Beijing closes all schools, locks down several residential estates and imposes a partial travel ban, urging residents not to leave the city, after 27 more COVID-19 cases are confirmed in the city, bringing the total to 106 new cases in the last five days. The new outbreak is linked to the Xinfadi Market. (The Nations)
Russian investigators accuse Valery Mitko, President of Arctic Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg and one of the country's leading Arctic researchers, "of treason" after alleging that he gave a document containing state secrets to Chinese intelligence in early 2018 at China's Dalian Maritime University, where he was a visiting professor. Mitko and his lawyer Ivan Pavlov deny any wrongdoing and say that all the materials were openly available. (CNN)
Moldova asks the U.S. to extradite businessman Vladimir Plahotniuc after accusing him of "involvement in the theft of $1 billion from banks in 2014–2015". (Reuters)
Pacific Gas and Electric Company CEO Bill Johnson pleads guilty on behalf of his company to 84 counts of felony involuntary manslaughter in the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in California's history, as well as one felony count of unlawfully starting a fire. PG&E will pay a maximum fine of US$3.5 million, as well as an additional US$500,000 for the cost of investigations. (Al Jazeera)(The Sacramento Bee)
PresidentJohn Magufuli dissolves parliament ahead of the election. In the decision, he highlights his government's achievements, citing "expanding infrastructure such as roads, electricity generation and reforming the mining sector". (Reuters)