5/4 Roundup: Shaky Pakistan, The End of the End, First Fourteen Mondays

Leader: Shaky Pakistan

- An increasingly unstable situation in Pakistan has led senior officials within the Obama Administration to raise concerns about the security of the state's nuclear arsenal.  While the government appears to be stable in the short term, the longer term outlook is very hazy.  Particularly in the mountainous regions near the border with Afghanistan, the central government is losing control.

- The NY Times reports from the Punjab-- Pakistan's most populous region-- finding that even in this area, where the government is relatively strong, parents are increasingly turning to Islamic schools to educate their children. Due largely to long-term economic stagnation, the public school system is in shambles, many of these madrasas, however, have a record of fueling the militancy and turning out future suicide bombers.

- The Hill reports that the Pakistani government is seeking the buy American-made helicopters to aid in its campaign against the militancy.

Politics

- Sen. Max Baucus is considering dropping a bill that would permit greater agricultural exports to Cuba.  This could set up a struggle among Democrats in the Senate, who are divided on Cuba.

- The New York Times Corp will shut down the Boston Globe, possibly within weeks, leaving New England without it's major daily.  To date, most papers that have folded were the second or third papers in their market. That was the beginning of the end, now we're on to the end of the end.

Economy

- The results from the Administration's stress tests of the nation's biggest banks will be released this week, and the NY Times' David Leonhardt reports that the results of these tests may be more reassuring than many have expected.

- Paul Krugman writes on the pernicious syndrome of falling wages, which are not just a symptom of a sick economy, but will perpetuate the recession.

International

- WHO officials are hopeful that the H1/N1 Swine flu might be on the wane, and a Northwestern computer model projects only about 2,000 to 2,500 cases in the U.S. over the next four weeks.  Still, viruses have the capability to mutate quickly, and global health organizations will not let down their guard just yet.

- Israeli President Shimon Peres will arrive in Washington today, and will meet with President Obama this week, but he's not really interested in talking about the possibility of a Palestinian state.  Rather, Iran will top his agenda.

New From NDN

- Simon responded yesterday to a NY Times article about the changing racial construct in America.

- Jake's economic backgrounder on Friday rounded up all our recent work on the American auto industry, particularly since the Chrysler bankruptcy last week.

One More Thing

- Last, Stephen Colbert talks with Jonathan Alter about Obama's first fourteen Mondays: