15 prominent Hong Kong activists were arrested Saturday on charges of holding illegal assemblies in August and October related to the massive pro-democracy protests that swept the semi-autonomous Chinese territory last year, per AFP. Media tycoon Jimmy Lai and former lawmaker Martin Lee, 81, were among those arrested.
The big picture: Hours before the arrests, a Chinese government office in the Asian financial hub "declared it is not bound by Hong Kong's constitutional restrictions that bar Chinese government from interfering in local affairs," The Guardian notes. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted that the arrests were "deeply concerning," noting "politicized law enforcement is inconsistent with universal values of freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly."
The U.S. and Canada have agreed to maintain border restrictions for 30 more days to combat the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a press conference on Saturday.
What's happening: President Trump tweeted on March 18 that the neighboring countries reached a "mutual" decision to close their shared border to "non-essential traffic" in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Several countries across Africa are struggling to get basic health supplies and ventilators as the number of coronavirus cases swells — highlighting how unprepared the continent is for the coronavirus pandemic.
Why it matters: The United Nations Economic Commission of Africa estimates that at least 300,000 Africans will die from the virus and 29 million could be pushed into extreme poverty, Reuters notes.
Japan and Singapore were glimmers of hope throughout the coronavirus pandemic, but now both countries are struggling to control the breakout as new waves of infections hit the two countries.
Why it matters: The new wave of outbreaks highlights holes in their health systems and response strategies.
Millions of children around the world are endangered by the coronavirus pandemic, despite being a low-risk age group to contract COVID-19, the United Nations warned in a report released this week.
The big picture: Lack of schooling, poverty caused by lost family income, malnourishment, and risk of abuse while staying at home all pose dangers to children during the crisis.
Some European countries are attempting to reopen parts of their economies, and the rest of the world is watching for successes and failures. Dan digs in with Axios' Dave Lawler.
At least 50% more people died in China's coronavirus epicenter of Wuhan than previously announced, with the death toll jumping from 2,579 to 3,869, official state media admitted Friday, AP reports.
Why it matters: China's numbers have come under fierce criticism. The change shows that Beijing is likely responding to both domestic and international pressure regarding how it evaluates the number of dead in Wuhan.
