Nelson Mandela's body lying in state in Pretoria

WATCH: Family of Nelson Mandela and key officials see his body lying in state

 

The body of Nelson Mandela has arrived at the main government building in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, where it will lie in state for three days.

His remains were taken in procession from a hospital mortuary to the Union Buildings.

Members of the public lined the route to form a "guard of honour".

The public, invited heads of state and international guests will be able to view the body of the former president who died last Thursday, aged 95.

He will be buried in his home village of Qunu in Eastern Cape province on Sunday.

Tens of thousands of South Africans joined scores of world leaders for a national memorial service on Tuesday as part of a series of commemorations.

The body of Nelson Mandela arrived at Pretoria's Union Buildings early on Wednesday

Small crowds had gathered as Mr Mandela's body was driven through Pretoria

The mood was celebratory rather than sombre

His coffin was draped in the South African flag

Quick convoy

The procession left the city's 1 Military Hospital shortly after 07:00 (05:00 GMT) on Wednesday. The coffin could be seen inside a black hearse, draped in a South African flag.

It travelled along Kgosi Mampuru Street and Madiba Street on the way to the Union Buildings.

The hearse was in a long convoy with military outriders and military ambulances.

The convoy sped quickly through the streets, with some people running alongside the military guard, the BBC's Joseph Winter in Pretoria says.

Clashes as police try to dislodge Kiev protesters

Protesters faced off with police in Independence Square through the night and into the morning

Clashes have erupted outside city hall in the Ukrainian capital Kiev as police try to oust occupying protesters.

The clashes follow a night of scuffles and a stand-off after police moved in on a large protest camp in IndependenceSquare.

But more demonstrators have joined the protest in response to an opposition call for solidarity.

The government's decision to withdraw from a free-trade deal with the EU last month sparked huge street rallies.

Human walls

Police stormed city hall as they tried to dislodge protesters from the building.

Reports said protesters used hoses to fire icy water back at the police.

Protesters gathered around the police, chanting slogans against their action, said 5 Kanal TV station in scenes carried on a live feed from the protests.

Police had moved in on the protest at about 02:00 (24:00 GMT), saying they wanted to free up a passage through the square for traffic.

Protesters in hard hats locked arms to form human walls to try to resist the police push. At least nine people were detained.

There were calls for restraint from priests intoning prayers and pop singer Ruslana - urging "Do not hurt us!" - on a stage in the square. More people flooded into the square in response to pleas for solidarity.

The latest police action comes after EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton held talks with President Viktor Yanukovych on Tuesday.

Baroness Ashton, who was cheered by crowds when she visited Kiev's main protest site, said she was saddened that police had later used force to try to remove protesters.

"I was among you on Maidan [Independence Square] in the evening and was impressed by determination of Ukrainians demonstrating for European perspective of the country," she said in a statement posted on Facebook.

"Some hours later I observe with sadness that police uses force to remove peaceful people from the centre of Kiev. The authorities didn't need to act under the coverage of night to engage with the society by using police."

As morning rose in central Kiev, protesters continued their stand-off with riot police

Huge numbers of police approach the barricades of the protest camp overnight

A priest speaks to riot police as they block pro-European Union activists in Independence Square

Riot police and interior ministry officers dismantled some barriers and tents but met resistance from opposition supporters.
US Secretary of State John Kerry also condemned the action late on Tuesday.

"The United States expresses its disgust with the decision of Ukrainian authorities to meet the peaceful protest in Kiev's Maidan Square with riot police, bulldozers, and batons, rather than with respect for democratic rights and human dignity," he said.

"This response is neither acceptable nor does it befit a democracy."

President Yanukovych said on Monday that government officials could visit Brussels this week to resume talks on the EU association agreement.

His statement came after hundreds of thousands of protesters turned out in Kiev on Sunday, demanding the resignation of the government within 48 hours.

Several people were hurt on Monday night as riot police advanced on protesters, dismantling a number of barricades in the centre of the capital.
Government buildings are blockaded with cars, barricades and tents.

India top court reinstates gay sex ban

A 153-year-old colonial law describes a same-sex relationship as an "unnatural offence"

 

 

India's top court has upheld a law which criminalises gay sex, in a ruling seen as a major blow to gay rights.

 The Supreme Court ruling reverses a landmark 2009 Delhi High Court order which had decriminalised homosexual acts.

The court said it was up to parliament to legislate on the issue.
According to Section 377, a 153-year-old colonial law, a same-sex relationship is an "unnatural offence" and punishable by a 10-year jail term.

Several political, social and religious groups had petitioned the Supreme Court to have the law reinstated in the wake of the 2009 court ruling.
Correspondents say although the law has rarely - if ever - been used to prosecute anyone for consensual sex, it has often been used by the police to harass homosexuals.

Also, in a deeply conservative India, homosexuality is a taboo and many people still regard same-sex relationships as illegitimate.

'Black day'

"It is up to parliament to legislate on this issue," Justice GS Singhvi, the head of the two-judge Supreme Court bench, said in Wednesday's ruling, which came on his last day before retiring.

