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CDC H1N1 News Briefing; Swine Flu Fear Spreading; Republicans Image Reshape Attempt; Cuban-American Restrictions Travel Loosened; Pennsylvania Teens Murder Acquittal

Aired May 02, 2009 - 15:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CENTER: The Grand Old Party wants to be a grand new party. We will look at how Republicans are trying to rebuild their image.

A sharp uptick today in the number of confirmed cases of swine flu. The World Health Organization says it now has counted 658 cases of the h1n1 virus in 16 countries. Here in the United States, there are 160 cases confirmed and 1 death. Scientist says they are working as fast as they can to prepare a vaccine. But they warn it will be four to six months before the first doses are actually available to the public.

Hundreds of workers and guests had been quarantined for a week inside a Hong Kong hotel. A tourist from Mexico checked in before being diagnosed with the h1n1 virus. It is one of two confirmed cases now in Asia. The other is in South Korea.

In Mexico, meantime, where the epidemic is believed to have been started, the situation may be stabilizing. More cases are being confirmed there. But the confirmed death toll remains at 16. Here in the U.S., h1n1 is confirmed in at least 21 states and the governor of Iowa now says federal health officials have confirmed a case in his state that would bring the total to 22. Of the 160 confirmed cases in the U.S., only about one-third are the result of travel to Mexico.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANNE SCHUCHAT, CDC SCIENCE & PUBLIC HEALTH PROG: Important point is the majority of cases don't have direct contact with Mexico. They didn't travel to Mexico. It is much more likely that people are getting this particular infection now from somebody within their own communities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: President Obama is keeping a close eye on the flu outbreak. Today in his weekly address, he explained why his administration is taking the threat so seriously.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE U.S: Over the last week, my administration's taken several precautions to address the challenge posed by the 2009 h1n1 flu virus. Today I would like to take a few minutes to explain why. This is a new strain of the flu virus. Because we have not developed immunity to it, it has more potential to cause us harm. Unlike the various strains of animal flu that was in the past, it's a flu that is spreading from human to human; this creates the potential for a pandemic which is why we are acting quickly and aggressively.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: An increasing number of people are heading to emergency rooms by the way worry that they actually have the hn 1n virus. One New York hospital emergency room is preparing for the possibility that many of these patients will test positive. CNN's Susan Candiotti reports.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On average, St. Vincent's emergency room sees about 170 people daily. These days, some were worried they might have swine flu. At least 50 cases are confirmed in New York. There's some fear out there in the community, are we about to get hit with this? Some of your staff must wonder that, too?

DR. ERIC LEGOME, ST. VINCENT CATHOLIC MEDICAL CENTER: They do. I think if you work in the emergency department long enough, you have you seen everything and you have heard everything. You have been through everything.

CANDIOTTI: If any New York City Hospital is familiar with handling emergencies, St. Vincent's has the only trauma center in downtown Manhattan, it was closest to the World Trade Center attack and last December's miracle plane landing in the Hudson River. But a possible widespread deadly swine flu outbreak?

LEGOME: What we worry about is the patients who are coughing, patients who have anything air sa liesed, get through the air, it can be transmitted to someone who comes in who is not protected. They are also known as duct bills and they look like a duck bill.

CANDIOTTI: And this would prevent anything that I might be emitting. Infecting the health care giver. Suspected flu patients are isolated for examination.

LEGOME: I am going to show you a negative pressure. Essentially, it looks like any other room. You won't see a difference. Looks like any other private hospital. We have oxygen, suction, bags, and masks.

CANDIOTTI: But in a negative pressure room, the air exits through the ceiling. About ten people a day rush to St. Vincent's ER wondering whether they might have swine flu. The hospital says they're rarely tested unless they're part of a cluster or in a high-risk group with severe symptoms. Most of diagnosed with a cold or regular flu. Treatments Tami flu and Relenza are in stock but rarely prescribed.

LEGOME: From a health standpoint, is you want to conserve it, if it does get worse, it will be more severe. If it becomes a wider outbreak, it's available.

CANDIOTTI: In a so-called fast-track room, nurses try to soothe rattled nerves.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): I'm hearing a lot of nervousness, I'm hearing people come in crying, upset about what's going on.

