This year’s cold season has already begun and with it the acrid smog from the ger districts in the Mongolian capital. Both the national government, the city administration and the administrations of UB’s districts have begun implementing actions for fighting air-pollution. For example, an innovation centre for heating technologies has opened in the Chingeltei District advertising and promoting companies which work in fighting air-pollution. The Chingeltei centre also informs the public about Government resolutions and action in combating pollution. The Chingeltei District spent MNT 310 million on the innovation center.

Air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, where a half of the country’s children live, is amongst the highest in the world during the cold season. In the last 10 years, incidences of respiratory diseases in Ulaanbaatar have increased alarmingly, including a 2.7-fold increase in respiratory infections per 10,000 population. Pneumonia is now the second leading cause for under-five child mortality among the under-fives, in the country.

The Temporary Committee on E-Policy has been drafting law for protecting children from the impact of negative news, such as distressing stories and images, that can severely impact the mental health and development of the young.

In 2009, the Mongolian government expanded a fund to support small and medium enterprises (SME’s). This provided companies with low-interest loans at 3 percent interest for up to five years and contained 2 billion Mongolian Tugrik (roughly USD 780,000 at today’s exchange rate). The fund is reported to have dispersed loans, totalling nearly 700 billion tugrik, or several hundred million U.S. dollars. The fund was created in – and continues to be overseen by – the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Light Industry.

Last week, the chief prosecutor requested the State Great Khural (parliament) to revoke the parliamentary immunity of B. Batzorig’s, who runs this ministry – and, thereby the fund itself. However, the Khural, which is dominated by the MPP refused to do so.

The national program aims to bolster its mining-dependent economy by boosting the export of livestock products, the ministry said in statement.

Under the program, the country has set a goal to reduce the import of liquid milk to zero and to increase the production of processed meat and dairy products by 30 percent.

The landlocked country's economy is heavily dependent on mining and commodity exports. Currently, mineral products account for over 90 percent of its total exports.

The development of intensive animal farming is seen as a possible solution to diversify the economy.

Mongolia is one of the last nomadic countries in the world. As at 2017, its livestock population stood at 66.2 million.

However, the country also imports no small amount of livestock products, according to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry.

Fuji News Network reported Wednesday the meeting took place in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar. Shigeru Kitamura, the head of Japan's Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, headed the Japanese delegation.

According to the network, bilateral meetings with Pyongyang have been taking place secretly, and Kim Song Hye, head of North Korea's United Front Department in the Korean Workers' Party, likely represented the Kim Jong Un regime at the talks.

Kim Song Hye was noticeably absent from a group of North Korean delegates who are in the South this week to attend an international convention.

Japanese government sources who spoke to FNN said the meetings are being held to possibly negotiate the issue of abducted Japanese citizens.

Kitamura is in Washington this week to meet with U.S. officials following the talks, according to the report.

Yomiuri Shimbun reported Japan called for a summit between Abe and Kim Jong Un during the talks.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday at a regular press briefing the government chooses to "refrain" from discussing the reports of the Mongolia meetings.

In October, Kitamura reportedly met with North Koreans in Ulaanbaatar, where he obtained new information about Minoru Tanaka, a Japanese citizen possibly abducted to North Korea in 1978.

Suga said Tokyo is addressing the issue of a summit with the North through "various channels."

Abdullayev added that wine is expected to be exported to Mongolia by the end of 2018-early 2019.

"For the Mongolian market, Azerbaijani wines are a novelty and the first batch will be a trial."

As for the possibility of opening a wine house in Mongolia, this issue was also raised during the visit of an export delegation to that country this year.

"The trading houses may be also opened in Mongolia, but this will depend on appeals,” he added. “In case of such interest, we will be ready to support this initiative. Mongolia is a new market for Azerbaijan."

Before the caucus meeting, Prime Minister Khurelsukh received public representatives of protest with vehicles at their request and heard their thoughts on petroleum price increase and other social issues. PM addressed, “There are many things Mongolia cannot control related to oil products, which is completely import-dependent. The Government is taking necessary actions to maintain petroleum price, such as annulling excise tax on petroleum. Artificially sustaining petroleum price by printing money will not have effects in the long term and can fundamentally harm the economy.”

Minister of Finance Khurelbaatar Chimed explained, “Oil price has been falling for several weeks; however, it will take time for petroleum price to decrease as oil importers collected their reserves for higher price. The cheaper oil will be distributed in December, lowering petroleum price. Key driver for price raise was the U.S sanction on Iran, which affected global oil price.” After the meeting, the demonstrators announced to call off the protest.

"Antibiotics are one of the great advancements in medicine in the world. But antibiotic overuse can cause bacterial resistance," it said in a statement, urging the prescribed use of antibiotics.

The call was made after a survey by the World Health Organization's (WHO) found that antibiotics were used far more in Mongolia than in any other country.

Currently, the East Asian country is also marking World Antibiotic Awareness Week with various events nationwide.

For the occasion of the Scientific Workers’ Day of Mongolia, the Institute of Physics and Technology at the Mongolian Academy of Sciences organized an open day event, where inventions of the institute’s scholars were demonstrated. Secretary of the institute B.Batgerel said, “Our institute develops not only basic and applied research on physics and technology. It is an independent research center that utilizes scientific achievements for the country’s development. The institute does various applied research that are of significance to the people and country, such as monitoring the pollution in the environment and converting solar energy into electricity and heat.”

About an electric heater Doctor O.Bukhtsooj said, “To decrease air pollution, we are filling a normal heater with liquid. As it is not required to be connected to the plumbing system, it’s low cost to set it up. When it’s used for 24 hours every day for a whole month, the electricity bill will be MNT 57,600.”

The scientists gave lectures on ‘Origins of elements’ and ‘Monte Carlo method and its usage’ for university students.

Savushkin told Strana Rosatom newspaper that “cooperation continues, now on the basis of Russia’s newest 3+ generation technologies,” adding that the deadlines are tight and “in 2021 we are to begin construction works at Tianwan-7.”

Last week, ASE and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) inked contracts for the construction of units 7 and 8 at the Tianwan NPP. Rosatom is currently negotiating a framework contract for the construction works.

The largest joint NPP project between Russia and China, the Tianwan plant is located on the coast of the Yellow Sea. It was built in 2006 by Russia's nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly owned by Gazprom.

Two of its units, with a capacity of 1,000 MW each, were opened in 2007. Unit 3 was connected to the grid last December while unit 4 is expected to enter commercial operation in March 2019. Fuel loading at unit 4 was completed in September.

Construction of Tianwan Phase III (units 5 and 6) was originally scheduled to start in early 2011 but was suspended following Japan's Fukushima disaster. CNNC plans to put both units into commercial operation by the end of 2021.

Last year, Beijing and Moscow said they intended further strategic partnerships in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.