Abbas swears in unity government

2 June 2014 Last updated at 11:19

A new Palestinian unity government has been sworn in, marking a key step towards ending a major rift between factions in the West Bank and Gaza.

The government, comprising technocrats, was agreed by Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party.

The two sides have governed separately since Hamas, which won elections in 2006, ousted Fatah from Gaza in 2007.

Israel says it will not deal with a Palestinian government backed by Hamas, which is sworn to Israel's destruction.

Israel suspended crisis-hit peace talks with the Palestinians in April in response to the announcement of the reconciliation deal.

Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organisation by Israel and other countries, opposes the peace talks, though President Abbas has said the new government will abide by previous agreements.

Israel warning

The new government comprises politically independent ministers and will be tasked with organising elections to be held within six months.

It is headed by incumbent Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that world leaders should not "rush to recognise" the new government.

"Hamas is a terrorist organisation that calls for Israel's destruction, and the international community must not embrace it. That would not bolster peace, it would strengthen terror," he told a cabinet meeting.

Israel has said it would cease all but security co-ordination with the Palestinians if the government was formed.

A statement from Mr Hamdallah's office denounced Mr Netanyahu's remarks, calling them part of a campaign intended to "cement [Israel's] occupation by all means".

The US, which has sponsored the Israel-Palestinian peace talks, has expressed concern over any Hamas role in the new government.

In a phone call with President Abbas on Sunday, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the new government must "commit to the principles of non-violence, recognition of the State of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements with it," the State Department said.

When Hamas and Fatah formed a coalition government in 2006, the US and other Western nations withheld millions of dollars of aid to the Palestinians because of Hamas' participation.

The Hamas-led government was dissolved by President Abbas in June 2007 in a move not recognised by Hamas, a day after Hamas forces ousted Fatah from the Gaza Strip.

Hamas has continued to govern in Gaza, and the Palestinian Authority (PA) under President Abbas in the West Bank.

The enduring split has been deeply unpopular among Palestinians but previous reconciliation efforts have failed.

However, Hamas' isolation in Gaza and the failure of peace talks with Israel to produce tangible results created fresh impetus for both sides to heal the division.

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Rape 'routine' in DR Congo prisons

2 June 2014 Last updated at 12:05

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Freedom From Torture says rape is being used to intimidate women

Security officials "routinely" rape women in prisons in DR Congo as punishment for their political activities, a UK-based charity says.

Freedom From Torture said medical reports of 34 women showed many of them had been brutally gang-raped.

The women - who included traders and professionals aged between 18 and 62 - are seeking asylum in the UK.

DR Congo spokesman Lambert Mende said he would respond to the charity's claims if it gave more details.

In its report, Freedom From Torture said one woman was arrested and raped after organising a protest against rape.

It said another women had "documented 68 scars attributable to torture. Fifty-six of these scars were attributable to a specific instance of gang-rape".

The group's Dr Juliet Cohen told the BBC: "There are some striking consistencies in the experiences of sexual violence and torture of the women in this report which strongly suggests that this horrific abuse is being routinely carried out in prisons in the DRC."

'Not human beings'

Continue reading the main story

They raped my niece in front of us"

End Quote 'Faith' Anti-rape campaigner

DR Congo is often dubbed the "rape capital of the world", with rights groups saying that rape and sexual violence has become a weapon of war since conflict broke out in the early 1990s.

In May, two soldiers were convicted of rape by a military court in eastern DR Congo, where numerous armed groups still operate.

Thirteen other officers were cleared of the charge.

Freedom from Torture said women were raped by security force members to stop "women speaking out about politics, human rights and, in some cases, rape itself".

One woman, named as Faith in the report, said security force members raided her home in early 2013 after she organised an anti-rape protest in the western province of Bas Congo, some 2,000km (1,100 miles) from the conflict zones.

