The total savings of Mongolians rose 22 percent year on year to 16.8 trillion Mongolian tugriks (about 5.8 billion U.S. dollars) at the end of the third quarter, said the Bank of Mongolia, the country's central bank on Monday.

The bank made the statement after it concluded a month-long national campaign, which aimed to increase people's awareness on the importance of savings and financial literacy. The campaign is also part of the activities held in Mongolia to mark World Savings Day, which falls on Oct. 31 every year across the world.

Mongolia has been celebrating World Savings Day across the country since 2017. Enditem

China has ordered traders to stop purchasing at least seven categories of Australian commodities, including coal, barley, copper ore and concentrate, sugar, timber, wine and lobster, Bloomberg reported.

Beijing and Canberra have been locked in a geopolitical dispute since April after Australia pushed for an international inquiry into the origins of the covid-19 pandemic.

Reports by the South China Morning Post suggest that copper and sugar exports from Australia into China will be halted, after the country banned the import of timber from Queensland and barley shipments from an Australian grain exporter.

Australian rock lobster shipments were also delayed in Shanghai on the weekend.

China is Australia’s most important and biggest trading partner. The two-way trade between the countries is worth around A$240 billion ($171 billion), while China buys around 39% of Australia’s merchandise exports.

“China seems determined to punish Australia and make it an example to other countries,” Richard McGregor, a senior fellow at Sydney-based think tank the Lowy Institute told Bloomberg.

“They want to show there’s a cost for political disagreements.”

Australia is China’s top supplier of iron ore and coking coal, the two main ingredients used to make steel, while also being a major provider of LNG and thermal coal, used predominantly in power stations.

BHP confirmed it received deferment requests from Chinese coal customers.

Iron ore, Australia’s biggest export to China, won’t be included in the halt, say people familiar with the situation. Australia exported about 78 million tonnes in October, according to Refinitiv. China buys over 80% of Australia’s production.

Australian copper miner Sandfire on Tuesday called the reports “media speculation” and said its DeGrussa and Monty mines, two of the Asia-Pacific region’s premier, high-grade copper mines, have continued to operate at full production rates into the December 2020 Quarter and production guidance for FY2021 is maintained.

(With files from Bloomberg)

COVID-19 has proved to be a real-life test of Mongolia's emergency preparedness system. On 10 March 2020, the country was shaken by the news of its first confirmed case of COVID-19. Yet long before the first case was announced, the Government and the public had readied itself for such a scenario.

Starting on 6 January 2020, a multi-sectoral incident management team with more than 70 officials from 21 agencies covering health, transportation, border control, law enforcement, state administration, emergency management, communications, information and more worked in unison to contain the potential spread of the disease. The foundations of the shared strategy were solidarity, early preventive measures, multi-sectoral partnership and a culture of continuous improvement, supported by WHO.

Ten months later, Mongolia has recorded no deaths from the virus, 346 imported cases and no local transmission.

WHO’s Representative for Mongolia, Dr Sergey Diorditsa, said “In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mongolia has undertaken prompt response measures to protect the health of its people, health workers and frontline responders, and reduce the risk of potential outbreak in the local community. Many factors including solidarity across all sectors and all levels, multi-sectoral collaboration, risk communication and community engagement have been key to Mongolia’s success.”

Mongolia’s approach has been based on lessons from outbreaks of SARS in 2003, H1N1 in 2009 and seasonal influenza, using WHO’s Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies (APSED) to prepare for the next pandemic. It focused on extensive testing and contact tracing, a well-prepared health system and a high level of community awareness of measures to protect and promote health.

Determined to make every effort to keep COVID-19 out, in early May 2020, Mongolia organized a large-scale national simulation exercise to test its response preparedness. The simulation exercise identified major gaps in the system and reinforced the need for continuous improvement.

Mongolia is using these insights to also strengthen its national health capacity, with the help of partners, to prepare not only for COVID-19, but also for future outbreaks and health emergencies. Three areas of focus are strengthening its capacity to monitor, prevent and control the spread and effects of COVID-19; strengthening laboratory capacity at national and sub-national levels; and ensuring continuity and quality of essential health care services.

Aware that the global pandemic is not yet over, Mongolia is doing its best to prepare for a better future with everyone acting in solidarity.

https://youtu.be/LKA9UeN5rhk and in Mongolian https://youtu.be/k95zeEdfnrU

According to a statement issued on Monday by the Mongolian National Center for Communicable Disease (NCCD), the overall tally of patients who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus across the state has risen to 349, after three more cases were reported during the last 24-hour period.

At a regular news briefing, the NCCD's head Dulmaa Nyamkhuu revealed "The latest confirmed cases are Mongolian transport drivers who have recently come back from Russia via the Altanbulag border point."

