Gene Editing White House Venezuela: Your Wednesday Evening Briefing - New York Times

(Want to get this briefing by email? Here’s the sign-up.)

Good evening. Here’s the latest.

1. Scientists have edited genes in human embryos to prevent a disease for the first time.

The breakthrough raises the prospect that gene editing could protect babies from hereditary conditions — but there are also deep ethical concerns. There’s worry that the technique could be used to create babies with certain traits, like greater intelligence or athleticism. Above, the altered embryos, which were later destroyed.

_____

2.In the latest move to appeal to its conservative base, the White House is seeking a Justice Department inquiry to look for anti-white bias in affirmative action college admissions policies. Above, the University of Texas at Austin.

Today in Washington, Mr. Trump criticized — but signed — legislation imposing sanctions on Russia, saying he was doing so “for the sake of national unity.” And the White House announced support for a new immigration policy based on skill and employability, rather than family ties.

_____

3. Diplomats at the United Nations will start treaty negotiations to create marine protected areas in waters beyond national jurisdiction.

More than half of the world’s oceans fall into that category, which often makes their riches ripe for plunder. The negotiations could begin as early as 2018, and the agreement would ultimately go to the General Assembly for approval.

_____

4. A software company involved in setting up voting systems for Venezuela’s contentious election over the weekend, above, said the government reported false turnout figures. The tally was altered by at least one million votes, the company said.

On the latest episode of our podcast “The Daily,” our Andes bureau chief, Nick Casey, discusses whether Venezuela is turning into a dictatorship. (Nick was speaking to us from Colombia because he’s been barred from Venezuela. Here’s his account of being kicked out.)

_____

5. State attorneys are dismissing dozens of criminal cases in Baltimore after reviewing a video that appears to show a police officer planting evidence at a crime scene.

The video shows an officer who appears to place a bag of white capsules in an alley before walking toward the street. He then turns on his body camera and returns to the alley to grab the capsules.

Here’s the thing: The body cameras used by the Baltimore police retain footage of the 30 seconds before they’re activated.

_____

6. The editor who discovered Julia Child — and persuaded Doubleday to publish Anne Frank’s diary in English — died at 93.

Judith Jones edited literary lions and advanced a generation of food writers who revolutionized cooking and tastes in American homes.

She was a mere editorial assistant in 1950 when she rescued the diary of Anne Frank from a pile of rejects.

_____

7. Three-quarters of both 12th and eighth graders lack proficiency in writing. The Common Core standards, rolled out six years ago, were supposed to change that. But there hasn’t been much measurable improvement.

Students continue to arrive on college campuses needing remediation in basic writing skills, and teachers are divided about how to change that. Which pedagogical approach works best: freewriting or grammar lessons? Our education reporter delved into the debate.

_____

8. Americans are done with diets. As the conversation changed to “wellness,” Weight Watchers, the oldest and most trusted diet company in the world, knew it was time to pivot.

Our magazine writer looks at what the company is doing to try and survive, with a new focus on a more holistic approach. And she chronicles her own struggles with weight in the process.

_____

9. Will Shortz, above right, has edited The New York Times’s crossword puzzles since 1993. Take a peek inside his editing process — and at his immense puzzle collection, which includes 25,000 puzzle books and magazines, dating to 1534.

_____

10. Finally, the late-night hosts are looking forward to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

“Of course, because this is Hollywood, there will be big changes to the Olympics,” Trevor Noah quipped. “For example, the entire Chinese Olympic team will be played by white actors.”

Dave Chappelle just began a three-and-a-half-week run at Radio City Music Hall, and he’ll join Stephen Colbert to discuss it tonight on “The Late Show.” (Our critic says that “some of his agility and mischievousness has been replaced with an increased narrative ambition” in his new show.)

Have a great night.

_____

If photographs appear out of order, please download the updated New York Times app from iTunes. You can also viewthis version.

Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern.

And don’t miss Your Morning Briefing, posted weekdays at 6 a.m. Eastern, and Your Weekend Briefing, posted at 6 a.m. Sundays.

Want to catch up on past briefings? You can browse them here.

What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com.

Let's block ads!(Why?)

Read Again Gene Editing, White House, Venezuela: Your Wednesday Evening Briefing - New York Times : http://ift.tt/2umh86s

Let's block ads! (Why?)