The 3,000-kilometer link, which has become a symbol of President Vladimir Putin’s pivot to the fast-growing economies of Asia as relations deteriorate with the West, begins shipping gas from Russia’s enormous reserves in its eastern regions to the border. It will then link up with China’s own network to supply the fuel as far as the eastern seaboard and help satisfy the nation’s vast and growing energy needs.

Gazprom PJSC, Russia’s biggest gas producer, signed the $400 billion contract to supply as much as 38 billion cubic meters of gas annually for 30 years with China National Petroleum Corporation in 2014, after more than a decade of talks. It’s Gazprom’s biggest contract ever.

The Russian company plans to start with deliveries of 10 million cubic meters a day and aims to reach peak capacity by 2025. Gazprom’s minimum exports to China via the pipeline will be 5 billion cubic meters in 2020, 10 billion cubic meters in 2021 and 15 billion cubic meters in 2022, according to the company.

Gazprom hasn’t disclosed the price of the gas, but Putin has said it’ll be linked to oil prices, similar to the formula for European consumers. While Russia will have to compete with seaborne supplies of liquefied natural gas from producers such as Qatar and Australia, the expectation is that growth in China’s energy needs will require more pipeline and LNG capacity, to the benefit of other Russian firms such as Novatek PJSC, which is developing LNG on the Yamal peninsula in the Kara Sea.

Gas consumption in Asia’s biggest economy has surged in recent years as the government pressures homes and factories to use it in place of coal to combat air pollution. Imports reached 43% of the total gas supply in 2018, with about two-fifths of that arriving via pipeline from Central Asia and Myanmar, with the rest sourced as seaborne LNG.

Russia and China are already talking about a second link, known as Power of Siberia 2, that would connect through the countries’ western border between Mongolia and Kazakhstan.

— With assistance by Dina Khrennikova, and Dan Murtaugh

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Agriculture and garden equipment (Czech)
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Cranes/Wire Rope Hoist (India)
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Stone slabs (PR China)
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The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission said in a statement that Yun, also a former member of the Standing Committee of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Committee of the CPC, was also dismissed from public office.

Yun lost his ideals and convictions, was disloyal and dishonest to the Party, resisted investigation and failed to report personal information as required, the statement said.

Taking advantage of his posts, Yun sought benefits for others in personnel promotion and business activities and received a huge amount of gifts and money in return, gravely damaging the local political ecosystem and economic order, it said, adding he was also found to have traded power and money for sex.

Yun severely violated the Party's political and organizational discipline, and is suspected of taking bribes, said the statement, adding that he showed no signs of restraint even after the 18th CPC National Congress.

Yun's qualifications for delegates to the 19th CPC National Congress and the 10th CPC Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Congress were also terminated, while his illicit gains would be confiscated.

His suspected crimes will be transferred to the procuratorate for further investigation and prosecution, it added.

Mollaei who is still ranked World Number three, should normally lose his points once switching to another country. In the ranking he is linked to IRT, the international Refugee Team. In his category U81kg the first Mongolian fighter is Otgonbaatar Uuganbaatar at place 17 and Nyamsuren Dagvasuren is ranked 27th. It is a remarkable move made possible by the powers of the Mongolian President himself.

Mongolia have lost a few athletes to Azerbaijan and was about to lose three Mongolian athletes including Nyamsuren Dagvasuren to the UAE in 2018, but that transfer was cancelled. Mongolia have won consecutive Olympic medals since 2004 and with a judoka as its president, that ambition can become only stronger. With Mollaei Mongolia have a serious ace to continue the streak.

Athletes with an official refugee status Judoka with an official refugee status, hosted by a country, can qualify themselves for IJF or continental union competitions through their host country national championships and consequently they will compete internationally under their host country flag. The National federation requests must be sent, with the official refugee status documents, to the IJF General Secretariat. If the documents sent are compliant, the agreement will be automatically given by the IJF General Secretary following confirmation by the IJF President. If there is a change in the status of the official refugee i.e. citizenship of a new country, return to their country of origin etc. The nationality change process must be followed. For events organised by the IJF or under its auspices, the IJF Executive Committee can authorise that judoka with an official refugee status can compete under the IJF flag. If there is a change in the status of the official refugee who competed under the IJF flag i.e. citizenship of a new country, return to their country of origin etc. the IJF Executive Committee would make a decision concerning the change of nationality and the world ranking points that the athlete has.

