UN Land Summit in Mongolia: COP17 under the UNCCD opens in Ulaanbaatar Aug. 17–28, with 197 parties and thousands of delegates set to tackle desertification and land degradation affecting 77% of Mongolia’s territory, under “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope.” Energy & Industry Policy: China’s NDRC says it will push a closed-loop recycling system for the “new trio” (EVs, lithium batteries, PV) by 2030, tightening “scrapping with batteries” and cracking down on illegal dismantling. Aviation for Trade Links: Air China begins the COMAC C919’s first scheduled international commercial service to Mongolia (Beijing–Ulaanbaatar), enabled by bilateral airworthiness arrangements. Mining & Critical Minerals: China Northern Rare Earth Group plans a 50% expansion at Bayan Obo in Inner Mongolia with a $74m investment to boost ore processing capacity for high-tech supply chains. Mongolia’s SOE Reform Push: Mongolia’s “Liberate” policy highlights state-owned enterprise governance reforms, shifting oversight toward parliamentary review for more transparency. Culture & Heritage: The Turkic world agrees on a unified digital database for archaeological heritage through ARICA, with Mongolia among participating countries. Local Business & Events: “Kharkhorum Bazaar” runs Aug. 11–20 near Naadam Stadium, featuring national products, crafts, food, and live cultural programming.