A lack of snow in most areas of Mongolia in the past winter and the current dry conditions are increasing the risk of forest and steppe fires, the NEMA said, noting that relevant agencies of all 21 provinces have been ordered to take all necessary measures to prevent forest and steppe fires.

Under the decree, a ban on backcountry travel, hiking and other travel or recreational activities in areas covered with forests will be implemented until June 10, according to the NEMA.

A total of 77 forest and steppe fires were recorded across the country in 2018, the NEMA said, adding that the wildfires burned 568,600 hectares of land. Enditem

The rise in import duties on Chinese goods from 10% to 25% was meant to come into effect on 1 March.

Mr Trump told reporters that the US and China had made "substantial progress" in trade talks over the weekend.

He added that he was planning a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Florida to cement the trade deal if more progress was made.

A report from China's official news agency Xinhua also noted "substantial progress" on specific issues such as technology transfer, intellectual property protection and agriculture.

Mr Trump's decision to delay tariff hikes on $200bn (£153bn) worth of Chinese goods was seen as a sign that the two sides are making progress on settling their damaging trade war.

Stock markets in Asia, which have been sensitive to the dispute, rose on Monday.

Last week, Mr Trump noted progress in the latest round of negotiations in Washington, including an agreement on currency manipulation, though no details were disclosed.

Sources told CNBC on Friday that China had committed to buying up to $1.2tn in US goods, but there had been no progress on the intellectual property issues.

The US accuses China of stealing intellectual property from American firms, forcing them to transfer technology to China.

The trade war between the two countries has disrupted businesses and stoked fears about the impact on the global economy.

In this regard, President Battulga received Ambassador Klecheski and expressed his confidence that the latter will continue the legacy his predecessors had of working consistently and actively during the 30 years of diplomatic relations.

For his part, Ambassador Klecheski remarked that being accredited to Mongolia was an honor, while expressing his commitment to further deepening the strong relations with Mongolia, which is considered to be an oasis of democracy.

President Battulga spoke about the letter he had written to President Donald Trump in which he had addressed the duty free treatment of Mongolian cashmere and other textile products exports to the U.S., which would facilitate increased bilateral trade and employment of women in Mongolia, and how these matters are being put into action today. President Battulga requested the Ambassador’s firm support on the Third Neighbor Trade Act Legislative Bill that was introduced to the Congress.

Moreover, Ambassador Klecheski thanked President Battulga for communicating his views on cooperation in renewable energy, as well as other spheres, and expressed his readiness to work actively on the matters that were discussed and particularly put his efforts into developing bilateral economic relations in which he sees great potential.
source: president.mn

A month ago, Kh.Battulga, President of Mongolia submitted 178 pages of material regarding Tavan Tolgoi to M.Enkh-Amgalan, General Prosecutor.

Ts.Elbegdorj is one of those people who opposes to entering of Mongolia to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). He openly expresses his opposition to public. Ts.Elbegdorj served as fourth Mongolian President from 2009 to 2017.

Mongolia’s economic growth reached 6.9 percent in 2018, making it one of the world’s 10 stable growth countries. The Mongolian government has cleared debts worth MNT 6.5 billion

Opening the discussion, Parliament Speaker Zandanshatar Gombojav remarked, “Legal reform of the banking sector was rather successful in the last two years. As for this year, we are planning on increasing the risk-bearing ability of commercial banks and introducing a re-capitalization system. The key objective of this discussion is to create proper public expectations by regulating false news, the effects of politicization, and improper assumption driven by subjectivism, as well as discussing the opportunities to stabilize and reduce dollarization and improve public trust on MNT.”

He added, “We do not want the Parliament to be a stage for populism or dispute. Therefore, the Law on the Parliamentary Procedures has to be amended to fit the common practices of other countries.”

Later on, the Governor of the BoM Bayartsaikhan Nadmid disclosed that the bank has prepared a plan on the back of the AQR and other reports on commercial banks, which states to include the AQR on bank reports, improve non-performing asset management system, and ensuring the stability of banking sector by adopting a re-capitalization system.

As of today, 44.6 percent of total equity in the banking system accounts for foreign assets and foreign investment in systematically important banks stands at 43.6 percent. Thus, a spokesperson of the University of Finance highlighted the need to address foreign stateowned banks. At the end of the discussion, the organizers prepared a list of issues that need immediate attention. In the external sector, import inflow, foreign debts, interest repayments, dividends, and import service costs remain high. As for real sectors, officials suggested that foreign investment is required in increasing economic diversification, which will help raise public income with less pressure on inflation and boost market competition.

With an aim to promote the BoM policies, activities, economic outlook, and research results, authorities are planning to hold the Think Bank discussion annually.

There were more than 2,000 reindeer in Mongolia during the 1970s. However, the number dropped to 926 at the end of 2007, since reindeer herders had to butcher and sell their reindeer due to the lack of sustainable income sources, bringing the animal to the brink of extinction.

According to the NSO, the government of Mongolia has taken measures to improve the herders' living standards by promoting tourism, bringing the number of reindeer back to 2,000 in 2016, since which the reindeer population has been growing continuously.

Initial reports said the driver lost control of the vehicle after the brakes failed and ploughed into the side of a tunnel. Photographs and video of the crash scene appear to show an antiquated vehicle with little room for 50 passengers. An investigation by the Beijing News discovered an identical vehicle nearby. The interior had been modified with metal benches on either side and no seat belts. See photo below.

The mine, operated by the Yinman Mining Company in West Ujimqin district, is reportedly the largest silver mine in China, producing around 201 tons of silver annually. Company officials have been placed under travel restrictions while the investigation into the accident is underway, the Ministry of Emergency Management said Sunday.

Transport accidents at mines in China are not uncommon. There were two separate fatal transport accidents at coal mines in the north-western province of Gansu in January this year, while on 21 September last year, four miners died and one was injured in an accident at an Inner Mongolia coal mine.

Following the September accident at an open-cast mine in Inner Mongolia in which a 220-ton transport truck collided with a pickup truck, the National Coal Mine Safety Administration issued an urgent statement calling on all mine operators to learn lessons from the tragedy and “strengthen on-site management…, comprehensively check and control safety risks, promptly investigate and manage hidden dangers.”

The number of mining accidents and deaths in China has steadily decreased over the last two decades. Last year the number of coal mine deaths declined by 13.1 percent to stand at 333, while the total number of accidents fell by 0.9 percent to reach 224 during the same period.

However, there are still numerous examples in which basic safety precautions are ignored or equipment is not properly maintained, leading to serious accidents onsite. The Ministry of Emergency Management needs to focus less on the investigation and punishment of those deemed responsible for accidents and more on ensuring that mine operators really do put the safety of workers above the pursuit of profit.