Ethiopian Airlines will return troubled jet to service after 2019 crash killed 157 people.

Ethiopian Airlines announced on Monday it plans to resume flying Boeing 737 MAX planes in its fleet in February 2022, saying it was satisfied with their safety.

“Safety is our topmost priority… and it guides every decision we make and all actions we take,” the company’s chairman, Tewolde Gebremariam, said in a statement. “We have taken enough time to monitor the design modification work and the more than 20 months of rigorous rectification process... our pilots, engineers, aircraft technicians, cabin crew are confident on the safety of the fleet,” he added.

Boeing’s best-selling, single-aisle 737 MAX airplane was grounded worldwide after two separate crashes just six months apart, which killed 346 people.

In 2019, Ethiopian Airlines flight 302, a Boeing 737 MAX bound for Kenya, crashed six minutes after takeoff from the capital, Addis Ababa, killing all 157 passengers and crew. It was the second 737 MAX disaster in six months, after a Lion Air plane in Indonesia crashed in October 2018, killing 189 people.

Investigators identified faults in the sensors and new flight control software that had not been explained to pilots.

The plane returned to service in late 2020, with airlines across the globe taking deliveries of the aircraft.

Mongolia confirmed 157 new daily cases of coronavirus, the Ministry of Health said on Dec 28.

93 of them were reported in Ulaanbaatar, 62 in the regions of the country, and 2 were imported.

The total number of cases increased to 389 857.

1 person died from the coronavirus in a day.

The death toll from COVID-19 in Mongolia increased to 1 983.

The Third National Stakeholder Forum on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) was held on 25 November 2021 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia under the theme “Digital Literacy and Inclusion as a Booster for Infodemic Immunity”. The forum was jointly organized by the Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO and the Press Institute of Mongolia as part of Mongolia’s national celebration for UNESCO Global MIL Week 2021.

Mr. Tapan Mishra, UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia, Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director and Representative of UNESCO Beijing Cluster Office, Mr. Sambuu Boldsaikhan, Secretary-General of the Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO, and Ms. Munkhmandakh, Executive Director of the Press Institute of Mongolia delivered opening remarks. More than 60 stakeholders, including representatives from the Mongolian Government, non-governmental organizations, and civil society organizations attended the event and discussed how media and information literacy can contribute to addressing disinformation and hate speeches especially in and after a state of emergency, and bridging the digital divide for inclusiveness especially for women, youth, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.

Mongolia has identified digital literacy and inclusion of left behind groups as national priorities, as outlined in its Digital Nation Strategy. With support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), UNESCO has been supporting Mongolia in this endeavour by equipping policy makers, media regulatory and self-regulatory professionals with advanced knowledge of MIL policy and best practices, and improving capacities to respectively adapt and apply MIL curricula and policy in Mongolia.

Prof. Khan in his opening remarks pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic is the first pandemic in history in which technology and social media are being used on a massive scale and on various levels to keep people safe and informed, but at the same time, “the technology we rely on is enabling and amplifying an infodemic that continues to undermine effective responses and jeopardizes informed decision-making”. Therefore, the importance of media and information literacy, particularly digital literacy for all, is more critical than ever. “Sustained and coordinated efforts are needed among all stakeholders.” He stressed.

The second edition of the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Curriculum Think critically, Click Wisely: Media and Information Literate Citizens, which is an updated version of the first edition released in 2011, were officially introduced at the forum, followed by a discussion on terms and definitions for localization to create a shared understanding and buy-ins at all levels.

The discussions during the forum were centered around four major aspects, including access to education during COVID-19 and capacity building for the education sector in the state of emergency, opportunities and challenges in transitioning to the “Digital Nation” and addressing the digital divide, building MIL knowledge and skills to prevent and protect against disinformation and hate speeches, and responsibility of media in social development and importance of ethical and professional conduct for the media sector.

Discussion results have been generated into recommendations, including developing a comprehensive national policy and strategy for MIL education, promoting the new UNESCO MIL Curriculum and organizing training for teachers, improving knowledge and understanding of MIL among journalists and media workers, among others. The recommendations will be delivered to the Mongolian Government for further consideration towards a national MIL policy.

Under the theme “Media and Information Literacy for the Public Good”, the UNESCO Global MIL Week 2021 highlights the needs and importance for each individual to be equipped with MIL competencies to understand, contribute to, and benefit from information and communication opportunities, and at the same time, advance the public good.

Through capacity-building resources, such as curricula development, policy guidelines and articulation, and assessment framework, UNESCO supports the development of MIL competencies among all people. Free and open online courses are available for self-paced learning about MIL. Through media and information technologies, UNESCO facilitates networking and research through the Global Alliance for Partnerships on MIL (GAPMIL) and MIL University Network.

NHK has learned that laboratory tests in Japan show that two coronavirus vaccine shots are far less effective against the Omicron variant than the Delta variant.

A team led by Kitasato University Professor Katayama Kazuhiko measured levels of neutralizing antibodies in cultured cells taken from blood samples of 12 fully vaccinated people.