CANDIOTTI: So far, no swine flu cases here.

LEGOME: I have a sense that we are going to see worse than we have now. I don't think the worse will happen and I hope that stays true.

CANDIOTTI: Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: See more on the flu outbreak's global impact and learn how to protect yourself. Check out CNN/healthco.com and be sure to with us next hour as we ask your questions and share your comments about travel and about your kids in school about this h1n1. E-mail us at WEEKENDS@CNN.com and facebook Fredricka Whitfield and myspace and Josh Levs will be here for part of the conversation as well, Josh Levs CNN, also on facebook.

All right. The grand old party wants to be a grand new party or at least the party with the new image. Some Republicans are leaving D.C. and reaching out to voters in a series of town hall meetings called the National Council for a New America. It's an effort to get feed back and find a winning strategy for 2010. The first meeting was today at a pizza place in northern Virginia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ERIC CANTOR, (R) MINORITY WHIP: It is important for us to reengage to partner with the people of this country in not only generating discussion on the issues facing this nation, but to make sure that what happens in Washington is relevant to the challenges that they face each and every day.

MITT ROMNEY, (R) FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We got the opportunity instead to come from the grassroots and to listen to the people, and to look at different options for different strategies by listening to the people of America. And having different voices and different Republicans and different leaders step forward. That's what we are going to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: More meetings like this will happen across the country, a recent CNN poll finds 39 percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of Republicans, 51 percent approve of Democrats.

Conservatives are set for a fight over retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter's replacement. Senior Congressional correspondent Dana Bash looks at the strategy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Within hours of learning of the Supreme Court vacancy, conservative activists ready for battle. Scrambling a conference call for some 60 groups to talk strategy. Their first order of business, making the case there's a real fight to be had.

WENDY LONG, JUDICIAL CONFIRMATION NETWORK: The left and much of the media is going to be saying, oh this doesn't really matter. Obama will just be replacing a liberal with a liberal. We need to push back against that immediately.

BASH: Conservatives have long seen the court as the battlefield for their core issues, from abortion to same-sex marriage and activists hope to use a Democratic nomination to rally the depressed space.

ED WHELAN, ETHICS AND PUBLIC POLICY CENTER: It's a hugely important issue, both substantively and politically. It is one that mobilizes conservatives and that ought to have political relevance.

BASH: Talking points that posing potential Obama picks are already flying around the Internet. But many conservatives say they're worried Republican senators don't have the stomach for the fight because they don't have the votes to win.

WHELAN: There will be a tendency on the part of some Republicans to roll over and play dead, exactly as they did in 1993, when President Clinton nominated Ruth Gator Ginsburg. That would be a real mistake.

BASH: Or in hatch was the Senate judiciary chairman then and is still a key committee Republican. His message to conservative activists back off.

SEN. ORRIN HATCH, (R) JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: If they want a big fight that's ideological, that's not right.

BASH: Hatch said he won't oppose a nominee just because of a difference in political philosophy.

HATCH: We're not going to get any conservatives on the Supreme Court. We're not going to get people who are pro-life on the Supreme Court from Barack Obama. We know that. The question is, are they qualified?

BASH: Hatch told me that President Clinton and his aides consulted closely with him on their two Supreme Court picks and he hopes President Obama will do the same. He hopes his fellow conservatives can fight all they want but he believes the president, any president, has the right to nominate whomever he wants.

Dana Bash, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The culture capital of Pakistan. It comes under siege by pockets of Taliban militants. But the urban elite is rising up against them.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: Two U.S. troops were killed and three more wounded in Iraq today. It happens near Mosul, one of the last remaining strong holds of insurgents. The attacker was killed. He was wearing an Iraqi army uniform but it's not clear whether he was really an Iraqi soldier.

The cultural capital of Pakistan is increasingly becoming a target of Taliban militants. But as CNN Ivan Watson reports, many people of Lahore are ready to fight back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Another angry protest in Pakistan. But this time, the crowd is demonstrating against the Taliban.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): I'm joining this upstanding.

WATSON: And you're scared?

JUGNIU MOHSON, NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER: I will fight them to my last breath and last drop of blood in my body. I'm not scared. I want the army to protect us. That's what they are here for. I want them to free every inch of Pakistan from the Taliban.

