Thai General Gave Rival Leaders Three Options

Timeline Of Thai Political Crisis

Updated: 3:24pm UK, Thursday 22 May 2014

Thailand has a long history of political unrest with the army staging at least 11 coups since the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932.

The latest crisis has its roots in the 2006 military overthrow of prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was embroiled in a telecoms corruption scandal.

September 2006: Thailand's armed forces oust Thaksin in a bloodless coup and impose martial law.

December 2007: The People Power Party made up of Thaksin's allies, wins elections and forms a coalition government.

May 2008: Royalist anti-Thaksin Yellow Shirts relaunch street protests that led to the 2006 coup.

September 2008: State of emergency declared after clashes between pro and anti-government groups leave one person dead and dozens wounded.

Constitutional Court strips Thaksin-allied prime minister Samak Sundaravej of his powers, ruling he illegally accepted payments for hosting TV cooking shows. Thaksin's brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat takes his place.

October 2008: Clashes between police and demonstrators leave two people dead and nearly 500 wounded.

Court sentences Thaksin in his absence to two years in jail for corruption after he flees the country.

November-December, 2008: Thousands of Yellow Shirts blockade Bangkok's airports. State of emergency imposed for nearly two weeks.

December 2008: Constitutional Court dissolves Somchai's party, forcing him from office. British-born Abhisit Vejjajiva of the Democrats becomes premier in a parliamentary vote with army backing.

January-March 2009: Red Shirts loyal to Thaksin stage mass protests in the capital against Abhisit's government.

April 2009: Red Shirts storm an Asian summit in the beach resort of Pattaya, forcing the evacuation of regional leaders. Riots and a 12-day state of emergency in Bangkok ensue, leaving two people dead.

March 2010: Tens of thousands of Red Shirts begin rolling demonstrations calling for Abhisit's government to step down, saying it is elitist and undemocratic.

April-May 2010: Street clashes between Red Shirt protesters and armed troops leave more than 90 people dead, mostly civilians, in the country's worst civil unrest in decades.

July 3 2011: Thaksin's allies sweep to power in elections on a wave of support from their Red Shirt followers.

August 2011: Parliament elects Thaksin's youngest sister Yingluck Shinawatra as Thailand's first female prime minister.

November 2012: Police fire tear gas at demonstrators as clashes erupt at the first major street protests against Ms Yingluck's government.

October 2013: Protests break out against an amnesty bill which critics say is aimed at allowing Thaksin - who went into self-imposed exile to avoid jail for a corruption conviction - to return home and escape prison.

November 2013: Opposition protesters occupy the finance and foreign ministries demanding Ms Yingluck resign.

December 2013: Police use water cannon and tear gas on protesters who storm the government and police headquarters. Opposition politicians resign en masse from parliament.

Ms Yingluck calls early elections as demonstrators return to the streets. Opposition announces a poll boycott.

February 2, 2014: Opposition demonstrators prevent 10,000 polling stations from opening for the election.

March 21, 2014: Constitutional Court declares February elections invalid.

April 30, 2014: Government announces new elections for July 20.

May 7, 2014: Constitutional Court removes Ms Yingluck and several cabinet ministers from office. New caretaker premier Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan appointed by remainder of cabinet.

May 15, 2014: The Election Commission says a general election scheduled for July 20 is "no longer possible" as polls cannot be held without the support of the protesters.

May 20, 2014: Army declares martial law, stressing the move "is not a coup".

May 22, 2014:  The country's armed forces announce a military coup.

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Thailand Coup: Politicians Banned From Leaving

Timeline Of Thai Political Crisis

Updated: 3:24pm UK, Thursday 22 May 2014

Thailand has a long history of political unrest with the army staging at least 11 coups since the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932.

The latest crisis has its roots in the 2006 military overthrow of prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was embroiled in a telecoms corruption scandal.

September 2006: Thailand's armed forces oust Thaksin in a bloodless coup and impose martial law.

December 2007: The People Power Party made up of Thaksin's allies, wins elections and forms a coalition government.

May 2008: Royalist anti-Thaksin Yellow Shirts relaunch street protests that led to the 2006 coup.

