58-year-old Mongolian president bench-presses 100kg; leaves internet impressed www.indianexpress.com

Mongolia’s President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh surprised social media users after a video showed the 58-year-old leader bench-pressing 100 kg for 20 repetitions during a visit to a military unit.

Khurelsukh, who served as an Army officer before entering politics, appeared unfazed as he completed the demanding set in front of military personnel. Dressed in a formal suit, the President initially stood beside the bench before taking off his jacket and getting into position.

He proceeded to lift the 100 kg weight repeatedly, completing all 20 repetitions without showing obvious signs of fatigue. Once he finished, Khurelsukh stood up, shook hands with the officers and soldiers around him and casually put his jacket back on.

The footage has since made its way across social media, with several users expressing surprise at the President’s fitness and the ease with which he handled the weight.

“Imagine running a whole country and still finding time to bench 100kg. I can barely get out of bed on time,” one user wrote.

“And that too with such ease,” another commented.

“Wah! This is super cool!” a third person added.

Khurelsukh has been Mongolia’s President since 2021. He entered politics after serving in the Mongolian People’s Army and went on to hold several senior positions, including that of prime minister, before becoming President.

His interests outside politics are also somewhat unconventional. According to an NDTV report, Khurelsukh has a background in bodybuilding and martial arts. The report also said that he plays guitar in a rock band called Pals.

Khurelsukh is also reportedly the founder of a Harley-Davidson fan club in the country, adding another unusual facet to his public profile.

National Museum of Natural Sciences Construction Reached 83% www.montsame.mn

President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa reviewed the progress of construction on the National Museum of Natural Sciences, being built in Ikh Tengeryn Am.

He instructed the relevant ministers and the contractor company to pay special attention to completing construction of the museum, an important investment in strengthening the nation's intellectual and cultural resilience, to a high standard.

Construction of the National Museum of Natural Sciences was 83% complete. He noted the need to pay special attention to enriching the collection of the new museum and to developing its exhibition design, collection storage and preservation, interactive displays, and education programmes in line with international standards, as well as to building human resource capacity and training the necessary specialists abroad.

While serving as Prime Minister, Khurelsukh Ukhnaa had made the decision to reclaim land in Ikh Tengeryn Am that had been used for purposes other than its intended one, returning it to public ownership for use accessible to the public. A decision was subsequently made to build the Natural History Museum on the site.

Construction of the National Museum of Natural Sciences began in 2024; the museum building, to be built on 6.6 hectares of land, covers approximately 45,000 square meters.

Once completed, Mongolia's first large-scale natural science museum will rank seventh in size among natural science museums in Asia.

As of today, construction of the five-block museum building was 83% complete, with completion planned for next year. Once construction is finished, work will move on to interior finishing and exhibition design. The exhibition design plan was being developed by eight sub-working groups made up of scientists and researchers from the seven institutes of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, the National University of Mongolia, the Mongolian University of Life Sciences, and the Mongolian University of Science and Technology, with this work currently 98% complete.

The museum will have seven permanent exhibition halls featuring modern technological solutions such as virtual reality, multimedia, interactive screens, and dynamic installations. It will also have a temporary exhibition hall, an amphitheater, a library, a conference hall, a restaurant, a coffee shop, a gift shop, and parking for around 500 vehicles.

The seven exhibition halls could comfortably accommodate an average of 2,500 to 3,000 visitors at a time, with a capacity for 3,500 to 5,000 visitors per day.

The museum will play an important role in spreading knowledge on the living world, the origin and development of humankind, geology, paleontology, geography, biodiversity, ecology, ecosystem patterns and evolution, teaching children and young people about the laws of nature, and fostering a love for and protection of the Earth and one's homeland, as well as pride in one's country.

It will also develop into a center of ecological education and knowledge that showcases Mongolia's pristine nature and natural heritage, fostering the concept of a green society through the collection, preservation, study, and promotion of natural and cultural heritage, and supporting environmental education, sustainable development, lifelong learning, a responsible attitude toward climate, and international cooperation. The museum's building design was developed by the "Khatanbaatar" company, with "Sodon Nomin Construction" serving as the contractor.

The foundations of the Natural History Museum were laid in 1924, and it was reorganized in 1956. In 1991, it separated from the State Central Museum to become the independent Natural History Museum. Today, the museum displays around 12,000 nature-related exhibits and artifacts to the public and conducts independent and collaborative scientific research in the natural sciences.

Pine nut harvesting banned in 2026 amid food shortages for wildlife www.gogo.mn

In response to an increase in brown bear sightings in populated areas, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Ts.Sandag-Ochir convened an emergency meeting on September 10, 2026.

