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The article reports that the self-storage business, which represents the best performing real-estate investment trust groups, is being tested for recession-resistance. Publicly traded-self-storage stocks posted 24% total returns through April 2008 as companies benefit from the housing crisis. But evidence shows that the slowing economy is beginning to hurt the self-storage business. Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) executives admit there is pressure to lower prices for new customers and are cautious about on the demand outlook for the business.

The article presents an update on real estate business in the U.S. as of April 2008. The executives of SL Green Realty Corp. increased its guidance for the year to between $6.20 and $6.25 a share from between $6.10 and $6.20 per share. Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. is offering its luxury condominium buyers in West Bay Club resort in Estero, Florida their money back after three years of ownership. The shares of Feldman Mall Properties fell by 83% to $2 due to the decline of its operations in 2007.

The article focuses on the deal activity in the multifamily housing market amid financial-market instability and concerns about property values in the U.S. Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are said to be expanding in the multifamily market to fill a vacuum left by private lenders. Fannie Mae provided the bulk of financing in the $1.71 billion sale of 25,684 apartments by UDR Inc. Avalon-Bay Communities Inc. was given $265 million in mortgage financing by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for two apartment communities in Virginia.

This section offers news briefs on the real estate industry in the U.S. as of April 2, 2008. Kimpton Group Holding LLC has raised almost $250 million for a hotel-development fund, with much of the amount coming from university endowments. Douglas Emmett Inc. announced that it has purchased six buildings in Los Angeles, California. The American College of Surgeons was able to secure a construction loan without posting a down payment.

The article discusses the investments of Middle Eastern countries in U.S. companies as of March 12, 2008. It states that Middle East sovereign-wealth funds, or funds from Arab governments, have attained prominence in the U.S. after acquiring stakes to boost financial companies like Citigroup Inc. The author claims that Arab investors, both government and private, are becoming partners of convenience for realty firms struggling amidst the recession. An overview of the investments made by Arab capitalists in U.S. firms is presented.

The article offers news briefs on the real estate industry in the U.S. Italian architect Dante Benini and Russian governor Valery Shantsev have envisioned a design for a megalopolis adjacent to the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod. Real estate developer Golden Boy Partners has withdrawn from its bid to acquire the Sears building in Los Angeles, California due to project site complexities and uncertain U.S. economy. Grubb & Ellis Realty Advisors failed to meet its March 3, 2008 deadline for completing its acquisition of three buildings.

The article focuses on the operations of the real estate firm Lembi Group. According to the author, after five years of being the most aggressive buyer of apartment buildings in San Francisco, California, the company has become the biggest seller in the city. Walter Lembi, managing director of the firm, claimed that the troubled commercial-mortgage market has affected their resources to finance acquisitions. He adds, however, that they are not under pressure to sell.

This section offers news briefs on the real-estate market in the U.S. A land-use policy introduced in Los Angeles, California maintains that industrial land cannot be converted to residential projects in order to retain them for job generation purposes. With the glut of luxury stores in Aspen, Colorado, city authorities are requiring developers of new commercial building projects to lease a certain fraction of commercial space at affordable prices. Real estate prices in Hawaii's Big Island has gone down due to the menace brought about by noisy frogs.

This section offers news briefs from the real estate market as of December 19, 2007. An $89 million verdict was imposed against General Growth Properties Inc. in a California mall dispute. The Louisiana Recovery Authority has approved plans for the sale of Hurricane Katrina-damaged properties. Victory Center has obtained the initial phase of US$196mn in debt financing arranged by Jones Lang LaSalle.

This section offers news briefs on the real estate market. Weingarten Realty Investors admits using corporate debt to finance developments instead of using project financing. California vineyard prices are going up as investors capitalize on the increasing demand for wine. The Lajitas Resort in southwestern Texas was sold for $13.5 million at an auction.

This section presents news briefs related to the real estate market. Various hedge funds revealed that they acquire stocks in Maguire Properties Inc. Kroger Co. forged a 30-year lease agreement with Birtcher Development & Investments to construct a distribution center in Los Angeles, California. Merrill Lynch & Co. is having problems regarding its lease deal with Vornado Realty Trust.

The article focuses on Hans Stern, a Brazil-based German businessman engaged in the trading of gems. Stern, who was born in Essen, fled Nazi Germany in 1939 and settled in Rio, Brazil with his parents. He became enchanted with Brazilian gemstones while still in his teens. He opened his first boutique, H. Stern, in 1949. Stern died on October 26, 2007 at the age of 85. Discussions on his beginnings in the gem industry, as well as the growth of his company, are provided.

