Nepal and Mongolia on Monday reached several agreements and understandings aimed at promoting bilateral ties.

Air pollution in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar, is an annual problem; this year, however, because of the coldest conditions in a decade, it is particularly serious.

The temperature is expected to fall to -50 Celsius (-58 deg Fahrenheit) in northern parts of Mongolia next week.

An inter-governmental memorandum on cooperation between Mongolia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been signed in Abu Dhabi during a visit of the Speaker of the State Great Khural (parliament), M.Enkhbold.

On Tuesday (20th of December) a Turkish Airlines fight to Ulaanbaatar has been delayed indefinitely.

The Central Bank of Mongolia has announced the decision of its Monetary Policy Council to lower the bank’s policy interest rate by 1%.

Ts.Munkh-Orgil, the Mongolian Foreign Minister is making an official visit to Nepal from 18th to 20th of December, at the head of a high-level delegation from the Government of Mongolia.

Ulaanbaatar traditionally welcomes the start of the New Year’s festivities by lighting the tree on Sukhbaatar Square. This year, lighting the tree lighting ceremony is held publicly on Monday (19th of December) on the Mongolian capital’s central square.

So far, an area for playing an ice version of the traditional Mongolian game of knucklebones and an ice-skating rink have already opened at Khui Doloon Khudag. With the opening of the ski resort the ‘Mongol Naadam Complex’ can now operate the whole year round.

The Mongolian police have arrested a group of people who forged fake tugriks to the value of MNT 15 million. The men aged 35 and under, used their computer graphic skills to design the fake money. The case is currently under investigation by the prosecutors’ office.