People line streets of Vietnam's capital to mourn president

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Thousands of people are lining the streets of Hanoi to pay their last respects to Vietnam's late President Tran Dai Quang.

Many were using smart phones to catch glimpses of his flag-draped coffin as it passed by on a truck-drawn artillery carriage.

Quang died last week at age 61 with what a government doctor said was a rare viral illness.

In a eulogy, Communist Party Chief Nguyen Phu Trong said Quang's passing was a great loss to the country and praised his contributions to the nation as the former minister of public security and as the president.

He was to be buried in his home village in northern Ninh Binh province later Thursday.