Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 07 Desember 2013 | 18.20
6 December 2013Last updated at 17:54 ET
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Crowds seeking refuge at Bangui airport cheered as French troops arrived
At least 300 people have been killed in two days of violence in the capital of the Central African Republic, says the Red Cross.
The organisation said its staff stopped collecting bodies in Bangui as night fell but would resume over the weekend, and expected the toll to rise.
Violence in the CAR has raised fears of mass killings along sectarian lines.
Hundreds of French troops are arriving in the city as part of a UN effort to restore law and order.
France was hoping to have around 1,000 troops - doubling its current force - in the CAR by Friday evening.
It followed a UN Security Council vote to allow French troops to join an African peacekeeping force in the CAR.
'Monster of a day'
Thursday's violence is thought to have begun when Christian militias, loyal to the CAR's ousted President Francois Bozize, launched multiple attacks from the north - sparking retaliatory attacks from mainly Muslim armed fighters loyal to the new leadership.
Residents spoke of gun battles in their neighbourhoods and hundreds fled to the airport seeking the protection of some of the French troops based there.
Dozens of bodies were reported to have been left lying in the roads, in areas too dangerous for people to collect them.
The Red Cross' president in the CAR, Pastor Antoine Mbao Bogo, said his staff had collected 281 bodies as of Friday night and expected the number to rise significantly when they resume their work.
"Tomorrow is going to be a monster of a day. We're going to work tomorrow and I think we're going to need a fourth day too," he told Reuters news agency.
French soldiers were out on patrol on Friday and warplanes flew over Bangui in an attempt to quell two days of violence.
Christian Mukosa of Amnesty International said the capital was "effectively in shutdown" with doctors unable to get to hospitals to treat the dying and injured because of the insecurity.
Michel Djotodia, who ousted Mr Bozize in March, installed himself as the first Muslim leader in the Christian-majority country.
The mainly Muslim Seleka rebel coalition which brought him to power has been accused of atrocities against Christians.
Christian communities have now set up "anti-balaka" self-defence forces, most of them loyal to Mr Bozize.
"Balaka" means machete in the local Sango and Mandja languages.
The Selekas have been officially disbanded and some of them integrated into the army, but correspondents say it is often not clear who is in charge, even in the capital.
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"It is something of a surprise that he was released so quickly" says BBC correspondent Lucy Williamson
North Korea has deported a US veteran of the Korean War who had been detained in the country since October.
State news agency KCNA says Merrill Newman was expelled on "humanitarian grounds" after confessing to "crimes" in the 1950-53 war and "apologising".
Mr Newman, 85, had been held on charges of "hostile acts" against the North, while visiting as a tourist.
The US state department welcomed the decision to free Mr Newman, who has now arrived in Beijing.
"We are pleased that Mr Merrill Newman has been allowed to depart the DPRK (North Korea) and re-join his family. We welcome the DPRK's decision to release him," said state department spokeswoman Marie Harf.
"I'm very glad to be on my way home," Mr Newman told Japanese reporters after arriving in the Chinese capital.
"And I appreciate the tolerance the DPRK government has given to me to be on my way. I feel good. I want to go home to see my wife."
Last week, KCNA said Mr Newman had ordered the deaths of North Korean soldiers and civilians in the Korean War.
Although Mr Newman did serve during the Korean War, his family says he is the victim of mistaken identity.
'Forgive me'
Mr Newman - a pensioner from Palo Alto, California - had been held in North Korea since being taken off a plane as he prepared to leave the country on 26 October, following a 10-day tourist visit.
In a video released by North Korean authorities last week, Mr Newman was shown reading his alleged apology, dated 9 November.
It claims he was an "adviser of the Kuwol Unit of the UN Korea 6th Partisan Regiment part of the Intelligence Bureau of the Far East Command" - an apparent reference to one of the special operations units acting against the North.
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Vice-President Biden: "It's a positive thing they've done but... [Kenneth Bae] should be released immediately"
Mr Newman apparently confessed to trying to contact surviving soldiers during his trip as a tourist.
The statement added: "Please forgive me."
But Mr Newman's family said there must have been "some dreadful misunderstanding".
Another veteran, also named Merrill Newman, was awarded a Silver Star medal for his efforts during the Korean War.
The North Korean authorities have previously been accused of coercing confessions from detainees.
