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.

ADB Supports Mongolia's First Green-Certified Residential Complex Built by the Private Sector www.adb.org

 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a $30 million loan (in togrog equivalent) with Tavan Bogd Holdings LLC to finance the construction of Mongolia's first green-certified residential complex developed by the private sector. The financing will help expand sustainable housing, reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions, and introduce internationally recognized green building standards to Mongolia's residential real estate market.

"This project shows how sustainable urban development and private sector investment can work hand in hand," said ADB Country Director for Mongolia John Juhyun Jeong. "By supporting this landmark development, ADB is helping establish a new benchmark for energy-efficient housing, while demonstrating that green construction can deliver both environmental and commercial benefits."

The financing will support the Gerlug Green Apartments project, a four-tower residential development in Ulaanbaatar's Khan-Uul District comprising 252 units. The project is targeting Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) standard certification, an international green building standard requiring at least 20% savings in energy, water, and materials compared with conventional buildings. Gerlug Green Apartments project is expected to achieve 34.6% energy savings, 30.6% water savings, and 38.1% embodied carbon reduction, substantially exceeding the EDGE standard threshold.

“We believe the private sector plays an important role in providing homes that meet the evolving expectations of Mongolian families and create lasting benefits for communities,” said Tavan Bogd Group President Baatarsaikhan Tsagaach. “Our partnership with ADB reflects our commitment to advancing higher standards in residential development and supporting a more resilient and sustainable housing sector in the country.”

Mongolia's residential buildings are energy-intensive, relying heavily on coal-fired heating during the winter season. The project's green features, including advanced insulation, energy-efficient lighting, and smart energy meters, will lower energy costs and contribute to Mongolia's 23% emissions reduction target by 2030.

ADB is supporting Mongolia in promoting and assessing green building opportunities and integrating energy-efficient design measures in public and private sector buildings through its technical assistance on Accelerating Climate Action, Innovation and Private Sector Development. The technical assistance helped Tavan Bogd Holdings LLC adopt internationally recognized green building standards.

During construction, the project is expected to create about 1,800 jobs, while increasing opportunities for women in technical professions and internships. As Mongolia's first privately developed green-certified residential complex, the project is expected to establish a replicable model for green housing and encourage wider adoption of energy-efficient building measures across the country.

Tavan Bogd Holdings LLC is the investment holding company of Tavan Bogd Group, one of Mongolia's largest and most diversified private sector conglomerates.

ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—50 from the region.

Mongolia finishes fourth with 26 medals at World Nomad Games www.asianews.network

The Mongolian team won a total of 26 medals at the VI World Nomad Games, held in Bishkek and Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31-September 6, 2026.

Mongolia was represented by 135 athletes competing in 27 sports, and finished with 4 gold, 4 silver, and 18 bronze medals, placing fourth among 106 participating countries in the overall standings.

In the final days of the Games, Mongolian athletes added more medals to the tally. In the Iranian traditional wrestling discipline ‘Pahlavani’, which featured competitors from 36 countries, B.Bat-Orshikh won a bronze medal in the men’s +90 kg category.

Mongolian athletes also earned two bronze medals in the intellectual game Togyzkumalak, with Kh.Yermanat and Sh.Bolatbyek finished among the medalists.

The VI World Nomad Games brought together 2,355 athletes from 106 countries, competing in 43 sports disciplines.

Athletes from 29 countries won medals during the Games, while competitors from 12 countries claimed gold medals. The host nation Kyrgyzstan, followed by Kazakhstan and Russia, finished in the top three places, while Uzbekistan ranked fifth.

The VII World Nomad Games are scheduled to be held in Kazan, Russia, in 2028.

New flight routes explored with Hokkaido airports www.ubpost.mn

New Ulaanbaatar International Airport LLC (NUBIA), which operates Chinggis Khaan International Airport, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hokkaido Airports Co., Ltd. to expand cooperation between the two countries’ aviation sectors, with an eye toward opening new flight routes connecting Mongolia and Hokkaido.

Under the memorandum, Hokkaido Airports, which operates New Chitose, Wakkanai, Kushiro, Hakodate, Asahikawa, Obihiro and Memanbetsu airports, will work with NUBIA on airport management, human resource development in civil aviation, exchange of experience, and the creation and promotion of new air routes.

NUBIA called the agreement an important step in elevating cooperation between the Mongolian and Japanese aviation sectors, adding that it would support tourism, economic ties and human resource development in both countries.

Chinggis Khaan International Airport, located roughly 50 kilometers southwest of Ulaanbaatar, began operations in July 2021 after years of delay, replacing the capital’s former Buyant-Ukhaa airport. It was built with Japanese ODA loan financing and is run by NUBIA, a joint venture in which Japan Airport Management LLC, backed by Mitsubishi Corporation, Narita International Airport Corporation, Japan Airport Terminal Co. and JALUX, holds a 51 percent stake, with the remaining 49 percent held by the Mongolian state-owned Khushig Valley Airport LLC, under a 15-year concession contract.

Hokkaido Airports was established in 2019 as a consortium of 17 Hokkaido-based and outside companies under one of Japan’s largest airport privatization concessions, bundling the operation of seven airports across the region, including New Chitose, the country’s fifth-largest airport by passenger traffic. Hokkaido is one of Japan’s most visited destinations among Mongolian and other international tourists, known for its winter sports, hot springs and seasonal scenery, but currently has no direct air link with Ulaanbaatar.