Manila (AFP) - Thousands of American and Philippine troops launched large annual exercises on Monday after US President Barack Obama vowed "ironclad" backing for its Asian ally, locked in a tense maritime row with China.

Filipino Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the 10-day drills were necessary to deal with the challenge of "aggressive" neighbours intent on "changing the status quo".

He did not mention China directly, but Beijing has been robust in its efforts to assert territorial claims over most of the South China Sea, putting a strain on its relationships with neighbouring countries.

"In recent years tensions in the Asia-Pacific region have increased due to extensive and expansive maritime and territorial claims undermining the rule of law," del Rosario said at the opening ceremony.

"Aggressive patterns of behaviour aimed at changing the status quo threaten peace and stability in the region."

He added that the military exercise, known as Balikatan (Shoulder to Shoulder), with its focus on "maritime capability", boosted the Philippines' ability to "address these challenges".

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U.S. and Filipino military officers salute during the opening ceremony of the Balikatan 2014 Joint E …

The Philippines last year asked a United Nations arbitration tribunal to declare what Manila said was Beijing's claim to 70 percent of the South China Sea as illegal and a threat to freedom of navigation.

The seabed is believed to contain huge deposits of oil and gas and the waters straddle vital sea lanes.

Beijing has rejected UN arbitration and urged Manila to settle the dispute through bilateral talks instead.

About 2,500 US soldiers are joining 3,000 Filipino troops in the manoeuvres, which began a week after President Obama assured Manila his government was committed to a 1951 mutual defence treaty.

Dozens of Australian troops, including Special Forces, were invited this year as the exercises begin to expand to eventually include other key allies in the region.

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Protesters shout anti-U.S. slogans during a protest rally at the gates of Camp Aguinaldo, the Armed …

Looking to raise its regional defence platform, Australia will be bringing P-3 Orion surveillance aircraft to the drills to help boost Manila's "maritime domain awareness," said Wing Commander Nicholas Pratt of the Royal Australian Air Force.

He said the aircraft would be operating out of the western Philippine island of Palawan, fronting the disputed waters.

- Meet 21st century challenges -

Also last week, the US and the Philippines bolstered their security alliance with a new agreement giving American forces greater access to Philippine bases -- part of a US rebalancing towards rising Asia.

The deal allows US forces, vessels and equipment into up to five Filipino bases over the next 10 years, the hosts said.

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Philippine soldiers (L) salute in front of their national and US flags during the opening ceremony o …

"The (new agreement) updates and strengthens US-Philippine defence cooperation to meet 21st century challenges," US ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg said Monday.

Obama's four-nation Asian tour was dominated by worsening maritime tensions between Beijing and Washington's allies in the region, which have triggered fears of military conflict.

The Philippines, which has one of the weakest militaries in the region, has repeatedly called on the United States for help as China has increased military and diplomatic pressure to take control of the contested areas.

While Obama sought to reassure the Philippines that the United States would support its ally in the event of an attack, he did not specifically mention coming to the aid of Manila if there were a conflict over the contested South China Sea areas, as his hosts had hoped.

But he ended his trip with a warning to China against using force in territorial disputes.

Obama's trip drew a frosty response from Beijing, with Chinese authorities accusing the US president of ganging up with "troublemaking" allies.

The war games will feature live-fire drills, search-and-rescue operations and humanitarian response scenarios in several locations.

There will also be demonstrations of maritime surveillance systems and ship-to-shore landing exercises on the hosts' west coast, facing the disputed waters.

As its territorial dispute with China simmers, the Philippines begins its annual military drills with U.S. forces.
Obama's Asia strategy

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — At least two people drowned and about 30 are missing after two boats crammed with immigrants bound for Greece sank in the eastern Aegean Sea before dawn Monday in the third fatal accident of the sort this year, authorities said.

The vessels with immigrants seeking to enter Greece illegally foundered about 4 miles north of the island of Samos near the Turkish coast, the Greek coast guard said. It said 36 people were rescued from the sea.

According to survivors, up to 65 people were on the two vessels, the coast guard said.

It said the circumstances of the twin sinking were unclear as weather conditions in the area were not severe.

