AMNA NAWAZ: An American civilian contractor died today in a rocket attack on an Iraqi
military base that houses U.S. forces.
U.S. Central Command also confirmed multiple U.S. service members and Iraqi personnel were
injured. The Iraqi military said several rockets hit an arms depot at the so-called K1 base
northwest of Kirkuk. There was no immediate word about who carried out the attack.
In a separate development, Iraq's president, Barham Salih, is facing backlash from Iranian-backed
parties over his refusal to designate their nominee as prime minister. Salih's rejection
was in response to months of Iraqi protests demanding more independent candidates and
political reform.
The latest happened today in Baghdad's Tahrir Square, as anti-government demonstrators marched
and voiced their support for Salih's decision.
MAN (through translator): As a protester, I see it as a heroic action by the president,
because he rejected one of the candidates by the political blocs, because he was rejected
by the protesters in Tahrir Square.
The political elites didn't do anything in the past 16 years, and there won't be anything
in the future if the same names remain.
AMNA NAWAZ: Salih said that, because Iraq's constitution doesn't give him the right to
reject nominees for prime minister, he was prepared to quit.
We will have more on anti-government unrest in two other countries, Iran and India, later
in the program.
At least 12 people died today after a passenger jet in the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan
crashed shortly after takeoff. The Bek Air plane departed the Almaty Airport with 98
people on board, before it smashed into a concrete wall and a building.
Rescue workers at the scene tended to dozens of injured passengers and combed through the
wreckage looking for more survivors. Officials said the jetliner had struggled to get off
the ground.
ROMAN SKLYAR, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister (through translator): Today, we found two
consecutive sets of skidmarks from the tail end of the plane on the runway, meaning the
aircraft touched the runway twice while taking off.
Mostly passengers who were in the front part of the aircraft died. Flight recorders have
been found and have been brought for inspection.
AMNA NAWAZ: Authorities immediately suspended all Bek Air flights, as well as all planes
of that same model, pending an investigation.
In Hawaii, rescue teams located the wreckage of a tour helicopter that had gone missing
with seven people aboard. It was found in a mountainous area on the island of Kauai.
The helicopter failed to return from a sightseeing tour of the Na Pali Coast yesterday. Coast
Guard crews are still searching for signs of survivors.
The death toll from a devastating typhoon that struck the Philippines late on Tuesday
has nearly doubled to 28 people. A dozen others are reportedly still missing. The typhoon
swept across the country's central islands, tearing through buildings and toppling trees.
Today, families in hard-hit coastal towns sorted through mounds of debris as they carried
on their recovery efforts.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is celebrating a sweeping victory in his Likud
Party's primary election. Netanyahu defeated his main rival within the right-wing party,
Gideon Saar, to win 72 percent of yesterday's vote. That is in spite of being charged with
corruption in three criminal cases.
Today, the embattled leader hailed his win at the party's campaign headquarters near
Tel Aviv.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, Israeli Prime Minister (through translator): This is a huge victory,
because we have also overcome the fake polls and the fake news, who are already now trying
to dwarf the victory. This is a huge victory because almost all the media has rallied against
me, with the left parties also in this candidacy.
This is the time to unite, to bring a sweeping victory to the Likud and the right in the
Knesset elections.
AMNA NAWAZ: Netanyahu now heads toward a national election in March. It will be Israel's third
national election in less than a year, after failing to form a government in the previous
two elections.
Back in this country, skies cleared up in Southern California today, following a massive
winter storm that sparked traffic chaos. Heavy snow and icy conditions forced major highways
north of Los Angeles to close, leaving drivers stranded, including some for hours, as they
headed home after the holiday.
Torrential rains also prompted more road closures. The storm system, now over Arizona, is continuing
to move eastward.
And stocks were mixed on Wall Street today. The Dow Jones industrial average gained nearly
24 points to close at a record close of 28645. The Nasdaq fell more than 15 points, and the
S&P 500 added a fraction of a point, to record its fifth straight week of gains.
Still to come on the "NewsHour": Iran cracks down on protests, as it deepens military ties
with China and Russia; the Indian government shuts down the Internet in response to a controversial
citizenship law; how two life skills programs are helping kids in the Dallas juvenile justice
system; and much more.