Roundup of Thailand news with AJW

WORLD SUMMARY: Assad says Syria in "state of war" as NATO backs Turkey warning. Gunmen storm pro-Assad TV. Obama-Romney statistical tie. UK Queen, IRA man shake hands.
(Bkk Post)

BANGKOK BRIEF: NASA cancels research mission. Exports already dropping as euro crisis effects spread.

EURO 2012: Spain won a penalty shoot-out, 4-2, over Portugal to advance to the final match. Tonight (Friday morning at 1:45am Thailand time) match: Germany vs. Italy.

Spain's win over Portugal, to advance to the final, means that Spain now has the chance to become the first team to retain their European title and win three tournaments in succession, after Cesc Fabregas slotted the ball home to punish Bruno Alves's penalty that struck the bar.

OTHER NEWS

APPLE WEDNESDAY launched its iTunes Store in 12 Asian markets, giving access to millions of songs and movies, including local favorites, but regional giants, China and India, were not on the list.

Customers will now be able to choose from more than 28 million songs, including from Asian stars, as well as a huge collection of movies.

More than 16 billion songs have been sold through the iTunes Store since it was launched in 2003, according to Apple figures.
In March, the firm announced that more than 25 billion apps had been downloaded from the App Store by the users of more than 315 million iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices.

LAX CORPORATE SECURITY allowed hackers to steal credit card and other personal information from more than 600,000 customers of Wyndham Worldwide hotels, resulting in at least $10.6 million in fraudulent charges.

The FTC lawsuit, filed in US District Court in Arizona, alleges numerous shortcomings in security practices by Wyndham and its subsidiaries, including the failure to erect firewalls, use appropriate passwords, or configure software to keep credit card information secure.

The Wyndham systems were so vulnerable that hackers were able to use a primitive “brute force” attack in which they essentially guessed the password to an administrator’s account and used the resulting access to scour the system for personal data for months, the suit said. Much of the data ended up on an Internet domain registered in Russia, which experts say is a major hub of cybercrime.

PHUKET: Attention will now inevitably switch from the tragic murder of Michelle Smith to whether Phuket has suddenly become a lawless, dangerous place, best avoided for fear of a repeat. The answer to this question is a resounding no. Be angry at the cowardly perpetrators who stabbed a 60-year-old mother of three, and grieve for Michelle and her family. But don't persecute Thailand and Phuket in the false belief it has suddenly descended from a holiday haven to a destination best avoided.

INDIA: The worst start to the monsoon season in India in three years is threatening crops from rice to sugar cane, stoking concern that the South Asian nation may limit exports to preserve supplies to meet local demand.

THE FOREIGN MINISTRY has agreed in principle to allow tourists from some countries to submit their visa applications online. The proposal by the Tourism Council of Thailand is being considered, as the ministry wants to help alleviate the crowds and long lines of tourists wanting a visa on arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport.

WIMBLEDON: Defending champion Novak Djokovic and six-time winner Roger Federer both booked their places in the third round at Wimbledon following straight sets victories. Djokovic won 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 against American Ryan Harrison, while third seed Federer beat Fabio Fognini 6-1, 6-3, 6-2.