The Wire: March 29, 2012

Sports
7:00 p.m.
Baylor coach Mulkey diagnosed with Bell's Palsy
Kim Mulkey’s voice echoed loudly from the court as the fiery Baylor coach shouted instructions and encouragement to her players during their final on-campus practice before leaving for the NCAA Final Four.
Economy
6:33 p.m.
Economy Briefs: Best Buy to cut costs, close some big-box stores
Best Buy Co. said it plans to close 50 big-box stores and open 100 small mobile locations in the U.S. in fiscal 2013 and cut $800 million in costs by fiscal 2015. The news came Thursday as the biggest U.S. specialty electronics retailer posted a fiscal fourth-quarter loss partly because of restructuring charges, but its adjusted results topped Wall Street’s expectations.
World
6:30 p.m.
Airport demonstration turns 4 African presidents away from Mali for talks
Negotiations between Mali’s military junta and four West African presidents seeking to restore the country’s elected government will take place in Ivory Coast, after the plane carrying the leaders to Mali turned around because demonstrators were on the airport tarmac, an adviser to Ivory Coast’s president said Thursday.
Technology
6:30 p.m.
IPO market heats up amid cautious optimism
A better economic outlook and rising stock market are heating up the market for initial public stock offerings this spring, just weeks before Facebook’s highly anticipated IPO.
Entertainment
6:18 p.m.
Gamers' letdown: Smithsonian's video-game exhibit scores low on interactivity
A new exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum is billed as “The Art of Video Games.” Visitors will encounter beautiful production art, a chronological look at the major video-game platforms and their key games, tidbits of wisdom from various designers, and even a handful of games playable on giant public screens. What they won’t find is much of a case that video games are, in fact, art.
Economy
6:11 p.m.
Trio of governors vouch for beef labeled 'pink slime'
Governors of three states donned coats, hairnets and goggles to tour a main production plant for “pink slime” Thursday, hoping to persuade wary consumers and grocery stores to accept that the processed beef product with the off-putting nickname is as safe as the industry insists.
Entertainment
5:45 p.m.
Funeral for banjo innovator Sunday at Ryman
The funeral for legendary bluegrass banjo artist Earl Scruggs will be Sunday in Nashville.
Entertainment
5:45 p.m.
Ala. civil rights museum exhibiting lesbian photos
Founded to teach about human rights and the fight for equality during the days of racial segregation, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is introducing a new topic: Lesbian awareness in the South.
Technology
5:45 p.m.
US reviews research risks amid bird-flu debate
The Obama administration is ordering a government-wide review of scientific research that could raise biosecurity concerns in the wake of fierce controversy over some man-made strains of the deadly bird flu.
Entertainment
5:38 p.m.
Get Out: Concert 'Wayne Brady sings the Sammys'
In 2003, singer and comedian Wayne Brady needed to repair his reputation. His problem was not that he was a bad boy, but that he was not bad enough.
Entertainment
5:30 p.m.
Funeral for banjo innovator Scruggs is Sunday
The funeral for legendary bluegrass banjo artist Earl Scruggs will be Sunday in Nashville.
Technology
5:30 p.m.
New RIM CEO releases his first earnings report
BlackBerry maker Research in Motion says it had a net loss in the latest quarter because of writedowns for the declining value of its brand and its PlayBook tablet inventory. Its adjusted income was slightly short of Wall Street expectations.
Technology
5:30 p.m.
Red Hat's red-hot shares climb to 12-year high
Red Hat is red hot. The software maker’s shares soared nearly 20 percent Thursday to a 12-year high, as investors reacted to an earnings report that showed how much Red Hat is benefiting from a shift in the way that big companies meet their technological needs.
Entertainment
5:15 p.m.
Tuning in to TV: Philanthropist gives $1M to PBS' 'Masterpiece'
Even the landed gentry of “Downton Abbey” would be impressed: A philanthropist is giving $1 million to PBS’ “Masterpiece,” U.S. home of the British upstairs-downstairs drama series.
Technology
5:15 p.m.
Report: Illegal overtime on Apple assembly line
The Chinese workers who often spend more than 60 hours per week assembling iPhones and iPads will have their overtime curbed and their hourly wages raised after a labor auditor hired by Apple Inc. inspected their factories.
