Weekly News Digest for February 14th, 2025
Compiled by Lydia Wong, Trinity De Lima, Tobyn Smith, Nila Karunakaran, Layla Jeeth, Mary Wahn
Edited by John Gooden, Lydia Wong, Joey Quinn, Ryan Simons, Sara Anis Ali
Asia and the Pacific
From Protest to Massacre — UN Condemns Bangladesh’s Crackdown
The United Nations issued a statement on Wednesday, warning that Bangladesh’s crackdown on student-led protests last summer may have constituted a crime against humanity. The statement follows a report by the UN Human Rights Office that accused Bangladesh’s former government of orchestrating a brutal response to mass opposition. The findings reveal that from July 15 to former Prime Minister Sheik Hasina’s deposition on August 5, 2024, her administration and the ruling Awami League Party “systematically engaged” in widespread human rights violations. The UN report asserts that senior security officials and political elites actively pursued “an official policy to attack and violently repress anti-government protesters,” with children among the most targeted victims.
What began in early July as peaceful demands from university students to repeal quotas in civil service jobs quickly escalated into a nationwide movement against Hasina’s rule, forcing her deposition to India.The quota system reserved a third of government jobs for relatives of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 war of independence. The system, widely perceived as discriminatory, deepened frustrations among youth, particularly as recent graduates faced higher unemployment rates than less-educated workers who could find work in Bangladesh’s $40 billion garment industry.
Even after Bangladesh’s top courts dissolved the quotas, the movement grew, drawing support from across society. To suppress the protests, Hasina repeatedly cut off internet access, imposed a nationwide curfew, and labeled demonstrators as “terrorists” seeking to “destabilize the nation.” These measures failed to halt the momentum of civil disobedience, bloodshed peaking on August 5 and marking the deadliest single day of protest in the country’s recent history. By October 2024, a special tribunal in Dhaka had issued arrest warrants for Hasina and her cabinet, initiating inquiries into the killings.
Now, months later, the international community is intensifying its scrutiny. During a news conference in Geneva earlier this week, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk declared that “there are reasonable grounds to believe hundreds of extrajudicial killings, extensive arbitrary arrests and detentions, and torture were carried out with the knowledge, coordination, and direction of the political leadership and senior security officials as part of a strategy to suppress the protests.” While members of Hasina’s former government have denied these findings, the UN report details security forces deliberately executing or maiming protesters, including incidents where people were shot at point-blank range. In response, the United Nations has vowed to investigate the corruption that defined Hasina’s administration and to hold those responsible for the deaths of 1,400 people accountable.
Central America and the Caribbean
Dominican Republic Mass Deports Haitian Migrants
In the last month there were more than 31,000 Haitians deported from the Dominican Republic. This situation approaches a critical point as Haiti continues to suffer a humanitarian crisis riddled with economic hardship, political instability, natural disaster, and high crime rates. Large numbers of refugees are fleeing to the United States and other nearby Caribbean countries, including Haiti’s island-neighbor, the Dominican Republic. Officials in the Dominican Republic say the country’s public services are overburdened and overlooked. Figures show that there are at least 80,000 newly enrolled Haitian students in the past four years. Additionally, Haitian women make up 70 percent of births, costing the Dominican Republic government millions of dollars.
Dominican Director General of Migration, Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester stated, “The Dominican Republic has taken too much responsibility for the situation in Haiti. We are willing to provide support, but it’s important that Haiti’s leaders instill order in their country, that they look after their people.” Ballester also stated that he will deploy additional migration officers across the country to deal with the wave of undocumented immigrants as he considers them a threat to the Dominican Republic.
There are human rights concerns regarding these deportations but Ballester urges that the Dominican Republic does not deport unaccompanied minors and ensures that women and children are separated from men during the process. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported that over 1,000 children were left unaccompanied and at least 786 reunited with their families. Many of the children deported do not have birth certificates or legal documentation but activists claim that Dominican officials refuse to process their paperwork. The crisis continues to fester and Dominican Republic President Abinader recently implored that Haiti’s situation is a danger to the region.
Middle East and North Africa
Kuwait Cracks Down on International Cybercrime Gang Targeting Banks and Telecom Networks
On February 13, 2025, Kuwaiti authorities dismantled an international cybercrime gang responsible for large-scale cyberattacks on telecommunications towers and banks. The arrested members all Chinese nationals using falsified identities, infiltrated critical networks to steal sensitive financial data and funds. While cybersecurity incidents in Kuwait have been rising, this latest crackdown highlights the government’s intensified efforts to combat digital threats.
Kuwait’s Cybercrime Combating Department launched an investigation after multiple telecom providers and banks reported breaches. The gang operated from a van in Kuwait City’s Farwaniya area, using advanced electronic devices to intercept communications and send fraudulent messages impersonating banks. Authorities tracked the suspicious signals to the vehicle, where they arrested a Chinese national and confiscated electronic hacking tools. A subsequent search of his residence uncovered additional devices used in the attacks.