Based on data indicating shortages of natural food sources for wildlife and research into the 2026 pine nut harvest, the meeting resulted in a decision to ban the harvesting of pine nuts for both household and commercial purposes throughout 2026.

T.Baljinnyam, a department head at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, said there had been more than 10 reported cases of brown bears entering human settlements since the beginning of the year. Official directives are being issued to Dornod, Sukhbaatar, Khentii, Khuvsgul, and Uvs provinces. 

Brown bears enter populated areas primarily because of a lack of food. In addition, vehicles and equipment used by people gathering nuts and berries are driving bears out of forest habitats. People also need to take care with how they dispose of household waste and animal carcasses.

We will take immediate action whenever a bear poses a threat to people or property.

There have also been cases of bears crossing into Mongolia from neighboring regions of Russia. Bears entering populated areas are generally emaciated due to food shortages, or are mother bears accompanied by cubs. Efforts are being made to drive them back into forested areas. 

Every year, Mongolia issues an order regulating the harvesting of pine nuts for household and commercial purposes. This year, however, an order has been issued to completely prohibit pine nut harvesting.

Trump’s son with Kazakh tungsten ties lost in Mongolian mountains www.kz.kursiv.media

Donald Trump Jr., whose business interests are tied to a company involved in tungsten mining in Kazakhstan, recently teamed up with Kazakh travel blogger Dastan Mukhamedrakhim for a trip to Mongolia.

Dastan, who is known on Instagram as bydastan.kz, and Trump Jr. got lost while traveling through the mountains of Mongolia, according to the blogger.

«An incident too unbelievable for Hollywood actually happened in real life,» Dastan said of the experience.

The two travelers spent several days in the wilderness and nearly became stranded after reaching a river crossing they could not initially find a way to cross.

A gift from Kazakhstan

After spending three days in the remote wilds with Trump Jr., Dastan presented him with a traditional Kazakh robe, known as a shapan, along with traditional headwear.

Trump Jr. and his brother, Eric Trump, have been associated with business interests tied to a major tungsten mining company in Kazakhstan. The project involves the development of one of the world’s largest tungsten deposits.

Dastan Mukhamedrakhim was named the world’s best travel blogger at the WIBA Awards 2026.

Interest in the blogger’s content has been growing not only in Kazakhstan but also worldwide. Last year, Instagram’s official account shared several of his videos. 

By
Rauan Mutair
Journalist, the General News Department
r.mutairov@kursiv.media

Yerlan Iskakov
Senior Journalist
ye.iskakov@kursiv.media

Mongolia to hold parliamentary hearing on Epstein files in October www.azernews.az

Mongolia’s parliament is set to hold a public hearing on the Jeffrey Epstein files on October 7, after an opposition lawmaker called for an investigation into references to prominent Mongolian political figures in the documents.

MP B. Bayarbaatar first proposed the hearing in May and confirmed the October date on Wednesday. The parliamentary proceedings are expected to examine documents and information held by government agencies and hear testimony from relevant witnesses.

According to the figures cited in the report, the released Epstein documents mention several prominent Mongolian figures, including former Foreign Minister L. Purevsuren 219 times, former President Ts. Elbegdorj 46 times, former President Kh. Battulga 81 times, former Prime Minister Ch. Saikhanbileg four times and Liberty Partners CEO Ch. Ganbat 194 times.

However, a mention in the Epstein files does not by itself establish wrongdoing or criminal conduct. The nature and context of each reference would need to be established through the documents and testimony presented at the hearing.

The issue could nevertheless become politically explosive in Mongolia, particularly as the country heads toward an election.

The politicians named in the figures cited above are associated with Mongolia’s Democratic Party, while the ruling Mongolian People's Party (MPP) is likely to face pressure to address the allegations and could use the parliamentary proceedings to scrutinize its political rivals.

The October hearing could therefore become both a transparency exercise and a major political battleground, as lawmakers seek to determine what the Epstein records actually reveal about Mongolia’s political establishment.

Mongolia's foreign trade turnover surges nearly 37 pct in first 8 months www.xinhuanet.com

 Mongolia's foreign trade turnover rose 36.8 percent year-on-year to 22.8 billion U.S. dollars in the first eight months of 2026, data released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) showed Wednesday.

During the January-August period, Mongolia recorded a trade surplus of 6 billion dollars, the NSO said.

The significant increase in foreign trade was largely driven by a surge in mining exports, which accounted for nearly 90 percent of the country's total exports during the period.

The Asian country traded with 155 economies worldwide in the first eight months of the year. Among them, China maintained its position as Mongolia's largest trading partner.

