Myanmar drafts ceasefire with rebels

Thein Sein would not put a timeframe on a reduction in the military's political role

Myanmar's President Thein Sein has witnessed the signing of a draft ceasefire agreement between the government and 16 rebel groups.

The agreement, which came after seven rounds of talks, is a significant step towards ending decades of conflict.

Negotiators from the armed rebel groups still have to consult with their leaders before giving final approval.

Rebels from the newest and most active conflict in Kokang did not attend the talks.

The United Nations said the move was a "historic and significant achievement" and provided a basis for "genuine and lasting peace in the country".

Myanmar has been engaged in armed conflict with various ethnic rebel groups seeking greater autonomy since independence from the British in 1948.

While many have come into the political fold for peace deals, sporadic outbreaks of violence have continued.

Rebels from the newest and most active conflict in Kokang did not attend the talks

All but two of the ethnic armed groups at the talks already have bilateral ceasefires in place.

"The people need peace, they desire peace and they expect peace," Thein Sein was reported by AFP as saying to negotiators on Tuesday.

He added that a full agreement could be signed in months. "After that is signed, the road is open for political dialogue. This action will ensure the peace-builders a place in Myanmar's history," he said.

The BBC's Jonah Fisher says one representative from the armed groups told him on Monday that the government had compromised significantly at the last moment to make a deal possible.

Our correspondent says the idea is to bring all the rebels into a process that will lead on to talks on greater devolution of power and resources - something that the Burmese government has always fiercely resisted.

At talks in Yangon the final four points of contention were resolved. There will be a halt to recruitment by the armed groups, their territory and status were confirmed, as was the nature and composition of the political dialogue that will follow.

The negotiators are now taking the text back to their groups for approval. There will then be a meeting which may lead to a signing.

Over the decades, thousands have fled their homes from armed conflicts with the latest flaring up in Kokang

Meanwhile there is still heavy fighting in the Kokang region and there are still regular clashes in other areas.

The government declared a state of emergency in February as tens of thousands of refugees have been forced to flee their homes, some of them crossing the border into China.

Naing Han Tha, who led the ethnic group negotiators for the ceasefire agreement, told AFP news agency that they planned to discuss the Kokang conflict in future dialogues.

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'Good chance' of Iran nuclear deal

The representatives of world powers have been meeting for many months to secure a deal

Russia's foreign minister has said prospects of a preliminary agreement on Iran's nuclear programme are "very good" on the final day of negotiations.

Sergei Lavrov said he was rejoining the talks in Switzerland on Tuesday, suggesting they were close to a deal.

Marathon negotiations between Iran and foreign ministers from six world powers are nearing a self-imposed deadline.

Ministers want to restrict Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for relief from crippling sanctions.

Correspondents say difficulties remain, despite statements from officials saying definite progress had been made.

Mr Lavrov announcement that he was rejoining negotiations followed a statement, as he left the talks on Monday, that he would only return if there was a realistic chance of securing an agreement.

"I believe that the prospects are very good and promising," he told a news conference on Tuesday.

Mr Lavrov said on Monday that he would only return to the talks if a deal was likely

US Secretary of State John Kerry said talks on Monday had produced "a little more light".

But he said: "There are still some tricky issues. Everyone knows the meaning of tomorrow."

Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, but world powers are worried about the country developing nuclear weapons.

They want to keep Iran at least one year away from being able to produce enough fuel for a single weapon.

The final hours of negotiation in Lausanne are taking place between foreign ministers from the so-called P5+1 - comprising the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany - and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini is also present.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said he was "cautiously optimistic" about reaching a deal

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that the "marathon-like" negotiations had entered the final stage and that he was "cautiously optimistic".

The differences between the parties were narrowing, he said.

At the scene: Barbara Plett, BBC News, Lausanne

Negotiators worked late into the night and are continuing talks this morning in an all-out effort to meet the deadline.

The six global powers are closer than they have ever been to resolving the longstanding tensions over Iran's nuclear programme. Progress has been made on steps to curb and monitor Iran's production of enriched uranium, which can be used to make the core of a nuclear warhead.

But substantive differences remain. These include the pace of sanctions relief and the nature of restrictions on Iran's nuclear research and development.

If a broad framework agreement is reached by the end of the day, it would be used as the basis of a final accord. No-one here has given a clear answer as to what would happen if it is not.

Sense of history at Iran talks

Six key points in the nuclear crisis

How do Iranians see the nuclear talks?

Ministers are aiming to agree on a political framework agreement by Tuesday night that would lead to a final and comprehensive accord by 30 June.

Senior Iranian negotiator Abbas Araqchi told Iranian TV that he was "hopeful" about a deal, but that ministers were not in a position to say whether they were close to resolving all the issues.

Iranian and Western officials have said that a deal is possible, but after almost 18 months of negotiations several sticking points remain.

Three of the major outstanding issues are:

• Length of restrictions - Iran's nuclear activities would be strictly limited for at least 10 years. After that, Iran wants all limits to be lifted. The P5+1 says they should be removed progressively over the following five years
• Sanctions relief - Iran wants the UN sanctions suspended soon after an agreement. The P5+1 says they should be eased in a phased manner, with restrictions on imports of nuclear-related technology remaining for years
• Non-compliance - The US and its European allies want a mechanism that would allow suspended UN sanctions to be put back into effect rapidly if Iran reneges on a deal. Russia reportedly accepts this, but wants to ensure its Security Council veto rights are protected

Another point of contention is Iran's desire to be able to develop advanced centrifuges, which could enrich uranium faster and in greater quantities. While enriched uranium is used as fuel for nuclear reactors, it can also be used to make nuclear bombs.

Adding to the list of issues to be resolved, Iran's lead negotiator has ruled out sending its existing stockpile of nuclear fuel abroad, one of the steps demanded by the P5+1.

Meanwhile, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his opposition to a deal, saying it would send the message "that Iran stands to gain by its aggression".

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Buhari 'ahead' in tight Nigeria poll

The announcement of the results was suspended late on Monday night

Partial results from Nigeria's election give ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari a substantial lead over the incumbent, President Goodluck Jonathan.

However, some populous states in the south are yet to declare.

With just over half of Nigeria's states declared, Gen Buhari's All Progressives Congress (APC) is ahead by some two million votes.

A victory for Gen Buhari would make President Jonathan the first incumbent to lose an election in Nigeria.

Correspondents say it is likely the loser will allege foul play.

Results so far:

Gen Buhari: 8,520,436 votes;

Passed 25% threshold in 14 states

Mr Jonathan: 6,488,210 votes;

Passed 25% threshold in 16 states

Candidates needs 25% in 24 states for first-round victory

Live election updates

The announcement of results was disrupted when an agent of Mr Jonathan's People's Democratic Party (PDP) launched a tirade against election commission (Inec) chairman Attahiru Jega in Abuja.

"We have lost confidence in what you're doing, we don't believe in you anymore - you have compromised - and we will not take it from you," Elder Orubebe said.

Inec suspended its declarations late on Monday night, after giving the results for 18 states and the capital Abuja.

Almost half of Nigeria's states have yet to declare their results

Several key states have yet to declare in the south, where Mr Jonathan, a southerner, enjoys strong support.

The candidate with the most votes will only avoid a run-off if they gain at least 25% of the votes in two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states.

At the scene: Will Ross, BBC News, Abuja

In public the message from both sides is the same - we have won. But behind closed doors there are long faces in the PDP camp.

It looks like Muhammadu Buhari's lead may well prove too wide to be bridged.

Unofficial results from most of the remaining states - published by national newspapers against electoral law - show that even if there are eyebrow-raising turnouts from Mr Jonathan's strongholds in the Niger Delta, he is still in trouble.

But this is Nigeria and predictions are dangerous.

The biggest surprise would be if the result is not disputed by the losing side.

During the vote, the card readers experienced some technical glitches, but they could prove to be decisive in ensuring the numbers could not be cooked and the views of Nigerians could not be ignored.

International observers have broadly praised the conduct of the vote but there has been some concern over possible efforts to rig the outcome during the count.