Travel
5:09 p.m.
Lee's sword at new Appomattox museum
The sword Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee had at his side when he surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant is returning to Appomattox as the centerpiece of a new museum examining the post-Civil War struggle to heal the nation.
Economy
5:06 p.m.
Best Buy to cut costs and close stores
To revamp the struggling chain, Best Buy said Thursday it plans to close 50 of its U.S. big box stores, cut 400 corporate jobs and trim $800 million in costs.
Autos
5:05 p.m.
Scion announces pricing for its 2013 FR-S sports car
The FR-S starts with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $24,200 when equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, and $25,300 when equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission that features paddle shifters and rev-match technology. The high-performance coupe is the fifth model to join the Scion family and will go on sale this spring.
Autos
5:04 p.m.
Jeep introduces new limited-edition 'Altitude' Grand Cherokee, Compass and Patriot
Following an overwhelmingly positive consumer response to the recently introduced Grand Cherokee concept and related “Name My Ride” contest, the Jeep brand has announced it will produce not just one, but three new limited-edition Jeep vehicles: the Grand Cherokee, Compass and Patriot Altitude models.
Autos
5:03 p.m.
Cadillac XTS safety seat alerts drivers to dangers
When the all-new Cadillac XTS luxury sedan begins production this spring, it will be the industry’s first car to use directional tactile sensation - vibrations of the driver’s seat bottom - to warn of crash threats while driving and parking.
Unfiled
5:02 p.m.
TWT
1969 Ford Galaxie 500 once more running strong
In 1969 Ford was building very large, very powerful cars. Fastback styling was becoming quite popular and, as a consequence, 63,921 Galaxie 500 Sport Roof Coupes found buyers.
Technology
5:00 p.m.
PayPal taps mobile chief Marcus as president
PayPal’s mobile unit chief will become the online payments service’s next president.
Security
4:57 p.m.
TWT
Online voting not secure, cyber experts say
Thirty-three states are planning to allow some form of Internet voting in November’s elections, but the technology is not ready for prime time, a U.S. cybersecurity official warned Thursday.
Economy
4:57 p.m.
Report: Illegal overtime on Apple assembly line
Workers who assemble iPhones and iPads often put in more than 60 hours per week — and sometimes work for a week straight — in violation of Chinese law, according to the first independent labor audit of the Chinese factories where Apple products are made.
World
4:55 p.m.
TWT
Embassy Row: Arms race in Asia
Asia is in the “early phases of an arms race,” with many nations increasing their military forces as dangerous disputes on land and sea pose potential flashpoints, Australian Ambassador Kim Beazley warns.
World
4:54 p.m.
Briefly: Gunmen kill 6, including 1 U.N. worker
Gunmen killed six people Thursday in a pair of attacks in southwestern Pakistan, one of which targeted local employees of a U.N. agency, officials said.
World
4:53 p.m.
World Briefs: U.S. to provide$100 million to Tunisia
The United States said Thursday it would grant $100 million to Tunisia to pay its debts, hoping to let the government focus on the economy and show a success in the birthplace of the Arab Spring.
Entertainment
4:30 p.m.
Canada's top court will not hear mogul's appeal
Canada’s Supreme Court will not hear a former Broadway theater mogul Garth Drabinsky’s appeal of fraud convictions.
Politics
4:16 p.m.
Congress passes bill to keep highway aid flowing
Congress has passed a stopgap three-month bill to keep federal highway and transit aid flowing and avoid a widespread shutdown of construction projects.
Technology
4:15 p.m.
Sony Pictures head Lynton to oversee US operations
Sony Corp. says that Michael Lynton, the chairman of movie studio Sony Pictures, will be promoted to chief executive of all of Sony’s operations in the U.S.
Technology
4:15 p.m.
Egypt court orders ban of pornographic websites
An Egyptian court has ordered the government to ban pornographic Internet websites in order to protect society and its values.
Entertainment
4:00 p.m.
Smithsonian showcases replica of monster snake
A prehistoric monster snake the length of a school bus that likely fed on supersize turtles and crocodiles has made its way to the Smithsonian Institution for an exhibit opening Friday.