This article reports on the sudden rise in the stock price of Countrywide Financial Corp. from lows after the mortgage lender announced that it will be able to post a modest profit for the fourth quarter of 2007 after posting a $1.2 billion losses in the third quarter. It explains that the company took the brunt of the subprime mortgage crisis in the country. It reveals that the company holds a foreclosed property amounting to more than $600 million.

The article offers a look at the emergency-response systems implemented during wildfires in California. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger stated that progress has been made in coordinating efforts to contain the fires. Better communication with other agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service had enabled Los Angeles County Fire Battalion Chief Arthur Ellis to speed as many 1,000 firefighters to battle blazes.

The article focuses on the opening of Ralphs Fresh Fare, the first supermarket in downtown Los Angeles, California in 57 years. The supermarket anchors a new complex of lofts built above the store. According to the article, developers' interest in creating a city-living experience is gaining traction.

This section offers news briefs on the real-estate market in the U.S. Tishman Speyer Properties and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. have lined up joint venture partner Irvine Co. to take most of the load of the San Diego and Orange County, California properties it is acquiring in its buyout of apartment company Archstone-Smith Trust. Carmel Partners Inc. has raised $700 million to expand its portfolio of multi-family properties in California.

The article offers information on tourist attractions, restaurants and accommodations in Charleston, South Carolina. Among the tourist destinations are the South Carolina Aquarium, Fort Sumter National Monument and the plantation homes in the Battery area. Several restaurants located in the city include the Slightly North of Broad bistro, Cypress and McCrady's restaurants. Several hotels include the Charleston Place, the Mills House Hotel and the Two Meeting Street Inn.

The article focuses on the tourist attractions in Bahia, Brazil. It mentions the historic churches and colonial dwellings that can be found at the town of Porto Seguro. It notes that Pousado Beijo do Vento has a lovely cliff-side deck, pool and 10 air-conditioned rooms. It cites the food offerings of various restaurants in the city.

The article reports on the decline in the stock price of mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp. by 7.6% to $19.81 despite its effort to reassure depositors that their funds were safe at the Countrywide Bank savings bank unit. It notes that an increase in defaults has made it harder for mortgage lenders to borrow money and raised questions about their financial performance. Countrywide is forced to focus on home loans due to investors' negative perception of buying mortgages.

The section presents news briefs on the real-estate market. Based on the article, the purchase of the property beneath Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California might be attractive, but it also holds considerable risk. The value of hotel deals worldwide is reported to increase 52% in 2007. Condominium developer WCI Communities Inc. revealed that it was not able to find a buyer since it put itself up for sale in April 2007.

The article reports on the deal won by L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. to supply the U.S. Army and Air Force with small cargo airplanes. The Defense Department selected L-3, whose team includes Finmeccanica SpA and Boeing Co. in partnership with European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. Under the terms of the deal, the Army will purchase 54 airplanes while the Air Force will acquire 24.

This section offers news briefs concerning the real-estate market in the U.S. A study of the largest 100 real-estate companies by market capitalization found that return on investment over the same four-year period was 131%. CB Richard Ellis Group launch a Web site for its corporate clients intended to make it easier for them unload excess office space. Campus Apartments Inc. is acquiring a 14-property student-housing portfolio.

The article reports that Alliant Techsystems Inc. in Edina, Minnesota, won a U.S. Army contract to develop precision-guided artillery shells. According to Alliant Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Murphy, because of the simplicity of Alliant's design, he believed that less than $50 million would be required to develop the so-called Precision Guidance Kit ahead of full production. It is inferred that the importance of this contract far exceeds the value of the initial contract.

The article looks at the potential political career of James Comey, general counsel of Lockheed Martin Corp. and former deputy attorney general of the U.S. Department of Justice, following his testimony before the U.S. Senate concerning the authorization of a domestic surveillance program. Military analyst Loren Thompson said that Comey's testimony could reflect well on the firm. His reputation is what the department relied on during his tenure, said former public affairs chief Mark Corallo.

The article reports that the U.S. Army and Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan are planning to buy about 7,700 Mine-Resistant, Ambush Protected vehicles which are better able to withstand blasts than the Humvees for about $8.4 billion. There are nine companies selected to build four test vehicles each and the Marine Corps is planning to choose multiple winners from the various test vehicles submitted.

The article reports on the benefits of an agreement entered by BAE Systems PLC to acquire Armor Holdings Inc. in 2007. It is noted that the agreement bolsters two strategies for the British defense contractor: further expanding in the U.S. and deepening its involvement in military ground vehicles. Share of Armor had climbed in the first week of May.