Coast guard vessels, fishing boats and two search and rescue helicopters were combing the area for more survivors. A cruise ship that participated for several hours in the operation was later cleared to continue its journey.

The nationalities of the migrants were unknown.

Greece is a major entry point for people from poor or war-torn parts of Asia and Africa seeking a better life in the European Union. Fatal accidents are frequent as migrants risk the dangerous sea crossing from Turkey.

Another 21 people have drowned in two accidents since the beginning of the year. Over the weekend Greek coastguards rescued about 250 immigrants from the sea.

Two vessels crammed with immigrants bound for Greece sank before dawn in the Aegean Sea, officials say.

36 rescued

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's Islamic extremist leader is threatening to sell the more than 300 teenage schoolgirls abducted from a school in the remote northeast three weeks ago, in a new videotape received Monday.

Abubakar Shekau for the first time also claimed responsibility for the April 15 mass abduction, in a video reviewed by The Associated Press.

He threatens to attack more schools and abduct more girls

"I abducted your girls," said the leader of Boko Haram, which means "Western education is sinful.

He described the girls as "slaves" and said "By Allah, I will sell them in the marketplace." The hour-long video starts with fighters lofting automatic rifles and shooting in the air as they chant "Allahu akbar!" or "God is great."

It was unclear if the video was made before or after reports emerged last week that some of the girls have been forced to marry their abductors — who paid a nominal bride price of $12 — and that others have been carried into neighboring Cameroon and Chad. Those reports could not be verified.

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In this file photo, Nigeria's President, Goodluck Jonathan, arrives for a summit to address a semina …

In the video, Shekau also says the students "will remain slaves with us." That appears a reference to the ancient jihadi custom of enslaving women captured in a holy war, who then can be used as sex slaves.

"They are slaves and I will sell them because I have the market to sell them," he said, speaking in the Hausa language of northern Nigeria.

An intermediary who has said Boko Haram is ready to negotiate ransoms for the girls also said two of the girls have died of snakebite and about 20 are ill. He said Christians among the girls have been forced to convert to Islam. The man, an Islamic scholar, spoke on condition of anonymity because his position is sensitive.

Nigeria's police have said more than 300 girls were abducted. Of that number, 276 remain in captivity and 53 escaped.

The mass abduction and the military's failure to rescue the girls and young women has roused national outrage with protests in major cities. Protesters accused President Goodluck Jonathan of being insensitive to the girl's plight.

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Women attend a demonstration calling on government to rescue kidnapped school girls of a government …

First lady Patience Jonathan fueled anger Monday when a leader of a protest march said she ordered the arrests of two protest leaders, expressed doubts there was any kidnapping and accused the protest leaders of belonging to Boko Haram.

It was unclear what authority Mrs. Jonathan would have to give such orders, since there is no office of first lady in the Nigerian constitution.

Ayo Adewuyi, spokesman for the first lady, said he was unaware of any arrests. "The first lady did not order the arrest of anybody, and I'm sure of that," he told the AP..

But Saratu Angus Ndirpaya of Chibok town said State Security Service agents drove her and protest leader Naomi Mutah Nyadar to a police station Monday after an all-night meeting at the presidential villa in Abuja, the capital. She said police immediately released her but that Nyadar remains in detention. Deputy Superintendent Daniel Altine, police spokeswoman for Abuja, said she had no information but would investigate.

But Ndirpaya said Mrs. Jonathan accused them of fabricating the abductions. "She told so many lies, that we just wanted the government of Nigeria to have a bad name, that we did not want to support her husband's rule," she said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Nigerian Government Vows to Find Kidnapped GirlsPlay Video

She said other women at the meeting, allies of Mrs. Jonathan including officials of the government and the ruling party, cheered and chanted "yes, yes," when Mrs. Jonathan accused them of belonging to Boko Haram. "They said we are Boko Haram, and that Mrs. Nyadar is a member of Boko Haram." She said Nyadar and herself do not have daughters among those abducted, but are supporting the mothers of kidnapped daughters.

Mrs. Jonathan said the women "had no right to protest," especially Nyadar, whom she identified as the deputy director of the National Directorate of Employment. Jonathan said Nyadar should resign her government post, Ndirpaya said.

In a report on the meeting, Daily Trust newspaper quoted Mrs. Jonathan as ordering all Nigerian women to stop protesting, and threatening "should anything happen to them during protests, they should blame themselves."

On Sunday night, Jonathan said his administration is doing everything possible. On Friday he created a presidential committee to go to the affected Borno state to work with the community on a strategy to get the girls free.

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Associated Press writers Lekan Oyekanmi and Bashir Adigun contributed to this report from Abuja, Nigeria, and Ibrahim Garba contributed from Kano, Nigeria.

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Boko Haram leader issues horrifying threat

The Nigerian militant group says it kidnapped 200 schoolgirls last month and vows to sell them. 'I abducted your girls'

The world's best preserved medieval Crusader castle has fallen victim to the chaos of Syria's bloody civil war. (May 5)

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HOSN, Syria (AP) — The Crac des Chevaliers once held off a siege by the Muslim warrior Saladin some 900 years ago, but today bears the wounds of modern warfare: heavy artillery damaged its walls, an airstrike punctured its roof and shrapnel tore through its religious artifacts.

From its towering hilltop perch in western Syria, the world's best preserved medieval Crusader castle has fallen victim to the chaos of Syria's civil war as rebels fight to topple President Bashar Assad. The damage done to the majestic stone structure, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, shows that the warring sides will stop at nothing, including the destruction of the country's rich heritage, to hold on to power or territory.

Journalists from The Associated Press reconstructed the battle for Crac des Chevaliers after talking to Syrian soldiers and local residents during a rare trip by Western media to the castle since its capture by government troops in March. They talked of residents of Hosn and rebels using the castle walls as a last refuge, much like the Crusaders before them.

The Crac des Chevaliers, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Homs and just north of the Lebanese border, caught the eye of a young T.E. Lawrence before he became Lawrence of Arabia. Lawrence lauded its beauty and called it one of the world's greatest castles. It dominates the surrounding valley and terraced hills below and once was one of the crown jewels of Syrian tourism before its 3-year-old conflict began.

It is like many of the country's most significant historical sites, caught in the crossfire in a conflict that activists say has killed more than 150,000 people. Some sites have been turned into military bases. Shelling has smashed historic mosques, churches and markets. Looters have stolen artifacts from excavations and museums.

About two years ago, Assad's forces identified the Sunni-populated village of Hosn as backing the rebels. They began an armed blockade that allowed no one to leave or go inside. The government said Hosn harbored foreign, al-Qaida-linked armed insurgents who terrorized neighboring, mostly Christian villages.

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This photo made on Thursday, May 1, 2014, shows Crac des Chevaliers, top center, the world's bes …

"The terrorists killed and kidnapped people and even chopped off their heads," said a Syrian army officer, using the government term for the insurgents. "We had to stop them at any cost."

He spoke on condition of anonymity as he wasn't authorized to speak publicly. His claim could not be independently verified and Syrian government officials accompanied AP journalists on their trip in the region.

Throughout the war, Assad's government has employed armed siege tactics with a devastating effect: shelling and starving fighters and civilians alike in opposition-held areas into submission or flight.

Under the heavy bombardment last winter, Hosn's population of around 9,000 people had nowhere to go but up the hill to the castle. Some fled to neighboring Lebanon in a daring dash through the army blockade. Hundreds barricaded themselves inside the castle — men, women and children.

Among them were dozens of rebel fighters who occasionally lobbed mortar shells from inside the tall walls, hitting nearby Christian villages, government soldiers and locals say.

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This photo made on Thursday, May 1, 2014, shows belongings of Syrian rebels inside a chapel at Crac …

The insurgents are overwhelmingly from the country's Sunni majority. Shiite Muslims and Christian minorities have either remained neutral or supported Assad, fearing for their fate should hard-liners come to power.

Those who found shelter inside the citadel ate little food they had taken with them, or sneaked out at night to search for anything that can be cooked, including cats and dogs. For seven months, they slept in the tiny church inside a walled compound, or in huge and dark stone halls used as horse stables by the Crusaders in the 12th century.

