IRELAND: The Department of Foreign Affairs has said that two Irish people missing since the tsunami disaster - Lucy Coyle (28), from Dublin, and Michael Murphy (23), from Wexford - are still considered high-risk cases.
Ms Coyle, an accountant from Killiney, Co Dublin, was staying in a beach hut in a resort on Phi-Phi Island when the tsunamis hit. She travelled to Thailand from London on December 17th with her Welsh-born boyfriend, Mr Seán Sweetman.
Mr Murphy was on Khao Lak, one of the worst-affected areas. The science graduate last spoke to his family on Christmas Day.
A brother of Mr Murphy has travelled to Thailand.
Gardaí are helping families search for loved ones in the worst-affected areas. DNA samples are being taken from close relatives in a bid to determine if missing Irish people are among the dead found in Thailand.
Fundraising efforts for victims of the disaster are continuing around the country. Members of the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation and the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation have joined with the Cork-based Hope Foundation to help rebuild fishing fleets in the Tamil Nadu region of south-east India .
The Allied Irish Bank account number for the project is 50677329, sort code 93-63-83.
Meanwhile, a group of prison officers in Cork are locking up eight celebrities tonight and only releasing them when bail money has been donated to the fund.
The TSB account number is 86829705, sort code 99-07-03.