Amplify the needs of the island. Woodruff all that and more, on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by moving our economy for 160 years. Bnsf, the engine that connects us. The ford foundation. Working with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide. And with the ongoing support of these institutions and friends of the newshour. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Woodruff a mosque in egypts Sinai Peninsula was the scene of mayhem and carnage today. At least 235 people were killed, and more than 100 injured, as militants attacked a crowded house of worship during friday prayers in the town of bir al abd. The attackers detonated explosives and shot worshippers as they tried to escape. Egypts government declared three days of mourning. President trump condemned the attack, and spoke this afternoon with egyptian president abdel fattah alsisi. Earlier, sisi declared that the attack will not go unpunished. For more, i spoke a short time ago with New York Times cairo bureau chiefeclan walsh. Declan walsh, thank you for joining us. This seems to have been an unusually ruthless attack. They kept on shooting as the ambulances arrived . Absolutely, thats right. There were the gunmen arrived in several vehicles. They split up into teams. Some of the gunmen went inside the mosque. They started shooting the worshipers immediately after a bomb had gone off. Other gunmen waited outside and shot people as they tried to flee. Woodruff and it was unusual that, in the past, they have been going typically after christians. This time, it was at a mosque. Thats right. This is extremely unusual. This attack the extremely unusual both by the size of the attack, the number of people who have been killed. This is the largest attack in modern egyptian history, and its also, as you say, the target. Over the last year the Islamic State have carried out attacks on coptic Christian Churches in egypt but not a muslim mosque. We do not have a claim of responsibility for this attack but its important to note the local affiliate of Islamic State is the most significant, powerful Group Operating in that area, and they had previously made threats against sufi muslims. So these are muslims who have a particular practice which extremists find to be he reticle. They killed a year a sunni crieric, beheaded him, and said there will be more violence to come and have made good on the threat. Woodruff why isnt there more security in these places . Thats an excellent question. The Egyptian State has been battling the Islamic State in sinai for the last three or four years, poured huge resources into the fight in that part of the country, and we as the Foreign Press and most of the Egyptian Press have relatively little visibility on what goes on over there because its a closed area to foreigners and indeed to many egyptians, but we know there are ambushes against the Egyptian Military and that the Egyptian Military has responded with some force. So this again is going to raise questions particularly for president sisi as to why his military has been unable to push back the Islamic State, to stop them from carrying out attacks like this with such impunity. These gunmen who possibly numbered in the dozens were able to carry out the attack with no hindrance. They even waited at the site of the attack while the First Responders and am balances turned up and opened fire on some of the ambulances. Woodruff as you point out, president elsisi said hes going to do something about it. He made a Statement Today this will not go unpunished. But as youve pointed out, there have been these other attacks. Do people believe he will do something about this . I think theres going to be a particular type of pressure on president sisi because a mosque has been attacked this time on the other hand, this is an attack thats taken place in sinai and, often, the rest of egypt is referred to here as mainland egypt, the cities like cairo and alexandria, where the attacks against christians took place last year and they certainly ramped up the pressure on president sisi not just from the Christian Community but egyptians across the board who were worried at the site of these Islamic State attacks coming into their capitol and other major cities. Woodruff declan walsh with the New York Times joining us from cairo. Thank you. Thank you. Woodruff in the days other news, the government of turkey says President Trump agreed to stop arming kurdish fighters in syria. The foreign minister says mr. Trump made the pledge in a phone call to president recep tayyip erdogan. Later, the white house did not confirm it. The syrian kurds have scored major victories against Islamic State forces, but turkey considers them a terrorist organization. In zimbabwe, the new president , emmerson mnangagwa, was sworn in today. Tens of thousands turned out to see the ceremony, but robert mugabe, who stepped down this week under pressure, did not join them. John ray of independent Television News reports from the capital, harare. Reporter the trace of a smile on the crocodile, a nickname earned through fear not affection. Today, acclaimed president of zimbabwe, his own and his nations reputation in need of transformation. A huge crowd danced and sang many of the same songs they sang once for robert mugabe. While a military who removed him from power paraded for their new commander in chief. This is the first time zimbabwe has sworn in a new leader in almost 40 years. He took the oath of office. So help me god. Reporter . Assumed the mantel of head of state and promised his people a fresh start. I solemnly promise that i shall, to the best of my abilities, serve everyone, everyone who calls and considers zimbabwe their home. Reporter more muted was his tribute to mugabe, the spectre at the feast. To me personally, he remains a father, mentor, comradein arms and my leader. Reporter the Zimbabwe Mugabe left behind needs jobs and foreign investment. Even mnangawa is subject to us sanctions. This former spy chief accused in the past of helping rig elections now promises free and Fair Elections next year. So after ten days that have changed everything we knew about zimbabwe, the country has a new president. But hes here as much because of a palace coup, as popular uprising, so how deep will the change really be . From mnanagawas hometown, we met one family who traveled 200 miles from 2 00 in the morning to see history unfolding. Expectations are high. Our town is one that has been forgotten. Its one which was just dying. Now we are hoping there is going to be life. Reporter the new president will need time to deliver his promises, but he has already given his people hope. Woodruff that report from john ray of independent Television News. Interpol