"One of them said: 'You are talking about rape, now we'll show you what rape means'. They raped my niece in front of us. Then they took me to prison," she is quoted as saying in the report.

"Now I know, because I have been there, that it is normal for women to be sexually abused in prison... The soldiers and the prison guards, they don't see women as human beings, they don't see any value in women. I can't even remember how many times I was raped," she added.

Since her arrival in the UK, Faith has been admitted to hospital, Freedom From Torture said.

"She suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression and she no longer likes being around other people," it added.

Inside DR Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo covers 2,344,858 square km of land in the centre of Africa, making it the 12th largest country in the world.

Eastern DR Congo is awash with a variety of different rebel groups – some have come from neighbouring countries, while others have formed as self-defence groups. Many are taking advantage of the lack of a strong state to seize control of the area's mineral riches.

DR Congo has abundant mineral wealth. It has more than 70% of the world's coltan, used to make vital components of mobile phones, 30% of the planet's diamond reserves and vast deposits of cobalt, copper and bauxite. This wealth however has attracted looters and fuelled the country's civil war.

Despite the country's size, transport infrastructure is very poor. Of 153,497km of roads, only 2,794km are paved. There are around 4,000 km of railways but much is narrow-gauge track and in poor condition. Waterways are vital to transport goods but journeys can take months to complete. Overcrowded boats frequently capsize, while DR Congo has more plane crashes than any other country.

With an estimated population of 71 million, DR Congo is the fourth most populous country in Africa. Some 35% of the population live in cities and the capital Kinshasa is by far the largest, with more than 8 million inhabitants. DR Congo has around 200 ethnic identities with the majority of people belonging to the Kongo, Luba and Mongo groups.

Given its size and resources DR Congo should be a prosperous country, but years of war, corruption and economic mismanagement have left it desperately poor. In 2011 it lags far behind in many key development indicators, with average life expectancy increasing by only 2 years since 1980, after a period when it actually fell during the mid 1990s.

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US to unveil curbs on coal power

2 June 2014 Last updated at 05:45

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Aleem Maqbool reports from "coal country" in West Virginia

The US government is to unveil new rules for coal-burning power plants aimed at dramatically cutting emissions that contribute to global warming.

The proposals reportedly seek to cut carbon pollution from nearly 1,600 power plants by 30% by 2030.

China and India are among the nations that have made similar commitments to stem global warming.

But critics argue the new US rules will cause power plants to close and electricity prices to rise.

"I intend to make sure America is out front in a global framework to preserve our planet," Mr Obama said in a speech last week.

"American influence is always stronger when we lead by example. We cannot exempt ourselves from the rules that apply to everyone else."

By Matt McGrath, BBC environment correspondent

The use of shale gas, fracked from huge reserves in Pennsylvania, Texas and elsewhere has already helped the US to curb its carbon. But coal is still a major factor in energy production, accounting for about 40% of electricity.

After the proposals are announced, there will be a year-long consultation, followed by another 12 months in which states will have to submit their plans for review.

Despite these delays, international observers believe the new proposals will help re-establish the credibility of the US on the international stage.

US 'to take significant step' on climate

Details of the plan have yet to be revealed, but the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, quoting sources briefed on the plan, said the Obama administration would seek a 30% cut in carbon emissions by 2030 as compared with 2005 levels.

Administration officials have described the new rules as a step toward achieving a pledge Mr Obama made in his first year in office to make sizeable cuts in US carbon emissions by 2020.

Continue reading the main story

Mr Obama's stand is politically bold. The 'war on coal' will play hard in states like West Virginia and Kentucky, where mining is important and Democrats are in a fierce struggle with the Republicans"

End Quote

The Democratic president has been unable to persuade Republicans in Congress to act on climate change legislation.

A 2010 Democratic effort to pass a bill limiting carbon-dioxide emissions and allowing companies to buy and sell permits to pollute was blocked by Senate Republicans.

