Shooting At Denver School Near Columbine

A gunman has killed himself after opening fire at a Denver high school near to the site of the Columbine High School massacre.

One 15-year-old student was injured at the Arapahoe High School in Centennial and is in a critical condition, according to authorities.

Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson identified the shooter as 18-year-old Karl Halverson Pierson.

Pierson entered the school with a shotgun and was looking for an individual teacher who he identified by name, said Mr Robinson.

Armed police at the school

He added: "The teacher began to understand that he was being looked at and exited the school. One student confronted the armed student and was shot."

Mr Robinson did not elaborate on any possible motive except to say Pierson had had a "confrontation or disagreement" with the teacher.

The teenager was later found with fatal self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Mr Robinson said a possible Molotov cocktail was also found at the scene.

Pupils were led out of the building with their hands in the air by police officers after the shooting, which began at 12.30pm local time. All the schools in the area are on lockdown as a result. 

One student told the Denver Post: "I was scared and shaking." She added that she heard, "bang, bang, bang" and by the third shot was on the ground.

Youngsters told the newspaper they hid in the corners of dark classrooms until police SWAT teams arrived.  

A student is reunited with her father after the shooting

The school is about eight miles (13km) east of Columbine High School in Littleton, where two teenage shooters killed 12 classmates and a teacher before killing themselves in 1999.

Tracy Monroe, who had step-siblings who attended Columbine, was standing outside the high school looking at her phone, reading text messages from her 15-year-old daughter inside.

She said she got the first text from her daughter, Jade Stanton, at 12.41pm. The text read: "There's sirens. It's real. I love you."

A few minutes later, Jade texted "shots were fired in our school".

Ms Monroe rushed to the school and was relieved when Jade texted that a police officer entered her classroom and that she was safe.

Ms Monroe was friends with a teacher killed in the Columbine shooting, Dave Carpenter.

"We didn't think it could happen in Colorado then, either," she said.

Some 2,141 students attend the school, which has 70 classrooms.

The attack comes almost one year after 20 children and six adults were killed in a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown.

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Nelson Mandela's Body Flown Home For Funeral

Nelson Mandela's body has arrived in South Africa's Eastern Cape ahead of a funeral service for the former president.

His coffin, draped in the country's national flag, was carried from a farewell service in Pretoria and onto a military plane, accompanied in clear blue skies by two fighter jets.

Less than two hours later, the plane landed in Mthatha, where huge crowds lined the streets.

Officers carrying Mr Mandela's coffin march slowly towards the plane

Thousands of people, many waving flags and carrying posters of Mr Mandela, gathered to watch the anti-apartheid hero's final journey to his childhood home of Qunu, where he will be given a state funeral.

It comes amid speculation that Desmond Tutu, the former archbishop, will miss his close friend's burial service, with some reports claiming he was not invited for political reasons.

The 82-year-old, who also missed a memorial service in Sowetto earlier this week, has been openly critical of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party.

His spokesman confirmed he was "not presently planning to attend" but refused to comment on the reasons for his alleged exclusion.

However, a spokesman for President Jacob Zuma told media in South Africa that Mr Tutu is "definitely on the invite list".

The mostly sombre event in Pretoria was punctuated by song and dance, as the ANC paid tribute to its former leader.

South African President Jacob Zuma pays tribute to his predecessor

Mr Zuma recalled the political achievements of his predecessor, saying he brought discipline and vision to the anti-apartheid movement.

"He did something that is not easy to do," he said.

Mr Mandela's grandson Mandla, who sat with his grandfather for three days while he lay in state in Pretoria, also attended the service.

Mr Mandela's coffin is surrounded by well-wishers at a farewell ceremony

He told the audience: "I have witnessed his army, I have witnessed his people, I have witnessed ordinary South Africans who walked this long walk to freedom with him.

"I can assure the ANC that today, the future of this country looks bright."

Mr Mandela's state funeral is a first for South Africa and means full military ceremonial honours will be laid on, led by the armed forces.

Crowds have gathered in Mthatha ahead of the arrival of Mr Mandela's coffin

A 21-gun salute will ring out and the South African Air Force will perform a fly pass.

The centuries-old traditions of the Xhosa tribe will also be observed, with a ritual slaughtering of an ox before Mr Mandela's body arrives at Mthatha airport.

A group of traditional leaders and Mandela elders, led by Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, the AbaThembu king, will welcome him home to Qunu.

According to his memoirs, Qunu village, with its rolling hills and dusty tracks, was where he spent "the happiest days" of his childhood.

Zwelonke Sigcau, the Xhosa king, told Sky News: "The Xhosa people believe Nelson Mandela is not leaving us. It is just his body which is going into the ground. His spirit will remain."

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Mandela To Return To Homeland For Funeral

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, in Qunu

He is Qunu's most famous son and the return of Nelson Mandela's body to his ancestral homeland is not just for sentimental reasons - it is part of Xhosa tradition that those who pass away are returned to the soil from where they came.

This weekend sees a stark shift in tempo, organisation and ceremony as the state funeral meshes with the centuries-old traditions of Mr Mandela's countrymen and women in the rural Eastern Cape.

"We feel very represented by Nelson Mandela," Mandisi Tshaka, a young Xhosa man, resplendent in his traditional robes and big beaded necklace, told me.

"Everyone in the world knows the Xhosa tribe because of him and we're saluting him."

The South African government has announced the former president's state funeral is a "first for the country" and means full military ceremonial honours will be laid on and led by the armed forces.

There will be 21-gun salutes and a fly-over by the South African Air Force.

But there is a strong importance being put on performing the Xhosa rites as Mr Mandela is laid to rest.

There will be a ritual slaughtering of an ox in the early hours before receiving his body at Mthatha airport in the Eastern Cape.

The AbaThembu king, Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, is expected to lead a group of traditional leaders as well as Mandela elders in welcoming him home to the village of Qunu, where he spent much of his childhood.

Xhosa custom dictates a welcome ritual is performed to ensure the ancestors are informed of the arrival of Mr Mandela's remains.

Mr Mandela will be called on by his praise name Dlibhunga and the AbaThembu king will shout this three times as he greets the body when he arrives home.

Despite the pomp and ceremony of the state funeral, there will be equal, if not more, importance put on the traditional Xhosa burial rituals to ensure the man they call Madiba has an easy transition into the afterworld.

The Xhosa king, Zwelonke Sigcau, told Sky News: "The Xhosa people believe Nelson Mandela is not leaving us. It is just his body which is going into the ground. His spirit will remain."

Mr Mandela's body lay in state for three days

In the African culture many believe a dead person's spirit lives on beyond death and joins other ancestors who guide, help and protect the living.

It is a belief which greatly helps alleviate the pain felt by the loss of a loved one - and Mr Mandela may assume even greater importance amongst his people because of his exalted status as a spiritual ancestor now.

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North Korea Executes Leader's 'Traitor' Uncle

The Rise Of Jang Song-Thaek

Updated: 10:52am UK, Friday 13 December 2013

While hereditary leader Kim Jong-Un is the unquestioned ruler of North Korea, his uncle Jang Song-Thaek was thought to be the country's second most powerful figure.

The 67-year-old had occupied a privileged and yet precarious spot within the inner circle, and his ties to Mr Kim were more than political.

He was the son-in-law of the founder of North Korea, Kim Il-Sung, and was married to Mr Kim's aunt, Kim Kyong-Hui, the younger sister of the former leader, Kim Jong-Il.

A native of the far northeastern border city of Chongjin who hailed from humble roots but was sharp enough to gain entry to prestigious Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang, he rose from municipal bureaucrat to vice chairman of the National Defence Commission and member of the Political Bureau.

These posts put him second in power only to Mr Kim.

He started his career as instructor for the Pyongyang City Committee of the Workers' Party, and rose post-by-post reaching the top ranks.

Despite not being a career military man, he was made a four-star general, and helped engineer a campaign to bring the once-powerful military into the party's fold.

He was purged and sent to a labour camp for two years in the mid-2000s, according to Kim Young-soo, a North Korea expert at Sogang University in Seoul, South Korea. That purge was widely seen as a move to clip his wings.

It was after Kim Jong-Il's stroke in 2008 that he was assumed to be serving in a regency role while the young heir Mr Kim, then in his late 20s, was being groomed to succeed his father.

Gen Jang would accompany Mr Kim on guidance trips, often dressed in a trim white general's uniform and standing within arm's length of the young heir on field visits and at state events.

That rise to the inner circle gained speed after Kim Jong Il's death from a heart attack in December 2011.

A well-travelled diplomat with a network that spread to China, Gen Jang was considered the chief architect of economic policy that focused on partnering with the neighbour and ally.

He had recently added a new title to his portfolio - chairman of the State Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission - one of Mr Kim's pet projects. Mr Kim is a basketball fan and famously invited US basketball star Dennis Rodman for a rare official visit to the country.

Last seen publicly in early November meeting a sports delegation from Japan, rumours of Gen Jang's dismissal began surfacing in Seoul last week.

On Sunday, he was fired from all posts at a special party meeting and dragged away by the arms by soldiers - his ordeal broadcast on North Korean television.

Four days after his dramatic public arrest, Gen Jang was tried for treason by a special military tribunal.

On Friday, North Korea's official news agency KCNA announced he had been executed. He confessed, according to state media.

He was described as "a traitor to the nation" and "worse than a dog".

The list of crimes against Gen Jang was long, with plotting to overthrow the leadership the most serious of the allegations.

Subsequently, pictures showing both Mr Kim and Gen Jang were doctored to remove the uncle - a technique notoriously used by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in the 1930s.

Gen Jang's demise offers an intriguing and revealing glimpse into the murky, feudalistic world of politics in the secretive country.

The fall from grace, accompanied by allegations from corruption to womanising and capped by his arrest at the party meeting on Sunday, has suggested to some analysts that Mr Kim is still trying to consolidate the power he inherited from his father two years ago.

For North Koreans, the shocking public humiliation of a man seen as a father figure to Mr Kim was designed to send a clear message about the intolerance of opposition in a totalitarian state that demands absolute loyalty to the leader.

It was a humiliating end to a complicated career.

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North Korea Purge Sparks China And US Concern

The Rise Of Jang Song-Thaek

Updated: 10:52am UK, Friday 13 December 2013

While hereditary leader Kim Jong-Un is the unquestioned ruler of North Korea, his uncle Jang Song-Thaek was thought to be the country's second most powerful figure.

The 67-year-old had occupied a privileged and yet precarious spot within the inner circle, and his ties to Mr Kim were more than political.

He was the son-in-law of the founder of North Korea, Kim Il-Sung, and was married to Mr Kim's aunt, Kim Kyong-Hui, the younger sister of the former leader, Kim Jong-Il.

A native of the far northeastern border city of Chongjin who hailed from humble roots but was sharp enough to gain entry to prestigious Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang, he rose from municipal bureaucrat to vice chairman of the National Defence Commission and member of the Political Bureau.

These posts put him second in power only to Mr Kim.

He started his career as instructor for the Pyongyang City Committee of the Workers' Party, and rose post-by-post reaching the top ranks.

Despite not being a career military man, he was made a four-star general, and helped engineer a campaign to bring the once-powerful military into the party's fold.

He was purged and sent to a labour camp for two years in the mid-2000s, according to Kim Young-soo, a North Korea expert at Sogang University in Seoul, South Korea. That purge was widely seen as a move to clip his wings.

It was after Kim Jong-Il's stroke in 2008 that he was assumed to be serving in a regency role while the young heir Mr Kim, then in his late 20s, was being groomed to succeed his father.

Gen Jang would accompany Mr Kim on guidance trips, often dressed in a trim white general's uniform and standing within arm's length of the young heir on field visits and at state events.

That rise to the inner circle gained speed after Kim Jong Il's death from a heart attack in December 2011.

A well-travelled diplomat with a network that spread to China, Gen Jang was considered the chief architect of economic policy that focused on partnering with the neighbour and ally.

He had recently added a new title to his portfolio - chairman of the State Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission - one of Mr Kim's pet projects. Mr Kim is a basketball fan and famously invited US basketball star Dennis Rodman for a rare official visit to the country.

Last seen publicly in early November meeting a sports delegation from Japan, rumours of Gen Jang's dismissal began surfacing in Seoul last week.

On Sunday, he was fired from all posts at a special party meeting and dragged away by the arms by soldiers - his ordeal broadcast on North Korean television.

Four days after his dramatic public arrest, Gen Jang was tried for treason by a special military tribunal.

On Friday, North Korea's official news agency KCNA announced he had been executed. He confessed, according to state media.

He was described as "a traitor to the nation" and "worse than a dog".

The list of crimes against Gen Jang was long, with plotting to overthrow the leadership the most serious of the allegations.

Subsequently, pictures showing both Mr Kim and Gen Jang were doctored to remove the uncle - a technique notoriously used by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in the 1930s.

Gen Jang's demise offers an intriguing and revealing glimpse into the murky, feudalistic world of politics in the secretive country.

The fall from grace, accompanied by allegations from corruption to womanising and capped by his arrest at the party meeting on Sunday, has suggested to some analysts that Mr Kim is still trying to consolidate the power he inherited from his father two years ago.

For North Koreans, the shocking public humiliation of a man seen as a father figure to Mr Kim was designed to send a clear message about the intolerance of opposition in a totalitarian state that demands absolute loyalty to the leader.

It was a humiliating end to a complicated career.

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Ukraine Opposition Leader Agrees To Talks

Ukraine President Calls For Talks

Updated: 8:05pm UK, Wednesday 11 December 2013

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich said he has invited all parties including the opposition for talks to find a political compromise to a growing crisis in the country.

In a statement on his website, Mr Yanukovich vowed not to use force against peaceful protesters and urged the opposition to avoid confrontation after several dozen were injured in fresh clashes with riot police.

He said: "For the sake of achieving compromise I am calling on the opposition not to reject (talks), not to follow the path of confrontation and ultimatums.

"I invite representatives of all political parties, priests, representatives of civil society to national talks."

He added that authorities would "never use force against peaceful protests".

It comes after Ukrainian police withdrew from a protest camp after an overnight confrontation following weeks of protests against Mr Yanukovich.

Officers had cleared streets near the camp in Maidan Square, bulldozed tents and were involved in skirmishes with protesters.

Demonstrators also set up a makeshift hospital in the Kiev city hall building, and sprayed officers with water hoses to prevent them storming it.

The unrest erupted after Mr Yanukovich's decision to spurn an EU trade deal and strengthen Ukraine's economic ties with Russia.

Secretary of State John Kerry voiced US "disgust" at the riot police action.

He said: "(Washington) 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."

Opposition leader Vitali Klitschko, who is a reigning world heavyweight boxing champion, had urged Ukrainians to rush the centre of the capital to defend democracy.

He said: "We will say no to a police state, no to a dictatorship."

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Mandela Memorial: Deaf Signer Was 'Fake'

South Africa's deaf federation has claimed that an interpreter using sign language during the Mandela memorial was a "fake".

Concerns over the male interpreter had been raised by deaf people watching the service at Johannesburg's FNB Stadium on Tuesday.

Bruno Druchen, national director of the Deaf Federation of South Africa, said the unidentified man, who was on stage alongside world leaders including US President Barack Obama, "was moving his hands around but there was no meaning in what he used his hands for".

Sign language experts have said there was no meaning to the man's gestures

South African parliament member Wilma Newhoudt, a member of the ruling party, also said the man communicated nothing with his hand and arm movements.

Both Mr Druchen and Ms Newhoudt are deaf.

The revelation also raises concerns over security for world leaders

Three sign language experts said the man was not signing in South African or American sign languages.

South African sign language covers all of the country's 11 official languages, according to the federation.

Nicole Du Toit, an official sign language interpreter who also watched the broadcast, said the man on stage was an "embarrassment".

The man has not been identified

She said: "It was horrible, an absolute circus, really really bad.

"Only he can understand those gestures."

Delphin Hlungwane, an official South African sign language interpreter with DeafSA, said authorities were trying to track the man down.

The man also failed to indicate that the crowd was booing Jacob Zuma

She said: "There was zero percent accuracy. He couldn't even get the basics right. He couldn't even say thank you.

"You're supposed to indicate with your facial expressions, even if it's not an exact sign. He didn't indicate that (booing of Jacob Zuma) at all. It just passed him by.

"Nobody knows who he is. Even at this hour we still don't have his name."

Paul Breckell, chief executive of Action on Hearing Loss, said: "The use of appropriately qualified communication support is crucial to ensure that deaf people can engage with and access the same opportunities as hearing people.

"Sign Language, be it British, International or South African, is a visual and expressive language yet the limited number of signs, the amount of repetition, lack of facial expressions and huge gaps in translation meant that deaf or hard of hearing people across the world were completely excluded from one of the biggest events in recent history."

The memorial was also affected by faulty public transport which prevented some mourners from getting to the event and a faulty audio system that prevented some of the crowd from hearing leaders' speeches.

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Australia: Gay Marriage Law Reversed By Court

Australia's highest court has repealed a law permitting gay marriage - meaning dozens of couples face having their weddings annulled within days of the nuptials.

Around 30 same-sex couples had tied the knot since the Australian Capital Territory passed the legislation last Saturday governing Canberra and its surrounding area.

But the federal government argued the law could not operate alongside the federal Marriage Act, which was amended in 2004 to define marriage as being between a man and a woman.

The High Court unanimously upheld the challenge, and issued a statement saying: "The Marriage Act does not now provide for the formation or recognition of marriage between same-sex couples.

"The Marriage Act provides that a marriage can be solemnised in Australia only between a man and a woman. That Act is a comprehensive and exhaustive statement of the law of marriage."

Stacey Cowan and Corrina Peck's marriage will also be annulled

Rodney Croome, national director of the advocacy group Australian Marriage Equality, said his group knows of about 30 same-sex couples who have married since Saturday, though the actual number may be slightly higher.

Outside the court in Canberra, a tearful Mr Croome said the ruling was a defeat for marriage equality, but there had been a greater victory this week.

"And that victory was the nation saw for the first time, I believe, what is really at the core of this issue - they've seen that marriage equality is not about protest or politics or even about laws in the constitution, ultimately," he said.

"Marriage equality is about love, commitment, family and fairness."

Among the couples upset by the ruling are Ivan Hinton and Chris Teoh, who were married on Saturday.

The pair received their marriage certificate on Wednesday and immediately applied to change their surnames to Hinton-Teoh.

Mr Hinton insisted he did not regret getting married and said he would consider Mr Teoh his husband anyway.

"This was an unprecedented and historic opportunity," he said.

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

Lyle Shelton, managing director of Australian Christian Lobby, praised the court ruling and said common sense had prevailed.

As for newly-weds affected by the ruling, she said it was "really sad that they were put in a position".

Prime Minister Tony Abbott opposes gay marriage and his coalition blocked two federal bills last year that would have allowed legal recognition of same-sex partnerships.

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Kenya: Grenade Thrown At British Tourists

Attackers hurled a grenade at British tourists in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa but it failed to explode, according to the AFP news agency.

Mombasa's police chief Robert Kitur said: "The grenade was detonated safely by experts.

"We are investigating the incident and looking for the man who threw the grenade at the tourists and fled."

The tourists, who were in a vehicle in the Likoni district of Mombasa, were travelling from the popular Indian Ocean resort of Diani on the way to a wildlife safari at the Masai Mara national park.

Tourism is a key source of foreign currency for Kenya.

The British High Commission in Kenya said it had "heard the reports and was investigating", but gave no further details.

Since Kenya invaded southern Somalia in October 2011 to try to oust al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents, it has seen a wave of grenade attacks.

Explosives have been thrown into restaurants in Mombasa and crowded areas in the capital Nairobi, and there has been a string of attacks in the remote northeast region bordering Somalia.

Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the assault on Nairobi's Westgate mall in September, in which at least 67 people died during a four-day siege.

In September 2011 gunmen killed Briton David Tebbutt and kidnapped his wife Judith. She was held for six months before being freed.

Three weeks later, disabled Frenchwoman Marie Dedieu was kidnapped from her home on Kenya's Manda island and later died in captivity in Somalia.

Mombasa police say they have strengthened security.

Mr Kitur said: "We are appealing to everybody to exercise caution, especially over this festive season, and to share information with security agencies to win the war on terror.

"We have intensified security at tourist hotels and other vital installations to avert terrorism attacks."

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Obama And Castro Handshake At Mandela Tribute

Barack Obama has shaken hands with Cuban President Raul Castro at a memorial service for Nelson Mandela.

The handshake between the leaders of the two Cold War enemies came during a ceremony in Johannesburg that is largely focused on Mr Mandela's legacy of reconciliation. 

Mr Castro smiled as the US leader shook his hand on the way to the podium to pay tribute to the late South African president, a global symbol of peace.

It was an extremely rare gesture between the leaders of two nations that have been at loggerheads for more than half a century. US officials often have gone to great lengths to avoid having presidents meet Cuban leaders, even in passing.

It was Mr Obama who offered the handshake in a new sign of his willingness to reach out to US enemies, a US official told the AFP news agency.

Mr Obama and First Lady Michelle upon arrival in South Africa

However, the move angered Republicans, with Senator John McCain saying it was a mistake to "shake hands with somebody who is keeping Americans in prison".

"It gives Raul some propaganda, to continue to prop up his dictatorial, brutal regime, that's all," he said.

In Havana, the government website Cubadebate.cu ran a photograph of the moment with the caption: "Obama greets Raul: May this image be the beginning of the end of the US aggressions against Cuba".

The two nations have had only limited ties for half a century, most of it under the iron fist rule of Raul's brother, Fidel Castro. 

The US maintains a five-decade-old embargo against the communist island nation, which Havana says has cost the economy $1.1tn.

Recently, the US and Cuba have taken small steps toward rapprochement.

The countries have reached agreements on cooperation on air and maritime rescue and on migratory issues. In 2011, Mr Obama eased restrictions on visas, remittances and travel.

Sky News Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall noted Mr Obama had to walk past Mr Castro on his way to podium. 

Mr Obama spoke by telephone to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R)

But he added: "The Americans will have pinpointed every single movement, every single second of Obama, from the moment he lands to the moment to he leaves.

"So they will have had the seating plan and so they did not take any steps to prevent it -  and I think that does tell us that there is the possibility of a rapprochement between the two countries."

In 2009, Mr Obama made waves when he shook hands with the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, a strident US critic, at the Summit of the Americas.

In September, the US leader spoke by telephone with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in the first such gesture since the 1979 revolution in the Islamic republic.

The ceremony in memory of Mr Mandela, who died on Thursday at age 95, gathered heads of state from around the world.

Mr Obama also shook hands with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who has clashed with the US over alleged National Security Agency spying.

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World Leaders Pay Final Respects To Mandela

Winnie Mandela, ex-wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela, has viewed his body as it lies in state at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

Hundreds of other dignitaries including his widow Graca Machel, Jacob Zuma, Robert Mugabe and Naomi Campbell are also lining-up to pay their respects to the iconic South African anti-apartheid campaigner.

Ms Mandela (L) and Ms Machel say goodbye to the former leader

Thousands of South Africans lined the streets of Pretoria to pay their respects after Mr Mandela's body was taken to lie in state.

The coffin was draped in the multi-coloured South African flag as it arrived at the grand setting of the Union Buildings, seat of power in the country's capital and the place where the former leader was sworn in as president.

President Zuma is followed by Graca Machel (in black) Mandela's widow

Members of the public formed a guard of honour as his coffin passed by fronted by a fleet of police outriders, at the start of what will be three days of mourning in the executive capital.

As the procession passed, mourners sang tributes to the former South African leader, who died last week at the age of 95.

President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe files past to pay his respects

Mandela's grandson Mandla and Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula led mourners into the viewing area. Soldiers set down the coffin and removed the flag.

After the mourners left, four South African navy officers stood guard over the body.

Sout African apartheid-era President FW de Klerk bids farewell

Members of Mr Mandela's family and VIPs are paying their respects before the public are allowed in to view the body inside a glass-topped coffin.

The same procession around Pretoria will take place each morning until Friday, with the coffin being returned to the military hospital each evening.

Model Naomi Campbell (L) after paying her final respects to Mr Mandela

With worries about crowds, three sites have been set up in Pretoria from where mourners will be shuttled in to the Union Buildings and back.

People making their way to the sites told Sky's Alex Crawford they thanked Nelson Mandela for their freedom.

"South Africa is mourning for the greatest icon that ever lived," one mourner said. "We are sad, we are crying; today we are going to witness him, we are going to see him and we are going to pray for him."

People have been told their mobile phones will have to be switched off and be put out of sight before they will be allowed to file past the body. No photos will be allowed.

A public memorial service will also be held at St Martin-in-the-Fields church in London from 10.30am at the request of the South African High Commission.

Irish band U2's lead singer Bono (2L) and his wife Alison Hewson

The two share strong links and were the scene of freedom vigils for Mr Mandela during his incarceration.

Speaking at the service will be Sir Sydney Kentridge QC and Lord Joffe of Lidington, who both represented Mr Mandela at his treason trials, and campaignerand African National Congress veteran Mama Thembi Nobhadula.

Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the founder of South Africa's Inkatha party, said there was something "unique" about his friendship with Nelson Mandela.

The Union Buildings amphitheatre where Mr Mandela's coffin lies in state

Despite the Inkatha party being at virtual war with Mandela's African National Congress, Chief Buthelezi said he campaigned tirelessly for Mandela's release.

Speaking to Sky's Jeremy Thompson, he said: "That was the mischief of many politicians who separated us. But I thank God they did not succeed because our friendship existed up until this point.

"There was something very unique about our friendship. I campaigned for his release more than anyone else in this country. I challenge anyone to prove to the contrary."

People lined the streets as the hearse made its way through Pretoria

The lying in state will end with Mr Mandela's remains being transported to the Eastern Cape and his ancestral home of Qunu at the weekend ahead of his funeral.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the Queen will be represented by the Prince of Wales at the funeral which will take place on Sunday December 15.

Women sing tributes to Mr Mandela as the cortege passes by

Nelson Mandela left it to the South African people to decide how to celebrate his life and legacy.

He said once when asked how he wished to be remembered: "It would be very egotistical of me to say how I would like to be remembered.

"I'd leave that entirely to South Africans. I would just like a simple stone on which is written, 'Mandela'."

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Mandela Memorial: Deaf Signer Was 'Fake'

South Africa's deaf federation has confirmed that an interpreter using sign language during the Mandela memorial was a "fake".

Concerns over the male interpreter had been raised by deaf people watching the service at Johannesburg's FNB Stadium on Tuesday.

Bruno Druchen, national director of the Deaf Federation of South Africa, said the unidentified man who was on stage alongside world leaders including US President Barack Obama, "was moving his hands around but there was no meaning in what he used his hands for".

Sign language experts have said there was no meaning to the man's gestures

South African parliament member Wilma Newhoudt, a member of the ruling party, also said the man communicated nothing with his hand and arm movement.

Both Mr Druchen and Ms Newhoudt are deaf.

The revelation also raises concerns over security for world leaders

Three sign language experts said the man was not signing in South African or American sign languages.

South African sign language covers all of the country's 11 official languages, according to the federation.

Nicole Du Toit, an official sign language interpreter who also watched the broadcast, said the man on stage was an "embarrassment".

The man has not been identified

She said: "It was horrible, an absolute circus, really really bad.

"Only he can understand those gestures."

More follows...

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Central African Republic: French Troops Killed

Two French soldiers have been killed in the Central African Republic, officials in Paris have confirmed.

The deaths represent the first French casualties since President Francois Hollande deployed 1,600 troops to restore order there.

A statement from the Elysee Palace said: "With much sadness, the president learned of the deaths in combat of two French soldiers last night in Bangui.

"They lost their lives to save many others.

"The president expresses his profound respect for the sacrifice of these two soldiers and renews his full confidence in the French forces committed - alongside African forces - to restoring security in the Central African Republic, to protecting the people and guaranteeing access to humanitarian aid."

Mr Hollande, who is in South Africa to attend the memorial for Nelson Mandela, was due to visit French troops in the Central African Republic later along with foreign minister Laurent Fabius.

The French troops are part of a UN-mandated effort to restore order in the CAR, a former French colony and one of the world's poorest countries.

The African Union is due to boost the existing peacekeeping mission to 6,000 men.

On Monday, peacekeeping troops began disarming fighters after a wave of sectarian violence in the capital left nearly 400 people dead.

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PIP Breast Implant Boss Jean-Claude Mas Jailed

The founder of a company that made substandard breast implants has been jailed for four years.

Jean-Claude Mas of Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) was found guilty of fraud after using industrial-grade silicone in thousands of breast implants sold worldwide.

The 74-year-old, dubbed "the sorcerer's apprentice of implants" by prosecutors, plans to appeal, according to his lawyer.

The scandal first emerged in 2010 after doctors noticed abnormally high rupture rates in PIP implants.

A global health scare erupted in 2011 with some 300,000 women in 65 countries believed to have received the faulty implants.

Jean-Claude Mas arriving in court for the verdict

Mas was also ordered to pay a €75,000 (£45,638) fine and has been permanently banned from working in medical services or running a company.

Four other former PIP executives were also convicted by the court in Marseille and given lesser sentences.

During a month-long trial in April, the defendants admitted using the industrial-grade silicone but Mas, who spent eight months in pre-trial detention, denied the company's implants posed any health risks.

More than 7,500 women have reported ruptures in the implants and in France alone 15,000 have had the PIP implants replaced.

But health officials in various countries have said they are not toxic and do not increase the risk of breast cancer.

More than 7,000 women had declared themselves civil plaintiffs in the case.

Mas, a one-time travelling salesman who got his start in the medical business by selling pharmaceuticals, founded PIP in 1991 to take advantage of the booming market for cosmetic implants.

He built the company into the third-largest global supplier of implants, but came under the spotlight when plastic surgeons began reporting an unusual number of ruptures in his products.

Health authorities later discovered he was saving millions of euros by using industrial-grade gel in 75% of the implants.

PIP's implants were banned and the company eventually liquidated.

PIP had exported more than 80% of its implants, with about half going to Latin America, about a third to other countries in western Europe, about 10% to eastern Europe and the rest to the Middle East and Asia.

In a similar case, a commercial court last month ordered the German company TUeV, which cleared PIP for certification, to pay damages to more than 1,600 women and six distributors.

The implants were filled with industrial-grade silicone and were prone to leaking.

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Nelson Mandela Memorial: World Leaders In SA

Nelson Mandela: Obituary Of An Icon

Updated: 6:30am UK, Friday 06 December 2013

Nelson Mandela's long but ultimately successful struggle to liberate South Africa's oppressed black majority made him a figure of hope and inspiration for millions of people around the world.

Feisty young lawyer, determined founder of the ANC's youth movement, militant commander, prisoner, president - his role in the fight for freedom was constantly evolving throughout his life.

Alongside mentor Walter Sisulu and great friend Oliver Tambo, he brought focus to the anti-apartheid campaign where it was needed, but became an enemy of the state in the process.

In 1963, already behind bars and facing the death penalty during a sabotage trial, Mr Mandela gave his famous "speech from the dock".

The words - combative, but measured and full of hope - signalled the emergence of the statesman who would become an icon of the 20th century.

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He said: "I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination.

"I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.

"It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."

The apartheid government jailed Mr Mandela and his comrades for life in 1964 but they could not lock away the ideas he embodied and the righteousness of his cause.

To allies of South Africa's racist regime - including some in Britain - Mr Mandela remained for many years a "terrorist".

But for campaigners Mr Mandela's 27-year ordeal behind bars, often in a cramped cell on Robben Island or in solitary confinement, represented all that was wrong with apartheid.

Pressure to free "prisoner 46664" went hand-in-hand with diplomacy and sanctions as the world set its sights on ending the injustice of South Africa's racial rule.

The beaming smile and joyful raised fist as he walked free from Paarl's Victor-Verster Prison with his wife Winnie on February 11, 1990, proved beyond doubt to most South Africans that a dark chapter in the country's history was coming to a close.

As President from 1994, Mr Mandela sought to build his "Rainbow Nation" - feted by world leaders as he crossed the globe outlining his vision of a non-racial democracy.

His campaign to unite the nation - black and white - behind the victorious Springboks rugby team during the 1995 World Cup in South Africa made many believe that vision could really be achieved.

An often troubled and traumatic personal life - including the split from Winnie following her kidnapping and assault trial - was never allowed to eclipse the greater goal of guiding South Africa into a new era.

After retiring in 1999, Mr Mandela - fondly known by his tribal name "Madiba" - settled into the role of "Father of the Nation".

Passing on the presidency to Thabo Mbeki, he was happy taking a step back from the political frontline, but always there to reassure his people  - a symbol of hope until the end.

Nelson Mandela was born in 1918 into the Madiba tribal clan, part of the Thembu people, in a small village in the eastern Cape of South Africa.

Born Rolihlahla Dalibhunga, he was given his English name by a teacher, Miss Mdingane, at his first school. It was customary for all children to be given English names.

His father, a counsellor to the Thembu royal family, died when Mr Mandela was a child, and he was placed in the care of the acting regent of the Thembu people, chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo.

He joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1944, first as an activist, then president of the ANC Youth League.

Mr Mandela married his first wife, Walter Sisulu's cousin Evelyn Mase, in 1944 and the couple went on to have four children during a 14-year marriage.

In 1952, he and friend Oliver Tambo opened South Africa's first black law firm, using their offices to take on many civil rights cases and mount challenges to the apartheid system.

Mr Mandela was first charged with high treason in 1956 following the adoption of the Freedom Charter in Soweto - a document with demands including multi-racial, democratic government and equal rights for blacks - but was cleared when the prosecution failed to prove he was using violence.

In 1958 he divorced Evelyn and married Winnie Madikizela, who later became prominent in the ANC and the campaign to free her husband.

He was convinced to take up arms against the government following the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre - when police shot dead 69 peaceful demonstrators who were protesting against the segregationist Pass Law, which limited the freedom of the black population.

The government followed the massacre by banning the ANC, cracking down on strikers and protesters and applying apartheid restrictions even more severely as a state of emergency was declared.

As commander-in-chief of the ANC's armed wing from 1961, Mr Mandela secretly left the country to raise money and undergo military training in Morocco, Algeria and Ethiopia.

He returned in July 1962, but was arrested at a road block after briefing the ANC leadership on his trip.

Mr Mandela stood trial for incitement and leaving the country without a passport and this time there was no chance of an acquittal as he was jailed for five years and sent to Robben Island Prison for the first time.

He was behind bars when a group of his comrades were arrested in 1963. They were charged with sabotage in what became known as the Rivonia Trial - named after the farm raided by police.

In June 1964 - following a lengthy trial condemned by the UN Security Council - Mr Mandela and seven other activists were sentenced to life in prison.

He remained imprisoned on the infamous Robben Island for 18 years before being transferred to Pollsmoor jail on the mainland in 1982.

In the space of 12 months between 1968 and 1969, his mother died and his eldest son was killed in a car crash, but he was not allowed to attend their funerals.

In 1980, Oliver Tambo, who was in exile in London, launched an international campaign to win Mr Mandela's release. International resolutions and rock concerts alike were harnessed to highlight the cause.

As the world community upped the pressure against South Africa, with the US approving tough economic sanctions in 1986, secret talks began between Mr Mandela and PW Botha's government.

In 1990, President FW de Klerk lifted the ban on the ANC - paving the way for Mr Mandela's release on February 11.

The ANC and ruling National Party began talks about forming a new non-racial democracy for South Africa.

Relations between Mr Mandela and Mr de Klerk grew tense against a backdrop of violence between ANC supporters and Chief Buthelezi's Inkatha movement.

But the two leaders continued to meet and in December 1993 they were both awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Five months later, for the first time in South Africa's history, all races voted in democratic elections and Mr Mandela became president - having himself voted in an election for the first time in his life.

As president, Mr Mandela entrusted much day-to-day government business to his deputy Thabo Mbeki.

While his time in office was hailed as a triumph in terms of building the new South Africa, there was criticism for a failure to tackle the Aids epidemic and conditions in the country's slum townships.

Mr Mandela divorced Winnie in 1996 and married 52-year-old Graca Machel two years later, on his 80th birthday.

Mr Mandela stepped down as president after the ANC's landslide victory in the national elections in the summer of 1999, in favour of Mr Mbeki.

After his retirement he continued travelling the world, meeting leaders, attending conferences and raising money for good causes.

With thousands of requests every year, his problem was fitting everything in and not exhausting himself.

In June 2004, aged 85, Mr Mandela announced he would be retiring from public life as he wanted to enjoy more time with his family.

But he did make an exception to speak out about his son Makgatho's death from Aids in 2005 - challenging the taboo that surrounds the disease in Africa.

The 2010 World Cup closing ceremony in Johannesburg was the world's last glimpse of the iconic leader in a public role.

He may have been looking frail, wrapped up against the cold and not speaking, but the famous smile as he basked in South Africa's success underlined how far his country had come.

In recent years he battled bouts of ill health, with South Africans struggling to come to terms with the reality that he could not go on forever.

Mr Mandela had hospital treatment in early 2012 for abdominal pain and then endured another 18-day stay at the end of the year suffering from gallstones and a chest infection.

A picture taken on February 2 at his Johannesburg home - showing him holding great-grandson Zen Manaway on his lap - proved to be the last time Nelson Mandela's millions of admirers saw the world's most famous smile.

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Mandela: South Africa Awaits World Leaders

By Emma Hurd, Sky News Correspondent

South Africa is preparing for the arrival of scores of world leaders as the official mourning continues for Nelson Mandela.

Some 60 heads of state have confirmed their attendance at this week's memorial events, including US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

They will be joined by former US presidents George W Bush, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and their wives.

Prime Minister David Cameron will attend the main memorial service on Tuesday, while Prince Charles will represent Britain at Sunday's state funeral.

The leaders of France, Australia, Germany, Canada, Spain, Brazil and a host of other nations will also fly into the country.

A large structure used for ceremonies is built at Mr Mandela's former home

Celebrities, including Bono, Oprah Winfrey and Sir Richard Branson are also expected to head to South Africa to pay their personal tributes to the man they considered a friend.

Later today, a special joint session of parliament will be held in Cape Town to allow South African politicians from all political parties to mark the passing of the nation's first black president.

President Jacob Zuma has urged the country to remember the values of peace and forgiveness that Mr Mandela lived by and uphold them.

His sentiments were echoed by the anti-apartheid icon's family, who released a statement calling for South Africans to "keep the dream alive".

