The Wire: May 22, 2012

• Technology

  12:34 p.m.

  Facebook looks to settle 'sponsored story' suit

  Facebook is close to settling a lawsuit over advertisements it calls “sponsored stories.”
• Technology

  12:34 p.m.

  Beam them up: Ashes of 'Star Trek' actor in orbit

  James Doohan, Scotty from “Star Trek,” spent his acting career whizzing through the cosmos. Gordon Cooper was one of America’s famous Mercury seven astronauts. And Bob Shrake spent his work life anonymously helping send NASA’s high-tech spacecraft to other planets.
• Entertainment

  12:33 p.m.

  'Polka King' Eddie Blazonczyk dies at 70

  Grammy Award-winning polka great Eddie Blazonczyk, who began playing the lively music in the 1950s and went on to earn the nickname “Polka King” after starting his own band and label, has died. He was 70.
• Entertainment

  12:33 p.m.

  Anti-Chavez TV company struggles to survive

  The studios of the Venezuelan television channel RCTV used to be filled with thousands of actors, production assistants and other employees.
• Entertainment

  12:33 p.m.

  Comanche tribe makes Johnny Depp honorary member

  Johnny Depp has been made an honorary member of the Comanche tribe.
• Baseball

  12:33 p.m.

  Indians' Perez wants to stay in Cleveland

  Chris Perez wants to stay in Cleveland, even if he is at odds with some Indians fans.
• Entertainment

  12:33 p.m.

  Anti-Chavez TV channel trying to survive

  The studios of the Venezuelan television channel RCTV used to be filled with thousands of actors, production assistants and other employees. Today, nearly five years after the channel was forced off the air by the government, the building seems largely empty.
• Entertainment

  12:33 p.m.

  Review: Was anyone clamoring for `Men in Black 3'?

  There’s a moment early on in “Men in Black 3” when Will Smith’s Agent J sits down next to his longtime partner, Tommy Lee Jones’ Agent K, and bemoans the fact that he’s too old for this sort of thing _ for running around New York in matching dark suits, chasing down aliens and zapping them with their shiny metal weapony doo-hickeys.
• Technology

  12:33 p.m.

  NM officials: Spill could be as big as 24M gallons

  A decades-old jet fuel spill threatening Albuquerque’s water supply could be as large as 24 million gallons, or twice the size of the oil spill from the Exxon Valdez, state environment officials acknowledged Tuesday.
• Entertainment

  12:33 p.m.

  Actor Michael McKean struck by car in NYC

  Actor Michael McKean, who portrayed the lead singer in the movie “This is Spinal Tap,” was injured when he was struck by a car in New York City.
• Entertainment

  12:33 p.m.

  Phillips, Sanchez face off on 'Idol' finale

  Jessica Sanchez wishes she could’ve changed one thing about the “American Idol” finale: her final song.
• Technology

  12:33 p.m.

  Peru agency says cause of dolphin deaths unsolved

  Peru’s Sea Institute says in its final report on the mass die-off earlier this year of nearly 900 dolphins and porpoises that the cause remains unknown.
• Entertainment

  12:33 p.m.

  Football star Donald Driver is new `Dancing' champ

  He already has a Super Bowl ring, and now football star Donald Driver can add the “Dancing With the Stars” mirrorball trophy to his awards collection.
• Technology

  12:33 p.m.

  New Mexico says jet fuel spill could be larger

  A decades-old jet fuel spill threatening Albuquerque’s water supply could be as large as 24 million gallons, or twice the size of the oil spill from the Exxon Valdez, New Mexico environment officials acknowledged Tuesday.
• Politics

  12:21 p.m.

  TWT

  

  Opponents claim Keystone would boost gas prices

  TransCanada’s proposed $7.6 billion Keystone XL pipeline, a massive project that would transport Canadian oil to Texas refineries on the Gulf Coast, has been pitched as a way to lower domestic gas prices. But a coalition of environmental groups on Tuesday produced a new study claiming the pipeline would have the opposite effect.
• Entertainment

  12:02 p.m.

  

  SNL gives gaudy send-off to overrated Kristen Wiig

  “Saturday Night Live” has seen its fair share of brilliant performers. John Belushi and Chevy Chase in the early years; budding movie stars including Eddie Murphy and Mike Myers later on; Adam Sandler and Chris Farley; Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon. But none got the emotional sendoff reserved for Kristen Wiig.
• Economy

  11:20 a.m.

  

  European Union leaders focus on debt

  The leaders of the 27 countries that make up the European Union meet in Brussels on Wednesday to try and find a way to keep the debt crisis in Europe from spiraling out of control and to promote jobs and growth.
• Inside The Beltway

  11:02 a.m.

  TWT

  

  Inside the Beltway: Lawsuit, what lawsuit?

