The latest news on the Economy, Tuition Costs, Lead Emissions, Latino Poll, Climate Change, Canada, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Zimbabwe, Africa, and Select Op-eds.

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Economy. Dow Gains 401 Points in Day of Wild Swings "The Dow Jones industrial average, which had swung wildly throughout the day, mounted its recovery on shares of energy companies and consumer favorites like McDonald's. The index finished up 401.35 points at 8,979.26, but not before lurching more than 800 points up and down the chart." Stocks rally as oil prices drop below $70 a barrel "Another day, another 800-point swing in the Dow Jones industrial average. At least on Thursday, the arrows were pointing in the right direction as queasy investors finished yet another day riding the stock market." Falling oil prices give consumers a break "The betting money is that oil still has much further to fall, perhaps as low as $50 a barrel before the end of the year. Economists say that would give beleaguered U.S. consumers the rough equivalent of a new economic stimulus package, dragging retail gasoline prices back down as low as $2.20 a gallon nationally." Sarkozy Calls for Revamping of Capitalist System "European leaders urged that a pending international summit carry out an urgent overhaul of the world's financial architecture and impose new controls on freewheeling bankers and traders."

Tuition costs. In Downturn, Families Strain to Pay Tuition "With the unemployment rate rising and a recession mentality gripping the country, more families are applying for federal aid for students attending college."

Lead emissions. After 30 years, EPA toughens lead-emissions standard "The amount of lead that can be emitted into the air in the U.S. will be dramatically reduced under a new rule the Environmental Protection Agency announced to protect the health of millions of Americans - especially children." E.P.A. Toughens Standard on Lead Emissions; Change Is the First in 3 Decades "The Environmental Protection Agency set stringent new standards for airborne lead particles, following the recommendations of its science advisers and cutting the maximum allowable concentrations to a tenth of the previous standard."

Latino poll. Protestant Latinos favor Obama, poll says "Protestant Latinos, a growing group of voters who were key supporters of President Bush in 2004, have shifted their backing to Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, driven in large part by anger toward Republican immigration policies, according to a poll released Thursday."

Climate change. Report: Arctic temperatures at record highs, sea ice shrinking, reindeer declining "Autumn temperatures in the Arctic are at record levels, the Arctic Ocean is getting warmer and less salty as sea ice melts, and reindeer herds appear to be declining." Scientists: Next president needs to act on climate change "On the big picture, Barack Obama and John McCain agree -- with a shared sense of urgency -- that the U.S. can't keep pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere unchecked, because their accumulation threatens to bring rising seas, mass extinction of plants and animals, and more hunger, disease, and natural disasters." Britain moves to boost greenhouse gas targets "Britain's target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the middle of the century is to be raised from 60 to 80 percent." European states plead poverty as credit crisis threatens 'son of Kyoto' agreement "Sharp divisions over whether or not the EU's flagship goal to cut carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020 can be afforded in a downturn forced the Brussels summit to put off a decision on a route map for achieving it."

Canada. Grim forecasts pile pressure on Ottawa "Pressure on Ottawa to restore confidence in shattered financial markets mounted Thursday with calls for the government to move 'quickly' to guarantee borrowing, and for the Bank of Canada to undertake another round of deep rate cuts." Key Liberals send out feelers for Dion's job "Envoys for at least half a dozen prominent Liberals have begun making exploratory forays for cash and support for leadership bids as Stéphane Dion's tenure as head of the federal party slips closer to history's dustbin."

Afghanistan. Afghan Officials Say Airstrike Killed Civilians "A NATO airstrike on Thursday on a village near the embattled provincial capital of Lashkar Gah killed 25 to 30 civilians, Afghan officials in the area said."

Pakistan. Pakistani politicians divided over terror "A deep rift over anti-terror policy has opened up within Pakistan's political class, as extremist violence and an economic crisis push the country to the verge of collapse." U.S. Missile Strike Targeting Taliban Leader Kills 6, Pakistan Says "A suspected U.S. missile strike near the headquarters of a top Taliban leader in Pakistan's tribal areas killed six people and injured five others, according to Pakistani intelligence officials and residents."

Iraq. U.S. pushes for Iraq security deal "U.S. defense chief Robert Gates is seeking support from politicians on a draft deal to extend the U.S. mandate in Iraq, which expires later this year. Details have not been released, but officials say it could see U.S. troops withdraw from Iraq by the end of 2011." Gates, Rice Brief Lawmakers On Draft Accord With Iraq "Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice briefed senior lawmakers yesterday on a draft agreement that covers U.S. forces in Iraq, as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki prepared to submit the document to its first political test in Baghdad."

Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe talks remain deadlocked "Power-sharing talks in Zimbabwe between Robert Mugabe, the president, and Morgan Tsvangirai, his rival the prime minister designate, have again become deadlocked over control of the country's ministries."

Africa. THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Who is best for Africa? (allAfrica.com)Africa: Obama's Three Objectives for Continent "Barack Obama understands Africa, and understands its importance to the United States. Today, in this new century, he understands that to strengthen our common security, we must invest in our common humanity and, in this way, restore American leadership in the world."Africa: McCain's Vision for Freedom, Peace, and Prosperity "While the many challenges faced by Africa - political instability and violent conflict, economic stagnation and poverty, disease and malnutrition - are well-known, Senator McCain has long believed that the continent also holds incredible promise."

Commentary. Religion in Africa: 'The church fills the gap when states fail the poor' (Matthew Frost, Tearfund, Guardian) "It's here -- at the epicenter of food security, famine or flood disasters, at the heart of the Aids pandemic -- that the church is having the greatest impact. It is here that the church offers the greatest potential in helping to scale up wider efforts for poverty reduction." Out of the Ashes (Gordon Brown, Washington Post) "This is a defining moment for the world economy. We are living through the first financial crisis of this new global age. And the decisions we make will affect us over not just the next few weeks but for years to come."