September 2008: State of emergency declared after clashes between pro and anti-government groups leave one person dead and dozens wounded.

Constitutional Court strips Thaksin-allied prime minister Samak Sundaravej of his powers, ruling he illegally accepted payments for hosting TV cooking shows. Thaksin's brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat takes his place.

October 2008: Clashes between police and demonstrators leave two people dead and nearly 500 wounded.

Court sentences Thaksin in his absence to two years in jail for corruption after he flees the country.

November-December, 2008: Thousands of Yellow Shirts blockade Bangkok's airports. State of emergency imposed for nearly two weeks.

December 2008: Constitutional Court dissolves Somchai's party, forcing him from office. British-born Abhisit Vejjajiva of the Democrats becomes premier in a parliamentary vote with army backing.

January-March 2009: Red Shirts loyal to Thaksin stage mass protests in the capital against Abhisit's government.

April 2009: Red Shirts storm an Asian summit in the beach resort of Pattaya, forcing the evacuation of regional leaders. Riots and a 12-day state of emergency in Bangkok ensue, leaving two people dead.

March 2010: Tens of thousands of Red Shirts begin rolling demonstrations calling for Abhisit's government to step down, saying it is elitist and undemocratic.

April-May 2010: Street clashes between Red Shirt protesters and armed troops leave more than 90 people dead, mostly civilians, in the country's worst civil unrest in decades.

July 3 2011: Thaksin's allies sweep to power in elections on a wave of support from their Red Shirt followers.

August 2011: Parliament elects Thaksin's youngest sister Yingluck Shinawatra as Thailand's first female prime minister.

November 2012: Police fire tear gas at demonstrators as clashes erupt at the first major street protests against Ms Yingluck's government.

October 2013: Protests break out against an amnesty bill which critics say is aimed at allowing Thaksin - who went into self-imposed exile to avoid jail for a corruption conviction - to return home and escape prison.

November 2013: Opposition protesters occupy the finance and foreign ministries demanding Ms Yingluck resign.

December 2013: Police use water cannon and tear gas on protesters who storm the government and police headquarters. Opposition politicians resign en masse from parliament.

Ms Yingluck calls early elections as demonstrators return to the streets. Opposition announces a poll boycott.

February 2, 2014: Opposition demonstrators prevent 10,000 polling stations from opening for the election.

March 21, 2014: Constitutional Court declares February elections invalid.

April 30, 2014: Government announces new elections for July 20.

May 7, 2014: Constitutional Court removes Ms Yingluck and several cabinet ministers from office. New caretaker premier Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan appointed by remainder of cabinet.

May 15, 2014: The Election Commission says a general election scheduled for July 20 is "no longer possible" as polls cannot be held without the support of the protesters.

May 20, 2014: Army declares martial law, stressing the move "is not a coup".

May 22, 2014:  The country's armed forces announce a military coup.

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Thai Army Takes Power In Military Coup

Timeline Of Thai Political Crisis

Updated: 3:24pm UK, Thursday 22 May 2014

Thailand has a long history of political unrest with the army staging at least 11 coups since the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932.

The latest crisis has its roots in the 2006 military overthrow of prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was embroiled in a telecoms corruption scandal.

September 2006: Thailand's armed forces oust Thaksin in a bloodless coup and impose martial law.

December 2007: The People Power Party made up of Thaksin's allies, wins elections and forms a coalition government.

May 2008: Royalist anti-Thaksin Yellow Shirts relaunch street protests that led to the 2006 coup.

September 2008: State of emergency declared after clashes between pro and anti-government groups leave one person dead and dozens wounded.

Constitutional Court strips Thaksin-allied prime minister Samak Sundaravej of his powers, ruling he illegally accepted payments for hosting TV cooking shows. Thaksin's brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat takes his place.

October 2008: Clashes between police and demonstrators leave two people dead and nearly 500 wounded.

Court sentences Thaksin in his absence to two years in jail for corruption after he flees the country.

November-December, 2008: Thousands of Yellow Shirts blockade Bangkok's airports. State of emergency imposed for nearly two weeks.