Now, the Obama administration will rely on a 2007 US Supreme Court ruling that gave the Environmental Protection Agency, part of the executive branch of the US government under Mr Obama's control, the ability to regulate carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act.

Once the new guidelines are issued, it will be left to each state to develop a strategy for meeting them.

These may include increasing nuclear or solar power, switching to natural gas, or moving towards an emissions-trading plan, known as cap-and-trade.

Are you in the US? What is your reaction to the new climate change guidelines? You can send us your comments by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line "Climate".

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France arrests Syria jihad suspects

2 June 2014 Last updated at 10:24

Four people have been arrested in the Paris region and southern France, officials say, on suspicion of recruiting militants to fight in Syria.

The raids came a day after it emerged a Frenchman was being held by police investigating the murder of three people at the Brussels Jewish Museum.

Mehdi Nemmouche, 29, was arrested at a station in Marseille on Friday.

Prosecutors say he has claimed responsibility for the attack and spent more than a year in Syria.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazaneuve told Europe 1 radio on Monday: "There are people who recruit jihadists. There are as I'm speaking arrests being made."

"We are acting everywhere. There will be no respite in the fight against terrorists."

There is no suggestion of a link between the four arrests on Monday and the detention of Mr Nemmouche during a random check on a coach arriving from Amsterdam in southern France on Friday.

But Mr Nemmouche is said to have had links with radical Islamists and served five years in jail in France for robbery before being released in December 2012.

When he was arrested, he had with him a Kalashnikov rifle and a handgun believed to have been used in the attack, the Paris prosecutor said.

He was also said to have had a white sheet emblazoned with the name of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, a jihadist group fighting in Syria, and a camera with a 40-second video showing the two guns and a voice recording, claiming responsibility for the killings.

Speaking on French radio station RTL on Monday, the head of French Jewish association CRIF, Roger Cukierman, called for more resources to be given to the foreign intelligence service, the DGSE, to track militants returning to France from Syria.

He feared "they would become 700 time bombs when they return", referring to the estimated number of French-born jihadists in Syria.

Belgium has requested Mr Nemmouche's extradition from France and police have to decide whether to extend his detention until Thursday.

Three people died when a gunman opened fire at the museum in the busy Sablon area of the Belgian capital on 24 May. They were an Israeli couple in their 50s, and a French female volunteer.

A Belgian man, believed to be an employee of the museum, was critically injured.

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US parties clash over prisoner deal

2 June 2014 Last updated at 10:32

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Video has emerged purporting to show the Taliban prisoners arriving in Qatar

The main US political parties have clashed over the deal to swap five Guantanamo Bay detainees for a Taliban-held soldier, with Republicans warning it could put American lives at risk.

Senator John McCain said the detainees, who were transferred to Qatar, were some of the "highest high-risk people".

Afghanistan also condemned the deal, saying handing prisoners to a third country violated international law.

Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, 28, was handed to US forces in Afghanistan on Saturday.

In an emotional address on Sunday, his father, Robert Bergdahl, said he was proud how far his son was willing to go to help the Afghan people, but warned that his recovery would take a long time.

He said he and his wife had not yet spoken to the soldier, who is in a good condition and undergoing medical care at a US military hospital in Germany.

Legality

Several Republicans have spoken out against the deal, warning that it set a worrying precedent and amounted to negotiating with terrorists.

Mr McCain said the Taliban released were "possibly responsible for the deaths of thousands" and may have "the ability to re-enter the fight", in comments to CBS TV.

Republican chairman of the House intelligence committee, Mike Rogers, told CNN that Washington had "now set a price" for al-Qaeda ransom threats.

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Chuck Hagel: "No shots were fired - it went as well as it could have"

Questions were raised over the legality of the deal, after the Obama administration did not give Congress sufficient notice about the transfer of the Taliban detainees.

But US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel, who is currently in Afghanistan, dismissed the criticism saying the military had to act quickly "to essentially save his life".

