current affairs notes.docx

7/26/2019 Current Affairs Notes.docx

1/23

CA Notes (5m)

Political Crises in the Middle East

Background information and timeline

All started from a poor unlicensed Tunisian fruit seller who set himself on fire after police

seized his wares. Protests have ousted his countrys long time authoritarian ruler (Tunisia ruler)

Influenced to Egypt, where Egypts octogenarian president was confronted with the greatest

challenge of his 30 years in power.

Yemenis were also inspired by Mohamed Bouazizs death in Tunisia and demanded an end

to their ruling strongmans 32 year reign

Political ferment has also been growing in Jordan, Algeria and Libya

Jordan government tried to pacify by subsidizing basic goods and cancelling taxes on certain

fuels

Tunisian have been helping in the protests in Egypt, Yemen and elsewhere, and they areoffering advice to protestors in other countries via Facebook and Twitter

Reason for protests

To sum it all uplack of human rights

Algeria, President Abdelaziz BouteflikaThousands of enforced disappearances, and

freedom of association is very restricted

Morocco, King Mohammed VI, judiciary influenced by politics, corruption and inefficiency

Libya, Moammar Gadhafi, Authoritarian regime, torture, arbitrary arrests

Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, emergency law in place for 30 years outlaws political parties

Sudan, Omar Al-Bashir, indicted for genocide for his counterinsurgency campaign in Darfur

Jordan, King Abdullah, law does not provide citizens the right to change government

Syria, Bashar Asad, failed to comply with international human rights standard

Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah, violations of religious freedom

Yemen, Ali Abdullah Seleh, mounting poverty among a growing young population, lack of

political freedoms

Protests in Egypt

He is expected to try to pass the office to his son, Gamal

Has received billions of dollars in US military and civilian aid

Egyptians are fed up with rampant corruption, repression, joblessness and rising prices

President Barack Obama Thursday urged both the Egyptian government and protesters to

avoid violence

Government is holding emergency meetings to consider wage increase, new jobs, etc

Protests in Yemen

A haven for al Qaeda terrorists

32-year rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who's been accused of corruption, nepotism

and human rights abuses in one of the Arab world's poorest countries.


2/23

CA Notes (5m)

Saleh also has angered Yemenis by allowing U.S. drone strikes on suspected al Qaida targets

inside Yemen in exchange for a dramatic increase in U.S. counterterrorism aid.

Denies plans to hand reins of power to his eldest son, Ahmed

He's struggling with a rebellion by ethnic Houthi rebels in the north, a budding insurrection

in the south and violence by an al Qaida faction that has staged several failed terrorist

attacks against the U.S.

The government organized its own pro-Saleh rallies on Thursday, but turnouts were low.

President has halved income tax and imposed price controls, also ordered a rise in army

salaries to ensure loyalty

Protests in Tunisia

Tunisia's spontaneous popular uprising, which ousted authoritarian President Zine el Abidine

Ben Ali, gave hope to pro-democracy activists in a region led by intractable monarchs,

dictators and dynasties.

Tunisians continue to protest daily in hopes of creating an interim government without any

Ben Ali-era figures, and the state is struggling to restore order since the president's Jan. 14

ouster.

One of their main goals: hauling Ben Ali back from exile for a public reckoning of his regime's

alleged abuses.

Thousands joined the biggest rally in Tunis since the January revolution, demanding that the

interim government resign.

Protests in Algeria

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's military-backed government has been making major

international grain purchases in an apparent bid to avoid higher prices in coming weeks.

Turmoil raged in Tunisia, violent protests over government-ordered price increases for flour

and other basic foods roiled Algeria.

Bouteflika enacted some price reductions, but many experts are predicting further unrest.

Algeria is the world's ninth-largest crude oil producer, but poverty and corruption are

rampant, 25% unemployment rate

The country remains under a state of emergency imposed in 1992, when the army seized

power and cancelled elections that would have brought an Islamic fundamentalist party to

power and igniting a civil war in which an estimated 200,000 people died. Bouteflika, 73, won a third five-year term with 90 percent of the vote in 2009 polls that were

boycotted by major opposition parties and denounced as fraudulent by critics.

Lebanon protests

Religious sectarianism more than poverty and political repression, and involving Iran and

Syria, countries long at odds with Washington.

Hezbollah, the Shiite Muslim military movement that's gained power in recent years with

Iranian and Syrian backing, pulled out of the cabinet on Jan. 12, bringing down the

government of U.S. ally Saad Hariri, a Sunni Muslim.


3/23

CA Notes (5m)

Hezbollah's goal, analysts say, is to halt Lebanese cooperation with a U.N. tribunal

investigating the 2005 murder of Rafiq Hariri, Saad's father. The tribunal is soon expected to

name Hezbollah figures in the murder.

This week, Hezbollah had its candidate, businessman Najib Miqati, named prime minister.

That sparked protests by Hariri's mainly Sunni Muslim and Christian backers, and renewed

concern of a return to the mayhem that raged in the 1970s and '80s.

Protests in Libya

Son of the Libyan leader, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, warned that continued antigovernment

protests could lead to a civil war.

