• U.S. investor Michael Calvey released, put under house arrest in Moscow
• Charges filed against all persons involved in Calvey's embezzlement case
• Moscow court orders US investor detained over $37mn fraud allegations
• US investor & top partners of Baring Vostok equity fund detained in Moscow on fraud allegations

Defense Secretary Austin expected to seek authorization to make vaccine mandatory for active duty troops

Defense Secretary Gen. Lloyd Austin is reportedly seeking authorization to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for active-duty troops, according to CNN.

A defense official told CNN that Austin would be seeking a presidential waiver for the vaccine to be administered to troops before getting full approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Biden's recent push for vaccinations created pressure to seek a presidential waiver quickly instead of waiting for FDA approval, CNN reported. Several officials said a recommendation for how to proceed could come as soon as this week.

The potential decision comes as Biden announced that all federal employees must be vaccinated or be tested daily.

• Rent is now unaffordable for many US workers
• Millennials can't buy homes because they're drowning in student loan debt
• Survey finds renters are struggling more than homeowners

• 3 men killed in London stabbing frenzy - Knife crime doubled since 2014
• Failed London Garden Bridge project cost £53m - overseen by London Mayor Boris Johnson then Sadiq Khan
• 'Taxpayer's money shouldn't be spent on political stunts': London mayor Khan blasted for spending £2.3M on pro-EU New Year extravaganza
• London crime wave: Theft, burglary, rape, violent crime and homicide skyrocket

On Wednesday, China recorded 71 domestic Covid cases - the highest number since January. Officials in a number of cities have implemented mass testing and enforced local lockdown to prevent the virus from spreading rapidly. Chinese officials said they traced the outbreak back to passengers on a flight from Moscow that then spread to cleaners in Nanjing and into the local community.

With around 500 domestic Covid cases total having been reported in China since mid-July, a range of domestic restrictions have been reintroduced in some areas, including closing transport hubs and issuing stay-at-home orders to prevent a widespread outbreak that could threaten to overwhelm medical facilities.

As restrictions were imposed, China Railway began offering full refunds for any tickets purchased prior to August 4 to help discourage mobility, telling those who must travel to take proper anti-virus precautions. Similarly, China's civil aviation authority has demanded that domestic airlines provide complete refunds for any flights between Wednesday and the end of the month to "cope with the COVID-19 prevention and control measures." Would-be passengers who decide not to travel can avail of the refund at any point before the plane takes off, according to the agency.