The US and UK have expressed their concerns over possible "political interference" during the count.

A spokesman from Inec dismissed these fears, saying that "there is absolutely no basis" to talk of meddling.

Authorities in the undeclared Rivers State reportedly announced a curfew on Monday night after protests over alleged vote rigging.

Earlier, police in the state used teargas against female opposition protesters who were attempting to lodge complaints with election officials.

Voting spilled into Sunday in some parts of Nigeria after problems were encountered with new electronic card readers, which were introduced to prevent fraud.

President Jonathan, whose PDP has dominated Nigerian politics since 1999, was among those whose registration to vote was delayed by the technology.

Mr Jega said only a fraction of the 150,000 card readers being used nationwide had failed.

Nigeria at a glance:

• Two main presidential candidates: Muhammadu Buhari, All Progressives Congress (APC), Muslim northerner, ex-military ruler, fourth presidential bid; and Goodluck Jonathan, People's Democratic Party (PDP), Christian southerner, the incumbent
• Years of military rule ended in 1999 and the PDP has been in power ever since

• Nigeria is Africa's largest economy and leading oil producer

• With a population of more than 170 million, it is also Africa's most populous nation

Profile: President Goodluck Jonathan

Profile: Muhammadu Buhari

Unpredictable poll

The UN gave an upbeat assessment of the vote on Sunday, with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon praising the "determination and resilience" of voters, despite the reports of attacks by Boko Haram militants and others.

The National Human Rights Commission said 50 people were killed during the balloting.

The presidential and parliamentary elections had been delayed by six weeks because of the insurgency by Boko Haram.

Police fired teargas at female protesters in Rivers State on Monday

The Islamists attacked polling stations in north-eastern states, with a curfew declared in Bauchi State after fighting between the security forces and the group.

As well as a president, voters are electing members of the house of representatives and the senate.

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Turkey hit by massive power cut

The outage led to queues at some petrol stations in Istanbul

A massive power cut has hit dozens of provinces across Turkey, with officials saying a break in connections with mainland Europe could be to blame.

The cuts have affected power stations and public transport, including Istanbul's tram and metro systems.

A crisis centre has been set up at the energy ministry.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said all possible causes are being examined, including terrorism. The cut hit at 10:36 (07:36 GMT) on Tuesday morning.

By early afternoon the Turkish Electricity Transmission company said only 15% of Istanbul and Ankara had power.

However, Turkish TV reported that power had been re-established in the cities of Edirne, Tekirdag, Erzurum and Trabzon.

"Our main target right now is to restore the network. This is not an incident that we see frequently," Energy Minister Taner Yildiz told Turkish media.

Turkey suffers from sporadic electricity cuts but locals say they cannot remember such a nationwide cut for a generation, reports the BBC's Mark Lowen in Istanbul.

One of the few cities unaffected by the power cut was Van in the east of the country, where electricity is supplied from Iran.

Are you in Istanbul? Have you been affected by the power cuts? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are available to talk to a BBC journalist please include a telephone number.

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Tense Nigeria awaits election result

The hotly contested election has been marred by problems with its voting system

Nigeria's election body says it expects to announce the first results of Saturday's keenly contested presidential poll on Tuesday.

Incumbent Goodluck Jonathan is facing a strong challenge from former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari.

The UN has praised the poll despite technical hitches, protests and violence linked to Boko Haram.

Voting spilled into a second day in some parts of Nigeria after problems with new electronic card readers.

Follow live updates here as the results are announced.

President Jonathan was among those whose registration to vote was delayed by the technology, which was introduced to prevent fraud.

Opposition protesters in Rivers State took to the streets, demanding a recount

His Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which had opposed the card readers, called it a "huge national embarrassment".

Election commission chief Attahiru Jega said only a fraction of the 150,000 card readers being used nationwide had failed.

The presidential and parliamentary elections had been delayed by six weeks because of the insurgency by Boko Haram militants.

• Two main presidential candidates: Muhammadu Buhari, All Progressives Congress (APC), Muslim northerner, ex-military ruler, fourth presidential bid; and Goodluck Jonathan, People's Democratic Party (PDP), Christian southerner, the incumbent.
• Years of military rule ended in 1999 and the PDP has been in power ever since

• Nigeria is Africa's largest economy and leading oil producer

• With a population of more than 170m, it is also Africa's most populous nation

Unpredictable poll

Nigeria decides 2015: Full coverage

The Islamists attacked polling stations in north-eastern states, with a curfew declared in Bauchi State after fighting between the security forces and the group.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon praised the "determination and resilience" of Nigerian voters, despite the reports of attacks by Boko Haram and others.

He said in a statement voting had been "largely peaceful and orderly".

His comments have been echoed by the regional bloc Ecowas, which urged Nigerians to accept the result.

Nigerian churchgoers on Sunday prayed for peace

But there has been tension in the southern Rivers State, where thousands protested against alleged killings of opposition workers and voting irregularities.

Inec said it was "concerned" by the complaints, adding that one of their offices was set on fire during the unrest.

Results of the voting were expected to arrive overnight but so far there is no official indication of which party is in the lead.

The PDP has dominated Nigerian politics since 1999, but Gen Buhari's All Progressives Congress is viewed as a serious challenge.

Voters are also electing members of the house of representatives and the senate.

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Iran nuclear talks near key deadline

Talks have resumed in Switzerland ahead of Tuesday's deadline for a preliminary nuclear deal with Iran.

Foreign ministers from six world powers are meeting their Iranian counterpart, amid hopes of a breakthrough after almost 18 months of negotiations.

They want to impose limits that would prevent Iran from producing enough fuel for a nuclear weapon within a year.

Iran, which insists its nuclear programme is peaceful, wants to see crippling sanctions lifted in return.

Iranian and Western officials have said that a deal is possible, but that some issues are still to be resolved.

The negotiations in Lausanne were expected to intensify on Monday, with foreign ministers from the so-called P5+1 - comprising the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany - meeting Iran's Mohammad Javad Zarif. The EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini is also there.

Germany's Frank-Walter Steinmeier (centre) said the "endgame" of the negotiations had begun

They are aiming to agree on a political framework by Tuesday night that would set the stage for talks on the technical details of a comprehensive accord, due by 30 June.

"We are here because we believe a deal can be done," UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told reporters as he arrived in Lausanne on Sunday night.

"But it has to be a deal which puts the bomb beyond Iran's reach," he added. "There can't be any compromise about that."

At the scene: Lyse Doucet, BBC News, Lausanne

It's going down to the proverbial wire in this crucial round of nuclear talks. One Western diplomat spoke of "some quite important gaps".

Two main disputes continue to be which sanctions will be lifted and when, and what kind of nuclear research and development Iran can still pursue.

As Iran's team sits with all six foreign ministers, observers say it's still not clear if they're engaging in high stakes bargaining or have no more political space to move forward.

For Iran, elements like ending sanctions tied to UN Security Council resolutions matter in financial and political terms. For world powers, "putting the bomb beyond Iran's reach" is the main imperative.

All sides indicate talks could slip past Tuesday's self-imposed deadline, into the early hours of Wednesday. All sides use the word "tough" to describe this historic endgame. Even if they agree a framework, there's still a huge amount of work ahead to draft a final deal by the end of June.

Mr Zarif, who has been holding talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry since Thursday, said he believed they could "make the necessary progress to be able to resolve all the issues and start writing them down".

The BBC's Barbara Plett Usher in Lausanne says the essence of the emerging deal is to keep Iran at least one year away from being able to produce enough nuclear fuel for a single weapon.

Iran's representatives at the talks want a "precise framework" for the lifting of sanctions

Iran says it needs to be able to enrich uranium to produce fuel for the Bushehr nuclear power plant

Those restrictions would last at least a decade, and include rigorous inspections of its nuclear facilities, in exchange for an end to crippling sanctions, our correspondent adds.

According to US officials, among the core outstanding issues are:

• Centrifuges - Western powers want to limit Iran's research and development of advanced centrifuges, which could enrich uranium faster and in greater quantities. While enriched uranium is used as fuel for nuclear reactors, it can also be used to make nuclear bombs
• Fuel stockpiles - the US wants most of Iran's existing stockpiles of enriched uranium to be shipped abroad, but the lead Iranian negotiator says it is no longer willing to do so
• Sanctions relief - Iran wants the UN sanctions suspended soon after an agreement. Western officials say they should be eased in a phased manner, with restrictions on imports of nuclear-related technology remaining for years
• Length of restrictions - Iran's nuclear activities would be limited for at least 10 years. After that, Iran wants all limits to be lifted. The P5+1 say they should be removed progressively over the following five years
• Military dimensions - The P5+1 wants Iran to open up about its past nuclear work, including answering questions on its possible military dimensions. Tehran has so far refused

On Sunday, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his opposition to the proposed deal, saying it "bears out all of our fears, and even more than that".

The speaker of the US House of Representatives, John Boehner, meanwhile said he did not "understand why we would sign an agreement with a group of people who in my opinion have no intention of keeping their word".

Opponents of a deal in Congress have threatened to impose fresh sanctions on Iran in mid-April, threatening to scupper the negotiations.

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French elections see swing to right

UMP leader Nicolas Sarkozy said voters had rejected the policies of President Hollande

France's opposition conservative UMP Party has made big gains in local elections, at the expense of the ruling Socialists.

The UMP, led by former President Nicolas Sarkozy, boosted the councils it controls from 40 to 67 in the vote.

President Francois Hollande's Socialists and other leftists won 34 councils - down from 61 previously.

Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front (FN) won at least 60 seats but failed to get control of any council.

The elections are seen as a key test of public opinion ahead of the 2017 presidential election.

Paris and Lyon, France's two biggest cities, did not take part in Sunday's election.

Mr Sarkozy, who secured the UMP leadership last November, said "never... has our political family won so many councils".

He told his supporters that voters had "massively rejected the policies of Francois Hollande and his government".

Bastions of the Socialists like the Nord department around Lille swung to the right, as did President Hollande's own fiefdom of the Correze in central France.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls said the vote reflected economic hardship

Marine Le Pen said the results were a "magnificent success" for her party

However, as ever in France's two-round elections, voters from left and right united in round two to keep the FN from power, the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris reports.

Ms Le Pen hailed a "historic" day for the FN, saying: "I thank all our voters for this magnificent success."

"The goal is near, reaching power and applying our ideas to redress France."

The FN made especially strong gains in Pas-de-Calais, in the far north, and Gard, in the south.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said the French people "have declared... their anger at a daily life that is too difficult". He vowed to redouble efforts to boost the economy, and said his focus was "jobs, jobs, jobs".

He added that the rise in the FN's popularity was "a sign of a lasting upheaval of our political landscape and we will all need to draw lessons from it".

Half of the 40-million-strong French electorate abstained from voting - a figure that was however better than the 55.3% abstention rate in the last local elections in 2011.

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Knife attack kills Bangladesh blogger

The killing of Washiqur Rahman has shocked his family members - and provoked fresh fears for freedom of speech in Bangladesh

A blogger has been hacked to death in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, a month after a prominent atheist writer was killed in a similar attack.

Washiqur Rahman was attacked close to his home in Dhaka's Begunbari area, a police official told AFP news agency.

Two students at an Islamic seminary have reportedly been arrested.

Last month, Avijit Roy, a US-based writer who had criticised religious intolerance, was killed in a machete attack while he was visiting Dhaka.

His death sparked fresh concerns for freedom of speech in Bangladesh, where several secular-minded writers have been targeted by militants.

Mr Rahman was killed on a busy street in Dhaka. Two of the suspected attackers, armed with meat cleavers, were caught near the scene.

The suspects told police they had targeted Mr Rahman because of his anti-Islamic writing, a police official told the Associated Press news agency.

Mr Rahman blogged under a pen-name, Kucchit Hasher Channa, or Ugly Duckling. According to the Dhaka Tribune newspaper, he had criticised irrational religious beliefs.

Imran Sarker, the head of a network of activists and bloggers in Bangladesh, told AFP news agency that Mr Rahman was "a progressive free thinker".