The East Asian nation has not seen a single COVID-related death or local transmission so far.

The center's statement further included that a number of 313 patients have so far won the battle against the brutal coronavirus infection and been accordingly discharged from hospitals, adding that all the confirmed cases in the East Asian nation are imported from the overseas, mostly from Russia.

London (CNN Business)Fast food chain Burger King has taken a rather unusual step: calling on customers to order from archrival McDonald's, as well as a number of other competing restaurants.

The company's UK arm tweeted a statement Monday asking consumers to support their local fast food outlets during the coronavirus pandemic, whether they are Burger King or not.

"We never thought we'd be asking you to do this, but restaurants employing thousands of staff really need your support at the moment," read the tweet, which names KFC, Subway and Domino's Pizza, as well as other chains.

"So, if you want to help, keep treating yourself to tasty meals through home delivery, takeaway or drive thru."

Pizza Hut, Five Guys, Greggs, Taco Bell, Papa John and Leon also get a mention, as do independent food outlets.

"Getting a Whopper is always best, but ordering a Big Mac is also not such a bad thing," reads the message.

The UK hospitality industry has been hit hard by the pandemic, and new restrictions set to come into force in England on Thursday are likely to make things worse, with all restaurants closed except for takeout or delivery.

While Burger King UK is appealing to a sense of solidarity with the wider food industry, the company's North America operation has taken a more confrontational approach to promotion.

The burger chain offered a free Whopper to customers who drive by one of the "the scariest places on earth" — five shuttered restaurants once operated by rivals McDonald's (MCD), Wendy's, Sonic or Jack in the Box.

As part of a Halloween-themed promotion, customers within 300 feet of one of the listed abandoned locations could confirm their location on the Burger King app to receive a coupon for a free Whopper.

A project to construct China’s first undersea high-speed rail tunnel in eastern Zhejiang Province was approved on Monday, according to The Paper digital newspaper. Investments in the project will amount to over $4 billion.

Construction of the Jintang undersea tunnel is expected to start this year, while the overall project will take six to seven years to complete.

With a maximum depth of 78 meters and a diameter of 14 meters, the 16.2km-long tunnel will be the world’s longest undersea tunnel for high-speed rail upon completion. It will link the Jintang island of Zhoushan and the coastal area of Ningbo.

The Zhoushan group of islands in Zhejiang province, is very popular with tourists due to the developed hotel infrastructure and clean beaches. Currently, you can get to them by car over a bridge or by air.

When the undersea tunnel is completed, trains traveling at 250 km/h will be able to go from Ningbo to Zhoushan in just 30 minutes. Driving between the two places, connected by a number of bridges, currently takes about three times longer.

According to the officials, the geological exploration AI (artificial intelligence) management system which will be used during construction has functions of full monitoring of the drilling process. It could realize “zero contact” remote supervision and effectively avoid the risk of an epidemic outbreak at the construction site.

Mongolia will hold an international forum and exhibition online this month to boost exports amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the country's Ministry of Food and Agriculture said Monday.

The online event, dubbed "Export Mongolia-2020," is expected to be co-organized by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Foreign Ministry, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund, and the National Development Agency on Nov. 19-20.

The event aims to introduce Mongolian brand products to the world, open up investment opportunities, join export networks, diversify exports, increase foreign trade, and create a cluster for exports, according to the organizers.

Within the framework of the event, business forums, meetings, virtual exhibitions, trainings and seminars will be held, and all relevant information will be disseminated through foreign diplomatic missions in Mongolia and Mongolian diplomatic missions abroad.

The value of Mongolia's total exports decreased to 5.1 billion U.S. dollars in the first three quarters of this year, down 13.4 percent compared with the same period last year due to the prolonged containment measures on the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the country's National Statistics Office. Enditem

At the training ground of the Eastern Military District (EMD) of Burduny in the Republic of Buryatia, the closing ceremony of the joint Russian-Mongolian exercise "Selenga-2020" was held.

Despite the difficult sanitary and epidemiological situation caused by the spread of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the joint exercise was held at the highest level, where new methods of combating illegal armed groups were tested.

The state flags were lowered and the anthems of the participating countries were sung at the ceremony. Distinguished military personnel were awarded medals of the Russian Ministry of Defence "For Strengthening Military Cooperation," diplomas and valuable gifts.

The head of the exercise, Major-General Ruslan Abdulkhajiev and Chief of Staff of Land Forces of Mongolia Brigadier General L. Onzogoybayar thanked the troops for their high skills and professionalism displayed during performance of the task.

Colonel Ivan Taraev, head of the department of international military cooperation of the EMD, noted the high dynamics of interaction between the Armed Forces of Russia and Mongolia in the military and military-technical spheres aimed at strengthening the defence capability and national security of the two states.