The uprising spread to the capital, Tripoli, while protesters in the eastern city of Benghazi

took over the city.

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi urged his supporters to attack protesters who are violently

challenging his 42-year rule.

Protests in Bahrian

Protesters consolidated their hold on Pearl Square

Opposition party demanded that the government account for the many demonstrators still

missing.

Protests in Iran

Opposition supporters to conduct synchronized demonstrations around the country. Two

major opposition figures

Mir Hussein Moussavi, a former presidential candidate who was reported missing last weekbut is now confirmed to be under house arrest,

Mehdi Karroubi had called for the protest after two demonstrators were killed last week.

Protests in Morocco

Call for more limits to the power of King Mohammed VI, lower food prices, freedom for

Islamist prisoners, rights for Berbers and other causes.

The situation remained peaceful, and the police did not intervene.

Protests in Iraq

In the countrys north, clashes between students and rival political factions convulsed the

Kurdistan region for another day

Ending with one person dead and about four dozen wounded.

A TV station that had been covering the turmoil was also set on fire by gunmen.

Protests in Syria

Clashes with state security officers

A council building in the centre of town was burned down


4/23

CA Notes (5m)

Protests in Arabia

Demonstrations are banned, protesters tried to force their way into the interior ministry in

Riyadh demanding the release of prisoners who they said had been detained for up to two

years without trial.

Around 15 people were arrested, but no serious violence was reported.

Spectre of protests in the Saudi capital is something the Islamic kingdom's leader, King

Abdullah, has been trying to avoid as he battles to contain an uprising in Bahrain on his

northern border.

The Saudi government holds grave fears that the Shia protests in Bahrain could stir unrest in

eastern Saudi Arabia, which is home to most of the 12% Shia population.

Libyan crisis threatens food security

Regions dependency on cereal imports, possible disruptions to the flow of goods and

services and population displacements May lead to a sudden disruption of imports and the collapse of the internal distribution

system.

Depletion of food stocks and loss of rural manpower are all factors that in the longer-term

could seriously affect food security

Disruption to markets from which farmers secure seeds and fertilizers also threatens

agricultural production, food security and income-generation in the short and medium term.

In Libya, domestic arable production is concentrated primarily near Benghazi and near

Tripoli.

As part of the UN Flash Appeal for the Libyan Crisis issued on Monday, FAO is planning to

supply vegetable seeds in peri-urban and coastal areas with vegetable seeds in order to

boost the consumption of fresh food and micronutrient intake.

FAO has applied for funds to establish an immediate capacity for effective, up-to-date

information gathering, analysis and dissemination on food security needs and gaps to guide

food security response options.

Furthermore FAO has also asked for support to ensure effective animal disease surveillance

and safeguard livestock assets and productivity.

The food security component of the appeal is worth 47.92 million dollars, of which FAO

funding requirements amount to 2.65 million.

In neighbouring Egypt, the sharp rise in international wheat prices will add substantially to

the cost of wheat imports in 2010/11 and to the governments bread subsidy programmewhich helps cushion the consumer from the effects of rising prices.

Oil Prices increase due to Libya turmoil

Libya holds the most oil reserves in Africa and is the world's 15th-largest crude exporter at

1.2 million barrels per day

As the Libyan government cracked down on protesters, Western oil companies including Eni

and Repsol-YPF temporarily suspended oil production in the country. BP has started

evacuating workers.

Any production losses in Libya could be quickly absorbed by other countries like Saudi Arabia.


5/23

CA Notes (5m)

The main concern stalking markets is that revolts in the Middle East and North Africa will

spread to other members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, particularly

Iran, the group's second-largest producer.

Reduce production because of the unrest.

Protesters said they were watching several oil fields and pipelines, hoping to protect them

against damage or vandalism.

The crisis in the Middle East and North Africa which has brought down governments in

Tunisia and Egypt and sparked protests in Yemen, Bahrain, Iran, Morocco and Jordan will

put added pressure on weaker economies, especially those in Europe, according to Capital

Economics.


6/23

CA Notes (5m)

Singapore Budget 2011

Goods and Services Tax

GST relief will apply to imported clinical trial materials, regardless of whether the

materials are for local testing, re-export or for disposal in Singapore. The Approved Contract Manufacturer and Trader Scheme (ACMT) will be extended to

qualifying biomedical contract manufacturers.

The ACMT will also be enhanced by allowing local contract manufacturers to recover

GST on local purchases of goods made by the overseas client for use in the contract

manufacturing process. In addition, services provided by local contract manufacturers

on failed or excess production under ACMT will be disregarded. All industries approved

under ACMT will be able to enjoy the enhancements.

GST zero-rating will apply to specified services supplied to overseas persons, so long as

they are performed on certain goods kept in qualifying specialised warehouses in

Singapore. To qualify, at least 90% of the specialised warehouses customers must be

based overseas, and at least 90% of the goods removed from the warehouse must be

exported.

Personal Tax

1) Personal income tax rates and tax rebate

Income tax rates will be progressively reduced for income levels below $120,000 from

YA 2012 whereas they have been slightly increased on certain income bands exceeding

$120,000. One-off personal income tax rebate of 20% on final tax payable for YA 2011 has been

announced for all resident taxpayers. The tax rebate will be capped at $2,000 per

taxpayer.

