Hot Docs: Economic Crisis Spreading 'Throughout the Globe,' Swing States Poll, and More

A Warning From Abroad on the Financial Crisis: The current financial crisis is the worst since the Great Depression and is spreading "throughout the globe," warns Angel Guriaa, head of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In remarks to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the OECD head notes that banks in Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany have already been rescued and that "we might have to start thinking of a systemic plan for Europe if things don't improve on the other side of the Atlantic."

Swing States Poll: Barack Obama appears to be consolidating a lead over John McCain in the key swing states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan. A majority of poll respondents in each state say they favor the Democratic candidate. In Pennsylvania, the Quinnipiac University poll shows Obama with a lead of as much as 15 percentage points. Quinnipiac pollsters interviewed likely voters in the three states before and after last week's debate between Obama and McCain. Quinnipiac's Peter Brown observes that "McCain has his work cut out for him if he is to win the presidency, and there does not appear to be a role model for such a comeback in the last half-century." Quinnipiac points out that "no one has been elected president since 1960 without taking two of these three largest swing states in the Electoral College."

Voting Rights for Felons: Since 1997, 19 states have eased restrictions on the voting rights of those who have been convicted of felonies, according to a new study by the Sentencing Project. The study found that nine states amended or repealed laws that imposed lifetime voting bans, and five states made it easier for felons to have their voting rights restored after serving their sentences. Overall, the changes in state laws have restored voting rights for at least 760,000 people, the Sentencing Project says. The Sentencing Project is a nonprofit group working to reform sentencing laws and promote alternatives to prison.

Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan and Iraq: Staffing for the U.S.-led teams in Afghanistan and Iraq has increased in the last year. A Government Accountability Office report reviews the units that are in place to aid the two troubled countries. The PRTs are temporary civilian and military units that help the countries in a variety of areas, including healthcare. In August 2008, the United States led 90 percent of the 31 PRTs in Iraq and 12 of the 26 PRTs in Afghanistan.