including nelson mandela. they aired this report in 1988 as rumors flew that he would be soon released. >> reporter: it was the maschar in 1960 that led leaders away from their policy of non- violence resistance. 69 people were shot dead. at the time nelson mandela was tried with 150 others for treason. he was acquitted in 1961 and went into hiding where he gave a rare interview laying down a new plan. >> there are many people who feel it is useless for us to continue talking peace and non- violence against the government. i think the time has come for us to consider in the light of our experiences whether the methods which we have applied are adequate. >> reporter: in 1968 nelson mandela married. now his voice outside prison. by then he was arrested, tried and sent to prison. she wantsshe -- he waits for his released. she is not allowed to be alone with him. >> by 1985 there was a movement world wide to withdrawal vestments in companies doing business in south africa. among them was university of california a

privately with family members of the former president, nelson mandela. mandela, as we all know is in the hospital, in critical condition. and abc's ron claiborne is in pretoria right now. ron, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning to you, dan. as you know, the president, president obama, had hoped, had wanted to meet with nelson mandela at the hospital with me. that's not going to happen. the white house releasing a statement, and i quote, out of deference to nelson mandela's peace and comfort, and the family's wishes, they will not be visiting the hospital. there was a press conference a short while ago. and the president obama spoke about nelson mandela. >> the outpouring of love that we've seen in recent days shows that the triumph of nelson mandela and this nation speaks to something very deep in the human spirit. >> reporter: instead of meeting with nelson mandela, the president will have a private meeting with a number of family

mandela. >> nelson mandela and this nation speaks to something very deep in the human spirit. the yearning for justice and dignity that transcends boundaries of race and class and faith and country. >> mandela remains in critical but stable condition and on life support. >> mr. obama bowing to family wishes did not visit mandela in pretoria, but met briefly with some family members at the mandela center in johannesburg. >> the white house released this photo of the first couple telephoning mandela's third wife, grasa as mandela's bedside. >> at a town hall in so wet toe the president leveraged mandela's historic statutory picture to encourage democracy and the rule of law throughout africa .. but a questioner brought up a sore point, the president's decision not to visit kenya, the home of his father, even though he promised just that in 2010. >> will you keep your word on that? >> mr. obama pleaded for more time. >> i have got three after years, so if -- in three years and seven months i am not in kenya, then you can fault me for not following through on my promise. >> inside

talk to nelson mandela's wife. he says he saw nelson mandela briefly in his hospital bed. he describes him as sleeping. he was asked for more detail about nelson mandela's medical condition and he said i'm not a doctor and so i can't tell you based on what i have seen and also referred to patient confidentiality and the hope for the family that nelson mandela's privacy will be respected. but he does say that the doctors are doing everything possible and that nelson mandela is in good hands. we have as well heard from nelson mandela's daughter who says that every day the family's taking one day at a time and praying to the good lord. i just want to read you a bit more of her quote. she says all i pray for as a daughter is that the transition is smooth. he is at peace with himself. he has given so much to the world. >> what has the mood been like there in south africa? >> reporter: well, people are watching and waiting. it goes without saying how much nelson mandela is loved here and around the world so people have s

center in johannesburg and met privately with nelson mandela's children and grandchildren. his wife was not there for the meeting. the president and first lady instead called her at the hospital. in a written statement the president shared the thoughts he communicated to the entire family. i expressed my hope that madiba draws peace and comfort from the time is he spending with loved ones. the president has been well received by officials, but a few protesters gathered at the site of a town hall meeting. even at that for rum with african leaders, the subject turned back to nelson mandela's legacy. >> one of the greatest legacies of nelson mandela, that a country can prosper, despite a tragic history. >> reporter: the president spends one more day in south africa, where he will be meeting with nobel laureate desmond tutu and then will go to robins island, where nelson mandela was imprisoned. >> nbc's chuck todd for us in johannesburg. >>> president obama also expressed concern about the growing violence in egypt. more supporters of the muslim brother hood are locked in deadl

>> concerns grow for nelson mandela as jacob zuma cancels a trip abroad. you're watching al jazeera live from doha. at there thrilled prospects. we truly stand at a tipping point. >> gay couples benefit from a supreme court ruling. herting kicks off between testers and police before a big match against uruguay. >> kevin rudd returns as australia's prime minister. south african president jacob zuma has canceled a trip abroad as it appears nelson mandela's health is deteriorating. he is in hospital in pretoria. >> to president jacob zuma came to the hospital and visited nelson mandela and after that he gave a brief statement in which he described nelson mandela's condition is still critical. he said there was to be a state -- a summit in mozambique but that has been canceled. jacob zuma will not be going because he simply feels it is not the right time to leave south africa particularly with nelson mandela in such a critical condition. we do not know this officially from the president's office but we do understand from a number of credible sources that nelso

nelson mandela is turning 95 in july. many people understand because of his age, he will be in and out of hospitals more often. many people are hoping for the best. >> he is a world icon, he is an african icon. he is loved by everyone. i am sure everybody is wishing him well. >> very important. we liberated and through him we were able to be somebody, you know? >> my message to him would be get well soon. a speedy recovery, godspeed. >> but this is the third time the ailing former president has been admitted to the hospital this year. mandela has a history of lung problems dating back to when when heed -- to contracted tuberculosis in prison. he is an icon of freedom, offering the best of africans. with each hospital visit, the nation braces for the inevitable, while hoping it will not be today. >> you have been talking to people outside of the hospital. what have they been telling you about what they feel about nelson mandela? >> nelson mandela is in the hospital behind me. as is a residential area. nettie people live he

will he visit nelson mandela? >>> and einstein's take on the bible. >>> plus, the hottest selling truck in america just got a little more interesting. details on that and more in two minutes when "early today" returns. >>> nelson mandela remains in critical condition at a south african hospital. media presence has grown in pretoria as the world awaits news on the former leader. last night his daughter said the family is holding on. >> we still have this hope because, you know, when you talk to him, he looks like he's trying to open his eyes. when you touch him, he still responds. >> our business in's keir simmons is outside the hospital in pretoria with the very latest for us. >> reporter: president obama is expected here in south africa this evening. whether or not he will come here to the hospital where nelson mandela is still critically ill is an open kekwquestion. the two men have met before in 2005 when president obama was a senator, but they have never met while president obama was actually president. the qu

they say it depends on nelson mandela's health. they are deferring to the family because they realize this is a delicate time for mr. mandela and his family. they don't want to interrupt this, but the president very much would like to meet him. as a top advisor pointed out, the president considers nelson mandela one of his heroes going back to when the president was in college. he was inspired by the apartheid movement and sacrifices of nelson mandela. president obama first met mr. mandela here in washington in 2005. after he was elected in 2008, nelson mandela called the president. they've spoken by phone several times over the last several years. the white house monitoring the situation and told in touch with the mandela family. they'll take guidance as to whether or not the president will meet with them. >> we have correspondents in south africa. >>> on to other news, a shooting stir add motions across the nation. tomorrow opening statements will be given in the trial of george zimmerman for the shooting of teenager trayvon mart

nelson mandela is back in the hospital tonight battling a recurring lung infection. we are told his condition is serious but stable, the most dire description the government spokesman has used to far. the former president of south africa and hero to millions around the world for his fight against apartheid is 94 years old. mandela is particularly vulnerable to problems with his lungs since contracting tuberculosis during the 27 years he was imprisoned by the south africa government. debra patta joins us now from pretoria. >> reporter: jim, nelson mandela has been battling this infection for a couple of days now, but it was in the early hours of this morning that his condition deteriorated significantly. so much so that doctors rushed him to this hospital here in pretoria. and that has been the pattern nelson mandela over the past few months with those health scares becoming a lot more frequent. nelson mandela has been hospitalized four times in the past six months, but for the first time the presidential spokesman said his condition is being described as serious. >>

. >>> hope and prayers for nelson mandela. his family remains upbeat. we go live to south africa. >>> plus, the auto industry on a hiring spree. >>> a deadly heat wave hits parts of the u.s. and lebron takes over in game two of the nbc finals. "early today" starts right now. >> announcer: this is "early today" for monday, june 10th. >>> good morning, everyone. i'm richard lu i. a week after newspaper reports blew the lid on two secret government surveillance programs we are meeting the man behind the leak. 29-year-old edward snowden coming to london's "the guardian" newspaper. he's a former cia employee who says he leaked the government sankssed programs. they involve targeting not only american phone records but also some of the most popular sites on the internet like google and facebook. snowdown revealed his identity in hong kong with two "guardian" reporters. >> i'm no different from anybody else. i don't have special skills. i'm just another guy who sits their day to day in the office, watches what's happening. and goes this is something that's not

to see news on nelson mandela. people are hoping for positive news. >> we have seen pictures of u.s. president barack obama leaving senegal. if he will visit nelson mandela? [no audio] >> i think we lost our connection. we will leave it there. other news, at least 28 people are dead and tribal fighting in nigeria. that is according to community leaders who say the violence was started by cattle thefts in the saddle -- and the center plateau state in nigeria. this.ribal leaders deny thousands of people have killed in similar violence since 1999. china's new leadership promised to tackle corruption, and it seems to be keeping its word. lei zhengfu, a former party chief in chongqing, has been sentenced to 13 years in jail for taking half $1 million in bribes. the money was to play off -- pay off blackmailers who had a video of him having sex with an 18-year-old prostitute. those accused of extortion are also being prosecuted. a verdict is expected in the next couple hours. the case has fascinated the public. >> week,

he said nelson mandela was an inspiration to the world. he met the south african president in pretoria on a tour of the continent. a lawyer for the retired u.s. general james cartwright has called allegations that he leaked confidential data to the media preposterous. the military leader is under investigation for allegedly leaking classified information about a covert attack on the iranian nuclear program. tens of thousands of egyptians have taken part in competing pro anti-government rallies. there was fighting between the rival groups in alexandria. two people were killed including an american teacher. an assistant professor of islamic thought and culture at qatar university here in doha. thank you for joining us. there is a lot of tension and violence in the lead up to tomorrow's main demonstration. for a while there when the president took office, there was a glimmer of hope in egypt. what went wrong? >> thank you for having me here. unfortunately, the future of egypt will turn ugly. everybody was amazed about the egyptian revolution.

but president obama has met nelson mandela, back in 2005 when president obama was a senator. the first lady and the first daughters met nelson mandela in 2011 when they were here for a visit. here is a little bit more of what president obama had to say today about the former south african leader. >> nelson mandela showed what is possible and the people of south africa have shown what's possible when a priority is placed on constitutions and rule of law and respect for human dignity and that all people are treated equally. >> reporter: on sunday, the first family will visit robin island. that is where nelson mandela was held for 18 of the nearly 30 years that he was imprisoned here. now, the overarching theme of this trip is strengthening ties with africa. president obama aiming to shift the relationship between the two countries from one that is based solely on aid to one that's more mutually beneficial. sew's focused on a number of topics, including security, trade. china has far outpaced the united states when it comes to investing in africa. and also investing in the youth

one longtime friend of nelson mandela has said in a newspaper it's time for nelson mandela go. they have seen him go into the hospital on a number of occasions and each time he's recovered and return home. >> he's 94 years old. he turns 59 next month. >>> now, here's your "first loo look"'s dish of scrambled politics. kelly ayotte will back a bill to overhaul the immigration system. >> i have looked at this very carefully, our immigration system is completely broken. we got 11 million people in this country living illegally n the shadows, we have a legal immigration system isn't meeting our needs to grow our economy. this is a thoughtful, partisan solution to a tough problem and so that's why i'm going to support it. >>> the senate cjudiciary committee approved it last month. with her support, moved close to the votes needed to avoid a filibuster. >>> congressman frank malone is expected to throw his hat into the ring for the new jersey senate seat. >>> senator rand paul is planning a class-action lawsuit against the white house. in response to the nsa surveillance program, the

. >>> nelson mandela's health has deteriorated and become critical. >>> the second-degree murder trial of george zimmerman and the trayvon martin shooting begins today. >>> plus, ath-defying feats of skill and bravery. the supermoon. did you see it? lebron james is cashing in on another 7 million bucks a year. "early today" starts right now. >>> this is "early today" for monday, june 24th. >> good morning, everybody. i'm betty ngyuen. he is arguably the most wanted man in the world. edward snowden is evading u.s. authorities in a game of cat and mouse fleeing hong kong sunday and flying to moscow. after spending the night in russia, snowden is reportedly flying to cuba today and then to venezuela. u.s. lawmakers are not pleased and what him brought back to the u.s. >> what's infuriating here is prime minister putin of russia aiding and abetting snowden's escape. the bottom line is very simple. allies are supposed to treat each other in decent ways and putin always seems almost eager to put a finger in the eye of the united states. >> i want to get him caught and brought back for trial.

. >>> rumors swirl about the condition of ailing nelson mandela. live to south africa next. >>> the dea agent who paid the ultimate price is honored. >>> could a solar flare send the earth back to the 19th century? >>> welcome back to "early today." nelson mandela remains in critical condition in a south africa hospital. for the latest, dekeir simmons joins us from pretoria. >> reporter: good morning. you can see behind me members of the ancu, young people are singing and dancing in the streets celebrating nelson mandela. just before they were here we saw some of nelson mandela's family come out of the hospital and collect some of the flowers, the many flowers and goodwill messages that have been left outside the hospital. one of them said to the camera, she said, look, we know that -- how loved nelson mandela is, he is stable, but at the same time the president's office describing him as critical. you can see these young people coming by, singing and dancing, celebrating nelson mandela. back to you. >> keir, thank you so much. >>> edward snowden c

of course, there is the issue of the health of nelson mandela. some people are direct and it meant that they are not happy to see the american president. there are some who were criticizing their policy. some academics, others from the lookolicy group, if you at his policies, he has not lived up to expectations. there have been protests on the streets. he will be speaking to young people here in south africa, in johannesburg. some people will appear there just to criticize him. there are those that say we should acknowledge the u.s. president. he does have the power to inspire young people. they are waiting to hear what he has to say when he speaks to young people. hopefully, he will be able to change a few minds. opinion is seriously divided over the visit of the president of the united states. >> thank you very much. there are reports that an american has been killed in violent protests in egypt. the u.s. embassy is trying to confirm the news. supporters and opponents of resident mohamed morsi held rallies across the country, two days ahead of

with a number of family members of nelson mandela. the location and timing of that has not been disclosed. the fact this meeting had to be called off, the hoped for meeting between obama and nelson mandela had to be called off, is an indication of how sick nelson mandela really is. although, his former wife, winnie mandela, said yesterday, he had great improvement. but in her words, remains clinically unwell. and president zuma saying, his condition, mandela's, remains critical but stable. a great disappointment to president obama, who had hoped to meet nelson mandela who is one of his personal heroes. he will not be meeting with him. dan and paula, back to you. >> so many people watching with so much anxiety. ron claiborne, thank you for your reporting. >>> normally ron is with us delivering the overnight headlines. but with ron on assignment, a new member of the abc news team, rebecca jarvis, our chief and business economic correspondent, giving us the headlines this morning. good morning to you. >> harris and faris. great to be wit

john traveled with nelson mandela in south africa. and a nigerian american journalist and night media scholar at yale law school. great to have you all here. you've been spending a lot of time reporting, you've been living in africa writing about sub-saharan africa specifically. there is a pretty amazing story of what's happened there since the great recession and even longer. what is the story, if you had to say, in broad strokes that americans don't know? >> sure. you know, it's hard to imagine that it's been 20 years since nelson mandela, you know, became the first president of, the black president of south africa, and even in the last ten years you've seen this incredible story of democratic governance taking root. just last year there were 3 elections across the continent. beyond the rule of law narrative, there have been all sorts of interesting innovations and activity happening outside of the public sector you could call it. that means off-grid energy, that means incredible amounts of investment. that means innovations for edu

he visited the tiny cell where nelson mandela could barely lay down. last night at a state dinner, the president talked about the mandela legacy. >> we must admit our minds and our hearts are not fully here because a piece of us -- a piece of our heart is with a man and a family who's not far away from here. much has been said about mabiba today. more will be said in the years to come. >> reporter: interesting that tomorrow, the president will make its final stop in tanzania and former president george w. bush is there with his wife, working on an initiative that hestarted, battling hiv-aids here. the two first ladies -- bush and obama -- will get together. there is some speculation that the two presidents may get together. that hasn't been confirmed. but there is bipartisan support, republicans and democrats, coming together to help this continent, come from this obama administration. >> jamie: thank you so much, ed henry, live in capetown. >> eric: brand-new details on the justice department's keeping tabs on reporters and others. that after attorney

he says he has no plans to visit nelson mandela. snowden's father said the whistleblower could return to the u.s. if the government agrees not to detain him before a trial. he said his son has not betrayed his country. hundreds of imams across britain have united to condemn child sex grooming -- at friday prayers across britain, worshipers heard a singular an unusual message. divideding this attitude is not only a duty but an obligation. >> following a series of high- profile's child sex cases involving muslim men, imams delivered the same sermon, calling for the protection of children. out, it ifknowledge we unite together, we can defeat it. it is a sickness. >> on thursday, members of an oxford gang were sentenced to abusee rape, torture, and of young girls. five of the seven men convicted were given life sentences for sexual crimes of the utmost of gravity. of one victim, the judge said, you took her soul. another victim had been branded and sold when she was just 11 and then forced to have a backstreet abortion at the age of 12.

barack obama has praised nelson mandela as his hero and an inspiration to the world. u.s. president held a private meeting with mandela's family, offering words of comfort. his host, jacob zuma, said both men were bound by history of the first black president of their countries. mike hanna is in johannesburg. not everyone was pleased to see him, barack obama. >> he had a mixed reception. he was greeted by a small number of protesters. opposed to the u.s. policies rather than the president himself necessarily. some i spoke to expressed disappointment at the limited nature of his visit. the u.s. president went straight to a university campus, straight into the building, where he held a meeting with a selected group of young african leaders. he did receive a rapturous welcome within that town board meeting. the young leaders drawn from throughout south africa, part of , hispresident obama said agenda to encourage leaders. talks betweeneral zuma.ent obama and jacob >> bright smiles as the two presidents meet. another president lies gravely ill in a hospital down the road. ♪

