Leaders from around the world have been paying tribute to desmond tutu, one of the heroes of movement, whos died at the age of 90. President biden praised the courage and moral clarity of the former archbishop of cape town. The un Secretary General Antonio Guterres called him an inspiration to generations. Our africa correspondent Andrew Harding looks back at his life. Raise our hands and we say we will be free desmond tutu was an exuberant figure, an outspoken anglican priest who became one of the worlds great moral voices. It was during south africas long and violent struggle against white minority rule that he rose to prominence, condemning the apartheid government, comparing them to the nazis. The system of this country, apartheid, is immoral. The system of this country is evil. With Nelson Mandela hidden away in prison, tutu soon became the face of south africas struggle for freedom and forjustice. He leaves behind a legacy, one of the last of the generation of people who told us that apartheid was wrong and stood up for human rights everywhere. And he never stopped doing that. In 1994, tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and he used his Global Platform to criticise britain and america for being too soft on the apartheid government. Eventually mandela was released, but the advent of democracy presented tutu with new challenges in a country that he now dubbed the Rainbow Nation. Often in tears, tutu presided over south africas truth and Reconciliation Commission, seeking to expose and to heal the wounds of apartheid. He specialised in forgiveness, but with accountability. And that Pursuit Ofjustice continued, especially when south africas democratic politicians plunged into corruption. I am warning you that we will pray as we prayed for the downfall of the apartheid government, we will pray for the downfall of a government that misrepresents us. Inevitably, desmond tutu made enemies, but his genius was for Winning People over, one could say for provoking love. He certainly wants that when he dies the epitaph will be very clear that desmond tutu loved, he laughed, he cried, and that is what he was, he was always a man of tremendous joy. The one thing that helps Desmond Tutu Stand Out and occupy this unique place in South African History is that he was there at every step of the way through this countrys tortuous journey from apartheid to democracy and beyond, with that clear, moral, often angry, sometimes laughing voice, a man defined above all by his sense of hope. Flags will fly at half mast across south africa with a week of tributes being organised to remember Archbishop Tutu or � arch� as he liked to be known. His funeral will take place on january 1. Many south africans have been gathering outside his homes in cape town and soweto to lay wreaths and light candles. Our correspondent nomsa maseko reports from soweto. Paying their last respects, people from all walks of life dropped off flowers here at desmond tutus soweto home, demonstrating what the 90 year old stood for. He was the voice of reason, the face of reconciliation and south africas moral compass. This is a dark day to us south africans because he is the light and the icon of this country. He used to be a father to us, his wife used to be a mother to us. It was desmond tutu, known affectionately as the arch, who coined the phrase Rainbow Nation to describe south africas ethnic diversity. More than any other, you know sometimes when you have some problems, you just go to him and he willjust give you a prayer and you go to the chapel and hear him pray for us every day when we have problems. Several Memorial Services are expected to be held in honour of desmond tutu over the next few days. For people here in soweto, they remember the arch as a unifying figure who played a prominent role in south africa becoming a democracy. Flowers were laid in cape town too where he died at his home surrounded by family and friends. A seven day send off is being planned, including a lying in state and a mass to be held by the anglican church. Nomsa maseko, bbc news, soweto. Charlayne hunter gault is an american journalist and author who got to know Archbishop Tutu and interviewed him many times. She spoke of her memories of those moments. He was such a warm person. In fact there was even a time when i was moderating a programme by an organisation that worked to help south africans get in control of their finances and so forth, shared interest it was called. He was being honoured and i was moderating and at some point he just jumped up and walked onstage and started singing happy birthday to me. That is the kind of guy he was. Even though there had been times when i interviewed him and i asked him tough questions. Some younger people do not appreciate the way that the truth and Reconciliation Commission is working or honouring them. But he was just someone who could relate to everybody, no matter what their political positions or what their professional positions were. He was just somebody who had a capacity to feel compassion for everybody and people who had mistreated his own people. I want to come back to the truth and Reconciliation Commission injust a moment but you pre empted me because i think we have a bit of his rendition for your birthday greetings. I want to show the viewers that first. Lets just play that. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear charlayne happy birthday to you he did not do things by halves, did he . He enjoyed it as much as you still enjoy it now. Let me bring you onto that, to the point that interests me about the truth and Reconciliation Commission. Because for all of the things and the extraordinary work he did in terms of anti apartheid efforts, that commission seemed to be a message to a world who were wondering if this could possibly work and he had to hold that on his shoulders. That must have been quite a burden. It was, no doubt a burden but you never knew that when you watched him in action. Because his philosophy while he was very antagonistic. I wouldnt say antagonistic but he wanted the change in the society to reflect all of its people in equal proportion. He nevertheless wanted to bring those who had opposed that idea into, into the country and into his idea of how south africa should be. And so even though he had to deal with people who had been extremely difficult and horrible, actually, to so many of his own people, that was a part of his, i dont know, a part of his philosophy that you can forgive people if they show a need to be forgiven and that was what the point of the truth and Reconciliation Commission was about. On that level it would be fair to say that the man over your shoulder they are, Nelson Mandela, and desmond tutu very much fell in line on that message. But they had to accommodate each other as well as a bit, didnt they . That was the thing about his ability to communicate with all people including those who believed in what he believed in, socialjustice and equality for everyone. But he never hesitated to tell anybody, including Nelson Mandela if he did not think that the positions they were taking were right and i think that what cause people like Nelson Mandela, one of the greats of our time, to listen to him was that they appreciated that he, that he understood people, our people, and that it was important to bring in even people who had been, who had opposed equality for all. And so even when he had to speak to Nelson Mandela in an honest way to say, well, i do not quite agree with you, the position that he had taken over the years had enabled him to take that kind of role and be respected for it. He was known for speaking truth to power, wasnt he . Let me just ask you this a last thought, he is one of the great iconic figures of the time. His passing does mark the end of an era, i think, for many people in terms of south africa and the extraordinaryjourney that the country has been on. Do you look to the future with a sense of foreboding, perhaps, that people like Archbishop Tutu are no longer here . No. Because i have been through periods in my own life when we have had to challenge things that were not appropriate to equality for all people and yet we overcame and so i think that the message that we should take away from Archbishop Tutus life is that you have to do, in the words of Nelson Mandela and also in the words of various civil rights leaders like Martin Luther king, you have to keep on keeping on and i think that is the legacy of someone like Archbishop Tutu who has confronted the worst things in his life and in the life of his people and people all over the world. You have to keep on keeping on and believing in humanity in all of its aspects. Lets get some of the days other news. A fire has caused widespread damage at a Major Shopping Centre in the nigerian capital abuja. A huge column of black smoke rose over next cash and carry. An eyewitness told reporters that firefighters arrived two hours after the blaze broke out. The cause of the fire is unknown. There are no reports of any casualties. Two dams have collapsed in North Eastern brazil, bringing further severe flooding to the state of bahia after weeks of heavy rain. Residents were evacuated near the Igua Dam In Southern Bahia on Saturday Night as swollen rivers forced the structure to give way. On sunday, rising waters overwhelmed another dam further north. People in more than 100 cities in the philippines are without power following typhoon rai, which ripped through the country 10 days ago. Disaster officials warn it may take till february to restore all electricity supplies. Tens of thousands of homes were damaged and theres still a lack of food and clean water. 378 people are now known to have been killed by the typhoon. Israels government has approved a 300 million plan to consolidate its control of the Golan Heights. This area is regarded by most of the world as occupied territory. It was captured from syria during the six day war more than half a century ago and later annexed. The israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told a special Cabinet Meeting held in the golan that the aim was to double Thejewish Population there to nearly 50,000 within the next few years. Translation first, it must be said, the Golan Heights are israels. There is no doubt about it. Israeli law has been applied here since 1981. Its beyond all debate. Trump Administration First recognised this, and now, Biden Administration has made it clear that there is no change in this policy. Stay with us on bbc news. Still to come Christmas In Colombia how the Salsa Dancers have been able to return to the streets once more. The most ambitious financial and political change ever attempted has got under way with the introduction of the euro. Tomorrow in holland, were going to use money we picked up in belgium today. And then well be in france and again, it will be the same money. Its just got to be the way to go. George harrison, the former beatle, is recovering in hospital after being stabbed at his oxfordshire home. A 33 year old man from liverpool is being interviewed by police on suspicion of attempted murder. I think it was good. Reporter just good . No fantastic thats better big ben bongs this is bbc news. The latest headlines the tributes are flowing for Archbishop Desmond tutu, who has died at the age of 90. The Nobel Laureate was a veteran of south africas struggle against apartheid. The Israeli Government has approved a plan to double the number of settlers in the Golan Heights, regarded by much of the world as occupied territory. The bodies of 16 iraqi kurds who drowned when their Inflatable Boat sank last month in the channel while trying to reach england have been returned to iraq and buried in irbil. At least 30 died in the incident. According to the un, Migrant Deaths have continued to rise in 2021, reaching 4,470, but the organisation warned the final toll is likely to be much higher. The bbc� s Azadeh Moshiri reports. Wailing and screaming. A community in mourning, clutching a coffin carrying one of their own. The bodies of 16 iraqi kurds who drowned in the channel were finally returned to iraq nearly a month after their boat sank, killing them and at least 14 others. Translation we iraqis and kurds have nobody l here who is at peace. Everyone on iraq soil is not at all at ease with their lives. The kurdish government and Iraqi Government should stop this exodus and youth should not be pushed to risk their lives like this. Translation yes, this was a family of four. The mother and her three children wanted to migrate and have a better life. It is a tragedy that they met their end at sea. The un says this was the largest single loss of life in the channel since the agency started recording Migrant Deaths eight years ago. But tragedies like these have not stopped more migrants from fleeing hardship. At least 30 migrants have died from Boat Accidents in greece this last week as they risked their lives travelling on overcrowded and unreliable boats. And on saturday, the bodies of 28 migrants washed up on libyas western coast, their lives taken on one of the most dangerous routes for migrants from libya to italy. Overall, at least 4,470 migrants died this year because of these dangerous journeys more than the 4,236 lives lost in 2020. Thats why the International Organization for migration is calling for urgent action from states, asking for increasing Search And Rescue efforts, establishing predictable disembarkation mechanisms, and ensuring access to safe and legal migration pathways. The un agency is warning that until these steps are taken, more lives will be lost. Azadeh moshiri, bbc news. A Covid Vaccine mandate for workers in New York City comes into force on monday. The measure, which is the first in the us, applies to about 184,000 businesses. 140,000. Public sector employers already have to be inoculated but the citys mayor earlier this month extended the mandate to include all private sector employees. Children aged 5 11 are also required to show proof of vaccination to access certain places. Dr Danielle Ompad is the Associate Professor of epidemiology at the new york universitys school of Global Public health. She says its a necessary step. Thats despite some backlash. I think it is being accepted in some circles. We actually have pretty high Vaccination Rates in the city but there is definitely pushback and, you know, as an epidemiologist who has watched this pandemic from the beginning, i am happy to see Vaccine Mandates for people in congregant settings, restaurants and gatherings because im really worried about the pandemic continuing. Right, do you think it should be more targeted, then, in terms of the mandate . Because, you know, as you point out there are those who will provide pushback, as you put it. Were hitting the deadline now and i suppose we just have to wait to see how many people are prepared to go through with this. Yeah, you know, iactually think at least two doses is a good idea and we know that immunity begins to wane after six months after the second dose, so i actually anticipate that boosters may be mandated as well. But. Crosstalk. Sorry, you anticipate it would you you support it as well, presumably . Yeah because i again, i dont want the hospitals full and i dont want my neighbours to die from covid, which is. Crosstalk. Im sorry to keep interrupting you no, thats ok is that the message youre getting, though, at the moment in terms of hospitalisation . Were not seeing as many in new york as were seeing in some other places but there is concern about that, obviously. Now, my personal circle is filled with people who are focused on public health, so our internal conversations are a little bit different from the general population, but even among some of my friends and family, they are pretty pleased to see the encouragement to get vaccinated because they want to get on with their lives. What do you think i mean, this is a question you must� ve been asked a thousand times what do you think you can say to those who really do resist the idea of being vaccinated and certainly would resist a mandate to say sorry, youve got to do it. What do you say to them . You know, i understand that people dont like being told what to do generally, i dont like being told what to do, either but if we dont Work Together on this pandemic and that, right now, means masking and vaccination then this is going to keep happening and, quite frankly, i dont im not prepared to lose anybody else. Neighbours, friends, family, fellow citizens of the world. Its time for us to pull together and bring this to an end and we can only do that together. You talk about working together youre just about to jump from one new york mayor to another. Yes. Do you have confidence