It is also worth adding that the solemn events dedicated to the closing of the annual joint exercise "Selenga" with the participation of units of the Armed Forces of Mongolia were also held at the Doityn Am training ground (Mongolia), where the Mongolian side played practical actions.

Recall that the "Selenga-2020" exercise was held simultaneously for the first time at two training grounds in Russia and Mongolia from October 27 to 31. The "Selenga 2020" exercise was aimed at fighting international terrorism.

About 650 military personnel and more than 100 pieces of equipment were involved from the Russian Armed Forces. The Mongolian Armed Forces involved about 450 people and over 100 pieces of equipment.

For reference:

The drills are held annually since 2008. Until 2011, it was a tactical exercise with live fire and was called "Darkhan" (translated from Mongolian "Builder"). In 2011, the maneuvers were renamed after the name of the river originating in Mongolia, flowing through the territory of the Republic of Buryatia and flowing into Lake Baikal. From that time on, the exercise began to have an anti-terrorist orientation.

In 2019, the exercise took place at the Munh Hat training ground in Mongolia, where the participants worked out the tasks of jointly destroying mock illegal armed groups and protecting a settlement in the border area.

On October 5, the working group that was established by the Government Administration reported its conclusion that “there was no worsening condition for the environment, health of people and livestock due to uranium” after researching and analyzing the area around the uranium plant of Badrakh Energy in Ulaanbadrakh soum of Dornogovi province.

That is why we wanted to bring the actual information to the public and listened to the opinion of an independent professional person. Manager and professor of the Nuclear Physics Research Center at the Mongolian National University N. Norov, who is the first specialist of Mongolia on atomic power stations and also a teacher who brought forth six Mongolian doctors on reactors. This is the interview with him.

The professional team worked on the territory of Ulaanbadrakh soum, where the uranium exploration was taking place, and recently presented its conclusion. It then reported to the public that there was no worsening or harmful condition for the environment, health of people and livestock due to uranium. Do you, as a professional, agree with this conclusion?

I was not in that working group. I was in the large working group that was established by the resolution 47 of N. Altanhuyag’s Government and that included every research and study institution, when twenty calves of Zuunbayan bag herder D. Norsuren had died in late 2012, while grazing in Ulaanbadrakh soum. The results of the study showed that calves died of a chronic selenium poisoning.

We took for analysis the samples not only from the soil and water in the area, but also from the innards of dead calves. One copy of the study was sent to the Republic of Korea. Because that analysis also showed the chronic selenium poisoning, the working group concluded that it had been a selenium poisoning.

What does it mean? It was not because of uranium?

That area in Dornogovi underwent a considerable geological change. The uranium orebody is at the depth of 200 m from the land surface, while below it there is the Zuunbayan Tsagaan Els uranium deposit 800-1 000 m deep. In other words, there are two types of minerals, which went through a very deep geological change. Since Gobi has little water and no permanent flows, the water has a lot of salinity and is enriched with various chemical elements after being transformed for many years.

I was not in the recent working group. So I do not know well about the last conclusion. The previous working group stated that selenium was higher than it should be in most of the drinking water wells. The impact from the uranium radiation is very low there. The upper drinking water aquifer is relatively alright.

For example, it has been observed that amounts of uranium and other elements are high in the aquifer with the uranium orebody. So the water has formed naturally to contain enriched and mineralized amounts including other elements in addition to uranium.

Is there a probability that the impact of the radioactive substance uranium may increase after the beginning of the exploration and study by Badrakh Energy?

Ulaanbadrakh has a relatively little amount of uranium, when compared to other places such as Ulaanbaatar. That is because uranium, which is in granite on the surface, is washed by water, turns into an ore below and becomes enriched. So it is relatively less on the surface. Of course, there are occasional places where the uranium orebody is close to the land surface. These places are called high radiation areas by some movements. But that is just a rock with uranium appearing relatively open. It is a rock that has a bit more uranium. But no person and no animal will eat this rock. Before the French company came to explore, the Russians conducted the exploration and formed the open uranium orebody spots after digging holes. It is hard to call them dangerous.

However, certain movements still assume that Badrakh Energy company has intoxicated the human and livestock?

Badrakh Energy is a company with investments of France and Mongolia. It is talked as if the French come and dig all our uranium. But this is a joint investment company built on an agreement of three countries.

Their technology is the most modern. This method is being used to mine half of uranium produced in the world. This method has developed greatly in recent years. Uranium will be mined through this economically profitable and environmentally relatively clean technology. But it is not being mined right now.

So can I understand that there will be no nuclear waste due to the use of this technology?