December 2008: Constitutional Court dissolves Somchai's party, forcing him from office. British-born Abhisit Vejjajiva of the Democrats becomes premier in a parliamentary vote with army backing.

January-March 2009: Red Shirts loyal to Thaksin stage mass protests in the capital against Abhisit's government.

April 2009: Red Shirts storm an Asian summit in the beach resort of Pattaya, forcing the evacuation of regional leaders. Riots and a 12-day state of emergency in Bangkok ensue, leaving two people dead.

March 2010: Tens of thousands of Red Shirts begin rolling demonstrations calling for Abhisit's government to step down, saying it is elitist and undemocratic.

April-May 2010: Street clashes between Red Shirt protesters and armed troops leave more than 90 people dead, mostly civilians, in the country's worst civil unrest in decades.

July 3 2011: Thaksin's allies sweep to power in elections on a wave of support from their Red Shirt followers.

August 2011: Parliament elects Thaksin's youngest sister Yingluck Shinawatra as Thailand's first female prime minister.

November 2012: Police fire tear gas at demonstrators as clashes erupt at the first major street protests against Ms Yingluck's government.

October 2013: Protests break out against an amnesty bill which critics say is aimed at allowing Thaksin - who went into self-imposed exile to avoid jail for a corruption conviction - to return home and escape prison.

November 2013: Opposition protesters occupy the finance and foreign ministries demanding Ms Yingluck resign.

December 2013: Police use water cannon and tear gas on protesters who storm the government and police headquarters. Opposition politicians resign en masse from parliament.

Ms Yingluck calls early elections as demonstrators return to the streets. Opposition announces a poll boycott.

February 2, 2014: Opposition demonstrators prevent 10,000 polling stations from opening for the election.

March 21, 2014: Constitutional Court declares February elections invalid.

April 30, 2014: Government announces new elections for July 20.

May 7, 2014: Constitutional Court removes Ms Yingluck and several cabinet ministers from office. New caretaker premier Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan appointed by remainder of cabinet.

May 15, 2014: The Election Commission says a general election scheduled for July 20 is "no longer possible" as polls cannot be held without the support of the protesters.

May 20, 2014: Army declares martial law, stressing the move "is not a coup".

May 22, 2014:  The country's armed forces announce a military coup.

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Ukraine Checkpoint Attack: 13 Soldiers Killed

Pro-Russia insurgents have attacked a military checkpoint in eastern Ukraine, reportedly killing at least 13 troops and wounding more than 30.

The attack, near the town of Volnovakha, comes three days before a key presidential vote and is the deadliest so far in weeks of fighting.

A rebel group who claimed responsibility for it said one of their own was also killed.

Local residents said the attackers were hidden inside an armoured bank truck. The unsuspecting Ukrainian soldiers are said to have waved it through and were then shot at point-blank range.

Acting president Oleksandr Turchynov said the rebels fired automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades.

Debris was scattered over a wide area

According to the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, the ammunition section of one military vehicle was hit and exploded into a fireball.

The turrets were blown off three armoured infantry vehicles which were also burnt along with several trucks.

AP journalists said they saw the bodies of 11 Ukrainian soldiers in a field near the village of Blahodatne, outside Volnovakha, which lies 20 miles south of Donetsk.

Witnesses including a medical worker said more than 30 Ukrainian troops were wounded in the attack, some of them badly.

All the wounded were being treated at nearby medical facilities.

Acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk blamed Russia for backing the rebels in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which have declared independence from the government in Kiev. He called for an urgent session of the UN Security Council.

Pro-Russia militants at a Victory Day rally in Donetsk

The attack has cast a shadow over Ukraine's presidential vote on Sunday, which separatists in the east have pledged to derail.

Authorities in Kiev see the vote as a chance to defuse tensions and stabilise the country, although they admit it will be impossible to hold the poll in some eastern areas.

In the town of Horlivka, a masked rebel commander claimed responsibility for the raid and showed off a hoard of seized Ukrainian weapons including automatic and sniper rifles and rocket grenade launchers.

"We destroyed a checkpoint of the fascist Ukrainian army deployed on the land the Donetsk Republic," said the commander, who wore a balaclava and identified himself by his nom de guerre, "Bes," which is Russian for "demon."