2) CPF Supplementary Retirement Scheme

CPF contributions increase from 15.5% to 16%

The monthly CPF income capping limit will also increase from 1 September 2011, from

$4,500 to $5,000.

A one-off top-up into the CPF Medisave Accounts of Singaporeans aged 45 and above.The amounts will increase with age, from $300 to $700 per person

Voluntary contributions of up to $1,500 made by companies into the Medisave accounts

of Self-Employed Persons with whom they contract will now be tax free. This will be in

addition to any other tax-free employer contributions under the Additional Medisave

Contribution Scheme.

The limit on qualifying contributions into a Supplementary Retirement Scheme will to

allow total contributions of $85,000 per year.


7/23

CA Notes (5m)

3) Tax Reliefs

Alimony payments received by ex-spouses will be tax exempt. However, tax relief will no

longer be available for individuals who support their former spouses.

4) Special employment credit

Employers will be given one-off Special Employment credits for employing older Singaporean

workers who are covered by the Workfare scheme.

This will be based on up to 50% of employer CPF contributions for employees aged between

55 and 59.

A higher credit of up to 80% of employer CPF contributions will apply to workers aged 60

and above. The pay-out will be spread over three years

5) Increase in Foreign Worker Levy

Foreign Worker Levy will increase across all sectors to reduce the reliance on foreign labour.

The increase will be phased in every six months until 1 July 2013.

Households Benefits

1) $3.2 billion Grow & Share Package

To share the fruits of last yearsexceptional economic growth, the Government will

distribute a total of $3.2 billion in one-off benefits to all Singaporean households

It will benefit all Singaporeans, the lower- and middle-income families significantly more.

This will help them offset the rise in inflation.

(a) Rewarding Working Singaporeans

Workfare Special Bonus: A one-off Special Bonus will be paid out to those on the Workfare

Income Supplement (WIS) scheme. The Workfare Special Bonus will amount to 50% more

WIS payment for work done in 2010, and 25% more WIS payment each year for work done

in 2011 and 2012. Self-employed persons (SEPs) who make their Medisave contributions will

also benefit. They will receive half of their bonus in cash, and half in their CPF Medisave

accounts.

Personal Income Tax Rebate: a personal income tax rebate of 20% for individual resident

taxpayers, capped at $2,000. The cap allows us to give the greatest benefits for those withchargeable income of less than $120,000. Taxpayers do not have to apply for the tax rebate.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) will take into account the rebate when

computing the tax bill for YA 2011.

(b) Supporting Families with Children

Child development Credit: a new Child Development Credit scheme for all Singaporean

children aged six and below. The Credits will help parents pay for their childrens pre-school,

childcare, and medical expenses. he Credit will be paid into the Children Development

Accounts (CDAs), which most children already have.

Top up to school advisory committees: The Government will provide a one-off top-up of $4.7million to School Advisory Committees and School Management Committees funds. Each


8/23

CA Notes (5m)

school will receive between $10,000 and $15,000, enough to cover about half of what they

spend each year to help needy Singaporean students. The VWO-run Special Education (SPED)

schools, will also be given an average of $15,000 per school to help needy Singaporean

students.

(c) Care for senior citizens

Top up CPF Medisave Accounts: The Government will top-up the CPF Medisave Accounts of

Singaporeans aged 45 and above.

(d) Helping the needy

Additional Funding to Voluntary Welfare Organizations and Self help groups: The

Government will provide an additional $20 million to help Voluntary Welfare Organisations

(VWOs) with the professional development of their social workers. Self-Help Groups will

receive an additional $10 million over the next two years.

(e) Other measures

Growth dividends: Growth Dividends will be given to all adult Singaporeans. The amount

that each Singaporean will receive is based on his income and the value of his home, All

Singaporeans will get $100 to $800

Utilities Save and Service and Conservancy Charges Rebates: To help households cope with

rising costs, additional Utilities-Save (U-Save) and Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC)

rebates will be given this year, on top of those given under the 2007 GST Offset Package.

2) Longer Term Social investments to Benefit Households

(a) Providing best care for Senior citizens

ElderCare Fund Top Up: the Government will top up the Eldercare fund by $700 million to

reach the target fund size of $2.5 billion. The target size will also be raised to $3 billion. With

this top-up, the Government will provide a 40% increase in funding to support Voluntary

Welfare Organisations (VWOs) in this sector.

Community Silver Trust: The Government will introduce a new initiative, the Community

Silver Trust, to bring in the support of philanthropists and the community to develop the

long term care sector. The Government will put $1 billion into the Trust and provide one-to-one matching for donations to VWOs that provide long term care to Singaporeans.

Medifund Top up: The Medifund endowment currently stands at $1.9 billion. The

Government will provide a top-up of $500 million to Medifund. In addition, the Government

will raise the target size from $2 billion to $3 billion.

(b) Helping the needy

ComCare Fund Top up: The ComCare Fund now stands at $800 million. It will be topped up

by $500 million. The Government will also raise the target size from $1 billion to $1.5 billion.

