A Brazilian judge furious with the US’s new plans to fingerprint and photograph Brazilians entering the United States, has ordered Brazil to do the same to US citizens.  Currently, Brazil requires US citizens to have a visa when entering the country.

*****

In Australia, Quantas Airlines is concerned that passenger safety is being compromised because the airline is not given adequate information about hundreds of prisoners aboard its aircraft, which include illegal immigrants being removed from the country.  Many of these prisoners are unescorted on the flights. 

*****

The Philippines will deport two American brothers who were arrested two weeks ago for alleged dealings with local Muslim militants and charities that authorities say may be fronts for al Qaeda.  Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo said that the brothers arrived on tourist visas but carried documents indicating they were soliciting funds for the construction of mosques and Muslim schools.  According to Philippine intelligence reports, one of the brothers, James Stubbs, met with several charity groups that authorities suspect are al Qaeda fronts.

*****

South Korea is planning to begin cracking down on illegal migrants due to the recent appearance of several suspected cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in the Asian region.  Although South Korea has not had any reported cases of SARS, concerns about the disease have grown following the outbreaks in China and Taiwan.