Worries about a slowing world economy took its toll on the markets today: At close, the Dow was down 250.82 points or 2 percent. Standard & Poors was down 2.2 percent and Nasdaq was down 2.4 percent.

That was the worst drop in three weeks and the second worst drop of the year.

The Wall Street Journal reports:

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney addressed Latino elected officials in Orlando on Thursday. After a primary season in which he talked of "self-deportation" among immigrants and vowed to veto the Dream Act, Romney was greeted skeptically. He said his immigration policy would include a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who serve in the U.S. military and green cards for those who earn advanced degrees in the U.S.

In a blow for public sector labor unions, the Supreme Court ruled that non-members — who are required to pay dues in closed shops — do not have to pay special assessments to finance the union's political activities. The Justices said the First Amendment requires an opt-in system.

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison has purchased almost the entire Hawaiian island of Lanai. Melissa Block talks with Mike Wilson, author of a book on Ellison, about the purchase and other eccentric moves by the software magnate.

The massive farm bill cleared the Senate on Thursday, setting up negotiations with the House over changes in a number of programs, including crop insurance and food stamps.

It almost certainly won't solve the European sovereign debt crisis. But the way it's being framed, tomorrow's European Championship quarterfinal is starting to sound like its next chapter: Greece vs. Germany; austerity vs. stimulus; intact eurozone vs. one without Greece.

The Wall Street Journal reports that some have dubbed the game a "debt derby" that pits "the euro zone's most cash-strapped nation against its Teutonic task- and paymaster." The Journal adds:

To hear Florida Sen. Marco Rubio tell it, it's happenstance that his newly published memoir, An American Son, became available just as the speculation about Republican vice presidential possibilities is heating up.

Rubio, a rising Cuban-American star in his party, told NPR's Robert Siegel, co-host of All Things Considered, in a Thursday interview:

On average, it costs $10,615 to send a kid to public school for a year. (That's federal, state and local government spending combined.)

As the map above shows, that one number masks a huge variation. Utah spends just over $6,000 per student; New York and the District of Columbia over $18,000.

There's even more variation when you get to the district level. Detailed figures and lots more data (including district-level spending) are available in a report the Census Bureau released today.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney softened his tough primary-campaign tone on immigration, if not his positions, during a speech Thursday to national Hispanic leaders.

In comments to thousands gathered at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials in Orlando, Fla., the former Massachusetts governor criticized President Obama's failure to take action on comprehensive immigration reform.

Iran's intelligence minister says his country has uncovered a "massive cyber attack" he says was launched by the United States, England and Israel to coincide with nuclear negotiations that happened in Moscow.

Press TV, Iran's official, English-language news outlet, reports that Heidar Moslehi said Iran had "taken necessary measures" to protect itself against the attack.

Moslehi added: