Recent statistics suggest that escalating foreclosures provide criminals the opportunity to exploit and defraud vulnerable homeowners seeking financial guidance. The perpetrators convince homeowners that they can save their homes from foreclosure through deed transfers and the payment of up-front fees. This “foreclosure rescue” often involves a manipulated deed process that results in the preparation of forged deeds. In extreme instances, perpetrators may sell the home or take out a second loan without the homeowners’ knowledge, stripping the property’s equity for personal enrichment.
Documents
European Central Bank
High-Level Target2-Securities Programme Plan
Like all large-scale programmes, the T2S programme consists of a huge number of activities that will have to be conducted in a “flexible order”, involving many different stakeholders and resulting in a series of deliverables that will lead to the successful launch of the T2S system, currently scheduled for Q2 2013.
Multi-National Corps Iraq
Multi-National Force Iraq TF Troy Counter IED Update
CJTF Troy exercises command and control of specialized Joint Counter-IED and CBRNE forces to neutralize the CBRNE/IED threat; conducts weapons technical intelligence collection and exploitation to defeat IED networks.
Honduras, International Monetary Fund
Honduras IMF Staff Report for the 2009 Article IV Consultation
A large external current account deficit, combined with a sharp decline in net capital inflows (due to global and domestic factors) could result in a balance of payments deficit of close to US$300 million in 2009 (11 percent of gross reserves at end-2008). On current policies, reserves could reach critically low levels by 2010–11. The growth slowdown also poses a threat to the financial system.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnership Draft Approval Regualtions
The purpose of this regulation is to establish a procurement, evaluation, selection, negotiation and award process for PPPs that is consistent, transparent, and encourages and supports a climate of private sector innovation and investment in the Commonwealth. In order to carry out the purposes of the Act, this regulation provides guidelines and procedures for, among others: (i) identifying the Functions, Services or Facilities that qualify for establishment or development as PPPs; (ii) soliciting, obtaining and evaluating PPP proposals; (iii) selecting the entities or individuals that will enter into Partnership Contracts with a Partnering Government Entity; and (iv) negotiating and awarding Partnership Contracts.
European Central Bank
Target2-Securities Shareholders Visibility in Cross Border Environment
On 11 March 2009 the T2S Team organised a conference for EU issuers, primarily of equity securities. The aim of the event was for the Eurosystem to clarify the scope of T2S and discuss the project’s impact on issuers and their agents. The most important topic identified in that conference was the need for issuers to be able to identify their shareholders in a cross border environment. It is evident that T2S per se does not create the problem. This is an existing issue where- and whenever cross border transaction activity is present. However, the creation of a single settlement engine for Europe may intensify the issue due to the expected increase in cross border activity associated with T2S and may thus increase the desirability of a harmonised approach.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
ISAF Afghanistan PRT/FSB Locations Map October 2007
Map of ISAF Afghanistan PRT/FSB Locations as of October 2007.
European Central Bank
ISO 20022 Standards and SWIFT
The T2S User Requirements Document (URD) states that “The T2S Interface shall use ISO 20022 as its single standard for all communications, both inbound and outbound”. Therefore messages have to be either ISO20022 registered, or at least compliant with the methodology of ISO200221. SWIFT plays an important role in the registration process of ISO 20022standards and in the development of messages for T2S. Therefore, at its meeting of 9-10 October, the AG agreed that clarification was needed on the relationship between ISO 20022standards and SWIFT2.
Department of Homeland Security
DHS Project Nemo Overview
*The growing number of SPSS vessels indicates that their stealthy characteristics and ability to carry many tons ofcocaine have helped them develop into what now seems to be a major component of the narcotics logistics chain•
* Colombian Navy believes that during the past two to three years, cocaine smuggling SPSS vessels have been arranged mostly by the drug trafficking factions of the FARC, probably in association with organized crime groups also involved in drug trafficking •
**Profit margin:–1 Kg of cocaine is sold in the US for ~$20 to $25,000 USD ($30 to $35,000 USD in Europe)
–7000 Kg of cocaine can be carried in a SPSS –Money earned: 7000 x 25,000 = $175 million USD
–Captain gets paid $20 to $25,000 USD per trip, other crew gets $5 to $6,000 USD per trip; Total crew cost ~$40,000 USD
–$1 to $2 million invested to build and run a SPSS is ~2 to 3% of the whole profit made
Maryland
Reuse of N-95 Respirators Briefing Overview and Summary
1. Current stocks of disposable N-95 respirators will not be sufficient to meet demands within the health care community.
