Fellow South Africans, Nelson Mandela brought us together, and it’s together that we will bid him, farewell.

 

Mandela spent nearly 30 years in prison for his fight against white minority rule. In 1993, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along the man who freed him from prison, announcing Mandela’s death today, Zuma noted we have lost our greatest son. 

 

The death of Mandela was also marked by President Obama today at the White House, as NPR’s Ari Schapiro reports Mandela’s passing has particular meaning for the president. 

 

Obama considered Mandela a personal hero, each was the first black president of the nation with a history of racial tension. Obama’s first political experience was as a college student working against apartheid. In the White House briefing room, Obama talked about the impact of the South African leader on the world.

 

Through his fierce dignity and unbending will to sacrifice his own freedom for the freedom of others, Madiba transformed South Africa and moved all of us.

 

Obama had hoped to visit Mandela this past summer. But the South African leader was sick in the hospital. Instead, Obama and the first lady met with the family and visited Mandela’s prison cell at Robben Island. Ari Schapiro, NPR News, Washington.

 

The government says the growth rate of the U.S. economy jumped to 3.6% annual rate in the third quarter much larger than the government’s first estimate of 2.8%. As NPR’s John Ydstie explains there is skepticism that faster pace can be sustained. 

 

Most of the speedup in growth in the third quarter came from a buildup of business inventories. Meanwhile, consumer spending the major fuel for the economy was the weakest in four years. That suggests growth in the current quarter could be slower as businesses sell what they have on hand rather than ordering more goods. Many economists suggested the report shows little new momentum and that growth remain stuck in the 2% range. The government shutdown in October could pull growth even lower for the current quarter. However, recent data on manufacturing and employment do not yet show a slowdown. John Ydstie, NPR News, Washington.

 

As Wall Street waits on the crucial November jobs figures due out tomorrow, some weekly numbers show fewer people filing for benefits. Labor Department says initial jobless claims last week fell by 23,000 to 298,000, that’s a nearly six-year low. 

 

On Wall Street today, the Dow dropped 68 points to end the session at 15,821; the NASDAQ was down four points; Standard & Poor’s 500 lost seven points today.

 

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The prime minister of Central African Republic is welcoming military intervention by the French, hours after deadly assaults around the Capital Bangui, apparently escalated. French President Francois Hollande agreeing to double the number of troops in the former French colony. Witnesses and aid workers describe the situation there has been near-anarchy. Officials say armed Christian fighters who have opposed a Muslim-led government, attacked the capital before dawn. Upwards of 100 people are reported dead with an unknown number of injuries. 

 

Winter weather bearing down on the southern central U.S. has already forced American Airlines to cancel about 500 flights in and out of Dallas Fort Worth Airport. Bill Zeeble with member station KERA in Dallas reports many airlines are leaving customers change flights without penalties. 

 

American Airlines and American Eagle combined canceled close to 500 flights in and out of headquarters hub DFW Airport through Friday morning. The carrier has implemented its storm policy that lets customers change plans when using selected airports in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Other airlines are also letting customers change plans through December 7th when using airports in the affected regions. The carriers include South West, JetBlue, United, US Airways and Virgin America. It’s not yet known how Americans cancelations will ripple through the rest of its network, North Texas is under a winter storm warning through Friday morning. For NPR News, I’m Bill Zeeble, in Dallas.

 

In Washington State, officials say gay marriage is made up about 17% of all marriages there last year. State officials say more than 7,000 same-sex couples were married between December 6th of last year and September of this year. Meanwhile, the nation’s largest freight railroad in that state will provide health care same-sex couples. Two BNSF engineers in Washington state sued the rail company. 

 

I’m Jack Speer, NPR News, in Washington.