Sekiwake Hoshoryu clinched his first Emperor’s Cup on July 23 at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, effectively guaranteeing his promotion to the second-highest rank of ozeki.

The 24-year-old Mongolian native entered the final day of the tournament tied with Hokutofuji, maegashira No. 9, and Hakuoho, maegashira No. 17, at 11 wins and three losses.

Hoshoryu defeated Hakuoho with an overarm throw, while Hokutofuji pulled down Nishikigi, maegashira No. 1, in an earlier bout.

In a playoff, Hoshoryu pushed Hokutofuji out of the dohyo.

An uncle of Hoshoryu is former yokozuna Asashoryu, who won 25 tournament championships in his career.

Hoshoryu’s promotion to ozeki is expected to be officially decided on July 26.

Wrestlers typically need to score 33 wins over the three most recent tournaments while ranked as sekiwake or komusubi, the third- and fourth-highest positions in the sport, to be promoted to ozeki.

Hoshoryu won 10 bouts in the spring tournament and 11 bouts in the summer tournament, and then added 12 wins from the Nagoya tournament.

He will be the 31st wrestler to be promoted to ozeki since the Heisei Era began in 1989 and the seventh ozeki from Mongolia.

The State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs N. Ankhbayar received Fiona Blyth, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Mongolia, on July 21. During the meeting, the newly appointed Ambassador handed over a copy of her Credentials.

The State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs N. Ankhbayar congratulated the Ambassador on taking up her position and expressed his full support.

During the meeting, the parties emphasized that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the United Kingdom, discussed the events organized in this context, and confirmed that they would work together to further strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Ms. Blyth, who has previously served as the deputy head of mission in Hanoi, Vietnam, and as the head of policy in the UK Mission to the United Nations, brings with her a wealth of experience in international relations and diplomacy. In her new role, she will be responsible for strengthening the UK’s relationship with Mongolia, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, and cultural exchange.

Xanadu Mines Ltd. [XAM-TSX, ASX] and joint venture partner Zijin Mining Group Co. Ltd. [ZIJMF-OTC] have provided an update on recent infill drilling at the Kharmagtai project in Mongolia. Infill drilling has defined a new zone (core) of high-grade copper and gold mineralization at the Whit deposit and results continue to validate the total mineral resource model.

Highlights: Approximately 27,000 metres of phase one diamond drilling have been completed (out of 30,000 m total) at both the Stockwor and Whit deposits, at Kharmagtai.

Exceptional highlights from an additional 14 drill holes demonstrate a new high-grade zone (core) is emerging at Whit and extending below the currently optimized pit.

Best drilling results include drill holes that returned KHDDH638 that returned 544 metres at 0.4% copper equivalent (eCu) (0.34% Cu and 0.12 g/t Au) from 273.4 metres, including 63 metres at 1.03% eCu (0.92% Cu and 0.23 g/t Au) from 634 metres, including 28 metres at 1.45% eCu (1.45% Cu and 0.32 g/t Au) from 645 metres.

KHDDH634 returned 654 metres at 0.34% eCu (0.28% Cu and 0.11 g/t Au) from 172 metres, including 32 metres at 0.61% eCu (0.48% Cu and 0.25g/t Au) from 512 metres; and 58 metres at 0.71% eCu (0.59% Cu and 0.23 g/t Au) from 617 metres, including eight metres at 1.45% eCu (1.17% Cu and 0.50g/t Au) from 651 metres.

Newly identified high-grade (over 1% eCu) core at Whit demonstrates potential to enhance the 2021 mineral resource estimate (MRE) (3 million tonnes of copper and 8 million ounces gold (1.98 million copper equivalent (CuEq) indicated, 2.33 million t eCu inferred)).

Kharmagtai joint venture is financing US$35-million prefeasibility study completion and discovery exploration, aiming toward decision to mine in fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024.

