Helium prices are headed for the stratosphere, and Congress is part of the reason.     A comedic webisode about two roommates became a viral sensation this week after reaching the unprecedented 100 view milestone. 10 Things You HAVE To Know Before ‘Arrested Development’ Returns A faulty gas cylinder exploded on a bus taking children to school in eastern Pakistan, the police said.     As Election Day nears in Massachusetts, the race between Gabriel Gomez and Representative Edward J. Markey for the Senate seat vacated by John Kerry has focused on lesser issues.     Apple has announced the launch of the iBookstore in Japan. The iBookstore has a wide selection of emerging and established authors, including Shyotaro Ikenami, Jiro Akagawa, Atsuko Asano, and Ryu Murakami. “We’re excited to launch the iBookstore in Japan with a wide selection of Japanese publishers and authors,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “We think customers are going to love how engaging and interactive the books are to read, and how beautiful they look on iPad.” Kilian Kleinschmidt, who runs an overcrowded Syrian refugee camp in Jordan for the United Nations, is a ruddy-faced German who thrives in international disasters.     Apple has announced that customers have now downloaded over 50 billion apps from the App Store. The 50 billionth app — Say the Same Thing by Space Inch, LLC — was downloaded by Brandon Ashmore from Mentor, Ohio, who received a $10,000 App Store Gift Card to commemorate the milestone. “The App Store completely transformed how people use their mobile devices and created a thriving app ecosystem that has paid out over nine billion dollars to developers,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “We’re absolutely floored to cross this milestone in less than five years.” A visit to Africa by Secretary of State John Kerry comes as amid several developments on the continent, but Syria was still on his agenda.     The best tool to improve and keep track of your health may be in your pocket, says Dr. Eric Topol, a pioneering figure in “wireless medicine” — the practice of using apps and devices in health care. An article from NBC News describes how new apps for iPhone and other devices can measure vital signs and even detect whether someone is having a heart attack. “These days, I’m prescribing a lot more apps than I am medications,” says Dr. Topol. “The smartphone will be the hub of the future of medicine.” A federal court ruled that the government does not have to release photographs of the body of Osama bin Laden taken after he was shot dead in 2011, claiming the images could incite violence against the U.S. Microsoft says their new Xbox features a host of simple voice commands that will easily control and instruct gamers. Apple announced financial results for its fiscal 2013 second quarter ended March 30, 2013, posting revenue of $43.6 billion and quarterly net profit of $9.5 billion, or $10.09 per diluted share. During the quarter, Apple sold 37.4 million iPhones, compared to 35.1 million in the year-ago quarter. And it sold 19.5 million iPads during the quarter, compared to 11.8 million in 2012. “We are pleased to report record March quarter revenue thanks to continued strong performance of iPhone and iPad,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Our teams are hard at work on some amazing new hardware, software, and services, and we are very excited about the products in our pipeline.” Apple has announced that customers have downloaded over 40 billion apps — nearly 20 billion in 2012 alone. The App Store has over 500 million active accounts and had a record-breaking December with over two billion downloads during the month. Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, says, “It has been an incredible year for the iOS developer community.” Developers have created over 775,000 apps for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch and have been paid over $7 billion by Apple. Steven Aquino, who works with children with special needs and is himself visually impaired, describes in The Magazine how accessibility technologies like VoiceOver and Guided Access built into iOS “let those with disabilities use their devices with as much wonder and enjoyment as the fully abled.” Calling iOS “nothing short of a godsend,” Aquino notes that with iPad, a cognitively delayed student is able to “tap and swipe like a pro” and even master multitasking gestures without any demoing or prompting. He concludes: “Every time I pick up my iPhone or iPad, I feel extremely fortunate that I’m living in this time.” For millions of people below the poverty line, no assistance for health insurance will be available in states that have refused to expand Medicaid.     Blog post and video from Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit about company efforts to stop the Rustock spambot. LOS ANGELES—Ahead of his impending free agency, Lakers center Dwight Howard told reporters Thursday that he is “very interested” in moving to Houston and completely ruining the Rockets. WASHINGTON—Weeks after accepting a workers’ compensation settlement for a personal injury he purportedly sustained on the job, Vice President Joe Biden is under investigation for allegedly filing a fraudulent claim, sources confirmed Friday. WASHINGTON—According to sources, the long Memorial Day weekend in honor of Monday’s federal holiday is practically over already, with the hours left in said weekend dwindling away at an increasingly rapid pace even as you read this news articl... LONDON—Just two months away from Kate Middleton’s speculated July due date, sources close to the Royal Family confirmed today the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge is in the throes of yet another case of morning sickness.