sensitive equipment and illegal immigration in the center of arizona history. you re in the situation room. captions by vitac www.vitac.com we begin with the breaking news. political and financial chaos within the european union, sending fresh shock waves through wall street and world financial markets. stocks plunging in new york today on all three indices with the dow tumbling about 400 points amid a growing debt crisis in italy. and the third largest in europe. let s bring in our own financial expert, cnn s erin burnett, the host of erin burnett outfront. the markets taking a major tumble today because of what s happening in italy, is that right? that really is the reason why. europe continuing to not dealing with its problems. right around 388 points to the downside as the final trades come in. what s happening in europe is causing all kinds of problems. general motors came out and said we can t even put out forecasts for what we re going to do in europe and as
but just in right now, new poll numbers painting a very telling picture of the race for the republican presidential nomination. we can now report that mitt romney is the candidate to beat in at least two of the crucial first four voting contests of the 2012 election with herman cain a sometimes close, sometimes distant second. our new cnn time orc poll of republican voters just released shows romney on top in iowa s january 3rd caucuses, leading herman cain by three points, but that s well within the sampling error of plus or mines. in new hampshire, romney has a lead over cain. in south carolina, a two-point edge for romney, again, within the margin of error. in florida, it s romney 30% to cain s 18%. before the polls came out, romney made it clear he s setting his sights very high. i think the greatest threat to my success would be president obama and i m planning on beating him soon. let s talk about these new poll numbers with our chief political correspondent, the
streets to longer about reforming the regime but removing it. arwa damon, cnn, beirut. we to want take a look at what newspapers around the world are saying about what is happening in syria. the international herald tribune headline, as bullets fly, syria gropes for answers. goes on to say, while syria lacks egypt s population or even libya s wealth its influence has long outstripped it s power, given its location, alliance with iran and status as kingmaker here in lebanon. in the uae the national has headline damascus moves to abolish hated law. toughening government rhetoric about demonstrations has alarmed some observers who caution the country who may now see new preregs of dissent. here the independent has commentary can president assad do what it takes to cleanse his corrupt regime? the problem lies in that syria remains a dictatorship and assad
our complete freedom. we have no choice anymore. we cannot go back sit back anymore. it s impossible for now. after all the sacrifices. there s no way. we know that in the future, if we don t get our complete freedom, we will get nothing. reporter: since 1963 syria has been in a state of emergency. a law that basically trumps constitutional freedoms, giving syrian authorities cover to carry out arbitrary detentions. now, nearly five decades later, the law is to be lifted. one of the reforms promised by president assad in an attempt to appease the demonstrators but people would still need permission to hold demonstrations. the regime continues to offer both, carrot and stick, but this analyst said assad remains in
people died. cnn s arwa damon has more. reporter: late monday evening several thousand people gather in the main square of homs, syria s third largest city, calling for the downfall of the regime. a few hours later, scenes of chaos. the sound of gunfire crackles through the fight. a wounded man is carried away from the square. one witness we spoke to says four people were killed. and accuses security forces of using lethal force to break up the citizens at clock square. cnn could not verify the authenticity of this video but one of several uploaded early tuesday. the clock tower in homs is clearly visible. the opposition says it s aggress gregs like this by syrian forces that s only hardening them against this regime. by phone we reached activist in damascus.