[Kyra Phillips, Cnn Anchor:] Turmoil in Thailand, and President Bush's message to a divided United Nations, both are topping the agenda right now at U.N. headquarters. Let's get straight to our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth Richard.
[Richard Roth, Cnn Senior U.n. Correspondent:] Kyra, a very turbulent day here at the United Nations. President Bush addressed the General Assembly a couple of hours ago. And he said warned the rulers of Syria and Iran not to mess with nuclear weapons. He said that Iran, in effect, would face sanctions, if it continues down this road. The United Nations has hosted now many leaders today, the big day. But, amidst all of the tumult, you have news of a coup in Thailand. And, thus, one of the honored guests did not attend a big lunch that is held every year here at the General Assembly. Prime Minister Thaksin of Thailand was not at his place. You see the invitation. You see an empty seat at one of tables inside U.N. headquarters, where the world leaders gathered to listen to toasts from President Bush and Kofi Annan. Kofi Annan told the world leaders, don't forget me, because it's his last few months in office here. President Bush also warned on Sudan and what he called a genocide occurring there. The president and many other world leaders here think U.N. peacekeepers should be allowed into Sudan to police Darfur, where at least 240,000 people have died and two million people have been displaced. The president of Sudan, in a rare appearance here at the U.N., will hold a press conference within the hour. No meeting is set between the two men. The United States said the other day, the message coming out of Khartoum was not very satisfactory, so, there really was no point in any type of meeting, since Sudan is not bending on its access to U.N. peacekeepers. The prime minister of Thailand getting back to that crisis is still scheduled, according to the U.N., to address the General Assembly this evening, a rearranged schedule, so he can head home to face an uncertain future back in Thailand Kyra.
[Phillips:] Is the sense that he's safe to go back home, Richard?
[Roth:] I don't think he's going to wait it out here, as long as there isn't mass violence in the streets there. The word was they moved his schedule up from yesterday from tomorrow to today, so that he can return home.
[Phillips:] All right, Richard Roth at the U.N., following a lot of things for us out of there today, a pretty exciting day from the U.N. thanks, Richard. Well, the Security Council is the heart of the United Nations a closer look now at the council's duties and membership. Under the U.N. charter, the council's main responsibility is maintaining international peace and security. While it usually meets at U.N. headquarters in New York, the panel can hold sessions elsewhere. It did meet in Ethiopia in 1972, and the following year in Panama. Five countries are permanent members of the 15-member Security Council. The United States, China, France, Russia, and Great Britain each has veto power. And there are 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. Right now, the non-permanent members are Argentina, Congo, Peru, Denmark, Ghana, Greece, Japan, Qatar, Slovakia, and Tanzania. Dozens of world leaders are inside U.N. headquarters, and now hundreds of Iraq war protesters are outside. CNN's Aneesh Raman is on that story Aneesh.
[Aneesh Raman, Cnn Correspondent:] Kyra, good afternoon. Thousands, actually, of protesters taking to the streets against President Bush against the Iraq war, they came down a number of blocks, ending beyond just the camera from where I stand. We know, from the New York Police Department, that at least 15 protesters have been arrested for misdemeanors, for disorderly conduct, some for resisting arrest. You see some video there of the protest. Now, there were two other protests, subjects-wise at least, that we could count today. The next one, in terms of size to the anti-Bush protest, was an anti- Ahmadinejad protest against Iran's president, against the regime that is in Tehran. That protest, we understand, numbered in a couple of hundred. A number of speeches were given, people warning that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon, and that dramatic change has to take place within Iran, within its regime. A third protest took place against Thailand's prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, which is interesting, given, of course, the news of today that even smaller in number. But, of course, Thailand's prime minister has faced criticism all along for corruption within his government. That followed him here today, as did news of that potential coup Kyra.
[Phillips:] Meanwhile, Iran's president Aneesh, maybe you can help our viewers out, and just give me a cultural context to this didn't attend the luncheon there at the U.N., not necessarily a snub to the president. But these are his religious beliefs. Wine was served on the menu, so he wasn't going to attend.
