BUILT at the end of the last Great Depression, the 1930s Art Deco-style home The Haven, is for sale in the teeth of another tough time economically — but this lofty place is at least in as good a shape as it has been in its long lifetime.

Protesters in Thailand claimed a symbolic victory today after forcing soldiers to retreat from parts of Bangkok’s historic district, raising tensions in what so far has been a non-violent bid to bring down the government.

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra attacked the government’s handling of the economy today and told thousands of cheering supporters not to abandon the fight for democracy in one of the largest demonstrations to hit the kingdom in months.

Thousands of troops fired warning shots and tear gas at anti-government protesters rampaging across Bangkok today, forcing demonstrators to regroup for what organisers said would be a “final stand”.

The Thai prime minister rejected calls for his resignation by thousands of anti-government protesters who ringed his office for a second day in a boisterous rally.

The Thai prime minister entered his office unhindered today, easing fears of confrontation after 20,000 anti-government protesters surrounded the building the day before demanding that parliament be dissolved and new elections held.

Several thousand protesters allied with exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra marched toward Thailand’s seat of government today, demanding a dissolution of Parliament and the holding of snap elections.

Thai police today warned students to avoid street protests after a gunman shot and wounded two students demonstrating against the country’s prime minister, raising new fears of violence in the country’s tense political crisis.

Thousands of demonstrators occupying the Thai prime minister’s office compound beat back an effort by riot police to remove them today and vowed to stay until the government resigns.

Pope Benedict XVI lauded the Australian government today for apologising to the country’s indigenous Aborigines for past injustices, saying it offered hope to all the world’s disadvantaged peoples.

About 1,000 protesters, demanding the resignation of the prime minister, have broken through a police cordon around Thailand’s seat of government which the demonstrators vow to peacefully besiege.

The army commander who seized Thailand’s government in a rapid, bloodless coup pledged today to hold elections by October 2007 while hinting that the ousted premier, Thaksin Shinawatra, may face prosecution for wrongdoing.

COMMONWEALTH Games officials in Melbourne are bracing themselves for protests today as Aboriginal campaigners take to the streets demanding justice for Australia’s indigenous population.

Thailand’s prime minister vowed today to declare an emergency if anti-government protesters in the capital turned violent, as tens of thousands massed near his office demanding he resign over corruption allegations.

Tens of thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra marched to the Thai leader’s office today after a boisterous rally accusing him of corruption and abuse of power.

About 2,000 people rallied in the central square of Mongolia’s capital today in a new wave of protests over official corruption, demanding the resignation of the country’s president and dissolution of parliament.

Protesters demanding the resignation of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra broke into and briefly occupied the compound housing his offices tonight, but left peacefully after appeals by demonstration leaders.

The Argentinian presidential election on Sunday will be one of the closest in decades, according to opinion polls today.

More than 50 bush fires are raging around the state of New South Wales today, including one only miles from Parliament House in Canberra.