"We didn't negotiate with terrorists. Sergeant Bergdahl was a prisoner of war. That's a normal process in getting your prisoners back," he told NBC TV.

US National Security Adviser Susan Rice said Sgt Bergdahl's failing health had created an "acute urgency", making it "necessary and appropriate" not to adhere to the 30-day notification requirement.

The Afghan government, which was not informed until after the exchange had taken place, condemned it as a "breach of international law" and urged the US and Qatar to "let the men go free".

The five detainees are thought to be the most senior Afghans held at the US detention facility in Cuba, having been captured during America's military campaign in 2001.

In a rare public statement on Sunday, Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar described the exchange as a "big victory".

But President Barack Obama said that he had received security guarantees from Qatar - which mediated the deal - "that it will put in place measures to protect our national security".

They have been banned from leaving Qatar for at least a year.

Analysis: Bilal Sarwary, BBC News, Kabul

The Afghan response to this prisoner exchange is both complicated and contradictory.

Nobody knows the exact conditions under which these prisoners were released but the Afghan government has reacted with anger. Part of their fury is likely to be that they were not even informed about the exchange, let alone being excluded from the talks process.

In a letter of complaint to the US they say that as the men are Afghan citizens, they should not have been handed over to a third country. The foreign ministry says Afghanistan is obliged to look after its own citizens under international law.

The High Peace Council - which is tasked with negotiating a peace settlement with the militants - is quietly hopeful that the release of these men could move things forward.

But security and intelligence sources have a different perspective. They point out that these men are highly trained, well connected and dangerous militant operatives.

Sgt Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, was the only US soldier being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan. He was serving with an infantry regiment in Paktika province, near the Pakistani border, when he went missing on 30 June 2009.

"Bowe's been gone for so long that it's going to be difficult to come back," his father told journalists on Sunday.

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Jani and Bob Bergdahl spoke of their love and pride for their son, Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, and said he would need time to ''decompress''

"It's like a diver going deep on a dive and [having] to stage back up through decompression to get the nitrogen bubbles out of his system. If he comes up too fast, it could kill him."

The circumstances of Sgt Bergdahl's capture remain unclear, with speculation he may have walked away from his base out of disillusionment with the US campaign.

US officials say any decision over possible desertion charges will be made by the army.

Who are the Guantanamo detainees?

• Mohammad Fazl served as the Taliban's deputy defence minister during America's military campaign in 2001. Accused of possible war crimes, including the murder of thousands of Shia Muslims.
• Khirullah Khairkhwa was a senior Taliban official serving as interior minister and governor of Herat, Afghanistan's third largest city. Alleged to have had direct links to Osama Bin Laden.
• Abdul Haq Wasiq was the Taliban's deputy minister of intelligence. Said to have been central in forming alliances with other Islamist groups to fight against US and coalition forces.
• Mullah Norullah Noori was a senior Taliban military commander and a governor. Also accused of being involved in the mass killings of Shia Muslims.
• Mohammad Nabi Omari held multiple Taliban leadership roles, including chief of security. Alleged to have been involved in attacks against US and coalition forces.

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Seven killed in Benghazi violence

2 June 2014 Last updated at 11:10

At least seven people including several soldiers have been killed in the Libyan city of Benghazi, medics say.

A military commander told the AFP news agency that the violence began when Ansar al-Sharia militants attacked special forces loyal to renegade General Khalifa Haftar.

Benghazi has been plagued by violence since Muammar Gaddafi was ousted.

The government has been trying to disarm numerous armed groups that took part in the war that ended his rule.

Cradle of the uprising

Three years after the Nato-supported war that terminated Col Gadaffi's 42 years in power, Libya is in chaos, correspondents say, with Islamist, anti-Islamist, regional and political groups all vying for power.

Benghazi was the cradle of the uprising but has since been a focal point for attacks on public institutions, army and police personnel.