US Vice-President Joe Biden, while welcoming North Korea's release of Mr Newman as "a positive thing", renewed calls for Pyongyang to free another American, Kenneth Bae, held since November 2012 and sentenced in May to 15 years' hard labour.
Pyongyang said Mr Bae - described as both a tour operator and Christian missionary - had used his tourism business to plot sedition.
1956 Charged with high treason, but charges dropped after a four-year trial
1962 Jailed for five years for incitement and leaving country without a passport
1964 Charged with sabotage, sentenced to life
1990 Freed from prison
1993 Wins Nobel Peace Prize
1994-99 Serves as president
2004 Retires from public life
2010 Last major public appearance at football World Cup in Johannesburg
His administration replaced the racist white-minority regime that had enforced segregation of black and white people in a policy known as apartheid.
Mr Mandela went on to become one of the world's most respected statesmen.
South Africans across the country have been saying prayers, singing anti-apartheid songs and lighting candles.
Hundreds are gathered outside Mr Mandela's home in Johannesburg's northern suburb of Houghton where he died, and thousands of flowers laid outside have begun to resemble a wall.
They have been sharing memories of the former leader, recounting how they drew inspiration from his life.
A stage has been erected near the house, from where priests have led the crowd in prayers.
One of his grandsons. Mbuso Mandela, laid wreaths in his grandfather's memory.
People have also been gathering before the Union Buildings in the administrative capital Pretoria.
"I was born after he became president and I just remember the South Africa he left to us, the South Africa he gave to us," one mourner at the site was quoted as saying by Reuters.
"So today will be a good day to give him, some flowers to remember him and the South Africa he fought for."
President Zuma visited the house on Friday to pay his respects.
At a news conference, Mr Zuma outlined a week of events to mourn the former president.
Sunday will be an official day of prayer and reflection with special religious services
On Tuesday, a service of national mourning will be held at a 95,000-seater stadium on the outskirts of Johannesburg
Mr Mandela's body will lie in state from Wednesday to Friday in the capital, Pretoria
Next Sunday's funeral will be held in the village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape, where Mr Mandela grew up. South African Airways has announced that it will provide extra flights to Qunu for mourners.
Hundreds have attended an interfaith remembrance service outside Cape Town's City Hall. The Johannesburg stock exchange suspended operations for five minutes on Friday as a mark of respect.
Criticism
"We sincerely thank all South Africans for the dignified manner in which they have respected and responded to the monumental loss of this international icon," Mr Zuma said.
Speaking in Cape Town, Mr Mandela's long-time ally, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, described him as an "incredible gift" to South Africa.
"He taught us extraordinarily practical lessons about forgiveness, compassion and reconciliation."
He also cited Mr Mandela's weaknesses, including "his steadfast loyalty to his organisation and some of his colleagues who ultimately let him down".
Mr Mandela had been receiving treatment at home for a recurring lung illness since September, when he was discharged from hospital.
As soon as the news of his death broke late on Thursday, small crowds began to gather in Soweto's Vilakazi Street, where Mr Mandela lived in the 1940s and 1950s.
Across the world, leaders, celebrities and members of the public have been paying tribute.
Pope Francis said Mr Mandela had forged "a new South Africa built on the firm foundations of non-violence, reconciliation and truth".
Queen Elizabeth II said she was "deeply saddened" to learn of Mr Mandela's death and said she remembered her meetings with him "with great warmth".
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What was apartheid? A 90-second look back at decades of injustice
"He achieved more than could be expected of any man. Today, he has gone home," said US President Barack Obama.
The White House has announced that Mr Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will be travelling to South Africa next week to pay their respects and take part in memorial events.
South Africans are mourning Nelson Mandela through songs of struggle and church hymns. One of the songs is "Nelson Mandela ha hona ea tshwanang le yena" which in Sotho means there is no-one like Nelson Mandela. This song and many others like it encapsulate the deep sense of loss here and the realisation that his passing marks the end of an era.
Even South Africans who had never met him had made a special place for him in their hearts. They will remember him as the father of the nation, who brought an end to apartheid and delivered the nation from the brink of civil war.
Children carrying posters slowly march up and down Vilakazi street, where Mr Mandela's Soweto home is. Others are standing outside his old house, now turned into a museum.