On Tuesday, the focus will shift back to Johannesburg where a huge memorial service is due to take place at the FNB Stadium, the scene of Nelson Mandela's last public appearance ahead of the 2010 World Cup Final.

A child lays flowers in Cape Town

Some 80,000 people are expected to attend the event, including President Obama, his wife Michelle and other visiting dignitaries.

From Wednesday, Mr Mandela's body will "lie in state" in Pretoria at the Union Buildings where he governed as president between 1994 and 1999.

A funeral cortege carrying the icon's remains will pass through the capital daily until Friday, with South Africans being urged to line the streets to form a "guard of honour".

The state funeral will take place in Mr Mandela's ancestral homeland of Qunu in the Eastern Cape on Sunday.

It is still not clear whether President Obama will still be in the country, but many other world leaders are expected to travel to the usually sleepy rural village to join Mr Mandela's family, friends and former comrades in bidding farewell to the revered statesman as he makes his final journey home.

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Brazil: Football Fans In Violent Clashes

At least three people have been seriously injured after a fight in the stands at a football match in Brazil.

Riot police fired rubber bullets to stop hundreds of supporters charging each other, before a helicopter landed on the pitch to airlift those hurt to hospital.

Play was halted for more than an hour in the Brazilian championship match between Atletico Paranaense and relegation-threatened Vasco da Gama.

Television pictures from the southern city of Joinville showed at least two fans being kicked and stamped on by a mob of rival supporters.

At one point, a group of around 20 Paranaense fans could be seen kicking a man who was lying on the ground.

A Paranaense fan was attacked in a similar manner by Vasco supporters, with one stamping on his neck and head, even though he already appeared to be unconscious.

There were no police inside the stadium at kick-off as a private security firm was being used, and pictures showed rival fans in the half-empty venue were not segregated.

A fan is attacked by rival supporters

Before the match resumed, Vasco da Gama goalkeeper Alessandro told Brazilian television: "For a country that is hosting the World Cup next year this is very sad.

"The stadium isn't safe. We're a bit worried."

The game was held in the small Arena Joinville because Paranaense's ground is being modernised to host four matches in the World Cup.

Reports in Brazil said the three people taken to hospital were in a serious, but not life-threatening condition.

Paranaense, who were ahead 1-0 at the time, went on to win 5-1, condemning former South American champions Vasco to relegation.

Paranaense finished third to qualify for next year's Libertadores Cup.

The incidents completely overshadowed the rest of the final day of the Brazilian championship during which Vasco's Rio de Janeiro neighbours Fluminense were also relegated.

They became the first defending champions to be relegated the following season, despite a 2-1 win over Bahia in their final game.

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Thai Prime Minister To Dissolve Parliament

Thailand's Prime Minister has said she will dissolve parliament and hold an election, following a wave of anti-government protests.

Yingluck Shinawatra had said an election would be held "as soon as possible" - before the country's ruling party announced she would be a candidate in the vote.

Jarupong Ruangsuwan, head of Ms Yingluck's Puea Thai Party, said: "She will definitely run as she has worked with the party all along.

Protesters want to oust Ms Yingluck and eradicate her brother's influence

"We dissolved parliament because we are confident.

"We want the Democrat Party to take part in elections and not to play street games."

The vote will probably be held on February 2 next year, an Election Commission official said.

Ms Yingluck said in a nationally televised speech: "After consultation with many parties, I have submitted a royal decree requesting parliament be dissolved.

Thousands marched on Bangkok's Government House

"At this stage, when there are many people opposed to the government from many groups, the best way is to give back the power to the Thai people and hold an election.

"So the Thai people will decide."

The announcement came as Democratic Party politicians resigned from parliament over what it called "the illegitimacy" of the elected government.

The leader of the anti-government protesters, Suthep Thaugsuban, had called for a final demonstration today in an attempt to force Ms Yingluck out.

Mr Suthep said he would continue with the demonstration despite Ms Yingluck's dissolving of parliament and the promise of an early general election.

"Today we will continue our march to Government House," he said.

The protests have left five people dead

"We have not yet reached our goal. The dissolving of parliament is not our aim."

He has repeatedly said he does not want a new election, but some form of unelected "people's council" to run the country.

Protesters have been on the streets of the capital Bangkok for weeks, vowing to oust Ms Yingluck and eradicate the influence of her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The demonstrations are the latest eruption in nearly a decade of rivalry between forces aligned with the Bangkok-based establishment and those who support Mr Thaksin.

During recent days, tensions have been raised during street clashes where police have used tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets against rock-throwing demonstrators.

The unrest has left five people dead and more than 200 injured in Bangkok.

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Kiev Protesters In Show Of Determination

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent in Kiev

Standing by the barricades under the national flag in Independence Square, two men beat out a steady rhythm on an oil drum.

It's bitterly cold, the air thick with wood smoke from the fires all around, and they're watching every face that comes past.

They're looking for undercover police officers, members of the security services, or people they believe are working as government provocateurs.

The authorities have vowed to "act harshly, decisively" to stop the blockades - they don't know when that action will come.

For now the protesters feel they are in control here, and they are determined to stand their ground.

They've built barriers across the roads leading in to the square, rudimentary defences made from pallets, concrete posts and whatever they could find.

Sections of the barricades are lined with the branches of a huge artificial Christmas tree that had been under construction in the centre of the square - city officials tried to claim at first that protecting the tree was the reason they had to forcibly clear the square.

Protesters wave flags as they take part in an opposition rally

It has become a public symbol of dissent.

What remains of the structure has been draped with Ukrainian flags, homemade posters and caricatures of the president.

This movement started as a reaction to his refusal to sign an EU trade deal last month.

It has evolved into a concerted effort to force Victor Yanukovich and his government out, galvanised by allegations of police brutality against protesters.

The first wave of demonstrations had been dwindling last weekend, when police moved in to retake control of the square in the early hours of Saturday morning.

What happened next brought tens, then hundreds of thousands, back onto the streets in response.

Human Rights Watch accuse police of using "excessive force" against protesters and journalists, beating people, including the elderly, even after they had fallen to the ground.

The NGO said Ukraine was going through "serious civil unrest".

Protesters greet former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili

According to the Health Ministry, 248 people have been injured since the protests began, 139 needed hospital treatment.

Near the barricades we found a Ukrainian priest holding a bible and an old soviet gas mask.

He said he was one of 50 men who would join arms and form a human chain if the police came back, to give them time to get the women and children out and do their best to protect the square.

He had added an orthodox cross to the top of their defences.

