UPDATING All Day, Every Day
bbc.com Israel and Hamas have agreed to an unconditional 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza from 08:00 on Friday, the US and UN say. Since Israel began its offensive in Gaza, 1422 Palestinians have been killed, most of them civilians.
PhuketWATCH Daily Media Wrap
PHUKET: The daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media. Beware of inconsistent imitations.
Today's Top News Items
dw.de The Thai military junta has released the names of those approved by the country's monarch to serve on a new legislative body. More than half of those on the list were past and present members of the armed forces.
bangkokpost.com The political wing of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) group says it will resume year-old peace talks on the South any time authorities want - but until then, violence and terror attacks will be ''business as usual''.
bangkokpost.com A new flock of no-frills airlines is descending on Bangkok's Don Muang airport, whose significance as the region's low-cost carrier (LCC) hub is growing amid optimism for a traffic recovery.
washingtonpost.com UN officials accused Israel of violating international law after artillery shells slammed into a school overflowing with evacuees, an attack that Palestinian and UN officials said killed at least 20 people and wounded dozens as they slept.
Phuket World of People
nationmultimedia.com Thai Smile, a unit of Thai Airways International, has lowered its revenue target for this year because of the political crisis and a big drop in tourist arrivals. From August 8, Thai Smile will operate from Don Muang to Phuket, Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai, totalling eight flights a day.
eturbonews.com The shake up of the taxi services at Suvarnabhumi Airport, recently started by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), is nearly complete with eight state-of-the-art queue management queue-card kiosks to be installed over the next couple of weeks. There has been a similar shake up of taxi services in Phuket, and many illicit activities that led to passengers being overcharged have now been eliminated.
time.com International investigators reached the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 for the first time since the Boeing 777 was downed by a missile in eastern Ukraine on July 17, the Associated Press reports.
nationmultimedia.com Thailand is in the process to heighten flexibility for workers from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia to obtain legal identification paperwork and land needed work in the country, said the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington.
theguardian.com At least 15 people have been killed and more than 230 injured by explosions in a southern Taiwanese city thought to have been caused by a gas leak in the sewerage system.
independent.co.uk Turn off the TV, calm down and stop trying to convert people to your religion. These are among the top 10 pieces of advice issued by Pope Francis this week as part of his recipe for a happy, more fulfilled life.
wsj.com The state-approved leader of China's largest mosque by size was killed in the far western Chinese city of Kashgar, according to multiple accounts, in the latest violence in a region beset by ethnic and religious strife.
Around the Asean Region
voacambodia.com The largest known outbreak of the lethal Ebola virus in West Africa is prompting authorities as far away as Asia to take preventive measures, although scientists say a global spread of the disease is unlikely.
rt.com Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has rejected Australia's attempt to cover up an alleged multinational corruption case. He said that the gagging order on the matter that could implicate him may only ''trigger suspicions and accusations.'' WikiLeaks released a document Wednesday that it said was a court order issued by the Supreme Court in Melbourne on June 19.
voanews.com A court in northern Myanmar, also known as Burma, has sentenced eight Chinese nationals to long prison terms for illegally trafficking weapons near the border with India. Details have not been made public.
Phuket World of Sport
mmamania.com Phuket's premier mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion returns on August 23, and three fights have already been confirmed for Full Metal Dojo 2, which takes place at the Seduction Nightclub on Bangla Road in Patong.
Coming Events on Phuket 2014
August 11 Special holiday for Queen's Birthday
August 12 Queen's Birthday
September 24-October 2 Vegetarian Festival, Phuket
October 23 Chulalongkorn Memorial Day
November 6 Loy Kratong
November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket
December 5 King's Birthday
December 10 Constitution Day
December 25 Christmas Day
December 26 10th Anniversary, 2004 Tsunami
December 31 New Year's Eve
Coming Events on Phuket 2015
February 13-15 Phuket Yacht Show