WATSON: It's a small rally in Lahore, one that's not very well organized. With these writers and intellectuals say, it's about time somebody stood up to the Taliban's violence and intimidation.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): They're lunatics. They want to change the way we exit.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): And if the Taliban was stable, I would be on the road getting flogged by one of them like they did and I don't want that.

WATSON: Lahore is the culture capital of Pakistan, a city famous for its music, dance, poetry and theater. Arm forms the Taliban has brutally repressed in areas the militant's control. The Lahore is hundreds of miles away from the Taliban's strong hold in the mountains of northwestern Pakistan. Security forces here have adopted a siege mentality, as they extended their reach. A heavily armed escort accompanies police Chief Parvez Rathore, even as he walks just outside the walls of his headquarters. How many people have you lost?

CHIEF PARVEZ RATHORE, LAHORE POLICE: Last year we lost 39 people to terrorism. This year we lost 17 by in the heart.

WATTS: Just in Lahore?

RATHORE: Just in Lahore.

WATSON: In March, militants swarmed a nearby police academy, killing seven cadets. They have also bombed cinemas and theaters in Lahore and ambushed a visiting cricket team from Srilanka. These attacks would not be possible without local support. JAMAL RAHMAN, MUSICIAN: They're here, in Lahore. There are groups of the Taliban just going around and intimidating people, causing fear, telling women to cover up. If they don't, they shoot them.

WATSON: Jamal and his cousin are members of the Lahore-based band called Lahall.

RAHMAN: We want to try to get people aware and active and motivated to fight against militancy.

WATSON: On television and in concert, these politically active musicians have been trying to rally society against the growing threat of the Taliban. Is this the beginning of a mass movement of moderate Pakistanis against the Taliban? Or is it the swan song of a wealthy, urban elite, who could be the first to leave if these suicide bombers and insurgents succeed in further destabilizing this country.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Lahore, Pakistan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: How should the Obama administration respond to what's unfolding in Pakistan? CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen joins us now from Washington. Good to see you, Peter. The focus has been of recent U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Now, they are apparently daily conversations taking places involving the Department of Defense and the White House say we need to start thinking about military reinforcements in Pakistan. How important is it to -- to make sure that Pakistan is safe in order for the entire region and even Afghanistan to be safe?

PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well there's no doubt al Qaeda headquarters in Pakistan, the Taliban headquartered in Pakistan. What happens in Pakistan affects, obviously, Pakistan and the Afghanistan and so later this week, you know President Zardari of Pakistan, President Karzai and President Obama will all be meeting to discuss this very issue, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And how will that conversation play out? I mean, there certainly has to be some cooperation? We know we are talking about a new U.S. administration, a new Pakistan administration. But Karzai has been leader of Afghanistan for quite some time now, over seven years?

BERGEN: Well, as you recall, Fredricka, President Musharraf and President Karzai had a very contentious relationship. Pakistan/Afghanistan relationship I think is going to improve now with the new civilian leadership in Pakistan. But I think as Ivan Watson's piece pointed out, the real sort of prize is here is what Pakistani population think and want. I think, despite all of the bad news we have seen of the Taliban pushing towards the Taliban, there is actually good news.

I think if you look at the religious parties that are pro Taliban in the most recent election in Pakistan, they went from 12 percent of the vote to 2 percent the vote. There's a lively, independent press that didn't exist in Pakistan a few years ago. There's the lawyers' movement, which is very strong Pakistani civilized society that was able to get rid of Musharraf essentially. There are some underlying shifts in Pakistani public opinion. Including, by the way, Pakistani public, their approval of suicide bombing dropped very precipitously. They no longer have favorable views of the Taliban or Osama Bin Laden. So those sorts of things, that is really kind of the key, to get the Pakistani public to change their views.

WHITFIELD: It's interesting. Because the Pakistani government has said wait a minute you know our military is strong. We actually don't really need military help. We can handle this Taliban encroachment. Yet, at the same time, Pakistani is reaching out to the U.S. to say OK let's think about a way in which to discuss moving forward. What would be the options if not militarily, how would the U.S. bring some insurances, help out Pakistan?