Executive chairman and managing director, Colin Moorhead, said: “I’m particularly proud of our hardworking geology team making steady progress at Kharmagtai, better defining the Whit deposit. Both drill holes KHDDH638 and KHDDH634 have effectively intercepted the top of a previously undefined high-grade core at Whit.

“Both Stockwor and Copper Hill deposits feature these higher-grade zones (core), and previous drilling at Whit has suggested such a zone may be present there also.

“However, this is the first time we have observed significant intervals spanning greater than 50 m of mineralization at grades greater than 1 per cent eCu at Whit.

“We see this as a very positive result, with strong potential to impact PFS pit optimization and very encouraging for higher grade mineralization to be uncovered at depth.”

Infill drilling intercepts high-grade core at Whit: Approximately 27,000 metres of infill drilling has been completed, as part of the 30,000 m phase one infill drilling program. Assay results have been returned for 14 additional drill holes, with results generally better than, or in line with, 2021 MRE grades.

Several drill holes have encountered materially better grade relative to the Whit MRE resource grade. Drill hole KHDDH638, located on the southern margin of the Whit deposit, targeted a mineralized and resource controlling fault, intersecting a significantly higher-grade zone of copper and gold mineralization that is located below the current optimized pit design.

Drill hole KHDDH634 targeted definition and expansion of mineralization at Whit within the current mineral resource estimate. It intersected the top of a new high-grade zone and returned the following interval along the edge and outside of the current open-pit optimization.

Four diamond drill rigs are currently focused on Kharmagtai infill drilling, with the objective to target areas with potential for future mineral resource to ore reserve conversion. Totalling about 30,000 metres, the infill drilling program is planned to specifically increase the resource confidence category from inferred to indicated. As such, the planned drill holes aim to remove any mineralization knowledge gaps around the edges of existing deposits.

Kharmagtai currently has an inferred and indicated resource of 1.1 billion tonnes containing three million tonnes Cu and eight million oz Au. As part of the Kharmagtai PFS, the resource will be upgraded to indicated classification, enabling a maiden, JORC-compliant ore reserve to be reported. To achieve this, the infill drilling program is designed to upgrade and extend strike length of the shallow open-pit resource areas and selected deeper high-grade zones, including investigation of near-mine, higher-grade extensions.

Xanadu is the operator of a 50-50 JV with Zijin Mining Group in Khuiten Metals Pte. Ltd., which controls 76.5% of the Kharmagtai project.

The European Union-Mongolia sixth Human Rights Dialogue was held virtually on 18 July.

The EU and Mongolia discussed a broad range of human rights related issues in an open and constructive atmosphere. The EU underlined the importance of preserving the rules-based international order, multilateralism, respect for international law and principles of the UN Charter. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to the universality and indivisibility of human rights and the full implementation of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, including further strengthening cooperation on human rights and the rule of law.

The EU informed about relevant recent developments in Europe, such as the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, the Rule of Law Mechanism and the Anti-Corruption package adopted in May 2023.

Mongolia and the EU discussed the implementation of the recommendations accepted by Mongolia during its United Nations Universal Periodic Review. The EU encouraged Mongolia to continue making progress, inter alia, on the removal of any reference to the death penalty in the constitution, and on combating any discrimination based on any ground. In this context, the EU and Mongolia also exchanged on the follow up of the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The EU highlighted in particular the need to adopt comprehensive legislation prohibiting discrimination, including multiple, direct, and indirect discrimination on all grounds prohibited under international law.

Mongolia and the EU discussed the follow up of the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The EU stressed the importance of a safe and enabling space for civil society and human rights defenders. The EU referred to Mongolia’s law on the protection of human rights defenders as a very positive example in the region, and encouraged Mongolia to enforce this law to protect human rights defenders and promote their work.

The EU and Mongolia also exchanged on the work being undertaken in strengthening the judicial system and ensuring its independence. The EU welcomed the judicial reforms in Mongolia and presented its activities in the field of support to the judiciary.

The EU welcomed the adoption of the revised law on the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia (NHRCM) and stressed the need to strengthen its independence and effective capacity.

