F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

The administration’s proposed FY2010 defense budget requests about $10.4 billion in research and development and procurement funding for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The proposed FY2010 budget would fund the procurement of 10 F-35As for the Air Force, 16 F-35Bs for the Marine Corps, and four F-35Cs for the Navy. The administration’s proposed FY2010 defense budget also proposes to terminate the F-35 alternate engine program, which is intended to develop the General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 engine as an alternative to the Pratt and Whitney F135 engine that currently powers the F-35.

Eritrean Post-Crisis Rural Recovery and Development Programme

In the light of the threatening global food crisis, and soaring food prices, the Government of Eritrea (GOE) requested IFAD to expand the on-going Post-Crisis Rural Recovery and Development Programme (PCRRDP) noting the good implementation capacity, and the good agricultural potentials of both districts, the poverty and food insecurity in the two regions and nationally. An IFAD mission which visited the country in February 2008 examined the government request and came to a conclusion that capacity exists to implement additional agricultural initiatives which will further contribute to the food security in the region and nationally. A draft proposal was submitted to IFAD in May 2008.

Weather Info for All Initiative 2008-2012

Reliable weather information allows farmers to maximize their productivity and governments to implement preventative disaster management and effective public health measures. However, many of the world’s poorest people have no access to this basic, most valuable tool. An estimated 700 million poor people in rural Africa alone are negatively affected by this missed opportunity. This is especially worrisome given recent changes in weather patterns, due to climate change, which are compounding the problem by making traditional farming practices and indigenous knowledge obsolete, and increasing the frequency and intensity of severe weather.

Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud (الوليد بن طلال بن عبد العزيز آل سعود) was born was born in 1955 in Riyadh. He is the grandson of King Abdulaziz Alsaud, founder and first ruler of Saudi Arabia, and Riad El Solh, an iconic statesman in Lebanon’s drive for independence and its first Prime Minister. He graduated magna cum laude in 1979 from Menlo College, California with a B. Sc. in Business Administration. In 1985, he received a M.A. in Social Science from Syracuse University. According to his CV, the Prince began building his investment portfolio in 1979, when he returned to Saudi Arabia after earning his Bachelor’s degree in the US.

DHS Influenza A(H1N1) National Integrated Report

• As of 16 October, the number of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) deaths in the U.S. was 537 this week compared to 405 deaths reported last week. (Source: HHS/CDC)
• As of 16 October, the most significant impacts of A(H1N1) remain increased ILI outpatient visits and influenza associated pediatric deaths. (Source: HHS/CDC)
• CDC provided updated interim guidance on the use of face masks and N95 respirators for decreasing exposure to A(H1N1). (Source: HHS/CDC)

New Mexico DHS H1N1 Local Emergency Manager Brief

So far this year, there have been nine deaths related to H1N1 influenza in the state. The other H1N1-related deaths are as follows: A 45-year-old female from Sierra County with end stage liver disease, a 52-year-old female from Bernalillo County with chronic pulmonary disease, a 48-year-old female from McKinley County with asthma and diabetes, a 21-year-old female from Los Alamos County without chronic medical conditions, a 58-year-old male from Bernalillo County with chronic conditions that put him at risk for serious complications from the flu, a 28-year-old male from Lea County died Sept. 23 after being hospitalized in El Paso, Texas.

Restricted African Union Ceasefire Violation Report: Janjaweed in Taisha and Niteaga

1. SLA\JEM lodged a complaint on the 03 Nov 04 alleging that Janjaweed militia had gathered in the area of Taisha and Nitega with the intention of launching attacks on the rebel held areas of Labado and Muhageria They also alleged that the Janjaweed militia had attacked the villages of Oum and Ehcta. burning them down and killing a number of civilians.

2. Team C was tasked to investigate the allegations.

Army Simulation and Training PEOSTRI Overview

Medical Simulation Training Center (MSTC) Systems are an Army training asset, with a regional training requirement, located at Installations, delivering effective medical training with a standardized training platform for both classroom and simulated battlefield conditions, to better prepare Soldiers for application of medical interventions under combat conditions.