BERGEN: Well, Pakistani military has not had a very good track record going after the militants on their own territory. They have a land war with India. They have to deal with insurgency on their own territory. It's a very politically sensitive issue for them to be getting help from the United States with boots on the ground in Pakistani to train our military for a counterinsurgency but that is something that is clearly has already been discussed.

There are already a small number of Americans advisers in Pakistan. There is also going to be people brought to the United States, counterinsurgency training. There's discussion by the administration by a $400 million package to help the Pakistan military with counterinsurgency, doctrine capability. That's the way forward, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Peter Bergen, thank you so much from Washington. Of course in the news week, there will be much more news coming out of the White House meeting with the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Appreciate your time.

BERGEN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: A Mexican immigrant killed in a brutal brawl with teenagers. Was it a hate crime? A jury decides.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: News across the America right now. An Italian woman has died after an explosion inside a hydro barrack chamber at a south Florida clinic. The woman was holding her 4-year-old grandson inside the oxygen chamber as he was under going a medical treatment. Officials say a blast set off a flash fire. The boy and woman were critically injured. The 62-year-old woman died of her injuries today. They are still trying to figure out exactly what caused that blast.

In Washington State, an unusual crash scene right here. The engine gave out on this small plane, and it took a dive into a bunch of portable potties there. The toilets actually cushioned the crash. The pilots walked away with no serious injuries. A surprising development at the Kentucky Derby the horse favored to win tonight's big race will not compete, the 3-year-old colt named I Want Revenge was pulled from the line up. The trainer discovered a hot spot on the ankle and the racetrack is expected to be slick tonight. The horse's owners fear the thoroughbred will simply get hurt. It's not worth the gamble.

In the CNN Severe Weather Center. Apparently, there are some tornado warnings. Is that right?

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): That is right. Fred we watched this really explode in the last couple of hours. The intense thunderstorms, embedded thunderstorms. There's one particular super cell here just to the south of Pine Bluff. And that tornado warning where you see this purple shaded area, not this broader red shaded area, that is where we have the tornado watch. There you can see lots of lightning associated with this. This as I mentioned just in the south of Pine Bluff, in Grant, Jefferson Counties that goes until 3:00 this evening. I want to advance a little bit further towards the east ahead of this system.

And what we've got is another tornado warning. This one over in Mississippi. That tornado warning goes until just about 3:00. And this is it right here. Where you see that purple-shaded area right along the border with Alabama. But some of strong storms are also moving into northern sections of Alabama as well. So as we go through the afternoon, this is the other area we're watching. A tornado watch, which does encompass much of the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. We are starting to see some of these super cells develop here as well.

Right now, no tornado warnings. We have this watch and just to remind people, when there's a watch that means conditions are favorable. When there's a warning that means Doppler Raider indicated or the public has sighted some of the severe weather. But you can start to see some of the lightning events taking place there. So Fred, a lot on our plate today. We will be watching this area as we go into the afternoon. Back to you.

WHITFIELD: Thanks for that warning. Thanks so much.

The brilliant and creative minds of the future are off to a pretty impressive start. Check out what they're doing in the present. CNN's Brooke Baldwin takes us to stay composition with young engineers can really flex their minds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's big, it's blue, and it's the cookie monster. And it's one of hundreds of robots designed and built by high school students.

ISABELLE NGUYEN: Wow. This is amazing. We want to do this. And we came up with the design be to help us out.

BALDWIN: its part of a series of competitions held every year by the Tech Industry-sponsored first organization. These teenagers design a robot from scratch. Everything from the computer-controlled to how to keep it from sliding off the playing surface.

CHRISTINA WETTERSTON, SPACE COOKIES: We also have encoders on our wheel that are spinning. We take the difference between the two speeds so you never spin the wheels too much.

BALDWIN: This year, the object is to put more orbit balls in opposing team's trailers than they put in yours. How they do it and what they do with their limited resources is up to them.

CHRISTINE MATHENEY, SPACE COOKIES: We take balls off the field here and they suck up through the fan and they come up and are held up here. And we store them in the trailer.

BALDWIN: Organizers say the knowledge and experience that comes from this kind of projects is paving the way for the future.

GREG HARPER, FIRST MENTOR: It's a combination of hardware and software. This is what is generating our future engineers. This is the bedrock of our country going further.

