General News
PCS: Criminals will find it easier to produce fraudulent passports if the government presses ahead with office closures in the Identity & Passport Service, the PCS union has warned. The union was reacting to the recent announcement that the passport office in Newport (South Wales) and the majority of the agency's interview offices across the UK will close.
These offices - where first-time passport applicants go for interviews - were set up only a few years ago to prevent identity fraud and IPS has acknowledged they have successfully deterred fraudulent applications.
Directgov: To celebrate London 2012, the Royal Mint has made a collection of 50p coins depicting the sports of the Olympic & Paralympic Games. For the first time in the 1,100-year history of the Royal Mint, this series of coins has been designed by members of the British public. The first 8 coins are now available from the mint’s website - follow the link below for more information.
CRUK: Cancer research UK scientists have shown that a protein in urine could be a powerful indicator of prostate cancer risk, according to a study published in PLoS ONE. At the moment, there are too many uncertainties with the PSA test for doctors to use it in a national screening programme.
This latest research suggests that levels of MSMB protein in urine could form the basis for a new test to help identify men at greater risk of developing the disease. It could also potentially be used alongside PSA testing to improve detection of prostate cancer and for monitoring progression of the disease.
EA: The Environment Agency has collected the world’s largest environmental prize after Britain’s most iconic river was been crowned the beauty queen of the planet’s waterways. The River Thames was selected out of hundreds of rivers across every continent as the winner of International TheissRiver Prize, which celebrates outstanding achievement in river management and restoration.
The EA has pledged that the $350,000 AUD prize money will go to the Thames Rivers Restoration Trust, with part being used by the Trust to establish a twinning project to help restore a river in the developing world.