There is an air of heaviness here - none of the loud hooting of minibus taxis that usually make up the energy of this busy street, no cars speeding down blaring loud music. Instead those not part of the mournful singing speak in hushed tones. Elderly women with walking sticks are part of the group that has come to send off the nation's icon.
The opening of a summit of African leaders in Paris to discuss security was dedicated to Mr Mandela, with many of those present paying tribute.
Flags are flying at half-mast on government buildings in Washington DC, Paris, across the UK and across South Africa. The European Union and world football body Fifa have also ordered their flags to be lowered.
In London, long queues formed outside the South African High Commission as people waited to sign a book of condolence.
Parliament in Pretoria is expected to hold a special joint session to reflect on Mr Mandela's life and legacy.
The BBC's Mike Wooldridge in Johannesburg says South Africa will never have seen a state funeral like it, with leaders, dignitaries and other admirers of the former president expected from all over the world.
It will be a huge logistical challenge, especially given the remoteness of Qunu, our correspondent adds.
Mr Mandela died shortly before 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Thursday.
He won admiration around the world when he preached reconciliation after being freed from almost three decades of imprisonment.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 along with FW de Klerk, South Africa's last white president.
Mr de Klerk, who ordered Mr Mandela's release from jail, called him a "unifier" and said he had "a remarkable lack of bitterness".
Mr Mandela had rarely been seen in public since officially retiring in 2004. He made his last public appearance in 2010, at the football World Cup in South Africa.
Roving diplomat
Born in 1918, Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1943, as a law student.
He and other ANC leaders campaigned against apartheid.
Initially he campaigned peacefully but in the 1960s the ANC began to advocate violence, and Mr Mandela was made the commander of its armed wing.
He was arrested for sabotage and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964, serving most of his sentence on Robben Island.
He was released in 1990 as South Africa began to move away from strict racial segregation - a process completed by the first multi-racial elections in 1994.
Mr Mandela served a single term as president before stepping down in 1999.
After leaving office, he became South Africa's highest-profile ambassador, campaigning against HIV/Aids and helping to secure his country's right to host the 2010 football World Cup.
At a memorial service in Cape Town, Archbishop Desmond Tutu gave thanks for the life of Nelson Mandela and paid tribute to what the former South African president achieved.
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7 December 2013Last updated at 04:30 ETBy Andrew WalkerBBC Economics correspondent
Ministers from 159 countries have reached a deal intended to boost global trade at a meeting in Bali, Indonesia.
The World Trade Organization's first comprehensive agreement involves an effort to simplify the procedures for doing business across borders.
There will also be improved duty-free access for goods sold by the world's poorest countries.
The deal, which could add about $1tn to world trade, gives developing nations more scope to increase farm subsidies.
"For the first time in our history, the WTO has truly delivered," said WTO chief Roberto Azevedo, as the organisation reached its first comprehensive agreement since it was founded in 1995.
"This time the entire membership came together. We have put the 'world' back in World Trade Organization," he said.
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WTO chief Roberto Azevedo: "For the first time in our history, the WTO has truly delivered"
Indonesian Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said the deal would "benefit all WTO members".
UK Prime Minister David Cameron said the "historic" agreement could be a "lifeline" for the world's poorest people, as well as benefiting British businesses to the tune of more than $1bn (£600m).
However, the package was criticised by some development campaigners who said it was not going far enough.
Rich and poor
It is worth spelling out something what is not covered by this - tariffs or taxes on imported goods.
The negotiations have failed to secure permanent protection for countries to safeguard the food rights of their peoples"
End QuoteJohn HilaryWar on Want
Dealing with them has been the bread butter of past trade rounds - but not for this deal.
The core of this agreement is what is called trade facilitation. This is about reducing the costs and delays involved in international trade. It is often described as "cutting red tape".
Some analysts suggest the benefits could be large. An influential Washington think tank has put the potential gains to the world economy at close to $1tn and 20m million jobs.
It also estimates the cost of administrative barrier as double the cost of tariffs.
The rich countries have agreed to help the poorer WTO members with implementing this agreement.
Another important aspect of the Bali package is about enabling poor countries to sell their goods more easily. This part is about tariffs, and also quota limits on imports.
Rich countries and the more advanced developing countries have agreed to cut tariffs on products from the poorest nations.
EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht told the BBC that if the poorest nations "have more trading capacity it will also result in more investment in logistics and infrastructure".
But campaigners describe the plan as weak.