The income from this larger fund will ensure that there is no lack of support for needy

Singaporeans, even in years when our economy is down.


9/23

CA Notes (5m)

(c) Lifelong Learning

Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund: The Government will make a $500 million top-up to the

Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund (LLEF), increasing the fund size to $3.6 billion. This will

increase the base level of long term assured funding for Education and Training (CET), to

complement the Governments allocations from future annual budgets.

3. Permanent Shifts in Taxes and Subsidies

(a) Boosting skills and productivity

Training support for professionals, manager, executive, technicians: Increase both the

capacity and quality of CET for PMETs. The Ministry of Education will expand the capacity for

diploma-level programmes at our polytechnics by about 60%, to about 10,000 places by

2015. The Ministry of Manpower will also introduce an umbrella programme for PMETs,

Skills Training for Excellence Programme (STEP). Increase subsidies for Singaporean adults who pursue their first degree or diploma on a part-

time basis at any of our polytechnics, CET centres, universities or UniSIM. They will receive

the same percentage subsidy on their part-time courses as what a full-time student currently

enjoys.

Trainees who obtain their first part-time polytechnic diploma, ITE NITEC or Higher NITEC

certificate will benefit from increased subsidies through a completion award. Those who

complete their first Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) diploma or certificate can also

qualify for the award.This award will be applicable to Singaporeans who graduate from 1

March 2011.

(b) Rewarding working Singaporeans

Reduction of Income Tax: To reduce taxes further for middle- and upper-middle income

taxpayers, the personal income tax schedule will be restructured to make it more

progressive. Marginal tax rates will be reduced for the first $120,000 of chargeable income.

Removing Radio and Television Licence Fees: The radio and television licence fees - $110

annually for televisions and $27 annually for vehicle radios - will be removed permanently

from this year. Those who have yet to pay this years radio and television licence fees will

not have to make payment, while a refund will be given to those who have already paid.

Raising Employer CPF Contribution Rate: The employer CPF contribution rate will be raised

by 0.5 percentage points, bringing the total CPF contribution rate to 36%. The additional 0.5%

will go into the Special Account.

Revision to CPF Salary Ceiling: The CPF salary ceiling will be revised from $4,500 to $5,000

per month to keep pace with income growth in recent years. Both the changes in the

contribution rate and salary ceiling will take effect in September 2011, to give employers

sufficient time to adjust to the changes.

Adjustment of Contribution Cap of Supplementary Retirement Scheme: In line with the

higher CPF ceiling, the contribution cap of the Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) will

be increased.


10/23

CA Notes (5m)

Helping Self Employed persons: To help self-employed persons (SEPs) increase their savings

under the CPF scheme, the Government will grant tax deduction to eligible companies that

make voluntary contributions to the Medisave accounts of their SEPs partners, up to $1,500

per SEP per year. SEPs will be exempted from paying tax on these contributions. (c)

Supporting Families with Children

(c) Supporting families with children

Kindergarten Financial Assistance Scheme and Centre-based Financial Assistance Scheme for

Childcare: The Government will also give additional support to lower-income families by

enhancing subsidies for preschool education and childcare fees. The Kindergarten Financial

Assistance Scheme (KiFAS) and the Centre-based Financial Assistance Scheme for Childcare

(CFAC) currently provide large subsidies for children from low income families. KiFAS and

CFAC will be enhanced and extended to include families with up to $3,500 in gross monthly

household income (40th percentile). These enhancements will double the children who

benefit from KiFAS and CFAC to 24,000.

Ministry of Education Financial Assistance Scheme for SPED Schools: The Government will

extend the Ministry of Education Financial Assistance Scheme to pupils from lower-income

households in the VWO-run Special Education (SPED) schools. It will mean that SPED

students from these families will be fully subsidised for their school fees, uniforms, and

textbooks, and receive a 75% subsidy on their examination fees.

Enhanced Bursaries for Polytechnic and University Students: The Government will increase

undergraduate and diploma bursaries to ensure no student is discouraged from taking his

education as far as possible:

The Government will raise bursaries for students in our universities, polytechnics, NAFA andLaSalle. Bursaries will be provided for students from both lower- and middle-income families,

up to the 66th percentile of household incomes.

University students who get the first tier of bursaries, who are those from the bottom one

third of households, will benefit from an 80% increase in bursaries, from $1,600 a year

currently to $2,900 a year. These subsidies will cover 40% of their fees, and the students can

finance the rest of the cost with a subsidised loan.

For polytechnic students, those from the bottom one-third of households will receive

bursaries that are enough to cover 80% of their fees.

(d) Providing the Best Care for Our Seniors Programs to help immobile elderly: The Government will provide additional financial support

for low-income elderly people to obtain assistive devices that improve their mobility and

independence, such as wheelchairs and walking-frames.

(e) Helping the Needy

Public Assistance: The Public Assistance (PA) scheme, which provides financial aid to those

who are permanently unable to work, will be revised to take into account recent increases in

household costs, and to provide a buffer for possible spikes this year, for example in food

prices. For a single-person household, PA rates will be raised from $360 to $400 a month.