president barack obama arriving in cape town about to visit nelson mandela's prison. we have that coming up. more sparring accusations against the united states. this time the target is reportedly an outlet of the european union. bracing for more protests in brazil. the federation cup is just hours away. too many jellyfish. perhaps it is time to eat them. egypt whereng in demonstrations are taking place to mark the president's first anniversary since he took office. there are crowds voicing anger and support for mohamed morsi. demonstrators in tahrir square are calling for the president to resign. some of those we see say they will be marching to the presidential palace later on sunday where security is already tight. the district of the capital, his supporters are staging a sit-in. they say it is in defense of the president. our correspondents are following developments across the egyptian capital. across swelling with in the last hour. their intention is what? lebron says they want to the removal of president mohamed morsi. rebellion started this. they want the pres

here's what's coming up over the next 15 minutes -- nelson mandela is in hospital after the recurrence of a lung infection. there's still a serious threat of dikes breaking at the river elba with thousands of people being evacuated. and at the french open in paris, title defender rafael nadal has again reached the inals. >> former south african president nelson mandela has been rushed to a pretoria hospital. doctors say mandela is in a serious but stable condition. it's the third time the 94-year-old mandela has been in hospital since december. this time doctors are treating him for a lung infection. mandela was south africa's first black president in the 1990's. he's a hero for many around the world because he led the struggle against white rule in south africa.

people anxious to hear the latest on nelson mandela. we haven't really heard any up-taup ta dates from the presidency who control and regard community regards his health. >> the president was very vocal about his visit to robben island and how that visit impacted his daughters. what specifically did he say? >> reporter: president obama has been to robben island before and was here in 2006 and went there as a senator. in the lead-up to his trip, he said it was going to be a privilege and honor to take sasha and malia there. he said he wanted to teach them about the anti-apartheid strug for them to see what mr. mandela and others went through so they can take those lessons back home in america and apply them in their daily lives. let's take a listen to exactly what he said about that trip. >> they now appreciated a little bit more the sacrifices that madiba and others had made for freedom. what i also know because they had a chance to visit south africa, for a second time now, they also understand that mandela's spirit could never be impr

they're right in front of nelson mandela's former home. it's a place he and his wife lived for many, many years. just double play the street is a home owned by desmond tutu. this games to be the only street in the world to have home to two nobel laureates. and i don't doubt there. people come here to hear word about what's going on. this is the center of the anti-apartheid protests. and to go into the history a little it bit now, back in 1976 was the scene of youth uprisings in the schools when the students were protesting against the introduction of afrikans, the language of the why minority. that was one of the major, major turning points in the anti-apartheid movement. for so many other reasons, it's so important. it's also poernt, president obama coming here to the university down the road to focus on young people. the town hall was about connecting young people in nigeria, uganda swell here in south africa, talking about issues of trade, entrepreneurship and trying to encourage them to be civic leaders as young people. continent of af

also concerned about nelson mandela, the president will not visit the ailing mandela in the hospital, but he will meet with the mandela family today, and at the top, the president talked about mandela's reach and legacy. >> nelson mandela and this nation speaks to the yearning spirit, that touches race and balance of this country. that's what nelson wants, and that's what he can represent to the world. >> reporter: the president is trying to increase u.s. development throughout africa. this is the president's first extensive trip in the south sahara in his presidency. late in the game in development opportunities in africa. the president said they will compete against china, brazil, turkey and india. >>> from major in jo hhannesbur we go to debra. debra, what can you tell us? >> it's become a sign of obsession, sifting through government statements for frank information, really, on nelson mandela's condition. he's been in the hospital just over three weeks, the now, that statement was made, as i said, in sawita. she was addressing the media there. the family has been visiting mandela

lady, and sasha and malia were able to meet with members of the mandela family, two of nelson mandela's three daughters and a number of the grandchildren were present at the mandela foundation and the obamas were able to convey their profound sense of sadness and the fact their thoughts and prayers are with them at this difficult time. fredricka? >> keep us posted there from pretoria. appreciate that. >>> meantime, president obama is right now at a youth town hall meeting. he's talking with students. i think we have a live picture coming up, with students at the university of johannesburg. these are images from earlier when anti-obama protesters gathered outside the campus. a scuffle broke out but authorities were able to disperse them. >>> back here at home in this country, same-sex couples are tying the knot once again in california. a federal appeals court cleared the way late yesterday. the decision comes just two days after the supreme court dismissed an appeal against same-sex marriage. dan simon is right now in san francisco where more same-sex marriages will be taking place toda

