Seven longtime pro-democracy activists, including media tycoon Jimmy Lai and former lawmaker Martin Lee, were convicted (SCMP) for their roles in organizing an anti-government protest in 2019. The ruling comes as authorities in Hong Kong continue to crack down on dissent.

Each defendant faces up to five years in prison (NYT), and they will be sentenced in two weeks. The case centers on a protest in August 2019, when prosecutors say the defendants unlawfully led protesters away from their authorized location. Defense lawyers stress that the march was peaceful. Officials abroad have condemned both the prosecution and the continued crackdown, during which more than 2,400 people have been charged. The Joe Biden administration concluded yesterday (FT) that Hong Kong is not independent enough from Beijing to merit special treatment under U.S. law, continuing a policy established by the Donald J. Trump administration.

The Australian government vaccinated only 15 percent (BBC) of the four million people it planned to immunize by March 31. Today, the city of Brisbane ends a three-day lockdown imposed in response to a cluster of COVID-19 cases. 

This CFR Backgrounder explains global COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

The UN special envoy on Myanmar warned the UN Security Council that a “bloodbath is imminent” (Reuters) in the country, as anti-coup protests continue despite a brutal crackdown by security forces. Activists burned copies of the 2008 military-drafted constitution, which members of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party have pledged to scrap in favor of a federal democracy.

India: The country’s COVID-19 vaccination program expanded to include (Al Jazeera) all people over the age of forty-five. India today reported its highest number of COVID-19 cases since October.

Marwan Barghouti, a popular militant currently serving a life sentence in an Israeli prison, intends to challenge (NYT) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s party in the territories’ May elections. The power struggle could weaken the Fatah party, which controls the Palestinian Authority, and strengthen Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza. 

Iraq/Saudi Arabia: During his first visit to Saudi Arabia (Al Jazeera), Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi pledged that Iraq will not become a launching point for attacks on the kingdom. The countries also signed agreements to cooperate on investment and energy, among other areas.

The government of Niger said security forces prevented what the government called an “attempted coup” (Al Jazeera) yesterday, two days before President-Elect Mohamed Bazoum is set to be inaugurated. His election is the first democratic transfer of power in the country. 

Ethiopia: Gunmen killed thirty civilians (Reuters) in the Oromia region, witnesses said, the latest attack in a spate of ethnic violence. Local authorities blamed the attack on a splinter group of the Oromo Liberation Front, an opposition party that was revived when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office in 2018. 

This CFR Backgrounder looks at the challenges facing Ethiopia.

Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny announced that he is beginning a hunger strike (RFE/RL). He accused prison authorities of denying him medical care and torturing him with sleep deprivation, allegations that Russia’s prison service denied (Reuters). Multiple countries, including the United States, have called for Navalny’s release. 

Italy: The country expelled two Russian diplomats (WSJ) over accusations of spying. Italian authorities said one of the diplomats paid an Italian naval officer for classified documents. Russian diplomats have been accused of espionage in a number of European countries in recent months.

The Brazilian Defense Ministry named three new commanders (AFP) to lead its armed forces a day after President Jair Bolsonaro announced the departure of the military’s top leaders. Some analysts had feared that Bolsonaro would install junior officers in an effort to politicize the military, but all three of the new commanders have lengthy service records. 

Argentina: Officials are tightening health restrictions (Buenos Aires Times) amid a rise in COVID-19 cases and concerns about new virus variants. However, President Alberto Fernandez has ruled out returning to a national lockdown.

President Biden unveiled a sweeping plan to overhaul the nation’s infrastructure (NYT). Dubbed the American Jobs Plan, it calls for $2 trillion in spending for improving roads and bridges, boosting American manufacturing, and expanding care for the elderly, among other programs. Biden proposes hiking the corporate tax rate from 21 to 28 percent in order to pay for the plan, a proposal Republicans have said is a nonstarter. 

This CFR Backgrounder looks at the state of U.S. infrastructure.