bbc.com Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson has been jailed for 18 months for conspiracy to hack phones. The 46-year-old went on to become director of communications for Prime Minister David Cameron.

theguardian.com Concern about the prowess of al-Qaida's bomb-maker in chief - and his willingness to work with Isis insurgents in Syria and Iraq - underlies the decision to increase security at British and other European airports.


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 The military council is discussing what should be in next year's 18th democratic constitution, including a ban on populist policies ''that could endanger the economy'' - and abolition of some of the ''independent'' courts and bodies.

nationmultimedia.com Independence Day celebrations yesterday got underway at the US Embassy in Bangkok with minimal participation of junta figures. However, personnel from the ousted government of Yingluck Shinawatra and red-shirt supporters were in attendance.

bangkokpost.com The military junta said it would make ''minor changes'' to the content of a provisional constitution before submitting it for royal endorsement later this month. Under the interim charter, the speaker of the national legislative assembly, not the NCPO chief, is authorised to submit the name of the interim prime minister for royal endorsement.

independent.co.uk Violent clashes erupted in occupied East Jerusalem for a second day amid Palestinian rage over the murder of a sixteen-year-old boy as Israel moved troop reinforcements to the edge of the Gaza Strip.



reuters Seven Germany players are suffering mild flu symptoms ahead of the quarter-final match against France on Friday, coach Joachim Loew said.

afp Uruguay lodged an appeal against the four month football ban imposed on star striker Luis Suarez for his World Cup bite, a top FIFA official said.

World Cup Quarter Finals Friday
France v Germany; Brazil v Colombia.



afp A Thai court passed a suspended prison sentence on an anti-coup activist for breaching a ban on political gatherings, his lawyer said, in the first protest-related verdict since the military takeover. Weerayuth Kongkanathan, 49, was given a one-month suspended jail term.

time.com A 13-year-old Burmese girl who was tortured for five years by a Thai couple who treated her as a slave has finally been awarded $143,000 in compensation by a local court, ending one nightmare but throwing the spotlight on the plight of countless other vulnerable migrants who suffer similar abuse. The girl was regularly drenched with pots of boiling water for perceived disobedience.

bangkokpost.com The old 10,000-baht duty-free limit is out, as the Customs Department brings in new limits of around 100,000 baht in goods and half a million in cash.

theage.com.au The United Nations has expressed '''profound concern''' over reports that Australia was poised to hand Sri Lankan asylum seekers back to the country's navy after only the briefest refugee assessment.

afp More than 70,000 people have already asked Google to delete links about them under Europe's ''right to be forgotten'' ruling, with some of the world biggest news sites the first to be hit.

gulfnews.com Halal food has become so popular that one of the country's most important industry events, Phuket Halal Expo, held in May this year, saw a record 300 representatives from global halal-related organisations engaging in various seminars that focused on product innovations.

theguardian.com One of Britain's leading doctors has called for the country to switch to a four-day week to help combat high levels of work-related stress, let people spend more time with their families or exercising, and reduce unemployment.



voanews.com Two men were killed in a second night of rioting in Mandalay, the second largest city of Myanmar, also known as Burma, a security official said, the latest flare-up in two years of sectarian unrest that threatens fledgling reforms. A Buddhist and a Muslim were killed and 14 people hurt.

ucanews.com The annual State of the World's Minorities and Indigenous Peoples published by Minority Rights Group International reports ''growing hostility against minority Muslims'' in Burma. ''The most serious abuses have occurred against Muslim Rohingya in Rakhine state, but violence has also spread to other parts of the country, stoked by Buddhist extremist rhetoric.''

The guardian.com On a visit to Burma, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she would press Burma's leadership to pursue a ''true democracy'' that recognises human rights and the inclusion of all ethnic groups.

wsj.com Indonesia's near trillion-dollar economy is at a crossroads as its presidential election approaches next week: Manufacturing wilted during a commodity boom that has now gone bust, and it badly needs to build ports, roads and power plants to reinvigorate growth.



bbc.com Former champion Petra Kvitova will face Eugenie Bouchard in the Wimbledon final after seeing off fellow Czech Lucie Safarova in straight sets.



July 11 Arsanha Bucha Day

July 16-20 Phuket Race Week yachting, Cape Panwa

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