  Media Research Center founder Brent Bozell has seen a lot of media abuse in his time as the master monitor of the liberal press. Now, he’s seen the very worst: The broadcast networks “all but spiked the largest legal action in history to defend our constitutionally protected religious freedom,” the analyst says, citing CBS, ABC and NBC for skimming over news that 43 Catholic dioceses and organizations filed a lawsuit Monday against the Obama administration.
• Campaign 2012

  10:31 a.m.

  TWT

  

  Romney outpaces Obama in Ky., Ark. primaries

  President Obama won 58 percent of the vote in Kentucky’s Democratic primary on Tuesday but lost 42 percent of the vote to “uncommitted” — another worrisome sign for him as he seeks re-election.
• World

  9:48 a.m.

  Priest's admission to fathering child revives hypocrisy charges

  The Legion of Christ religious order, already discredited for concealing the crimes of its pedophile founder, suffered another blow to its credibility Tuesday when its superior admitted that he knew in 2005 that his most prominent priest had fathered a child, yet allowed him to keep teaching and preaching about morality.
• World

  8:53 a.m.

  Burst of activity detected at N. Korean nuclear test site

  North Korea has ramped up work at its nuclear test site, according to an analysis of satellite images released Tuesday, a day after a senior U.S. envoy warned the North that an atomic test would unify the world in seeking swift, tough punishment.
• National

  8:30 a.m.

  

  Reno air show to alter course to make it safer

  Organizers of the national air racing championships secured $100 million in necessary insurance and announced plans Tuesday to change the September race course for the fastest planes to keep them farther from spectators after last year’s mass-casualty crash near a grandstand.
• Local

  8:11 a.m.

  TWT

  

  Work group must complete P.G. casino study by late June

  A new state commission charged with crafting a bill to expand gambling in Maryland will have to overcome a short time frame and skepticism from House lawmakers.
• Security

  6:05 a.m.

  TWT

  

  Pentagon to crack down on counterfeit parts from China

  The Defense Department on Tuesday said it would strengthen efforts to prevent Chinese counterfeit parts from ending up in the U.S. military’s supply chain.
• Baseball

  1:52 a.m.

  TWT

  

  Harper helps Nationals get the best of Halladay in 5-2 win

  There was a morning this spring that Washington Nationals hitting coach Rick Eckstein and outfielder Bryce Harper found themselves in a conversation about opposing starters in the National League East. Eckstein, who recalled the conversation on another morning in Viera, Fla., listened as Harper detailed exactly how he thought one particular pitcher in the division might attack him.
• Commentary

  10:33 p.m.

  BOOK REVIEW: 'The Heartbreak of Aaron Burr'

  In the early history of the United States, the names of two “might-have-beens” stand out. Each fought bravely in the American Revolution, though each was hamstrung by vanity, easily hurt feelings and a deep-seated rage against those men they considered ungrateful for services rendered.
• Local

  10:33 p.m.

  TWT

  

  Virginia risks ADA violations in not releasing mental patients

  Virginia, already mired in a $2 billion settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, is again at risk of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act - this time for failing to release discharge-ready patients from state-run behavioral-health hospitals.
• National

  10:05 p.m.

  American Scene: 5 dead in apparent family murder-suicide

  A mother and her three children were found dead in a burned house Tuesday in northwest Oregon, and the children’s father was found dead later in a car, all victims of what police said appeared to be a murder-suicide.
• National

  10:01 p.m.

  TWT

  Survivors of tornado in Joplin for march

  JOPLIN, MO. | A year after a massive tornado tore through Joplin, thousands of survivors and others touched by the storm’s fury made a somber march through some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods in a town dedicated to remembering its losses but also committed to what is certain to be a long, slow recovery.
• Football

  9:43 p.m.

  TWT

  

  Arbitrator dismisses Redskins salary cap grievance

  The Washington Redskins are moving on after an arbitrator Tuesday dismissed their grievance challenging their $36 million salary cap penalty.
• Politics

  9:41 p.m.

  TWT

  

  Sequesters, tax increases would cause double-dip recession

  The automatic spending cuts and tax increases slated to take effect at the end of this year would cut the federal deficit dramatically, but would send the country back into a short recession, according to the latest analysis from Congress’s official scorekeepers.
• Local

  9:34 p.m.

  TWT

  

  Gray under cloud in campaign fraud case

  Federal prosecutors dealt a major blow to D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray on Tuesday by validating high-profile claims by a minor 2010 candidate that Mr. Gray’s campaign paid him to bash incumbent Mayor Adrian M. Fenty during the race.
• Local

  9:28 p.m.

  TWT

  

  Throngs to hit road for holiday weekend

  A drop in gas prices means a boost in Memorial Day travel for D.C.-area vacationers, officials with AAA Mid-Atlantic said Tuesday.
• Politics

  9:15 p.m.

