10 News Thursday, January 14, 2010 D Illegal Irish workers deported MORE than a dozen Irish nationals have been detained and deported from Australia since the start of the year. It is believed the Australian Department of Immigration has launched a major crackdown on illegally-obtained second working holiday visas. In Sydney, seven Irish citizens were stopped and detained overnight after returning from Christmas holidays in Ireland, before being deported back to Ireland within 24 hours. According to Australian newspaper the Irish Echo, officials are trying to crack down on those obtaining second visas by fraudulently claiming to have undertaken three-months regional work the minimum necessary requirement to become eligible to apply for a second 12-month visa. A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs could not confirm exactly how many Irish nationals have been deported, but said that 12 in a two-week period was very high. Fraudsters make thousands of dollars by selling such fake paperwork to desperate Irish citizens who wish to extend their stay in the country. worlddigest SPAIN: A boy of 16 has become the countrys first minor to have a sex change operation. The youngster who began hormonal and psychiatric treatment two years ago felt like a woman from the age of four or five, according to Barcelona surgeon Ivan Manero. The two-hour operation had to be authorised by a judge because of the boys age. It is a life-changing decision, warned the Spanish Association of Transsexuals group. Im youngest sex change boy at 16 FRANCE: The ever youthful Carla Bruni became a grandmother yesterday. The first lady, 42, (pictured) was said to be thrilled and delighted at the arrival of a boy to Jessica Sebaoun-Darty, wife of Nicolas Sarkozys son, Jean. Bruni becomes a grandmother at 42 MEXICO: A major drug lord has been captured by police. Teodoro Garcia Simental (pictured) was arrested near the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. No shots were fired, an officer said. Garcia is connected to the deaths of at least 300 people. Wanted drug baron arrested by police VENEZUELA: Homes and businesses across the country will suffer four-hour blackouts every other day to tackle an escalating power crisis. Droughts have hit water levels in the Guri Dam which feeds three hydro-electric plants that supply three-quarters of the countrys electricity. Steel and aluminium plants have already been closed and public workers have had their hours cut. The roll-out began yesterday in the capital Caracas. Energy crisis sees rolling blackouts and finally... CHINA: Firefighters spent 12 hours rescuing a cat from a cash machine after bank customers heard mewing. When the fire crew finally broke into the machine in Nanjing they found the animal had vanished up a ventilation shaft. Tribute: A woman reads the signs on flowers delivered by Chinese Google users outside the internet giants headquarters in Beijing Picture: Reuters Google vows to quit China after attack GOOGLE has threatened to quit China after hackers targeted the e-mail accounts of human rights activists. The internet giant did not blame the Chinese government for the security breach but vowed to stop censoring its search results in the country. The U-turn comes after Google found hackers within China tried to access the e-mail accounts of human rights activ- ists on its Gmail service. Secretary of state Hillary Clinton said Googles allegations raise very serious concerns and questions and the US was seeking an explanation from Beijing. Google said it would hold talks with Chinese officials to see if the company could still provide unfiltered search re- sults in the country. If an agreement cant be worked out, Google said it was prepared to leave the Asian country. The decision to review our business operations in China has been incredibly hard, and we know that it will have po- tentially far-reaching consequences, said Google lawyer David Drummond. However, some cynics believe Goog- les planned withdrawal could be a face-saving exercise. Although the search engine is the most popular worldwide, its a distant second in China where the homegrown Baidu.com processes more than 60 per cent of all requests. By Jo Steele Escaped hippo is still free A TWO-tonne hippo who escaped from a flooded private zoo in Montenegro was roaming free yesterday but was returning to the zoo owners restaurant to eat bread and hay. Officials disagreed over whether to kill the animal, considered one of the worlds most dangerous species. Nikica, 11, escaped as heavy rains sent water flooding through the zoo, raising the water level in her pen and allowing her to swim over the top of the cage surrounding it. A spokesman for Montenegros natural disasters commission, which responds to floods, said the law required animals that can endanger human lives to be killed. But state veterinary authorities said they were not entitled to kill animals. Zoo owner Dragan Pejovic insisted Nikica is not dangerous unless someone attacks and kicks her. He said her movements are being tracked by the zoos private security and that she is tame and peaceful. Mr Pejovic added that Nikica now had nowhere to return since the zoo, on a small island in a lake south of the capital, remains flooded. Hippos are fiercely territorial, can run faster than the average human and have powerful teeth and jaws. Princess Stephanie of Monaco cuddles a Duss Family sea lion during previews for the 34th Monte Carlo International Circus Festival Picture: AFP Sealed with a loving hug index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html