"The legislature must consider deleting this provision (Section 377) from law as per the recommendations of the attorney general," he added.

Gay rights activists have described Wednesday's Supreme Court ruling as "disappointing" and said they will approach the court to review its decision.

"Such a decision was totally unexpected from the top court. It is a black day," Arvind Narrain, a lawyer for the Alternative Law Forum gay rights group, told reporters.

"We are very angry about this regressive decision of the court," he said.

"This decision is a body-blow to people's rights to equality, privacy and dignity," G Ananthapadmanabhan of Amnesty International India said in a statement.

"It is hard not to feel let down by this judgement, which has taken India back several years in its commitment to protect basic rights," he added.

However, the ruling has been welcomed by religious groups, particularly leaders of India's Muslim and Christian communities, who had challenged the Delhi High Court order.

Many religious and political groups had opposed decriminalisation of gay sex

"The Supreme Court has upheld the century-old traditions of India, the court is not suppressing any citizen, instead it is understanding the beliefs and values of the large majority of the country,"

Zafaryab Jilani, member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, told BBC Hindi.
In its 2009 ruling, the Delhi High Court had described Section 377 as discriminatory and said gay sex between consenting adults should not be treated as a crime.

The ruling was widely and visibly welcomed by India's gay community, which said the judgement would help protect them from harassment and persecution.

Are you in India? What is your reaction to the Supreme Court's ruling? Please send us your comments using the form below.

 

Congo rumba star Tabu Ley Rochereau mourned in Kinshasa

Thousands of people in the Democratic Republic of Congo have attended the state funeral of rumba star Tabu Ley Rochereau in the capital, Kinshasa.

 The day has been declared a national holiday and the funeral service took place at the parliament.

Tabu Ley, who died last month, wrote more 3,000 songs during his long career and was popular across much of Africa.

Speaking during the service, musician Koffi Olomide called for 9 December to be declared "national rumba day".

Tabu Ley was one of the pioneers of Congolese rumba, known as soukous, with lyrics usually sung in the local Lingala language.

Fans of all ages came to parliament for the service

Soukous comes from the French word for shake "secouer" and its dancers are renowned for their erotic moves.

 ''Tabu Ley Rochereau, our master, our guide and our father, was and will forever be the pride of the

Congolese nation," Mr Olomide, who is also a popular rumba musician, told the gathering of politicians, including the president, and other dignitaries.

"And so, respectfully, we ask President Joseph Kabila and his government to officially make the day of Tabu Ley's passing the national day for Congolese rumba and Congolese musicians.''
 
'Inspiration'

The BBC's Maud Jullien in Kinshasa says the parliament building is covered in posters of the man his fans call "Seigneur Ley".

People of all ages came to pay their last tributes to the musician, she says.

"I didn't go to school because I wanted to pay a tribute to Tabu Ley, a monument of African music," 18-year-old Joachim, who was amongst the crowd outside parliament, told the BBC

"His songs have become classics, and his lyrics are so true, even if he is not from our generation, we will remember him."

Inside the parliament, two of the stars many children spoke during the service.

It is thought he could have as many as 84 children, although he only officially recognised 49, our reporter says.

One of his sons, the French rapper Youssoupha, said he worshipped his father's work as an artist.

''He was the main inspiration for all the following generations of Congolese musicians, and will continue to be," he said.

"Could he have given a more extraordinary present to his culture than to make millions of Ivorians, Gabonese, Chadians, and even Cubans, sing in Lingala?''

After the service, fans prepared to follow the funeral cortege

Tabu Ley was born in the western city of Bandundu more than 70 years ago - his exact date of birth is not known - first singing in church and school choirs.

His career took off shortly before the country's independence from Belgium in 1960 when he moved to Kinshasa.

He went into exile in the 1980s during Mobutu Sese Seko's long rule, returning after his overthrow in 1997.

The musician then went into politics, serving amongst other roles as a deputy governor of Kinshasa and a provincial cultural minister.
He died in hospital in Belgium on 30 November and had not been well for some time.

Same-sex weddings to begin in March

The Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat leaderships all backed the proposals

 

The first same-sex weddings can take place from 29 March 2014, Equalities Minister Maria Miller says. 

Initially it was thought the first same-sex marriage in England and Wales would not take place until the summer.

Couples wishing to be among the first to marry will need to give formal notice of their intention to marry on 13 March.

It comes after the government's controversial legislation on the issue received Royal Assent in July.
The Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat leaderships all backed the proposals.

BBC political correspondent Norman Smith says it is understood the government, following the passing of the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act, has been able to put in place the necessary arrangements much faster than previously thought.
 
'Open to everyone'

Ms Miller said: "Marriage is one of our most important institutions, and from 29 March 2014 it will be open to everyone, irrespective of whether they fall in love with someone of the same sex or opposite sex.

"This is just another step in the evolution of marriage and I know that many couples up and down the country will be hugely excited that they can now plan for their big day and demonstrate their love and commitment to each other by getting married."

Ms Miller added that she was "working hard" to ensure that couples who wanted to convert civil partnerships into marriages - and married people wanting to change their legal gender while remaining married - would be able to do so before the end of next year.