He said one of his men also was killed in the attack.

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Man Held As 'Abducted' Girl Found 10 Years On

A woman who disappeared as a teenager a decade ago from her California home has contacted police to say she has been held captive by a former family friend.

The victim was kidnapped in 2004 at the age of 15 by Isidro Garcia, police said on Wednesday.

Garcia, 41, has been held on suspicion of abduction, rape, lewd acts with a minor and false imprisonment, according to Santa Ana Police Department.

Investigators say that Garcia had been dating the girl's mother, who suspected he was sexually abusing her daughter.

In June 2004, he allegedly attacked the mother before drugging the girl and driving her to a house in Compton where he locked her in a garage.

He then moved home several times to avoid detection, it is alleged, and gave the girl fake identification.

Police say the unidentified victim bore a child to her captor in 2012, five years after she was forced to marry him.

The accused obtained night-shift cleaning jobs for himself and the victim so he could keep watch over her, police said.

After years of physical and emotional abuse, the victim, now 25, approached police upon finding her sister on Facebook, say investigators.

The case has echoes of the Cleveland kidnappings. During about a decade in captivity, three women were subjected to rape and beatings by their abductor, Ariel Castro. He killed himself in prison last summer.

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'Several Killed' In China Market Attack

A number of people are believed to have been killed after attackers threw explosives into an open air market in China.

State media say the attackers crashed two cars into the busy shopping area in the northwestern region of Xinjiang.

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UK Firefighters Join Floods Rescue In Balkans

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent in Bijeljina, Bosnia

British firefighters are providing a "lifeline" for flood survivors in the Balkans' worst natural disaster in living memory.

A team of 33 men and women from all over the UK have been working around the clock near the devastated communities close to the Bosnian city of Bijeljina.

The crews have been helping in small rural villages and have pulled 142 people to safety since they arrived.

Three men waiting to be rescued at a block of flats

Team leader Nick Searle from Merseyside Fire and Rescue told Sky News: "It is a huge job but we have an enormous amount of experience between us.

"This is the first time we have been deployed to an overseas flooding disaster and we have brought four inflatable boats and have set up a command and control base."

Inside one of the villages, one resident said the British crews were the first outsiders they had seen.

It will be a long time before the flood water recedes

Cheshire firefighter Paul Bickerton told Sky News: "The area that is underwater is staggering - as is the isolation.

"When they are thanking you for saving their lives it is brilliant to see."

Lincolnshire firefighter Chris Lowe has worked in the recent flooding in Somerset and the Thames Valley, but said: "This is on a different level. Some locals have decided to stay in their homes.

Men feed pigs stranded on the roof of a house

"In one village a family have decided to stay in their flooded bakery with three young children. They are stranded but it is their livelihood so they are adamant they want to stay."

The British team dropped off water, milk and some sweets for the young children.

"We are their only link to the outside world," Mr Lowe added.

The fire crews expect to be working in the villages for another week but the recovery in the disaster zones will take far longer.

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Nigerian Twin Bombings Claim 118 Lives

The number of people killed in a twin bombing in the Nigerian city of Jos has risen to at least 118.

Police in the state of Plateau said dozens more were injured in the explosions at a bus terminal and market.

Earlier reports had said 10 people had died. There are fears more bodies will be recovered from the wreckage of burning buildings.

One witness described hearing a "loud bang that shook my whole house" before seeing rising smoke. The blasts happened within 15 minutes of each other in the afternoon.

The explosions happened in Jos. Pic: Easymac22

They ignited fires which were still burning eight hours later, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.

Mohammed Abdulsalam, zonal coordinator for the agency, told the Associated Press news agency: "Firemen are still trying to put them out. We believe we will find more bodies."

The country's president, Goodluck Jonathan, said those behind the explosions were "cruel and evil".

He said: "The government remains fully committed to winning the war against terror, and this administration will not be cowed by the atrocities of enemies of human progress and civilisation."

The wreckage from a bombing in Kano on May 18

The Islamist sect Boko Haram is believed to be a prime suspect, although there was no immediate claim of responsibility. The group's insurgency has seen a series of bomb attacks in the north and centre of the country.

