"The aviation group comprises eight helicopters - four Mi-24 helicopter gunships and four Mi-8AMTSh assault transport helicopters," the press service said.

The helicopters will provide fire support and reconnaissance for Russian and Mongolian forces taking part in the exercises.

The Russian-Mongolian military exercise, headlined Selenga after the river that originates in Mongolia and flows into Russia’s Lake Baikal, are held on an annual basis. This year, the drills will be held at Mongolia’s Munh Hat range on August 15-24. They will involve over 1,000 servicemen from both sides.

The Eastern Military District said in July it would also send motorized rifles and tank units, a mortar battery, MLRS, self-propelled artillery, NCB protection, reconnaissance and a medical team.

Ministry of Defense is working as contractor of the apartment construction and building companies in Dornogobi aimag are also taking part. The apartment complex will have staff apartments, an office building, primary and high schools and a kindergarten. The financing is being made from the Development Bank of Mongolia. Infrastructure development works of the oil refinery are now underway and as the MONTSAME News Agency has reported recently, construction of a railroad to the oil refinery is already complete. According to plan, the oil refinery with a processing capacity of 1.5 million tons per year is projected to put into full operation in 2022.

However, monthly average spending per households have also risen to MNT 1.3 million; an increase of 203.5 thousand from July, 2018, due to an increase of non-foods products and other expenses by MNT 159.4 thousand.

In the first quarter of 2019, household revenue can be grouped as follows:

– Households that have monthly revenue of less than MNT 300,000 increased by 38.5 thousand,

– Households that have monthly revenue of MNT 300,000-500,000 increased by 20.9 thousand,

– Households that have monthly revenue of MNT 1.6-2.1 million increased by 24.6 thousand,

– Households that have monthly revenue above MNT 2.1 million increased by 39.9 million.

“International School of Ulaanbaatar”
Most expensive international school in Mongolia – registration fee is USD 150 and additional USD 4500 for contingency fund.

Elementary grades – USD 21,000 (MNT 56 million)

Middle grades – USD 25,600 (MNT 68 million)

Upper grades – USD 27,300 (MNT 73 million)

“British School of Ulaanbaatar”
This school offers an educational program from pre-school to Year 13 for students of all nationalities wishing to study under the British national school curriculum. Its registration fee costs USD 150.

Elementary grades – USD 10.000-14.970 (USD 27-40 million)

Middle grades – USD 16.680-17.920 (45-48 million)

Upper grades – USD 17.920-19.350 (48-52 million)

‘American School of Ulaanbaatar’
The private school has an international accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), based in California, USA.

Elementary grades – MNT 16 million

Middle grades – MNT 20 million

Upper grades- MNT 24 million

‘Hobby School of Ulaanbaatar’
The first independent national school in the country – the Hobby School was founded in 1994.

Elementary grades – MNT 9 million 192 thousand 960

Middle grades – MNT 10 million 342 thousand

Upper grades- MNT 10 million 910 thousand 610

‘Putonghua Chinese language school’
The school implements bilingual teaching to students and a strong mathematical programme.

Elementary grades – MNT 3 million 500 thousand

Middle grades – MNT 3 million 500 thousand

Upper grades- MNT 4 million

‘Goethe School’
The Germany-funded Goethe School teaches lessons in German and English.

Elementary grades – 5 million

Middle grades – 6 million

Upper grades- 6.5 million

‘Empathy School’
The Empathy School was founded in 1994 as part of a series of agreements between an independent educational company (Empathy) and the Ministry of Education of Mongolia. The school teaches pupils from the 6th grades.

Yearly fee – MNT 3 million 300 thousand,

Dormitory- MNT 2 million 300 thousand

Meals- MNT 1 million

‘The Shine Mongol Harumafuji School’
The school was founded in 2018 by Harumafuji (D.Byambadorj) – a professional sumo wrestler.

Elementary grades- MNT 4 million 700 thousand

Middle grades- MNT 6 million 800 thousand

Upper grades- MNT 4 million 900 thousand

Mongolia managed to get out of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s grey list in 2014 after taking action to combat terror funding and money laundering. At the time, it had no direct impact on citizens and enterprises due to the simple international control and small economy of the country. If we get into the grey list, all foreign transactions and foreign investments will halt, lowering the credit rating.