BALDWIN: And if space engineers have the way, more females will be part of the future. This team made up of girl scouts and their goal, to inspire woman to pursue science and engineering.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): I have always liked science but never helped anything. I feel like a woman doing this.

BALDWIN: This team didn't win the nationals this year but they did go home with a winning record and lessons from a cookie monster that might lead to a career.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): Before this, I didn't know I wanted to become a mechanical engineer. But now I know that I do want to become a mechanical engineer.

BALDWIN: Brooke Baldwin, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Go girls!

Hundreds of schools shut their doors to prevent the spread of a flu epidemic. Now how students and parents are coping.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Happening right now, more cases of the H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu. The number of confirmed cases is up again today, both here in the United States and around the world. President Obama used his weekly radio and Web address to reassure Americans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA (D), UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: This H1N1 flu had, had its biggest impact in Mexico, where it's claimed a number of lives and infected hundreds more. Thus far, the strain in this dhaupt affected people and at least 19 states, has not been as potent and deadly. We can't know for certain why that is, which is why we are taking necessary precautions in the event does not turn into something worse.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, so now to the numbers, there 658 confirmed H1N1 cases in 16 countries, more half of them in Mexico. The confirmed cases in the U.S. rose to 160 today. And the number of infected states rose from 19 to 21. With Florida and Missouri added to the list, today. Iowa's governor confirmed one case in his state, he's declare aid public emergency statement to prevent it from spreading, however, the CDC did not add Iowa to the list of American states on the list with confirmed cases.

All right, thousand school kids got a break from classes this week. Hundreds of schools closed amid these flu worries. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is offering new guidelines how long schools with confirmed cases should actually be shut down. Our Kate Bolduan explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OBAMA: In anticipation of the flu season...

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Obama administration is trying to stay on top of this ever-changing flu outbreak.

OBAMA: We, for example, are working with the Department of Education to provide clear guidelines for school closures.

BOLDUAN: With another 100 schools closed, Washington is now doubling the recommended time affected schools and day care centers should close their doors.

ARNE DUNCAN, EDUCATION SECY: The CDC recommends you strongly consider closing school for up to 14 days.

BOLDUAN: Education Secretary arne Duncan recommended Friday students' safety is priority one. However, teachers and parents alike need to start planning now to minimize the disruption of the school year as more schools are likely to close.

DUNCAN: Have assignments ready to keep them busy and engaged for up to a week or two, including handouts or books that students can take home so that learninging continues.

BOLDUAN: The Education Department says more than 431 sools are tell procedure prayerly shuts down, 19 states infected, an additional eight states since Thursday, including Rockville High School in Maryland.

DR RAN PHILLIPS, MARYLAND DPTY HEALTH SECY: The goal is here to stop or at least slow down transition in the community.

BOLDUAN: School nurses on the front lines are on high alert, even holding hand washing demonstrations to drive the point home. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can see how the germs have traveled from one person to the next person.

BOLDUAN: One small victory. That message is at least starting to trickle down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you doing to be careful?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm washing my hands, 24/7.

BOLDUAN (on camera): We're also told of five colleges of reported or confirmed cases of H1N1. Schools like Northeastern University in Massachusetts have asked students and faculty to avoid shaking hands during this week's graduation ceremony because of it.

Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And one school in the Chicago area with a single suspected case of swine flu is not closing. School official says they're taking the advice of the county health department and remain open. But they're disinfecting classes and stocking rooms with hand sanitizers everywhere. The parents of about 100 students kept their kids home yesterday, just as a precaution.

Other parents agree with the school's decision to stay open.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably most of the kids won't get it, so I don't see no problems with them saying open at all.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I guess it depends what the parents want to do, too, as far as sending their children to school or letting them stay at home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The district's superintendent says there's been a lot of hype surrounding this flu outbreak. He stood outside the school to talk with concerned parents there in the Chicago area.

All right, see more on the flu outbreak's global impact and learn how to protect yourself. Check out CNNhealth.com and be sure to be with us next hour as we answer your questions about how to stay safe, what are the precautions to take, especially while traveling or perhaps if your kids are going to school? E-mail us your questions at Weekends@cnn.com, we're also on FaceBook, Fredricka Whitfield, CNN. Also, Josh Levs, CNN, as well.

