Australian woman accused of drug smuggling is facing...

Australian woman accused of drug smuggling is facing the possible death penalty in Vietnam in a case which could strain diplomatic relations between Canberra and Hanoi.
The woman, 42-year old Le My Linh, was arrested on November 17 at Ho Chi Minh's international airport as she was preparing to board a flight to Sydney.
Vietnamese officials alleged Le was carrying 880 grams of heroin when detained and was possibly part of a drugs trafficking ring linked to South East Asia's notorious Golden Triangle drug producing region.
Under Vietnam's tough anti-narcotics laws, possessing, trading or trafficking more than 100 grams of heroin or five kilograms of opium is punishable by death.
Australian consular officials are waiting to receive clearance to interview Le after making application through Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Hanoi-based officials said Canberra was likely to closely monitor Le's case in a bid to prevent any death sentence being carried out.
The fears arise after Vietnam executed a Vietnamese-Canadian woman, Nguyen Thi Hiep, early in 2000 after she and her elderly mother, Tran Thi Cam, were arrested in 1996 on drug smuggling charges.