Number of livestock reaches 61.5 million www.gogo.mn

Number of livestock has reached 61.5 million heads at the end of 2016, reports National Statistics Committee. 
Livestock population of Mongolia has increased by 9.9 percent or 5562.3 thousand heads compared to the previous years. 
According to the preliminary results;
3634.9 thousand of horses,
4080.3 thousand of cows,
401.3 thousand camels,
27853.4 thousand of sheep,
25572.2 thousand of goats have counted.
Horses account 5.9 percent of total livestock population while camels account 0.7 percent, sheep account 45.3 percent and goats account 41.6 percent. 
Uvurkhangai, Khuvsgul, Arkhangai, Tuv and Bayankhongor aimags have the highest number of livestock.

Toshiba expected to log huge loss www.nhk.or.jp

Japanese electronics giant Toshiba is expected to post a huge loss from its nuclear power operations in the United States.

Korean Air to get tougher on unruly passengers and ease stun gun rules www.reuters.com

Korean Air Lines said it will allow crew members to "readily use stun guns" to manage in-flight disturbances, after coming in for criticism from U.S. singer Richard Marx for its handling of an incident involving a violent passenger.

Russia Suspends Sale of Non-Food Products Containing Alcohol www.themoscowtimes.com

Russia, China launch construction of bridge across Amur river www.rt.com

The construction of a long-awaited bridge across the Amur River, to connect Russia's Far East city of Blagoveshchensk with the northeastern Chinese city of Heihe has finally started after 28 years of negotiations.
“We’ve started the construction of the cross-border bridge. The governor of the Amur region and top officials in Heilongjiang province took part in the ceremony,” a Russian official from the Amur region told RIA Novosti.

Dozens of UK banks and financial firms 'looking at moving to Ireland' www.theguardian.com

Banks and financial institutions make up the overwhelming majority of more than 100 companies inquiring about relocating to Ireland after Brexit, the head of the agency tasked with bringing foreign investment into the republic has confirmed.

Martin Shanahan, the chief executive of the Industrial Development Agency (IDA), said many of the corporations looking to move were based in the City of London.

Shanahan said that while Ireland would try to make capital out of the UK voting to leave the EU, Brexit was not the outcome he or anyone else in Ireland favoured.

He also said the IDA did not fear a Trump presidency would shut down American multinational investment into Ireland.

The IDA has a target to create an extra 80,000 jobs in the country by 2019, many of them from new US firms setting up their European base in Ireland.

Shanahan told the Guardian that Ireland’s low 12.5% corporation tax remained sacrosanct as one of the Irish Republic’s key fiscal policies.

Ireland will be the only English speaking country left in the EU after Brexit, giving Shanahan and his IDA colleagues extra impetus in their attempts to woo companies, some of which are based in the UK.

He said: “We have seen a huge increase in the amount of inquiries and activities across the globe. It’s not just our office in London, or our office in Dublin; we are receiving inquiries in Asia, in the US, in New York in particular. The figure that we have used to date is over 100 related inquiries.”

Shanahan continued: “For the financial services sector it is the fact that they need to have access to the European market and they need a jurisdiction in which they can do that. Ireland is extremely attractive because we are English speaking, have a common law system, there is the close proximity to the UK.”

On the threat of Trump imposing protectionist barriers to US companies locating abroad, the IDA chief executive said: “US companies, in my view, will continue to want to … go abroad, seek new markets, seek the talent that exists abroad and have access to the innovation and research that exists outside the US. I don’t see any kind of scenario where that isn’t the case.”

Shanahan stressed that the instability and uncertainty of global politics, from Brexit to Trump’s election win, might actually benefit Ireland.

“In the context of a very turbulent world Ireland looks very stable economically because of the strong growth in 2014, 2015, and it looks the same in 2016. And we look very stable from an enterprise and policy perspective as well.”

Despite criticism from fellow EU nations such as France that Ireland operates sweetheart tax deals for some of the biggest corporations on the planet, Shanahan predicted there would be no change to the 12.5% corporation tax regime.

“Investors place great store in the fact that Ireland has been unwavering and consistent. They know exactly what they are getting, the fact that it is 12.5%. I do not see any circumstances, and this has been confirmed by the minister for finance, Michael Noonan, that it will change any time in the near future, or even the long-term future for that matter,” he said.