  TWT

  

  White House: Sanctions will move forward despite progress in talks with Iran

  The White House said it would not immediately lift sanctions on Iran as a result of progress in talks to allow an investigation into Tehran’s nuclear program.
• Commentary

  9:12 p.m.

  TWT

  

  EDITORIAL: The Facebook fiasco

  Met any Facebook millionaires? The country was supposed to be awash in them by now. But unless they are among the privileged few Facebook insiders, investors probably either lost money on the website’s initial public offering (IPO) or were smart enough to wait and see.
• Local

  9:10 p.m.

  TWT

  

  Police, fire records burned in bins, a car

  The District’s police and fire unions are asking the city’s inspector general to investigate the destruction of personnel files found burning inside trash bins and a car at the D.C. fire training academy.
• Politics

  9:10 p.m.

  

  Groups air ads hitting Obama, Romney

  An independent group seeking to oust President Obama launched a new TV ad Tuesday suggesting Mr. Obama had let down the voters who vaulted him into the White House in 2008.
• Local

  9:08 p.m.

  TWT

  

  Nightclub officials face tax evasion charges

  The owners and managers of seven nightclubs in Prince George’s County were indicted on tax evasion charges Tuesday, signaling that county officials’ war on problem nightclubs is far from over.
• Campaign 2012

  9:04 p.m.

  

  Powell not ready to endorse Obama for re-election

  Former Secretary of State Colin Powell declined Tuesday to renew the presidential endorsement he gave Barack Obama four years ago, saying he wasn’t ready “to throw my weight behind someone” at this time.
• Basketball

  8:22 p.m.

  

  Doug Collins turning back clock to inspire Sixers

  Before coach Doug Collins had his Philadelphia 76ers look ahead to Game 6, he had them rewind the tape to a dusty Game 7.
• Politics

  8:20 p.m.

  

  Romney's Bain playbook unclear as attacks mount

  The core of his presidential candidacy under attack, Mitt Romney has yet to shape a playbook to defend a quarter-century in the business world that created great riches for himself and great hardship, at times, for some American workers.
• Commentary

  8:11 p.m.

  TWT

  

  EDITORIAL: End knife control

  Virginia’s General Assembly has finally purged the remnants of gun control from its books. The meaningless one-gun-a-month purchase restriction was repealed last session, and two years ago, Gov. Bob McDonnell signed a law granting concealed-carry permit holders permission to eat in restaurants that serve alcohol.
• Commentary

  7:53 p.m.

  

  CLANCY: Washington's new divide: Paul Ryan Optimists vs. Rand Paul Federalists

  On May 16, Senate Democrats continued their three-year-old tradition of failing to pass a budget. But not before voting down four Republican budget plans, plus the Obama budget, which received the special honor of being dispatched unanimously.
• Commentary

  7:51 p.m.

  

  SAUERBREY: Maryland Democrats show their true colors

  The lights had barely gone out on the Annapolis special session, called to increase income taxes, when the Department of Labor jobs numbers came out for April. It reported that Maryland led the nation in job losses, dropping by 6,000.
• Commentary

  7:49 p.m.

  

  GOLDBERG: Which kind of capitalism?

  “This is not a distraction. This is what this campaign is going to be about,” President Obama said Monday at the NATO summit. The “this” in question is Mitt Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital and what it says about Mr. Romney’s economic vision for the country.
• Baseball

  7:47 p.m.

  TWT

  

  Henry Rodriguez out as Nats' stopper, leaving three likely candidates

  As Henry Rodriguez took the mound at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night, all eyes from the Washington Nationals’ dugout and bullpen were on him. The warm-up pitches, they knew, would tell them all they needed to know.
• Commentary

  7:47 p.m.

  TWT

  

  LAMBRO: Obama's economic fantasy land

  President Obama’s anti-capitalism attacks on Mitt Romney’s long career as an investor who bankrolled businesses and created jobs isn’t playing well in some Democratic circles.
• Commentary

  7:45 p.m.

  

  WALKER: Rethinking global economic stimulus

  I recently gave a presentation to more than 700 World Bank employees from more than 100 countries. In preparing for my speech, I was struck by the fact that several of the bank’s largest donors - for example, the United States and Japan - have much greater fiscal challenges than some of its largest borrowers.
• Commentary

  7:43 p.m.

  

  DICHTER: Israel's historic opportunity

  With the establishment last week of a broad national unity government in Israel - brought about by the Kadima Party’s bold decision to join Prime Minister Netanyahus government - I believe that Israel is on the crossroads of major positive change.
• Commentary

  7:40 p.m.

  

  NOWRASTEH: Free markets require increased legal immigration

  When Mitt Romney’s campaign says it is “still deciding what his position on immigration is,” it goes without saying the political debates inside his campaign are intense. What should not be contentious, however, is the commitment for increasing legal immigration by anyone supporting free-market principles.