Long Term Pass card to be issued to foreigners residing in Singapore

SINGAPORE: Singapore will introduce a new Long Term Pass (LTP) card to all foreigners residing in Singapore on Student’s Pass (STP), long term visit pass, Employment Pass (EP) and Dependant’s Pass.

The move is part of the government’s initiative to enhance the national security of the country, said the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in a joint statement on Wednesday.

The LTP card will replace the current stamp endorsement on the travel documents and the paper-laminated Disembarkation/Embarkation card issued to long-term pass holders. The LTP card will bear the photograph and fingerprint of all cardholders aged 15 and above.

With the added personal identifiers, government agencies will be able to verify the cardholder’s identity through face and fingerprint matching.

The LTP card boasts better security features compared to the present card, containing biometric features to provide more secure means of identifying individuals and facilitate travel, while deterring forgery and fraudulent use of the card.

All new long term visit pass and STP holders will be issued with LTP cards in the second half of 2008.

MOM will also open a new Employment Pass Services Centre in 2009 to register and issue the new cards to those currently holding on to the various types of employment passes.

The ministry said they will transit to the new cards from the second quarter of 2009 during renewal of their passes. They will be informed when and how to register.

- CNA/yb/vm

The latest FIFA Top 10

The latest FIFA Top 10: 1. Spain (1,557 points); 2. Italy (1,404); 3. Germany (1,364); 4. Brazil (1,344); 5. the Netherlands (1,299); 6. Argentina (1,298); 7. Croatia (1,282); 8. the Czech Republic (1,146); 9. Portugal (1,104); 10. France (1,053).

PS: 13. Russia (1,023)

Mom's poor diet results in diabetic kids

British scientists claim following a poor diet during pregnancy or breastfeeding can cause long-lasting health problems for the child.

According to a study published in the Journal of Physiology, an unhealthy diet during pregnancy increases the risk of obesity along with elevated cholesterol and blood sugar levels in the offspring.

The study showed female mice that ate fatty processed foods gave birth to pups with higher levels of fat in their blood and around their major organs, making them more prone to type-2 diabetes.

Findings also revealed that the offspring of mothers who indulged in junk food craved for similar snacks during their adolescence.

Scientists reported that while the male pups of mothers on an unhealthy diet had higher levels of insulin and normal blood sugar, obesity-linked genes were more active in female pups.

Academics propose land concession regulations

Academics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will recommend changes to regulations governing agricultural land concessions by the end of this year.

Group head, Dr Linkham Du angsavanh, said the government had assigned the group to conduct a study and produce regulations, particularly for investment in industrial tree plantations. The group has been conducting research for the past two years and expects to finish by the end of 2008.

The government suspended land concessions last year after people living in areas with agricultural investment projects complained their lifestyle had been negatively affected.
The National Assembly has urged the government to increase land concession rates, saying existing rates are too low.

Dr Linkham said research showed land concession rates for industrial tree plantations were not properly regulated.

He said researchers agreed the existing land concession fee was too low, ranging from US$6 to US$9 per hectare per year. The group will propose the government lift it to US$20 to US$30 per hectare per year.

“We do not make the new rate without proper study,” he said.
“We have looked at our neighbouring countries including Vietnam 's land concession fee.”

Dr Linkham said the group studied industrial investment formats including the “two plus three” format. This format creates a partnership between local people and investors because investors supply funding, technical support and a ready market for products, while local people offer their land and labour.

The proposed regulations will encourage these sorts of partnerships and aim to protect villagers from being exploited.

Provincial authorities can grant permission for an investment if its value is less than US$5million. Some provincial authorities consult current investment promotion laws when deciding whether a project should be approved, but Dr Linkham said this law was not specific enough.

The group is also researching land potential to produce information about which kinds of crops would grow best in different areas.

This information will be given to the government to be used as a tool in determining what types of projects are approved.
“We have undertaken land zoning,” Dr Linkham said.
“The government wants us to finish the zoning as soon as possible but I cannot confirm when we will finish the work.”


By Souksakhone Vaenkeo (Latest Update July 2, 2008)

India, Israel and Pakistan supposedly own about 300 nukes

The Treaty of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons also referred to as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), was signed in New York on July 1, 1968. The document divided the countries of the world into two groups: those which possess A-bombs and those which do not and must not have A-bombs.

The document appeared during the Cold War era. The USSR, the USA and Great Britain became the first countries to sign the Treaty. US President Lyndon Johnson submitted the NPT to the US Senate for ratification on July 9, 1968. However, the Senate refused to ratify any agreements with Moscow after the Soviet troops entered Czechoslovakia in August of that year. USA’s new President Richard Nixon submitted the document for ratification again only in the beginning of 1969. The Senate approved the Treaty on March 13, 1969, whereas the President signed the draft law about the NPT coming into effect on November 24, 1969. The Treaty came into effect in March 1970 as an international legal document.

The NPT determined that France and China could join it as full-fledged nuclear powers. The elite club welcomed all countries which had tested A-bombs before January 1, 1967 . However, Beijing and Paris did not mean to hurry with that. The Chinese administration described the Treaty as the conspiracy of two superpowers aimed to preserve the nuclear monopoly of the USSR and the USA. Beijing believed that the prohibition of nuclear weapons development would be effective only if the superpowers liquidated their nuclear arsenals

The Treaty has three basic goals: non-proliferation, disarmament and the right for the peaceful use of nuclear technologies. The goals seem to have been partially achieved as the nuclear race between the USA and the USSR ended with the end of the Cold War period. However, the world stands too far from the complete nuclear disarmament, which gives NPT critics a reason to reproach nuclear superpowers of hypocrisy and their aspiration to uncompromisingly dictate their will to other nations.

There are positive examples, though. South Africa tested nuclear weapons in the 1970s, but then destroyed them and signed the NPT in 1991. This is a unique example when a country turns down its A-bombs made on the base of the national scientific and industrial base. Western experts like to remind of the time when Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan refused to keep the Soviet nuclear weapons on their territories after the three countries obtained independence. It is true, but one should bear in mind the fact that it was only Russia that could technically play the role of the nuclear successor of the USSR.

Not all countries dealing with nuclear developments aspired to become NPT members. India actively participated in NPT negotiations, but eventually refused to join it having referred to a nuclear threat from China. Pakistan acted similarly and referred to India’s decision. Israel also decided not to tie its hands with the Treaty.

All of that was not so dangerous during the 1970s and the 1980s against the background of the bipolar world order formed as a result of the opposition of two systems. Nowadays, nuclear programs in the Middle East and South Asia threaten to develop into the regional arms race. India, Israel and Pakistan supposedly own about a hundred A-bombs each.

Non-nuclear states are entitled to develop peaceful nuclear power under the NPT and build their own nuclear power plants under the control of international supervisors. In this case there is no reason to ban such countries from enriching uranium for those purposes. The situation with Iran has unfolded into a major international problem. Iran is a member of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty; the nation cooperates with the IAEA, although the West is still deeply concerned about the Iranian nuclear program.

NPT members agreed in May 1995 to indefinitely prolong the document. However, the decision does not remove the internal conflict between the members of the Treaty. The USA is concentrated on the problems of Iran and North Korea, whereas other countries continue to ask questions about the promised total nuclear disarmament. To crown it all, Washington’s wish to solve international problems with the use of the military force can only strengthen the wish of USA’s opponents to develop an A-bomb.

Working hard can kill tired people

Scientists suggest that working hard when fatigued not only increases the blood pressure but also raises the risk of heart attack.

According to a study published in the International Journal of Psychology, when exhausted individuals perceive a task as achievable and worth doing, they increase their effort to compensate for their diminished capability due to fatigue.

As a result, they experience exaggerated cardiovascular responses and are placed at a higher risk of developing serious health risks, including hypertension and heart disease.

University of Alabama at Birmingham psychologists believe blood pressure rises and remains elevated until the task is completed or interrupted because of being viewed as too difficult or impossible.

The study showed that moderately fatigued individuals have a greater blood pressure increase when completing easy tasks compared to more difficult ones, as they view the difficult jobs as impossible or too difficult to be worth the effort.

Findings reveal that highly fatigued individuals have low blood pressure increases when experiencing both easy and difficult task conditions, because they perceive even the easy tasks as too difficult for them to accomplish.

Spain wins its second European Championship

The best team won the European Championship. Spain scored the most goals, created the most chances and held the ball more than any of its opponents as it won its first title in 44 years.
Spain wins its second European Championship

"It will be good not only for Spain, but also for football because the team that played best won," said Fernando Torres, who scored the lone goal as Spain beat Germany 1-0 Sunday.
The "Red Fury" won their second European Championship playing with flair, finesse and a determination that the team had lacked in so many previous competitions.
The Spaniards may not have as many trophies as the Germans or Italians, but the sparkling performance in Euro 2008 finally gave Spain another major football title after winning the 1964 European Championship at home.

"It's a happy day for Spain, to win a European Championship and to do it brilliantly," coach Luis Aragones said. "Now we can start saying that we can win a European Championship and everything else."

The Spanish team had a weak start to qualifying for Euro 2008 with losses to Northern Ireland and Sweden, but it recovered with eight wins and one draw to claim its group.
Spain's flow continued at the tournament with three straight victories in the group stage followed by a 4-2 win over Italy in a penalty shootout.

That was Spain's toughest test, and the only match in which it didn't score in regular time. It was also crucial for the team's self-confidence as it ended Spain's bad habit of exiting major tournaments in the quarterfinals.

From that moment, there was no holding Spain back as it crushed Russia 3-0 and carried the momentum on to the final against Germany, even with striker David Villa out injured.
The injured Villa, who hurt his right leg when taking a free kick in the semifinal win, finished as top scorer at Euro 2008 with four goals.

"Spain played very well during whole tournament and they were technically excellent - they fully deserve victory," Germany coach Joachim Loew said. "We lost today, we acknowledge this.
"The Spaniards were constantly good throughout the tournament, they technically had a very high quality. They always play in the Champions League at the highest possible level and they are very committed to high quality."

Spain extended its unbeaten streak to 22 matches and allowed embattled Aragones to end his four-year spell with Spain on a high note.
Jubilant players tossed Aragones in the air after the final whistle as the Spanish fans danced in the stands at Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna.

"I feel delighted," Aragones said. "I usually don't show what I feel - I'm extremely happy. Germany was very complicated to play against as they defend so well. We have a composed group which plays well, adjust very well. We all work well together and we managed to get there."

It was Spain's third European Championship final, after beating the Soviet Union in 1964 and losing to France 20 years later. Since 1984, Spain had not previously advanced past the quarterfinal stage of the any major tournament.

http://english.pravda.ru/sports/championships/30-06-2008/105622-spain-0