Thai military detains former prime minister |
Yingluck Shinawatra among dozens of politicians held after being summoned to a military base following Thursday's coup.
Last updated: 24 May 2014 07:03
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Thailand's former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and dozens of prominent politicians have been detained by the military a day after it took control of government.
Yingluck and Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, her temporary replacement, were among the 39 prominent figures who on Friday reported to a military facility in Bangkok.
A Thai military spokesman, who gave his name as Colonel Veerachon, told Al Jazeera that all those who had reported to the base had been taken into detention.
"We are looking after them very well. They are all under detention. We want them to talk and give them some time to relax. They are not together at the moment," he said.
However, he could not confirm their locations.
How far will Pope Francis go to defend Palestinians’ right to a state of their own?
Every step and word of papal pilgrimage to the Holy Land will be pored over
Paddy Agnew
“The pope, by his very presence, will surprise us . . . He has the very dangerous talent of saying in clear words what is going on. The man is very annoyingly not a diplomat, and he is coming into a minefield where he will have to be diplomatic, but I expect the surprises are going to come in those very clear, short sentences that say the truth . . . And that is something that we are not used to from heads of state visiting the Middle East.”
On the eve of Pope Francis’s three-day trip to the Holy Land, beginning today in Jordan, the Latin Patriarchal Vicar of Jerusalem, Fr David Neuhaus, yesterday indicated something of the expectations generated by what is only the second overseas trip of this fledgling pontificate.
On an intense visit that takes in Jordan, Bethlehem and the holy city of Jerusalem,Time’s man of the year sets out on a pilgrimage rich in iconic symbolism as he visits the sites of Christ’s birth, baptism, crucifixion and resurrection.
Brazil to deploy more than 150,000 soldiers and police during the World Cup
Brazil has announced plans to mobilize more than 150,000 soldiers and police officers to provide security during next month’s World Cup. They are to deal with anti-government protests expected during the tournament.
Brazilian officials said on Friday that 57,000 troops would team up with 100,000 police and other security officers to guard the 12 World Cup stadiums, as well as hotels and airports.
Defense Minister Celso Amorim told reporters at a press conference in the capital, Brasilia, on Friday, that Brazil was "perfectly prepared" to ensure security for both local residents and the hundreds of thousands of foreigners expected to travel to the country for the World Cup.
Officials put the cost of the extra security measures at $856 million (628 million euros), something that is not bound to go down well with many Brazilians - who argue that instead of spending millions on hosting the World Cup, the government should be putting money into things like health care, education and transport.
'True Mexican hero?' Founder of Mexico's vigilante movement under fire
Dr. Mireles helped found Mexico's movement of armed self-defense forces last year, which put drug cartels on the run. Some still praise him, but he's embroiled in scandal, including murder charges.
As a founder of a citizens’ movement to take action against organized crime in Mexico’s Michoacan state, Dr. Jose Manuel Mireles has evolved from small-town hero to national political figure.
Supporters post videos hailing him on YouTube. Politicians court him. A nascent movement wants to take his armed vigilante group nationwide.
But ask Dr. Mireles how things are going and he says simply, “Very badly. Very badly.” All is not well for the physician, who spent nearly a decade living in California’s Central Valley, mostly in Modesto, before returning to his home state.
Since taking the spotlight last year, Mireles has suffered a series of travails. His home life is a wreck, and his 27-year marriage seemingly over. His health has faltered from serious injuries when his small plane went down Jan. 4.
US commander warns about China-Vietnam standoff
By JIM GOMEZ
The U.S. military commander in the Pacific warned Friday that the risk of a miscalculation that could trigger a wider conflict in a tense territorial standoff between China and Vietnam is high and urged both nations to exercise restraint.
Adm. Samuel Locklear also urged Southeast Asian nations and China to hasten the drafting of a legally binding "code of conduct" to prevent territorial rifts from turning into armed conflicts that could threaten the region's bustling economies.
Southeast Asian diplomats have accused China of delaying the start of negotiations for such a nonaggression pact while it tries to consolidate its control of disputed territories.
Russian Railways paid billions of dollars to secretive private companies
The state-owned rail giant, run by an old friend of President Vladimir Putin, has awarded vast sums to contractors who disguise their ownership, a Reuters investigation finds
MOSCOW - In the world’s biggest country, railways are still a route to riches. With nearly 1 billion passengers a year and $42 billion in annual sales, the state company Russian Railways is a giant commercial opportunity.
At its head is Vladimir Yakunin, an old friend and long-standing ally of President Vladimir Putin. He oversees a company that strikes international deals, issues bonds to major investors and plans hugely expensive new high-speed lines. By many measures, Russian Railways is a standard corporate colossus.
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