All right, let's check in again with Karen Maginnis in the Severe Weather Center, because we're getting more information on another tornado warn something.

(WEATHER REPORT) WHITFIELD: All right, Karen thanks so much. I appreciate it.

All right, prosecutor called the killing of a Mexican immigrant a hate crime, however, a jury disagreed. Two teenagers were acquitted of murder yesterday in a Pennsylvania courtroom. Instead Brandon Piekarsky and Derrick Donchak were convicted of simple assault of the beating death, last summer, of Luis Ramirez. A spokesperson for the Mexican American Group was upset with the verdict. The defense called the trial difficult."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FREDERICK FANELLI, PIEKARSKY'S ATTY: It was a long process. We've been fighting this case for lots of months. It was highly charged, obviously, by all these cameras. The week of trial was very difficult and we're just delighted that it ended the way it did.

GLADYS LIMON, MEXICAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE: The acts were egregious in nature and I -- it's just outrageous and very difficult to understand how any juror could have had reasonable doubt, especially as to the aggravated assault charge, the recklessly endangering another person charges. It was just an outrage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN's Soledad O'Brien spent some time in this part of Pennsylvania, in the Shenandoah area, covering the story. She's on the phone from New York.

So, prior to the verdict, Soledad, based on conversations there in the area, what was the expectation of what kind of verdict would be rendered?

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): That's kind of the $64,000 question, Fredricka, because can answer it best with, well, depends on how you ask. The town was split by what happened. And our time in Shenandoah was spent looking into a documentary on Latinos in America, because at the heart of this was the conflict between Latinos and whether illegal immigrants crossing the board, coming into Shenandoah or they are Puerto Ricans who come from New York City to move to Shenandoah or they're regular folks who grew up in Shenandoah who have traced their roots back to Poland other Lithuania. Depending who you ask, they would tell what you they were expecting. And it wouldn't even necessarily fall along the lines that you might expect.

Across the board, people were very worried about what would happened in the verdict. And when the verdict -- our crews were there shooting for the documentary, big cheers because the bulk of the people in the courthouse, in fact, were big supporters of the young men acquitted of the more serious charges and also acquitted of the ethnic intimidation charge.

So, it's been an interesting thing to cover over the many months that we have been camped out in Shenandoah. I think you get a sense of microcosm of America, which what happens there, a place where coal left in the '50s and they're struggling with a lot of economic problems, like a lot of cities in the United States.

WHITFIELD: What is the Latino population in the Shenandoah area? Are we talking about one that has really -- OK, it's small, has it grown since...

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Definitely under five percent. I'd say around two percent.

(CROSSTALK)

And there's only 6,000...

WHITFIELD: What about racial tensions as a whole then.

O'BRIEN: You know, it depends who you ask, again. We've talked with -- many people have said to us, listen, I'm Puerto Rican, I'm an American. But when I walk down the street, I get hassled, if I walk down the street with a white girl, people yell, you know, "Spic" at me. You know, racially charged, nasty epithets. Others will say, hey, I moved here because I love this town and that is not true. That there may be one or two bad apples, but you can't define the town of Shenandoah that way.

And so, the question for us has been, where does the truth lie? In the courtroom, there were really no supporters for Luis Ramirez. Now, some of that is, sincere fear, people who really felt like if you're on the other side of the issue, you didn't want to be out in the courtroom. There were, as the prosecutors pointed out, one of the boys who was charged with ethnic intimidation, was seen in a t-shirt that said "Border Patrol," after he had been hit with that charge. And one of his friends, you know, made that picture public.

So, you know, I think that it's fair to say it's very racially charged. I think what's going to be interesting to see is what happens next? There are, you know, there's potential for a federal trial, and so that's what we will be watching next, of course. It's not over now.

There's a young man who's being -- who's facing time in juvenile court, and another inmate has pled out. We don't be exactly what time he's going to get, minimum four years. At the end of the day, the question is not did they attack Luis Ramirez? Yes, they were involved in an attack. But the question was, was it a fight or was it hate crime? And the jury said it was not a hate crime, it was a fight, it was simple assault.

