A daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media. PLUS World Cup Watch, every day.

World Cup Scores: Uruguay 2:1 Korea USA 1:2 Ghana
Screening Tonight: Round of 16: 9pm Germany v England 1.30am Argentina v Mexico

guardian.co.uk Germany v England is a very modern confrontation: ''a derby,'' as England's Jamie Carragher puts it, but not one freighted with the post-war imagery of raddled mother country versus a super-competent master. Not on the pitch, at any rate.

dailymail.co.uk Piers Mirgan writes: Ah, the bitter-sweet memories that fixture always brings back for me. I can remember now the Euro '96 tournament, when I was editor of the Daily Mirror, and we had the brilliant idea of the front page headline 'ACHTUNG SURRENDER!' The next morning, I approved plans for a Mirror-sponsored Spitfire to dive-bomb the German training ground and drop copies of that front page on Jurgen Klinsmann's head. Oh, and for a Mirror-sponsored tank to invade the Berlin offices of our German tabloid rival, Bild newspaper.

Phuketwan Update
A SWEDISH version of the reality television series 'Survivor,' being filmed close to Langkawi in Malaysia, has been disrupted by a real-life drama in which one competitor was stung by an Irukandji. The initial sting of the small jellyfish is usually not painful until the person starts to have a severe reaction that can include backache, headache, shooting pains in their muscles, chest and abdomen. Severe cases can be fatal.

Associated Press Black-clad demonstrators broke off from a crowd of peaceful demonstrators protesting a global G20 economic summit in Toronto, torching police cruisers and smashing windows with baseball bats and hammers.


Kish of Death: Cramerton woman selected for kickboxing reality TV show - gastongazette.com

After two years of auditions and training, including three trips to Las Vegas and two to Thailand, Justine Kish has been selected as one of four American girls to compete on Tuff Girls, a Muay Thai kickboxing reality television show. Kish, 22, departs for Thailand on Monday for filming and hopes to return after six weeks as the champion. The show selected four girls from the US as well as four each from New Zealand, Australia and Europe.

Phuketwan Update Australian pilots Ken Evans, 33, and Tim Pryse, 51, will soon be bound from Bangalore in India for Phuket with their turboprop aircraft painted with the words 'Millions Against Malaria.' Funds to create awareness and eradicate the dreaded malaria disease are being raised online to two nominated charities - Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia and Pacific and Mission Aviation Fellowship. The donations are made directly to these charities and the pilots have flown over and landed in several malaria-hit countries en-route.

afp Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said his government had dropped a proposal to legalise sports betting amid protests by groups who fear it will create more social ills. Malaysia bans its majority Muslims from gambling but allows betting at a casino operated by the Genting Group, on the national lottery and on horse-racing.

nytimes.com North Korea said that its ruling Workers Party would hold a rare meeting of delegates in September to elect a new party leadership, a move analysts in Seoul said was intended to help a son of the ailing North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, consolidate his power as heir. The gathering will be the most important meeting of the party since it held a convention in 1980 to elect Mr Kim to its Politburo, an event that signaled his rise to power under his father, Kim Il-sung.

smh.com.auDisgraced former retail chain chief Mark McInnes was soaking up the rays at a resort in Thailand this week, having resigned after admitting to '''unbecoming behavior'' involving junior publicist Kristy Fraser-Kirk, and leaving a sour aftertaste for his former staff. Several of them cited the David Jones Code of Ethics and Conduct, for which McInnes penned a personal message. He tells staff ''the standards we have set ourselves are high and I am personally committed to demonstrating the spirit, intent and actions within the code - I simply ask that you join me in this commitment''. Indeed.

fijitimes.com Laione Nacevamaca, a pastor from Nadi, has been charged with maliciously fabricating and spreading by way of mouth that there would be a tsunami, earthquake and strong winds on June 23 at 2.30pm, causing public alarm. Fiji Rugby Union chairman Viliame Gavokhas been charged with spreading rumors by e-mail about the tsunami and earthquakes, and causing public alarm.

telegraph.co.uk The human feotus cannot feel pain before 24 weeks, the latest research has found, destroying one of the arguments for lowering the current abortion limit. Research from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has found that the feotus cannot experience pain before 24 weeks and is kept in an unconscious state while in the womb.



espn.go.com Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan has dedicated his winning goal in the 2-1 extra-time victory over the US to book a place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup to the whole of Africa. Ghana are the only African nation left in the tournament and only the third side from the continent to reach the final eight.

Associated Press FIFA has finally acknowledged that there may be something wrong with the Jabulani World Cup ball, but won't act on the problem until after the tournament. Many players have likened the Jabulani to a ''supermarket ball,'' saying it is too unpredictable and flies through the air too easily. ''We're not deaf,'' said FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke.



Until June 27 Second Kathu Culture Road Fair, recalling the region's history
July 4 US Phuket Navy League Independence Day free family picnic at the Headstart International Learning Center directly across from Makro (near Central Festival) in Phuket City from 10am-7pm.
July 9-18 Phuket Pineapple Show and Flower Festival, Saphan Hin park, Phuket City
July 21-25 Phuket Six Senses Race Week, Evason, Rawai
July 24 Third Worldwide Photo Walk, with at least one walk for photographers on Phuket
July 30 AustCham Thailand Sundowners at 4.30pm at Skippers, RPM. AustCham Thailand will host this Sundowners business networking session with a marine industry theme. It will start with an introduction on AustCham by the President then be followed with a talk by Austrade on the development of the marine industry in Australia at 4.50pm. This will be followed by a panel discussion with reps from Australian marine businesses, then Sundowners on the RPM boardwalk at 6pm.Contact Harry Usher harry@ladypie.com 0812731740
October 1-3 Asian Hospitality and Travel Show, Central Festival Phuket Convention and Exhibition Center, Phuket City
December 4-11 Phuket King's Cup Regatta
2011
January 6-9 PIMEX boat show, Royal Phuket Marina
February 9-13 The Bay Regatta - Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi