Jimmy Carter lies in state in Washington ahead of funeral

Former US president Jimmy Carter's body has arrived in Washington where three days of official mourning will include lying in state at the Capitol building ahead of his funeral on Thursday.

With military service members standing at attention, Mr Carter's flag-draped coffin was carried from Air Force One to a hearse with the presidential seal.

The motorcade travelled to the US Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue, where his remains were transferred to a horse-drawn chest for a procession to the Capitol.

The state funeral for the 39th US president coincides with preparations for Republican President-elect Donald Trump to succeed Joe Biden, a Democrat.

Security in Washington is higher than usual. The Capitol, where Mr Carter will lie in state, is surrounded by kilometres of fencing ahead of Mr Trump's inauguration on 20 January.

Mr Carter, a Democrat who served one White House term from 1977 to 1981, died on 29 December at the age of 100.

The former Georgia peanut farmer struggled with a bad economy and the Iran hostage crisis while in office and was defeated in his re-election bid by Republican Ronald Reagan.

In the decades since, Mr Carter earned a reputation as a committed humanitarian and was widely seen as a better former president than he was a president. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Mr Carter lived longer than any other US president and had been in hospice care for nearly two years before his death.

His last public appearance was at his wife Rosalynn's funeral in November 2023, where he used a wheelchair and appeared frail.

In August, his grandson Jason Carter said that Mr Carter was looking forward to casting a ballot for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, who lost to Mr Trump.

President Biden ordered flags at government buildings to be flown at half-mast for 30 days as a sign of mourning.

The incoming leader said they should not be lowered during his inauguration.

At a news conference, Mr Trump reiterated his desire to take back control of the Panama Canal, which Mr Carter signed over to Panama during his presidency.

Members of Congress will pay their respects tonight at a service in the Capitol Rotunda before the general public has the opportunity to do so.

Mr Carter will lie in state with a military guard of honour for 24 hours before his body is taken by motorcade to Washington National Cathedral.

Both President Biden and Mr Trump are expected to attend the funeral on Thursday along with former leaders Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton.

Mr Biden is due to deliver the eulogy at the service.

Afterwards, Mr Carter's remains will be flown back home to Georgia where body will be interred in his hometown of Plains.