skynews.com Islamic State has issued a video threatening to kill two Japanese hostages unless a $200m ransom is paid within 72 hours. In the video, a black-clad militant brandishing a knife addresses the camera in English as he stands between two hostages wearing orange jumpsuits.

AP Australia's main domestic security agency raised the terrorist threat level against police from ''medium'' to ''high'' in response to recent international attacks targeting officers.


PHUKET: The daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media. Beware of inconsistent imitations.



bangkokpost.com A Facebook post by Japanese expat Koki Aki about his painful experience with Suvarnabhumi airport's immigration and taxi queues went viral, with netizens debating his assertion the airport is a blight upon Thailand. He called Suvarnabhumi expensive and disgusting. ''There is cheating and no one cares for passengers. What are we, as foreigners, to do?''
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/458027/japanese-expat-suvarnabhumi-outrage-goes-viral

nationmultimedia.com Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha angrily denied an allegation that the junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly had been ordered to impeach former PM Yingluck Shinawatra.



dvb.no Controversial nationalist monk Wirathu lambasted the UN's special rapporteur for human rights in Burma, Yanghee Lee, in a speech on Friday at the Kyeikkasan Grounds in Rangoon's Tamwe Township. He called her a ''whore'' for her alleged bias towards the country's Rohingya Muslim minority: ''If you are so willing, you may offer your arse to the kalar [racist term meaning ''blacks'']. But you will never sell off our Arakan State!''

dw.de Following her ten-day trip to Burma, UN Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee tells DW she is ''disturbed'' by how minorities are being targeted and says violence is a significant barrier to peace and prosperity in the country.
http://www.dw.de/un-envoy-myanmars-rakhine-state-remains-in-crisis/a-18200690



bbc.com David Cameron has defended a letter urging senior Muslims to explain how Islam ''can be part of British identity,'' amid criticism from leaders. The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) criticised some aspects of the letter, including the ''implication that extremism takes place at mosques''.



hollywood.com Disgraced glam rock icon Gary Glitter attempted to rape a schoolgirl in her own bed at the height of his 1970s success, a British court has heard. The convicted paedophile, who is facing 10 charges relating to alleged historic sex offences against three girls, was in court in London as prosecutors opened their case against the rocker, real name Paul Gadd.

scotsman.com A Scot who helped build a school in a remote, poverty-stricken village on the Thai- Burmese border has made a documentary highlighting the plight of the children there. Narrated by Hollywood star Sigourney Weaver, All You Need is Love focuses on the lives of the children of Good Morning School in the district of Mae Sot, Thailand.

afp The world's richest one per cent will own more than the other 99 per cent by next year, Oxfam has warned. The charity has highlighted growing inequality ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos this week.

bbc.com The Nigerian Islamic extremist group Boko Haram has kidnapped 80 people from a village in neighboring Cameroon - many of them are children. It is one of its biggest abductions outside Nigeria and raises fears that Boko Haram is expanding its attacks.

karennews.org The United Nation High Commission for Refugees and the Thai Ministry of Interior are planning a joint exercise to verify refugee population in the nine camps along the Thai-Burma border in January, according to sources from camp service providers.

independent.co.uk Anne Kirkbride, the actress who played Deirdre Barlow in Coronation Street, has died aged 60. She passed away peacefully in a Manchester hospital following a short illness, her husband confirmed.



Try Phuketwan's Asean Today daily:
http://phuketwan.com/tourism/asean-today-vietnam-execute-eight-convicts-asia-muslims-charlie-pope-flies-ice-cream-21743/



brisbanetimes.com.au Golfer Tiger Woods came to watch girlfriend Lindsey Vonn win her 63rd World Cup skiing title but it was his missing front tooth that got all the attention. It was knocked out by a cameraman who turned suddenly while filming the ski champ.

news.com.au A homeless woman has given a conflicting account of golfer Robert Allenby's bashing in Hawaii, as more details emerge of how he was lured to his attackers and their identities.



January 21 Australian embassy outreach to Phuket Call 02-3446300, e: consular.bangkok@dfat.gov.au

January 30 US consular outreach, Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort

February 12-15 Phuket Yacht Show