Restricted African Union Report: Situation in Darfur, Emergency Meeting in Abuja, Nigeria

Since the last meeting on the 25 November 2004, Darfur region has continued to witness occasional ceasefire violation by the parties and state of insecurity by the Armed militia. The main cause of these violations centered on issues associated with looting of livestock, creation of road blocks, movement and build up of troops and the resolve of all the parties including the Armed militias to adopt a retaliatory posture to any action taken by the other. These developments have left the region with serious insecurity implications in the last two weeks.

Barclays U.S. Federal Support for Credit Markets Brief

TALF – Overview
Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF)
* Announced November 25, 2008
* The government’s objective is to lend up to $1 trillion to revive the Asset Backed Securities (ABS) market and consumer lending
* On March 3rd, the Federal Reserve announced it is prepared to expand eligible collateral to include newly issued AAA CMBS collateral (“TALF 2.0”)
* On March 23rd, further expansion plans announced, to include “legacy” AAA-rated RMBS / CMBS as eligible collateral (“TALF 3.0”)
* TALF was officially launched on March 17th
* TALF will stop lending on December 31st, 2009

Deutsche Bank Update on U.S. Government Initiatives

Approximately $3.3 trillion of the $10.7 trillion in U.S. Government programs have already been utilized.Most of these initiatives have been part of an effort to deploy unorthodox policy tools to keep credit flowing in the economy. However, the fundamental issue of “toxic bank assets” remains largely unaddressed by most of the U.S. Government programs to date.

Colorado State Patrol 2008-2009 Strategic Plan

• Enforce all the laws of the State of Colorado.
• Direct, control and regulate motor vehicle traffic on public roadways.
• Inspect vehicles for safety-related equipment violations.
• Provide community education and administer safety programs to the public.
• Perform criminal interdiction on Colorado highways, focusing on the transport of illegal drugs.
• Assist in state homeland security efforts.

Joint Operation Planning and Execution System Vol. 1

This publication sets forth planning policies and procedures to govern the joint activities and performance of the Armed Forces of the United States. It provides military guidance for the exercise of authority by combatant commanders and other joint force commanders and prescribes doctrine and selected joint tactics, techniques, and procedures for joint operations and training. It provides military guidance for use by the Armed Forces in preparing their appropriate plans.

Joint Operation Planning and Execution System Vol. 2

This manual sets forth administrative instructions and formats to govern the development of joint operation plans submitted for review to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (hereafter referred to as “Chairman”). Unless otherwise indicated, the formats and procedures in this document are mandatory for the Joint Staff, all combatant commands, Services, and combat support agencies responsive to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

German Bundeswehrplan 2010

Oas Weißbuch 2006 und die Konzeption der Bundeswehr (KdB, 09.08.2004) bilden unverandert die Grundlage für die Bundeswehrplanung. Um auch künftig ihre Aufgaben in einem breiten Spektrum erfolgreich wahrzunehmen, braucht die Bundeswehr zeitgemaf!, e und zukunftsorientierte Fahigkeiten, reprasentiert durch gut ausgebildetes und motiviertes Personal, wirtschaftliche Verfahren sowie belastbare Strukturen. Oer Bundeswehrplan zielt dabei auf einen ausgewogenen Fahigkeitsaufwuchs im gesamten Fahigkeitsspektrum für die Eingreif-, Stabilisierungs- und UnterstOtzungskrafte im Zuge des streitkraftegemeinsamen Ansatzes der Transformation der Bundeswehr.

German Bundeswehrplan 2009

Der jährliche Bundeswehrplan (BwPlan) legt die ressortinterne Grundlage für die weiteren Schritte zur Haushaltsaufstellung. Der Bedarf in den Kategorien Versorgung, Personal, Organisation, Betrieb, Rüstung und Infrastruktur wird in seiner finanzplanerischen Dimension erfasst, auf die konzeptionellen Vorgaben abgestimmt, fähigkeitsorientiert bewertet und am vorgegebenen Finanzrahmen gemessen. Der BwPlan ist das Instrument, mit dem der Generalinspekteur der Bundeswehr seine gesamtplanerische Verantwortung einschließlich Priorisierung von Bedarfsforderungen zur Auftragserfüllung wahrnimmt. Die Inspekteure und Leiter der zivilen Abteilungen/Stäbe unterstützen dabei im Rahmen ihrer jeweiligen Verantwortung.