1. Municipal services in several Israeli districts were disrupted today after the country's biggest labor union launched a general strike to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into agreeing to a deal to bring Israeli hostages in Gaza home.

2. Russian forces are advancing faster in eastern Ukraine than they have done for a long time, taking several square kilometres per day, President Vladimir Putin said.

3. South Korea's health ministry said it was deploying military doctors to assist in some hospital emergency rooms due to a shortage of medical staff.

4. Myanmar's military government will conduct a nationwide population and household census in October, paving the way for a promised election next year.

5. Thailand's new cabinet has been selected and should be submitted for royal endorsement within this week.