Yes, there will be no nuclear waste at all. This is not like digging the earth and draining the groundwater to mine coal. There will be no land digging or water draining. They will retrieve the water of the uranium ore aquifer by circulating it, turn it into a weak sulfuric acid solution, inject back into the orebody, select and leach uranium and adsorb the retrieved uranium in resin. The water will be used in a circulating mode. So it is a relatively clean technology that does not expend water. It is especially suitable for the uranium deposit in Ulaanbadrakh soum. Our uranium deposit has uranium brought by the groundwater, having eventually turned it into an ore. It has clay layers above and below. That is why uranium will not permeate further.

There was a lot of scandal, when they showed a six-legged newborn goat to the public. So this deformation is considered to have formed due to a unique natural phenomenon?

Only an enormous radiation amount can cause congenital deformations. Otherwise, the natural level radiation, which existed for many million years in Mongolia, cannot cause a genetic change.

Genes or the thing called inbreeding impacts the fetus development. I myself am a Dundgovi man. In our Gobi, the livestock is inbreeding. Because it is a desert area, there is a deficiency of improving the livestock. So inbreeding of the livestock should be avoided.

You said that the enormous radiation level could cause a congenital deformation. Can you provide the numbers?

Living organisms across the world are living under the radiation impact. There are three main sources of the radiation impact:

1. Space radiation: The radiation coming from the hot nuclear reaction in the Sun increases the more you get close to the Sun. For example, Dornogovi province is located 760-770 m above the sea level, twice lower than the city of Ulaanbaatar. So it means that people of Ulaanbaatar are more exposed to the impact of space rays.

2. Amount of the radioactive substance radon in the air: This substance enters through breath and causes an internal exposure in people.

3. Soil and things: Nothing is without radioactive substances. The impact from the soil and construction materials is important here.

Our country is similar to the world average. When there is something higher than the average, the radiation in the soil will show higher. For example, if we use the radioactive sand and gravel as construction materials, the building walls will emit a lot of radiation. For example, it was determined that the ash from the thermal power stations no. 3 and 4 should not be used as a construction material. If it is used, then the radiation will rise above the norm.

In other words, we are always impacted by the radiation. It is there to a certain extent. We would talk about the radiation danger, if doses will be many thousand and million times above that level. Our uranium ore did not reach that level. For example, the dose of natural radiation is 0.15μSv/hour. It is same in Ulaanbadrakh soum too. The previously said active spots formed by the Russians in Ulaanbadrakh soum demonstrate approximately 1.0μSv/hour. There should be a talk about the accident if only it increases not 5-6 times, but several thousand and million times above that level.

If it is safe as you say, how is it useful for our country, if the plant that has been built starts to operate?

Our country has two types of energy resource – coal and uranium. Burning coal causes the air pollution and it in turn becomes a national issue. But there is the same enriched uranium in the coal. All coal deposits of our country are adjacent to uranium deposits.

The uranium mine called Mardai in Dornod is close to the Aduunchuluun coal mine. There is a uranium deposit near the Janchivlin spring in Erdene soum, close to the Baganuur coal mine. Beyond the Shivee Ovoo coal mine is the Haraat uranium deposit. Because they are close to each other, uranium enriches in coal. The smoke coming from our power stations contains the very uranium that you fear. To be exact, uranium and other radioactive elements directly wasted into the air in Ulaanbaatar and entering into bodies with breath is more impactful than uranium lying 200 m deep in Gobi.

The countries are now distancing from the 200-year old technology of burning coal. We are still burning it. In order to dig and retrieve one ton of coal in Baganuur, we pile four tons of soil and drain the groundwater. It means that we are operating needlessly four times. The 4th thermal power station burns 70 containers of coal per day. 15 percent of the delivered coal becomes ash. 45 percent of it is moisture or water. So 55 percent or half of it is not profitable. But one gram of uranium is equal to more than twenty tons of coal. It is a much more effective technology.

On the other hand, our country is said to have ample reserves of coal, but they are only about one percent of the total world reserve. But in terms of uranium we have about two percent of the total world reserve.

The southern neighbor is shifting from burning coal to the hydrogen technology. Uranium is important for hydrogen. Because our country does not have the natural gas, we would end up making it from our water. In order split the water, we would need electricity, thus making it expensive. Our coal is a combination of carbon and hydrogen. It means that hydrogen needs to be separated. We will gradually use uranium, process coal and move to the hydrogen energy. That is the way for the development.

Thank you for the important information.

Thank you.

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. The decision to lower mortgage loan interest rate from 8 percent down to 6 was made on October 1, 2020 by the ordinance of the Governor of the Bank of Mongolia, which allowed to start disbursing mortgage loans to borrowers, who issued their requests after October 1.

As of October 29, 512 borrowers have received mortgage loans worth 37.1 billion in total through the funding investment made available by government and commercial banks, of which MNT 7.8 billion were disbursed to 145 applicants from rural areas.