BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's coup leaders said Saturday that they would keep former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Cabinet members and anti-government protest leaders detained for up to a week to give them "time to think" and to keep the country calm. Outspoken academics were also summoned to report to the junta.

The ruling military council also dissolved the country's Senate on Saturday, stripping away the last democratic institution in the country.

The moves appear aimed at consolidating power and preventing any high-profile figures from rallying opposition to the military, which seized power Thursday after months of sometimes violent street protests and deadlock between the elected government and protesters supported by Thailand's elite establishment.

For a second day, hundreds of anti-coup protesters defied the military's ban on large gatherings, shouting slogans and waving signs Saturday outside a Bangkok cinema before moving on to Victory Monument, a major city landmark several kilometers (miles) away.

The demonstrators briefly confronted rows of soldiers and police who were lined up with riot shields on a road leading to the monument, with a few scuffles breaking out before most of the protesters broke away. They were later seen streaming onto the city's Skytrain elevated transit system, apparently riding over police lines to the monument.

By late afternoon, about 500 demonstrators had gathered at Victory Monument. Army and police presence was low key.

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A Thai soldier, right, tries to disperse the protesters against the coup outside a shopping complex …

Most of Bangkok, however, remained calm on Saturday, and there was little military presence on the streets.

Deputy army spokesman Col. Weerachon Sukondhapatipak said that all those detained by the junta were being well-treated and that the aim of the military was to achieve a political compromise. He said later that "at least 100" people were in military custody, but he could not provide exact numbers or names.

"This is in a bid for everybody who is involved in the conflict to calm down and have time to think," Weerachon said. "We don't intend to limit their freedom, but it is to relieve the pressure."

The military leaders also summoned 35 other people, including more politicians, political activists and, for the first time, outspoken academics, to "maintain peace and order." It was not immediately clear whether they would be detained.

One of those on the list, Kyoto University professor of Southeast Asian studies Pavin Chachavalpongpun, said by phone from Japan that he would not turn himself in. He said the summons meant the junta felt insecure.

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A Thai demonstrator shows a banner that reads "No coup" in front of line of soldiers durin …

"The military claiming to be a mediator in the Thai conflict, that is all just nonsense," he said. "This is not about paving the way for reform and democratization. We are really going back to the crudest form of authoritarianism."

The junta announced in a televised statement Saturday evening that it would assume all lawmaking power and that the Senate would be dissolved.

It had left the Senate in place when it suspended the constitution and dissolved the lower house of Parliament on Thursday, presumably in hopes that the upper house might later approve some of its measures and provide a vestige of democracy. The reason for Saturday's about-face was not known.

Several nations have condemned the coup. The United States, a key ally of Thailand, suspended $3.5 million in military aid on Friday, and recommended that Americans reconsider any non-essential travel to the Southeast Asian country.

The army says it launched the coup to prevent more turmoil after two days of peace talks in which neither political faction would agree to back down from its stance in the ongoing crisis. It was the 12th time in eight decades that Thailand's powerful military has seized power.

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A Thai woman joins a protest against the coup outside a shopping complex in Bangkok, Thailand Saturd …

For months, anti-government protesters linked to Thailand's royalist establishment had blocked streets in Bangkok, demanding that the government step down over allegations of corruption and ties to Yingluck's brother, exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was himself deposed in a 2006 military coup.

Populist parties affiliated with the Shinawatras have won every election since 2001 in Thailand. Thaksin still wields enormous influence over the country's political affairs and remains at the heart of the ongoing crisis.

The protesters have been demanding that the government resign in favor of an unelected council, while the government said it was elected by a clear majority in 2010 and could not step down. An election was held in February, but it was invalidated by a court after violence disrupted voting.

It was unclear Saturday exactly how many political leaders were being detained by the army.

Known to be among them were two former prime ministers: Yingluck, who was removed from office by a court earlier this month on nepotism charges, and her temporary replacement, Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan.

Several Cabinet members as well as leaders of the anti-government protests have been held since Thursday's coup.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay urged Thailand to "ensure respect for human rights and a prompt restoration of the rule of law in the country." Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, criticized the detentions of political leaders.

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Associated Press writers Jocelyn Gecker and Pailin Wedel contributed to this report.

Yingluck Shinawatra, cabinet members and protest leaders remain detained as the last democratic institution is removed.
'Time to think'

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Pro-Russian insurgents have prevented at least half of the election districts in the embattled east of the country to prepare for Sunday's presidential election, a Ukrainian official says.

Volodymyr Hrinyak, chief of the public security department at the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, said Saturday that 17 out of 34 district election commissions in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions are not operating because their offices have either been seized or blocked by armed men. Hrinyak's update was reported by the Interfax news agency.

The insurgents have controlled parts of Ukraine for weeks. Following their declaration of independence earlier this month, they pledged to derail the vote which they regard as an election in "a neighboring country."

They remain defiant although Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that he is prepared to work with the election winner.