>> nelson mandela committed to the hospital. this time dr. say it is serious. >> this is out his era life from dell hot. also on the program, saving the engine. the red cross reaches a deal. xi jinpingbama and meet and have agreed measures to cyberthe ciber et al. -- attack against the country's. quite the more i learn about amrything you do, i am's fire inspired. >> walmart worker say they prefer a pay raise. we begin with some breaking news out of afghanistan. four soldiers are reported to have been killed. an italian soldier was reported killed in western afghanistan. three other troops have died. in the east of the country, reports suggest this may have involved so-called insider killing, someone dressed in afghan army uniform may have been involved in the deaths of these soldiers. a will have more in kabul little later. breaking news out of afghanistan this hour. possibly of these being due to insider attacks. be in mandela is said to a serious but stable condition. he is suffering a lung infection. it is the third time that he has neede

to meet with nelson mandela? all of those things are on everyone's mind. in the meantime, people are coming your to pretoria and leaving cards and flowers as a way to feel connected to the father of the nation. >> thank you. u.s. president obama has arrived for a week-long journey to south africa, tanzania, and his first senegal.cal -- and he is giving a news conference in the capital, dhaka. he says he wants to highlight economic opportunities being created by the african growing middle class. what is on his schedule? >> this afternoon, president obama will go to a former slave trading post, a prison where apparently millions of slaves were imprisoned and shipped off from africa to america in the 18th and 19th centuries. he is not the first u.s. president to visit. clinton visited there. that may have gone down well at home, but the residents of the island were not very happy because they were not able to move around for the day. they did not feel they got anything out of the visit. and this time, also among the island once a complete shutdown. no one has

the headlines this hour, nelson mandela is back in the hospital. this time the doctor say it is serious. dams is still a threat of breaking in germany with thousands being evacuated. and serena williams proves she is the best women's tennis player in the world again at the french open. >> former south african president nelson mandela is in the hospital again with a serious lung infection. lednobel peace laureate south africa as the first black resident after decades of apartheid rule. he is seen around the world as a symbol of peace and forgiveness. >> once again, south africa is praying for nelson mandela. early saturday, the former president was rushed to the hospital with a lung infection. he is said to be in serious but stable condition. >> it is a lung infection, pneumonia. it affects all sorts of things, including breathing, but i am told by the doctors that he is breathing on his own. i think that is a positive sign. >> it is the third time this year the 94-year-old has been admitted to the hospital. when he was discharged after receiving tr

we will be hearing the stories of nelson mandela for centuries to come. but in the next few months, i think whenever he passes, it will be an occasion to revive and rephrase and to understand just how he helped to save the world by taking on one of the most difficult conflicts on the african continent. >> and there's great hope that that would happen. while i have you -- >> it has happened. >> i guess i ask that because there has been so much renewed tension and strife in south africa. and it seems as though there has been so much consternation about all that was accomplished, particularly under his leadership as president, and now in his failing health, if he is really -- and he is, a symbol of healing in that nation, if that nation and beyond is having trouble right now -- >> i don't think they're having any more trouble than we're having. they're having economic problems. just as we are. and south africa is a country divided between haves and have nots. more greatly divided than we are. now, working with the south african enterprise development fund on

what's the latest you can tell us about nelson mandela's health status? >> we've got early this very brief statement by the spokesperson of the government, which stated, as you mentioned it before, serious but stable is his condition, but the word "serious," that worries people here in south africa, because it's the first time that the spokesperson uses this term. plus he's been hospitalized three times in the last month, so that shows that he's very old and he's very fragile, and if you remember the last pictures we've seen of nelson mandela, which was in may, he looked very, very weak and very old, and he was hardly responding to his guests, so i'm not very positive when i look at the news coming out of south africa. >> and how have south africans been reacting to the news? >> there's been amazing calmness in the country, an anxious calmness, i would say. nobody wants mandela, the father of the nation, to go, so the only thing people can do is send the best wishes and pray for him, and that's basic what will we get all the time. people say too early for

nelson mandela remains in critical condition in a south african hospital. joining us now from pretoria. good morning, what do you know? >> reporter: good morning. we are waiting for tribal elders from nelson mandela's ancestral village to get to the hospital. yesterday, family members went there to the village to have a discussion, and we also hear the south african government is holding its cabinet and the condition will be discussed there. there are reports of some family members say that he is responding at times, but at the same time we hear that yesterday the archbishop of cape town was here and he with other family members around nelson mandela's bedside said a prayer. betty? >> thank you, keir. here are other stories making news this morning. >>> pope francis looks into vatican bank amid new money laundering probe. >>> also, vladimir putin says he has no plans to extradite edward snowden. he's believed to be holed up inside moscow's airport. >>> democrat ed markey will fill the senate seat vacated by john kerry. he defeated businessman gabriel gomez