Nick Dearden of the World Development Movement said: "If the US and EU really wanted to tackle global poverty, they would have made the least-developed-countries package much stronger."
Credibility test
Getting this deal has involved introducing some extra flexibility into the existing WTO rules on farm subsidies. India led the campaign, by insisting that it should be allowed to subsidise grain under its new food security law.
There is a strong possibility that India's policy would break WTO rules that limit farm subsidies.
A "peace clause" has been agreed, under which members agree not to initiate WTO disputes against those breaching the subsidy limits as part of a food-security programme. But it only lasts four years and there is criticism from campaigners.
John Hilary of War on Want, a UK-based group, said: "The negotiations have failed to secure permanent protection for countries to safeguard the food rights of their peoples, exposing hundreds of millions to the prospect of hunger and starvation simply in order to satisfy the dogma of free trade."
The Bali meeting was an important one for the WTO's credibility. The deal includes a rather small part of the negotiating programme that was launched 12 years ago, known as the Doha Round.
Repeated delays have made the WTO seem irrelevant as a forum for negotiating trade liberalisation agreements. It was a leading reason so many countries have sought to make deals bilaterally or among small groups.
The agreement will help repair the WTO's damaged image. Nonetheless, the rest of the Doha Round will be very difficult to conclude.
The deal seeks further reductions in farm subsidies, tariffs on industrial goods, barriers to international trade in services and more.
All are very difficult to conclude and are entwined with domestic political factors in many of the WTO's 159 member countries. So don't hold your breath waiting for the final deal.
Written By Unknown on Jumat, 06 Desember 2013 | 18.19
6 December 2013Last updated at 04:22 ET
US Vice-President Joe Biden has urged Japan and South Korea to "improve their relations and co-operation".
Mr Biden was in Seoul on the third leg of an Asian tour dominated by tensions over China's newly-declared air defence zone.
China's zone covers disputed islands controlled by Japan and an area claimed by Seoul.
Mr Biden said on Thursday China's move had "caused significant apprehension in the region."
Mr Biden discussed the zone with South Korean leader Park Geun-hye. The issue of North Korea and ways to restart long-stalled nuclear disarmament talks were also high on the agenda.
As the meeting with Ms Park began, Mr Biden emphasised the US commitment to a strategic shift to the region.
"I want to make one thing absolutely clear: President Obama's decision to rebalance to the Pacific basin is not in question," he said. "The United States never says anything it does not do."
In a speech later, Mr Biden said: "The entire region will be more stable and more secure if the leading democracies - Japan, South Korea and the US - are able to improve their relations and co-operation with one another."
Japan occupied Korea before and during World War II, and tensions remain between Tokyo and Seoul that have recently been exacerbated by rows over a separate disputed island and lingering historical issues.
'Do not accept'
Mr Biden arrived in Seoul on Thursday from Beijing, where he held what he described as "very direct" talks with President Xi Jinping on the new air defence identification zone (ADIZ).
The White House has described the establishment of the ADIZ as "unacceptable", but has urged Beijing not to implement it - rather than calling for it to roll back its move.
"We, the United States, do not recognise and we do not accept it, and will not change the way the United States conducts military operations in the region," White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Thursday.
The zone covers East China Sea islands that Japan, China and Taiwan claim. The islands, which are controlled by Japan, are called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.
The ADIZ also covers a submerged rock that South Korea says forms part of its territory. China wants all aircraft flying in the ADIZ to follow certain rules, including filing flight plans.
South Korean reports have suggested that Seoul is considering expanding its own ADIZ in response, a move that could hit efforts to reduce tensions.
Concerns over Pyongyang's nuclear programme are also rumbling. On Thursday a US-based think-tank said satellite images showed increased activity at North Korea's once-mothballed Yongbyon nuclear reactor.
Plutonium for North Korea's nuclear tests is thought to have come from the reactor, which was shut down as part of an aid-for-disarmament deal but reactivated as North Korea's ties with regional neighbours and the US deteriorated.
Mr Biden reiterated the US's opposition to North Korea's nuclear programme. "Let there be no doubt, the United States is committed to do what it takes to defend our allies and ourselves against North Korean aggression. Period," he said.
On North Korea, experts say the two are likely to have discussed recent - unconfirmed - reports from South Korea's spy agency that Kim Jong-un's uncle Chang Song-taek - a powerful leadership figure - has fallen from grace.