In the most recent violence, gun battles have been raging all over the city since early on Monday when militants attacked the security headquarters where some of Gen Haftar's forces are located, officials told the AP news agency.

They say that helicopter gunships flown by pilots loyal to the general have been bombing the west Benghazi positions of the Ansar al-Sharia group as well as positions of the February 17 militia.

On Sunday one of the general's warplanes fired rockets at Ansar al-Sharia positions in Benghazi - but officials on the ground said that they missed their target and instead hit a university engineering faculty.

Gen Haftar wants the judiciary to appoint a crisis government to oversee new elections after accusing Libya's leaders of "fostering terrorism".

Dozens of state bodies have pledged their support to him.

But the government called his assaults an "attempted coup" and ordered the arrest of those taking part.

Are you in Libya? Have you witnessed the violence? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Libya' in the heading, and including your contact details.

Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.

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King Juan Carlos of Spain abdicates

2 June 2014 Last updated at 12:40

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King Juan Carlos said his son Prince Felipe would "open a new era of hope" for Spain

King Juan Carlos of Spain has announced his intention to abdicate, after nearly 40 years on the throne.

"A new generation must be at the forefront... younger people with new energies," the 76-year-old king said in a televised address.

His son, Crown Prince Felipe, 45, will take over the throne.

For much of his reign, Juan Carlos was seen as one of the world's most popular monarchs, but recently many Spaniards have lost confidence in him.

His reputation has been tarnished by a long-running corruption investigation into the business dealings of his daughter and her husband.

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King Juan Carlos, 76, has had health problems in recent years

Support for the king fell further when it was discovered he had been on a lavish elephant hunting trip to Botswana in April 2012, in the middle of Spain's financial crisis.

The first announcement about the abdication came from Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who told reporters: "His Majesty King Juan Carlos has just informed me of his desire to renounce the throne and begin the process of succession."

Later, a televised address by the king himself was released, in which he said it was time for a "new era" in which a new generation could take on the transformations and reforms required.

He said his son, Prince Felipe, had the maturity and preparation to be king.

Analysis: Tom Burridge, BBC Madrid correspondent

King Juan Carlos' abdication will be a surprise to most people in Spain, but not a shock.

At the beginning of this year, before his youngest daughter appeared in court in a major corruption investigation, the Spanish media was awash with speculation about the king's future.

But in a briefing I attended shortly before then, the king's chief of staff insisted that the "abdication option" was not on the cards.

Royal officials said the king's popularity was improving after a clear decline in the polls - and they insisted that his mobility was also getting better, after several operations to his hips.

The Royal Household has always been keen for any decision over abdication to not come in the wake of intense media pressure. That is because Republicanism is a relatively potent force in Spain.

Royal officials are describing this as a "personal" decision, which the king has been considering ever since his 76th birthday in January.

Spain does not have a precise law regulating abdication and royal succession, and Mr Rajoy said ministers would hold a special meeting to discuss the process by which the prince would take over as Felipe VI.

The prime minister said Juan Carlos had been a "tireless defender of our interests".

"I'm convinced this is the best moment for change," he added.

Pivotal role

When Juan Carlos took over from General Franco, he became Spain's first crowned head of state for 44 years.

But he soon ignored Franco's supporters, who wanted an extension to autocratic rule, and ushered in a new system of parliamentary monarchy.

As the years went on the king involved himself less in day-to-day politics, and became more of a figurehead.

He has been credited as a stabilising force for independence-minded areas such as Catalonia and the Basque region, and he also helped defuse an attempted coup in 1981.

Until a few years ago his popularity was high, but the hunting trip and corruption allegations involving his youngest daughter, Cristina, and her husband Inaki Urdangarin, led to calls for him to step aside.

The king's son and successor, Felipe, appears to have been untarnished by the scandal.

Felipe and his wife - former television presenter Princess Letizia - have recently taken on more important roles in ceremonial events.

