Trending on X (10 p.m.): Oyu Tolgoi dividend, heating bill, Numrug fire, T. Shinebayar, bears

Here are the 8 topics Mongolian users discussed most on X between 18:13 and 22:13 (Ulaanbaatar time) on October 15, ranked by the likes, reposts and views of the leading posts. The evening conversation centred on the Oyu Tolgoi dividend, Parliament's rejection of the heating supply bill, accountability for the Numrug fire, the detention of journalist T. Shinebayar, Chromebook spending, bears and the new moped rules. Topics from the 6 p.m. roundup are included only where there was a new development. Only 8 real, verified topics emerged in this window, so we did not pad the list to 10. Metrics are as of 22:42.

1. Oyu Tolgoi dividend: pay it out, or put it in the fund? (new development)

The debate over how to use the Oyu Tolgoi dividend continued into the evening after the government launched its public survey. On October 14, Finance Minister Z. Mendsaikhan told reporters that the survey runs until October 28, that no law allows the dividend to be paid to citizens in cash, and that the Sovereign Wealth Fund law requires it to go into the savings fund (ikon.mn). He said that of the 3 trillion togrog assumed in the 2027 budget, 1 trillion would go to the savings fund and 2 trillion to the energy sector, although Oyu Tolgoi has not yet confirmed the amount of the dividend.

Deputy Prime Minister T. Dorjkhand explained that the Oyu Tolgoi dividend is different from the dividend on the 1,072 Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi shares: citizens own the 1,072 shares, whereas the state owns 34% of Oyu Tolgoi. In a report published by UBN, B. Javkhlan also said a cash payout is not possible and would require amending the wealth fund law, while B. Solongo argued that 100% of the dividend should go into citizens' savings accounts. The Democratic Party criticised the government for building income that has not yet arrived into the 2027 budget, calling it "a cash promise ahead of the election" (NTV). The most widely shared post was a satirical one by @negdels joking that every answer in the survey amounts to "give it to the government".

2. Parliament sends back the heating supply bill (new)

At this afternoon's plenary session, a majority of the MPs present voted against discussing the Heating Supply Bill in principle, so under parliamentary procedure the bill is deemed returned to its initiators. The bill included rules on heat meters. According to its sponsor, MP M. Enkhtsetseg, a meter currently costs about 1 million togrog, but the meters would belong to the heat supplier, so customers would not face the cost. X users discussed metering and the lack of heating connections for new buildings. Read the full story here.

3. Numrug fire: Mobicom apologises as accountability is discussed (new development)

Accountability for the fire in the Numrug Strictly Protected Area, which started when a vehicle carrying Mobicom executives caught fire, was still being discussed on X in the evening. Mobicom CEO Yasuhiro Ochi apologised to the public and said the company would pay compensation for the damage (zuv.mn, mongolnews24.mn). For the government, G. Temuulen said Mobicom staff and the border-port officials concerned would be held accountable (ubn.mn). Read our earlier report here.

@LTsogtbayar quoted experts as saying that one company alone could hardly pay for damage to an ecosystem thousands of years old, and DNN.mn shared a report by journalist B. Ganchimeg from the burned area. Some users urged Mobicom to start by supplying fodder for the wildlife that survived.

4. Hearing on T. Shinebayar's detention set for tomorrow (new development)

UBN reported that a hearing on whether to lift the detention of T. Shinebayar, who has been held for 30 days since October 11, will take place tomorrow, October 16, at 16:00. Reaction to G. Uyanga's criticism of the press, covered in the 6 p.m. roundup, also continued on X, with users both supporting and criticising her. We have not independently verified the substance of the disputes between individuals, so we treat them only as expressions of opinion.

5. Education spending: Chromebooks and the curriculum (new development)

In addition to G. Luvsanjamts, mentioned in the 6 p.m. roundup, MP Ch. Anar has also come out against the 800-billion-togrog Chromebook purchase (mpress.mn). As part of Parliament's Open Parliament initiative, the third session of the discussion on the education budget focused on the supply of teaching equipment. Read more here.

The most widely shared education post came from @Enxjinx, who passed on a teacher friend's criticism of a 10th-grade lesson. @toimch defended the need for Chromebooks, arguing that people who go online only through their phones tend to take in information narrowly.

6. Bears unable to hibernate, veteran hunter warns (new development)

Veteran hunter J. Laagansuren, who shot a bear that had killed a cow in Khatgal, Khuvsgul province, on the night of the 13th, told Udriin Sonin that many bears that have not settled into their range cannot hibernate and may make dens in the haystacks herders pile near their winter camps (medee.mn). @Adiyag04 shared the interview, while @ulaach_1617 posted a video criticising people who circled a resting bear in their cars and provoked it while filming. Read our report on bear risks here.

7. Moped and scooter rules: the sidewalk debate (new development)

The traffic police have clarified that the minimum age for e-bikes, mopeds and scooters remains 18, while 10- to 16-year-olds may ride bicycles on bike paths and sidewalks. Read more here. @110Orgio objected to children riding on sidewalks and asked who would be held responsible, and other users agreed that "sidewalks should stay with pedestrians".

8. An autumn move and Ulaanbaatar at night (new)

Amid the heavier topics, @Shagdarsurenba3 drew warm responses with a photo of a family making their autumn move through the Altan Teel valley in Zereg soum, Khovd province. @choijlsun posted a video of Ulaanbaatar at night seen from the National Garden Park.

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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.