bbc.co.uk Half of the BBC's websites will close by 2013 as part of a shake-up of the corporation, the director general has announced. Mark Thompson also pledged that in future, 90p of every licence fee pound sterling will be spent on programming and the corporation would spend 25 percent less on BBC online.

bernama.com A Malaysian convicted of killing heart surgeon Victor Chang will arrive at the KL International Airport Wednesday night accompanied by two Australian immigration officers. Phillip Lim Choon Tee, 50, jailed for a maximum 24 years over his role in Dr Chang's 1991 murder,will not be allowed to return to Australia after he reaches Malaysia, but immigration officials will escort him to Kuala Lumpur before setting him free.


A comprehensive daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media.

SOME of the world's top judges and jurists have slipped in and out of Phuket on an unusual cruise, according to news reports.
The Super Star Virgo is today sailing back to Singapore after its passengers spent yesterday on the island. The cruise left Singapore on February 28 for Penang and Phuket.
Nothing unusual, except that according to thehindu.com online, the cruise ship, which regularly docks on Phuket, was the venue for the International conference on Sea, Global Warming and Rule of Law, organised by the International Council of Jurists in association with the Law Society of Singapore.
Given that some of the participants hail from countries where judges are on terrorist death lists, the seaboard conference dealing with the sea as a topic seemed not only appropriate but also highly secure.
Phuket has recently been attracting high-profile sea-borne visitors, including the ultra-luxury cruise ship Queen Mary II and US aircraft carriers USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan. Three smaller US warships are being made welcome on Phuket today.

nationmultimedia.com Thailand's Cabinet agreed to extend the government's tourism stimulus measures for another year. The visa fee waiver, airport landing and parking reductions and insurance coverage for visitors will now end in March 2011. Tourism accounts for about 6 percent of the country's gross domestic product.

smh.com.au A wealthy British television presenter has been found dead in an apparent solo sex game-gone wrong. The ex-partner of BBC presenter Kristian Digby found the 32-year-old dead in his east London home on Monday, the Daily Mail reported. Police sources told the newspaper that Mr Digby died in a solo sex game that went wrong.

earthtimes.org A Malaysian transsexual has won refugee status in Australia after persuading a tribunal that she risked persecution if deported. The unidentified 38-year-old Malay, who underwent sex-change surgery in Thailand, told the Refugee Review Tribunal: ''In Malaysia I do not count as a person. I do not want to work as a prostitute, and that is the only life for me there.''

istockanalyst.com Thailand could lose its regional economic competitiveness because of domestic political instability and the lack of policies to improve its long-term economic fundamentals, leading economists say. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, director of the Finance Ministry's macroeconomic policy planning section, said the country has been slow to invest in large projects that would enhance long-term competitiveness.

theage.com.au In a world-first, McDonald's has signed a deal with Weight Watchers to promote some of its meals, such as Chicken McNuggets, as ideal for dieters. Three meals marked with the Weight Watchers logo will go on sale in New Zealand today and are expected in Australian outlets later this year, as part of a six-year push by the fast-food giant to change its image.

nydailynews.com Memo to Michelle Obama: Besides taking on childhood obesity, you might try keeping your husband away from the dessert cart. The spike in President Obama's cholesterol level detected during a physical exam Sunday was apparently caused by overindulgence in sweets and cheeseburgers, according to spokesman Robert Gibbs.

csmonitor.com A handheld scanner that claims to detect bombs at a distance of 700 meters but has been described by British scientists as a scam continues to stir political controversy in Thailand. Thailand's military has insisted on keeping the GT200 and publicly defended its use. Its stance has fueled a political backlash over the procurement of hundreds of apparently dud detectors by the military and other security agencies at a cost of up to $30,000 each.

news.sg.msn.com With casino games such as roulette flying off the shelves, some parents are worried about the influence games of chance might have on their kids. Cashing in on the casino hype, some major toy stores are offering games resembling those played at casinos, such as roulette and poker with money chips, cards and dice. Major toy chain Toys ''R'' Us sells these items in the ''family fun and games'' section.

afp Singapore budget carrier Tiger Airways will provide a chartered aircraft that will exclusively fly foreign guests visiting the city's first casino resort. The airline says it signed an agreement with Resorts World Sentosa under which the casino operator will take over the lease of the aircraft. The service is scheduled to start late this year.

afp Relatives of passengers killed in an Ethiopian Airlines crash in Lebanon last January have filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit in a US court against plane-maker Boeing, their lawyer said. The cause of the crash, in which 83 passengers and seven crew aboard the Boeing 737-800 were killed when the Beirut-Addis Ababa flight went down minutes after taking off in bad weather, has not been announced.

straitstimes.com News Corp chief Rupert Murdoch threw down the gauntlet to The New York Times on Tuesday, announcing plans to launch a New York edition of The Wall Street Journal next month. Mr Murdoch, in a speech to the Real Estate Board of New York, did not mention The New York Times by name but he was clearly referring to the newspaper which has long dominated the city.

thestar.com.my CNN International has announced a long-term sponsorship deal with the new Malaysian-backed Formula One team Lotus Racing. The logos of the news network will feature on the T127 race cars, drivers' overalls and all team clothing from this season.

businessweek.com Google has acquired Picnik, whose Web-based application lets people import and edit photos in a browser. Picnik integrates with popular photo-management and sharing services like Google's Picasa, Yahoo's Flickr, Photobucket and the photo album components from Facebook and MySpace.

cbssports.com Tiger Woods was spotted hitting balls on the Isleworth Country Club practice range, located across the street from the house where his fateful car crash took place in the wee hours after Thanksgiving Day. The world No. 1 was back on the range on Monday, too, when fellow golf pro and neighbor Charles Howell spotted him on the way to the club to work out. Howell said Woods looked well and was none the worse for rust.



The Phuket Navy League is hosting a welcome party for the officers and crew of USS Cleveland, USS Patriot and USS Rushmore from 7pm on at BBQ Hut in Patong on Thursday, March 4. Entry is at no charge for active duty military, 200 baht for Navy League members and 400 baht for visitors. Details: phuketnavyleague.org

March 13 "Lords (land) Last Barbecue Supper'' as Don's Mall in Rawai closes.
April 9-13 Phuket Bike Week, including tattoo competitions, island rides and the Miss Phuket Bike Week contest.
April 14 Phuket Cricket Sixes begin.
May 31-June 5 Eight-nation football tournament for players over 55 at Surakul Stadium in Phuket City. Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Taiwan, Iran, Armenia competing.
May Date to be finalised for Muay Thai kickboxing competition at Laguna Phuket.
May 21-23 Paragliding on Phuket.
June 4-13 Phuket International Film Festival.