With Europe and the United States each engaged in sharp debates over migrants – whether from Syria or Mexico – it is worth noting a new political consensus to do something about it. Last week, European and African leaders met in Malta and agreed to address the root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa.
At the summit, the European Union offered an initial $2 billion for a “trust fund” to help African countries create jobs, curb people smugglers, improve border security, and increase channels for legal migration. Much more money is expected from individual EU states. Ethiopia received special attention as it is the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, with more than 733,000 refugees.
While the recent flood of Syrian refugees dominates the immigration debate, the EU’s longer-term worry is the flow of “survival migrants” fleeing drought, conflict, and economic stagnation, from Niger to the Horn of Africa. The wars in Syria and Iraq over Islamic State may eventually subside or end. But Africa’s exodus is growing apace. The EU also faces a moral imperative: More than 3,400 people recently perished while making the sea crossing from Africa to Europe.
Convincing African leaders to cooperate on the EU plan was difficult. Their economies benefit from hefty remittances of African migrants working in Europe. Yet the new EU aid could be money better spent – if it is targeted at attracting investment and building infrastructure. Despite its members’ disputes over what to do with refugees, the EU is united in relieving pressure among Africans to migrate.
Aid alone will hardly be sufficient. Ending Africa’s conflicts, especially terrorist threats by groups like Boko Haram, is necessary. So, too, is help for Africa to adjust to climate change in the dry countries of the Sahel.
Britain, France, and other former imperial powers have much experience in helping their former colonies in Africa. This new aid represents a collective commitment by one of the world’s wealthiest continents to assist one of its poorest. More than that, the “trust fund” shows European nations may yet find common ground on their other immigration issues.
As more people get access to the internet across Africa, governments and businesses are increasing their online presence but there are questions about how secure these websites are.
The email scam using a message from someone pretending to be a relative of a dead African leader asking for bank details is well known, but now tactics have changed.
Today's cyber-criminals do not need users' approval or awareness to access valuable data, which could lead to the theft of a large amount of money.
Kenyan cybersecurity analyst Freddy (not his real name) showed me how the average Kenyan website lacks adequate protection.
Working on a dummy site with a typical level of security, he showed me how it was possible to hack into it.
"This will take me about 15 minutes," he said as he typed away, writing code.
As predicted, in just a quarter of an hour, he had full access to the database and was able to change the administrator password and upload his own material.
Freddy is one of the good hackers who advises companies and defends them from attacks rather than exploits the problems, but he feels the response to the online risks is inadequate.
This situation is replicated across the continent.
Bright Mawudor, a Ghanaian cybersecurity expert at Pukyong National University in South Korea, says that most African banks, government agencies and ISPs, in the face of competition, prioritise what their website can do and how fast new features can be released to the public.
Security is an afterthought, he argues.
"These websites are usually outsourced to software development companies who get pressured to deliver quickly," he says.
"Something that should take about a month has to be delivered in a week and is thus sub-standard. They always make a mistake and the hacker just has to find one."
Government website threat
Rather than creating their own systems from scratch, there is a tendency to take a shortcut and use existing popular templates, which Mr Mawudor says can easily be breached.
He says he knows of several African governments that use these for their websites that can contain sensitive information including individuals' personal details, which can be used for identity theft.
According to the recent Kenyan cybersecurity report, most African-based businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, are unable to withstand cyber-attacks.
"If there was the threat of a physical attack you would see a lot of fences and guards," says William Makatiani of Serianu Limited which was behind the report.
"Unfortunately with cyber-attacks, very few people can detect them and you can go for up to a year without knowing you've been attacked."
At the Serianu offices in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, big screens show world maps with yellow spots appearing in different countries representing cyber-attacks happening in real time.
As these continue, Mr Makatiani suggests the main reason some companies are waking up to the threat is because they are losing money, but he says they are only disclosing these incidents discreetly.
The types of crimes are also becoming more sophisticated - moving from password theft, to stealing credit card details to attacks on computer networks.
Even if the worst-affected businesses like banks and insurance companies improved their security, the ISPs are accused of not doing enough to create sufficient security for the small businesses they serve.
South Africa recently opened a virtual cybersecurity hub in its capital, Pretoria, to help business, government and civil society work together on responses to these incidents.
Research firm Columinate suggests that South Africa is one of the world's cybercrime hotspots.
State Security Minister David Mahlobo pointed out that for the country to be adequately protected, there needs to be more awareness of the threats.
Challenging hackers
This situation is mirrored across the continent and has led Mr Mawudor to help found Africahackon, a forum bringing together cyber-security experts, from university to corporate level, to discuss how to take the initiative on these issues, rather than wait for the security gaps to be exploited.
The group works with a lot of young people with newly-acquired computer skills who might otherwise be tempted to use them for illegal activity online.
"You can never stop cyber-attacks but you can employ the best practices to curb them," says Mr Mawudor.
"This will be a process over time and not a one-day event."
