Dec. 6 Daily Brief: Memorials for Nelson Mandela, World Cup 2014 groups chosen, Israeli barriers
Remembering the first black South African president Nelson Mandela, winter weather falls across the US, holiday festivals light up the world and more in today’s daily brief.
- A man takes a photograph of a statue of South Africa’s former president Nelson Mandela at South Bank in London December 6, 2013. South African anti-apartheid hero Mandela died peacefully at home in Johannesburg at the age of 95 on Thursday after months fighting a lung infection, leaving his nation and the world in mourning for a man revered as a moral giant. (REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett)
- U.S. Marine Band drum major Master Gunnery Sergeant William Browne is pictured with his ceremonial mace, bearskin hat and the sash, called a baldric, listing the names of every campaign fought in the history of the Corps, at John Philip Sousa Hall in Washington November 6, 2013. Sousa led the United States Marine Band, known as “The President’s Own”, from 1880 to 1892 and is credited with having transformed it into an internationally famous institution. During his time as director, the band went on its first national tour and made its first recordings. Each November 6th, the Marine Band, made world famous under Sousa’s direction, marks Sousa’s birthday by making the 1-mile (1.6 km) trip across Capitol Hill from their barracks to play at his grave site. Picture taken November 6, 2013. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
- A protester rests inside Kiev’s City Hall, now an organisational hub for protesters who have occupied the building, December 6, 2013. Ukrainian pro-Europe demonstrators vowed to stay on the streets and continue their blockade of government buildings, despite a police threat to crack down “harshly” to enforce a court order that they disperse. Picture taken with long exposure. (REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov)
- A man dressed in traditional Ukrainian Cossack clothes smokes in a phonebooth during a rally to support EU integration in Kiev December 6, 2013. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich was flying to Russia on Friday to meet Vladimir Putin, a news agency reported, seeking aid to shore up a creaking economy while protesters back home, opposed to his U-turn away from Europe, defied police. (REUTERS/Gleb Garanich)
- A believer holds an icon of the Virgin Mary in front of Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra Cathedral during a procession of relics and pictures of Eastern Orthodox saints commemorating the icon of St. Nicholas the Drenched, in Kiev December 6, 2013. (REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov)
- Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban stresses a point as he addresses anti-government protesters at the occupied Government complex in Bangkok December 6, 2013. Protesters seeking to topple Thailand’s government stayed off the street on Friday after halting their demonstration the day before out of respect for the king on his birthday but clashes were reported overnight, one at the occupied Finance Ministry. (REUTERS/Dylan Martinez)
- A Free Syrian Army fighter holds up an ammunition belt as his fellow fighter fires on a helicopter belonging to the Syrian regime in Aleppo’s Bustan al-Basha district December 6, 2013. (REUTERS/Molhem Barakat)
- The groups for the 2014 World Cup finals are shown on the screen after the draw was made at the Costa do Sauipe resort in Sao Joao da Mata, Bahia state, December 6, 2013. The 2014 World Cup finals will be held in Brazil from June 12 through July 13. (REUTERS/Sergio Moraes)
- A placard depicting former South African President Nelson Mandela hangs on a barbed wire as a Palestinian protester reacts to tear gas fired by Israeli soldiers during clashes at a weekly demonstration against Jewish settlements in the West Bank village of Bilin, near Ramallah December 6, 2013. South African anti-apartheid hero Mandela died peacefully at home at the age of 95 on Thursday after months fighting a lung infection, leaving his nation and the world in mourning for a man revered as a moral giant. (REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman)
- Israeli soldiers detain a Palestinian protester during clashes at a weekly demonstration against Jewish settlements in the West Bank village of Bilin, near Ramallah December 6, 2013. (REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman)
- The controversial Israeli barrier is seen in the background as a Palestinian protester walks with placards depicting former South African President Nelson Mandela during a weekly demonstration against Jewish settlements in the West Bank village of Bilin, near Ramallah December 6, 2013. South African anti-apartheid hero Mandela died peacefully at home at the age of 95 on Thursday after months fighting a lung infection, leaving his nation and the world in mourning for a man revered as a moral giant. (REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman)
- A woman wipes tears from her face as she stops to look at a memorial for the late Nelson Mandela outside the office of the South African Consulate General in New York, December 6, 2013. South African anti-apartheid hero Mandela died peacefully at home in Johannesburg at the age of 95 on Thursday after months fighting a lung infection, leaving his nation and the world in mourning for a man revered as a moral giant. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)
