavities and within each tooth of that comb structure there are much smaller nanoscale cavities; it has a massive active surface area,” lead investigator Jackson Leigh Smith said.

Smith pointed out that the pattern also makes the surface super hydrophilic, or water-loving, so that water lies on it as a flat film rather than as droplets.

“The hydrophilic effect means bacterial cells struggle to hold their form as they are stretched by the surface nanostructure, while the porous pattern allows copper ions to release faster,” the researcher said.

Smith explained that these combined effects not only cause structural degradation of bacterial cells, making them more vulnerable to the poisonous copper ions but also facilitate uptake of copper ions into the bacterial cells.

“It’s that combination of effects that results in greatly accelerated elimination of bacteria,” he said.

Researchers across the world are looking to develop new medical materials and devices that could help reduce the rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs. The reason for this – according to the scientific team behind the new copper surface – is that drug-resistant infections are on the rise, and with limited new antibiotics coming onto the market, the development of materials resistant to bacteria will likely play an important role in helping address the problem.

Mongolia registered 204 new coronavirus cases for the past day.

The total number of confiremd coronavirus cases reached 388,179.

1,203 patients are in serious condition, 243 are in critical condition, 42 are in extremely critical condition.

No lethal outcomes were registered for the past day.

COVID-19 death toll stands at 1,970.

(CNN)As the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant looms across parts of the globe and the Delta variant remains dominant -- for now -- in others, the Covid-19 pandemic is again threatening holiday celebrations for millions.

Several European cities have already canceled firework displays ringing in 2022 and some countries are reimposing restrictions, while Chinese families face the prospect of their third Lunar New Year spent apart.

The Lunar New Year -- which begins on February 1, 2022 -- is China's biggest holiday, with millions of people traditionally crisscrossing the country to join loved ones for the festivities.

But those plans were upturned for many after China's National Health Commission (NHC) on Saturday announced travel restrictions, doubling down on its "zero-Covid" strategy ahead of the Beijing Olympics happening the same month.

It urged residents in any city with confirmed Covid-19 cases against traveling during the upcoming New Year and Spring Festival holidays, amid an outbreak of infections in recent weeks.

The travel restrictions are a fresh blow for lockdown-weary Chinese families, who have endured some of the toughest -- but most effective -- rules in the world for more than a year.

It's bad news too for the world's second largest economy, still struggling with real estate woes and the fallout from sporadic lockdowns.

China's "zero-Covid" strategy will be pushed to the limits when Beijing hosts the Winter Olympics in February, as the country opens its doors to foreign athletes at the same time the Omicron variant will likely be surging in other parts of the globe.

The government in Beijing announced Friday that due to the upcoming holiday season and influx of foreign athletes, residents should avoid leaving the city during the Spring Festival, unless necessary.

Indeed the Omicron variant also comes just as many countries in the Asia-Pacific region with tough restrictions -- including Australia and Japan -- had tentatively started to loosen up and live with Covid-19.

Paris and Rome cancel New Year events

China isn't the only country downscaling its festivities this year amid outbreaks.

The Netherlands is imposing a strict new lockdown, starting Sunday at 5 a.m., Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced in a televised press conference Saturday, according to CNN affiliate RTL News.

Indoor gatherings will be limited to a maximum of two guests until January 14, except on Christmas and New Year's Eve, when that will be extended to four guests, according to RTL News.

All schools and extracurricular activities will close until at least January 9, RTL reports.

Sports competitions will be halted, and all indoor sports venues will also be closed, Rutte said, according to RTL News, though children under 17 years of age will be able to continue playing sports until 5 p.m. Sunday.

France on Friday announced large outdoor events and gatherings will be banned on New Year's Eve as the country faces its fifth wave of infections, warning that Omicron will become the dominant variant by early 2022.

Denmark has also proposed closing cinemas and theaters, and limiting the numbers of people in shops the week before Christmas, as it attempts to control a spike in cases.

And Rome is among several Italian cities that have decided to cancel New Year's festivities over coronavirus concerns, authorities said Thursday.

The Campania region has also banned feasts and alcohol consumption in public areas from December 23 to January 1. Venice also canceled its open air concerts and New Year's Eve fireworks.

Ireland will also introduce an 8:00 p.m. curfew for restaurants and bars from Sunday, and limit numbers for both indoor and outdoor events, amid a surge in Omicron cases, it announced Friday.

China's 'zero-Covid' strategy

Under China's newly tightened measures, people from medium or high-risk areas are strictly prohibited from travel. Those on official duties, or working in the transportation sector, should obtain special permission and a negative Covid-19 test within 48 hours, the NHC added.