Mr Chang, who is married to late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's sister, had been seen by some observers as a power behind the throne figure in the administration of his young nephew, Kim Jong-un.
On Saturday, Mr Biden will visit the demilitarised zone which divides the two Koreas.
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Heavy winds hit Denmark and the Netherlands
A storm that has wreaked havoc across northern Europe has claimed three lives in Poland, bringing to six the toll of people killed in hurricane force winds.
The storm, called Xaver, blew a tree on to a car in Poraj, northern Poland, killing three people inside.
Most flights have been cancelled at Gdansk airport and there is serious travel disruption in Germany too.
Many schools have been closed across the north of Poland and Germany. Parts of Hamburg have been flooded.
In Poland at least 100,000 homes are without electricity because of severed power lines.
The port of Hamburg, which handles a huge amount of European trade, is at a standstill.
Hamburg has experienced its biggest tidal surges since the early 1990s. The city's fish market and some streets by the river Elbe were flooded.
There was also limited flooding in the Netherlands - officials say the sea dykes withstood the onslaught. The Dutch and German authorities cancelled many flights and train services.
The Oeresund road-rail bridge, linking Copenhagen in Denmark with Malmo in southern Sweden, has reopened. It had been closed on Thursday evening amid high winds.
A woman died in Denmark after a lorry was blown over.
In Scotland a lorry driver was also killed on Thursday when his vehicle was blown over near Edinburgh. A man was crushed by a falling tree in Nottinghamshire, central England.
'Missing sailors'
Winds of up to 228km/h (142 mph) battered Scotland.
England's east coast experienced its worst tidal surge in 60 years, while in north Wales residents had to be rescued by lifeboat crews.
Two sailors were reportedly swept overboard from a ship 22 km (14 miles) off the southern Swedish coast, and air-sea rescue services failed to find them.
Britain's Environment Agency said tidal surges could bring significant coastal flooding, and the Thames Barrier was being closed to protect London.
British authorities said they had evacuated homes in Great Yarmouth, eastern England, adding that it could be the biggest storm surge for 60 years.
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The BBC's Anna Holligan reports on heavy winds in the Netherlands
In the low-lying Netherlands, the Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier was closed off for the first time in six years. Dutch authorities said they had issued the highest possible flood warning for four areas in the north and north-west of the country.
There was some flooding in Dordrecht and Rotterdam. But rail services are generally running normally in the Netherlands, the NOS news agency reports.
In Schleswig-Holstein, north Germany, many rail services have been halted. Fallen trees are littering railway lines.
Flights cancelled
The Dutch airline KLM cancelled dozens of flights from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport on Thursday, while more than 120 were cancelled or diverted at Hamburg airport.
But Schiphol flights are now back on schedule, NOS reports.
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Weather presenter Matt Taylor explains how a storm surge happens
Flights from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports in Scotland were cancelled.
Rail travel was badly affected, with all train services in Scotland cancelled because of debris on the lines and damage to equipment. Services in northern England were also hit.
Ferries to Germany from Sweden and Denmark were cancelled.
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A look back at the life of Nelson Mandela
South Africans have gathered in Johannesburg and Soweto to mourn their former leader, Nelson Mandela, who died on Thursday aged 95.
Crowds paid tribute, dancing and singing in front of Mr Mandela's former home in Soweto throughout the night.
Flags flew at half mast after President Jacob Zuma announced his death in a late night national TV address.
Mr Mandela spent 27 years in jail before becoming South Africa's first black president in 1994.
His administration replaced the racist white-minority regime that had enforced segregation of black and white people in a policy known as apartheid.
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Scenes from around the globe in the hours after Nelson Mandela's death as world leaders, South Africans, and our own journalists react
Mr Mandela went on to become one of the world's most respected statesmen.
A service of national mourning is expected to be held at a 95,000-seater stadium on the outskirts of Johannesburg on Monday. His body will then lie in state for three days in the capital, Pretoria, before being taken for a state funeral in the village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape, where he grew up.
"God was so good to us in South Africa by giving us Nelson Mandela to be our president at a crucial moment in our history," said long-time ally Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
1956 Charged with high treason, but charges dropped after a four-year trial
1962 Jailed for five years for incitement and leaving country without a passport
1964 Charged with sabotage, sentenced to life
1990 Freed from prison
1993 Wins Nobel Peace Prize
1994-99 Serves as president
2004 Retires from public life
2010 Last major public appearance at football World Cup in Johannesburg
At a service in Cape Town on Friday, he said Mr Mandela had "taught a divided nation to come together".
