and while i will always fall short of his example, he makes me want to be a better man. ♪ >> remembering mandela, tens of thousands gather in johannesberg to celebrate the man who inspired people around the world. ♪ this is al jazeera live from our headquarters in doha. also ahead, a set back for stability in the central african republic.

the french army suffers its first losses. ukraine's president says he is willing to release some of the anti-government activists arrested but makes no political concessions, plus the international space station celebrates 50 years in orbit and counting. ♪ hello, tens of thousands of people brave the rain to attend the memorial service for nelson mandela at a stadium on the outskirts of town. heads of state past and present and other dignitaries from around the globe. mike hannah reports. >> reporter: in the highest stands of the stadium, shelters from the rain, a visible display of mandela's legacy. south africans of all colors and ages celebrating the life of the man who helped bring them

together. these are mandela's people. and far below the arrival of the powerful, a warm welcome for the un secretary general, and a not so warm response for south african president. [ booing ] >> the boos, an indication of widespread belief that he suffers by comparison with the man he is here to remember. gathers here too family members, including mandela's past and present wives. >> i'm sad of course. we're all sad, but it had to come, and it's wonderful how the nation is coming together. i think that would have made him very happy to see our everybody are taking hands, and

celebrating his life. >> reporter: there was th then -- thunderous apply for the u.s. president. >> there are too many people who hah happily embrace his eye eelism but resist modest reforms. there are too many leaders who claim sol dare with his struggle with freedom but do not tolerate decent from their own people. >> reporter: eddying around the applause, memories of another man at another gathering. memories of the day 23 years ago when mandela walked out of prison and paid homage to the masses. >> i have spoken about freedom

in my lifetime. your struggles, your commitment, and your discipline has released me to stand before you today. >> reporter: on this day the people pay homage to their leader, and return to their home singing and celebrating the life that touched so many. but underlying the joy, the deep sad knowledge, that a man, a husband, father, grandfather and friend is dead. mike hannah, al jazeera, johannesbu johannesburg. >> jonah hal is joining us live outside of mandela's home. a very memorable day for family and south africans that you have

spoken too >> yes, indeed. i didn't get into the stadium there. i was out and about trying to spend time with people who were observing or watching the memorial in different ways. i spent the day with a family, three generations of a family in fact, a grandmother, a father and a young boy, a son, watching what was going on on their television set. and it was very moving to watch their responses to what was going on. not only the obvious sort of emotion to the moment, which they all responded to, they all nodded and reacted and acknowledged the things that were being said about mandela, but also being very aware, and taking very much into account the sheer number and scale of world leaders who were there appearing on their television

screen. they were astonished by that. and they said afterwards here was a moment that they realized that mandela didn't just belong to him, but to the world as a whole. it was a wonderful moment when the mother caw bill clinton come up on screen, and said oh, there is bill clinton. and she turned to her son and said i hope you are watching this, because this is history that you are going to be reading about one day. >> jonah as a reporter you are going out and getting people's stories, but you yourself are south african. what did it feel like for you, being there experiencing all of what is going on? >> i think it's very moving for everybody. you know, being a south african is one thing, and there are lots of members of the foreign media who are equally moved, because

it is always a beautiful thing to see african people in particular singing and celebrating as they are here. we have been seeing it every day. it is profoundly moving. i can think of a number of moments in time in my life in south africa which were marked by nelson mandela. from the election in '94 to his inauguration to the rugby world cup, and then the football world cup, all of the things that he touched profoundly. and this feels like another one of those moments. of course it marks the end of his involvement in the life of this country directly, but the question is how much and for how long will the ideals and values be kept alive by the current

government? we saw signs of real unease in the stadium today with the booing of the president. and i have heard a lot of similar sentiment out on the streets today. and i think a lot of people are worried about what might come next, and whether the anc canment come back to its base, and come back to the values that he fought for. >> okay, jonah thanks very much for that. while we did speak to people about mandela and what he meant to them after the memorial. >> what i have taken from it is that life is very short, but very long as well, and we need to stay focused, and we need to instill all of these values that he has left with us, and really, it's about the legacy just as everybody says. >> coming from all of the heads of state, all of them took time in their busy schedules to come and pay their respect.

it means to me that he was man of people, and man of the world. >> mandela means very much a brave and powerful man, and he is a here you of south africa. >> let's look at the schedule of events to say fairwell to mandela. the public will be able to pay their respects to him where he will lie in state for three days. his body will later be transported to his hometown where his funeral burial will take place. the french president is headed to the central african republic where french soldiers were killed in a battle. hundreds of people were killed there last week. the country was plunged into chaos in march when selica rebels seized power in a coup.