The article focuses on the decision of British defense contractor BAE Systems PLC to purchase Armor Holdings Inc., a maker of military and heavy vehicles, Humvee armaments and soldier body armor in Jacksonville, Florida. The purchase would allow BAE to expand in the U.S. and deepen its involvement in military ground vehicles. The article states that the acquisition could accelerate consolidation of other ground-vehicle makers.

The article presents an update on manufacturer Oshkosh Truck Corp. in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The company has invested on a business that builds vehicles that can lift construction workers and supplies into the air. The article states that winning a contract from the U.S. Department of Defense could increase sales and earnings for the company, which expects revenue of about $6 billion for the fiscal year ending in September 2007. The company's stock performance is presented.

The article deals with various places travelers can see in La Paz, Mexico. A low-key spot in Mexico's Baja California, La Paz offers water activities and expeditions to visitors. They can visit the Balandra beach to see the Sea of Cortez water. Visitors can snorkel among sea lions off the northern tip of Espiritu Santo Island. Las Tres Virgenes is a new upscale restaurant in La Paz. It serves stylishly presented seafood. Visitors can stay at Casa Buena, a nine-room bed-and-breakfast.

The article reports on the investigation conducted by the U.S. Justice Department on a $24 billion ship and aircraft program of the U.S. Coast Guard. After being demoted from managing Deepwater, the Cost Guard's modernization program, Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. disclosed the investigation. Margaret Mitchell-Jones, spokeswoman for the joint venture, said that the companies were notified by the Justice Department about the investigation in December 2006.

This article explains that the move by the U.S. Coast Guard to drop Northrop Grumman Corp. and Lockheed Martin Corp. from overseeing its modernization program is a signal that the government wants to reassert control over defense contractors in complex weapons development. It states that the Coast Guard will assume the management of its 25-year, $24 billion Deepwater program. It says that the move is expected to appease Congress.

The article focuses on issues faced by Lockheed Martin Corp. in a number of weapons programs central to its expansion into new markets.

The article reports on the decision of the U.S. federal law-enforcement officials to expand their investigation on the outsourcing by defense contractors after ITT Corp. allegedly leaked information about the U.S. military components to its subcontractors.

The article reports on the actions taken by the U.S. Navy to demand that Lockheed Martin Corp. to accept greater financial risk on their defense contract.

The article reports on the decision of the U.S. Coast Guard, under the leadership of Admiral Thad Allen, to take the lead role in managing Integrated Coast Guard Systems, which is a joint venture created by Northrop Grumman Corp. and Lockheed Martin Corp. for the service's ship and aircraft modernization program.

The article reports that Northrop Grumman Corp. has lost a bidding for a U.S. government rocket contract.

The article reports that the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush wants to shift defense spending to pay for ground vehicles and equipment that troops urgently need.

The article discusses issues on whether contractors like Blackwater USA which works for the U.S. military to provide global security in Iraq and other war zone areas be subject to lawsuits on behalf of soldiers.

The article reports on the demand of Lockheed Martin Corp. and United Technologies Corp. for the U.S. Air Force to rebid its multi-million dollar rescue-helicopter program.

The article reports that the U.S. Government Accountability Office advised the Air Force to reopen competition for a rescue helicopter program, the contract of which was already awarded to Boeing Co.

The article reports on move by Lockheed Martin Corp. to eliminate a business unit it had created in order to harness diverse expertise within the defense contractor and to capture more government communications-network business.

This article reports on a review to be conducted by the U.S. Congress on the Deepwater project, an ambitious modernization effort by the Coast Guard arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

The article reports on the decision of Northrop Grumman Corp. to compete for U.S. Air Force tanker contract.

This article details the rise in defense spending being asked by U.S. President George W. Bush to Congress.

The article reports on the final bidding terms released by the U.S. Air Force for a program to supply air-refueling airplanes.

The article reports that U.S. defense companies Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. reported strong fourth quarter profit growth on modest sales increases and projected continued revenue and earnings gains in 2007.

The article reports that increases in the investment accounts of the U.S. Department of Defense for fiscal 2007 signify another year of profit increases for defense contractors, including Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp.

The article reports on the plan of Northrop Grumman Corp. to abandon its intention to bid for aerial-refueling planes due to bidding rules.

This article explains that the U.S. Department of Defense is inserting the acquisition of new aircraft and weapons into the supplemental budget for Iraq which traditionally is used only to pay for war costs and personnel.

The article focuses on a deal being completed by Raytheon Co. to sell its aircraft-manufacturing unit to Canadian buyout firm Onex Corp. and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners for $3.3 billion.