Mattresses and blankets, together with clothes, shoes and gas cookers lay scattered on damp stone and soil floors inside the castle when AP journalists recently visited it. Pages from a copy of the Quran fluttered in the breeze inside the church, which was turned into a mosque when Ottomans captured the fortress in the 13th century.

The villagers apparently hoped that castle's thick walls and its historic importance would prevent the Syrian army from further shelling. It didn't.

In March, during a massive government offensive against opposition strongholds on the border with Lebanon, Syrian jets unleashed a series of airstrikes. Heavy cannon fire pummeled the castle walls, with shells causing some ancient stone structures to crumble. Some of the shells ricocheted against the mighty stone structures, leaving deep marks on the historic citadel.

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This photo made on Thursday, May 1, 2014, shows Crac des Chevaliers, the world's best preserved …

The army did not stop there. Its tanks went house to house in the empty village, methodically destroying each.

The smell of burned rubble lingered in the air. A legless sofa stood in front of the El Hasna shoe store where looters left only empty shoe boxes. An old TV set, a gold colored chandelier, a wooden bed frame and a wrecked refrigerator littered the main Al Karamah street. Destroyed cars stood parked inside garages of the sagging homes, their metal shutters twisted and dotted by shrapnel.

About 300 villagers and rebels were killed in the offensive, hundreds more were wounded while thousands managed to flee under fire across the border to Lebanon, according to government figures. Hundreds surrendered or were captured.

"A lot of people have been killed by the terrorists," saud Rami Sarheed, a 23-year-old Christian from the nearby village of Nasra. The government offensive "had to be done so that Syria returns to normal."

But what normal is remains in question in this now ghostly village, where two olive-green Syrian army tanks hoisting large government flags stand guard on the main road.

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Twist of fate for Crusaders' famed castle

Some 900 years ago, Christians took to the Crac des Chevaliers as a refuge from the fierce Muslim warrior Saladin.
Under siege again

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is more certain than ever that global warming is changing Americans' daily lives and will worsen — conclusions that scientists will detail in a massive federal report to be released Tuesday.

Once people thought global warming was more in the future and more of an issue in other parts of the world, but the National Climate Assessment will emphasize how the United States is already paying the multibillion-dollar price for man-made climate change, said study co-author Donald Wuebbles, a climate scientist at the University of Illinois.

"We're already seeing extreme weather and it's happening now," Wuebbles said Monday. "We're seeing more heat waves, particularly in the West and in the South."

This final report is a rewritten and shortened version of a draft that was released in January 2013, with more scientific references, reviews by experts and the public, and a thorough review by the National Academy of Sciences, said Wuebbles and report lead author Gary Yohe of Wesleyan University in Connecticut. There is even stronger evidence than in 2013, Yohe said.

The draft came out just as meteorologists calculated that 2012 was the hottest year on record for the United States, but last year was slightly cooler than the 20th century average. And in the time since the draft report was released, the United States has seen lots of extremes.

Nineteen different state records were set for individual months, such as the hottest January in California this year. Six were for heat: Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and California. Nine states set monthly records for being too wet: Iowa (twice, setting records for April and May last year), Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, Florida, Colorado, Oregon and Washington. Two states set records for lack of rain: New Mexico and Utah. Two set records for coldest individual months: Maine and North Dakota.

Climate Panel Says Emissions Rising, Avoids BlamePlay Video

And since the draft was released, there's been a dramatic new extreme that a good part of the country is worrying about: California's drought, where a few rural places are in danger of running out of water.

In January 2013, none of California was in either extreme or exceptional drought; now nearly 77 percent of the state is. It is too early to point directly at the near-record California drought as another sign of global warming, but it fits the pattern, Yohe and Wuebbles said.

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Online:

The National Climate Assessment: http://ncadac.globalchange.gov

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Seth Borenstein can be followed at http://twitter.com/borenbears

White House more certain on global warming

The U.S. is already paying a multibillion-dollar price for human-caused climate change, scientists say.
Federal report set for release