The Chancellor will issue the stark warning about Islamist militants using deadly online attacks on Britain's infrastructure and pledge to tackle cyber crime with an additional £1.9bn a year by 2020.
Islamic State has demonstrated its ability to exploit cyberspace to spread propaganda and plan terrorist attacks, he will say, and it is to be expected the group will one day target utilities and air-traffic control.
"They have not been able to use it to kill people yet by attacking our infrastructure through cyber-attack.
"They do not yet have that capability. But we know they want it, and are doing their best to build it.
"So when we talk about tackling ISIL, that means tackling their cyber threat as well as the threat of their guns, bombs and knives.
"If our electricity supply, or our air traffic control, or our hospitals were successfully attacked online, the impact could be measured not just in terms of economic damage but of lives lost."
The money will not go on recruitment but will fund new weapons and vehicles, including helicopters.
It will also help buy protective equipment and communication systems.
It is a significant increase in spending on the UK's specialist soldiers and reflects the growing threat of terrorism in the UK.
Mr Osborne is to give details of the cyber crime investment during a visit to the GCHQ listening station in Cheltenham - including a new National Cyber Centre to bring together the country's leading experts.
"As a nation determined to live within our means, we are facing painful choices, and the hardest of decisions. You will see that next week," Mr Osborne will say.
"But the Prime Minister, my colleagues at the top of government and I have decided that we have to make a top priority of cyber security, if Britain is to be able to defend itself, now and in the future."
In a video posted on YouTube, a representative wearing a hood and the group's distinctive Guy Fawkes mask said the violence that left 129 people dead "can't go unpunished".
A maths problem, which has gone more than 150 years without a solution, has finally been solved by Nigerian academic Dr. Opeyemi Enoch. The Riemann Hypothesis was first proposed by Bernhard Riemann in 1859. As the first person to provide a solution, Dr. Enoch has scooped a million dollar prize.
Amidst controversy after controversy, last month Microsoft did something everyone wanted: it promised to change the Windows 10 free upgrade rules for the better. Out would go the ludicrous situation of forcing users to literally upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8 for a free copy (a real pain for anyone hoping to start with a clean install) and in would come the ability to activate Windows 10 simply using Windows 7 and Windows 8 keys. Well now Microsoft has followed through…
As part of the massive Windows 10 ‘Threshold 2’ release last week (which has its own pros and cons) upgraded users can now simply search for ‘Activate’ in Cortana and on the Activation page it brings up there is the option to register a product key.
The lengthier path is: Settings > Update & Security > Activation > Change Product Key
The key can be from any eligible copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8, which means Home or Professional editions (Enterprise and Windows RT are excluded) which have not already had Windows 10 installed on top of them.
Windows 10 will also accept eligible Windows 7 and Windows 8 product keys during the setup process for a clean install which is a great time saver. Previously the only option was: 1. Upgrade your Windows copy to Windows 10 (this created a ‘digital entitlement’), 2. Format your computer, 3. Install Windows 10 again (digital entitlement recognises previously registered hardware). Yes, it was crazy.
Interestingly Microsoft’s own support website hasn’t been updated yet to reflect these changes. At the time of publication, when you visit the Activation Page all you will find is a guide telling you to call a phone number if your digital activation fails. Hopefully this will be modified soon.
Of course, given the positive nature of this change, the obvious question to ask is: Why isn’t Microsoft shouting about it from the rooftops? And here I think there are some less honourable reasons…
Activation Secrets And Outstanding Questions
Firstly, Microsoft would still strongly prefer users to upgrade as originally intended to create PCs based on digital entitlements not keys. Digital entitlements are hardware locked making it harder for users to shift registration to a new computer. Secondly, accepting Windows 7 and Windows 8 keys potentially reinvigorates a black market for them. Thirdly, Microsoft doesn’t yet have all the answers for its product key enforcement plans.
For example, outstanding questions include:
Can Windows 10 be activated using a valid Windows 7 or Windows 8 key which has already been used on a different machine?
Would the above course of action invalidate Windows 7/8/ invalid on that machine?
Can a Windows 7/8/ keys be deregistered from a Windows 10 machine in future to upgrade a different PC – just as Windows keys previously worked?
Can valid keys be used after 29 July 2016 when the Windows 10 free upgrade offer is scheduled to end?
Of course all these will need answering and they will become pressing as advanced users modify their PCs, mainstream users change machines and the secondhand market for Windows 10 machines gains momentum.
Still all we know right now is Microsoft has promised, and delivered upon, a practical and highly necessary Windows 10 change which should make life on the OS a little easier for everyone. Coupled with a further 10 great secret features in the Threshold 2 release, it’s a start…
Human Rights First sends its deepest condolences to the government and people of France for the unspeakable acts of violence that killed and injured so many in Paris. The organization notes that President Obama’s statement following the attacks should be a call to action: “This is an attack not just on Paris, it’s an attack not just on the people of France, but this is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values that we share.”