- Visitors from around KwaZulu-Natal pay their respects to former President Nelson Mandela at the Mandela Capture Site outside Howick December 6, 2013. South African anti-apartheid hero Mandela died peacefully at home in Johannesburg at the age of 95 on Thursday after months fighting a lung infection, leaving his nation and the world in mourning for a man revered as a moral giant. Mandela was arrested at the site in 1962, and faced charges of conspiracy to overthrow the government. (REUTERS/Reinhardt Hartzenberg)
- A man wears a face mask while walking on the Bund in front of the financial district of Pudong during a hazy day in downtown Shanghai December 6, 2013. China’s stability-obsessed leadership has become increasingly concerned by the abysmal air quality in cities, as it plays into popular resentment over political privilege and rising inequality in the world’s second-largest economy. (REUTERS/Aly Song)
- Two people look at flowers and tributes left for South Africa’s former president Nelson Mandela near a statue of him at South Bank in London December 6, 2013. South African anti-apartheid hero Mandela died peacefully at home in Johannesburg at the age of 95 on Thursday after months fighting a lung infection, leaving his nation and the world in mourning for a man revered as a moral giant. (REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett)
- A man wearing a Nelson Mandela printed cloth stands in front of the Town Hall in Cape Town as he joins along with others to write condolences in a book for Mandela December 6, 2013. South African anti-apartheid hero Mandela died peacefully at home in Johannesburg at the age of 95 on Thursday after months fighting a lung infection, leaving his nation and the world in mourning for a man revered as a moral giant. (REUTERS/Mark Wessels)
- A woman offers flowers outside the house of former President Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg December 6, 2013. South African anti-apartheid hero Mandela died peacefully at home in Johannesburg at the age of 95 on Thursday after months fighting a lung infection, leaving his nation and the world in mourning for a man revered as a moral giant. (REUTERS/Mujahid Safodien)
- An image of late South African President Nelson Mandela is projected on the facade of Paris town hall, December 6, 2013. South African anti-apartheid hero Mandela died peacefully at home in Johannesburg at the age of 95 on Thursday after months fighting a lung infection, leaving his nation and the world in mourning for a man revered as a moral giant. (REUTERS/Charles Platiau)
- A man holds a poster of the late former President Nelson Mandela during an interfaith service held in front of the Town Hall on Grand Parade, Cape Town December 6, 2013. South African anti-apartheid hero Mandela died peacefully at home in Johannesburg at the age of 95 on Thursday after months fighting a lung infection, leaving his nation and the world in mourning for a man revered as a moral giant. (REUTERS/Mark Wessels)
- A man is reflected in a window outside the Apollo Theatre as the marquee displays a memoriam to the late Nelson Mandela in the Harlem area of New York December 6, 2013. South African anti-apartheid hero Mandela died aged 95 at his Johannesburg home on Thursday after a prolonged lung infection, plunging his nation and the world into mourning for a man hailed by global leaders as a moral giant. (REUTERS/Carlo Allegri)
- People walk with their luggage during heavy snowfalls next to Berlin’s central railway station, December 6, 2013. (REUTERS/Michaela Rehle)
- View of Chinese Corner installation by artist Li Li and the support of Canton city at the Tete d’Or parc during the rehearsal for the Festival of Lights in central Lyon late in the night December 5, 2013. The Festival of Lights, with designers from all over the world, is one of Lyon’s most famous Festivals to date and will run from December 6 to December 9, 2013. Picture taken December 5, 2013. (REUTERS/Robert Pratta)
- View of Le Prince des Lumieres installation by artist Damien Fontaine during the rehearsal for the Festival of Lights in central Lyon late in the night December 5, 2013. The Festival of Lights, with designers from all over the world, is one of Lyon’s most famous Festivals to date and will run from December 6 to December 9, 2013. Picture taken December 5, 2013. (REUTERS/Robert Pratta)
- View of Pierrot Le Feu installation by artist Jacques Couturier during the first night of the Festival of Lights in central Lyon December 6, 2013. The Festival of Lights, with designers from all over the world, is one of Lyon’s most famous Festivals to date and will run from December 6 to December 9, 2013. (REUTERS/Robert Pratta)
- People walk during snowfalls caused by hurricane-force Xaver at Old Town in Gdansk, northern Poland, December 6, 2013. The death toll from hurricane-force Storm Xaver sweeping across northern Europe rose to six on Friday when high winds hurled a tree branch against a car, killing three people, local emergency services said. (REUTERS/Renata Dabrowska/Agencja Gazeta)