Lisbon - Portuguese woman Maria de Jesus, Europe's oldest person and the world's second oldest, celebrated her 115th birthday on Wednesday, the daily Diario de Noticias reported.

"We are not planning a special celebration, because my mother has become a bit apathetic in relation to her surroundings," said Maria de Jesus' 84-year-old daughter Maria Madalena, who looks after her in the central Portugal village of Corujo.

Maria de Jesus, who worked in agriculture for seven decades, has always eaten "what the earth offers," Maria Madalena said when asked to explain the reasons for her mother's longevity.

Lisbon - Former Portuguese labour minister Paulo Pedroso has won damages worth 100,000 euros (145,000 dollars) for having been jailed preventatively in connection with a paedophilia scandal, his lawyer said Tuesday.

Pedroso was jailed for nearly five months in 2003 on 23 counts of child abuse. An investigating judge later deemed the evidence inconclusive and shelved the case against the Socialist politician.

A Lisbon court said the detention of Pedroso had been a "gross error," granting him financial compensation for moral damage and judicial negligence.

Lisbon - Former Portuguese labour minister Paulo Pedroso has won damages worth 100,000 euros (145,000 dollars) for having been jailed preventatively in connection with a paedophilia scandal, his lawyer said Tuesday.

Pedroso was jailed for nearly five months in 2003 on 23 counts of child abuse. An investigating judge later deemed the evidence inconclusive and shelved the case against the Socialist politician.

A Lisbon court said the detention of Pedroso had been a "gross error," granting him financial compensation for moral damage and judicial negligence.

Warsaw  - Polish President Lech Kaczynski met with his Portuguese counterpart on Tuesday to discuss Georgia, Ukraine and the European Union's Lisbon Treaty.

Kaczynski said he was optimistic, along with Anibal Cavaco Silva, about the Lisbon Treaty's future, but stressed that Ireland must solve "its problem" on its own. Kaczynski added that his signature wasn't hindering the treaty's ratification, but it's the Irish no vote in a June referendum that's a hindrance.

Kaczynski also reaffirmed he was happy with the conclusions reached at Monday's EU summit on Georgia.

"I think either Nicolas Sarkozy's success in Moscow awaits us," Kaczynski said, "or the necessity to act further."

Lisbon  - A Thomas Cook Boeing 757 taking British holidaymakers to Spain's Canary Islands on Wednesday made an emergency landing in Faro, southern Portugal, airport sources said.

The sources described the landing as a part of "normal airport activity," saying it was usual for captains to land at the nearest airport when facing an "unforeseen situation."

The plane was carrying 210 passengers who had boarded it in London.