Early Childhood Development Center to be opened in Mongolia with support of UNICEF and UK Embassy www.akipress.com

UNICEF and the British Embassy in Mongolia have signed a partnership agreement to launch the "Growing Up Green" project - a climate-smart Early Childhood Development Center in Orkhon province, Montsame reported.
The project will renovate an existing public building in Bayan-Ondor district, transforming it into a coal-free, energy-efficient, and child-friendly environment. Once operational, the center will provide healthcare, nutrition, early childhood education, and parental support services for over 500 children aged under five.
The project is being implemented with co-funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom and the Governor's Office of Orkhon province.
"This partnership brings together two of Mongolia's most pressing priorities: climate action and early childhood development. By phasing out coal and transitioning to renewable energy, we are safeguarding children's health and ensuring a greener future for them," UNICEF Representative in Mongolia Evariste Kouassi-Komlan said.
"The United Kingdom has long supported Mongolia's efforts to achieve a greener future and inclusive development. That's why we’re proud to support this initiative that promotes local development. We remain committed to cooperating with international partners to protect the environment, support child development, and build a future where every child can thrive in a healthy and safe environment," British Ambassador to Mongolia Fiona Blyth highlighted.
The project will reduce heat loss at the ECD Center by installing a solar-powered heating system, an indoor air-conditioning system, and creating an outdoor landscape area. In addition, the center plans to offer training programs for parents and caregivers on parenting, nutrition, health, and sustainable living.
The initiative, aligned with Mongolia's National Early Childhood Development Program and the goals of the Paris Agreement, will serve as a pilot project to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating renewable energy into local infrastructure. Over the next five years, the model will be scaled across the country, eliminate coal use in public buildings, and strengthen local climate change resilience.
The project is scheduled to begin in August 2025 and end in March 2026.

Cabinet Considers Loan Agreement Draft for National Cardiovascular Center Project www.montsame.mn

Mongolia changes direction to ban all forms of gambling www.sbcnews.co.uk

The Great Khural of Mongolia has voted on legislative amendments that will prohibit all activities related to paid predictions, sports betting, and online gambling.
Announced by the Great Khural’s press service, Mongolian legislators have reviewed and approved amendments to the country’s Law on Licensing in March which clamp down on both online and retail betting. 
Montsame, the state news agency of Mongolia, also reports that predictions have been banned as well. Mongolians have also been banned from using payment accounts, electronic money, virtual assets, communication networks or electronic IDs to organise betting, gambling, or predictions.
Anyone who organises online or in-person betting or gambling will be considered breaking the law under Mongolia’s criminal code and could be subject to fines, community service, travel restrictions or imprisonment.
This marks a further shrinking of legal gaming activities in Mongolia, which already has quite strict laws around gambling – something that is not that uncommon in East Asia with most countries’ possessing frameworks that are far cry from the liberal standards seen in markets like the UK, Ireland or France, for example.
Mongolia has had legal sports betting markets for some time, as well as legal lotteries, but both physical and online casinos are illegal. According to Montsame, legislators have now put betting in this bracket.
Choosing prohibition, Mongolia take a markedly different approach to gambling regulation. In the run-up to March 2025, the government signalled support for a launching a  tightly regulated licensing regime for sports betting, while maintaining a blanket ban on all other gambling activities
The country’s strict standards on gambling are well-known to most stakeholders, however, with the likes of Meta being aware enough to include Mongolia on a list of countries where gambling ads cannot be displayed on its social media platforms like Facebook.
The sweeping prohibitions in Mongolia’s gambling laws coincide with the arrival of new leadership under Prime Minister Zandanshatar Gombojav. While the People’s Party leader has not publicly addressed the reforms, he has emphasised his commitment to tackling money laundering, financial crime, and the outflow of national capital.
A stumbling block for Asian gaming
In the grand scheme of things, further restrictions on betting in Mongolia will not come as much of a shock to many gambling PLCs during H1 results season due to the market being relatively untargeted.
It may come as a blow to some stakeholders hoping to see a wave of liberalisation across Asian markets, however. Some, like Sportradar, expect regulatory transitions across the Asia-Pacific region in 2025 which will present opportunities for betting and iGaming firms.
Thailand has been mulling up launching casinos to further bolster its tourism sector, the UAE has launched a gambling regulator for similar reasons, and the South Korean esports industry is calling for another look at betting regulation in the country, for example.
The recent developments in Mongolia show that these trends are not universal, however, as do the recent calls for a ban on online gaming in India while the country’s eighth largest state, Karnataka, is moving to ban online betting.
Predictions included
The inclusion of prediction markets in this legislative move, according to the state news agency, is also interesting. 
Mongolian authorities have clearly paid attention to the growth of prediction markets like Polymarket, which has found success globally and has just marked its return to the US, where Kalshi has established itself as the prediction market leader.
The popularity of prediction markets in the US has prompted a debate as to whether these companies’ products can be considered a form of gambling or not. This debate has quieted down at the federal level, but Kalshi is still finding itself at odds with several state regulators.
Meanwhile, countries in Europe and Asia like Belgium and Singapore have also decided against prediction markets, with both nations declaring Polymarket an illegal gambling website. Mongolia seems to be taking a similar approach to prediction markets.

