VOA NEWS

November 29, 2014

From Washington, this is VOA news. More than 80 are reported killed now in a bombing in Nigeria's Kano. Pope Francis appeals for interfaith dialogue. I'm Vincent Bruce reporting from Washington.



In the Nigerian city of Kano, at least 81 people have been reported killed in a series of explosions followed by gunfire outside the central mosque in Kano, Nigeria. Chris Stein has a report from Abuja.

Bombs exploded as people gathered for prayers at the central mosque in Kano in northern Nigeria. As the dusk cleared, gunmen opened fire on the stunned worshippers.

The Kano central mosque is near the palace of the powerful emir of Kano who recently called for Nigerians to take up arms against Boko Haram.

The Islamist militant group has been waging a bloody campaign across northern Nigeria for the past five years.

Angry survivors of Friday's attack in Kano obstructed police officers as they arrived at the scene. Police spokesman Mustafa Abubakar says the situation has since calmed down.

Chris Stein, for VOA news, Abuja.



Beginning a three-day trip to Turkey, Pope Francis has appealed for interfaith dialogue to confront the dangers of extremism. The pontiff made the appeal following a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the outskirts of the Turkish capital, Ankara.

During a joint news conference, Pope Francis also condemned the Islamic State's assault on Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq and in Syria.



The U.N. refugee agency reports about 50 people were killed by Boko Haram insurgents in Damassak, a town in Nigeria's Borno State, earlier this week.

U.N. refugee spokesman Adrian Edwards tells VOA people are being pursued by the militants: "It is extremely dangerous. People are fleeing very quickly, very fast. A lot of women, a lot of elderly, a lot of children amongst those coming across, posing real difficulties. Families separated. Children lost from their parents."



This is VOA news.



Fighting in Cairo between Islamist protesters and police Friday resulted in the deaths of two people. Egyptian security sources say the violence broke out in east Cairo following calls for action by Islamists who want to overthrow Egypt's military-backed government.

At least 100 people were arrested.

The Muslim Brotherhood has endorsed the call for protests.



Protesters angry that a white police officer was not charged for killing an unarmed black teenager in the U.S. state of Missouri called for boycott of Black Friday, the traditional kickoff to the holiday shopping season.

As many as 200 people demonstrated Friday near Chicago's famed Water Tower urging shoppers not to spend money as a show of solidarity with people in the St. Louis, Missouri, suburb of Ferguson.

Officer Darren Wilson shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson in August.

Despite the protests, day after Thanksgiving sales continued as usual drawing millions of shoppers in stores and online.



The United Nations Committee Against Torture is urging the United States to investigate police abuse as protests continue over the grand jury decision not to charge the white police officer who shot and killed the unarmed black teenager in the U.S. state of Missouri.

Jens Modvig is [one of the panel's] one of the panel's (10 independent experts) on the U.N. Committee Against Torture and says U.S. officials have not provided data on such complaints and how they have been investigated and prosecuted.

"We have reports of widespread extensive use of force by the police and this gives rise to concern, of course, and also that some vulnerable groups, including ethnic groups, blacks, have been particularly targeted by this force."

This is the U.N. panel's first review of the U.S. record since 2006.



British Prime Minister David Cameron Friday announced strong measures to be taken on immigrant workers in Britain.

Immigration has become an increasingly bitter issue in Britain since the 2008 economic crisis sparked recession and government spending cuts.

At a speech in London Friday, Cameron said Britain supports freedom of movement, but it is not an unqualified right.

"EU migrants should have a job offer before they come here. UK taxpayers will not support them if they don't. And once they are in work, they won't get benefits or social housing from Britain unless they have been here for at least four years."

Immigration benefits Britain but it needs to be controlled said Cameron.



In stocks in the U.S., the Dow was up slightly, the NASDAQ up just less than five points and the S&P500 was down five points.



More on all these stories at voanews.com. I'm Vincent Bruce reporting from Washington.

That's the latest world news from VOA.