Corresponding adjustments will be made for larger households and those with children.


11/23

CA Notes (5m)

Singapore Allowance: The Government will also increase the Singapore Allowance by $20

per month to $260. This will raise the monthly pension ceiling to $1,190

Enhanced tax deduction for donation to institutions of public character: The Government

will extend for another five years the 250% tax deduction for contributions to Institutions of

Public Character (IPC) that was introduced in 2009.

(f) Enhancing Homes and Our Quality of Life

Special CPF Housing Grant: The Government will introduce a Special CPF Housing Grant (SHG) to help

low income families making a first-time Build-to-Order (BTO) flat purchase, on top of the existing

Additional CPF Housing Grants (AHG). The SHG will be provided to families who earn up to $2,250

per month. The SHG, together with our other subsidies, will allow more low-income families per year

to own their own homes.

Rejuvenating our Heartland: $10 billion will be committed to upgrade homes and rejuvenate estates

over the next 10 years. This is a major effort to preserve the value of our HDB flats. Under the Home

Improvement Programme (HIP), Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) and Lift Upgrading

Programme (LUP), the Government will invest up to $55,000 per flat.

Building a Vibrant Arts and Culture Environment: To complement the transformation of our estates

and enhance our quality of life, the Government will significantly increase spending on arts and

culture to bring arts and culture within reach of more Singaporeans, and add depth and vibrancy to

the arts scene. Over the next five years, our average annual programme spending will be

approximately $365 million, a 50% increase over the current level.

Miscellaneous Tax Initiatives - Extend Green Vehicle Rebate Scheme: The Green Vehicle Rebate

Scheme will be extended for another year until 31 December 2012.

4) Summary of Other Longer-Term Benefits for Households

Training Support for PMETs

Reduction of Personal Income Tax

Removal of Radio and Television Licence Fees

Raising CPF Contribution Rate, Revision of CPF Salary Ceiling, Adjustment of Contribution

Cap of Supplementary Retirement Scheme

Helping Self-Employed Persons

KiFAS and CFAC

MOE Financial Assistance Scheme for SPED Schools

Institute of Higher Learning Bursaries

Public Assistance and Singapore Allowance

Tax Deduction for Donation to Institutions of Public Character

Special CPF Housing Grant Rejuvenating our Heartland


12/23

CA Notes (5m)

Building a Vibrant Arts and Culture Environment


13/23

CA Notes (5m)

Japan Disasters 2011

Background Information

On March 11, 2011, an earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, churning up a devastating

tsunami that swept over cities and farmland in the northern part of the country and set offwarnings as far away the west coast of the United States and South America.

Happened with the epicenter 70 kilometers east of Oshika Peninsula and hypocenter at an

underwater depth of 32 km

Recorded as 9.0 on the Richter scale, it was the most powerful quake ever to hit the country.

As the nation struggled with a rescue effort, it also faced the worst nuclear emergency since

Chernobyl; explosions and leaks of radioactive gas took place in three reactors at the

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station that suffered partial meltdowns, while spent fuel

rods at another reactor overheated and caught fire, releasing radioactive material directly

into the atmosphere. Japanese officials turned to increasingly desperate measures, as traces

of radiation were found in Tokyo's water and in water pouring from the reactors into the

ocean.

By July, the count of dead and missing was above 22,000. Tens of thousands of people

remained housed in temporary shelters or evacuated their homes due to the nuclear crisis.

Japan Prime minister was replaced because he was seen to have failed to galvanize Japan

after the disaster

The New prime minister, Mr Noda, called for ending on Japans dependence on nuclear

power

Mr Noda said he would maintain close ties with Washington and support and existing deal to

keep the Futenma air base on Owkinawa The Bank of Japan offered 15 Trillion to the anking system to normalize market conditions

Affect on Japans nuclear development

54 Nuclear reactions contributing to 30% of the countrys power demand

Energy policy was aiming at constructing 14 more nuclear plants by 2030, taking the energy

share to above 50%, but due to this disaster, the policy might be rewritten from scratch.

Japanese official said that they are planning a complete shutdown of Fukushima plant by the

end of this year, because the plant shows no sign of calming down, and the radiation levels

in the nearby sea have risen by more than 1000 times the legally permissible limit US said that they would help rebuild Japanese economy after the disaster

Radiation leak, affecting food, resulting in food ban

Level 7 incident involving nuclear energy

The fuel pellets normally operate at a temperature of 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit. If the

temperature rises to 2,200 degrees for a sustained period of time, the fuel rods can become

damaged. If the temperature continues to rise, the fuel rods can eventually melt. This

melting can release large amounts of radiation and even vaporize the core.

When the earthquake struck and the Fukushima Daiichi reactors shut down, the water

pumps lost power. Emergency diesel generators began to power the pumps. However, the


14/23

CA Notes (5m)

tsunami that soon followed damaged the diesel generators. The pumps then operated on

emergency battery power, which lasted for 8 hours before being exhausted.

The water pumps shut down, and workers at the plant were left with no effective way to

continue to cool the reactors and prevent the fuel from melting

Officials in Japan say the explosions at the three reactors were likely caused by a buildup of

hydrogen gas, which is the highly flammable, lighter-than-air gas used in the Hindenburg.