An old man, sitting with his friends around a fire nearby, raised his fist and shouted: "Until victory, we'll stand until the end!"

The protesters are still occupying several administration buildings, including the mayor's office in the heart of the capital.

We were welcomed in to "Revolution HQ", formerly known as Kiev City Hall, past guards with respirators and helmets on the door.

Inside, a couple of windows have been smashed and the smell is none too fragrant, but otherwise the new system seems to be working well.

Volunteers are handing out food and hot drinks, and distributing donations of warm clothes.

Flags are left attached to a statue by protesters

Beneath the chandeliers of the grand, Stalin-era function hall, people are camped out on the floor, sleeping wherever they can on roll mats and blankets, a selection of hard hats strewn around.

They've set up a basic clinic,staffed by shifts of doctors, nurses and medical students.

A poster says a psychologist is on hand.

"If police comes back, people will stand here and protect this building, protect this idea," one young man told us.

"Before, we thought we were just a small group, but now we think we can do this. I hope we can do it," a smartly-dressed female student said.

The authorities have given protesters five days to vacate the building, but they have no intention of moving out and handing it back without a fight.

Leaders of the protest have called for a massive turnout today and are hoping to draw in around a million people. Its size threatens to eclipse earlier rallies in Kiev and western Ukraine that brought several hundred thousand out on the streets on December 1.

In the high street immediately outside occupied City Hall, life is carrying on pretty much as normal.

Supporters of Ukrainian EU integration at an earlier protest in Kiev

The Christmas decorations are up, the shops are busy, children were taking turns to ride a fairground carousel.

This movement does not represent all of Ukraine, or even all of Kiev. The country remains deeply divided between East and West.

But the protesters here feel they are gathering momentum - the vast majority are peaceful, but they are determined and they show no sign of backing down.

The question is how long the authorities will allow this to go on.

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Thailand: Protesters Enter Govt Headquarters

Violence Blights Thailand's Image

Updated: 8:27am UK, Tuesday 03 December 2013

By Jonathan Samuels, Sky Correspondent, Bangkok

Outside Government House, in the centre of Bangkok, as another round of teargas is fired at protesters, a monk adjusts his gas mask. It is an arresting image, and the irony is lost on no one.

This Buddhist country likes to project an image of peace, a place to enjoy a relaxing holiday, to escape from the world's problems.

And yet for the last few years, it has been rocked by periods of violence as it struggles with a merry-go-round of political turmoil.

So who are the latest demonstrators, and what are their demands?

The protesters are mainly made up of Thailand's "better off" - the elite, the educated, royalists.

For the large part, they have been peaceful demonstrations - a huge group of people, including children and grandparents, all joining what has often been a carnival atmosphere.

They listen to speeches, blow whistles and enjoy the food from the many stalls (Thais rarely pass up a business opportunity like this.)

But now a hardcore group of mainly young men is determined to take a path of more violent protest, attacking government ministries and buildings.

Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been democratically elected, which makes it hard for many to understand the protesters' desire for a "people's coup".

But they say she is controlled by her brother Thaksin Shinawatra - himself kicked out of office in 2006.

The man who divided opinion in his own country now lives in Dubai, escaping corruption charges. The protesters accuse him of widespread corruption and abuse of power.

He was popular with a different section of Thai society, those from the country, farmers, the working class. For these people, Thaksin's healthcare reforms and access to cheap finance were vote winners.

His sister wanted to bring in an Amnesty Bill which would have effectively paved his way to return to Thailand. That was the spark to this upheaval.

So, the protesters are calling for their own, rather vague, form of government. A "people's council". Vague and undemocratic, say the critics.

"This is quite a bold and blatant demand to replace the government in the streets," says Thitinan Pongsudhirak, professor and director of Chulalongkorn University's Institute of Security and International Studies.

"But Khun Suthep's (anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban) demands go down very well with the people who hate corruption in Thailand, who think that the electoral system can no longer be trusted and therefore they have to set up their own government and rewrite the rules."

So there is a stalemate, and the threat of weeks of protest just as the peak holiday season approaches.

A season which could be blighted as people think maybe this isn't the oasis of calm and serenity the brochures would lead us to believe.

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Mandela: South Africa Urged To Unite As Tribute

By Emma Hurd, Sky News Correspondent

President Jacob Zuma has urged South Africans to unite as the "rainbow nation" and remember the values Nelson Mandela stood for, as the country marks a day of "prayer and reflection" to honour the late icon.

President Zuma was speaking at a service at the Bryanston Methodist Church in Johannesburg, where he was joined by Winnie Madikizela Mandela, the former statesman's second wife. 

Dressed in black, she was seated next to Mr Zuma and was clearly grief stricken in her first public appearance since Mr Mandela's death.

Addressing the congregation the South African President urged his country to remember that Nelson Mandela stood for freedom, reconciliation and unity. 

"He believed in caring and he cared for our nation. He believed in forgiving and he forgave those who kept him in jail for 27 years," Mr Zuma said.

Jacob Zuma has urged South Africans to celebrate the icon's life

South Africans have gathered in churches, synagogues and mosques across the country to join the tributes to the country's first black president ahead of a week of official celebrations and memorial services.

At the famous Regina Mundi Church in Soweto, Father Sebastian J. Rossouw described Mr Mandela as "moonlight," saying he offered a guiding light for South Africa.

Hundreds of people attended mass in the small church that still bears the scars of the conflict.

"Madiba did not doubt the light," Father Rossouw said. "He paved the way for a better future, but he cannot do it alone."

An impromptu shrine in Johannesburg

On Tuesday, a memorial service will be held at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, the place where Mr Mandela made his last public appearance at the World Cup final in 2010. 

At least 80,000 people are expected to attend, including President Barack Obama.

From Wednesday, crowds will line the streets in Pretoria as a funeral cortege carries the remains of the nation's first black President to lie in state at the Union Buildings, where people will be permitted to file past his body to pay their respects. 

The procession will be repeated for three days with the public urged to form a "guard of honour".

Mourners outside Mr Mandela's home in in Johannesburg

The focus will then switch to Nelson Mandela's ancestral home of Qunu, in the Eastern Cape, where the state funeral will be held on Sunday.

Mr Obama will again attend, along with hoards of other world leaders, joining the Mandela family in a public tribute before a private burial service.

Nelson Mandela left it to the South African people to decide how to celebrate his life and legacy.

He said once when asked how he wished to be remembered: "It would be very egotistical of me to say how I would like to be remembered. I'd leave that entirely to South Africans. I would just like a simple stone on which is written, 'Mandela'."

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