NPR 2009-5-14

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack 1 Speer.

President Obama said today photos showing the abuse of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan are in his words "not particularly sensational 2". However, speaking at the White House, the president said their publication will do no good and Mr. Obama again spoke 3 out on the abuse of prisoners.

"I've made it very clear to all who are within the chain of command, however, of the United States Armed Forces that the abuse of detainees in our custody 4 is prohibited and will not be tolerated."

In opposing a court ruling calling for the release of the photos, the president cited concerns about the safety of US troops. Federal Appeals Court ruling on a request from the ACLU for the photos' release under the Freedom of Information Act agreed the pictures should be made public.

President Obama delivers a commencement address tonight to graduates of Arizona State University. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

Mr. Obama has spoken at graduation ceremonies in the past, but this is the first commencement speech he delivered as president. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says Mr. Obama will touch on the amazing opportunities waiting for new college graduates as well as the challenges in the world they'll be entering.

"As he has done in many commencements before, he will talk about the fact that the choices that you make leaving college about being involved in your community and serving a purpose higher than yourself, is tremendously important."

The president is also scheduled to deliver the commencement address this weekend at Notre Dame 5 University and later this month at the US Naval 6 Academy. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

Retail 7 sales fell for a second straight month in April; that's the word from the Commerce Department today. NPR's Paul Brown has more.

Most analysts 8 polled by the Reuters News Service expected US retail sales to be the same in April as March and higher if auto 9 sales were left out, but they dropped by 0.4% after a much bigger drop in March, dashing some hopes that consumers might be feeling more optimistic and ready to start spending more. Gasoline sales were down again, but auto sales rose slightly as tire kickers found bargains in a depressed 10 industry. Outside of car sales, weakness was widespread in April including at department stores, specialty 11 clothing stores, furniture show rooms and food and beverage 12 stores. Sales of electronic goods were down nearly 3%, and that was after a plunge 13 of nearly 8% in March. Paul Brown, NPR News, Washington.

Intel said today it plans to fight a decision from the European Union to fine the company nearly $1.5 billion over what officials say are illegal sales tactics. The record fine comes amid charges the world's biggest maker 14 of computer chips has shut out a number of rivals including silicon 15 valley based AMD. The fine level against the Santa Clara, California-based company exceeds even a monopoly abuse penalty imposed by the EU last year on software maker Microsoft.

On Wall Street today, the Dow closed down 184 points.

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There were reports of a second day of shelling in Sri Lanka's war zone. The death toll 16 there is estimated as many as 50 people after shells tore through a hospital packed with wounded civilians 17. Health workers at the makeshift medical facility said it was so overwhelmed by the influx 18 of wounded and the shelling that they could do little more than hand out gauze and bandages to the roughly 1,000 people waiting for medical treatment. The strike on the hospital came as the government continues its offensive to destroy Tamil Tiger separatists.

The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas has purchased what experts are now saying is the earliest painting by Michelangelo. It will be the only painting by the artist in an American collection. Jerome Weeks from member station KERA has the story.

The image of Saint Anthony being tormented 19 by demons 20 was painted on a small wood panel. When Michelangelo completed it around 1488, he was only 12 or 13. Historians have known about the painting ever since critic Giorgio Vasari wrote about in 1550. Eric McCauley Lee is the director of the Kimbell museum.

"But it was so discolored by over-paint and darkened varnish 21 that it became unrecognizable as a Michelangelo."

Some scholars believed it belongs to another Italian artist's workshop. When an art dealer 22 bought it for $2 million, he turned it over to the Metropolitan 23 Museum of Art for cleaning and tests. Those tests convinced the Met's experts that it is indeed a Michelangelo. “The Saint Anthony” will be on display at the Met before coming to Fort Worth in the fall. For NPR News, I'm Jerome Weeks in Dallas.

Crude oil futures 24 prices fell today. The near month contract for benchmark grade crude was down 83 cents a barrel to close at $58.02 a barrel in New York.

I'm Jack Speer, NPR News in Washington.