Lead to explosions, risking lives

Nuclear power plays a big role in most plans to limit the use of fossil fuels


15/23

CA Notes (5m)

Singapores General Election 2011

Issues in GE 2011

1) Widening income gap

SPP wants to bridge the widening income gap between the haves and the have-nots

Ministerial salaries and salaries of helming government linked companies (8 month bonus)

SMRTs profit of over 100 million dollars, not shared with people

SPP offered a solution to allow small owner operators to have direct routes to manage and

control, a model which has worked in Hong Kong. This allows owners to become

entrepreneurs and aloows for profits in public transport to go to many people and not a

sovereign fund

2) Affordable housing (Rising cost of living)

Causes a problem to population growth greatly

SingaporesGini coefficient, a gauge of income inequality, rose to 0.48 last year from 0.444

in 2000, according to the statistics department. A reading of zero means income equality,

while a reading of one means complete inequality. Inflation accelerated to a two-year high

of 5.5 percent in January.

3) Plight of the elderly

Bad healthcare system

WP offers reforms to the healthcare system, especially for elderly and housewives. Came up

with a comprehensive healthcare proposal which suggests a universal healthcare insurance

scheme where premiums could be paid from Medisave.

Long queues at polyclinics

WP proposes that private clinics near polyclinics also be able to give referrals to public

hospitals

WP also suggests that Medisave withdrawals for outpatient medical treatment for those

above 75 years do away with all the current restrictions and open it up for use.

4) Foreign Talent

WP offered tighter restrictions by permanent residents

SPP offered to adopt a system where the focus is on the company to justify that it needs to

hire the foreign talent, to make sure that foreigners are hired only when no locals can be

found for the job.

Foreigners make up more than a third of the population, with only 3.2 million citizens out of

5.1 million inhabitants.

Results of GE 2011

Smallest margin of popular votes since independence; a record turnout that tripled the

number of opposition members in parliament


16/23

CA Notes (5m)

PAP won 81 out of 87 parliamentary seats and 60.1 percent of the popular vote (2 million

ballots)

Lost a GRC for the first time in history

82 seats contested by 6 opposition parties

WP won 5 seat Alijunied and single seat Hougang; Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang and

Chairman Sylvia Lim, who called for a stronger voice in parliament and more affordable

public housing, led the Aljunied effort, while Yaw Shin Leong won in Hougang.

The Workers Party also fielded lawyer Chen Show-Mao, who advised on deals like

Agricultural Bank of China Ltd.s $22.1 billion initial share sale, in Aljunied.

Only uncontested constituency was that of MM Lee Kuan Yew

The parliament dissolved last month had 82 PAP lawmakers, two elected opposition

politicians and 10 non-elected members.

PAP delivered a 41-fold jump in gross domestic product, combining a focus on education,

homeownership, business friendliness and strict laws to boost the wealth of citizens. Lees

more recent efforts to spur the economy include the opening of two casino resorts, bringing

Formula One races to the island and attracting foreign workers. GDP grew a record 14.5

percent last year.

PM Lee even apologised for failing to build enough public housing and expand transport

links as the population grew.

Foreign Minister George Yeo, who lost his seat in Aljunied, had promised to lead a push for

reform within the party. He was one of two cabinet ministers who lost power in the election,

the other one being Lim Hwee Hua.

PAPs efforts to win back the people

The government plans to spend S$6.6 billion on benefits for citizens in this years budget to

ease the burden of inflation.

Communicate better towards the people


17/23

CA Notes (5m)

Presidential Elections 2011

Candidates for Presidential Election

1) Tan Kin Lian

Said that he was asked twice by PAP to stand for elections

First time he was still running an insurance company/ MP and cannot do the same job at one

time

Second time, he citing unhappiness with the partys policies and did not want to run

He was also secretary of the Marine Parade PAP Branch from 1976 to 1979

Helped the Member of Parliament, Mr Goh Chok Tong, to organise the experimental

Residents' Committee".

Became chairman of the Marine Parade Community Centre.

And in 2007, he resigned as a cadre member after his retirement from NTUC Income.

Won 34.85% of the votes

2) Tony Tan

Elected President

Supported by Mr Lee Hsien Loong, saying that he has no doubt that if elected president, Dr

Tony Tan will be a unifying figure for all citizens, and will bring honour and credit to

Singapore.

He would be resigning from the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) to

contest the Presidential Election as an independent candidate.


3) Tan Jee Say


4) Tan Kim Bock


Mr S.R Nathan calls it a day

12 years of being Singapores president

Tried to do his best and earned his fair share of criticism

Retiring because of age (87 years old) which is unsuited for the heavy responsibility and

physical demands

PAP thinks of his contributions to the nation and the different approach he brought to the

Istana compared to his predecessor. The way Mr Nathan addressed the criticism levelled

against him was reminiscent of the way he had defended the use of the reserves for the

2009 Resilience Budget - with equanimity

He would be best remembered as a smooth and harmonious if not passive Presidency which

avoided any clashes with the Cabinet


18/23

CA Notes (5m)

An outstanding diplomat in his position as an Ambassador to the United States, citing the

Michael Fay incident in which he had to defend Singapore's position soundly.