more get well messages for nelson mandela. >> thank you, nelson mandela. we wish you good luck. >> these children are born free. they never knew the brutal racial segregation that nelson mandela help to defeat. here in south africa, he has become sort of a living saint. >> he is our father. >> he is like our father. >> i wish him a speedy recovery ouri cannot imagine .ountry like this >> tighter security. officially, his condition is serious but stable. >> we are all praying for him to recuperate quickly. his family is at his bedside and the embassy or remain somber. his family is at his bedside and the atmosphere remains somber. ,or millions of south africans that remains something almost too painful to contemplate. towe are not ready for him die. we are not ready yet. >> so many years in jail fighting for freedom. , but well going to die will not forget. nelsonle don't relate to mandela as a great leader or a hero, they relate to him on a personal level. makes it difficult and complicated for south africa. >> like a relative. >> the entire country is gat

and we'll look at nelson mandela. we'll look at his fight to end racial discrimination and how his life parallels dr. martin luther king. and the nfl decides to punt on propoeting obama care. administration looking for high profile pitches. and the pros are not buying it. i am uma, we are live from the nation's capitol. america's news headquarters starts right now. >> and we begin with what is a dangerous heatwave that is gripping most of the western part of the nation. we are talking about triple digit temperatures and folks in death valley, california they are bracing for teches to hit 130 degrees today. that is close to a record set back 100 years ago. they are joining us live from santa monica, california where it is and cooler than death valley. dom nick? >> uma, people are taking to the ocean to coloff in santa monica beach. families are heading into the water. and marine hanging over the coast. it is 90 degrees in the city. and as you head further inland, it is going to get warmer and out in death valley, recor

how does nelson mandela's deteriorating health affect this trip? >> reporter: this is something i will tell you the white house is monitoring closely. obviously, this was the highlight of the trip would have been a visit with nelson mandela. president obama is scheduled to go to the island where mandela and other political prisoners were in prison. that was a highlight of the trip. the white house is not speculating on how the trip is changing. you know they are certainly considering, as they monitor the situation, how it could affect the trip. at this point, the itinerary has not changed. what we can expect is as president obama goes to south africa, you can see the tone of what he's talking about change. some of the events may be step down. certainly just because nelson mandela's health is in such a critical state at this point. the itinerary they scheduled for south africa wasn't over the top. this visit to robin island, he was supposed to have a visit with nelson mandela. right now, things may be tremendously affected and step down the tone. >>

nelson mandela is critically ill in hospital. the south african president told a scheduled media briefing doctors are doing all they can to make him comfortable. he is being treated for a recurring lung infection. he was asleep and we were there. we looked at him. we saw him. we then had a discussion with the doctors as well as his wife. .> let's get the latest i was surprised he took 20 minutes to get to that information about nelson mandela, the information clearly everyone was waiting to hear. why was that? >> absolutely. i think it was because this was a scheduled visit. also because we found out when he did get into the information that he did not have much more. he did not have a lot more to say. he said i am not a doctor. i do not know what to tell you. he could only reiterate the fact nelson mandela remains in critical condition in hospital behind me having been in what is described as serious, stable condition for just over two weeks. through the first part of the news conference in the 20 minutes he did make a lot of ef

>> well, i became a very close student of nelson mandela. i do believe the second half of the american 20th century had some remarkable leaders. ronald reagan in the united states. others, dr. martin luther king in our country. john f. kennedy. this man had extraordinary political skills. in that statement, he was reaching out to the anc, the african national congress, about the movement will continue. at the same time, behind the scenes, he was reaching out to the white minority government, especially to the president of south africa, who had arranged for his released because he was determined this country should become whole again and not divided. that was his whole quest as a politician, and no one did it more brilliantly under more difficult circumstances than nelson mandela did. can i also just show you one quick thing, if i can? >> please do. >> peter, i'm going to pick up a microphone here. this is a microphone. it's got a cover over it. when i interviewed nelson mandela in his backyard, he had just gotten out of prison. we had that h

>>> pled obama said his thoughts are with nelson mandela. we'll hear from the president in south africa next. [ female announcer ] now you can apply sunblock to your kids' wet skin. neutrogena® wet skin kids. ordinary sunblock drips and whitens. neutrogena® wet skin cuts through water. forms a broad spectrum barrier for full strength sun protection. wet skin. neutrogena®. [ girl ] there are man-eating sharks in every ocean... but we still swim. every second, somewhere in the world, lightning strikes... but we still play in the rain. poisonous snakes can be found in 49 of the 50 states, but we still go looking for adventure. a car can crash... a house can crumble... but we still drive... and love coming home. because i think deep down we know... all the bad things that can happen in life... they can't stop us from making our lives... good. ♪ ♪ ... you thought wrong. seize the summer with up to 50% off hotels at travelocity. ...and we inspected his brakes for free. -free is good. -free is very good. [ male announcer ] now get 50% off br

