Mandela Funeral: Former South African President Nelson Mandela was buried today in the Eastern Cape village of Qunu where he lived as a child. After six hours of ceremony at the end of 10 days of national mourning, Mandela’s body was lowered into his grave. In Mandela’s tribal tradition it is supposed to rain when someone dies as a sign that God welcomes the deceased. It rained most of the week, much to the pleasure of South Africans celebrating Mandela’s life.

Nation: Veteran political advisor John Podesta was re-called to duty at The White House this week to shape up a troubled Obama administration. Podesta was Bill Clinton’s chief of staff from 1998 to 2001 and will be chief counsel to President Obama starting in January. He has advised Obama previously, but not as a member of the staff. Podesta says “execution of government”, just getting things done, makes a big difference. His strategy is that in a time of legislative deadlock there’s a lot the president can do by executive order. Podesta told NPR, “I think that he’s got a lot of cards to play, and I think he can be extremely successful.”

Wonderland: Nearly three feet of snow fell in parts of Jerusalem, stranding thousands of people and leaving them without power. The Israeli army was called to dig people out of their cars and homes. Snow also capped the domes and minarets of Cairo, as Egyptians were treated to a rare event. Here in the states, heavy snow is still falling in parts of New England as a winter storm moves to the Atlantic.

The Game: Florida State freshman quarterback Jameis Winston was named the 79th winner of the Heisman Trophy for being the best college football player. The player known as “Famous Jameis” dominated as he led the Seminoles to an undefeated season. He’s also a professional prospect baseball player. “I want to do both the rest of my life,” Winston said. His moment is shadowed by the accusation of a young woman who says Winston raped her last year. Ten days ago prosecutors in football-obsessed Tallahassee chose not to press charges.

The Brain: The body of former Kansas City linebacker Jovan Belcher has been exhumed to examine whether his brain was damaged by repeated concussions.  A year ago Belcher killed his girlfriend, with whom he had an infant daughter, then drove to the practice field and killed himself. His brain was not tested for chronic traumatic encephalopathy at the time. The results of the new autopsy could contribute to a growing understanding of the effects of repeated brain trauma on athletes. Several NFL veterans believed to have brain damage have killed themselves.

Big Love: A federal judge struck down the part of Utah’s anti-bigamy law that prohibits married couples from living in a marriage-like arrangement with a third person. The ruling essentially legalizes a form of polygamy. Judge Clark Waddoups said the provision he threw out criminalizes the intimate relations of consenting adults. Some old-school Mormons still practice polygamy, although they cannot legally have more than one marriage license. The ruling was a win for reality television star Kody Brown and his four “Sister Wives” featured on The Learning Channel. Brown once said, “We have chosen to be a family out of love, out of devotion, out of faith.”

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