News Wrap: Biden administration formally proposes restrictions to asylum seekers
In the day's other headlines, the Biden administration formally proposed barring asylum seekers at the southern border unless they first asked for asylum in a country they passed through. It's something the Trump administration tried but was blocked in court. The rule is meant to deter border crossings once pandemic-era restrictions finally end. Wall Street had its worst day in two months, as concerns over interest rates and profits worried investors. The Dow Jones industrial average lost nearly 700 points, 2 percent, to close at 33,129. The Nasdaq fell 2.5 percent.
The S&P 500 also gave up 2 percent. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says it's up to Iran to end a deadlock over restoring the 2015 nuclear deal. An agreement could curb Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for lifting sanctions. But in Greece today, Blinken accused Iran of stalling talks while advancing its weapons program. With regard to the nuclear program, the most effective, sustainable way to deal with the challenge it poses is through diplomacy. But in this moment, those efforts are on the back burner because Iran is simply not engaged in a meaningful way. Blinken also cited Iran's decision to supply attack drones to Russia and its violent suppression of pro-democracy protests at home.
Residents from the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria climbed past 47,000 today. That included at least eight people killed in Monday's latest tremor. The quakes over the last two weeks have left ruined landscapes along the border region. Hundreds of thousands of people are now homeless. Back in this country, former Mexican public security chief Genaro GarcÃa Luna was found guilty today of taking huge bribes to shield drug cartels. A federal jury returned that verdict to New York. GarcÃa Luna is the highest-ranking current or former Mexican official ever tried in the United States.
A federal judge in New York has barred victims of the 9-11 attacks from seizing billions of dollars of assets from Afghanistan's central bank. The judge ruled today he would first have to find the country's Taliban rulers are a legitimate government, but he said he has no power to do that. An appeal is expected. In New Orleans, thousands of partygoers packed the streets today for Mardi Gras. The celebrations followed a fatal shooting on a Sunday night parade. But today, the mood was brighter, as colorful costumes and dancing filled the parade route. Some in the crowd dismissed fears of violent crime.
Things like that are going to happen, you know, unfortunately. But I'm trying not to let a couple of bad things, you know, block out such a positive event, you know what I mean? I see a lot of people here with their families, little kids, to grandparents. Mardi Gras marks the end of the Carnival season, which began on January 6. And Democratic Congressman David Sicilini of Rhode Island announced today he is resigning as of June 1. He will become head of the Rhode Island Foundation, the state's largest funder of nonprofit organizations. Sicilini has served in Congress for 12 years. He is on the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs committees and is co-chair of the LGBTQ plus equality caucus.
Still to come on the news hour, the Supreme Court considers rolling back legal immunity for social media companies. A new strain of avian flu sparks concerns over its transmissibility to humans. How a Midwest city's investment in public art mirrors its overall turnaround, plus much more.
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