Last month's attack on Mr Roy prompted massive protests from students and social activists, who accused the authorities of failing to protect critics of religious bigotry.

A man accused of threatening to kill Mr Roy on social media was arrested in that case.

Farabi Shafiur Rahman, described as a "fundamentalist blogger", was said by police to be linked to Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is banned in Bangladesh.

Mr Roy's wife was also badly injured in the attack.

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Kerry stays on for more Iran talks

John Kerry has had bilateral talks with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and is staying in Lausanne until the talks conclude

US Secretary of State John Kerry has cancelled a planned return to the US to stay in Switzerland as the Iran nuclear talks approach their deadline.

The State Department confirmed that Mr Kerry would be staying in Lausanne for more talks.

Foreign ministers from six world powers are trying to reach a deal with Iran to restrict its nuclear programme in return for an easing of sanctions.

They are working towards a self-imposed deadline of 31 March.

Mr Kerry had been looking forward to attending an event to honour his late Senate colleague Edward Kennedy, but had decided to stay at the ongoing talks with Iran in Switzerland, the State Department said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) has held preliminary talks with the US

At the talks in Lausanne, Mr Kerry is already joined by the German and French foreign ministers, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Laurent Fabius, as well as his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

The German and French foreign minister are considering delaying a planned trip to Kazakhstan in order to focus on the negotiations, officials close to the talks say.

The foreign ministers of Russia, China and the UK are due to arrive on Sunday as talks go into their final three days before the end of March deadline.

Negotiators are close, closer than ever before, in their 12-year standoff over Iran's nuclear programme. But a deal is still not done, and no one can say with 100% percent certainty if it will be.

With each day that slips by before an end-of-March deadline for a framework agreement, the political temperature rises against the serene backdrop of the snow-capped Swiss Alps. As foreign ministers and officials stream in and out of meetings in the gilded Beau Rivage, snippets and statements to the persistent press play into 11th-hour brinkmanship.

The last difficult details are as much about political power as they are about nuclear energy. Both Iran and world powers urge the other side to make tough decisions. All say they've come here, hoping to make a deal, to make history.

Beyond this rarefied world, sceptics wait in many capitals, ready to react if, in their view, a bad deal emerges. Reaching what counts as a "good deal" for all will go right down to the wire and, possibly, beyond.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has again warned of a deal with Iran, describing it as worse than his country had feared.

On Sunday he told a cabinet meeting "this deal, as it appears to be emerging, bears out all our fears, and even more than that".

He gave no details, but noting advances by Iran-backed forces in Yemen and other Arab countries, he accused Iran of trying to "conquer the Middle East" while pursuing nuclearisation.

"The Iran-Lausanne-Yemen axis is very dangerous to humanity and must be stopped," he said.

Mr Steinmeier told reporters "decisive days" were ahead as he arrived for the Iranian talks

Negotiators from the P5+1 group - the five permanent member of the UN Security Council plus Germany - want to ensure that Iran cannot develop nuclear weapons.

Iran denies it is aiming to build nuclear weapons and is hoping that a deal will lead to an end of international sanctions imposed on Tehran.

On Saturday, Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that after 12 years of negotiations with Iran the talks had entered their "endgame".

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that progress was being made.

After meeting Mr Steinmeier and Mr Fabius, he said: "I think we can in fact make the necessary progress to be able to resolve all the issues and start writing them down in a text that will become the final agreement."

Mr Fabius added a note of caution, saying: "We have moved forward on certain points, but on others not enough."

Some of the most contentious issues remain unresolved, says the BBC's Barbara Plett Usher, in Lausanne.

Potential sticking points in the nuclear talks are thought to include the pace at which sanctions would be lifted, how long the deal will last and how much of Iran's nuclear facilities will be open to inspection.

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Singapore holds Lee Kuan Yew funeral

Singapore is bidding farewell to its founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who died on Monday aged 91.

Despite torrential rain, tens of thousands lined the streets to view the funeral procession carrying Mr Lee's coffin through the city-state.

A state funeral then took place attended by world leaders, ahead of a private family cremation ceremony.

