Asia markets open lower after Ukraine invasion fears prompt Dow plunge
CNN
Asian stocks opened lower on Friday as tensions over a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine continued, hours after US President Joe Biden's statement that an attack could take place "in the next several days" sent the Dow plunging to its worst day of 2022.
Japan's Nikkei Index sank around 1.5% in early trading, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index and the Shanghai Composite Index both dropped more than 0.5% before recovering later in the morning. South Korea's Kospi, too, was down nearly 1%.
The fall followed a terrible Thursday for the Dow Jones (INDU), which plummeted 622 points, or 1.8% — hitting its lowest level so far this year in the process. The S&P 500 (SPX) fell 2.1% Thursday and the Nasdaq (COMP) was down 2.9%. All three indexes are now in the red for the week.
Three-quarters of Americans say they oppose the US attempting to take control of Greenland, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS, indicating that President Donald Trump’s push to expand America’s territory faces stiff headwinds with the public.
As millions of Venezuelans wait to see what will become of their economically and politically ravaged country, a battle has emerged between two female leaders for control over the nation’s future – and for the American president’s favor.
The Trump administration is preparing to use private military contractors to protect oil and energy assets in Venezuela rather than deploying US troops, according to two sources familiar with the plans, setting up a potential boon for security firms with experience in the region and ties to the administration.
Senate Republicans blocked an effort to curb the Trump administration’s military action in Venezuela, a victory for the president who was incensed that some Republicans tried to tie his hands on a key foreign policy.
A federal three-judge panel on Wednesday allowed California to use a new voter-approved US House map that is designed to boost Democrats in the 2026 midterms.
Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, arrives in Washington this week for high-stakes talks with US President Donald Trump on the future of Venezuela following the ouster of Nicolás Maduro. The meeting comes after Trump surprised many by allowing Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, to assume control, dashing opposition hopes for a new democratic era.
A judge decided not to issue a temporary restraining order after Minnesota and the Twin Cities sued federal officials, claiming their immigration enforcement operation involves warrantless arrests and excessive force.
After an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis one week ago, reactions on social media and among politicians and political influencers rapidly polarized.
Most Americans see an immigration officer’s fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Good as an inappropriate use of force, a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS finds. Roughly half view it as a sign of broader issues with the way US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is operating, with less than one-third saying that ICE operations have made cities safer.
The United States is indefinitely suspending immigrant visa processing from 75 countries in another expansion of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.
The US announced the start of the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan on Wednesday as a new committee was formed to run the battered enclave.
Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin said Wednesday that US Attorney Jeanine Pirro wants a formal interview with her following her involvement in a controversial video urging service members and intelligence officials to disobey illegal orders.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump on Thursday, a senior White House official told CNN. CNN’s Stefano Pozzebon reports from Bogota.