From June, people will also be able to take part in same-sex weddings in some British consulates and armed forces bases overseas or in military chapels.
 
'Historic step'

Ben Summerskill, chief executive of gay rights campaign group Stonewall, said he was "delighted" at the announcement.

He said: "This historic step will mean that, for the first time, every gay person in England and Wales will finally enjoy exactly the same rights as their heterosexual friends and family."

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said on Twitter: "Great news that same sex weddings will happen from 29th March 2014 #savethedate."

Under the terms of the bill, religious organisations will have to "opt in" to offering weddings, with the Church of England and Church in Wales being banned in law from doing so.

 

Garth Brooks to go on world tour

Brooks was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October 2012

US country singer Garth Brooks is to embark on a world tour, more than 10 years after he last hit the road.

Brooks, 51, retired from recording new music and touring in 2001 so that he could see his three daughters grow up.

"My children are off on their own, so the guilt of not being there ... I'm a phone-call dad now," the singer told ABC's Good Morning America programme.

Brooks' hits include The Thunder Rolls and Unanswered Prayers. He has sold more than 125 million albums.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA,) he is the second best-selling solo albums artist of all time in the US behind Elvis Presley

"It sure feels good to get to throw your hat back in the ring," Brooks told Good Morning America.

Brooks said the tour would take place in 2014 although there was no detail on where it would take him.

The country star, who has sold more than 125 million albums, played occasional concerts during his hiatus but never went on tour. He began performing concerts in Las Vegas in 2009.

Ukraine crisis: Western diplomats bid to end stand-off

Steve Rosenberg reports from the protest camps.

Top Western diplomats are arriving in Kiev as police move to break the blockade of Ukrainian government buildings by pro-EU protesters.

US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland met leading opposition politicians and was due to have talks with President Viktor Yanukovych.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is also due in the city.
Mr Yanukovych has reportedly indicated he may be willing to help free people arrested during the protests.
One of his predecessors as president of Ukraine, Leonid Kravchuk, made the remark after talks with Mr Yanukovych and two other former presidents, Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko.
Scores of people were injured and at least 31 arrests were made in clashes between police and protesters at the end of last month..
Several people were also hurt overnight as riot police advanced, before a deadline for protesters to lift their blockade.

Ms Nuland met Ukrainian opposition politicians (from left) Oleh Tyahnybok, Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Vitaly Klitschko.

Riot police are guarding government buildings in Kiev to keep away demonstrators.

Protesters remain camped out in the snow, warming themselves around wood fires.

But no action was taken against the main opposition camp on Independence Square, where about 2,000 protesters remained on Tuesday morning, huddling around braziers to keep warm, Reuters news agency reports.

On Sunday, at least 100,000 protesters turned out, demanding the resignation of the government within 48 hours.

The political crisis began when Ukraine decided not to sign a landmark EU free-trade deal last month, while under pressure to strengthen economic ties with Russia.

The European Commission says the EU's offer of an association agreement with Ukraine remains on the table, provided Ukraine meets the conditions, which cannot be renegotiated.
'Serious risk'
A police raid on Monday on the headquarters of Ukraine's biggest opposition party, Fatherland, led Baroness Ashton to express concern and urge restraint on the eve of her visit.

Computer servers were removed during the raid on the party led by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who has been in prison since 2011 over a controversial gas contract with Russia.

"I follow with concern the reports that police forces forcibly entered the office of the biggest opposition party," Baroness Ashton said in a statement.

She said the timing, just ahead of the talks proposed by Mr Yanukovych, "seriously risk to derail the process".

At least some people were hurt in scuffles with police overnight.

The protesters have vowed to defend Independence Square, the focal point of the demonstrations

Photos were released on Tuesday of Ms Nuland meeting Vitaly Klitschko, the heavyweight boxing champion who leads the Udar (Punch) party, as well as Arseniy Yatsenyuk, of Tymoshenko's

Fatherland party, and Oleh Tyahnybok, of the far-right Svoboda party.
In Moscow earlier, the US diplomat expressed "deep concern" about events in Ukraine, stressing

Washington's support for Ukrainians' "European choice".
She "urged Russia to use its influence to press for peace, human dignity and a political solution", the

US embassy in Moscow said in a statement.
 
Scuffles

After talks with Mr Yanukovych, Mr Kravchuk said the current president would decide whether arrested demonstrators should be freed "while not intervening in the work of the courts".

The street protests, the biggest since 2004, have invited parallels with that time. On each of the last three Sundays, crowds estimated at 100,000 or more have flooded central Kiev.

On Monday, phalanxes of riot police, their helmets caked in snow, moved to clear Kiev's government district of protesters, tearing down barricades leading to the presidency, cabinet offices and parliament.

Scuffles broke out and, while there were no immediate official reports of injuries, members of Svoboda said several people had been hurt. Two police officers were also reportedly injured.

The unrest in Kiev and other parts of Ukraine escalated after police used violence against protesters on 30 November.

The crisis has highlighted divisions in Ukraine, with many in the east of the country more sympathetic to Russia, and opposing both closer links with the EU and the anti-government protests.