Recent European Abdications

June 2014: King Juan Carlos of Spain steps down, saying he is passing the role to a younger, energised generation.

July 2013: Belgian King Albert II abdicates in favour of his son, Philippe, for health reasons.

April 2013: Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands hands the throne to her son Prince Willem-Alexander, saying he is ready to reign and it is time for the throne to be held by "a new generation".

But the BBC's Ignacio del los Reyes, in Spain, says there is still concern over whether the couple will be able to save a damaged institution.

On social networks, people are already asking whether it is time for Spain to become a republic, and some parties are calling for constitutional reform and a popular vote to pave the way for this change.

But the two main parties in Congress remain loyal to the monarchy, our correspondent says.

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The king gave a rare interview in Jan 2013 on the eve of his 75th birthday

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Ukraine border guard centre attacked

2 June 2014 Last updated at 13:04

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Unverified video purporting to show the battle has emerged

Hundreds of separatists in eastern Ukraine have mounted an assault on a border command centre near the city of Luhansk, the border agency says.

It says five militants were killed and eight wounded when the centre came under sustained attack. Seven border guards are said to have been wounded.

A Ukrainian military aircraft has been despatched to support the centre.

Meanwhile, Russia's Gazprom has given Ukraine more time to settle its gas bill after receiving a part payment.

The energy company had previously threatened to halt shipments of gas unless Ukraine paid its bill in full and agreed in future to pay in advance.

On Monday a spokesman for Ukraine's border agency, Oleh Slobodyan, said hundreds of militants had attacked the border centre with heavy weapons.

The agency says fighting is continuing and that the attackers are firing from residential buildings, which makes it difficult for Ukrainian troops to respond.

The attackers - reported by the AP news agency to be wearing uniforms - have promised safety for Ukrainian officers if they surrender and put down their arms.

Correspondents say they have become more and more aggressive in their assaults on government-held positions as they try to obtain weapons and ammunition from Ukrainian forces.

For weeks, Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine has been the scene of deadly clashes between government troops and pro-Russian insurgents who have taken over key buildings across the region.

Ukrainian President-elect Petro Poroshenko has said that his priority is to bring fighting in the east of the country to an end.

"We must make every effort to make sure that no more Ukrainians die at the hands of terrorists and bandits," he said on Friday.

The conflict has intensified in recent days. The rebels say they lost up to 100 fighters when they unsuccessfully tried to seize Donetsk's international airport on 26 May.

Pro-Russian separatists in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk declared independence after referendums on 11 May, which were not recognised by Kiev or its Western allies.

The rebels took their cue from a disputed referendum in Crimea, which led to Russia's annexation of Ukraine's southern peninsula.

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US says China 'destabilising' force

31 May 2014 Last updated at 10:17

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Chuck Hagel: "China has undertaken destabilising, unilateral actions asserting its claims in the South China Sea"

The US defence secretary has accused China of "destabilising" the South China Sea, saying its action threatened the region's long-term progress.

Chuck Hagel said the US would "not look the other way" when nations ignored international rules.

Mr Hagel was speaking at a three-day summit - the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore - that involves the US and South-East Asian countries.

He also urged Thailand's coup leaders to restore democratic rule soon.

The forum comes amid growing tensions between China, Vietnam and the Philippines, with Japan-China ties also strained over disputed islands in the East China Sea.

The summit gives senior delegates from the region a chance to meet face-to-face to try to resolve tensions.

'No to intimidation'

"In recent months, China has undertaken destabilising, unilateral actions asserting its claims in the South China Sea," Mr Hagel said in his address on Saturday.

"We firmly oppose any nation's use of intimidation, coercion, or the threat of force to assert these claims," he added, referring to the way China has claimed territorial rights over areas of the South China Sea close to Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam.

"All nations of the region, including China, have a choice: to unite, and recommit to a stable regional order, or, to walk away from that commitment and risk the peace and security that has benefited millions of people."