About 1.5m people paid tribute to Mr Lee at sites around the country this week the government said.

In his eulogy, Mr Lee's son, the current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, said his father had "lived and breathed Singapore all his life".

"The light that has guided us all these years has been extinguished," he said.

Crowds lined the entire funeral route through the city despite pouring rain

The funeral procession began on Sunday at 12:30 (04:30 GMT) as Mr Lee's body was taken from Parliament House on a gun carriage.

A 21-gun salute sounded, echoing across the city, as the procession moved on into the business district and Tanjong Pagar, the docklands constituency Mr Lee represented for his whole political life.

Military jets flew overhead while two Singaporean navy vessels conducted a sail-past of the Marina Bay barrage - the massive water conservation project spearheaded by Mr Lee.

The guns for the salute were barely visible through the rain

There were both tears and cheering as the procession came in to view

It was a scene unlike any other in practical-minded Singapore: a mass demonstration of pure emotion.

As the funeral procession rolled into view at the Padang outside parliament, the chants and cheers grew louder from the thousands clad in black waiting in the downpour. Some wept, and people began shouting, "Thank you Mr Lee", "Goodbye", "Take care", and a refrain from Mr Lee's speech at the same spot 50 years ago declaring Singapore's independence: "Merdeka", meaning "free" in Malay.

At the Tanjong Pagar Community Club, hundreds more gathered to watch a screening of the funeral service. Many had come from elsewhere as they knew it was Mr Lee's constituency. "He was a great man. Nobody can replace him," one 60-year-old man told me.

Singapore has seen increasing political and social divisions in recent years as it grapples with inequality and demands for political pluralism. Even Mr Lee's death spurred debate online with critics fearing that idolatry would sweep his controversial human rights record under the carpet. But on Sunday, the country came together briefly for a rare show of grief.

On the streets for Lee's funeral

Which direction will Singapore take now?

Foreign leaders in attendance included former US President Bill Clinton, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and UK House of Commons leader William Hague.

Indian PM Narendra Modi, Cambodian PM Hun Sen, Australian PM Tony Abbott and former US President Bill Clinton were among those attending the state funeral

In his emotional eulogy, Prime Minister Lee said that although his father had not lived to see Singapore's 50th anniversary celebrations later this year, the country could be proud he had "lived to see his life's work come to fruition".

He cited the famous epitaph for Sir Christopher Wren, architect of London's St Paul's cathedral: if you seek his monument, look around you.

"To those who seek Mr Lee Kuan Yew's monument, Singaporeans can reply proudly: 'look around you'," he said.

After eulogies from nine other leading figure, sirens sounded across the city to mark the beginning and end of a minute's silence. Singaporeans were asked to recite the national pledge of allegiance and join in singing the national anthem.

The coffin is now being carried north to the Mandai crematorium.

Lee Kuan Yew mourning in numbers:

• 31 - number of years Mr Lee was prime minister of Singapore. He stepped down in 1990
• 454,687 people filed past the coffin as it lay in state in parliament, averaging 6,500 every hour according to government
• 10 hours - length of queue at some points on Friday
• 1.1 million people paid tribute at 18 community sites around the country - a fifth of the population
• 170 foreign dignitaries attending the state funeral
• 15.4km (9.5 miles) - length of funeral procession route
• 249,844 likes on the official Remember Lee Kuan Yew Facebook page
• Two navy ships staging a sail-past off Marina Bay
• One minute silence being observed across entire country

Even after he stepped down in 1990, Mr Lee remained hugely influential in political life and was held in deep affection by Singaporeans.

He oversaw Singapore's independence from Britain and separation from Malaysia. He was widely respected as the architect of Singapore's prosperity - the city-state's GNP per capita increased 15-fold between 1960 and 1980.

However, he also introduced tight controls, restricting freedom of speech and of the press. Political opponents were targeted by the courts.

Speaking about his legacy to the New York Times in 2010, Mr Lee said: "I'm not saying that everything I did was right, but everything I did was for an honourable purpose."

Are you attending Lee Kuan Yew's funeral procession or service? Tell us about your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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