The EU congratulated Mongolia on the launching of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights and reiterated its support to its implementation in the framework of the project Business and Human Rights in Asia, in line with the EU’s commitment to actively promote the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).

The EU recalled the importance of fulfilling GSP+ related commitments and provided an update on the revision of the GSP+ regulation.

Mongolia and the EU discussed cooperation in international human rights fora, including the UN General Assembly. They agreed to strengthen their cooperation in the framework of the Alliance for Torture-Free Trade.

The meeting was co-chaired by Ms Nicoletta Pusterla, Deputy Head of Division for China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Mongolia at the European External Action Service and by Ms Tseveen NAVCHAA, Head of the Human Rights Division, International Law and Treaty Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia.

The mystery, magic and mayhem of the Mongol Empire is given a new lease on life in a fresh translation of the ancient saga, the Secret History of the Mongols

The Mongol empire and “Genghis Khan” (more about that title below) have captured the world’s imagination. But how much do we really know about him and the empire’s rise?

Most of what we know actually comes from the Secret History of the Mongols, a saga of the empire’s founding, written in Mongolian 25 years after the great khan died.

A new translation from Penguin Classics of this amazing work gives us an inside picture of how the Mongols began their nomadic empire.

The Mongols used hunting and weather magic for military purposes

The Mongols are famous for building the biggest land empire in history. But their military machine had some surprising features.

As nomads, the soldiers brought their base camp, with women, children, and old men, to within a day’s ride of the battlefield, so even at war, they would feel at home.

They only campaigned in the cold season, saving the summer for big parties and planning sessions, called quriltai.

"In some of their most crucial battles, they used jada (weather stones) to drop snow storms on their enemies"

When not fighting, they used huge mass hunts, covering hundreds of square miles, to practise group formation and feed themselves with a high protein diet.

And in some of their most crucial battles, they used jada (weather stones) to drop snow storms on their enemies—although sometimes that backfired and the snow fell on the magic makers themselves.

Genghis Khan’s real name was Temujin

Genghis Khan ascends the throne in the Yeke Quriltay in the source region in the Onan river .Over the course of his reign, Temujin adopted the name Chinggis Khan, meaning "oceanic" or "hard emperor"

When the great khan was born, his father named him Temujin or “Blacksmith”—not because he was a blacksmith but to commemorate the capture of a rival captain named Temujin.

When Temujin unified all the Mongols, he took the title “khan,” the Mongol word for emperor.

Khans also adopted special titles: Temujin took the title “Chinggis Khan.” Scholars still debate whether that meant “oceanic emperor” or “hard emperor”—he was certainly both.

What he couldn’t have known is that centuries later, European scholars would misread Persian manuscripts and turn “Chinggis” into “Genghis.”

Temujin was raised by a single mum

When Temujin was nine years old, his father was poisoned and rivals stole away his family’s followers. The Secret History tells how Temujin was raised alone on the steppe. He was even captured once by his enemies and had to use his wits to escape back to his family.

Temujin’s family was a victim of China’s “Use Barbarians to Control Barbarians” policy

Mongolian empire's siege of Zhongdu (modern Beijing), as depicted in the Persian Jami' al-tawarikh by Rashid-al-Din HamadaniTemujin held a deep hatred for the Chinese after they orchestrated the poisoning of his father

Rulers from China tried to control their northern frontier in a peaceful way—peaceful for them, that is. The usual method was to get one group of nomads to attack another—the more casualties the better to “thin the ranks” of the nomads.

Temujin’s father was poisoned as part of this strategy and he inherited a deep hatred of the Chinese and their nomad stooges who had killed his fathers and grandfathers for several generations.

The teenage Temujin killed his half-brother

Temujin’s father had two wives. As they got older, the sons of the two wives began to struggle over who would lead the family.

Things got so bad Temujin and his brother shot dead the older of their half brothers. His mother was furious with them, but from then on, it was clear who was leader.