The operation led to the arrest of additional suspects, whose true identities were revealed through biometric fingerprinting. Separate from the September 2024 cyberattack on Kuwait’s Health Ministry, this case marks another escalation in cyber threats targeting national infrastructure. The Ministry of Interior emphasized its commitment to securing Kuwait’s digital landscape, underscoring ongoing efforts to enhance network security and prevent future attacks.
For Kuwait’s financial sector and telecom industry, the arrests offer relief amid growing cybersecurity concerns. As authorities continue to fortify national defenses, this case serves as a reminder of the evolving digital threats facing businesses and individuals. With cybercriminals adopting increasingly sophisticated tactics, Kuwait remains vigilant in its mission to protect sensitive data and maintain digital security.
North America
U.S. President Donald Trump and Cabinet Picks Begin Foreign Policy Work
After his call with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump announced negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine War would begin. Trump said that he called Putin to discuss the U.S. and Russia working together to bring the war to an end. After, he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss bringing peace to Ukraine. It is unknown how these negotiations might proceed, but U.S. foreign policy leaders doubt the likelihood of Ukraine taking future steps to join international organizations. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called Ukraine’s desire to gain NATO membership impractical and advised that the country should not expect to regain the territory in Kyiv currently occupied by Russian forces.
Hegseth’s comments may also point to a new aggressive foreign policy approach in the Trump Administration. President Trump previously announced that the U.S. would take over territory in Gaza. This prompted confusion and shock among several individuals in the Republican party, Trump’s own party. Trump’s comments on Gaza also caused confusion within the global community. The Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Russian Kremlin, the Chinese Foreign Ministry, and others condemned Trump’s proposed solution.
Additionally, with the U.S. Senate confirming Trump’s Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, his foreign policy plans and operations may be difficult to predict moving forward. Gabbard never supported a ceasefire deal for the Gaza War publicly, so her recommendations for Trump’s plan for Gaza are relatively unknown at this time. Furthermore, concerns spanning from Gabbard’s contact with Syria’s Assad regime to Hegseth’s sexual assault allegations have created doubt in the public eye for their abilities to hold roles of leadership in foreign policy.
South America
Colombia’s Congress Considers Banning Memorabilia of Pablo Escobar
Congress introduced a bill this week that bans souvenirs depicting the infamous Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. The bill will be passed if legislators approve of it. There is criticism of the bill from vendors who sell memorabilia to tourists from around the world but appraisal from those who argue that Colombia should move away from its reputation of having “mafia bosses” and “drug trafficking rings”. The specifics of the bill are that it proposes a fine of up to $170 for vendors who sell merchandise depicting Escobar or other convicted criminals. Additionally, it enables police to fine those who wear t-shirts, hats, or other clothing items that glorify Escobar.
The party who drafted the bill is called the Green Alliance Party and one of the representatives Christian Avendaño stated, “These items are re victimizing people who were victims of murders. We must protect the rights of the victims to recover and find other symbols for our country.” The bill is being widely covered by Colombian news due to its controversial nature. Opposers argue that the bill imposes on their right to freedom of speech. A street vendor by the name of Rafael Nieto stated “I think it’s a dumb law” but that he will comply with it if passed in order to “avoid problems” with the police. If his words reflect the attitudes of other Colombians that oppose the bill then there will be less need to worry about protests of the bill.
If the bill is approved then there will be a defined time for sellers to learn the rules and phase out their Escobar stock. This will allow for a reform in the type of merchandise sold in hopes of creating a new image of Colombia. The bill must go through four stages before it can become a law and many hope that this period opens up time for reflection and conversation about the issue at hand. The Vice Minister of Colombia’s affairs Mr Rojas spoke in support of the bill saying, “In Germany you don’t sell Hitler t-shirts or swastikas. In Italy you don’t sell Mussolini stickers, and you don’t go to Chile and get a copy of Pinochet’s ID card.” Ultimately, the supporters claim that they don’t want to erase Escobar from history but rather erase the mythical construct around him and acknowledge the pain and hurt that he caused.
Sub-Saharan Africa
WHO Works with Ugandan Government to Control Ebola Outbreak
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the release of $2 million to assist efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola in Uganda. So far the Ebola outbreak has infected at least eight people and killed one. To advance coordination and outbreak response, WHO will also send a technical and operational assistance delegation, including epidemiologists, clinicians, and infection prevention specialists, to one of the impacted communities in the Mbale district. WHO officials claim Uganda remains a safe country, but continue to work with Ugandan authorities to strengthen the containment of the outbreak and minimize its spread.
The outbreak comes from the Sudan strain of the virus, otherwise known as Sudan virus disease (SVD). Currently, no vaccine exists for SVD, but Uganda is in the process of launching a trial vaccination program against it. The virus spreads through direct contact with the fluids of an infected person or object.
The last outbreak of SVD in Uganda occurred in 2022 after samples tested positive for the virus in six deaths in the central Mubende district. There are seven previous outbreaks of SVD, with four coming out of Uganda and three in Sudan. The case fatality rate in prior outbreaks of SVD ranges from 41% to 100%, highlighting the dangerous nature of the disease. Each outbreak prompted a robust response from WHO, with the organization working alongside local authorities to deliver medical supplies and offer logistical support.
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