Mr Nathan's bravery, as he had volunteered to exchange himself for hostages in the 1974

hijacking of the Laju boat.

Role of the Elected President

Mr Lee said that the President has important constitutional functions, especially through his

custodial powers over reserves and key appointments.

'He must carry himself with dignity, and discharge his duties with judgment and integrity,' he

added

His contributions to the labour movement, and his fund raising work for many charities

(Presidents Challenge)

He has the ability to connect with ordinary Singaporeans

Position of President is largely ceremonial

The Elected President has a six-year term and has veto powers over the spending of nationalreserves and monetary policies as well as over the appointments of key positions in the Civil

Service, government companies and statutory boards.

In addition, the President appoints the Prime Minister (who Parliament must have approved

by a majority vote) and has the right to withhold consent for the dissolution of Parliament.

The President is also not allowed to hold any other office nor engage in commercial

enterprise.

The amendments which gave the President powers to safeguard the reserves and integrity

of the public services


19/23

CA Notes (5m)

Flooding in Singapore

Situation

Heavy and intense rain fell over the central and eastern parts of Singapore of June 2011

morning, resulting in flash floods in various locations.

more intense than that of June last year, with about 65mm recorded within 30 minutes on

Sunday morning, compared to the 100mm within two hours on June 16, 2010.

Caused flash floods at MacPherson areas including Wan Tho Avenue, Sian Kwang Avenue,

Jalan Kemboja and Puay Hee Road.

Cuscaden Road, Hillcrest Road, Eng Neo Avenue, Sennett Estate near Potong Pasir,

MacPherson, Toa Payoh, and Balestier.

Fallen trees

Orchard Road did not experience similar floods this time.

PUB said it has substantially completed raising the stretch of Orchard Road (from Orange

Grove Road to Cairnhill Road).

However, flash floods occurred at Cuscaden Road, Tanglin/Tomlinson Road junction, and

Napier Road/Tanglin Road junction.

The basement carpark of Delfi Orchard was flooded.

The basement level 1 of Tanglin Mall was also affected for the first time

Forum Shopping Mall was also affected, and many stores had to close temporarily.

PUB said it deployed tankers to both Delfi Orchard and Tanglin Mall to pump out the water

from their basement carparks.

PUB said drainage improvement works are in progress at the stretch from Jalan Kampong

Chantek to Maple Avenue and this will improve the drainage capacity along this stretch by

end-2011.

Meanwhile, at Bukit Timah Road, flash floods occurred at the stretch from Blackmore toMaplewood Road and two out of three lanes were affected. The road was closed

temporarily for one hour.

In Bukit Timah, the management committee of Tessarina condominium told MediaCorp

residents were alerted by a siren on Sunday morning when the Bukit Timah canal burst its

banks. The flood barrier at the condominium was also activated as a preventive measure.

PUB said at Marina Barrage, up to five gates were operated during the early part of the

morning when sea tide was lower. Seven pumps were operated at the later part of the

morning to lower the water level at Marina Reservoir.

Residents who had petitioned for the improvement works said they were relieved when the

measures worked during Sunday's downpour.

Reason for flood

If we are going to expect sudden and intense precipitation, then it is very likely that our

drainage systems must be redesigned to cope with such intense pressures

Solution to this matter

It has also enhanced its flood-monitoring system by increasing the number of water level

sensors in key canals and drains from 32 to 90 in end-2010.

This will be further increased to 150 by end-2011.


20/23

CA Notes (5m)

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan said that all planning

norms must be reviewed, 'taking into account the very high probability that our weather

patterns have changed'.

Looking at building codes, possibly requiring building owners to do more to flood-proof their

buildings if they are located in a flood-prone area.

PUB is embarking on an 'exhaustive and comprehensive check on all flood-prone areasfocusing on human safety

Consider expensive solutions in its review of the drainage system to tackle floods in

Singapore.

Solutions may thus require heavy investments that can delay run-off and regulate peak flow,

especially in built-up areas. (long term) Not just shifting the locations of flooding from one

place to another place

May need to use electric power (using) pumps.

Water will go into the canal for example, and if the canal is going to be full, then you can

have a pumping system to pump the water out to another reservoir or to another storage

pond. Having more green features on roof-tops of buildings in Orchard Road can also help retain

rainwater.

The design criteria of drains to cater for certain storm-intensity may also need to be

reviewed.

raising design parameters to cater to a lower risk of floods - such as from a drain that can

cater for a flood once in 25 years to that of once in 50 or 100 years.

An underground tank to quell floods along Singapore's prime shopping belt.

It will work with affected building owners to boost their flood prevention measures.

Place water "holding tanks" in the basement of buildings.

using retention ponds

PUB will lend its expertise to six building owners including Tanglin Mall and St Regis

Residences - which were badly affected by last Sunday's floods - to build "crests". Crests are

actually just road humps that will prevent water from flowing into carparks.

Studying the idea of building a diversion canal from Stamford Canal to ease flood woes along

the shopping belt.