Mr Mandela had been suffering from a lung illness for a long time.
He had been receiving treatment at home since September, when he was discharged from hospital.
As soon as the news broke, small crowds began to gather in Soweto's Vilakazi Street, where Mr Mandela lived in the 1940s and 1950s.
They chanted apartheid-era songs, including one with the lyrics: "We have not seen Mandela in the place where he is, in the place where he is kept."
By daybreak, dozens more had gathered.
"We are celebrating his life and all that he did for us," said one of the mourners, Terry Mokoena.
Crowds also gathered outside Mr Mandela's current home, in Johannesburg's northern suburb of Houghton, where he died.
Across the world, leaders, celebrities and members of the public have been paying tribute.
Queen Elizabeth II said she was "deeply saddened" to learn of Mr Mandela's death.
"He worked tirelessly for the good of his country, and his legacy is the peaceful South Africa we see today," a statement issued by Buckingham Palace said.
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What was apartheid? A 90-second look back at decades of injustice
"Her Majesty remembers with great warmth her meetings with Mr. Mandela and sends her sincere condolences to his family and the people of South Africa at this very sad time."
South Africans are mourning Nelson Mandela through songs of struggle and church hymns. One of the songs is "Nelson Mandela ha hona ea tshwanang le yena" which in Sotho means there is no-one like Nelson Mandela. This song and many others like it encapsulate the deep sense of loss here and the realisation that his passing marks the end of an era.
Even South Africans who had never met him had made a special place for him in their hearts. They will remember him as the father of the nation, who brought an end to apartheid and delivered the nation from the brink of civil war.
Children carrying posters slowly march up and down Vilakazi street, where Mr Mandela's Soweto home is. Others are standing outside his old house, now turned into a museum.
There is an air of heaviness here - none of the loud hooting of minibus taxis that usually make up the energy of this busy street, no cars speeding down blaring loud music. Instead those not part of the mournful singing speak in hushed tones. Elderly women with walking sticks are part of the group that has come to send off the nation's icon.
"He achieved more than could be expected of any man. Today, he has gone home," said US President Barack Obama.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called him "a giant for justice and a down-to-earth human inspiration".
Flags are flying at half-mast on government buildings in Washington DC, Paris and across South Africa. The European Union and world football body Fifa have also ordered their flags to be lowered.
The parliament in Pretoria is expected to hold a special joint session to reflect on Mr Mandela's life and legacy.
Books of condolence have been opened at public buildings in South Africa and at the country's embassies throughout the world.
Next Monday is expected to be the start of South Africa's official mourning, with a service in Soweto's FNB stadium.
Mr Mandela's body will lie in state for three days at the Union buildings in Pretoria. His funeral is likely to be held on Saturday in Qunu, the village in Eastern Cape where he was born.
The BBC's Mike Wooldridge in Johannesburg says South Africa will never have seen a state funeral like it, with leaders, dignitaries and other admirers of the former president expected from all over the world.
It will be a huge logistical challenge, especially given the remoteness of Qunu, our correspondent adds.
In his TV address, Mr Zuma said Mr Mandela had died shortly before 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT).
"Our nation has lost its greatest son," Mr Zuma said.
"Although we knew that this day would come, nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss."
Mr Mandela won admiration around the world when he preached reconciliation after being freed from almost three decades of imprisonment.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 along with FW de Klerk, South Africa's last white president.
Mr de Klerk, who ordered Mr Mandela's release from jail, called him a "unifier" and said he had "a remarkable lack of bitterness".
He told the BBC that Mr Mandela's greatest legacy was that "we are basically at peace with each other notwithstanding our great diversity, that we will be taking hands once again now around his death and around our common sadness and mourning".
Mr Mandela had rarely been seen in public since officially retiring in 2004. He made his last public appearance in 2010, at the football World Cup in South Africa.
Roving diplomat
Born in 1918, Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1943, as a law student.
He and other ANC leaders campaigned against apartheid. Initially he campaigned peacefully but in the 1960s the ANC began to advocate violence, and Mr Mandela was made the commander of its armed wing.
