• White House announces that Taliban leader was killed in drone strike: Akhtar Mohammad Mansour was killed Saturday in Pakistan during a U.S. attack the government there said violated its sovereignty. Meanwhile, senior Taliban members confirmed that their main shura, or leadership council, has been meeting to discuss the succession. President Obama, on a three-day visit to Vietnam, called on the Taliban to join stalled peace talks, some Mansour had opted out of.
• Sorry, Rod. Supreme Court rejects Blagojevich appeal … again: The Court first rejected the former Illinois governor’s request in March, and his lawyers filed for a rehearing that was turned down Monday without comment. The 59-year-old Blagojevich is in year five of a 14-year sentence being served in a federal prison in Colorado. He was convicted on 18 counts of corruption.
• Obama announces an end to the arms ban on Vietnam: This, the president said, is part of a process that began decades ago. It became obvious, he said, given the trust that has developed because of trade and humanitarian efforts as well as cooperation between the militaries of the two nations. Every sale made to everyone is judged on its own merits whoever is involved, he said:
Nguyen Ngoc Truong, president of Vietnam's Center for Strategic Studies and International Development, hailed the move as an important symbolic development between the two countries.
"It does not mean Vietnam will be (a) very big buyer of American weapons straight away, but (it) is important in the future. The symbolism is more important."
• Four dead on Mount Everest since Thursday. Two more missing.
• Worldwide electric vehicle sales could hit $58 billion by 2021:
While US plug-in vehicle demand hit a slump last year, the direction of global sales ofelectric vehicles will likely be far less downward trending over the next few years. In fact, global electric vehicle revenue will likely reach $58 billion in 2021, ABI Research says. That represents a fivefold increase from 2015.
The jump will be fueled by both an increased demand overseas as well as a wider choice of EV types. For instance, Ford and BMW are making electric bikes that can fit inside the trunk of a conventional vehicle – the concept being that commuters can make that "last mile" emissions-free.
• On today’s Kagro in the Morning show: Republicans are falling in line for Hairspray von Clownstick, after all. Greg Dworkin has horse race, preference & issue polls, plus news of fractures everywhere from Reddit to the NRA to… Europe. Dem state chairs meet, seeking inner peace. It’s almost as if guns attract crime.
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