Your customized headlines for Wed, Apr 25, 2012

Wal-Mart, the giant retailer now under fire over allegations of foreign bribery in Mexico, has participated in an aggressive and high-priced lobbying campaign to amend the long-standing U.S. anti-bribery law that the company might have violated.

A former BP drilling engineer was arrested Tuesday on charges of intentionally destroying text messages sought by federal authorities as evidence in the wake of the April 20, 2010, Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster, the Justice Department said.

The head of Greece's central bank warned Tuesday that the country could be forced to break with the European Union if its politicians don't stick with promised economic reforms after the May 6 elections, which threaten toss out the current ruling coalition.

Gene Richards is a lifelong Vermonter, but on a recent weekday afternoon he found himself back on Florida's west coast, scouting foreclosures to add to the collection of rental properties he has amassed in the wake of the housing crisis.

New data show a U.S. housing market that is continuing to struggle but is perhaps nearing a bottom, with new home sales falling and prices remaining near their post-crisis low.

The latest survey from S&P/Case-Shiller noted basically stagnant prices from January to February.

The head of Greece's central bank warned Tuesday that the country could be forced to break with the European Union if its politicians don't stick with promised economic reforms after the May 6 elections, which threaten toss out the current ruling coalition.

— Why it makes sense to mine asteroids.

— The U.S. has more post offices than Starbucks, McDonald's and Wal-Mart stores combined.

— Why yes, there is an online dating service for dogs.

— Mad cow disease: It's back!

The Hill's Sam Baker flags new research from the Employee Benefits Research Institute that shows people aren't just losing insurance because they're losing their jobs. Instead, some Americans are losing coverage because fewer employers are willing to foot part of the bill.

Kevin Drum wasn't impressed by our election forecasting model. Here's his proposed alternative:

Here's a simpler model that gets 13 of the past 16 elections right: the incumbent party wins if it's been in office for four years, and loses if it's been in office for eight or more years. Even if you insist that Al Gore "won" in 2000 because he won the popular vote, it gets 12 of the past 16 elections right.