He was arrested for sabotage and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964, serving most of his sentence on Robben Island.
It was forbidden to quote him or publish his photo, but he and other ANC leaders were able to smuggle out messages of guidance to the anti-apartheid movement.
He was released in 1990 as South Africa began to move away from strict racial segregation - a process completed by the first multi-racial elections in 1994.
Mr Mandela served a single term as president before stepping down in 1999.
After leaving office, he became South Africa's highest-profile ambassador, campaigning against HIV/Aids and helping to secure his country's right to host the 2010 football World Cup.
He was also involved in peace negotiations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and other countries in Africa and elsewhere.
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An Egyptian Muslim cleric kidnapped by CIA agents in Italy in 2003 has been sentenced in absentia to six years in prison on terrorism charges in Milan.
Abu Omar, also known as Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, now lives freely in Egypt. He was abducted on a Milan street and flown to Egypt in a CIA "rendition".
He alleges he was tortured in Egypt before being released. Italy convicted 23 Americans over his kidnapping.
The Milan court convicted him of links with Islamist militants.
Prosecutors said the cleric had collaborated with 13 others between 2000 and 2003 "with the aim of carrying out acts of terrorist violence in Italy and abroad".
Mr Nasr's lawyer, Carmelo Scambia, said he denied the charge and did not believe in violence.
His client was currently living in the city of Alexandria and was being constantly monitored by the Egyptian authorities, Mr Scambia added.
Written By Unknown on Kamis, 05 Desember 2013 | 18.19
5 December 2013Last updated at 02:35 ET
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The BBC's Jonathan Head said it was unlikely anyone believed the king "could resolve the very deep conflict"
King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand has urged people to support each other for the sake of the country, in his address to the nation on his birthday.
Thailand is marking the 86th birthday of the revered king amid a truce after days of violent protests in Bangkok.
Speaking at his palace in the coastal resort of Hua Hin, the king said that Thailand had been peaceful because of the unity of the people.
There were violent clashes earlier in the week between police and protesters.
The demonstrators, who are demanding that the current government resign, began protesting on 24 November.
They agreed to stop their attacks on government buildings for the birthday celebrations, but have said they will be back right after them.
Pause in unrest
On Thursday, thousands of people had headed to the town of Hua Hin, near the king's Klai Kangwon palace, in the hope of seeing him, the Bangkok Post reports.
His name means "strength of the land, incomparable power", his title, "Lord Above Our Heads". The elevated position of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, above the political fray, at the apex of an intensely hierarchical society, makes him in the minds of millions of Thais a repository of virtue and calm when all around they see greed and chaos. So it is essential for the monarchy that his birthday, his biggest public appearance of the year, passes smoothly, without the slightest disruption.
That is why so much effort went into negotiating an end to the protests which have turned parts of Bangkok into a battleground over the past two weeks.
The main ceremony, though, had to be held for the first time outside the capital, in Hua Hin, the seaside resort where King Bhumibol moved from hospital in August.
The highlight for the thousands lining his processional route was a glimpse of the man they simply call "Father" as his motorcade moved slowly past. They were on their knees, waving yellow royal flags, some in tears.
In the past they have looked to his speech for guiding wisdom. But at 86 years old, and very frail, he struggled to get through a short address, which urged Thais to do their duty, and support each other. It sounded like a plea, to end the country's deep political conflict. And the protesters, who are largely ultra-royalists, will say they have taken his words to heart. But once this celebration is over, they have promised to be back on the streets.
Special bus and train services had been laid on by the transport ministry to bring people to the town, the paper says.
The king traditionally delivers a speech to the nation on his birthday - an audience keenly anticipated for any hints of his thinking on events in Thailand.
He called on people to do their duty to support each other for the sake of the country.
"All Thais should realise this point a lot and behave and perform our duties accordingly, our duty for the sake of the public, for stability, security for our nation of Thailand," the king said.
The current wave of protests began in Bangkok relatively peacefully, but things took a violent turn over the weekend and on Monday.
Protesters tried to topple police barricades and storm the prime minister's office, Government House. Clashes broke as police used tear gas and water cannon to repel them.
The situation calmed down on Tuesday after security forces stepped back from protesters.
Some anti-government protesters headed to the police headquarters in Bangkok on Wednesday. A few hundred of the protesters were allowed inside the compound by the police and then withdrew.