“Right now addressing the urgent security situation and helping the citizens of France heal from the unspeakable tragedy are the most immediate things to focus on,” said Human Rights First’s Susan Corke, who was in Paris during the past week to meet with French officials and nongovernmental organizations working on extremism and antisemitism. “And as we look for answers, President Obama’s words remind us of the bigger picture; what differentiates France, the United States, and other democratic nations is our shared and unshakable belief in respect for human rights, rule of law, freedom, equality, and democracy. We cannot let those who seek to destroy our humanity and create a clash of civilizations succeed.”
Corke has been working on a report about how the rise of the far-right, Muslim extremism, and antisemitism are converging to fuel intolerance and violence in France. Today Human Rights First released preliminary recommendations that stem from her ongoing research and recent trip to Paris, including recommendations for how the United States can best support France and provide the sort of solidarity that ensures, as Obama said, that our “values are going to endure far beyond any act of terrorism.”
Human Rights First’s recommendations include:
Combating hatred and violent extremism should not only occur through military, intelligence, and police measures. Governments should see this tragedy as a call to strengthen the transatlantic security institutions based on democratic principles.
A commitment to upholding human rights and the rule of law must be at the heart of counterterrorism measures. The United States and France, with participation from civil society, should share experiences around advancing human rights to build more cooperative relationships with communities affected by terrorism and violent extremism.
Many of the refugees who have fled Syria to Europe are fleeing terrible violence, in many cases at the hands of the same group of people that share responsibility for the Paris massacre and other extremist groups. They deserve a Europe-wide inclusive solution to the current crisis; they should not be a focus of exclusion, hatred or violence.
Public statements from U.S. officials should be sensitive to the current marginalization of many Muslims in France. In France, the Muslim community is diverse and also suffering from hate crimes, discrimination and social and economic marginalization. How U.S. officials speak about this tragedy should avoid fueling a “clash of civilization” narrative and instead urge tolerance and inclusion.
Better information is needed to understand the root causes of extremism, antisemitism, and intolerance in France. The United States should work in partnership with France to boost capacity for data collection on hate crimes, victimization surveys, and the factors driving radicalization.
The United States should support the strengthening of civil society cooperation to build partnerships and exchange of experiences to develop strategies to combat intolerance – particularly the interrelated forces of extremism and antisemitism. This should include funding exchanges, educational opportunities, and grants to collaborative civil society initiatives.
A joint task force including government officials, civil society, youth and religious leaders should be created to look at concrete and tangible areas where collaborative effort could yield outcomes such as combating hatred on the Internet.
“We know that the cycle of violence is hard to break,” Corke concluded. “The response to Friday's deadly attacks will be determinative in whether France moves toward a path of solidarity or polarization. This matters to all of us—to protect our citizens and shared values.”
Speaking today at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan said that CIA analysts see “climate change” as a “deeper cause” of the instability seen in places like Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, Yemen and Libya.
“Mankind’s relationship with the natural world is aggravating these problems and is a potential source of crisis itself,” Brennan said at one point in his speech. “Last year was the warmest on record, and this year is on track to be even warmer.”
“When CIA analysts look for deeper causes of this rising instability, they find nationalistic, sectarian, and technological factors that are eroding the structure of the international system,” he said in another part of his speech. “They also see socioeconomic trends, the impact of climate change, and other elements that are cause for concern.”
“The impression one might get from the daily headlines is that the world has become more unstable. And indeed, the historical record supports that judgment.
“In the past three years, there have been more outbreaks of instability than at any time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, matching the rate we saw during decolonization in the 1960s. This has not just been a period of protests and government change, but of violent insurgency and, in particular, of breakdowns in many states’ ability to govern.
“Ongoing conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, Yemen, Libya, and parts of Africa are clear examples. The human toll is reflected in the UN’s recent announcement that the number of refugees and internally displaced persons in the world is the highest it has been since World War II. And of course, all this localized strife gives rise to the persistent threat of international terrorism.
“When CIA analysts look for deeper causes of this rising instability, they find nationalistic, sectarian, and technological factors that are eroding the structure of the international system. They also see socioeconomic trends, the impact of climate change, and other elements that are cause for concern. ….
“In many developing societies, growing pessimism about the prospects for economic advancement is fueling instability. Regions with burgeoning youth populations, such as the Arab world, have been unable to achieve the growth needed to reduce high unemployment rates. Perceptions of growing inequality have resulted in more assertive street politics and populism. At the same time, slower growth has left these nations with fewer resources to devote to economic, humanitarian, and peacekeeping assistance to address these challenges.
“Mankind’s relationship with the natural world is aggravating these problems and is a potential source of crisis itself. Last year was the warmest on record, and this year is on track to be even warmer.
“Extreme weather, along with public policies affecting food and water supplies, can worsen or create humanitarian crises. Of most immediate concern, sharply reduced crop yields in multiple places simultaneously could trigger a shock in food prices with devastating effect, especially in already fragile regions such as Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. Compromised access to food and water greatly increases the prospect for famine and deadly epidemics.