there is a sort of uniformity of approach now . I really hope so. Im very hopeful that our new mayor will continue with policies that are really aimed to get the pandemic under control in new york and elsewhere. Dr Danielle Ompad. The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on social and cultural events over the last two years. Music festivals were cancelled, Film Premieres were postponed. For some, things are getting back to normal or near to normal. Thats certainly true in colombia, where a very important event has resumed. The bbc� s tim allman explains. In the south western city of cali, this is how they do christmas a spectacle of colour and dance. They call this the salsodromo, the opening of the feria de cali, or cali fair. For more than 60 years, they have come here to dance and dance, and dance some more. Salsa music plays. A celebration of the regions cultural identity, said to promote ethnic and musical diversity. Everyone gets involved, no matter what their age. Cheering. But last year, the cali fair was cancelled, the covid pandemic bringing the music to a halt, so this year, theyre making up for lost time. The attention to detail is obvious, the excitement of the crowds even more so. These celebrations will continue throughout the week and the dancing will not stop. For the people of cali now, more than ever, the show really must go on. Tim allman, bbc news. Unusually rough waves and high winds in the waters off south Eastern Australia have forced a quarter of the Sailing Boats competing in the annual Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race to withdraw. Of the 88 vessels that set out on sunday morning, just 64 are left to battle out the final 800 or so kilometres to tasmania. The event was cancelled last year for the First Time Since it began in 1945 because of the pandemic. They probably would not mind it if it stayed like that to add, more about that on our website. You can reach me on twitter. Im bbcdavideades. And that is bbc news. Hello there. A few of us got to see a White Christmas but, for many more, it was too mild for snow. We had a lot of mist and murk and we had some outbreaks of rain. This stripe of cloud on the Satellite Picture brought rain and some hill snow in the north during boxing day. Theres more cloud and Rain Waiting In The Wings down to the south west. But the big story, i think, for this week will be this surge of very, very mild air wafting up from the south, affecting all parts of the uk as we move towards the end of 2021. It will be turning increasingly mild this week, but with some wind and rain at times. Now, many of us will start off monday with some cloud, some mist and fog, some quite murky conditions again. Rain into the South West Of England which will push northwards towards parts of wales, the midlands and east anglia through the day, tending to weaken as it goes. Elsewhere, some of the mist and fog and cloud will tend to lift and break and we will see some spells of sunshine in the far north of england, Northern Ireland and scotland, albeit with some showers in the far north. Temperatures ranging from 6 degrees in aberdeen to 12 in plymouth through the afternoon. And then through monday night, a bit more rain potentially down towards the south. Another lump of wet weather starting to push into Northern Ireland, parts of northern england, southern scotland. The winds will start to pick up down towards the south and the west as well. Very mild in the south. A little bit chilly up towards the north. And then, as we go through tuesday, this area of wet weather will spread out of Northern Ireland into southern scotland, northern england, parts of wales, perhaps into the midlands as well. We will see some sunny spells to the far north and to the far south but it will be really quite windy across parts of england and wales. Some of these western coasts could see gusts of 40 to maybe 50 mph. Quite mild in the south 12 degrees. Further north, a little bit cooler but those temperatures still quite respectable for the time of year. However, there is even milder weather on the way. As we move out of tuesday into wednesday, we see this next frontal system pushing in from the south west, a band of rain thatll drive its way north eastwards, some snow for a time over high ground in scotland, but this will mostly be rain because that mild air will be working its way in. Temperatures down towards the south on wednesday afternoon up to 16, maybe 17 degrees. Still a little bit chilly for some Northern Areas but as we move towards the end of the week and the end of the year, that mild weather spreads to all parts. There will still be some rain at times. This is bbc news. The headlines leaders from around the world have been paying tribute to desmond tutu one of the heroes of the Anti Apartheid Movement whos died at the age of 90. President biden praised his courage and the un Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, called him an inspiration to generations. Israels government has approved a 300 million plan to consolidate its control of the Golan Heights. This area is regarded by most of the world as occupied territory. The israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, told a special Cabinet Meeting that the aim was to double Thejewish Population there within the next few years. A Covid Vaccine mandate for all private companies comes into force in New York City. Its the first of its kind in the United States and applies to about 184,000 businesses. Children as young as five are also required to show proof of vaccination to access certain venues