“India is interested in joint projects with Russia to develop coking coal and is going to increase exports of this fuel from Russia,” he said, adding that the agency is assisting both Russian and Indian companies in this.

Pradhan said that the supplies of coal from the remote Russian region can surge, as it is more attractive in terms of price, as well as connectivity to the ports and sea transport, the Times of India reported, citing the minister.

Coal India Limited and Indian Steel Association have already visited and inspected coal mines in Russia’s Far East, while several Russian producers, such as Kolmar, EVRAZ and Mechel, have sent test shipments to India. Those samples are reportedly being tested at the Indian plants.

India imports more than 50 million tons of coking coal, which is a key element for steel production, and is seeking to diversify the sources of the material. However, the share of Russian coal supplies to India is quite low, and stands around 1 percent, according to Petukhov.

Indian steel and energy companies reportedly want to import up to 9 million tons of the raw material from Russia annually. However, Indian partners ask Russia to develop inland as well as port logistics and rail connectivity in the Far East to facilitate the growth of supplies. They also want Russian firms to consider concessions and preferential terms for Indian companies.

Earlier this year, the first deputy minister of Development of Russian Far East said that Moscow aims to boost the coal supplies six fold - to 28 million tons - by 2025.

"However, it is estimated that more than 600 people may be infected with HIV in the country," Dulmaa Nyamkhuu, head of the NCCD, told a press conference on the occasion of World AIDS Day, which falls on Dec. 1 every year.

Almost all of the infections resulted from sexual transmission, he said, adding that 80 percent of the HIV carriers and AIDS patients are sexual minorities.

Around 87 percent of those infected have received anti-virus treatments, he said.

The first case of HIV infection in Mongolia was recorded in 1992. Since then, 44 people have died of AIDS in the country.

As of October, 2019, money supply reached MNT 20.5 trillion, showing growth by 11.7 percent compared to the same period of last year and the money supply is mainly composed of savings of tugrug, current accounts and savings of foreign currencies.

Compared to last year, the credit increase became 10.6 percent, reaching MNT 18 trillion and 87.8 percent of the total credits is Tugrug loans and 12.2 percent is foreign currency loans. Overdue loans and outstanding loan each accounted for around 10.7 percent in the total amount of loans. It also has been reported that the annual interest rate of credit issued by commercial banks was around 16.8 percent and foreign currency loan rate was 8.9 percent.

Officials from the central bank, during the meeting, informed that there will be no large amount of due payment by the Government of Mongolia and the central bank besides payment of a swap agreement established with the People's Bank of China, which was extended in November 2018 by three years. Moreover, it is expected that a pleasant condition will be created thanks to the anticipating IPO of Tavantolgoi deposit. The recently-adopted Parliamentary resolution on ensuring the interests of Mongolia in the exploitation of Oyu Tolgoi deposit will eliminate uncertainty posed in the project.

The remaining balance of securities held by the Bank of Mongolia amounted to MNT 4.2 trillion as of yesterday, November 28. The growth in the balance is brought about by the government’s decision not to issue securities in domestic markets and the increase of currency flow inbound to Mongolia in recent years. Such measure to grow the securities balance by the central bank is designed for preventing from economic risks.

To date, the central bank has purchased a total of 14 tons of gold, which was decreased by 4.2 tons compared to last November equaling 18.2 tons of gold. The drop in gold-buying is influenced by several factors, such as the mineral royalty rate growth and government measures to shut down illegal mines.

Regarding the recent appointment of the new Governor of the Bank of Mongolia, the officials of the central bank confirmed that the bank will continue to abide by the general directions it has been following in the past three years, aimed at sustaining the economic revival, ensuring stable currency rate of tugrug. During the tenure of the new President of the central bank, some works requiring considerable efforts are awaiting the bank, including the successful implementation of the Extended Fund Facility, which will terminate in May 2020, Mongolia’s target to get out of Grey List of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and works to renew the swap agreement with China, which is to end in July 2020.

As the result of several meetings held between the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Construction and Urban Development, State Housing Corporation of Mongolia, and KEXIM, the sides had agreed on works to be jointly implemented in the project framework and it has been made official, with the signing of the meeting protocol on November 28.

State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance S.Narantsogt, State Secretary of the Ministry of Construction and Urban Development S.Magnaisuren, and KEXIM Asia Director Koo Bon Yong signed the protocol.