Subtitles section Play video
-
JUDY WOODRUFF: In the day's other news: Super Tuesday voting is tomorrow, but this is shaping
-
up as marvelous Monday for former Vice President Joe Biden.
-
Two former rivals will endorse him tonight for the Democratic presidential nomination.
-
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar suspended her campaign today. Former South Bend, Indiana,
-
Mayor Pete Buttigieg dropped out Sunday.
-
We will get the details after the news summary.
-
The process of pulling U.S. troops from Afghanistan has begun. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said
-
today that he has given the go-ahead to begin the initial withdrawal, under an agreement
-
signed with the Taliban on Saturday.
-
In Washington today, Esper said the U.S. will show good faith and lower troop levels to
-
8,600 from the current 13,000.
-
MARK ESPER, U.S. Defense Secretary: This is going to be a long, windy, bumpy road. There
-
will be ups and downs we will stop and start. That's going to be the nature of this over
-
the next days, weeks and months. At end of day, the best path, if not the only path forward
-
is through a political agreement between the warring parties.
-
JUDY WOODRUFF: Meanwhile, Afghanistan's government officials refused to free 5,000 Taliban prisoners,
-
and the Taliban rejected further talks until they are released.
-
Nick Schifrin will have more later in the program.
-
In Israel, voters went to the polls today for the third time in less than a year, and
-
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to be near an outright victory. Exit polls
-
gave Netanyahu's political bloc 59 out of 120 seats in Parliament. That is two short
-
of a majority. His main opponent, Benny Gantz, pledged to keep fighting.
-
Netanyahu still faces an upcoming trial on corruption charges.
-
A power vacuum in Iraq worsened today after caretaker Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi
-
announced he is stepping down. His designated successor withdrew Sunday, blaming political
-
leaders for blocking reforms. All of this follows weeks of deadly protests.
-
Turkey's army has sent new reinforcements into Idlib province in Northwest Syria, after
-
new clashes. Over the weekend, Turkey shot down two Syrian warplanes. Today, a Turkish
-
soldier was killed. Children watched as Turkish convoys crossed into the area, while President
-
Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Syria to pull back.
-
RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Turkish President (through translator): Those who have not learned their
-
lesson and continue to threaten us with attacking observation points must come to their senses.
-
If they do not retreat, they will have no heads on their shoulders.
-
JUDY WOODRUFF: Meanwhile, Greek border police battled Syrian and other refugees trying to
-
cross from Turkey. At least one person was killed in a crossing attempt. Turkey is letting
-
the refugees move in a bid to force more support from the European Union.
-
Back in this country, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case on whether Obamacare,
-
the Affordable Care Act, is lawful. A lower court has declared part of the landmark law
-
unconstitutional, and called the rest in question. The Supreme Court's decision will likely come
-
after the election.
-
Two passings of note tonight: Jack Welch, the man who transformed General Electric into
-
a global titan, has died. He took over at GE in 1981 and became one of the country's
-
best-known corporate leaders. In retirement, his books and columns continued to attract
-
a wide following.
-
Jack Welch was 84 years old.
-
And actor-turned-academic James Lipton died today of bladder cancer. He became a celebrity,
-
hosting TV's "Inside the Actors Studio" for nearly 25 years. Actors and other Hollywood
-
figures joined him before an audience of his students.
-
James Lipton was 93 years old.
-
Still to come on the "NewsHour": the state of the race -- a big win for Joe Biden narrows
-
the Democratic field before Super Tuesday; our Politics Monday team breaks down what
-
it all means; the latest step to try and end the U.S.' longest war in Afghanistan; plus
-
much more.