State Great Khural Endorses Credit Ratings to Improve Citizens’ Financial Planning www.montsame.mn

Although borrower information is centralized in a database under the current legislation of the Law on Credit Information of Mongolia, the utilization of the information or the approval of scoring methodologies by the authority has not been regulated.
Therefore, the Law on Amendments to the Law on Credit Information introduces new regulations, including the determination of borrower creditworthiness, the setting of product and service fees, the use of credit information exclusively for assessing creditworthiness, and the prohibition of using such information for purposes not specified in the law.
With the adoption of the Law, citizens will be encouraged to develop a culture of understanding their credit scores and making timely payments to improve them. This will help individuals plan their business finances more effectively, enhance financial discipline, correct any inaccuracies in the credit database, and prevent other risky financial behaviors.
The credit information database contains data on loans and payment obligations of government and private sector organizations, citizens, and enterprises. The data is supplied from 12 banks, 436 non-bank financial institutions, telecommunications companies, ministry and agency-managed funds, and savings and credit cooperatives. According to the Media and Public Relations Department of the State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia, the database stores loan information of 1.6 million citizens and 19,600 enterprises as of this year.

MNT 14.1 billion to be spent on milk supply incentives www.gogo.mn

A public debate on the 2026 budget draft for the food and agriculture sector was held on August 11.
Agricultural land makes up 73% of Mongolia’s territory, but only 1 percent, about 700,000 hectares, is cultivated. The food, agriculture, and light industry sector contributes 35.6% of GDP and 6.5% of export revenue. 
According to the State Secretary of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Light Industry T.Jambaltseren, the Ministry has allocated MNT 99.6 billion in the 2026 budget for implementing the national food program. Of this, 84.5% will go toward interest discounts on loans issued in 2023–2025, while MNT 14.1 billion is designated for subsidies.
The subsidies will include a cash bonus for each liter of liquid milk supplied during the winter to meet the food needs of Ulaanbaatar and other central areas.

ICFG Limited Expands into Mongolian Life Insurance Market with Strategic Partnership www.tipranks.com

Fintech Asia Limited ( ICFG +2.86% ▲ ) has issued an update.
ICFG Limited’s Mongolian subsidiary, Connect Life LLC, has received a specialized life insurance license from the Financial Regulatory Commission of Mongolia, enabling it to offer a wide range of life insurance and annuity products. The company has also entered a strategic partnership with Mobicom Corporation to launch digital life insurance products under the ‘Mobilife’ brand, aiming to broaden consumer access and support the growth of Mongolia’s insurance sector.

Jade Gas Achieves First Gas Flow at Red Lake Production Well in Mongolia www.tradingview.com

