Police arrested at least fifty-three of Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy activists and former lawmakers (SCMP) in the largest crackdown since Beijing imposed a new national security law on the city last year.

Since then, authorities have worked to quash dissent and weaken any political opposition that could embarrass or threaten Beijing. They have arrested democracy advocates and disqualified pro-democracy candidates from running in last year’s legislative elections, which were ultimately postponed. Most of the people targeted yesterday were detained for their involvement in organizing primaries (WaPo) in July designed to select pro-democracy candidates to run in the legislative elections. Government officials in several countries and human rights groups condemned the arrests (NYT), but Chinese officials applauded them.

Democrat Raphael Warnock won one of Georgia’s runoff elections (WaPo) held yesterday, which will make him the state’s first Black senator. The second race remains too close to call. If Democrat Jon Ossoff wins, Democrats would gain control of the Senate, which could make it easier for President-Elect Joe Biden to achieve his policy objectives.

In a rare admission of failure, leader Kim Jong-un acknowledged that North Korea did not meet economic development goals (Yonhap) as he opened the country’s first party congress since 2016.

This CFR Backgrounder explains North Korea’s power structure.

At least six Indian states are working to contain an outbreak of avian influenza (Mint) that has killed thousands of birds. Tens of thousands of birds will be culled in affected regions.  

Pakistan: The country’s Supreme Court ordered that a Hindu temple near the northwestern town of Karak must be rebuilt (Al Jazeera) after hundreds of protesters damaged it last month. Local religious leaders allegedly mobilized the protesters over plans to expand the temple.

Saudi Arabia will reduce its oil production (NYT) by one million barrels per day so Russia can increase its production. The agreement—reached yesterday by members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Russia, and the other countries that form the so-called OPEC+ coalition—boosted oil prices.

Yemen: Saudi Arabia–led coalition air strikes killed at least ninety-nine civilians (Al-Monitor) in Yemen last year, according to a new report by Mwatana for Human Rights, an independent Yemeni monitor.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin became the first senior U.S. official to visit Sudan (AP) after the Donald J. Trump administration removed the country from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. The visit, which inlcudes a meeting with Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, is focused on Sudan’s struggling economy and potential U.S. aid.

CFR’s Michelle Gavin discusses the significance of the United States removing Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Ethiopia: Police released Reuters journalist Kumerra Gemechu (Reuters) after detaining him without a charge for twelve days.

In a joint statement released yesterday, the FBI, the National Security Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said that Russia was “likely” behind (WSJ) a massive, continuing breach, known as the SolarWinds hack, that has touched various federal government agencies. Russia has denied involvement.

For CFR’s Net Politics blog, Erica D. Borghard explains the implications of the SolarWinds hack.

UK: A judge denied bail (Reuters) to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange just days after rejecting a U.S. request to extradite him. U.S. authorities want to charge Assange with espionage over Wikileaks’ publication of confidential records a decade ago. 

A new National Assembly dominated by members of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) who are loyal to President Nicolas Maduro was installed yesterday (Miami Herald). Allies of Maduro retook control of what was widely seen as the country’s last democratic institution after claiming victory in December elections that the opposition and international observers decried as fraudulent. 

El Salvador: A court ordered former President Elias Antonio Saca and his wife to return $4.4 million worth of public funds (Reuters) it said they stole during Saca’s presidency. The court also banned Saca from public office for ten years.