The rules are slightly eased for residents in "low risk" districts. They are only advised not to travel during the holiday season, and are required to have a negative Covid-19 test within 48 hours to leave the city.

As part of the designation, "medium risk" areas are those with less than 10 reported cases in the last two weeks. And "high risk" areas have more than 10 reported cases.

China currently has 12 "high risk" areas and 57 "medium risk" areas, NHC statistics showed Saturday.

China has fully vaccinated 1.186 billion people, accounting for 84% of its the population, NHC spokesperson Mi Feng said.

CNN's Dalal Mawad and Livia Borghese contributed to this report

The Mongolian weightlifting team is participating in the 2021 World Weighlifting Championships, which is being held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan between December 7-17.

State Honored Athlete M.Ankhtsetseg successfully lifted a 109 kg snatch and a 141 kg clean & jerk in the 87 kg weight category and claimed the gold medal, becoming a world champion.

Since 2012, she has won two bronze medals at the World Championships and a gold medal at the World Cup, and placed 4th at the Tokyo-2020 Summer Olympics.

Deputy Prime Minister S.Amarsaikhan, Chief of Staff of the Office of the President Ya.Sodbaatar have held a meeting with the Vice chairman of the board of PJSC Gazprom, Burmistrova Elena Viktorovna.

In the beginning of the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister S.Amarsaikhan expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the construction project for the natural gas pipeline connecting Russia and China through the territory of Mongolia as planned by the joint working group, despite the difficult situation of the pandemic.

The sides concurred that since the feasibility study has completed before the visit of President of Mongolia, the following agreement and document drafts should be started to be developed in the near future.

“I am grateful for that the Heads of two States are attaching great significance to the project, which is greatly important for expanding the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries,” highlighted Chief of Staff of the Office of the President Ya.Sodbaatar.

Furthermore, the Mongolian side put forth a suggestion to supply products made from wool, cashmere, leather as well as meat products that meet the international standards for the needs of the Gazprom staff.

Global coal-fired power generation is expected to rise 9% and hit an all-time high by the end of 2021, despite efforts to slash carbon emissions, the International Energy Agency said Friday.

Overall coal demand — including its use in steelmaking, cement and other industrial activities — is expected to grow by 6% in 2021 to 8.11 billion tonnes, the Paris-based group said in its annual report. That puts demand on track to reach a new record high in early 2022 and to remain at that level for the following two years, it said.

Increases in coal demand in Asia will be offset by falling demand in the US and the European Union by 2024, the watchdog noted.

The agency said that renewed demand for the fossil fuel was caused mainly by a faster-than-expected economic recovery, temperature and weather fluctuations that dampened electricity supply and rises gas prices.

“Coal is the single largest source of global carbon emissions, and this year’s historically high level of coal power generation is a worrying sign of how far off track the world is in its efforts to put emissions into decline towards net zero,” IEA executive director Fatih Birol said in a statement.

“Without strong and immediate actions by governments to tackle coal emissions — in a way that is fair, affordable and secure for those affected — we will have little chance, if any at all, of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius,” Birol said.

COP26 didn’t help

In November, more than 190 countries reached a deal at the United Nations COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, that aims to speed up greenhouse-gas emissions cuts and to “phase down” coal use for the future.

A last-minute intervention from India and China weakened efforts to end coal power and fossil fuel subsidies.

“China’s influence on coal markets is difficult to overstate. China’s power generation, including district heating, accounts for one-third of global coal consumption,” the report reads.

Global coal use to hit record high despite climate fight

Source: IEA Coal 2021 Report. (Click to enlarge)

Researchers at Wood Mackenzie recently warned that the expected coal phase-out may take longer than countries are willing to admit.

China currently accounts for about half of the world’s coal production and it may grow, as it needs to meet rising domestic demand. The government has pressured miners to reduce prices and lower the cost of burning coal during this year’s energy crisis, which triggered blackouts and rationing in the country.

India vowed in November to triple its solar-power capacity and meet half of its energy requirements with renewable energy by 2030. Still, the IEA forecasts that India’s coal consumption will grow at around 4% each year through 2024.

“It is disappointing that coal power may hit an all-time high in the very same year that countries agreed to phase it down,” Dave Jones, global program lead at climate think-tank Ember, said in an emailed statement.

“Coal power will inevitably begin to decline soon: China has committed to phasing down coal from 2025, while India’s huge renewables target should remove the need for more coal.”