Hong Kong (TIP): The Hong Kong police arrested 53 people in dawn raids on democracy activists on Wednesday in the biggest crackdown since China last year imposed a new security law which opponents say is aimed at quashing dissent in the former British colony.
Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy advocates were arrested in raids on 72 premises as the authorities said last year’s unofficial vote to choose opposition candidates in city elections was part of a plan to “overthrow” the government. “The Chinese Communist Party (CPC) has further turned the screw in Hong Kong,” said Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong. “We should not be seeking to contain China but to constrain the CPC,” Patten said. Hong Kong Secretary for Security John Lee said those arrested had planned to cause “serious damage” to society and that authorities would not tolerate such subversive activities. Biden’s pick for secretary of state, Antony Blinken, tweeted, “The arrests are an assault on those advocating for universal rights.” — Reuters

Assange denied bail
London (TIP): A British judge on Wednesday denied bail to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, ordering him to remain in jail while courts decide whether he will be sent to the US to face espionage charges.
District Judge Vanessa Baraitser said Assange “has an incentive to abscond” and there is a good chance he would fail to return to court if freed.
On Monday, Baraitser rejected an American request to extradite him to face spying charges. — Agencies