He said he supported Japan's offer to play a greater and "more proactive" role in regional security, as promised by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his keynote speech on Friday.

Michael Bristow, BBC Asia analyst

These are strong words from the US defence secretary. Although a number of nations make loud claims for parts of the South China Sea, Chuck Hagel sees China as the destabilising force in the region.

He could point to a number of unilateral moves taken by Beijing over recent months. Deploying a giant oil rig off the coast of Vietnam is just one.

Analysts see a trend. Many think that while the squabbling continues over who has sovereignty over the South China Sea - and the East China Sea - Beijing has quietly decided to take action: by changing the situation on the ground, it makes it hard for other nations to resist its demands.

And China appears to be testing the resolve of the Americans to defend US interests, and those of its allies, in the region. Defence Secretary Hagel said the US would not look the other way. But what can America do? And how far does China have to go before Washington decides to resist?

What are the disputes in South China Sea?

Prime Minister Abe earlier offered to provide coastal boats to neighbouring countries wary of Beijing's tactics.

Chinese officials said Mr Abe was using the "myth" of a China threat to strengthen Japan's security policy.

Tensions have flared recently, with China declaring an air defence zone in the East China Sea and adopting a more confrontational stance over the disputed islands in the South China Sea, correspondents say.

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Japan's prime minister wants to play a more active role in regional security, Sharanjit Leyl reports

They say that although some Asean members will be reluctant to antagonise China because of their economic and political ties, others are likely to welcome an increased role from Japan.

Beijing claims a U-shaped swathe of the South China Sea that covers areas other South-East Asian nations say are their territory.

Military aid suspended

Turning to recent events in Thailand, Mr Hagel called on the coup authorities to release those it had detained and immediately to hold free and fair elections.

Until this happened, he said, the US would suspend all military assistance and engagement with Bangkok.

His remarks came hours after Thailand's coup leader Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said elections would not be held for more than a year, speaking in a televised address.

Gen Prayuth announced a three-phase plan leading up to the new elections, which includes two to three months of reconciliation and a year of drafting a new constitution and reforms.

The US and Thailand have long been allies - and have particularly strong military ties - so this will hurt more than the general condemnation that has been heard since the coup, says the BBC's Jonah Fisher.

But it is still unlikely to make much difference to Gen Prayuth, our correspondent adds.

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Ash clouds ground Australia flights

31 May 2014 Last updated at 13:05

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Ash clouds from Sangeang Api prompted airlines to cancel all flights

Huge ash clouds thrown up by an Indonesian volcano have forced airlines to cancel all flights to and from the northern Australian city of Darwin.

Mount Sangeang Api began erupting on Friday and plumes of ash have been sweeping south towards Australia.

Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia have all cancelled flights. Services between Australia and the province of Bali have also been hit.

The authorities say other airports could be affected in the coming days.

'Rather significant'

Hundreds of passengers have been caught up, with disruption expected to continue until at least Sunday.

"The volcano is undergoing a sustained, rather significant eruption at the moment," Emile Jansons, manager of the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre told Reuters news agency.

"For the last 10 hours we've been observing large masses of volcanic ash being generated.

"Nobody has a very good handle on what this volcano is likely to do in the next 24 hours or beyond."

Some flights between Perth and Bali were cancelled on Saturday.

Volcanic ash can be extremely dangerous to aircraft as the fine particles can damage engines.

The cloud is now sweeping south towards as Alice Springs, officials say.

Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said it could take days for Australian services to return to normal.

"Depending on wind and other weather conditions, the ash has the potential to affect flights to and from other airports, including Brisbane, during coming days," he said.

The island of Sangeang Api has no permanent residents after they vacated following an eruption in 1988. Farmers nearby have reportedly been told to leave the area.

Indonesia lies across a series of geological fault-lines and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

There are about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia.

Tens of thousands of people fled their homes and several people were killed after a volcano erupted in east Java in February.

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