and nelson mandela's ex-wife, winnie, today suggest the medical intervention may be t lking, at least for now. for now te >> reporter: as the crowds have gathered outside the hospital, the sparse and sometimes misleading official updates about mandela's condition have led to a tension between the family and the international press which is gathered, hungry unr honest information. mandela's daughter, makaziwe, sees the interest as intrusion. >> it's like truly vultures waiting to devour the buffalo, waiting for the-- that's the image that we have as a family. foreporter: it is into the sad, lingering drama that barack obama arrived this evening. the president said on his flight here that he was not seeking a photo op with the fading south african hero. "the last thing i want to do," he said, "is to be any way intrusive at a time when the family is concerned with nelson mandela's condition." the president credits mandela with being one of his earlier inspirations to get into public life and a brief encounter between the two men, who both became the first black presidents of their respec

yes, the world continues to watch the health of nelson mandela. this morning there are conflicting reports about his current condition. this comes as president obama is in africa right now this morning set to head to south africa before the weekend. "today in the bay's" marla tellez live monitoring that latest news out of pretoria right now. she joins us from our newsroom with the latest. good morning. >> good morning. those con flinting reports we're hearing is whether or not nelson mandela is actually on life support. in the words of his eldest daughter he is, quote, very critical this morning. talking to a south africa news agency she says he's still giving us hope, opening his eyes, still reactive to touch. we will live with that hope until the final end comes. that's a quote from nelson mande mandela's oldest daughter. >> his family arriving at the hospital in pretoria a few hours ago where they were agreeded by crowds of well-wishers. right now it's just after 2:00 in the afternoon. his family says they appreciate all the love and support fr

nelson mandela's former wife and fellow anti-apartheid campaigner. they were married throughout his 27 years in prison. tuberculosis weakened his lungs. doctors treating the former president describe him as in serious but stable condition. >> former president nelson mandela remains in the hospital, and his condition is unchanged. >> reporter: throughout the day, visitors have come and gone. but reports suggest only those closest to him are actually by his side, including current wife graca machel, seen here on his 94th birthday. across south africa there are prayers as well as fears. >> we love him very much. he needs to recover. >> it is time for him to go. it's time to go. >> reporter: the former president, who turns 95 next month, has long been in failing health. many people were shocked by his frail appearance in this awkward photo op last april. the father of his nation, now surrounded by family. in the fight of his life. and another member of nelson mandela's family on her way to the hospital here, his daughter zenani, flying in from argentina,

the last time we saw nelson mandela in public he was looking frail. filmed by the south african broadcasting corporation. people were shocked by the pictures but are now told to pray for nelson mandela. one life-long friend has told a newspaper that it is time to let nelson mandela go. still, many are praying for his swift recovery. >>> in turkey, a tenth straight day of unrest as riot police use teargas and water cannons to battle protesters demanding the government hold new elections. nbc's chief foreign correspondent richard engel is in istanbul tonight. >> reporter: it is the biggest protest movement against prime minister erdowan in his decade ruling turkey. tens of thousands in istanbul alone. feeling more like occupy wall street than egypt's tahrir square. the protests were triggered by plans to bulldoze a park. but when police moved in in force, protests grew way beyond the dispute over urban planning. protesters here say erdowan is trying to impose an islamic agenda and overturn 90 years of secular government in this country. it is a demonstr

nelson mandela's blood gives us the space to be with our father. whether these are our last moments or there's longer, there must be a -- >> reporter: for them, mandela is not the global icon. he's a father, grandfather and husband, who they don't want to share with the world at this critical time. >> we are claiming him. we are his prodigy. >> they wait and hope. >> i strongly feel that whatever covenant he's made has not been fulfilled. when that is fulfilled, he will bow out in a way that he chooses. >> reporter: flames flicker, hymns are sung, family asks for space and the man fights. now, the media contingent outside this hospital has grown on the new that is his condition had worsened. that, of course, is not going to be happy news for the family who really seemed to be struggling with the spotlight and of course, nelson mandela still in the hospital behind me battling it out. >> thank you. >> the president, president obama heads to africa later this week. that will be interesting. >>> a deadly shooting in pakistan. an american is said to be

in south africa, former president nelson mandela has now been in the hospital for 12 days, battling a lung infection. the official word is that his condition remains serious but stable. mark phillips in johannesburg tells us south africans are having a difficult time dealing with the prospect of losing a man who led the country out of apartheid. >> reporter: in soweto, outside of johannesburg where many of the battles of the liberation struggle were fought, they've been celebrating. once again they've been told the 94-year-old nelson mandela is rallying from a serious health crisis. mandela's daughter came out from visiting the man they call madibaw apparently good news. >> how is he doing? >> he's doing very well. >> reporter: but south africans have learned that such assurances aren't also what they seem. adam habib, the well-connected vice chancellor of the university of johannesburg knows what is happening behind the brave face. >> i think if you speak to individuals quietly, many will tell that-- will tell you that he's quite close to going. >> reporter: nelson mandela is revered