>> reporter: here on the streets things are extremely tense. we have seen no french patrols. we have seen a few african union forces, mainly from chat. there are some civilians out on the treat -- street as well. two french forces were killed here monday night. the french were supposed to be disarming selica forces as well as other armed fighters, but what we have seen are various pickups full of armed selica men driving past. now we understand that there is also a mosque which is still burning right now in the area called fue. muslim people have been targeted by christians in the past few days. muslims are saying they have

absolutely no protection. the general feeling on the streets among christians is they welcome the french presence, but we have seen absolutely no french sources here. we're also expecting the president of france to arrive here at some point. he isment doing from south africa where he has been at a memorial for nelson mandela. he is expected to meet with the president. let's get some news from europe now. ukraine's president says he is willing to release some of the activists arrested during recent protests, but is sticking to his decision to improve relations with russia. tim friends reports from kiev. >> reporter: this was an appeal to the nation from an embattled president, surrounded by three predecessors, he insisted that ukraine's european integration project was on track, but thousands of protesters

occupying central kiev don't believe him, and accuse him of following moscow's orders. just a few hours earlier, police moved in to break up lines of protesters and their barricades as the deadline expired for them to leave. several people including police were injured, but the main protest in independence square goes on. finding agreement in compromise in the face of this sometimes violent confrontation will be extremely difficult, particularly as both sides still believe they can win, and each have their international backers. progress was no helped with the release of this video, which the largest opposition group, the fatherland party says shows police breaking into their headquarters. they took away ament computer server. the protesters are now facing

temperatures as low as minus 15. they are not hopeful about talks. >> translator: i don't expect anything good from him to tell the truth. i don't expect a positive outcome. >> translator: if he has something to tell us, he should come on stage and speak to us. >> translator: i don't think they will be able to agree on anything. there will be no positive outcome. that said, we hope for positive changes. >> reporter: both sides appear to be ready for a long fight, and the risk of further violence remains. tim friend, al jazeera, kiev. much more to come on al jazeera, including the latest in thailand, and more on nelson mandela. ♪ we'll have all of the greatest moments as the whole world gathered to pay tribute to the anti-apartheid icon.

i'm on the trail of an rush on myanmar where mere $300 can make anyone an oil prospector. new york, here are the headlines this hour. >> al jazeera america is the only news channel that brings you live news at the top of every hour. >> a deal in the senate may be at hand and just in the nick of time. >> thousands of new yorkers are marching in solidarity. >> we're following multiple developments on syria at this hour. >> every hour from reporters stationed around the world and across the country. >> only on al jazeera america.

♪ the top stories on al jazeera. tens of thousands of people have braved the rain in south africa to pay tribute to nelson mandela. more than 90 heads of state made the trip to johannesberg to remember the leader. two french troops have been

killed in the central african republic. ukraines president says he is willing to release some of the protesters arrested. thousands are still camped out in central kiev. thailand's prime minister has issued an a emotional appeal to clear the streets and accept new elections. but as harry faucet reports, she has refused the demands to step down. >> reporter: a day after announcing the dissolution of the lower house of parliament, thailand's prime minister offered a discussion. she said she could yield no more. >> translator: i have listened to the protesters demands and all they have said about my family. i think we are all thai people.

i have backed off to the point that i don't know how to go back any further. please give me justice. >> reporter: around our office the number of protesters were down sharply. but the hard core were answering their leader's call to stay on. today is constitution day in thailand, a national holiday. they want to see the king put in place an unelected people's council to clean up politics and put an end to the alleged vote buying. >> for many analysts that's stretching the constitution past the breaking point. >> the theory proposed by those that say if the cabinet resigns, it gives certain ways and wiggle

rooms for the king to provide a national government is just nonsensical? my opinion. >> reporter: the die hard protesters though, determined to rid the thai government of the influence of the former prime minister. >> translator: i believe the people's council will give power to the people not the capitalists. it will benefit red and yellow alike and free us from corruption. >> reporter: today this man and thousands of others are waiting for instructions on their next move. the bangladesh government says the man convicted of war crimes will be hanged in about four hour's time. he will be the first person to be executed after his roll in the 1971 war

now most people think of oil drilling as a capital intensive job, but in myanmar the prospect of oil is bringing thousands from the countrysides. >> reporter: it's 19th century technology, combined with 21st century, entrepreneurship. this man is a farmer turned oil prospector. >> translator: when i first heard about it, i drempt of striking a big pot of gold. >> reporter: on a good day he makes $45, a small fortune in this country, by it comes at a

