Thai protesters suspend rallies

Thousands of protesters who had amassed for days outside the government headquarters in Bangkok dispersed Tuesday after a top leader called on them to suspend their rallies until after the Thai New Year celebrations. Soon after the leader, Veera Muksikapong, made his announcement, protesters left by foot or on motorcycles from the area around the Government House

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Protests wipe smile from Thai tourism sector

The "Land of Smiles" is growing grim as the political maelstrom in Thailand threatens to further erode the southeast Asian nation’s battered tourism industry. Thailand has been a popular destination since its spectacular beaches were discovered four decades ago by backpacking travelers and U.S. troops on leave from Vietnam

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Thai police say protest leader arrested

The leader of an anti-government protest that forced cancellation of a summit in Thailand was arrested Sunday and charged with instigating people to break the law, police said. Arismun Pongruengrong was being interrogated after his arrest at his residence, a police spokesman said

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Anti-government protesters amass in Thailand

About 50,000 anti-government demonstrators amassed Wednesday in the capital in a push to topple Thailand’s prime minister. The “Red Shirt” protesters — named for the color of their shirts — had gathered outside Government House in Bangkok, according to the chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau. Demonstrations have intensified in recent weeks to destabilize the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

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‘Miracle fruit’ turns sour things sweet

The small fruit has the color of a cranberry, the shape of an almond and tastes like a flavorless gummy. But after chewing the fruit and rubbing the pulp against the tongue, the berry, known by a promising name — “miracle fruit” or Synsepalum dulcificum — releases a sweetening potency that alters the taste buds. For about 15 to 30 minutes, everything sour is sweet

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Cruz wins best supporting actress

Penelope Cruz won the first Oscar of the night at the 81st annual Academy Awards, a best supporting actress honor for "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." Cruz paid tribute to writer-director Woody Allen, who oversaw “Vicky Cristina,” and Pedro Almodovar, who gave her some of her best roles, and thanked “everyone who has helped me from the beginning.” True to the producers’ promise to give the Academy Awards more of a “party” tone, Hugh Jackman led off the show with cracks about downsizing — “Next year,” said the “Australia” star, “I’ll be starring in a movie called ‘New Zealand’ ” — then segued into a song-and-dance number he said he assembled in his garage. Performing songs about each best picture nominee in various musical styles, with “homemade” backgrounds behind him, at one point he reached into the audience and physically lifted Anne Hathaway on stage to play Richard Nixon in “Frost/Nixon.” Then the gregarious host paid tribute to various celebrities in the audience as if pointing out VIPs in a nightclub.

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