From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

 

　　President Obama is in Mexico this hour for a three day trip to Latin America. NPR's Carrie Kahn reports from Mexico City, Obama says he wants to talk the economy, but security matters will also be topping his agenda.

 

　　The streets surrounding Mexico City's historic center have been closed for hours in anticipation of President Obama's arrival. Enthusiastic supporters and a few protestors made a path to police barriers in front of national palace, where Obama is meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. Obama said he came to discuss trade and the economy. Mexico is the United States third largest trading partner. Economic trade across the two countries' borders now tops $1 billion a day. But a recent decision by Mexican officials to curb U.S. anti-drug agents access in the country will likely dominate discussions. Carrie Kahn, NPR News, Mexico City.

 

　　Obama's trip comes hours after he nominated longtime fundraiser, philanthropist Penny Pritzker to run the Commerce Department and economic advisor Michael Froman to be the next trade representative.

 

　　Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says the U.S. is rethinking all of its options amid suspicions chemical weapons were used in Syria. He says the options include,

 

　　Arming the rebels, that's an option, that's an option.

 

　　President Obama had said he needed concrete proof that the Syrian government used chemical weapons before taking further action against Damascus but he stopped short of saying he would consider a military response.

 

　　Just today, after the arrest of three friends of the Boston Marathon bombing suspect, law enforcement is continuing to follow leads. NPR's Dina Temple-Raston reports officials are looking for clues on his laptop.

 

　　For more than a week now, law enforcement officials have been trying to get an idea of what bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev did in the weeks leading up to the Marathon attacks. His laptop computer is expected to give them those clues. The three men arrested on charges that they helped Tsarnaev after the bombing had grabbed two things from his dorm room, a backpack full of empty fireworks canisters  and the young man's laptop computer. Forensics experts are combing through the computer's hard drive now, looking for things Tsarnaev searched for and possibly deleted. It could take days or even weeks however to find the clues that might be buried there. Dina Temple-Raston, NPR News.

 

　　Rescuers in Bangladesh are working into the night to find more than 100 victims still missing and presumed dead a week after garment factory collapsed in Dhaka. Authorities have already pulled more than 400 bodies from the rubble of Rana Plaza. The tragedy is stoking public outcry for more accountability among global retailers to ensure that when they outsource, working conditions meet international safety standards.

 

　　Before the closing bell, Dow was up 131 points at 14,832.

 

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　　Today marks the start of an unprecedented situation in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, two popes living alongside each other. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports that the retired Pope Benedict, the XVI today returned to the Vatican where he was welcomed by his successor Pope Francis.

 

　　A Vatican statement said Pope Francis greeted Benedict at his new retirement home,  a converted monastery on the edge of the Vatican gardens. The two then prayed together in the monastery chapel. Benedict arrived by helicopter from the papal summer residence south of Roman Castel Gandolfo where he has been staying since he stepped down on February 28th and became the first pope to resign in 600 years. When he was away, renovation work was completed on the monastery. This was the second time the two men met as popes ten days after he was elected in a secret conclave on March 13th. Pope Francis went to Castel Gandolfo for a private meeting with his predecessor. Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News. Rome.

 

　　Scientists have added another year to the list of hottest on record. The World Meteorological Organization says 2012 was the 9th warmest year since record keeping began in 1850 and WMO says the years from 2001 to last year, were all among the top 13 warmest.

 

　　Maryland has become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley signed the measure today ending a long battle over punishment in the state among those attendants was a former Maryland death row inmate, Kirk Bloodsworth, was the first person in the nation released after he was cleared by DNA evidence.

 

　　U.S. stocks were trading higher before the close, the Dow up 131 at 14,832.

 

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