JIM LEHRER: Wall Street had another surge today, as major financial stocks rallied. The market rebounded after hearing from the nation's top bond insurance company, MBIA. It said it had enough cash to keep guaranteeing corporate and municipal bonds, despite reports to the contrary.
In response, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 207 points to close at 12,650. The Nasdaq rose more than 40 points to close above 2,389.
The push to pass an economic stimulus bill moved today toward a Senate showdown. Majority Leader Reid called for votes on Monday. He said, "We are doing this as fast as we can." But Senate Minority Leader McConnell warned, "The stimulus train is grinding to a halt."
Most Republicans favored a House package of tax rebates and business breaks. Most Democrats wanted to add rebates for those on Social Security, heating aid and extended benefits for the unemployed.
In the presidential campaign today, Republican John McCain gained a key endorsement in a major Super Tuesday state. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his support in Los Angeles. He was flanked by McCain and Rudy Giuliani, who quit the race and endorsed the Arizona senator yesterday. Schwarzenegger called McCain "an extraordinary leader."
GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), California: I am interested in a great future, and I think that Senator McCain has proven over and over again that he is reaching across the aisle in order to get things done. There are people out there that talk about reaching across the aisle, but he has shown the action over and over again.
JIM LEHRER: On the Democratic side, Barack Obama's campaign announced it raised $32 million in January alone. That matched his best three-month total so far. Obama and Hillary Clinton have their first one-on-one debate tonight in Los Angeles. We'll have more on the campaign right after this news summary.
It was widely reported today a top al-Qaida commander for Afghanistan has been killed. A militant Web site said Abu Laith al-Libi was killed in Pakistan. He was on the U.S. most wanted list.
The news came as State Department officials defended U.S. strategy at a Senate hearing in Washington. Just yesterday, an independent review chaired by retired Marine General James Jones said Afghanistan is now a "strategic stalemate."
An American soldier was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq today. That made at least 38 U.S. deaths for the month, up 15 from December.
The Iraqi government reported civilian deaths were down again in January to 466. There were nearly 2,000 Iraqis killed in January of last year.
Suicides in the U.S. Army increased 20 percent in 2007 from the previous year; that word came today in reports on internal Army documents. They showed as many as 121 suicides in the ranks in 2007. More than a quarter of those -- about 34 -- happened in Iraq. Army officials have said the troops are under increased stress, partly due to long overseas deployments.
An independent commission warned today the National Guard is even less combat-ready than it was a year ago. The commission on the National Guard and Reserves reported to Congress. It said the two forces do not have the equipment or training they need.
In Kenya today, a new wave of tribal clashes erupted after another opposition lawmaker was killed. We have a report from Lindsey Hilsum of Independent Television News.
LINDSEY HILSUM, ITV News correspondent: Another opposition MP murdered, the second in three days, David Kimutai Too, allegedly killed by a policeman in Eldoret. The authorities suggest the murder was because of a love triangle, but opposition leaders say it's no coincidence that their majority in parliament is down to one.
At Musaba hospital (ph) in Nairobi, there are dozens injured with machete and bullet wounds, this young man shot through the spine and now paralyzed.
Some are still recovering from the initial election violence; others have been admitted in the last few days.
People are gathering at police stations across the capital. They're the only places where they feel safe. Most of these are Luos and Luhyas deemed opposition supporters, but elsewhere it's the Kikuyus, the president's tribe, who is seeking protection.
As darkness fell this evening, the body of the slain MP was brought to Nairobi. Opposition leaders gathered at the airport.
The negotiations continue, but so does the violence, and neither opposition nor government leaders have spoken clearly enough to call their supporters off.
JIM LEHRER: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed today for urgent action on Kenya. He spoke at an African Union summit in Ethiopia. We'll have more on Kenya later in the program tonight.
The trains started running again today in China after winter storms that paralyzed the country. Thousands of industrial workers had been stranded for days trying to get home for the Chinese New Year.
In the south today, crowds stampeded to rail cars, fighting for a ride. Makeshift hospitals were set up to treat the injured. Amid the chaos, more people kept streaming into the train stations.
New rules on identification took effect today at U.S. border checkpoints. Drivers now have to show a passport, birth certificate, or a government ID to enter the U.S. In the past, a driver's license was sufficient. There had been predictions of long delays, but officials reported no problems for the most part. At one checkpoint in North Dakota, only one out of 250 cars crossing from Canada lacked the proper documents.
And that's it for the news summary tonight. Now: stimulus and other politics; a "Big Picture" of Arkansas; a Kenya update; and Roger Rosenblatt on his new novel.