Premier urges efforts to boost development of western China www.chinadaily.com

BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has urged greater efforts to promote the sustainable and healthy development of the country's western regions.

60% of global Christmas commodities made in China www.chinadaily.com

As the world's biggest transfer center for small items, the city of Yiwu in Zhejiang provicne provides 60 percent of global Christmas commodities, with over 1,000 containers full of Christmas items being delivered abroad from Yiwu just ahead of this year's Christmas Day.

Santa Claus-themed items and LED reindeer are sold in Yiwu through the year, making it seem that people here celebrate Christmas every day.

Workers in Yiwu set out to make Christmas products early in the summer.

There is a "Yiwu Christmas Village" where production is in full swing for months each year in order to provide commodities for overseas markets.

It's reported by BBC that there is no items that one cannot find in Yiwu. A brochure of a local logistics company reads that Yiwu attracts businesses from all over the world like a magnet.

As many as 8,000 foreign purchasers come to Yiwu for commodities, reports Der Spiegel.

This year, there were also direct railway routes transporting Yiwu products to Europe. It will take three weeks for the freight trains to arrive in Spain as they need to travel across Siberia.

China encourages industries to go west, protect environment www.reuters.com

China will encourage labor-intensive manufacturing industries located along the eastern coast to relocate inland, it said in a new 2016-2020 plan to develop the economy of its western regions.

George Michael: Pop superstar dies at 53 www.bbc.com

Singer George Michael has died at the age of 53, his publicist has said.
The star, who launched his career with Wham! in the 1980s and continued his success as a solo performer, is said to have "passed away peacefully at home" in Goring, Oxfordshire.
Thames Valley Police say they are treating the death as unexplained but there were no suspicious circumstances.
His former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley said he was "heartbroken at the loss of my beloved friend".
Writing on Twitter and referring to Michael as "Yog", a nickname for "Yours Only George", he added: "Me, his loved ones, his friends, the world of music, the world at large. 4ever loved. A xx"

In a statement, Michael's publicist said: "It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period.
"The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage."

On Instagram, Sir Elton John posted a photograph of himself with Michael, writing: "I am in deep shock. I have lost a beloved friend - the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist. My heart goes out to his family and all of his fans."
Thames Valley Police said South Central Ambulance Service attended a property in Goring at 13:42 GMT on Christmas Day.
The force said: "At this stage the death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.
"A post-mortem will be undertaken in due course. There will be no further updates from Thames Valley Police until the post-mortem has taken place."
A small heart wreath and a rose are among the tributes that have begun to be left outside the front door of Michael's home, a detached property by the River Thames.
Treatment for pneumonia
Michael, who was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou in north London, sold more than 100 million albums throughout a career spanning almost four decades.
He first found fame with his schoolfriend Ridgeley in duo Wham! - reaching number one in the singles charts on four occasions - before going on to release solo albums, including the multi-million selling Faith in 1987 and its follow-up Listen Without Prejudice Vol 
His talents as a singer, songwriter and music producer made George Michael one of the world's biggest-selling artists.
Blessed with good looks and a fine singing voice, his stage presence made him a favourite on the live concert circuit as he matured from teen idol to long term stardom.
But there were times when his battle with drugs and encounters with the police made lurid headlines that threatened to eclipse his musical talents.

Michael scored a further seven number one singles in the UK with songs including Careless Whisper and Faith, and won three Brit Awards and two Grammys.
But as his career faded, he began to face headlines for the wrong reasons.
In October 2006 he pleaded guilty to driving while unfit through drugs, and in 2008 was cautioned for possession of class A drugs, including crack cocaine.
In September 2010, Michael received an eight-week prison sentence following an incident the previous July in which he crashed his Range Rover into a shop in north London. He admitted driving under the influence of drugs and possessing cannabis.
George Michael, Andrew Ridgely in 1984Image copyrightPA
Image caption
George Michael and Andrew Ridgely first found fame with Wham! in the 1980s
Pop stars from Michael's heyday were joined by contemporary names in paying tribute on Twitter.
ABC frontman Martin Fry said: "Absolutely devastated to hear of the loss of @GeorgeMichael Truly brilliant talent #sad #sad #sad."