President Michael D Higgins begins his visit to Laos today - the final country on his tour of south east Asia.

The trial against a pregnant British woman on heroin trafficking charges opened today, in a case that has raised questions about how she managed to conceive while behind bars.

Thailand has confirmed its second fatality from bird flu, local television reported on Tuesday.

A storm that has killed two people in Japan threatens further heavy rains causing landslides in mountainous areas and flooding in the capital Tokyo.