Mongolia Signs MoU with BlackRock FMA www.montsame.mn

The Government of Mongolia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with BlackRock Financial Markets Advisory (BlackRock FMA), the financial markets advisory unit of the New York-headquartered BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.

The Memorandum was signed by Enkhbayar Battumur, the Minister of Mongolia and Chief of the Cabinet Secretariat, and Matthias Wyrwoll, Managing Director in charge of International Sovereign Wealth Fund Advisory Services at BlackRock FMA.

Within the framework of the Government's "Chuluulye" (Liberate) initiative and this Memorandum of Understanding, the parties outlined a general framework for exchanging information on consolidating a portion of state-owned enterprises' shares through investment instruments and offering them on domestic and international capital markets.

BlackRock FMA is an industry leader in investment and asset management, risk management, and technology, and advises government institutions worldwide on capital markets, supporting the national development and investment funds of countries around the globe.

Preparations for the talks are being carried out by a Working Group established by a decision of the Cabinet meeting on June 10, 2026. Led by Minister Enkhbayar, the Working Group includes representatives of the Ministry of Finance, the Government Agency for Policy Coordination on State Property, and Chinggis Khaan Sovereign Wealth Fund Holding LLC.

To carry out this comprehensive reform in line with international best practice, the Working Group sent proposals for cooperation to 12 of the world's leading asset management firms, and BlackRock FMA has expressed interest in taking part. Following mutual agreement between the Government and BlackRock FMA to explore possible areas of cooperation, the Memorandum was signed to exchange knowledge and experience and to establish a framework for further cooperation.

Successfully carrying out this initiative would not only improve the governance and operational efficiency of state-owned enterprises but would also accelerate the development of the domestic capital market and help build a new, sustainable channel for long-term foreign investment directed toward Mongolia.

Mongolia, UAE Sign Energy Cooperation MoU www.montsame.mn

Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia Dorjkhand Togmid met with UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Mohammed Al Mazrouei, and the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Ministry of Energy of Mongolia and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates.

Under the memorandum, the two sides agreed to develop cooperation in renewable energy, green hydrogen, electricity transmission and distribution networks, and energy storage systems, as well as to attract investment and implement joint projects. They will also cooperate in exploring opportunities to export electricity and green hydrogen to regional markets, exchanging experience and technology, training specialists, and strengthening human resource capacity, the Ministry of Energy of Mongolia reported.

Deputy Prime Minister Dorjkhand, who is attending AIM Congress 2026, the international investment conference being held in Dubai, presented Mongolia’s economic potential, investment environment, energy sector reforms, and green transition at a ministerial roundtable on investment.

He also held meetings with the leadership of the Abu Dhabi Development Fund and G42 Group, exchanging views on cooperation in energy sector reforms, renewable and green energy, investment, and data center infrastructure, including the provision of reliable and clean energy to data centers.

The visit is significant in laying a new foundation for cooperation to attract projects and investment to the energy sector; develop new sources of green energy; and create opportunities for energy exports by aligning Mongolia’s renewable energy resources and economic potential with the UAE’s investment, technology, and expertise.

Speakers of Mongolia, Vietnam Hold Official Talks www.montsame.mn

Chairman of the State Great Khural of Mongolia Byambatsogt Sandag and Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Tran Thanh Man, who is paying an official visit to Mongolia, held official talks at the State Palace today.

Chairman Byambatsogt noted that Vietnam, a traditional partner and close friend of Mongolia, holds an important position in Mongolia’s relations and cooperation with Southeast Asian countries.

The speaker emphasized that the Memorandum of Understanding between the State Great Khural of Mongolia and the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on Cooperation and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Office of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Secretariat of the State Great Khural of Mongolia on Cooperation, to be signed during the visit, represent important steps toward strengthening the legal foundation for relations and cooperation between the two countries’ highest legislative bodies. He said it is important to approve a joint plan for implementing the memoranda through 2028 by the end of this year, thereby bringing bilateral parliamentary cooperation to a new level and making it more effective.

Chairman Byambatsogt informed his counterpart that the State Great Khural of Mongolia is working to develop a participatory system that provides parliamentary information as open data and enables citizens to comment on individual provisions of draft laws, submit electronic petitions, and monitor their resolution. He expressed Mongolia’s interest in cooperating and sharing experience with Vietnam in this area.

The speaker also noted that the number of Mongolian citizens traveling to Vietnam reached around 30,000 last year. He said that, while serving as Minister of Road and Transport, he had focused on increasing people-to-people travel between the two countries and advancing trade and economic relations, leading to the conclusion of an air services agreement and the launch of direct flights. In this regard, he called for attention to expanding the air services agreement and establishing regular year-round direct flights between the two countries.