Chinggis Khan’s wives were his most important advisors

Twice, Temujin faced hostility from key allies. First, his blood brother Jamuqa began suggesting they part ways, then the shaman Teb-Tenggeri whose visions had led to his coronation began to attack Temujin’s brothers.

Both times it was the khan’s first wife Borte who spoke up and demanded that Temujin fight for his family’s future and turn on his so-called friends. Without her, Temujin would not have become khan.

Chinggis Khan’s wife Borte had a son by another man—and he was OK with that

Portrait of Genghis Khan and wife Borte from Mongol empireChinggis Khan's wife Borte fell under suspicion of infidelity when she was captured by rival soldiers

Young Temujin’s darkest moment came when, as a newly married man, his camp was raided. The family escaped, but his new bride Borte was captured and turned over to a rival of his father’s.

Temujin turned to his father’s friends and they launched a campaign to rescue the Borte. But when she gave birth to her first son Joci, doubts remained: was he really Temujin’s son?

Decades later, when the khan set out to conquer Islamic Central Asia, his second son Cagadai attacked Joci as a “bastard.”

In the end Chinggis Khan forbade anyone from suspecting Borte’s faithfulness and Joci’s legitimacy—but he made third son Okodei, who’d kept his peace in the brawl, his heir apparent.

The Mongols organised his whole empire by the decimal system

Once Temujin became Chinggis Khan he numbered his entire kingdom into tens, hundreds, thousands, and ten-thousands. Not just the soldiers—the whole population were included in the “army in the guise of a people.”

Using this decimal organisation, the khans could mobilise the entire population for campaigns, livestock taxes, and even forced migrations to garrison the empire’s expanding frontiers.

Unlike Alexander the Great’s empire, the Mongol empire didn’t fall apart after his death

Okodei Khan portrait from Mongol empireChinggis Khan's son Okodei continued his campaign spreading the Mongol Empire across the world

When Chinggis Khan died, the Mongols still hadn’t conquered China, Russia, or Iran. It was up to Chinggis Khan’s son, starting with Okodei, to do it.

But Chinggis Khan’s choice Okodei held the empire together and made completing the conquest possible.

Even after the empire broke up in his grandson’s generation, the empire kept expanding.

Even after conquering most of the known world, most Mongols preferred to live in mobile homes

The Mongol rulers never stopped moving. Even when they occupied northern China, the Middle East and the steppes along the Volga, they regularly migrated from summer palaces to winter palaces, spending the spring and winter living in “hordes” or mobile palaces.

Christopher P Atwood's new translation of Secret History of the Mongols is published by Penguin (July 27, 2023)

During its regular session on July 19, 2023, the Cabinet made the following decisions:

Issuance of “Capital City” Securities Supported

Minister of Finance B. Javkhlan presented the draft of the Government Resolution "On Issuance of Capital City Securities" to the Cabinet members. To decentralize the city of Ulaanbaatar, reduce congestion, expand the network of highways and road facilities, and finance development projects and measures, the Office of the Governor of the Capital city’s plan of the phased trading of securities worth up to 500 billion MNT in the domestic market was discussed and supported by the Cabinet members. The Governor of the capital city and the Mayor of Ulaanbaatar D. Sumiyabazar was tasked to include the projects and programs to be implemented with the source of securities in the budget of the capital city and present them to the Cabinet meeting.

Prime Minister Mandates to Intensify the Preparations for the Winter and Spring of 2023-2024

The Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry H. Bolorchuluun was mandated to present the implementation of the Government's resolution "On some measures to prepare for the winter and spring of the agricultural sector in 2023-2024" at the Cabinet meeting.

Brief News:

To implement the Joint Statement "Advancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Between Mongolia and People’s Republic of China in the New Era,” a Working Group has been newly established to prepare for the "Mongolia-China Expo" event.

The Cabinet members discussed Mongolia's accession to the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and decided to submit the draft law on the ratification of the Convention to the State Great Khural for discussion.

