Trending on X, 6 PM: The MongolZ, Nomrog fire, closed media contracts, AI-92, Zurkh Uul road, Starlink, Trump tariffs, anniversary wrestling

These are the topics Mongolian users discussed most on X between 14:20 and 18:20 on October 24, ranked by engagement. Eight topics could be checked against news sites, so we did not pad the list to 10. Topics from the 2 PM roundup were included only where there was a new development. Posts about the Nomrog fire and the media-contract dispute that accused named individuals without evidence were left out. Post metrics were taken at 18:28.

1. The MongolZ beat Aurora 2-1 in their PGL Masters Bucharest 2026 opener

According to HLTV.org, the Counter-Strike 2 news site, The MongolZ beat Turkey's Aurora, a top-five team in the world rankings, 2-1 in a best-of-three series in the first Swiss round of PGL Masters Bucharest 2026 in Romania. The Mongolian side lost its own pick, Inferno, 12-16 in overtime, then won Nuke 13-2 and the decider, Dust2, 13-9. The team won a tournament in Belgrade earlier this week. Fans shared the result widely on X.

2. Nomrog fire: questions turn to responsibility on the Mongolian side (new development)

Discussion of the fire in the Nomrog Strictly Protected Area in Dornod province shifted to the responsibility of Mongolian officials. One user shared a video with remarks attributed to MP Ch. Anar, saying the Mobicom chief executive "probably did not plan the trip himself" and that "our people seem to have acted irresponsibly". Another user shared and praised remarks on the issue by MP Altangerel. After a Cabinet meeting on October 14, Minister of Justice and Home Affairs G. Temuulen said Mobicom staff who caused the fire and officers of the border port administration would be held accountable and made to compensate the state, and the police investigation has not yet concluded. Some users criticised the media for not following the story closely enough. Remarks in the shared videos are the speakers' own views.

3. "Ban closed contracts": calls for transparency over state-funded media deals

Calls to ban the "closed contracts" (khaaltyn geree) that state bodies sign with media outlets, and to disclose media contracts paid for from the budget, grew louder on X again. Influencer Margadism wrote that the demand to make donation reports, closed contracts and state-funded media contracts public still stands, while other users said the law should bar the state from signing such contracts with media outlets, individuals and civil society groups. A petition titled "On banning closed contracts with media organisations" was registered on the State Great Khural's public petition system on September 4. It proposes adding a ban to the draft law on media freedom submitted to parliament in January 2025, and needs 100,000 signatures to move to the stage of proposing legislation.

4. Queues for AI-92 petrol continue

Users continued to post about queues at petrol stations. One said a friend queued from the evening and got home at 5 am, while another argued that ordinary AI-92 should not be used by freight and public transport and that its price should rise. According to the national broadcaster MNB, as of October 19 Mongolia held 22,000 tonnes of AI-92, or 10 days' supply, and 38,000 of the 78,000 tonnes planned for import this month had arrived. Stock levels and queues at 264 filling stations in the capital can now be viewed in real time on the Benzin.mn platform.

5. 1.6 km road from Chingeltei to Zurkh Uul is 85% complete

Chingeltei district governor N. Manduul said on X that work on the 1.6 km road from the end of Chingeltei to Zurkh Uul, a popular spot for walks, was 85% complete. He said the former dirt track, slippery in winter, is getting a paved road with pedestrian and cycle lanes, and that 920 metres of pedestrian and cycle path and the street lighting have been finished. Embankments and ditches were also built along the road to reduce the risk of spring floods.

6. Starlink and Starshield speed limits lifted on Ukraine's front line

The Kyiv Independent, Reuters and others reported that Ukraine's Defence Ministry said on October 24 that Starlink and its military version, Starshield, were again working with a stable connection at speeds above 400 km/h. Since mid-October the limit had dropped to about 160 km/h, hampering efforts to fight Russia's jet-powered drones and keep front-line communications running. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaking in Istanbul on October 23, said the restriction had caused direct casualties, a remark that also spread among Mongolian users.

7. Trump says he could impose 200% tariffs on Russia and Ukraine

US President Donald Trump said at a rally in Florida on October 23 that he could impose 200% tariffs on both Russia and Ukraine if they fail to reach a peace deal, Kyiv Post and Ukrinform reported. He said tariffs had helped end eight wars but doubted it would work this time, saying "we don't buy much from them".

8. 256 wrestlers compete in the capital's 387th anniversary tournament

A national wrestling tournament marking Ulaanbaatar's 387th anniversary took place today with 256 wrestlers. According to UBN.mn, the left wing was led by State Titan O. Khangai and the right wing by State Lion Ts. Byamba-Otgon, and the opening was attended by Capital City Governor and Mayor of Ulaanbaatar B. Purevdagva and City Council chair D. Ikhbayar. The final result was not yet known when this roundup was prepared.

Methodology: We ranked posts from about 200 major news and influential accounts found through X search, plus more than 50 keyword searches, by an engagement score (likes + 2× reposts + views/100), and checked the facts against news sites. Posts that could not be verified or that carried a risk of defamation were left out. Views expressed by individuals on X do not represent the position of egov.mn.