[Raman:] Exactly. Because alcohol was being served, Iran's president not going to sit there at that luncheon. It was important, because this would have been the only moment, really, that the two leaders would have been physically in the same room, which is interesting, given, of course, the context of the issue, the nuclear dispute. Iran, of course, within that country, it is forbidden for people to have alcohol, Muslims specifically. There are some Christians there who have it at home. The government, though, just to give some context on it, is pretty lax about enforcement. At home, a lot of Iranians have liquor cabinets. When they go to each other's houses, they have drinks. A lot of Iranians have told me, since prohibition, the consumption of alcohol has actually gone up, and that it is not at all impossible, if not easy, to gain within Iran. But, again, Iran's president not attending that luncheon because alcohol was being served instead, we will see him tonight, as he addresses the U.N. General Assembly. It likely will be about Iran's nuclear program. And he will likely give more emphasis to U.S. policies in the Middle East than President Bush did in mention of Iran in his speech. If you noticed in President Bush's speech, it was just one of a number of countries. He does not want, President Bush, this to be about U.S. vs. Iran Kyra.
[Phillips:] Aneesh Raman, thanks so much. You're on the outside. In the inside, now a live picture you can see, inside the U.N., the president of the United States greeting former President Clinton. You can also see the president's secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, right behind him. As you can imagine, it's a tremendous day for him to be able to mingle with all the various leaders here at the U.N. It's sort of an unprecedented picture. We don't usually get to see such casual coordination and meet-and-greet with the president here inside the U.N. Our correspondents can't even go live from these areas. They have to be back in their specific offices. So, now we're just being we're able to follow along with the president, as he makes his way out of that luncheon at the U.N., after getting giving his speech. And, as you know, Aneesh Raman outside the U.N. it looks like we're going to go ahead and stay with this live picture, Aneesh, assuming maybe, possibly, that the president might step up to the mikes. If not, he is continuing to work his way it looks like work his way out, after attending a luncheon, giving a speech. And I guess what we're waiting for now is to hear from the president of Iran, correct?
[Raman:] Exactly. We will hear from him tonight. We should, as well, hear from Thailand's prime minister, which will be interesting, as well. Behind me, really, you can see the lights starting to flash. This is where the president's motorcade will depart from the United Nations as you mentioned, a very interesting image to see President Bush mingling among world leaders. The U.S. image abroad, of course, is of critical concern, not just for him, but for his legacy, given what is happening in Iraq, given what is happening within the the Muslim streets, the anger that exists against the United States. And that has been a key element to the support for Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, not just within his country, but broader, within the Muslim world, in Malaysia and Indonesia, in Iran, in Iraq, in Pakistan, because he has become the most forceful voice within the Muslim world against President Bush. As often as he can, he likes to engage President Bush, suggesting a debate, of course, if you will recall a few weeks ago, when I was actually in Iran. He continues to do that. And he might do that tonight. But what we will hear, Kyra, from him is a softer tone. Iran is eager for dialogue to commence on its nuclear issue, not to have sanctions. It is unlikely that we will hear some of the more controversial statements, such as Israel should be wiped off the map, that we have heard earlier from Iran's president. They are keen to keep the talk going, to keep dialogue, and to keep sanctions at bay Kyra.
[Phillips:] All right, Aneesh Raman, there just outside the U.N., it looks like the president is the president making his way out, Aneesh?