Neutralizing antibodies work as protection against a virus.

Six of the people had received two shots of the Pfizer vaccine and the rest were inoculated with the Moderna vaccine.

Levels of antibodies in the samples taken from people who got the second Pfizer shot three months ago were down 72 percent on average from the levels against Delta.

Levels in the samples from those who got the second Moderna shot three months ago were down 82 percent on average.

Professor Katayama says the findings in the lab experiment do not mean that vaccines are totally ineffective against Omicron.

He calls for fully vaccinated people to continue basic anti-infection measures.

Studies conducted overseas have also suggested that existing vaccines are far less effective against Omicron.

On December 24, Prime Minister of Mongolia L.Oyun-Erdene took part in the 7th National Forum of Cooperatives that was organized in the framework of the 100th anniversary of the development of cooperatives in Mongolia.

The first cooperative in Mongolia was established with 116 members under the name ‘People’s Mutual Aid Cooperative’ while today a total of 4468 cooperatives with 234,633 members, incorporating MNT 49.6 billion, are making significant contribution to the social and economic development in Mongolia.

Congratulating to the cooperatives that have played a special role in the country’s economic development on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the development of cooperatives in Mongolia, L.Oyun-Erdene announced that “New Cooperative” campaign will be launched by the Government of Mongolia nationwide in 2022, enriching cooperatives with new content for modern development.

Global economic output will surpass $100 trillion for the first time in history next year despite the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, a new report by a UK-based consultancy shows.

Global economy to top $100 trillion in 2022

“A year ago, we hoped that the economic effects of the pandemic would wear off relatively quickly. And in one sense they have. We now expect world GDP in dollars in 2022 to be higher than we did pre-pandemic and to reach over $100 trillion for the first time in that year. Last year our forecast was that this would only be reached in 2024,” the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) said in its annual World Economic League Table 2022, published on Sunday. The research gathers economic forecasts for 191 countries up to 2036.

Analysts say that despite the year-end emergence of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, “much improved immunity in many countries allows for less harsh restrictions, whilst greater economic adaptability means that renewed restrictions cause less of a blow than [previously].”

CEBR says inflation will be the number one issue to deal with in the coming years.

“The important issue for the 2020s is how the world economies cope with inflation, which has now reached 6.8% in the US,” Deputy Chairman Douglas McWilliams said, as cited by Reuters.

According to the report, China is on track to overtake the US as the world’s biggest economy in dollar terms in 2030. India is forecast to pass France next year, while the UK might reclaim its place as the world’s sixth biggest economy in 2023. The report also says Germany could overtake Japan in terms of economic output around 2033. Russia is forecast to enter the top 10 by 2036.

CEBR analysts also warn of recession between 2023 and 2024.

“We hope that a relatively modest adjustment to the tiller will bring the non-transitory elements under control. If not, then the world will need to brace itself for a recession in 2023 or 2024,” the report states

Hong Kong (CNN Business)China is planning to tighten restrictions for Chinese companies that want to list overseas, but the government won't ban them from trading abroad altogether.

The securities regulator proposed late Friday that any firm that wants to go public in another country has to register with the agency first, and then meet a set of requirements set forth by government officials.

"Domestic enterprises issuing and listing overseas shall strictly abide by laws, regulations and relevant provisions on national security such as foreign investment, cybersecurity and data security, and earnestly fulfill the obligations of national security protection," the China Securities Regulatory Commission said in its proposal.

It made clear that companies may be blocked from holding foreign initial public offerings if authorities deem them threats to national security, and added that companies may be required to divest some assets "to eliminate or avoid the impact of overseas issuance and listing on national security."

The draft rules, which are open for public feedback until late January, come after weeks of speculation about when and how Beijing might tighten its scrutiny over IPOs. Washington has also enacted audit rules that could affect Chinese firms, a sign of continuing tensions between the United States and China.

Earlier this month, the Financial Times reported that the country was expected to "tightly restrict" the ability for companies that use a structure called a variable interest entity, or VIE, to raise money from foreign investors.

A VIE involves creating an overseas holding company that allows investors to own a stake in a Chinese company that would otherwise be difficult because of restrictions in the mainland. Companies like Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi and e-commerce and tech firms Alibaba (BABA), Pinduoduo (PDD) and JD.com (JD) have all benefited from the system.

The draft rules do not mention VIEs. But a spokesperson for the regulator said in published remarks Friday that firms using that kind of structure would still be allowed to list overseas, so long as they comply with the government rules and register with the regulator.

Even if Beijing is not closing the door on overseas listings entirely, the government has taken several steps this year that seem intended to discourage Chinese companies from trading in foreign markets, which the country fears could pose risks to national security.

Didi became a poster child of Beijing's tech crackdown earlier this year, when the government banned it from app stores just days after its June IPO on the New York Stock Exchange.

Authorities at the time accused Didi of breaking privacy laws and posing cybersecurity risks. Their actions were also widely seen as punishment for the company's decision to go public overseas instead of in China. In the weeks after the IPO, Beijing proposed that companies with data on more than 1 million users seek approval before listing overseas.

