Violence and Security

Observers: Microsoft Faces Dilemma on Cooperation with Egypt

May 27, 2016

Foreign Policy reports that tech company Microsoft is facing a difficult situation after being invited to speak at a UN Security Council meeting hosted by Egypt on countering online extremism, as the company must find a road between restricting propaganda from the Islamic State and shutting down legitimate criticism of the country's military-led government.
Dutch Law Permits Stripping Citizenship from IS Fighters

May 25, 2016

Politico reports that the Netherlands has passed a law permitting authorities to revoke, without a court order, the citizenship of dual nationals who have joined the Islamic State.
NGOs Sue Social Media Platforms over "Incitement"

May 23, 2016

The Economic Times reports that two French groups have filed a lawsuit against social media platforms Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube claiming that the website administrators failed to remove within a timely fashion posts deemed to be racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, or pro-terrorism.
EU Ministers Plan Stricter Mechanism on Visa Waivers

May 20, 2016

Reuters reports that EU migration ministers are responding to concerns regarding plans to waive visa requirements for nationals of Turkey and other countries by proposing a mechanism that would permit governments to request more easily a halt to these visa waivers in light of conditions such as a rise in migrant overstays.
OECD Seeks to Monitor "Social Cohesion" Among Students

May 18, 2016

At a recent meeting of G7 Education Ministers in Japan, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development presented a report proposing a test for 15-year-old students that would seek to measure qualities including "openness, respect for others and responsibility," and commitment to "human dignity and cultural diversity."
AI Calls for Human Rights Focus in Boko Haram Fight

May 18, 2016

Amnesty International called on government representatives gathered in Nigeria for a summit on a regional effort to defeat Boko Haram to focus on accountability of security forces for alleged human rights violations in the fight against the terrorist Islamist extremist group as an "indispensable" portion of their action plan.
Kausch: Middle Eastern "Swing States" Present Value to Europe

May 18, 2016

Kristina Kausch of Carnegie Europe writes that European countries should invest in and seek to form partnerships with so-called "swing states" in the Middle East - small to midsize countries with "independent" foreign policies, such as Turkey, Egypt, Oman, and Qatar - to help tackle security challenges in the region.
EU Identifies Terrorism Danger in Turkey Deal

May 17, 2016

The Telegraph reports that an analysis from the European Commission of a proposed EU deal with Turkey that involves granting Turkish nationals visa-free access to the EU highlights the risk that the arrangement will facilitate the entry into EU member states of criminals and would-be terrorists who are able to procure Turkish passports.
Boko Haram Expands Use of Child Suicide Bombers

May 17, 2016

A report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs states that the Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram used 44 children in suicide bombings in 2015, a tenfold increase from the previous year.
Security Council Seeks Framework on Terrorist Propaganda

May 12, 2016

The UN Security Council has asked its Counter-Terrorism Committee to develop a comprehensive global framework on countering propaganda from the Islamic State, Al-Qaeda, and affiliated groups and individuals seeking to recruit others to engage in acts of terrorism.