risk. >> translator: yes, there are some dangers like mechanical problems and fire, and no, there are no rules and regulations. >> reporter: whatever oil he extracts is sold to small-time buyers who take $2 a budget. business is brisk in the mid-afternoon, and the middlemen are looking to cut a deal. oil was first discovered here in the 19th century. during the military regime's rule, land was confiscated. when the government took over several years ago, the state returned the land to farmers. there are lots of small thriving villages drawn by the prospect of quick money. it is also restaurant owners and shopkeepers who give this place

a entrepreneurial air. but not everyone who comes here ends up making a fortune. this man has sunk his savings into this all plot and the most basic equipment. it is an endless grind for him and his wife. many have exploited this land before them, and no one can predict how much oil is left. but he has no complaints. >> translator: yes, the job is tough, but at the same time you make easy money. >> reporter: he thinks he can recoup his investment within a month provided the oil doesn't run out, it's a gamble he is willing to take just like many others. eleven people have been killed in a suicide attack in northern iraq northeast of the capitol bagdad. police said 20 people were wounded. it's not known who was behind

the attack. to syria where opposition fighters have taken control of two towns. it follows a series of setbacks for the rebels in recent weeks. on monday government forces reclaimed a strategic border town. some news from the americas now. politicians in uruguay are preparing to vote on a new law that would legalize marijuana. the bill would allow people over 18 years old to use, grow, and sell the drug. the law is expected to pass in the senate and then go to the president for final approval. canada has signaled intentions to claim the north poll as part of its own territory. a recent survey says the area continues 30% of the world's undiscovered natural gas and 15% of oil. canada has also filed an application seeking to expand

its sea boundary. >> today we mark an important stone to define the upper elements of canada's shelf. our government has devoted and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that canada achieves international recognition of the full shelf. we have an important obligation to claim the full shelf as part of our great country. from the arctic to space and another milestone it is within of the most expensive things ever built, but 15 years after the international stays station's modules were connected has that investment paid off? >> reporter: bigger than a football pitch, the international space station orbitz above the earth. two and a half years after

completed, it is now focused on research. but it comes at a price, in this case $150 billion for construction, and another $2 billion a year to keep it running. >> it has helped with developing drugs for example that can -- chemical and biological reactions that take place in the absence of gravity, and we can examine the way these reactions take place on cures for cancer, who knows. these spinoffs are completely unpredictable. >> reporter: the stations thatment combined effort from several space agencies, and has been visited by astronauts from 15 different countries, but how does it cost compare to other scientific projects? the large collider in southern france cost $10 billion to build. this year it discovers a part

call that was a significant find in the area of physics. and then there the mars rover, the mission cost $2.5 billion. research on space station has included looking at the prolonged effects of space on humans. important if there is to be further manned exploration of the solar system. >> you haven't seen a nobel prize discovery coming off of the back of this at least not yet. but you have seen the orbit that is important to all sorts of science. >> vegetables are important for your health, so today i have chosen dried spinach. >> reporter: but it is not all serious science on board, this canadian ott row naught introduced millions to life on the space station this year.

his songs written and recorded in space and his prolific photography are hugely popular online. the station is expected to be operational for the next 15 years, in that time, let's hope the technologies and findings developed will justify the cost. the founder of a french firm that sold breast implants has been sentenced for fraud. he has also been fined $103,000. the company sold faulty products, around 300,000 women worldwide. causing a health care in 2011. four former managers have also been convicted. 18 current and former policemen in los angeles have been charged for corruption and misconduct, the fbi has been investigating acquisitions that

the officers abuse prisoners. a vehicle was on its way to a waste storage facility when it was stolen in in december. it caused the atomic watchdog to issue an alert >> now back to nelson mandela's memorial service. here are some of the highlights we want to show you. ♪ nelson mandela ♪ nelson mandela ♪ nelson mandela >> what a magnificent soul it was. we will miss him deeply. my god bless the memory of nelson mandela. may god bless the people of south africa. [ cheers ] [ singing ]

>> men, women, and children must live side by side dreaming the same dream, realizing at crucible of time in our land, we salute you. ♪ come on ♪ come on >> it's the duty of all of us to love him, to keep his memory alive in our hearts, and to embody his example in our lives. ♪ can i get a witness up in here ♪ ♪ no matter ♪ no matter what

>> we have much more on nelson mandela on our website at aljazeera.com. you can even send us your own pictures remembering mandela on twitter as well as instagram, using hashtag ajmandela. all of that and more on aljazeera.com. argentin agriculture. looming deadlines and more on "inside story."