Clem’s Chronicles: Swine Flu/Bank Stress Tests/Bird Strikes

Happy Friday everybody. Have a safe and sunshine-soaked weekend!

SWINE FLU-Need something new to worry about? How about a “deadly strain” of swine flu that’s never been seen before? The strain is currently hammering Mexico-16 confirmed deaths, another 44 suspected and hundreds of people sick-but has made its way north into the US. John McKenzie reporting for WORLD NEWS says that “the swine flu has already infected six people in California and two in Texas. What’s most alarming: none of the patients had any contact with pigs. This swine flu is spreading from person to person.” The CDC says this flu strain combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way researchers have not seen before. In Mexico City, McKenzie reports that “schools were closed today. So too were libraries, museums and other public buildings. On the streets, some have taken to wearing masks…in an effort to slow the spread of this outbreak.” Those affected in this country have all recovered McKenzie notes “thanks to early treatment with common medications”. Symptoms? McKenzie: “Like any other flu-high fever, severe headache and extensive muscle aches” But the fear that this could be the beginning of a global outbreak is not limited to hypochondriacs and alarmists-"We are very, very concerned," World Health Organization spokesman Thomas Abraham said. "We have what appears to be a novel virus and it has spread from human to human … It’s all hands on deck at the moment." McKenzie noted: “we don’t know if this (outbreak) is going to peter out naturally, this is supposed to be the end of the flu season, or whether it intensifies.”

BANK STRESS TESTS-Today was the day regulators explained the stress test system. We didn’t find out which banks were doing well, but the overall system, Betsy Stark noted on WORLD NEWS, was declared “in good health”. Betsy Stark on WORLD NEWS on what the stress tests entailed: “The test-laid out in this 19-page report-involved a rigorous review. Regulators analyzed the banks’ business and consumer loans, including mortgages, credit cards, commercial real estate and industrial loans. They reviewed investment holdings, from stocks to bonds to risky derivatives. What would happen, they wanted to know, to the value of these assets, if the economy worsens?” For those banks that may not be making the grade…Betsy Stark asked bank analyst Seamus McMahon what might occur. McMahon noted “Well officially they said these banks have six months to go find the extra capital they need. I would personally be astonished if the process were allowed to run that long.” So it’s a game of wait and see about individual banks-Stark noted that “the details of which banks will need more help won’t be made public for at least another week. For now, regulators are revealing the results only to the banks themselves.”

IRAQ BLOODSHED:  Things are getting really ugly in and around Baghdad.  Explosives set off by two suicide bombers, ripped through a crowd of worshippers gathered near the holiest Shiite shrine in Baghdad, killing some 60 people and injuring another 125. Martha Raddatz is in Baghdad: “Today’s horrific bombings came within 24 hours of the single deadliest day in Iraq in more than a year…with 80 people killed in two separate bombings – many of them Iranian tourists.  Some here believe that those behind the attacks may be trying to upset the ties between Iraq’s Shiite dominated government and its neighbor Iran. US Deputy Commanding General for Operations, Major General JD Johnson told us tonight this is clearly the work of Al Qaeda.”  The area around the shrine is secured by Iraqi forces.  And Iraq’s president wasted no time in suspending two commanders for failing to adequately protect the area.  As Martha points out: “In Washington and in Baghdad officials have made it quite clear that whatever happens now, the 600,000 Iraq security forces will have to carry a larger responsibility as US forces move out of Iraq’s cities ahead of the June 30th deadline.” (thanks to Ed Bailey for this entry)

BIRD STRIKES-Remember the U.S. Airways flight that miraculously landed safe and sound in the Hudson after a bird strike disabled the plane? Well we found out today just how often those avian mishaps occur. Lisa Stark on WORLD NEWS reported that “the FAA numbers indicate more than 73 thousand reported bird strikes in the U.S. in the last 9 years.” Yikes-which airports fare the worst? Stark: “Airports reporting the highest number of serious strikes-New York’s JFK with 30 incidents and California’s Sacramento International with 28. Both sit near wetlands or fields that attract birds.” Concerned yet? Stark has more: “The numbers don’t tell the whole story, because reporting is voluntary. The government believes only one-fifth of bird strikes are reported. Safety experts have little doubt the problem is much bigger than the numbers show…and growing.” While Stark notes that the majority of strikes don’t result in “near catastrophes”, airports “are trying everything they can, including cannons, bird distress calls even natural predators such as dogs and falcons.”

MYRTLE BEACH WILDFIRE UPDATE- The latest update on the South Carolina Wildfire from Sarah Amos: “Not much changed today – fire is still 50 percent contained. Some highways remained closed but nearly all residents are back in homes. Two shelters still open, but by end of day one will probably close due to lack of people. Fire officials seem to feel like they are prepared to keep things under control over the night.” No injuries have been reported but damage estimates rose to $16 million for the three-day blaze and were expected to increase.      

PENTAGON/ABUSE PHOTOS-The Pentagon announced today that they would release hundreds of photos taken during their investigation into alleged prisoner abuse during the Bush Administration. The release is in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the ACLU in 2004.  On WORLD NEWS, Charles Gibson asked George Stephanopoulos when they would be released. Stephanopoulos: “not for several weeks Charlie. The Administration is hoping to put it off until the end of May when they hope that passions have cooled on this issue.”
                                                                                                    
SUNDAY NEWS SHOWS-Other nets’ skeds courtesy Associated Press:
ABC’s "This Week" – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
CBS’ "Face the Nation" – Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
NBC’s "Meet the Press" – White House press secretary Robert Gibbs; Jordan’s King Abdullah II; Doris Kearns Goodwin, presidential historian.
CNN’s "State of the Union" – Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to President Barack Obama; Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn.; John Podesta, former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton; Ken Duberstein, former chief of staff to President Ronald Reagan; Pete Souza, White House photographer.
"Fox News Sunday" – Lawrence Summers, director of the National Economic Council; Sens. Kit Bond, R-Mo., and Carl Levin, D-Mich.; Maj. Gen. Carla Hawley-Bowland, commanding general of Walter Reed Army Medical Center.