[Raman:] Yes. I'm going to step out of the shot. You can see the motorcade that is departing now. This is the front entrance of the U.N. All day long, we have seen various leaders sort of exit through. We saw the president arrive earlier before his speech. He will hope, President Bush, that, in his speech, he gave resolve to the world community to issue sanctions against Iran, and to take a firm stance against governments that he lumped Iran with, Sudan, Syria, just to name a few. Within his speech, President Bush spoke not to the governments of those countries, but, instead, directly to the people. For the Iranian people, he mentioned the economic potential that exists. That is important, because Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, when he won election and keep in mind, it's only been about a year since Iran's president has been in power he won as a populist figure, a guy that said: Look, I'm going to give money back to the poor. He wears inexpensive suits. He was driving his own car as recently as two weeks after his election as president. Then, his security said, it's time for that to stop. During the campaign, he wore a trash man's uniform, picked up trash for a day. He was seen as a guy of the people, a guy that would bring about economic reform. He hasn't really done that. Instead, he has taken on this role as an international figure. So, President Bush today mentioning that, reminding the Iranian people the promise that their president may, a promise he hasn't really delivered upon, but this was a key moment for President Bush to try and continue to rally support against his policies that are increasingly being met with skepticism in in the world, but, more specifically, in the Middle East Kyra.
[Phillips:] Aneesh, you're remarkable. The entire motorcade made its way out, and you kept us well-informed. Aneesh Raman, just outside the U.N., thank you so much.
[Raman:] And it's raining now, just to update you on the weather.
[Phillips:] All right. The next the next report from the U.N., Aneesh Raman and the weather. He has covered Thailand, Iran, world issues, and now the weather. Thanks, Aneesh. What a pleasure.
[Raman:] Thanks.
[Phillips:] A bold move in Bangkok, but is it a coup? Thailand's army took advantage of the prime minister's absence today to try to keep him out, and his government, too. The prime minister is in New York, taking part in the U.N. General Assembly, and insisting that he is still in charge. CNN's Dan Rivers joins me now from the Thai capital. We have been talking so much, Dan, from here at the U.N. with Aneesh Raman, Richard Roth, all our correspondents, about what is happening in Thailand from a political standpoint, with the prime minister here. Tell us what is happening on the streets.
[Dan Rivers, Cnn Correspondent:] Well, there are tanks on the streets. You can probably see one of them right behind me, soldiers and tanks and armored personnel carriers who have seized the center of the city. They say they now have control of all of Bangkok and the surrounding area. We're being told that the commander of the armed forces has now taken over as a caretaker prime minister, General Sondhi, that Thaksin has been sacked as prime minister, that the 1997 constitution has been revoked, that martial law has been imposed. Also, we can tell you that CNN and the BBC's signals to this country have been blocked. People can no longer receive international news services such as ours here. The signal has been cut. So, clearly, there is a concerted attempt to control and manage the situation and manage the information that's going out to the people.
[Phillips:] Dan Rivers, live from Bangkok, Thailand, we appreciate the update on the breaking story out of there. We will follow up with you. Now I'm getting word that we're getting live pictures from Budapest, the situation there. Hungary's prime minister calls it the longest and darkest night since the fall of the Iron Curtain. Thousand of protesters right now have stormed the state-run TV overnight. Dozens of people have been hurt, as were more than 100 police officers, we're being told, all because of a leaked recording. In it, the prime minister admits that his government quote "lied morning, evening and night about the economy to win elections back in April." The prime minister says he won't resign. And, as you know, what is happening in Thailand right now is over a dispute about its elections that took place in April protesters there, the military, carrying on that coup, saying that the prime minister carried out a corrupt election. Now we're seeing protests in Budapest over controversy concerning those elections in April as well so far, peaceful. We plan to stay on top of this story as well. Another story developing, this one out of Saint Cloud, Minnesota. We're just getting word there has been a lockdown at a local school there. Saint Cloud Technical High School was locked down after getting word about a male student with a loaded gun. Police said they responded responded to a 911 call from an anonymous caller. Then, teams of officers entered to search the building no reports of shots or injuries, no immediate confirmation of a gun at this point. But the superintendent said the school moved immediately to lockdown after getting word of the report. We will keep you updated out of Saint Cloud, Minnesota., the technical high school there. Well, for now, it's a standoff, but could it turn into something worse? Iran and the U.S. are trading barbs, amid growing fears that they are going to end up trading missiles. Coming up, we are going to talk with our security expert, who is getting rare access to the Iranian president. That is straight ahead from the CNN NEWSROOM.