Airport operation
The Aliens and Borders Service (SEF) carried out a border control operation last Friday at passenger airports in Faro, Porto, Funchal, Lages and Ponta Delagada. Passengers were screened as they arrived in a bid to identify illegal immigrants into the mainland and Portuguese islands.  

During the operation which took place between 07.30 and 22.00 on 5 February two people were detained for attempting to enter Portugal illegally. They were refused entry, taken back to the border and excluded.  

ETA bomb factory
The Spanish authorities have confirmed that the Basque separatist group ETA was trying to set up a bomb making factory in Portugal following last week’s discovery of a property containing explosives belonging to the illegal group.

The Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, confirmed yesterday that that the terrorist group ETA was attempting to set up an explosives factory in Portugal. The minister gave an interview to reporters in Seville on Sunday in the aftermath of the discovery of a house in Obidos, north of Lisbon, where 1500kg of explosives were found along with maps of Spain and Portugal.

Drug operation in the North
A large police operation carried out by the GNR resulted in a widespread search of 49 premises by some 400 officers in Riba d'Ave and Vila Nova de Famalicão in the region of Braga in the North of Portugal however the investigation also encompassed other areas of the Minho and Porto regions.

Around 36 people were arrested of which 28 had warrants issued by a court in Famalicão. The focus was on an extended drug trafficking network and police believe they have made significant progress in dismantling the group. Drugs, cash, arms and gold was seized in the raids.

No plan to save museum
The councillor for culture in Silves, Maria Manuela Guerreiro, has told the press that she does not know of any plan to save the Cork Museum in Silves in spite of recent press announcements to the contrary. Mrs Guerreiro said that no such plan exists and she was concerned about the future of the site, housed within Fabrica Ingles, which is technically bankrupt.

The site is at risk of closure unless the Minister of Culture can agree a plan to prevent its demise. The counsellor has expressed concern that nothing concrete has been agreed and although there is a willingness to hold talks nothing official has taken place. The Museum was opened in 1999 and houses historical machinery recovered from the industry which is in danger of being sold off to re-pay debt.

UK
Paramilitary group disarms
The National Liberation Army (INLA) operating in Northern Ireland has finally decommissioned its weapons after agreeing to a ceasefire in 1998.

The information came from the agency which oversees Northern Ireland paramilitary weapons and is expected to be confirmed today, Monday, by the INLA and General John de Chastelain who heads up the organisation.   The INLA said in October that it would continue to pursue its aims, but by peaceful means only.

The republican paramilitary group was formed in 1975 and is believed to have killed more than 120 individuals, including Conservative MP Airey Neave in 1979.  The group, which has been called “small but ruthless”, is thought to have carried out killings even after its ceasefire and as recently as February 2009 it claimed responsibility for the murder of a drug dealer in Londonderry.

Another paramilitary group, the Ulster Defence Association, also decommissioned its weapons.  Legislation ending decommissioning is due to end shortly, after which any weapons found can be the subject of official police inquiry and its owners subjected to criminal procedures.

UK
Student visa regulations tightened
The government has issued new regulations governing the acceptance of overseas students into the UK with the objective of stopping people abusing the student visa system in order to work illegally.

The new rules will demand that applicants speak not just beginner English but to a higher standard and those applying for courses of up to six months be denied the possibility of bringing dependants with them.  Last week student visa applications from Nepal, northern India and Bangladesh were temporarily suspended amid a large increase of applications.

A review of student visas began in November.  In 2008/09 around 240,000 student visas had been issued, but many were for short courses and not degree work. Last year had already seen a greater scrutiny brought to bear on the visa programme, but opposition parties have claimed the system was still open to abuse by terrorists as well as those wishing to stay on illegally in the country.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson promised that by 2011 the UK will have the most sophisticated system in the world, claiming that the UK was the second most popular destination for people pursuing higher education.  He also said: "We have to be careful that we are not damaging a major part of the UK economy, between £5bn and £8bn."

Ukraine
Presidential campaign results
Exit polls in the Ukraine point to Viktor Yanukovych being the successful presidential candidate in a narrow win of 3 – 6 per cent over Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Mr Yanukovych, who was running for president in 2004, was ditched as the peaceful “Orange Revolution” gained force.  Analysts say his election would be a clear indictment of pro-Western Orange Revolution leaders and their failure to deliver what they promised.  It is anticipated that Mr. Yanukovych’s stance will probably be more pro-Russian.

The election commission is not due to release preliminary results until Monday morning.  The campaign was marked more by accusations than debate.

Haiti
Debt written off
The G7 has promised to write off the debt owed to them by Haiti.  The news came from the G7 summit in Canada.

The G7 includes the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.  UK Prime Minister Brown said: "It must be right that a nation buried in rubble must not also be buried in debt…The UK has already cancelled all debts owed to it by Haiti and I strongly welcome today's G7 commitment to forgive Haiti's remaining multilateral debt. We will work with others to make sure this is delivered."

The move is designed to assist Haiti’s recovery after the 12 January earthquake which killed over 200,000 individuals. Before the earthquake, the international community agreed to cancel much of Haiti's $1.2bn (£800m) debt. The World Bank had already announced that it is to waive Haiti's debt payments for the next five years. Haiti, one of the poorest nations in the world, has massive debts. Venezuela and Taiwan are the country's other biggest creditors.

Brazil
Carnival contretemps
A seven year old girl has been selection to be “queen” of a top samba school participating in Rio de Janeiro’s carnival parade, but the move has been condemned by protestors.

Children’s rights groups have claimed that it is not appropriate for a youngster to take on the role, which traditionally as a “sexy” element to it. A family court judge is now considering a ban on her starring role in next week's parade.

Julia Lira’s samba school is in the dozen top-tier samba schools and to be queen of a Rio samba school is one of the most sought after roles in the carnival, but is associated with scantily dressed women.

Carnival runs from 13 to 16 February.