The pressure isn't just coming from Beijing. Earlier this month, the US Securities and Exchange Commission finalized rules that would allow it to delist foreign firms that refuse to open their books to US regulators. China has for years rejected US audits of its firms, citing national security concerns.

The uncertainty appears to be weighing on some firms. Earlier this month, Didi announced that it would "immediately" start the process of delisting from the New York Stock Exchange and pivot to Hong Kong.

Several other US-listed firms, including Baidu (BIDU), NetEase (NTES) and JD.com, also now trade in Hong Kong, but none of those big names have yet to mirror Didi's decision to pull out of New York entirely.

-- CNN's Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

The Ministry of Health reported today that 83 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the past 24 hours. Specifically, 57 cases were confirmed in Ulaanbaatar city, with 20 cases in rural regions and six imported cases.

In addition, one COVID-19 related death has been reported, raising the country’s death toll to 1,982. Currently, 1,941 people are receiving hospital treatment for COVID-19 whilst 3,447 people with mild symptoms are being treated at home.

As of today, the coverage of 1st dose is 69.6 percent (2,265,683) and 2nd dose – 66.5 percent (2,162,885) of the total population. Moreover, 896,958 people (28.0 percent) have received 3rd dose or a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccines nationwide.

Udokan Copper, one of the companies owned by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov’s holding firm USM, announced that it has joined the UN Global Compact.

Joining the initiative means the company voluntarily agrees that its business strategy and operations should align with the UN Ten Principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Normally, the UN Global Compact participants are full-fledged operating businesses, but Udokan Copper — which is developing the Udokan copper deposit in the Zabaikalye Territory in Russia’s Far East — decided to join the UN initiative in the construction stage.

According to the miner, the reason to do so is that it is already following the best global practices in ESG, minimizing its carbon footprint, and pursuing a large-scale social investment program, with over $24 million already spent on social initiatives.

“Joining the UN Global Compact means more responsibility; it also provides access to the expertise of the United Nations and other international participants of the initiative, and to advice from top global experts,” the company said in a media statement. “This move will help the company strengthen its repute, gain new business connections all over the world and facilitate its participation in global events and the UN global projects.”

For Udokan Copper’s management, doing business sustainably is a necessary condition to compete on the global product and capital markets, to gain access to financing, to build a trustful and effective relationship with society and the state, and to be an appealing employer.

“Developing the Udokan deposit is a greenfield project that was launched as an example of sustainable and responsible production. The UN SDGs can only be reached by pooling the will and the effort of the governments, people, civil organizations and businesses. We are glad to join the global like-minded community and make yet another step towards the sustainable future,” the press brief reads.

Udokan Copper was established to develop its namesake deposit, which has resources exceeding 26 million tonnes and is considered to be Russia’s largest new copper deposit.

The resources of the deposit, according to JORC are 26.7 million tonnes of copper, with a copper grade of 1.05%. The deposit is located in the Kalar Municipal District of the Zabaikalye Territory, 30 kilometres away from Novaya Chara station of the Baikal-Amur Mainline.

The project includes the commissioning of a mining and metallurgical plant, with the final products being cathode copper and sulphide concentrate. Production volume has been estimated at 135,000 tonnes of copper per year.

India is reviewing a proposal to stop new coal-fired capacity construction under a plan to meet its climate pledges, Indian outlet The Economic Times reported on Wednesday, quoting sources familiar with the matter.

As part of its pledges during the COP26 climate summit last month, India—where coal currently accounts for around 70% of electricity generation—committed to net-zero emissions by 2070, and 500 gigawatts (GW) of installed renewable energy capacity by 2030.

In late October, an expert committee appointed by the power ministry submitted new recommendations for amending India’s National Electricity Policy (NEP) and recommended that the country not consider new coal-fired capacity. The report of the committee is still under consideration, a senior government official told The Economic Times.

The recommendations include replacing old coal plants with new ones only when it is “convincingly established that it is not viable to meet the projected demand from alternate non-fossil fuel sources,” one of the recommendations says, a source with knowledge of the details told the Indian outlet.

A proposal for halting new coal capacity is a U-turn from India’s previously adopted national electricity policy strategies, which have stated that coal is a cheap source of electricity and should not be discarded.

India to stockpile gas & coal to avoid future energy crunch

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India, however, is not expected to kick its coal addiction any time soon.

Global coal demand is set for records this year and next, despite various net-zero pledges, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said last week.

Based on current trends, global coal demand is set to rise to 8025 Mt in 2022, the highest level ever seen, and to remain there through 2024, the IEA said in its annual Coal 2021 report released on Friday.

Over the next two years, global coal demand could even see new record highs as emerging markets led by China and India will lead consumption growth which is set to outpace declines in developed economies, according to the IEA. In India, stronger economic growth and increasing electrification are forecast to drive coal demand growth of 4% annually through 2024, the agency noted.