The protesters say there is more to come. "After the king's birthday, we will start fighting again until we achieve our goal," former deputy prime minister and protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban told AFP on Tuesday.
The protesters want the current government under Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down and be replaced by an unelected "People's Council".
They allege that her government is controlled by her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is in self-imposed exile after he was overthrown in a military army coup in 2006 and convicted of corruption.
At least four people have died since Saturday, in what has been Thailand's worst political turmoil since the 2010 rallies that ended in violence.
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US Vice-President Joe Biden: "There is nothing inevitable about a conflict with China"
The US and China have had "very direct" talks about concerns over China's new air defence identification zone, US Vice-President Joe Biden said.
Speaking after meetings with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Mr Biden said the zone had caused "apprehension" in Asia.
Talks in Mr Biden's Asia trip have been dominated by a new air zone declared by China, which covers islands controlled by Japan in the East China Sea.
China says its move is consistent with "international law and practice".
China announced a new Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) last month, and said aircraft flying through the zone must follow its rules, including filing flight plans.
The ADIZ covers islands claimed and controlled by Japan, and a submerged rock claimed by South Korea.
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Explained: Why a small chain of islands has caused a diplomatic row
The US, Japan and South Korea have rejected China's zone, and flown undeclared military aircraft through the ADIZ.
'World not tranquil'
Mr Xi and Mr Biden met for around five hours on Wednesday.
Neither mentioned the air zone dispute when they spoke to reporters after the talks.
While tensions over China's air zone featured prominently, the situation inside North Korea was also a major topic of discussion when Xi Jinping met the man he calls his "old friend", Joe Biden.
The two spoke about news that had surfaced from North Korea in recent days, confirmed a senior US official. This week, reports emerged from South Korea that a top North Korean official, the uncle of leader Kim Jong-un, had been ousted, and his aides executed for corruption.
Lengthy talks between Mr Xi and Mr Biden centred around "creating conditions for negotiations that could actually be fruitful and not just a repeat of the same old North Korean game", a senior US administration official said.
"The credibility of our argument about the impact of pressure on diplomatic solutions has been enhanced in the eyes of a number of countries, including China, by what's happened with Iran."
After years of imposing tough sanctions on Iran, Washington recently reached an agreement with Tehran to curb its uranium enrichment programme. The Obama administration has touted the deal as a historic agreement that makes the Middle East a safer place.
However, Mr Biden told US businessmen on Thursday: "I was very direct about our firm position and our expectations in my conversations with President Xi."
China's declaration of the new zone had "caused significant apprehension in the region," he said, adding that China had "increasing responsibility to contribute positively to peace and security".
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said: "During the talks the Chinese side repeated its principled position, stressing that the Chinese move accorded with international law and practice."
"The US side ought to take an objective and fair attitude and respect [China's move]," Mr Hong added.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Mr Xi had said that "profound and complex changes" were under way in Asia, and "the world, as a whole, is not tranquil".
"Enhancing dialogue and co-operation" was the "only correct choice" for the US and China, Mr Xi added.
A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mr Xi and Mr Biden also spent "a substantial amount of time" discussing North Korea, including the country's internal situation and ways to push Pyongyang towards denuclearisation.
'Profound disagreements'
In his speech to US businessmen, Mr Biden also said that the two sides had "profound disagreements" over the treatment of US journalists in China.
"Innovation will thrive where people breathe freely, speak freely, are able to challenge orthodoxy, where newspapers can report the truth without fear of consequences," he said.
Earlier this week, a reporter from Bloomberg was denied access to a media event attended by UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
The websites of Bloomberg and the New York Times have been blocked in China after they reported on the alleged wealth of the families of Mr Xi and former Premier Wen Jiabao.
Foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a press briefing on Thursday that China "provided an extremely convenient atmosphere for foreign reporters reporting in China".
He added that China managed foreign journalists in accordance with its law.
Both Bloomberg and the New York Times have not received new journalist visas for more than a year, the BBC's Martin Patience in Beijing reports.
Foreign journalists working in China are frequently denied access to government officials, are often barred from sensitive areas of the country and have on occasions been attacked by government-hired thugs while reporting stories, our correspondent adds.
Mr Biden will fly to South Korea later on Thursday.
Earlier this week, he met Japanese President Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, where he reaffirmed the US' alliance with Japan.