It has been widely condemned for the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls from a village in the northeast of the country, which has prompted countries including the UK and the US to offer assistance in rescuing them.

The group previously said it was behind a church bombing in Jos, and two other sites, on December 25, 2011.

Jos is in an area known as the "Middle Belt", where the largely Christian south and mostly Muslim north meet.

Five people were killed when a suicide bomber struck in the northern city of Kano on Sunday.

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Thailand Army Declares Martial Law After Unrest

Armed troops and military vehicles topped with machine guns have been deployed in central Bangkok after the army declared martial law across Thailand.

Soldiers have been seen in the city's retail and hotel district, and the army commandeered television stations to broadcast their message to the nation.

They also surrounded the national police headquarters in Bangkok and banned protest marches.

Military chiefs have denied staging a coup and claims it is trying to restore order after six months of protests and political unrest that have left Thailand without a fully functioning government.

Soldiers are taking charge of public security to protect against any more violent protests, said army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha.

General Prayuth Chan-ocha broadcast his message to the nation

"To bring back peace into all groups and all sides as soon as possible, I've used legal sections two and four to announce martial law over all of Thailand," said the General.

Protesters have been told to stay put and the country's media will also be censored, said the army, who told the Thai people not to panic.

Thailand has been in a state of upheaval since 2006, but the latest unrest began in November when anti-government protesters tried to oust former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The protesters railed against a government amnesty bill they said was designed to help former leader Thaksin Shinawatra - Yingluck's brother - avoid being jailed for corruption.

Yingluck Shinawatra was finally removed earlier this month for abuse of power - along with nine ministers.

 TYingluck YYYYYUYYYYYYYYYYYYHowever, the move has done little to dampen disquiet against the interim government.

The army's surprise announcement comes a day after acting prime minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan refused to step down.

Hundreds of people have been injured and 28 have died in the last six months of protests.

Regional neighbours have already expressed concern at the army's seizing of power, with Japan "strongly urging" self-restraint and calling for "sincere negotiations".

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Cyber-Spying Charges Against China Officials

The US has charged five Chinese military officials in Beijing with economic espionage and trade secret theft - allegations that China says are "deliberately fabricated" with "ulterior motives".

The indictment accuses the five hackers of targeting US nuclear power, metals and solar products industries.

Six American companies, including Alcoa and Westinghouse, and one labour union were cited as victims of the hacking attacks.

US Attorney General Eric Holder said the case "represents the first ever charges against a state actor for this type of hacking".

"The range of trade secrets and other sensitive business information stolen in this case is significant and demands an aggressive response," he told a news conference.

Barack Obama and Xi Jinping have discussed cyber-security issues

China's foreign ministry decried the charges in a very strongly-worded statement.

Foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said: "This US move, which is based on deliberately fabricated facts, grossly violates the basic norms governing international relations and jeopardizes China-US cooperation and mutual trust.

"The position of the Chinese government on cyber security is consistent and clear-cut. China is steadfast in upholding cyber security... The US accusation against Chinese personnel is purely ungrounded with ulterior motives."

"The US government and relevant US institutions have long been involved in large-scale and organized cyber theft," claimed the spokesman.

The US Attorney General however, called the indictment a "ground-breaking" step in addressing the threat of cyber-security.

FBI Director James Comey said: "For too long, the Chinese government has blatantly sought to use cyber espionage to obtain economic advantage for its state-owned industries."

The US believes China stole emails and other communications that could have helped Chinese firms learn the inner workings of American companies.

However, at least one of the US firms named in the matter appeared to downplay the impact of the alleged hacking.

Monica Orbe, the director of corporate affairs for metals giant Alcoa, said: "To our knowledge, no material information was compromised during this incident, which occurred several years ago."

Last September, President Barack Obama raised concerns over cyber-security with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping while the two were at a summit in St Petersburg, Russia.

When asked by the press about the accusations, Mr Xi said: "China not only does not support hacking but also opposes it.

"Let's not point fingers at each other without evidence but do more to safeguard cyber security."

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