Noting that the State Great Khural adopted the Law on Economic Freedom and the Law on Permits during its spring regular session, creating a favorable legal environment for businesses, Chairman Byambatsogt emphasized that Mongolia’s doors are open to Vietnamese businesses and investors.

The two speakers agreed to intensify mutually beneficial and sustainable cooperation in trade and the economy, agriculture, culture and the arts, tourism, education, and defense within the framework of the Comprehensive Partnership established between the two countries.

Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Tran Thanh Man expressed his pleasure at paying an official visit to beautiful Mongolia after bilateral relations and cooperation were elevated to the level of a Comprehensive Partnership in September 2024.

Chairman Tran Thanh Man expressed satisfaction with the continuous development of the two countries’ strong friendship and traditional friendly relations, as well as the expansion of cooperation across all sectors.

He emphasized that he is paying particular attention to supporting and monitoring the implementation of high-level agreements and arrangements reached within the framework of the Comprehensive Partnership. He also expressed his commitment to consistently supporting efforts to elevate inter-parliamentary cooperation to a new level and strengthen interaction between parliamentary friendship groups and the respective parliamentary offices.

Chairman Tran Thanh Man expressed his readiness to support Mongolia’s efforts to provide parliamentary information through open data and advance digital transformation, as well as to share Vietnam’s experience in AI-based lawmaking and cooperate in this area. He also announced that Vietnam would send a large delegation to the World Conference of Women Parliamentarians, which will be held in Mongolia in the near future.

The Office of the Open Parliament of the State Great Khural reported that, during his visit, Chairman Tran Thanh Man, together with a delegation from the National Assembly, also visited General Education School No. 14 in the capital, named after Ho Chi Minh, and provided USD 10,000 in support.

Mongolia agrees to purchase 10,000 tons of gasoline and 4,000 tons of jet fuel from China in September www.gogo.mn

Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources G.Damdinnyam met with Zhou Xinhuai, General Director of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), and agreed to strengthen cooperation in the oil sector and elevate the strategic partnership between Mongolia and China over the next 20 years.

CNPC has agreed to supply Mongolia with 10,000 tons of gasoline, 4,000 tons of jet fuel, and 3,000 tons of diesel fuel in September.

In addition, Mongolia has requested that CNPC supply an additional 5,000 tons of AI-92 gasoline and 20,000–30,000 tons of diesel fuel, as well as 10,000 tons of AI-92 gasoline and 30,000–40,000 tons of diesel fuel in October. CNPC expressed its willingness to promptly review the requests and provide a positive response.

The two sides also agreed to work toward shifting fuel procurement from short-term purchases to long-term, stable supply contracts, with guaranteed volumes, transparent and fair pricing formulas, and supply arrangements coordinated with railway logistics. The parties aim to reach a concrete agreement in the near future.

The meeting also covered long-term cooperation in sustainable fuel supplies, oil exploration and production, development of new exploration areas, crude oil supply for refineries, and coal-chemical production.

INVESTMENT IN OIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION TO INCREASE

The investment and production programs for the Toson-Uul XIX and Tamsag XXI oil fields for 2026–2030 will be revised, with production increased through the drilling of new wells, reassessment of reserves, and the introduction of advanced technologies.

The two sides will conduct a joint technical and economic assessment aimed at increasing annual production to the maximum feasible level of 0.8–1.0 million tons and will develop a detailed roadmap to achieve this target.

At the same time, CNPC will be invited to invest in new oil exploration areas in Mongolia, while preliminary joint geological and economic assessments will be conducted for one or two potential fields.

To ensure the sustainable operation of the Mongolian Oil Refinery, which is scheduled to be commissioned in 2028, a mechanism will be developed to secure long-term crude oil supplies from the Toson-Uul XIX and Tamsag XXI fields.

In this regard, a joint technical team comprising representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, CNPC, Daqing Oilfield and the Mongolian Oil Refinery will be established to determine in detail the volume and quality of crude oil production and supply, as well as transportation logistics.

Cooperation in coal-chemical technologies, including coalbed methane, synthetic gas, and coal-to-liquid fuel production, will also be expanded. The parties agreed to assess the feasibility of projects for deep coal processing and the production of value-added products.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and CNPC and finalize a detailed roadmap.

The long-term objective is to broaden Mongolia-CNPC cooperation beyond fuel supplies through an integrated approach covering exploration, extraction, processing, fuel supply, and coal-chemical production.