a. Increased number of sick individuals;
b. Decreased stores and available stock-on-hand;
c. Limited production with dependence on international production facilities;
d. Production and delivery may be impacted by staff and employee absenteeism;
e. The pandemic may result in the prolonged requirement for respiratory protection.
European Central Bank
Glossary of Terms Related to Payment, Clearing, and Settlement Systems
Clearing fund – A fund composed of assets contributed by participants in a CCP, or by providers of guarantee arrangements, that may be used to meet the obligations of a defaulting CCP participant and/or in certain circumstances to settle transactions and cover losses and liquidity pressures resulting from such defaults. A Clearing Fund serves as insurance against unusual price movements not covered by the margin calculation in case of a member default. Each Clearing Member typically has to contribute to the Clearing Fund. It may consists of Clearing Members’ directly- deposited capital, or securities or third-party bank guarantees. It is used for securing the counterparty risk not covered by margin deposits.
European Central Bank
Target2-Securities User Requirements Change Management Process
The T2S Advisory Group (AG) agreed on the User Requirements Document (URD) at their meeting on 15 May 2008. The URD was subsequently agreed by the ECB decision-making bodies as the reference for the specification phase: only those requirements described in the URD will correspond to T2S delivered functionalities, unless changes are adopted by the ECB Governing Council.
European Central Bank
Technical Group 3 Analysis of Target2-Securities Dedicated Cash Accounts
During its 28/29 November 2007 meeting, the Advisory Group agreed to add possible functionality in the URD on the prioritisation of multiple T2S dedicated cash accounts. The AG also asked TG3 to analyse the issue in more depth and the 3CB+ to calculate the additional costs of this approach. The AG agreed to review the matter in view of the feedback from the public consultation and the cost and the consequences for the market. Following the AG decision, the prioritisation of multiple T2S dedicated cash accounts functionality was immediately added into the URD by the project team.
European Central Bank
Target2-Securities Economic Impact Analysis Status Report
On 18 December 2007, the ECB published the TARGET2-Securities (T2S) User Requirements Document for public consultation. In parallel, the ECB published a note setting out the proposed methodology for the economic impact analysis (EIA) of T2S. This note proposed two indicators to evaluate the potential benefits of T2S for market participants and the European economy. The first indicator is the average cost per settlement instruction. The aim of this indicator is to focus on a direct comparison between the cost per settlement instruction with T2S and the current market structures without T2S.
European Central Bank
Target2-Securities User-Focused Programme Plan Cover Note
This consolidated programme plan encompasses all Eurosystem activities and is based on the ECB’s internal detailed planning and an extract of the 4CB’s internal planning. As part of the consolidation exercise, the project office of the ECB and of the 4CB tried to minimise the impact of the 7 additional months needed for the validation of the General Functional Specifications, without impacting the scope of T2S, the expected quality of the final delivery, the price or the go-live date. This was achieved through an increased parallelism of activities, in particular in the production of the UDFS and the conduct of the Eurosystem and User Acceptance testing phases.
European Central Bank
Target2-Securities User Requirements Draft Structure
Target2-Securities User Requirements Draft Structure Version 0.1 2 CONFIDENTIAL
U.S. Central Command
CENTCOM Public Affairs Engagement in AOR Media
•(U) Main sites engaged:
–Aljazeera.net
–Alarabiya.net
–Aljazeeratalk.net
–Elaph.com
–Moheet.com
–Iranclubs.org
•Social media
–Arabic Facebook page launched
Arkansas
Arkansas Multiyear Training and Exercise Plan
The purpose of the Multiyear Training and Exercise Plan (TEP) is to provide a follow-on companion document to the Arkansas Homeland Security Strategy. It is a living document that will be updated and refined annually. The Multiyear TEP provides a roadmap for Arkansas to follow in accomplishing the priorities described in the Homeland Security Strategy. Each priority is linked to a corresponding National Priority, and, if applicable, an Improvement Plan (IP) action. The priority is further linked to the associated target capabilities that would facilitate accomplishment of the priority and the training and exercises that will help the jurisdiction obtain those capabilities and achieve that priority. Included in the Multiyear TEP is the training and exercise schedule, which provides graphic illustration of the proposed activities, scheduled for the years 2007-2011.