Rio Tinto (ASX, LON: RIO) has flagged a likely cost estimate and schedule review for its Rincon lithium project in Argentina’s Salta Province, an emerging hub for greenfield projects.

The world’s second largest miner, which released an operational update for the three months to June 30 on Tuesday, said the $140 million cost estimate and schedule to develop a starter plant at Rincon was under review in response to cost escalation.

Rio Tinto noted that development work continues as usual with the company advancing construction of the camp and ongoing enabling works for the processing plant.

The world’s second-largest miner has sped up efforts in the past three years to boost its exposure to battery minerals.

After seeing its lithium ambitions partially crushed when Serbia revoked the miner’s licence for a $2.4 billion project in early 2022, Rio Tinto began looking elsewhere.

In March last year, the company bought the Argentinean asset, saying it would help Rio Tinto meet a double-digit growth in demand for lithium over the next decade, at a time when supply is constrained.

A July 2021 resource estimate of the lithium project lists measured and indicated resources of lithium carbonate equivalent at 5.8 million tonnes, as well as inferred resources at just under 6 million tonnes.

Rincon has reserves of almost 2 million tonnes of contained lithium carbonate equivalent, sufficient for a 40-year mine life.

Rio Tinto plans to use a direct, low-cost extraction technology at the operation, as it believes the method has the “potential to significantly increase lithium recoveries” compared to solar evaporation ponds..

The company, which is already running a pilot plant onsite, continues to think that market fundamentals for battery grade lithium carbonate are strong, with lithium demand forecasted to grow 25-35% a year over the next decade. y.

Rio Tinto estimates that committed lithium supply and capacity expansions will contribute only about 15% to demand growth over the 2020-2050 period. The remaining 85% would need to come from new projects.

The mining giant bought a stake this week in Sovereign Metals (ASX: SVM) (LON: SVML) for A$40.4 million ($27.6 million). The Australian developer aims to produce graphite for lithium-ion batteries at its its Kasiya project in Malawi.

The resolution on the measures to be taken in connection with the amendments to the Constitution was approved before the closing of the regular spring session of Parliament. As a result, the building of the National Institute of Justice will be transferred to the Secretariat of Parliament.

Last May, Parliament ratified Resolution No. 34 on Law Enforcement Measures, and it was decided to integrate the aforementioned institute into the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute and operate under Parliament.

It is said that this is being done in order to improve the ability to analyze draft laws and regulations, and to expand the parliamentary research office, but it can be said that the building of the National Institute of Justice was “seized” in order to accommodate the 126 members to be elected in 2024 in the State Palace. In accordance with the “assignment” of changing the organization of the State Palace building, joint and standing committee meeting rooms to create conditions for the normal functioning of Parliament, the transfer of the building to the Parliament Secretariat must be done by August 1.

The working group responsible for this is headed by Deputy Speaker of Parliament L.Munkhbaatar, and consists of the chairs of some standing committees, ministers, and the heads of related organizations under Article 6.1 of the Law on State Palace, which stipulates, “The internal organization of the State Palace and the distribution of rooms and chambers shall be determined by the deputy speaker of Parliament in accordance with the workplace standards based on the exchange of opinions with the secretary general of Parliament, the head of the President’s Office, and the head of the Cabinet Secretariat.”

In addition, it is planned to change the Law on State Palace during the next parliamentary fall session. The law stipulates that the building where the supreme authority and executive body of Mongolia are permanently located and operate, shall be called the State Palace, and the size and boundaries of the territory shall be determined by Parliament. Thus, the work of preparing the authorities’ rooms has already begun.

NSC office to be moved to Ikh Tengeriin Am

In connection with increasing the number of members of Parliament by 50, a lot of work is being done. However, the issue of the security of the State Palace building has been raised for many years. Specifically, the building of the State Palace was started in 1947 and put into operation in 1951. Then, in 1961, 1981, and 2008, it was expanded to find its current appearance. It has been a long time since the conclusion of the professional organization that the buildings put into operation in 1951 and 1961 need to be demolished and built anew were issued. Because it was concluded that they are not resistant to earthquakes. However, since it requires a lot of funds, the issue of dispersing the institutions operating in the State Palace has been discussed for many years at the level of the president, Parliament, and the government.