21/23

CA Notes (5m)

Death of Osama bin Laden

How was he killed?

Killed on Sunday in an American ground operation in Abbotabad, Pakistan.

the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda

A small team of Americans had killed bin Laden and taken custody of his body following a

firefight earlier on Sunday. He disclosed that the original intelligence about his whereabouts

had been briefed to him last August and that he had authorised the operation last week.

No Americans were injured or killed.

Mr Obama hailed the tireless and heroic work of the American military and intelligence

agencies and thanked Pakistan for its assistance in the operation.

CIA operatives, possibly working with US Special Forces troops, crossed theAfghanistan-

Pakistan border to kill the al-Qaeda leader. Killed in a compound deep in Pakistan along with other family members after actionable

intelligence about his whereabouts was received.

Assumed to have been hiding in the remote tribal areas between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The fact that he was killed in a Pakistani city close to the capital of Islamabad will fuel

accusations that Pakistan has been giving sanctuary to al-Qaeda leaders.

He was already wanted dead or alive by the US Presidents

Bin Laden escaped from US forces in the Tora Bora cave complex in April 2002 George Bush

eluded the CIA and American forces despite the intense focus on killing or capturing the man

responsible for killing 3,000 Americans and others in New York, Washington and

Pennsylvania in the worst terrorist attack in US history.

Bin Laden, the scion of a wealthy Saudi family, was an enemy of the United States long

before 9/11. He was believed to have directed the 1998 bombings of the US Embassies in

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya and the attack on the USS Cole in the Yemeni

port of Aden in October 2000.

1993 World Trade Center bombing, failed plots to kill President Clinton and the Pope, and

attacks on American troops in Saudi Arabia and Somalia.

He also used his fortune to fund terrorist training camps in Sudan, the Philippines and

Afghanistan, sending Islamist "holy warriors" to ally with Muslim fundamentalists across

North Africa, Chechnya and Bosnia. A trusted courier of Osama bin Ladens whom American spies had been hunting for

years was finally located in a compound 35 miles north of the Pakistani capital, close to

one of the hubs of American counterterrorism operations. The property was so secure,

so large, that American officials guessed it was built to hide someone far more

important than a mere courier.

What followed was eight months of painstaking intelligence work, culminating in a

helicopter assault by American military and intelligence operatives that ended in the

death of Bin Laden on Sunday and concluded one of historys most extensive and

frustrating manhunts.


22/23

CA Notes (5m)

Bin Laden was shot in the head after he tried to resist the assault force, and that one of

his sons died with him.

The real breakthrough came when they finally figured out the name and location of Bin

Ladens most trusted courier, whom the Qaeda chief appeared to rely on to maintain

contacts with the outside world. Detainees at the prison at Guantnamo Bay, Cuba, had given the couriers pseudonym

to American interrogators and said that the man was a protg of Khalid Shaikh

Mohammed, the confessed mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks.

They finally learned the couriersreal name four years ago, but that it took another two

years for them to learn the general region where he operated.

Tracked him to the compound in Abbottabad, a medium-sized city about an hours drive

north of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

C.I.A. analysts spent the next several weeks examining satellite photos and intelligence

reports to determine who might be living at the compound. A senior administration official

said that by September the C.I.A. had decided that there was a strong possibility that Bin

Laden himself was hiding there.

Bin Laden and three other men lay dead. One woman, whom an American official said had

been used as a human shield by one of the Qaeda operatives, was also killed.

One of helicopters went down during the mission because of mechanical failure

The Qaeda leaders body was flown to Afghanistan, the country where he made his fame

fighting and killing Soviet troops during the 1980s. From there, American officials said, the

body was buried at sea.

Pakistan assistance to Osama

It was a mansion on the outskirts of the towns center, set on an imposing hilltop and ringed

by 12-foot-high concrete walls topped with barbed wire

The property was valued at $1 million, but it had neither a telephone nor an Internet

connection.

Its residents were so concerned about security that they burned their trash rather putting it

on the street for collection the way their neighbors did.

American officials believed that the compound, built in 2005, was designed for the specific

purpose of hiding Bin Laden.

At 8:20 that morning, Mr. Obama met with Thomas Donilon, the national securityadviser; John O. Brennan, the counterterrorism adviser; and other senior aides in the

Diplomatic Room at the White House. The president was traveling to Alabama later that

morning to witness the damage from last weekstornadoes. But first he had to approve the

final plan to send operatives into the compound where the administration believed that Bin

Laden was hiding.

Even after the president signed the formal orders authorizing the raid, Mr. Obama chose to

keep Pakistans government in the dark about the operation.

Asked about the Qaeda leaders whereabouts during a Congressional visit to Islamabad in

September 2009, the Pakistani interior minister, Rehman Malik, replied that he had no

clue, but added that he did not believe that Bin Laden was in the area. Bin Laden had sent

his family to Iran, so it made sense that he might have gone there himself, Mr. Malik argued.


23/23

CA Notes (5m)

Alternatively, he might be hiding in Saudi Arabia or Yemen, or perhaps he was already dead,

he added

current affairs notes.docx

Documents