LONDON -- The British government began its identity card program for foreign nationals yesterday -- six years after heated debate over whether the costly plan is an effective tool against terrorism, identity theft and welfare fraud.

The last time Britain had ID cards was at the end of World War II.

The program will start with roughly 50,000 foreign students and spouses of permanent residents who will receive cards if they qualify for visa extensions.

The plan has drawn fire from opposition lawmakers who say it will be costly and unproductive and from privacy advocates who complain that the British government is compiling an unprecedented database on British residents.

The cards will contain a computer chip with fingerprint information and other data, including date of birth and nationality, but will not contain religious or ethnic data. They will cost 30 pounds ($45).

UNITED NATIONS -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed alarm yesterday at the desperate humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe, urging all donors to disregard the political crisis in the African country and provide money for critically needed food. U.N. officials say more than 5 million people face imminent starvation in Zimbabwe and cholera is spreading in the country and the region.

The U.N. World Food Program appealed in October for $140 million to help 4 million Zimbabweans. But the agency said earlier this month that international donors had not responded, forcing it to start rationing cereal and beans. It warned that food aid will run out by January unless it gets new funds.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Greenlanders voted yesterday on whether to seek more autonomy from Denmark. The referendum is non-binding, but a "yes" would be a key step toward independence for the territory, which relies on Danish subsidies to sustain its economy.

Most importantly, it would set new rules on how to split potential oil revenue between Greenland and Denmark. Greenlanders hope to find reserves off the western and southern coast of the glacial island, although exploration so far has been unsuccessful.

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Rescue workers desperately digging through the wreckage of homes engulfed by mudslides found more bodies yesterday in southern Brazil, raising the death toll from rain-spawned floods and hillside collapses to 79.

As many as 30 people were still missing in small cities and towns across Santa Catarina state, where torrential weekend rains far surpassed records going back to 1961. Forecasters said rain would probably continue until today in Santa Catarina.

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iranian official media said yesterday that one of the detained members of an alleged Israeli-linked espionage network was involved with the elite Revolutionary Guards.

The Revolutionary Guards, which have land, navy and air components, are considered better equipped than the normal military and more ideologically fervent. The unit is tasked with protecting Iran's Islamic government, which is dominated by hard-line clerics. Tehran General Prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi alleged the network planned to bomb military sites and assassinate military experts and said they now face capital punishment.