US Goverment
State Department keeps saying that erased video of tough question from Fox News reporter was a ‘glitch’ washingtonpost
Undercovered media story of the week: Fox News correspondent James Rosen revealed that video of him asking a tough question of a State Department spokesperson disappeared from the agency’s video archive. Poof! Where the exchange once existed, a flash of white light replaced it.
At issue was Iran. Let’s turn back the clock. In February 2013, Rosen pressed then-State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on whether the United States was carrying on “secret, bilateral” discussions with Iranian leaders. No, Nuland said.
What I find interesting, and why I'm relaying this, is there was another video 'glitch' a little over a month ago: OBAMA CENSORS HOLLANDE'S 'ISLAMIST TERRORISM' REMARK (if you can handle David Wood's particularly sarcastic brand of apologetics, he has a good layered verion of that glitched, then magically found, videos on YouTube that really calls into question the 'glitch')
Society
U.S. Directs Public Schools to Allow Transgender Access to Restrooms nytimes
It does not have the force of law, but it contains an implicit threat: Schools that do not abide by the Obama administration’s interpretation of the law could face lawsuits or a loss of federal aid.
Also see President Obama: Accept Transgenderism or Else and Obama transgender edict incites the right. Also, here's the US' notice: U.S. Departments of Justice and Education Release Joint Guidance to Help Schools Ensure the Civil Rights of Transgender Students
(Pew) Support steady for same-sex marriage and acceptance of homosexuality pewresearch.org
[Nearly a year after the SCOTUS ruling] just over half of Americans (55%) say they favor allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally, while 37% remain opposed, according to Pew Research Center’s March poll. A decade ago, the balance of opinion was reversed: 55% were opposed, while 35% were in favor.
REGISTER FOR DRAFT: IT'S WHAT A MAN'S GOT TO DO, AND WOMEN? apnewsarchive
The female draft requirement, approved late Thursday by the Senate Armed Services Committee, could be as heated as the divisive debate over what public lavatories and locker rooms transgender people should use.
Genetics
Scientists Hold Secret Meeting to Consider Creating a Synthetic Human Genome nytimes
While the project is still in the idea phase, and also involves efforts to improve DNA synthesis in general, it was discussed at a closed-door meeting at Harvard Medical School in Boston on Tuesday. The roughly 150 attendees were told not to contact the media or to tweet about the meeting.
Organizers said the project in some ways would be a follow-up to the original Human Genome Project, which was aimed at reading the sequence of the three billion chemical letters in the DNA blueprint of human life. The new project, by contrast, would involve not reading, but rather writing the human genome — synthesizing all three billion units from chemicals.
Medical Tech
Researchers have made an origami robot that unfurls in your stomach quartz v
The robot, which has so far been incased in an ice capsule for swallowing, is made out of dried pig intestine used in sausage casings. Once the ice around it melts, the robot unfolds itself. Researchers control it using an external magnetic field, and it can be manipulated to perform minor tasks that normally require surgery. It moves partially with the stomach’s own churning, and partially with a stick-slip motion, which relies on friction between the robot and the stomach lining. This kind of motion is similar to the way that two objects rubbing against each other suddenly jerk past one another.
Future Tech
Hyundai is building an 'Iron Man' suit mashable
The exoskeleton looks nothing like Stark's suit, but the Marvel superhero is clearly an inspiration.
Also see See: Hyundai Unveils a Real-Life 'Iron Man' Suit, a Robot That You Can Wear for a couple more pictures...
Repairing damaged cartilage with a man-made bio-glass gizmag v
It's similar to real cartilage in that it's strong, flexible and durable, giving it the same load-bearing and shock-absorbing properties. Furthermore, it's possible to produce the material in a biodegradable ink form, allowing researchers to 3D print structures. The material also has self-healing properties, allowing two sections to firmly reattach after being pulled apart.
Space
NASA spacecraft record magnetic explosions above Earth engadget v
Recordings from a flyby in October 2015 show that when two magnetic fields collide, electrons shoot out from the point of impact in straight lines, speeding through the magnetic boundaries that would normally contain them. Once free, they slowly begin to curve and ultimately perform a U-turn in response to the new magnetic fields they encounter.
Islam
China is building a Muslim theme park to promote its state-sanctioned version of Islam quartz
It’s part of the government’s larger bid to improve relations with the Arab world by emphasizing shared Sino-Arab history and culture.
Turkey
Interview: Turkey's anti-terror law has become 'Achilles heel' of EU migrant deal - Turkey's Bozkir in.reuters
Volkan Bozkir told Reuters in an interview that it was not possible for Turkey to make changes to its anti-terror law given the security situation in the country, pointing to a spate of recent bomb attacks.
Cambodia
It’s now a rule in Cambodia to call its leader ‘Princely exalted supreme great commander of gloriously victorious troops’ washingtonpost
Hun Sen is commonly referred to by many in the press and international media as Cambodia’s prime minister, but this title is apparently insufficient. That was made clear by state authorities, who summoned journalists to a lengthy meeting at Cambodia’s Information Ministry on Thursday.
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