Entertainment
4:00 p.m.
Will Ferrell announces 'Anchorman' sequel
Will Ferrell’s swashbuckling newscaster Ron Burgundy had his own breaking news to announce Wednesday night: A sequel to “Anchorman” is finally happening.
Soccer
4:00 p.m.
Berlusconi back as AC Milan president again
Silvio Berlusconi is officially AC Milan’s president again after resigning as Italy’s premier in November.
Business
3:58 p.m.
TWT
BC-US-SCI--Bee-Pesticide, 2nd Ld-Writethru,715
BC-US-SCI—Bee-Pesticide, 2nd Ld-Writethru,715
Campaign 2012
3:54 p.m.
Obama spends millions more than GOP campaigns
The costly Republican primary has been draining Mitt Romney’s wallet and giving President Obama time to build an expansive campaign architecture with offices in 45 states and hundreds of employees. The bad news for Obama is he’s had to start paying for all this now.
Politics
3:48 p.m.
House rejects conservatives' deficit-cutting plan
The House rejected a budget pushed by its most conservative members on Thursday and moved toward approval of a $3.5 trillion plan backed by Republican leaders that would revamp Medicare, slice everything from food stamps to transportation and reject President Barack Obama’s call to raise taxes on the rich.
Technology
3:45 p.m.
Screening, better diagnosis cited for autism rise
Autism cases are on the rise again, largely due to wider screening and better diagnosis, federal health officials said Thursday.
Entertainment
3:45 p.m.
CBS expands 'Face the Nation' to 1 hour on Sunday
Five years ago, just off a bout from cancer, Bob Schieffer was set to retire from CBS’s “Face the Nation.” That never stuck, and now he’s doubling his workload.
World
3:42 p.m.
TWT
State Dept. plays down envoy's insinuations about Russian press tapping phone
The State Department on Wednesday tried to downplay several Twitter comments in which the U.S. ambassador to Russia appeared to insinuate that the someone is tapping his phone, spying on his emails and leaking them to local reporters.
Commentary
3:34 p.m.
TWT
Civil War battles recalled via relics left behind
Civil War battles recalled via relics left behind
Sports
3:30 p.m.
Illinois hires Ohio's John Groce as head coach
John Groce took the Ohio Bobcats farther in the NCAA tournament than they had been in nearly 50 years.
Entertainment
3:30 p.m.
"Wrath of the Titans" holds European premiere
The Greek gods and monsters sequel “Wrath of the Titans” is having its European premiere on the biggest screen in the U.K., the British Film Institute’s IMAX theater in London.
Technology
3:15 p.m.
LivingSocial launches takeout and delivery service
Throw away all those soy sauce-stained takeout menus.
Entertainment
2:45 p.m.
Bluegrass pioneer Earl Scruggs dies at age 88
It may be impossible to overstate the importance of bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs to American music. A pioneering banjo player who helped create modern country music, his sound is instantly recognizable and as intrinsically wrapped in the tapestry of the genre as Johnny Cash’s baritone or Hank Williams’ heartbreak.
World
2:30 p.m.
Gunman in French terror attacks buried
The gunman who claimed responsibility for France’s worst terror attacks in years was buried Thursday in a Toulouse cemetery, ending a tortured debate over what to do with the body of a man the president called a “monster.”
Technology
2:30 p.m.
PayPal taps mobile chief Marcus as next CEO
PayPal’s mobile unit chief will become the online payments service’s next CEO.
Entertainment
2:20 p.m.
Judge ends Lohan's probation, gives back freedom
A judge ended Lindsay Lohan’s supervised probation on Thursday, giving the actress her freedom after nearly two years of constant court hearings and threats of jail.
Entertainment
2:15 p.m.
Unsinkable James Cameron refloats 'Titanic' in 3-D
There was a time when James Cameron’s career looked as though it might join Titanic, down in the lower depths.
Security
2:04 p.m.
NATO: Member nations should share military systems
Two F-4 Phantom jet fighters under NATO control streaked off the runway at a former Soviet air base in Lithuania this week in response to a report that an aircraft had lost communications as it neared Finnish airspace.