Twenty-one candidates are competing to become Ukraine's next leader. Polls show billionaire candy-maker Petro Poroshenko with a commanding lead, but short of the absolute majority needed to win in the first round. His nearest challenger is Yulia Tymoshenko, the divisive former prime minister who is far behind.

Most polls suggest Poroshenko would win a runoff ballot, which would be held on June 15.

Fighting was reported Friday between pro-Russia separatists and government forces in eastern Ukraine as Kiev continued an offensive to try to halt the uprising.

Associated Press reporters saw two dead Ukrainian soldiers near the village of Karlivka, and another body near a rebel checkpoint, both in the Donetsk region. A rebel leader said 16 more people died Friday in fighting there — 10 soldiers, four rebels and two civilians — but there was no immediate way to verify his statement.

In Kiev, the Defense Ministry said 20 insurgents were killed in an attack on a convoy of government troops Thursday by about 500 rebels, the largest insurgent assault yet reported. The clash could not be independently confirmed and it was unclear why such a large attack in a populated region would have gone unreported for more than a day.

Pro-Russian rebels are preventing at least half the region's election districts from operating, an official says.
Offices seized, blocked

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Pope Francis called on Saturday for an "urgent" end to the Syrian civil war and lamented the refugee crisis it has spawned as he opened a three-day trip to the Middle East.

During his first stop in Jordan, Francis also urged greater religious rights for minority Christians across the region, thanking King Abdullah II for encouraging a "climate of serene coexistence" between Christians and Muslims.

"Religious freedom is in fact a fundamental human right and I cannot fail to express my hope that it will be upheld throughout the Middle East and the entire world," he said in an opening speech to Abdullah and Jordan's religious and political leaders.

Francis' plane touched down at Amman's Queen Alia International Airport, where he was met by an honor guard, Catholic leaders and Prince Ghazi bin Mohammed, the king's chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs. He immediately headed to the king's palace in a simple, four-door sedan, a group of motorcycles riding alongside him. Small groups of people waving Jordanian and Vatican flags cheered him as he passed.

At the palace, Francis met with Abdullah, Queen Rania and their children. In his palace speech, Francis said Jordan's "generous welcome" to Syrian refugees warranted international appreciation and support.

Jordan last month opened a third refugee camp for Syrians who fled the civil war at home, evidence of the strains the conflict is creating for the country. Jordan is currently hosting 600,000 registered Syrian refugees, or 10 percent of its population, but Jordanian officials estimate the real number is closer to 1.3 million.

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Pope Francis is flanked by a royal house representatives upon his arrival at Amman's airport, Jo …

"I thank the authorities of the kingdom for all they are doing and I encourage them to persevere in their efforts to seek lasting peace for the entire region," Francis said. "This goal urgently requires that a peaceful solution be found to the crisis in Syria, as well as a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

Francis returned to the theme of peace during Mass at Amman's windswept international stadium, urging the faithful to "put aside our grievances and divisions" for the sake of peace and unity.

"Peace isn't something which can be bought; it is a gift to be sought patiently and to be crafted through the actions, great and small, of our everyday lives," he said. The crowd, which the Vatican had estimated could exceed 25,000, gave him a warm welcome as he zipped around the stadium in his open-topped car, kissing children who were held up to him.

Later Saturday, the pope was to see first-hand the plight of Syrian refugees when he meets with some 600 refugees and disabled children at a church in Bethany beyond the Jordan, which many believe is the traditional site of Jesus' baptism.

Christians make up about 5 percent of Syria's population, but assaults on predominantly Christian towns by rebels fighting President Bashar Assad's rule have fueled fears among the country's religious minorities about the growing role of Islamic extremists in the revolt. Christians believe they are being targeted in part because of anti-Christian sentiment among Sunni Muslim extremists and partly as punishment for what is seen as their support for Assad.

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CORRECTS CAPTION REMOVING ROME AIRPORT. In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osserv …

Francis and his predecessors have decried the flight of Christians from the region, insisting recently: "We will not be resigned to think about the Middle East without Christians!"

On Saturday, Francis sought to encourage those who had decided to remain, lauding Jordan for welcoming in refugees and ensuring all Christians in the kingdom could freely profess their faith.

In his opening remarks, Abdullah said Christian communities were an "integral part" of the Middle East and that he had sought to uphold "the true spirit of Islam, the Islam of peace," which extends to protecting holy sites for Christians and Muslims alike. He urged the pope to use his "humanity and wisdom" to help end the conflict in Syria and to encourage leaders to take the courageous steps needed to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"The status-quo of 'justice denied' to the Palestinians; fear of the other; fear of change; these are the way to mutual ruin, not mutual respect," he said.

For the refugees who will greet Francis on Saturday, his presence in Jordan is a chance to show the world their hopelessness as the Syrian conflict drags on.

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In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis speaks to rep …

"We are very happy because he will see Christians in the Arab world, he will see us and see our suffering," said Nazik Malko, a Syrian Orthodox Christian refugee from Maaloula who will be among the 600 or so people to greet the pope at Bethany beyond the Jordan. "We wish that peace will be restored in the whole world, and in Syria."

Francis has a packed schedule for the three-day visit: He will visit a Palestinian refugee camp Sunday when he travels from Amman directly to the West Bank city of Bethlehem. It's the first time a pope has landed in the West Bank rather than Tel Aviv first in a nod by the Vatican to the "Palestinian state."

Technically, the main reason for the trip is for Francis and the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians to mark the 50th anniversary of a historic meeting in Jerusalem by their predecessors which ended 900 years of Catholic-Orthodox estrangement. That highlight will come on Sunday, when Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I preside over a joint prayer service in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and resurrected.

Francis will spend Monday in Jerusalem, visiting the grand mufti of Jerusalem and Israel's chief rabbis, albeit separately. He'll also pray at the Western Wall and visit the Holocaust memorial at Yad Vashem.

The Vatican spokesman had suggested that with such a grueling schedule, Francis might not have the strength for an on-board press conference on the return flight from Israel on Monday night. Francis, 77, who has only one full lung and has battled a cold and fatigue that forced him to cancel some recent appointments, set the record straight at the start of the trip.

"One of you said a press conference wouldn't be possible because this is a 'deathly' trip," he told reporters. "But returning home, I intend to have one."

He then greeted reporters one by one — and even posed for a "selfie."

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Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield.

Video: 9/11 CNN News Report That Only Aired Once – ‘A Plane Did Not Hit the Pentagon’

I’ve not seen this clip before – and apparently that’s the way it’s mean to be… Because this CNN News report of September 11, 2001 only ever aired once! You’ll soon see why…

In it, the reporter clearly states “There’s no evidence of a plane having crashed anywhere near the Pentagon.”

He adds:” There are no large wing sections, tail sections; a fuselage…Nothing like that any where around that would indicate that an entire plane crashed into the side of the Pentagon.”

He goes into further detail about the size of the debris and how the side of the pentagon was weakened some 45 minutes after whatever the impact was.

Ouch! Russian TV Mocks British Royals After Prince Charles Likens Putin to Hitler

Stephen: A real propaganda war is underway. This story is from a British-based news source (The UK Guardian), so it may seem a tad biased, but the video is from Russia Today.

By Caroline Davies, The Guardian, May 23, 2014 – http://tinyurl.com/p5b7tab

The row that refuses to die descended into playground idiom when a Kremlin-funded news channel hit back on Friday at Prince Charles’s alleged likening of Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler.

The pro-Russia broadcaster Russia Today (RT) regaled viewers with a mocked-up family tree linking royals to Nazis in a ‘Takes one to know one’ video poking the embers of the House of Windsor’s German past.

Watch video

“If anyone knows real Nazis it’s the royal family” the channel declared on its In the Now programme while it flashed up sepia portraits of the Queen and family.

Russian television showed this image of Edward VIII with Hitler in 1937 alongside the Windsor family tree and a photograph of Prince Harry dressing in Nazi uniform.

Here was Charles’s great uncle, the Duke of Windsor, and wife Wallis Simpson, photographed visiting Hitler at his Obersalzberg retreat in 1937 shortly after abdicating as Edward VIII. Simpson, RT senior political correspondent Anissa Naouai solemnly pronounced, “hung out with Hitler”.

There was the Duke of Edinburgh, his chest weighted with medals. “His sister, Sophie,” added Naouai, “was married to a SS officer.” Cue photograph of Christophe of Hesse-Cassel, marching in his SS colonel’s uniform. Naouai could have added, for good measure, he named his eldest son Karl Adolf in Hitler’s honour.

Then, the piece de resistance. Charles’s “very own son” Prince Harry. Pictured in Nazi costume at a party on the front page of the Sun. “He likes to dress up as a Nazi, even if its just for Halloween,” confided the presenter.

Which all goes to show: “Perhaps the royals are better seen not heard” and “Prince Charles should put his money where his mouth is”.

The video attack comes three days after Charles precipitated a diplomatic row on tour in Canada when he spoke to a Jewish survivor of the second world war. In apparent reference to Russia’s annexation of Crimea, he told Marianne Ferguson, 78: “Now Putin is doing just about the same as Hitler.”

As Clarence House stressed it was “a private conversation” and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg defended the prince’s right to espouse his views in private, Russia has refused to ignore the ensuing furore. The timing has been unfortunate, two weeks before Putin, the Queen and Charles join other leaders to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Appalled at the Hitler comparison, Moscow’s anger has been palpable. The Russian foreign ministry has declared: “These words, if they had been indeed uttered, are no compliment to the future British monarch.”

The Russian ambassador had an urgent meeting with the Foreign Office which took place on Thursday.

During the meeting the Foreign Office appears to have brushed off Russia’s complaint, saying it could not be expected to comment on private conversations. The failure of British officials to offer an “explanation” was described by the embassy as a matter of “regret”.

This latest retaliation by Moscow will make uncomfortable viewing for a royal family which has, for almost a century, tried to put distance between it and its German roots by renaming itself Windsor in 1917.