However, the performance in the 11 targets can be improved over five years, according to the officials. It is crucial to prove that Mongolia’s AML/ CTF system will be solid through 2022 at least. 40 recommendation of FATF is a concern to the whole nation, including the government bodies on all levels.

Mongolia became a member of APG in 2004 and passed its Law on Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing in July 2006. Since then, it has been intensifying actions to eliminate and prevent this type of crime.

Bank of Mongolia (BoM) is paying special attention to this issue, assigned a working group to present the report on AML/CTF measures. The working group will report the fulfillment of FATF’s recommendations before the APG annual meeting in late August in order to prevent greylisting.

Bob Long just became the oldest winner of the 1,000-kilometer Mongol Derby, the world's longest horse race on Thursday.

“It’s nothing – you just ride 650 miles. There’s nothing to it,” Bob in a news release. “I’ve only stayed overnight at one horse station; I’ve been staying with local families. They’re spectacular.”

Asked how it felt to be the oldest winner of the Derby, he replied dismissively: “Age is just a number.”

Co-organized by the Mongolian Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry, the Business Council of Mongolia and the Mongolian National Mining Association, the annual forum aims to present government policies on mining, discuss ways to solve issues facing investors and attract more investment.

At least 500 officials and investors from around 10 countries, including China, Russia, Canada and Australia, are expected to attend the forum.

Mining is one of the main economic sectors of the inland Asian country.

The sector single-handedly formed 87 percent of total exports, 72 percent of the industrial output, 24 percent of the gross domestic product and 75 percent of foreign investment in 2018, according to the country's Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry.

"Three military echelons with servicemen and military equipment from the Eastern Military District have arrived in Mongolia to take part in joint Russian-Mongolian drills 'Selenga-2019'. Around 1,000 servicemen and nearly 300 units of military equipment will take part in the military exercise. The drills will start on August 15," the press service said.

"From the Russian side, Akatsiya 152mm self-propelled artillery systems, Grad multiple rocket launchers, Shilka self-propelled anti-aicraft weapons systems, T-72B3 and BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles will take part in the joint drills," the press service added. "Mi-24 and Mi-8AMTSh helicopters stationed in Russia's Zabaikalsky region will also take part in the military exercies," the press service noted.

Last year, "Selenga" drills were held in Russia's Buryatia region. Over 1,000 Mongolian servicemen took part in the military exercise in 2018.

The rig for the Heron-1 well had been put on standby, at an ongoing cost to the company, pending the resolution of a dispute over land use.

'The company can now report that the central and provincial governments are resolving their issues and have given verbal approval for the company to resume operations whilst the necessary paperwork is completed,' Petro Matad said.

Preparations were now being made to drill the well, while the company also worked with the local governor to sign a land use agreement.

The signed agreement was expected to be executed 'within the next few days'.

Total standby costs incurred to date were of the order of $150k.

'The company hopes to be able to make up some of the time lost on standby and based on current forecasts, drilling operations on Heron-1 and Gazelle-1 can be completed well within the normal operating period of the Mongolian drilling season.'

At 9:57am: [LON:MATD] Petro Matad Ltd share price was +1.38p at 7.28p

In May, Mongolian President Kh. Battulga invited Putin to visit to the country and take part in the celebrations on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of joint victory in the Battles of Khalkhin Gol.

Celebration of Khalkh Gol Victory will start with concert of the Russian A.V.Alexandrov Army Academic Song and Dance Ensemble on Ulaanbaatar’s Sukhbaatar Square on 28 August. In addition, there will be a concert of the Igor Moiseyev State Academic Ensemble, a military parade and salute, a fly past, a concert of Mongolian and Russian singers and dancers as well as events for young people and children.

The conflict near the Khalkhin Gol River on Mongolian soil between the combined forces of the Soviet Union and Mongolia against Japan began in 1939. The battle lasted from May until September, resulting in the defeat of the Japanese Sixth Army, which had sought to reach Chita and Baikal and show China that “the Soviet military assistance was unreliable.” Later, Moscow and Tokyo signed a ceasefire agreement. Following Khalkhin Gol, Japan never again attacked the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945).