Russia bids farewell to Yeltsin

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The state funeral is taking place in Moscow of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin who died on Monday. The ceremony is being held at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, which was rebuilt under Mr Yeltsin after being demolished during Soviet rule. Among those paying respects at his coffin were President Vladimir Putin and former president Mikhail Gorbachev. Two former US presidents - Bill Clinton and George Bus h Snr - were also attending the ceremony. Mr Yeltsin, who died from heart failure on Monday at the age of 76, was Russia's first elected president, leading it to independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union. During his time in office, he presided over huge changes and his legacy remains controversial for some. Wednesday has been declared a day of national mourning. Foreign dignitaries, including former UK Prime Minister Sir John Major and the Duke of York, paid their respects to Mr Yeltsin's widow Naina and his two daughters ahead of the religious ceremony. Two dozen white-robed priests went on to lead a grand service showing the full splendour of the Russian Orthodox church. Ahead of the funeral, Mr Yeltsin's body was laid out in the city's main cathedral, an imposing building of marble and gold domes. Four members of the Kremlin Guard kept watch over the coffin.