WHITFIELD: They were acquitted of murder, but found guilty on simple assault. Soledad O'Brien joining us from New York, so we look forward to your series "Black in America" which begins this summer in July. But this story that you were covering for your series, "Latinos in America," people can expect that to be launched when?

O'BRIEN: That's going -- we're going to see that October, October 22 and 23.

WHITFIELD: All right, very good. Soledad O'Brien, thanks so much for joining us from New York, today.

All right, he made his living with cocktails, wine and beer, but guess what beverage turned a man into a CNN Hero? Water.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: U.S. military says Taliban mill tanlts staged an attack in Afghanistan overnight. Afghan security forces and coalition troops were on a reconnaissance patrol when they came under fire. They returned fire and called in air support. U.S. officials say 19 militants were killed.

Well, each year millions of people die from drinking dirty water, even though the technology to save them is available and it's rather inexpensive. It week's CNN Hero found the way to get clean water to those in need while working at his own local watering hole.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Heroes.

DOC HENDLEY, WINE TO WATER FOUNDER: Approximately one billion people lack access to clean water. It's cleaning more children in AIDS and malaria combined. And yet, all that can be prevented.

I used the only resource I had, which was tending bar to try to do something about the problem. Through regulars, especially, sit on the same stool, drink the same drink, pay the same tab every day. I felt they really did want to be a part of something, they were waiting for somebody to bring that something to them.

My name is Doc Hendley, I used to be a bartender and now I provide clean water to people in need.

I got on the ground in Darfur to get my field training. The security issue is not a deinterpret to me. I wanted to go where the greatest need was, that's where my heart is. Seeing these people living in conflicts and bullets whizzing by their ears, yet their biggest concern was the huge loss of life because of the unclean water, that's when water changed from my passion to the burden of mine.

Whether we're filtering water or drilling a well, we want to train and educate people already on the ground, enabling locals to fix their own water needs. Doing work like that, you've created ownership. That is going to change lives as well as bringing that clean water.

(BEGIN GRAPHIC)

Since 2004, Doc's organization has brought sustainable clean water to more than 25,000 individuals in five countries.

(END GRAPHIC)

That joy is the only thing that helps lift the burden. You can be just a regular anybody, and you really, really can change the world. I'm walking truth of that. (END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And if you'd like to help, Doc Hendley, or if you know someone who is doing something equally extraordinary, and they deserved to be a CNN Hero, go to CNN.com/heroes. Remember, all of our CNN Heroes are chosen from people you actually nominate, so tell us all about the hero that you've got in mind.

Well, you know how actors audition for a part, right? Well, sometimes they get one shot and that's it. Well. we found a program where the unemployed can actually audition for a job, but they've got several weeks to prove they are the right one for the role.

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WHITFIELD: Three more banks are out of business, Silverton Bank, based in Atlanta, failed yesterday. It's a wholesaler that served hundreds of other banks. The FDIC says this failure will cost about $1.3 billion. Two other banks going under, Citizen's Community Bank in New Jersey, and America West Bank in Utah. The FDIC says customers can still access their money and write checks. Thirty-two banks have failed so far this year.

All right, with new layoffs announced seemingly every week, landing a job is getting tougher no matter what your field. But, one state is offering an incentive to both employers and the jobless and it doesn't cost either a dime.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Among the more than six million Americans out of work -- Marcos Guzman is confidently auditioning for a full time job with the Decatur, Georgia uniform sales company.

MARCOS GUZMAN, JOB AUDITIONING FOR JOB: No jitters whatsoever.

WHITFIELD: Not the case when laid off in January.

GUZMAN: When you first hear it and it's unexpected, you know, it's not a good feeling at all.

WHITFIELD: Guzman took the common next step.

GUZMAN: I went down to the unemployment office and while I was in there, and they were going through the different -- telling you the information about different things there and you apply for your unemployment and all that.

WHITFIELD: He overheard a conversation about the so-called Georgia Works program, an eight-week job audition of sorts with a select group of employers.

GUZMAN: And it sounded interesting because I never heard of a program through the Department of Labor to where they actually put me somewhere, they placed me somewhere. WHITFIELD: This is how it works: The unemployed on audition for two months don't receive a single paycheck from the companies, but still draw unemployment checks from the state.

