Weekly News Digest for January 24nd, 2025
Compiled by Lydia Wong, Trinity De Lima, Tobyn Smith, Nila Karunakaran, Layla Jeeth, Mary WahnEdited by John Wilson, Lydia Wong, Joey Quinn, Ryan Simons, Sara Anis Ali
Asia and the Pacific
The Government of Pakistan Sparks Public Outcry with New Social Media Restrictions
On Thursday, Pakistan’s National Assembly officially approved amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). As part of the revision, the lower house of Parliament passed a controversial bill that grants the government unconstrained powers to regulate social media platforms, block all content deemed “unlawful and offensive”, and send users to prison for spreading disinformation. By law, all social media platforms will now be required to register with the newly established Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority.
The new legislation quickly passed after lawmakers from the opposition party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan staged a walkout denouncing the law. It received immediate backlash, sparking widespread protests, particularly among journalists and human rights activists. Critics accuse the government of further suppressing freedom of speech and expression as this move comes after nearly a year since the government restricted civilian access to the X social media platform ahead of an election Khan’s opposition, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), claims was rigged. The opposition leader, Omar Ayub Khan, warned the bill could “lay a foundation for the suppression of voices advocating for constitutional rights.” Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, however, defended the law, saying it was not meant to impose curbs on any member of the electronic media community. Several other officials also argued its sole intention was to prevent the cyberthreat to public order and national security as the law forbids uploading posts targeting judges, the armed forces, parliament, or provincial assemblies.
The legislation mirrors an ongoing trend of increasing censorship in Pakistan and growing support for the former Prime Minister. Despite his imprisonment, Khan's influence remains evident, as media outlets have reported state pressure to omit his name entirely, with most television channels referring to him only as the “founder of the PTI.” Tension within the opposition party is escalating because their tactics to galvanize demonstrations and advocate for Khan’s release heavily rely on various social media platforms. Despite the government’s attempt to quell civilian restlessness, their newest strategy could have far-reaching implications for free speech in Pakistan, exacerbating the suppression of the rights of citizens, journalists, and activists to dissent or challenge authority.
Central America and the Caribbean
Panama Responds to President Trump’s Inaugural Speech on Reclaiming Panama Canal
On January 20th, during his inaugural speech, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that the canal was “foolishly given to the country of Panama” by the U.S. He also stated that “Panama’s promise to us has been broken” and “China is operating the Panama Canal. We didn’t give it to China. We gave it to Panama and we’re taking it back.”
Trump’s statements regarding China likely refer to the Hong Kong based corporation CK Hutchison which operates two of Panama’s ports. However, China does not have any direct ownership or influence over the Panama Canal’s operations. The U.S. financed the construction of the Panama Canal, which lasted from 1904 to 1913, to create a shortcut for ships traveling between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. About 60 years later, President Jimmy Carter negotiated the Torrijos-Carter Treaties which were ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1978. These treaties gave eventual control of the canal to Panama and resolved previous tensions that broke out between Panama and the U.S. over rights to the canal.
Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino rejected the statements made by Trump responding, “There is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with our administration.” Tuesday, President Mulino informed the United Nations of President Trump’s statements through a letter and claimed they opposed the UN charter which states countries “shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of the state.” The letter circulated to all 15 members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) of which Panama is also a member for the 2025-2026 cycle. There are consequences for breaching the UN charter that range from economic sanctions to possible expulsion from the General Assembly.
Europe
EU Concedes to Trump’s Truth and Considers Boosting Defense
Following the recent presidential election in the United States, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas has stated that the US President Donald Trump was correct about EU member-states not adhering to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) spending requirements. Since 2006, NATO has required its member nations to spend 2% of its GDP on the translational military alliance. Yet only two-thirds of the body’s members comply with this requirement.
Yet recently, NATO itself has stated that there must be an increase to 5% of GDP spending for all member nations to address some of the recent shortfalls the organization has had.
The High Representative also affirmed that the European Union needed to increase the threshold of spending out. At the World Economic Forum, Trump posited that the European Union needed to up its GDP spending for NATO to 5%, asserting that “We're protecting them. They're not protecting us”. With the US’ larger GDP, the nation does provide more funding to the body, which has prompted Trump to urge other nations to also increase their contributions to ensure the protection of European states.
Following Trump’s remarks and his threat to not fund the body, politicians such as French President Emmanual Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk have indicated that Europe needs to “wake up” and not rely on the United States to defend their continent.
However, many countries in Europe have cited struggles with meeting this demand. Despite being the richest state in Europe, Germany has been struggling financially the last year, claiming that Trump’s demands were unrealistic according to German Foreign Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. The Italian Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto also cited that their government could not increase defense spending as it would cause an economic crisis for Italy.
Middle East and North Africa
Houthi Rebels Release Cargo Ship Crew After 430 Days of Captivity
The Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have released the 25-member crew of the Galaxy Leader, a cargo ship flying the flag of the Bahamas. The Houthis detained the multinational crew, which included citizens of the Philippines, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Mexico, and Romania, for 14 months after attacking the Galaxy Leader, a part of an operation meant to demonstrate support for Hamas in the face of the ongoing war with Israel. Houthi officials, in coordination with Omani negotiators, announced the release 8 days after Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal.
On November 19, 2023, Houthi forces captured and boarded the Galaxy Leader in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen. The Houthis stated at the time that they intended to attack warships in the area as part of their larger campaign to aid Palestinian causes. The group’s decision affected global shipping, forcing large corporations to reroute their ships and incur increased travel times and expenses.
The Houthis made the recent release of the cargo ship just days after the truce agreement in Gaza. With the release, however, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi emphasized that the Houthis would resume its seizures and attacks if Israel broke the ceasefire.
While the international community has had a positive reaction to the release, safe passage through the gulf remains unlikely. In the face of possible resumption of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, the shipping industry will have to reevaluate its trading routes to maintain safety and security.
North America
U.S. President Donald Trump Signs Executive Orders Targeting Canada and Mexico
This past week, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a wave of new executive orders and actions, ranging from domestic shifts to changes in foreign policy and assistance. Most notably, the President has ordered to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America”. This highlights the continuing tension between Trump and Mexico’s leaders, with the Mexican President saying that the world will still recognize the Gulf of Mexico as it is. However, in an official press release, the U.S. Coast Guard referred to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America”. It is unclear what, or whether, foreign policy actions will be taken for the U.S. to get other nations to officially recognize the new name.
President Trump also threatened tariffs against Mexico and Canada during his first week in office, however, there is no confirmed date for when these economic restrictions might be placed. The President mentioned enacting tariffs on February 1, 2025, after U.S. officials have reviewed trade partnerships for any unfair practices against the U.S. It should be noted that Trump’s America First Trade Policy, which he signed on January 20, will directly target Canada’s digital services tax (DST). This may serve as a future incentive for the Trump administration to impose tariffs on the country. In essence, the DST requires foreign and domestic businesses to pay taxes on specific revenue they earn from engaging users online in Canada. Such businesses include those from the United States, leading to the Trump administration’s scrutiny of the tax under the America First Trade Policy.
South America
Colombia in a State of Emergency: Deadly Battle Between Rival Rebel Groups Breaks Out
There is a long history of tensions and conflict between two rebel groups in the north of Colombia. The National Liberation Army (ELN) and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) based their motives on control of the mountainous Catatumbo region which contains a heavy amount of coca plants. These coca plants are highly sought out due to their value in the drug trade which runs rampant on the border between Venezuela and Colombia. There was a truce in place between the two rebel groups but it ended a few days ago due to a supposed “lost” stash of cocaine. The battle between the two groups then ensued.
The President of Colombia Gustavo Petro declared a state of emergency and sent government troops into the region to quell the violence. The emergency status allows Petros to pass legislation related to the conflict without congressional approval. Reportedly, the ELN is also senselessly harming civilians by dragging them out of their homes and shooting them. According to Petro, this is classified as a war crime. The rebel group killed about 100 people and displaced 32,000 whilst 1,000 are trapped in their homes to avoid the rampant violence. Many are taking shelter in sports stadiums and schools as they wait for the situation to dwindle. The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the violence committed by the ELN and called for a stop to the acts of violence committed against civilians.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Rebels Gain Territory in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Thousands flee the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo as the M23 rebels close in on the city. This is the largest land grab from the rebel group since it formed in 2012 and marks a new chapter in its latest insurgency campaign from March 2022. Civilians chose to flee after M23 seized the nearby town of Minova, a critical supply route for the city of Goma. Over the past month, M23 has also taken essential mining towns in the provinces of South Kivi and North Kivu, where Goma is.
The move comes as human rights groups accuse M23 rebels and Congo’s army of using explosive weapons in densely populated areas, leading to the deaths of over 100 people and the wounding of hundreds more. There is also a call for an investigation into the attacks as war crimes. Last December, a ceasefire between M23 and the Congolese army ended after rebels violated the agreement and began inciting conflict. Since the beginning of the year, over 237,000 people have been displaced due to the conflict.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and the UN claim that the rebel group is supplied with troops and weapons by the Rwandan government. Although Rwandan officials deny this, UN experts found Rwanda deployed 3,000 to 4,000 government forces to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Still, M23’s advance pushes the country into a state of heightened violence. The humanitarian catastrophe is unlikely to receive the support it needs as the US, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s largest donor of humanitarian assistance, is expected to cut funding under the new Trump administration.
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