A United Nations panel that monitors compliance with an antitorture treaty expressed skepticism Thursday about American law enforcement and national security practices.  http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/14/world/europe/un-commission-presses-us-on-torture.html?ref=world In a two-day presentation in Geneva, the American delegation acknowledged that the United States had tortured terrorism suspects after the Sept. 11 attacks. It emphasized, however, that the government had since tightened […]

American airstrikes on the Syrian city of Raqqa, the vaunted capital of the Islamic State’s self-proclaimed caliphate, have scattered its fighters and disrupted the harsh system they had imposed, residents and visitors there say. But they see no gratitude toward the United States. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/14/world/middleeast/airstrikes-blunt-isis-in-raqqa-but-many-syrians-there-arent-grateful.html?ref=world Rather, they suggested in interviews, many people are angry at the […]

Depo-Provera, an injectable contraceptive given once every three months, is already a popular choice of women in developing countries, who value the convenience and discretion of not having to take a daily birth control pill. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/14/business/pfizer-and-aid-groups-team-up-on-depo-provera-for-developing-world.html?ref=world&_r=0 But the injections are out of reach for many more women because they live in rural areas that are […]

Data about phone and computer use will be kept by telecommunications companies for two years if a bill introduced to the Australian parliament is passed. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-29828677 The government today introduced its Data Retention Bill in a surprise move. The bill would give law enforcement agencies access to two years’ worth of customer “metadata” without a […]

Microsoft has unveiled its first wearable device that can track a user’s sleep and exercise as well as connect to a health service on smartphones.  http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29828649?print=true The Microsoft Band will retail for $199 (£125) on the company’s online store. The device can operate for two days on a single charge and has 10 sensors that […]

If your Internet service goes down and you call a technician, can you be certain that the person who arrives at your door is actually there to restore service? What if he is a law enforcement agent in disguise who has disabled the service so he can enter your home to look around for evidence […]