On Wednesday, German bank Helaba withdrew from the stress tests to avoid public failure.

BBC: Eight banks fail EU stress test with 16 in danger zone

Ulster Unionist Jo-Anne Dobson said the assessments had been "a total failure" and had caused "considerable stress and disruption for pupils", although this was something the department official denied.

BBC: Education Committee

Failure to adequately invest in energy, transportation, communications, and other infrastructure practically guarantees the failure of critical systems when they are placed under the stress of extreme events.

CNN: America isn't ready for superstorms

Failure to get the new system right would cost money and increase stress for the claimant, she added.

BBC: Welfare Reform Bill

Also on June 9th, the Congressional Oversight Panel published a report that questioned the stress tests' reliance on banks' own data and their failure to capture the full risks in asset classes, particularly commercial property, that are only now going bad.

ECONOMIST: Repaying TARP money