Jade Gas Holdings JGH  has delivered gas to surface from its first horizontal production well at the Tavantolgoi coal bed methane (CBM) project in Mongolia. The breakthrough marks the country’s first production well gas flow and a critical proof-of-concept milestone for the Red Lake Field. It also advances the company’s field development plan and positions Jade to progress commercialisation initiatives. De-Risks Commercial Development Well RL-Hz-001 was brought online on 9 June 2025, with a carefully managed dewatering process over 56 days to protect the well bore and encourage stable gas release. Gas pressure developed in the casing in early August, with the company using initial flaring to reduce bottom-hole pressure and support ongoing dewatering. Jade’s integrated drilling partner DWK applied experience from similar wells in China’s Qinshui Basin, where geological conditions mirror Red Lake. The company said this operational success confirms the ability to extract commercial quantities of gas from the coal seams, and underpins Jade’s final Plan for Development and Operations (PDO) once it has confirmed the sustained rates of production. Scalable LNG Operation Jade believes the Red Lake field can support a large-scale LNG project to supply both Mongolian and export markets. Non-executive director Dr Ian Wang said Jade plans to replicate the proven well design across the field to deliver a long-term gas supply, adding that gas flow data from the first two wells would also enable a reserve booking and regulatory clearance for the PDO. “This milestone now sets our pathway for Jade to become a significant gas operator in Mongolia, and with demand growing in large customer markets on our doorstep, we are building that momentum at the right time,” he added. The company expects a second horizontal production well to flow gas shortly, providing further validation of the development model, while commercial studies are already considering staged development to optimise production while keeping upfront capital costs low. Next Steps and Commercial Pathway Gas flow rate measurement and reservoir evaluation will continue at RL-Hz-001 to build a complete performance profile. Once both wells have confirmed flow data, the PDO will be completed to detail the scale, schedule and capital requirements for field build-out. Parallel initiatives include discussions with potential partners to accelerate early production, project debt financing options and a planned dual listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange Jade said is intended to capture growing regional demand for cleaner energy and to fast-track cash flow generation. The company is also advancing its broader CBM portfolio, including the Baruun Naran joint venture with Mongolia Mining Corporation and the Shivee Gobi and Eastern Gobi permits. Mongolia’s Energy Transition Jade’s strategy aims to replace Mongolia’s reliance on imported gas and diesel with domestically produced CBM, and sees long-term opportunities to supply compressed or liquefied natural gas to heavy transport and power generation markets. The company believes successful development would improve national energy security, reduce emissions and deliver health benefits through improved air quality. Jade also noted the Red Lake project’s strategic location in the South Gobi, close to infrastructure and key industrial centres. The company sees timely execution of its PDO aligning the project’s first production with forecast increases in domestic and regional energy demand.

Najib comeback would be ‘insane’, murdered Mongolian’s father says www.bloomberg.com

The father of Altantuya Shaariibuu, who was murdered in 2006 by two bodyguards of the detail for officials including former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, said it would be “insane” for the jailed politician to stage a political comeback. 
Shaariibuu Setev, 76, said he doesn’t care if Najib, 72, is allowed to serve the rest of his prison term for corruption at home. The Mongolian spoke in an interview in Hong Kong as his almost two-decade fight for justice over his daughter’s murder draws to a close.
“He has met his end already,” Shaariibuu said of Najib.
“There is nowhere to go. Whether it’s prison or at home, it’s the same.”
Shaariibuu’s comments come as Najib attempts to revive his reputation after being sentenced to 12 years in prison for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering related to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.
Najib had that sentence halved last year and has petitioned the courts to serve the remaining three years or so of his term at home. A Malaysian court recently discharged Najib from a separate set of 1MDB charges without granting him an acquittal.
In October 2006, Altantuya was abducted outside the home of her former lover Abdul Razak Baginda, a former adviser to Najib.
The 28-year-old was then taken to a forest outside Kuala Lumpur, shot twice in the head and blown up with explosives. 
Two secret-service policemen, Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar, who were part of a bodyguard detail for Najib and other senior Malaysian leaders, were convicted of her murder, but a motive was never established. Abdul Razak, who denies involvement, was charged with abetting the murder but later acquitted.
In a statutory declaration from death row in 2019, Azilah said Najib ordered him to kill Altantuya. Sirul has told media including The Sydney Morning Herald that he acted under orders but declined to say who gave them. Najib has consistently denied any role in Altantuya’s death, was never charged and no proof of his involvement has ever been established in court. 
In 2022, Shaariibuu and his family won a civil lawsuit first brought 18 years ago in Malaysia against Azilah, Sirul, Abdul Razak and the government. All of the defendants were found liable for Altantuya’s death and ordered to pay more than RM9 million in damages and costs. Abdul Razak and the government appealed against the ruling, with decisions expected to be handed down in October. The court has said both parties will need to pay RM4.7 million each if they lose.
Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Najib’s lawyer, didn’t comment when asked about Shaariibuu's comments and the former prime minister's involvement in the case.
A post on Najib’s Facebook page on July 2 said that he sued former attorney general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas in 2021 to “prove to the world that all the allegations regarding Najib’s involvement in the Altantuya case are purely slander”.  The defamation suit is ongoing. 
Thomas, who charged Najib for 1MDB crimes, wrote about the Altantuya murder case in his memoir.
“The trial heard how she was murdered, which was certainly in the most gruesome way, but no motive or reason was ever pursued or established for doing this,” he wrote.
Shaariibuu, a retired academic who peppers his speech with Mongolian sayings, has been the face of the family’s campaign for justice for his daughter since her murder, appearing frequently in Malaysia since the days after her death. He doesn’t speak English, communicating instead through a Mongolian lawyer who has worked with him for almost two decades.
Last October, a letter by Shaariibuu requesting that Azilah not be executed for murdering Altantuya was read out in the Federal Court. He made an argument against capital punishment, emphasising a respect for the sanctity of human life. 
During the interview in Hong Kong, Shaariibuu revealed that other considerations informed his strategy. One was a Mongolian belief that you “cannot defeat sin with another sin”, he said.
Another was a concern that if Azilah was put to death, it would remove one of the remaining people who could tell the full story of what happened to his daughter.
“If he is executed, the witness is gone,” he said.
“Getting executed is easy,” he added. “But I want him to suffer all his life.”
The Federal Court commuted Azilah’s death sentence in October, giving him 40 years in prison and 12 strokes of the cane instead. Prisoners on death row were allowed to apply to have their sentences reviewed after the country abolished the mandatory death penalty in 2023. 
A lawyer for Azilah didn’t respond to a request for comment. 
In 2014, Sirul fled to Australia, which won’t extradite people to countries where they would face the death penalty, while out on bail before the final court ruling in 2015 that convicted him of Altantuya’s murder. Australian authorities subsequently released him from immigration detention. Shaariibuu called on Australia to send Sirul home now that Malaysia has abolished the mandatory death penalty, saying it was wrong for him to be walking free.
Sirul’s immigration lawyer didn’t respond to a request for comment. Australia’s Department of Home Affairs said it can’t comment on individual cases for privacy reasons.
Over the course of two days of interviews in Hong Kong, Shaariibuu recounted the damage Altantuya’s murder had wrought on his family, saying it left two children without a mother, including one who was disabled and later died. Shaariibuu’s wife, too, later passed away. He said that even though his lawyers in Malaysia and Mongolia worked pro bono, he had to sell his home to pay some expenses related to the legal cases.
But the self-confessed movie buff retained a sense of humour, making jokes about horses and sheep in Mongolia as he discussed the events that shaped his life. Hailing from the Gobi Desert, he shivered in the cold Hong Kong air-conditioning as he complained about why it has taken so long for his daughter’s case to wind through Malaysia’s courts. He said it had been delayed because of politics, but he remained patient.
“I am smarter than them all,” he said. “I will prevail.”

