JIM LEHRER: Insurgents in Afghanistan struck again today, killing another soldier in the U.S. coalition. It added to a growing list of casualties this year, and it came as a Pentagon report today confirmed the Taliban has regrouped into a serious threat.
The report said the group could maintain or even increase its attacks this year. We'll have more on Afghanistan right after this news summary.
In Iraq today, a suspect was arrested in a suicide bombing that killed 20 people, including three U.S. Marines. That happened yesterday in Anbar province. U.S. troops were scheduled to hand control of Anbar to the Iraqis tomorrow. The ceremony was postponed due to possible sandstorms.
The Senate passed the Iraq and Afghanistan funding bill last night. The House had already given its approval, so it now goes to the president for signature.
The $162 billion measure extends military operations into 2009 with no timetables for pullouts. It also adds education benefits for veterans, extra payments to the unemployed, and flood relief. We'll have more on the long- running debate that led to final passage later in the program tonight.
Zimbabwe held its presidential run-off election today, defying worldwide criticism. We have a report narrated by Jonathan Rugman of Independent Television News.
JONATHAN RUGMAN, ITN's Channel 4 News Correspondent: After 28 years in power, Robert Mugabe did not today have the look of a man going anywhere. His entourage laughed him on. The president's first-round defeat in March now a distant memory, for this is a one-horse race and one Mugabe knows that only he can win.
JOURNALIST: How are you feeling today, your excellency?
ROBERT MUGABE, President, Zimbabwe: Very fit. Very fit. Very optimistic, upbeat.
JONATHAN RUGMAN: And these images of democracy in action fooling no one. Voters at this Harare polling station seemed subdued. A small team of African observers predicting that turnout would be low.
The president's party mouthpiece is supremely confident of victory, and those voters prepared to speak on camera are too terrified to say very much at all.
This, by contrast, was polling day in March, from the early hours, thousands queuing to vote, daring to believe that change was around the corner. Those hopes now dashed amid a wave of brutality and murder.
Harare's streets today virtually a ghost town. The opposition urging its supporters not to vote, unless their lives depended on it.
Morgan Tsvangirai's name was on the ballot paper, though he pulled out six days ago. And when he briefly emerged from the sanctuary of the Dutch embassy, he condemned the day's events as a farce.
MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, Leader, Movement for Democratic Change: What is happening today is not an election. It is an exercise in mass intimidation with the people all over the country being forced to vote.
JONATHAN RUGMAN: And tonight, widespread reports of what is known as Operation Red Finger, the government on the hunt for indelible ink on Zimbabwean fingers to check that they have not stayed at home.
JIM LEHRER: Results from the run-off could come tomorrow.
And on Monday, a summit of the African Union will focus on Zimbabwe. Today, the A.U.'s chairman voiced hope. He said, "I am convinced we will sort it out and that our credibility will be maintained."
North Korea demolished the most visible symbol of its nuclear program today. Television crews were invited to witness demolition of the cooling tower at the country's main nuclear center. It sent plumes of smoke into the air and left behind a pile of rubble. On Thursday, North Korea handed over an accounting of its nuclear activities.
In the U.S. presidential campaign today, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama held their first joint event since Obama wrapped up the Democratic nomination. NewsHour correspondent Kwame Holman has our report.
KWAME HOLMAN: The former rivals' first public step toward bringing the Democratic Party together came in the aptly named New Hampshire town of Unity.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), New York: Hello, Unity! Hello, New Hampshire!
KWAME HOLMAN: Hillary Clinton told the crowd that, while the primary battle against Barack Obama was tough, she now was ready to fight with him.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON: We have traversed America making our case to the American people. We have gone toe-to-toe in this hard-fought primary.
But today, and every day going forward, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder for the ideals we share, the values we cherish, and the country we love.
KWAME HOLMAN: Former President Bill Clinton did not attend the rally, but Obama said the support of both Clintons was critical for himself and the country.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), Illinois: We need them badly, not just my campaign, but the American people need their service, and their vision, and their wisdom in the months and years to come, because that's how we're going to bring about unity in the Democratic Party, and that's how we're going to bring about unity in America.
KWAME HOLMAN: Meanwhile, Republican John McCain spent the day in Ohio, touring a General Motors plant in Lordstown. McCain was asked later about making inroads with voters who backed Clinton in the primaries.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), Arizona: I had a woman at a town hall meeting yesterday at Xavier who was wearing a Hillary hat. I was pleased that she was there, and I was pleased to respond to her comments. I continue to -- I think that this election -- obviously, I have to get Republican votes, independent votes, and the old and new Reagan Democrats.
KWAME HOLMAN: McCain and Obama are scheduled to address a conference of elected and appointed Latino officials in Washington tomorrow.
JIM LEHRER: The Mississippi River threatened to engulf another community in eastern Missouri today. A levee gave way 45 miles northwest of St. Louis, leaving the town of Winfield in peril. The river began flooding 3,000 acres and slowly headed toward homes, forcing evacuations.
With that, National Guard officials said they'd erect a new line of defense.
COL. MICHELE MELTON, U.S. Army National Guard: We can continue to work on the residential area and build a new sandbag levee that is not in place at this time to save this residential area.
It's very disheartening to know that my guys were here for nine days, working 24-hour operations, and it looked like it failed. That's why we're not quitting. The Army doesn't quit.
JIM LEHRER: At least 100 homes were directly in the water's path.
Stocks ended a dismal week, as oil prices closed above $140 a barrel for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost almost 107 points to close at 11,346. The Nasdaq fell more than 5 points to close at 2,315. For the week, the Dow fell more than 4 percent, and the Nasdaq was also down nearly that much.
Founder Bill Gates stepped down today from a full-time role with Microsoft. He and childhood friend, Paul Allen, created Microsoft in 1975 and built it into the world's richest technology company. Gates said he'll spend more time on his foundation, the world's largest charity. He'll also continue as chairman of Microsoft.
