From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.
It's been called a landmark1 moment in medical research. Scientists have cloned for the first time human embryos2 that can produce some cells opening the door for treatments of various diseases. But this latest development is running into ethical3 objection because critics say that involves creating then destroying human embryos.
Attorney general Eric Holder4 says the FBI's investigation5 of the internal revenue service for signalling out conservative groups for extra scrutiny6 could include range of potential criminal and violations7. But NPR's Craig Windham reports Holder has told the house judical committee it'll take time to determine if there was any criminal wrong doing.
Attorney general Holder says the possible infractions could include civil rights violations.
There is also the possibility of false statements, violations that might have been made given list what I know at this point.
Holder told the lawmakers the investigation will be non-partisan and will go wherever the facts may lead.
These will not be about parties. These will not be about ideological9 persuasions10. Anybody who has broken the law will be held accountable.
Democratic congressman11 Bobby Scott of Virginia, noted12 to Holder that some top IRS officials have apologized for the agency's actions.
No.
Craig Windham NPR News, Washington.
House speaker John Boehner says he has one question about the investigation as it widens.
My question isn't about who's going to resign. My question is who's going to jail over the scandal.
He told reporters earlier today there are laws to protect against kinds of abuses the IRS has played and that's someone clearly violated them.
A Texas paramedic who responded to the deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant last month is expected to plead not guilty to a charge of processing bomb making materials. Federal prosecutors14 says Bryce Reed has agreed to defer15 his detention16 hearning. Texas officials say they do not have evidence connecting Reed to the west plant explosion in which 14 people were killed.
The Euro currency zone recession is now in a sixth quarter. That's longer than the economic slumps17 there five year ago. NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson reports nine of the 17 Euro zone countries are now officially in recession.
Europe's economic power horse, Germany, was one of few Euro zone countries not in recession between January and March. But now that wasn't enough to improve the financial picture of the region. France was a notable addition to the list. Overall, the Euro zone's economy contracted 0.2% since the end of 2012. Although that was an improvement over the previous quarters decline. The continued recession highlights the struggles brought down by austerity measures. The recession is not as the deepest one in 2008 and 2009. But it is the longest in the history of the Euro. Other major economies have struggled this year but none is in recession. Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson NPR News, Berlin.
THis is NPR.
Factories are coming off an April slowdown in the US but analysts18 say that's not likely to last in the coming month. The federal reserve says the manufacturing output dropped 0.40%, the third deline in full month, however overall production is expected to pick up, as auto19 makers8 reports stronger sales. Whole sale prices are down sharply, driven lower by cheaper energy and food. The labor20 department released its producer price index fell 0.70% in April, the steepest dropping more than three years.
A record's been set in the word of art with the seller of huge painting last night at Sotheby's in New York. NPR's Neda Ulaby reports it's the painting fetch the most money ever paid for a work by a living artist at auction21.
The price tide was 37.1 million dollars. The artist is Gerhard Richter. The painting is from 1968, issues the monumental cathedral square, Milan, Italy, in the artist's pictorialist style. It looks like a blured black and white picture taking from an upstair window in the rain and by someone with the shaky hand. Richter was born in former east Germany. This is actually the second time he's broken the record for a living artist at auction. The first was just last year. For a giant abstract painting that's sold for more than 13 million. But of the top selling artists in the world right now, Richter is only No.3. First is Andy Warhol, then Pablo Picasso. Neda Ulaby NPR News.
Before the closing bell, Dow Jones industrial average was up 61 points at 15,276; NASDAQ gained nine points to hit 3,472; S&P 500 up nine at 1,659. This is NPR News.
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