State Great Khural Bans All Paid Prediction, Betting, and Online Gambling www.montsame.mn

The State Great Khural reviewed and approved amendments to the Law on Licensing, submitted by the Government, at its spring regular session on March 26, 2025, along with related draft laws.
With the adoption of the amendments, all activities related to paid prediction, betting, and online gambling are completely prohibited in Mongolia. Organizing paid prediction or betting games in public places or via information technology for profit is now classified as a criminal offense under the Criminal Code. Offenders face fines ranging from 2,700 to 14,000 basic units, mandatory community service from 240 to 720 hours, restriction of travel rights for six months to one year, or imprisonment for six months to three years.
Furthermore, repeated use of payment accounts, electronic money, virtual assets, telecommunications numbers, or electronic identifiers under one’s own or others’ names for organizing paid prediction, betting, or gambling activities is also considered a criminal offense. Penalties include a fine of 450 to 5,400 basic units, community service of 240 to 720 hours, travel restrictions for six months to one year, or imprisonment for six months to one year.
Any individual who promotes or solicits paid prediction, betting, or gambling is subject to administrative penalties under the Law on Administrative Violations, including fines for violations or illegal advertising. Special regulations concerning excise taxes on equipment used in paid prediction and betting activities, as well as provisions in the Corporate Income Tax Law, the Law on Personal Income Tax, and the Law on Supporting Small and Medium Enterprises and Services, have been repealed in connection with the ban on these activities in Mongolia.
The laws are set to take effect according to the standard procedure, reported the Media and Public Relations Department of the State Great Khural.

Mongolia's foreign trade falls 9.2 pct in seven months www.xinhuanet.com

Mongolia's foreign trade reached 14.2 billion U.S. dollars in the first seven months of 2025, a 9.2-percent decrease compared to the same period last year, according to the National Statistics Office on Tuesday.
During the period, exports decreased 16.4 percent to 7.8 billion dollars, while imports increased 1.1 percent to 6.4 billion dollars.
The decline in exports was mainly influenced by the supply of coal, crude oil, iron ore, mutton and goat meat and washed cashmere from Mongolia to foreign countries.
The country traded with 152 economies worldwide in the cited period, the office said.