*I am starting a News Week Thread here due to It being a History thread. And that news is history. I will be looking for people from around the world to help... so if you live in another country let me know! If you are in the US and want to help out! Let me know! NEWS ANCHORS! PLEASE!*


News Announcer Dude:Welcome to, Twilight Academy News! Brought to you by your History Department! With, Alu Rathbone.

Alu:Good evening and welcome to the Twilight Academy Daily News Thread. And here is today Top Story

Today the world governments are racing to stop both a pandemic and global hysteria as more possible Swine Flue cases have been reported from Mexico, Canada, New Zealand and at least five U.S. states.

Mexico, Canada, New Zealand and the U.S. have all declared a Public Health Emergency.

But the White House has said "It's not time to panic."

Late Sunday Mexico's health secretary raised the countries death toll to 103 and the number of infected to 1600.

Mexico, the outbreaks epicenter, has canceled some church services. closed markets, restaurants and movie theaters. A variety show placed cut outs in the empty seats of the audience.

Canada has confirmed six cases, which includes some students, like those in New York, got mildly ill in Mexico.

Countries around Asia have promised to quarantine feverish travelers returning from Flu infected areas.

The U.S. declared the health emergency so it could ship roughly 12 million doses of flu-fighting medications from a federal stockpile to states in case they eventually need them — although, with 20 confirmed cases of people recovering easily, they don't appear to for now.

Make no mistake: There is not a global pandemic — at least not yet. It's not clear how many people truly have this particular strain, or why all countries but Mexico are seeing mild disease. Nor is it clear if the new virus spreads easily, one milestone that distinguishes a bad flu from a global crisis. But waiting to take protective steps until after a pandemic is declared would be too late.

"We do think this will continue to spread but we are taking aggressive actions to minimize the impact on people's health," said Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

President Barack Obama's administration sought to look both calm and in command, striking a balance between informing Americans without panicking them. Obama himself was playing golf while U.S. officials used a White House news conference to compare the emergency declaration with preparing for an approaching hurricane.

"We're preparing in an environment where we really don't know ultimately what the size or seriousness of this outbreak is going to be," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told reporters.

Earlier, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the outbreak was serious, but that the public should know "it's not a time to panic." He told NBC's "Meet the Press" that Obama was getting updates "every few hours."

In Mexico, soldiers handed out 6 million surgical-style masks to deal with the deadly flu strain. Special laboratory tests to confirm how many died from it — 22 have been confirmed so far out of 103 suspected deaths — are taking time.

The World Bank said it would send Mexico $25 million in loans for immediate aid and $180 million in long-term assistance to address the outbreak, along with advice on how other nations have dealt with similar crises.

A potential pandemic virus is defined, among other things, as a novel strain that's not easily treated. This new strain can be treated with Tamiflu and Relenza, but not two older flu drugs. Also, the WHO wants to know if it's easily spread from one person to a second who then spreads it again — something U.S. officials suspect and are investigating.

"Right now we have cases occurring in a couple of different countries and in multiple locations, but we also know that in the modern world that cases can simply move around from single locations and not really become established," cautioned WHO flu chief Dr. Keiji Fukuda.

There is no vaccine against swine flu, but the CDC has taken the initial step necessary for producing one — creating a seed stock of the virus — should authorities decide that's necessary. Last winter's flu shot offers no cross-protection to the new virus, although it's possible that older people exposed to various Type A flu strains in the past may have some immunity, CDC officials said Sunday.

Worldwide, attention focused sharply on travelers.

"It was acquired in Mexico, brought home and spread," Nova Scotia's chief public health officer, Dr. Robert Strang, said of Canada's first four confirmed cases, in student travelers.

New Zealand said 10 students who took a school trip to Mexico probably had swine flu, and on Monday it said three students in a second group just back from Mexico probably have it as well. Spanish authorities had seven suspected cases under observation. In Brazil, a hospital said a patient who arrived from Mexico was hospitalized with some swine flu symptoms. A New York City school where eight cases are confirmed will be closed Monday and Tuesday, and 14 schools in Texas, including a high school where two cases were confirmed, will be closed for at least the next week.

China, Russia, Taiwan and Bolivia began planning to quarantine travelers arriving from flu-affected areas if they have symptoms. Italy, Poland and Venezuela advised citizens to postpone travel to affected parts of Mexico and the U.S.

Multiple airlines, including American, United, Continental, US Airways, Mexicana and Air Canada, are waiving their usual penalties for changing reservations for anyone traveling to, from or through Mexico, but have not canceled flights.

Officials along the U.S.-Mexico border were asking health care providers to take respiratory samples from patients who appear to have the flu. Travelers were being asked if they visited flu-stricken areas.

The U.S. hasn't advised against travel to Mexico but does urge precautions such as frequent hand-washing while there, and has begun questioning arriving travelers about flu symptoms.

For more information about the Swine Flu you can visit [url]www.webmd.com[/url or you can listen to this podcast made by Dr. Joe Bresee of the CDC. http://www2a.cdc.gov/podcasts/player.asp?f=11226

Symptoms: The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

These may very due to the difference of this flu.

Please keep your hands washed at all times and if you are sick please stay home!


And in other news, there is no other news. It seems the Swine Flu is a major factor. Now, here is Jackson with the Weather... Jackson?

Jackson:Well, Alu, the weather is very sporadic, I can't exactly *sees death glare from Alu* okay, lets see what we have here... Lets start here in Chicago... today shall be uh huh... Ocassional showers and thunderstorms, high around 72 degrees, with a low around 50. Wind gusts could reach about 30 miles an hour. Alu I'm not doing anywhere else for now.


Alu:Whatever... I'll do the weather starting tomorrow.

Thank you everyone and please help me out with world news! Thank you!

Please rate my reporting! Thanks!

10/10 wonderful! Though I think you should make it a bit shorter so that more people will read it. And I really want to help out. I will be back in Australia in 8 days and I want to be part of the international news team. On location reporter or what not.

Wonderful! Thank you!!! Just let me know when you are available (after you get back) and then let me know what you will be reporting before hand! thanks!

There is currently no news worth reproting... but when I find something I will report it! thank ou