In announcing his next top military advisor, President Obama said he both knows General Joe Dunford and trusts him.

“Under his steady hand, we’ve achieved key milestones including the transition to Afghan responsibility for security, historic Afghan elections and the drawdown of U.S. forces.”

If confirmed, Dunford will succeed General Martin Dempsey as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Retired General James Mattis says Dunford will likely speak his mind just as Dempsey has. 

“We have, you know, one fighting Irishman following another fighting Irishman so that there will be some continuity, Dempsey to Dunford.”   

Top Senate Republicans praised Dunford’s appointment, indicating an easy confirmation. David Welna, NPR News, Washington.

 

Secretary of State John Kerry has become the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Somalia as the U.S. seeks to end a 20-year diplomatic break with the country. During an unannounced three-hour visit inside the perimeter of Mogadishu’s airport surrounded by seven-foot walls of sandbags, Kerry met with the Somali president, the prime minister and provincial leaders. In a video address to the Somali people, Kerry said he’d seen positive changes during his visit to their country, including efforts to deal with the extremist group al-Shabaab and piracy.

“Somali forces have pushed al-Shabaab out of major population centers. A determined international effort has put virtually all of Somalia’s pirates out of business.”

U.S. and other Western nations have poured aid into Somalia in an effort to help reconstruction and prevent it from sliding back into the hands of wild extremists, who continue to use Somalia to launch attacks into neighboring states. 

 

The city of Los Angeles is suing Wealth Fargo Bank, saying it has victimized California customers with illegal banking tactics. NPR’s Nathan Rott reports a civil complaint is seeking relief for customers statewide.

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer alleges that Wealth Fargo Bank employees were encouraged to do whatever it takes to meet high sales goals. The result was practices like employees opening accounts for customers without their permission, giving them bogus fees and then non-refunding fees charged for unwanted services. Wealth Fargo has blamed the problem on a few rogue employees and says those individuals have been disciplined and fired. The city’s lawsuit contends that the banking giant’s efforts were few and that it did not inform customers of its practices. The suit seeks a court order to stop the alleged wrongdoing, penalties up to $2,500 for every violation and a restitution for every customer harmed. Nathan Rott, NPR News. 

 

The nation’s trade gap jumped to its highest level in more than six years in March. The Commerce Department says the trade gap rose to $51.4bn. 

 

On Wall Street the Dow was down 142 points today. 

 

You are listening to NPR.

 

The other man from Hope has officially jumped into the presidential race today. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee announcing in his hometown he will be a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. Hope is also the birthplace of former President Bill Clinton. Huckabee is the third major GOP presidential contender to jump into the race. 

 

More farms in Iowa have been struck by a disease that has killed millions of chickens and turkeys this year. As NPR’s Dan Charles reports, it’s the largest outbreak of bird flu the U.S. has ever seen. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says bird flu has been found at two more farms—one raising turkeys, one chickens. Both flocks will be destroyed in an effort to keep the virus from spreading. In total 23 million birds have been lost during this outbreak, mostly in Minnesota and Iowa. The Harvey Milk Company says it is laying off more than 200 workers at the turkey plant in Minnesota because there are fewer turkeys to process. Farmers have been hoping that warmer temperatures will slow the outbreak because heat kills the virus. But So far there is no sign of that happening. Public health experts say the disease appears to pose almost no risk to people. Dan Charles, NPR News. 

 

Authorities are crediting a UPS driver was saving the life of a man who apparently jumped into the at times treacherous Rock River in Illinois. According to the Rockford Register Star, 40-year-old Jeff Hermansen saw the man struggling in the water, parked his truck along a river bank, and then swam 15 yards to rescue him, pulling him to shore. Police and firefighters say the river can be treacherous due to fast currency that is very cold at this time of year. Hermansen declined treatment. He had a set of dry clothes brought to him and continued on his UPS route.