GUZMAN: It's kind of like a training period; it's kind of to see if you will fit. And if you do, I mean, you'll end up being hired.

WHITFIELD: Finding the right store manager was the primary focus for Rosie Cecil, owner of Domaro Uniform Service. She says the state Labor Department's program relieved her of a lot of stress.

ROSIE CECIL, DOMARO UNIFORM SERVICE: Georgia Works is really good because they will kind of screen through those resumes that they get and they'll submit the ones that they think are pertinent to you and your position.

WHITFIELD: This audition for a job concept is the brainchild of the Georgia Department of Labor commissioner, Michael Thurmond, who started it more than five years ago. But, in the last year, the recession has increased its popularity in state.

MICHAEL THURMOND, GEORGIA LABOR COMMISSION: The prices have deepened and job seekers are feeling more desperate and there is this desire to get a foot in the door anywhere so that I will have an opportunity to interview and to demonstrate my field and abilities.

WHITFIELD: He says eight other states, but won't reveal which ones have called for advice.

THURMOND: Well, it's Michael Thurman, tell me about this job auditioning program you got down there in Georgia. It's different, it's out of the box, but we at a critical time. I don't think that we can afford to do what we've always done, we need new ideas, new strategies, new solutions.

WHITFIELD: The success rate, impressive. The commissioner said 60 percent of the trainees get hired. Still, he understands skeptic points of view.

THURMOND: So, wait a minute now. I can train this person for a job, right, at no cost to me. You pay the unemployment benefit and then at the end of eight week, I can make a decision about whether or not I'm going to hire. They think it's too good to be true, but it's not.

WHITFIELD: Back at the uniform shop, early signs of a good fit.

CECIL: He goes back and looks at some of the historical things that we've done and then he will think about it and project on, you know, perhaps we should consider doing things just a little bit differently and that's working out well.

GUZMAN: And my mind it's taking a business and making it bigger than what it was. You know, everywhere I've gone, I've done that and I'm anxious to do it here.

WHITFIELD: Within days, the small business owner and this recently laid off big corporate loan company employee hoped to meet somewhere in the middle.

CECIL: I'm looking forward to Marcos being with us for quite some time.

WHITFIELD: Helping an enterprise grow while assisting one man get back on his feet.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: The Georgia Works program is only available to people currently collecting benefits in the state of Georgia and they must have at least 14 weeks of benefits left.

All right, let's check in again with our Karen Maginnis because we've got...

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WHITFIELD: Another tornado to warning to tell you about. Karen Maginnis is in the Severe Weather enter - Karen.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Appreciate that, thanks so much, Karen.

All right, happening right now, word from the U.S. military that two troops were kill and three more wounded in Iraq, today. It happened near Mosul. The attacker was killed, he was wearing an Iraqi army uniform, but he may not have been a real Iraqi soldier.

And heads up if you take Hydroxycut to lose weight. The FDA thinks you need to stop, ASAP. Officials say they've gotten reports of liver damage and one possible death that may be linked to the diet supplement.

And the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby later today, won't be running, actually. "I Want Revenge" was yanked from the lineup after its trainer found a hot-spot on its ankle. The track is expected to be slick. The cult's owners didn't want to take a chance on a fall or an injury.

We are spending the next hour on the swine flu. Everything you want to know about the H1N1 virus. There new updates are coming in right now about how many countries worldwide are being affected and how many confirmed cases there may be in the United States. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. And we hope that you have a lot of questions you have been sending our way to Weekends@cnn.com, also to FaceBook, Fredricka Whitfield, CNN, as well as Josh Levs, CNN. We'll get some of your questions answered here in the NEWSROOM.

We've got experts on tap, as well as, we'll be able to directly answer some of your questions.

So, let's talk about how many cases of H1N1 virus are actually known about. It's also known as the swine flu and it is extending its reach, 160 cases have been confirmed in at least 21 states. And the governor of Iowa says federal officials have confirmed a case in his state, as well. That would bring the total to 22 states.

The World Health Organization has just added Costa Rica now to its list of countries with confirmed cases of swine flu. That brings the total to 16. Costa Rica is the first Latin-American country outside Mexico to join the list.