On the other hand, it is risky for national security if Parliament, the government and the president work under one place. It is considered inappropriate even by international standards and may become a factor affecting the loss of balances between governments. Indeed, it is safe to consider this in the situation where many members of Parliament are working in the Cabinet. For this reason, a proposal was made to transfer the Office of the President and the National Security Council (NSC) to the Ikh Tengeriin Am. This time, only NSC will be transferred to the place. Therefore, the buildings there are being renovated. However, the option of moving the President’s Office to the Winter House of the Head of State (also known as Marshal’s Town, Building No. 30) is being discussed.

Incidentally, there is talk of relocating the President’s Office to Kharkhorin from 2025. However, it is impossible to predict when this talk, which came out simultaneously with the establishment of the new capital in Kharkhorin, will be implemented.

As for the government, they were talking about moving the office to Government Building No. 13, or the building of the Ministry of Roads and Transport Development, and sending the Office of Ulaanbaatar Mayor to Yaarmag. As for Parliament, since it was said almost 20 years ago that a new palace would be built with the help of Kuwait, in 2017, many alternatives were put forward, such as moving it to the Government Building No. 11 (the building in front of the Tengis cinema), but there were problems. In any case, when Parliament intends to “loot” buildings, they will not change their location.

Lawyers oppose new regulation for National Institute of Justice

On the other hand, the merger of the National Institute of Justice into the Office of Parliament and the taking over of the building may have many negative consequences, starting with the influence of Parliament on the independent and professional activities of lawyers and researchers. For example, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Justice B.Enkhbayar opposed it when it was discussed. He expressed, “I don’t know which member of Parliament initiated the bill to dissolve the National Institute of Justice and merge it into a research and training institute attached to Parliament. The government did not initiate either. This is legal theft.”

The Mongolian Bar Association issued a statement urging members not to support the draft resolution, saying, “The institute was established by the development loan agreement between Mongolia and the International Development Association, the Hanns Seidel Foundation, and the US Agency for International Development. The agreement will be valid until 2041, and Mongolia is obliged to fulfill it. As the organization attached to Parliament works only within the framework of the legislation approved by Parliament, the study of other sources of law will be neglected and the integrated system is about to be abandoned.”

In addition, lawyer B.Gunbileg commented, “It is very unfortunate that the National Institute of Justice is being abolished. In fact, the National Institute of Justice should not be a research center attached to Parliament, but the center should be under the aforementioned institute.”

Lawyer Kh.Temuujin and other lawyers also announced that they will approach the Constitutional Court on the issue.

Moreover, Speaker of Parliament G.Zandanshatar once emphasized, “The status of the National Institute of Justice is being raised. In accordance with the bill, the institute under the ministry is being made under Parliament. Some ministries and offices have decided to take the institute under their wing. For this reason, it is going to be taken under the protection of Parliament. Parliament has exclusive powers to monitor and analyze the implementation of legislation. In this way, let’s strengthen the capacity of Parliament.”

The World Jiu-Jitsu Championship competitions began on Tuesday and last for three days in Mongolia. A wide international presence of 500 male and female athletes from 43 countries are competing in various weight categories.

The competitions will conclude on Thursday, with competitions in the weight categories of 56 kg and 77 kg for men and 48 kg and 63 kg for women.

A total of 32 referees from 26 countries are working at the 20th Jiu-Jitsu World Championship, one of which is an International “B” class referee from Mongolia Munkh Timurtogoo, a jiu-jitsu black belt athlete. He started his career as a referee in 2018 and “Ulaanbaatar-2023” is his first world championship as a referee.

On the sidelines of the Championship the Congress of the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation was held on July 15 with the participation of JJIF President Panagiotis Theodoropoulos, Director General Joachim Thumfart, and other officials and representatives.