It is obvious that technology has completely revolutionized the society we live in today in the US. This article describes the effects of this "obsession with convenience."I'm not yet ready to live in a world where everything is connected. I don't want to see ads gleaned from information about my sleep patterns and what I've been cooking -- and I'm not convinced all the companies betting on this future are motivated by my best interests."

"It is urgent that Cubans -- not only the government but civil society -- strengthens itself and discusses in diverse environments what concept of a country and future it wants for itself. It is urgent that each Cuban be able to speak for themselves outside of the official institutions established during more than half a century of Cold War. And it is urgent that this discussion brings forth new structures, institutions, laws and rights that guarantee Cubans happiness, quality of life, sovereignty and well-being in the coming years. It is important that Cubans be citizens."

Sometimes the reaction to the atrocity can do more harm than the atrocity itself. Terrorist crime is a serious problem, but the solution is not declaration of war. This article outlines seven reasons as to how the public response to the Charlie Hebdo attack could backfire.

This French comedian was arrested after posting a controversial FB status: "Whenever I speak, you do not try to understand what I'm trying to say, you do not want to listen to me. You are looking for a pretext to forbid me. You consider me like Amedy Coulibaly when I am not any different from Charlie."

Moving up next year's convention is aimed at giving the GOP presidential nominee earlier access to funding for the general election and more time to coalesce support after the primary season. In 2012, Mitt Romney effectively clinched the nomination in late March but then couldn't tap into general election funds until the convention in late August.

Charlie Hebdo, whose stock in trade is irreverence and whose audience knows that, is going to publish lots of things that more mainstream publications with diverse audiences will avoid. While it's easy to make light of or ridicule that sensitivity, it's actually a positive thing. But there are times when sheer news value trumps the offensive nature of content. That Charlie Hebdo cover was one off them.

The FBI has arrested a man in Ohio for allegedly planning to attack the US Capitol in Washington in an Islamic State-inspired attack. Christopher Cornell has been charged with attempting to kill a US government officer, according to court documents. He came to the attention of the FBI after tweeting support for extremist groups like Islamic State.

Hong Kong's leader CY Leung has said the need for economic growth outweighs calls for greater democracy, in his first annual policy address since last year's pro-democracy protests. Mr Leung said Hong Kong would "degenerate into anarchy" if it gave in to demands for universal suffrage.

South Korean police have arrested an activist on allegations of praising North Korea, banned under the controversial National Security Act. Critics say the national security law, which dates back to 1948, is outdated and used to stifle political debate.

The New Zealand navy is engaged in a stand-off with two boats thought to be illegally fishing toothfish in the Southern Ocean. The Southern Ocean fishery is tightly regulated and cannot be fished by countries that do not belong to a multi-national conservation body.

Five men suspected of involvement in last month's massacre at a school in Peshawar, Pakistan, have been arrested across the border in Afghanistan. The arrests confirm there has been a recent thaw in relations between the Afghan and Pakistani governments, the BBC's David Loyn reports from Kabul.

The authorities have so far refused to co-operate with a UN inquiry into war crimes. The previous government consistently denied allegations that it was responsible for the deaths of many thousands of civilians in the final phase of the war.

Relatives and supporters of 43 Mexican students who disappeared in September in the south-western state of Guerrero tried to gain access to an army base in the town of Iguala on Monday. The protesters demanded to be let in to search for the missing students.

Parliament in Haiti has been dissolved after the failure of last-ditch negotiations over a new electoral law. President Michel Martelly had been trying to secure backing for a US-sanctioned plan to postpone elections again.

Republicans in the House say that the president's actions overreach his authority and are unconstitutional. It is the Republican's latest attempt to challenge the White House, after taking control of both chambers of Congress in November.

Australia has been urged to compensate the victims of domestic terror attacks as it does those harmed abroad, after the Sydney cafe siege last month… Mr Abbott has described the Sydney cafe siege as a "brush with terrorism", and has referred to Monis as a "madman" and a "deeply disturbed individual".

A self-declared Marxist-Leninist political party has formed in opposition to the dominant African National Congress (ANC), and adopted red overalls as its uniform-gathered at the legislative building of South Africa's Gauteng province. They were there to protest the expulsion of eight EFF members of the provincial legislature who were expelled from the building on July 1 for wearing the party uniform.

How much money does Arkansas save by offering stingier Medicaid than Vermont? It looks like a straightforward calculation. Arkansas makes it tougher for children to qualify for Medicaid than Vermont does, and it spends much less on each beneficiary. Even though Arkansas's poverty rate is double Vermont's, Medicaid's costs in Arkansas in 2012, the most recent year for which figures are available, were $600 less per resident than in Vermont.

"The judicial system has been a critical element in keeping violent criminals off the street," said Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, who is co-sponsor of a bill to reduce some federal drug sentences. "But now we're stepping back, and I think it's about time, to ask whether the dramatic increase in incarceration was warranted."

"For the first time in my life I felt what it meant to be Muslim. I didn't want to feel that way. I wanted to blend in, to look normal like the other kids in my class. After the frustration and anger ebbed, I felt shame - for letting my religion down, letting my family down, letting myself down. Shame for an anger I didn't understand."