Labour might back cut in time terror suspects can be held

A major policy shift on the length of time terror suspects can be held without charge was signalled by Labour today, after the shadow home secretary said he could support cutting the limit to 14 days.

Ed Balls said that the party was ready to abandon backing for the current 28-day limit, which was introduced by the Labour government in 2006, and added that previous plans to raise this to 42 days had been a step too far — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Worm in Iran Can Wreck Nuclear Centrifuges

Experts dissecting the computer worm suspected of being aimed at Iran’s nuclear program have determined that it was precisely calibrated in a way that could send nuclear centrifuges wildly out of control.

Their conclusion, while not definitive, begins to clear some of the fog around the Stuxnet worm, a malicious program detected earlier this year on computers, primarily in Iran but also India, Indonesia and other countries — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Senator threatens to block online copyright bill

A US senator has vowed to fight attempts to pass a controversial copyright protection bill that would allow the US government to shut down websites suspected of hosting infringing materials.

Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, said late Thursday that he would seek to block the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act, or COICA, from passing through the full Senate, unless the legislation is changed. Earlier Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 19-0 to approve the bill and send it to the full Senate — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Another Hacker’s Laptop, Cell Phones Searched at Border

A well-known and respected computer security researcher was detained for several hours Wednesday night by border agents who searched his laptop and cell phones before returning them to him.

The researcher, who goes by the hacker handle Moxie Marlinspike, was met by two US Customs and Border Protection agents at the door of his plane when he arrived at JFK airport on a Jet Blue flight from the Dominican Republic. The agents escorted him to a detention room where they held him for four and a half hours, he says. During that time, a forensic investigator arrived and seized Marlinspike’s laptop and two cell phones, and asked for his passwords to access his devices. Marlinspike refused, and the devices were later returned to him — via redwolf.newsvine.com

“It’s the vibe” is not a valid argument against gay rights

Watching the debate over the merits of gay marriage, I feel like I am watching a scene from the movie The Castle where the totally underprepared solicitor for the plaintiff gives as his sole argument: It’s the vibe.

That pretty much sums up the quality of the arguments being put forward by those opposing marriage equality. While supporters of gay marriage have abundant and cogent arguments about why it is right and fair, its opponents have nothing more to offer than I don’t like it or that’s what the Marriage Act says. They put forward no justification because there is no justification — via redwolf.newsvine.com