• Most Popular
  • Most Shared
A martial arts enthusiast pulls a vehicle with a rope connected to his eye sockets during a performance in Hefei, Anhui province November 30, 2009. Picture taken November 30, 2009. REUTERS/China Daily

Pictures of the year: Oddly

A look at the year's best strange and unusual photos.   Slideshow 

    Coke, Pepsi slug it out at Thai boxer's home

    BANGKOK
    Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:38pm EDT
    A boxer is seen outside Pier 84 in New York July 17, 2008. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

    BANGKOK (Reuters) - Soft drinks giants Coke and Pepsi are slugging it out for supremacy outside the home of Thai Olympic boxing hopeful Worapoj Phetkum, who faces his first fight of the Beijing Games Friday, the Bangkok Post said.

    Oddly Enough

    PepsiCo's local distributor made the first move, erecting promotional tents at the police sergeant's home in the southern province of Surat Thani, where hundreds of people are expected to gather for his bout against Italy's Vittorio Parrinello.

    Coca-Cola's Thai agents quickly countered, offering the boxer's father, Thaweep, a deal -- on condition the Pepsi tents were removed.

    In a typically Thai compromise, both companies have been allowed to stay, providing they behave themselves.

    "If they make problems, both will have to leave," Thaweep said.

    Worapoj is one of Thailand's strongest Olympic medal hopes, having won silver in the bantamweight category in Athens four years ago.

    (Reporting by Ed Cropley; Editing by Alan Raybould)



    More from Reuters

    Exclusive: Saudis quit Caribbean oil storage

    NEW YORK/HOUSTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has quit a long-held lease for 5 million barrels of Caribbean oil storage near the key U.S. market and state giant PetroChina is poised to move in, industry sources say, a potentially major shift in global oil trade dynamics.

    EDITORS' NOTE: Reuters and other foreign media are subject to Iranian restrictions on leaving the office to report, film or take pictures in Tehran.   A man holds a picture of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic as government supporters protest against opposition demonstrations during the holy day of Ashura, in Tehran December, 30 2009.  REUTERS/Caren Firouz

    What next?

    Six months after a disputed election, tension in Iran shows no signs of letting up.  Full Article 

    Disgraced financier Bernard Madoff is escorted by police and photographed by the media as he departs U.S. Federal Court after a hearing in New York, January 5, 2009. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

    I beg your pardon ...

    Bernie Madoff became the poster boy of crooked investment schemes this year -- but he wasn't alone. Here's a look at the 10 most notorious cases of 2009.  Full Article