Department of Defense
DoD Energy Security for Enduring Operations
•Net Zero Plus JCTD
•Hawaii Housing Demo
•Iraq Home Power Demo
•Solar Powered Security Lights
•Joint Security Station Power (Aztec Survey)
•Defense Energy Fund
•Kuwait Crossing Tactical Hybrid Power Demo Futures
U.S. Army
U.S. Army RDECOM Environmental Acquisition and Logistics Sustainment Program
ESO Resource Management
* New Statement of Work for FY10 MIPRs
* FY10 funds are provided for program management, to include serving as the central point of contact to coordinate all environmental acquisition and logistics sustainment issues for [your command], participating on the EQT P2TT, coordinating bi-annual AERTA reviews, participating in technology project development and technology management plan reviews, providing direct support and coordination with supported PEOs/PMs, serving on environmental management teams and participating in programmatic and management review meetings as required by the Director, ESO and the Director, EALSP.
* FY10 funding levels similar to FY09
* CRA funding (~15%) has been distributed
* This is all we could get at RDECOM
* FY09 funding status
U.S. Navy
Team Submarine Technology Insertion Hardware Full and Open Competition
• TI Hardware is a new competitive procurement
– It is notan extension of the legacy AN/UYQ-70 program
• TI Hardware will provide the latest generation of display, processor and network units to Team Submarine systems
– Host for the TI-12 and TI-14 Technology Insertions
• Anticipated components include
– Computer processing and memory
– Data storage and extraction
– Input/Output (I/O) interfaces to support the processing system designed around commercially available hardware and software
• Procurements may include
– Upgrade kits, enclosures and / or full up systems for Seawolf, SSGN, 688/688i, VIRGINIA Class, COLLINS Class and future submarine systems/platforms
European Central Bank
Communication on Clearing and Settlement – The Eurosystem’s Response
The Eurosystem strongly supports the Commission’s objective of creating a safe, efficient and integrated EU clearing and settlement infrastructure. In principle, the Communication identifies the key issues that need to be addressed in the field of clearing and settlement in order to enhance integration and reduce systemic risk. The present infrastructure for securities clearing and settlement transactions in the EU remains insufficiently harmonised, highly fragmented and inefficient for cross-border activities. Although some consolidation has been achieved, there remain a very large number of service providers with limited competition between each other.
Department of Defense
Commercial SATCOM Protection Performance Criteria
DoD Commercial SATCOM Study
• Conducted from March 2004-March 2005, under sponsorship of:
– Undersecretary of the Air Force/DoD Executive Agent for Space
– Commander, U.S. Strategic Command
– Assistant Secretary of Defense (Networks & Information Integration)
• Deliverables
– ASD(NII) –Revised DoD Commercial SATCOM Fixed Satellite Services policy
– NSSO and USSTRATCOM
United Kingdom
Climatic Research Unit Documents: European climate policy adaptation and mitigation strategies
Climate change presents a new set of challenges for the development of public policy. This is because the time-scales involved between policy implementation and desired outcome are much longer than in other policy areas; because many areas of policy planning need simultaneously to be addressed, therefore placing a greater demand on the integration of policy across different realms; and because the truly global nature of the problem requires national or regional policies to be designed within some framework of global strategy.
United Kingdom
Climatic Research Unit Emails: “even if we have to redefine what the peer-review literature is!”
The jumps when the data input change stand out so clearly. NCEP does many odd things also around sea ice and over snow and ice. The other paper by MM is just garbage – as you knew. De Freitas again. Pielke is also losing all credibility as well by replying to the mad Finn as well – frequently as I see it. I can’t see either of these papers being in the next IPCC report. Kevin and I will keep them out somehow – even if we have to redefine what the peer-review literature is !