has announced 40 arrests in a bid to break up a Human Trafficking ring in africa. The International PoliceOrganization Says the operation was carried out in chad, mali, mauritania, niger and senegal, earlier this month. Nearly 500 people were rescued, including 236 children. A top pakistani militant wanted by the u. S. Was freed today, on the orders of a pakistani court. Hafiz saeed allegedly founded an outlawed group that linked to a 2008 attack in mumbai, india. The attack killed nearly 170 people. This morning in lahore, saeed greeted supporters at friday prayers. His lawyer accused the u. S. And others of trying to block saeeds release. The government officials produced many fake and frivolous reports with regards to the hafiz saeed, but the Honorable Court disagreed and we have produced that he has no concern with any proscribed organization or activities. Woodruff the United States has offered a 10 million bounty for saeed, but hes repeatedly been detained and then released. An Appeals Court in south africa today more than doubled the prison sentence of oscar pistorius, the first amputee to run in the olympics. The Court Ordered him to serve another 13 years and five months for the murder of his girlfriend in 2013. That is on top of more than a year and a half he already served. Prosecutors had appealed the initial sixyear sentence. Back in this country, senator al franken has issued a new apology, after new allegations of sexual harassment. He said in a Statement Last night, i feel terribly that ive made some women feel badly, and for that, i am so sorry. Four women have now accused the minnesota democrat of groping them. He faces a Senate Ethics committee investigation. Black friday shoppers hit the stores with abandon today. Macys and other big retailers reported a Healthy Business boost. Meanwhile, online giant amazon said thanksgiving day orders on its mobile app jumped 50 from a year ago. And on wall street, stocks made a modest advance in a shortened trading day. The Dow Jones Industrial average gained 31 points to close at 23,558. The nasdaq rose 21, and the s p 500 added five. Still to come on the newshour how a school in rwanda is empowering women to become business leaders. A look at the n. F. L. s controversypacked year. Mark shields and david brooks analyze the weeks news and, much more. Woodruff now to rwanda, where a college is trying to break a cycle of violence and discrimination by empowering women through education. Special correspondent fred de sam lazaro reports. Its part of his series, agents for change. Reporter during the work week, 30year old nadia kubwimana is a catering manager at the marriott hotel, one of the newer entries into a glitzy skyline of rwandas capital, kigali. On the weekends, she steps into a very different world, helping mentor 250 women in her hometown just outside kigali. Together, they have started 42 different small businesses, ranging from vegetable markets, to handmade baskets, to a cooperative that sells coal for cooking stoves. These women meet in a tiny storage shed located in a less trafficked area on the outskirts of the city. They wish to grow their business. The problem they have, you see where we are, its far from the main road. Reporter kubwimana is a recent graduate of the Akilah Institute, a twoyear college which trains women to be leaders in the world of business. From akilah, i learn about leadership. I learn to be confident. Be responsible. I learn how to manage a small business. Reporter the school is part of an effort by rwanda to leave behind its image of a violent country wracked by genocide. Rwandas president , paul kagame, has been criticized for Human Rights Violations and stifling dissent. He recently won reelection by a lopsided 99 after changing the constitution to extend his reign. Still, the country has made considerable strides in reducing poverty. In the 23 years since the genocide, rwanda has been a world leader in bringing down infant mortality, maternal mortality. Life expectancy has gone from 48 to 58. But perhaps the most unique statistic may reflect the role of women in all of this. One half of the Supreme Court justices in this country are female, and so are two thirds of its members of parliament. In spite of the impressive statistics, many women have not participated in those gains. The Akilah Institute, the first allwomens college in the country, wants to change that. It was founded seven years ago by Elizabeth Dearborn hughes, a vanderbilt graduate who had come to volunteer in rwanda in 2008 and found that only 7 of women entered college and nearly 85 of women made less than 2 a day, if they found work at all. At akilah, the emphasis is on preparing women for wellpaying jobs and financial independence. Aline kabanda is the schools director. The akilah founders went to the private sector and asked, where do you see the countrys Fastest Growing sectors of the economy . Where are the skills gaps . What do you need . And really make sure that the choice of the programs and the curriculum itself really mirrors the expectations of the private sector. When you do something rude to the customer, youre ruining the companys image. Reporter the school focuses on three areas of study entrepreneurship, the Hospitality Industry and internet technology. It recruits half of its students from rural areas, the other half from kigali, and offers generous Financial Aid to attract and encourage students who otherwise would have no chance of receiving a college education. But before teaching any specific skills for a career path, the school works to develop the womens self confidence, says instructor jackie semakula. First we build in them the spirit of believing in themselves. Taking them through growth mindset classes, where the ability to excel and grow is not fixed, so they can start believing oh, i can do this. And if they try it today, try it again tomorrow, youre building selfbelief, and hence, no limit to what you can do. Reporter for many of the young students, akilah is the first place theyve heard about gender equality. Sandrine sangwa now studies internet technology, but she says back at her high school, girls were not encouraged to develop computer skills. We were supsed to sit three children on one computer, and they allowed a boy to stand in front of the keyboard so he can be the one on thyboard. They didnt see the potential that we had as girls. Reporter allen ingabire, who is studying hospitality management, realizes that many young women dont see their potential either. Some girls will not come to akilah because they still feel they cant do that, because here at akilah, weve been given this opportunity to be exposed to leaders, to learn leadership. So it is our time to go out and tell our young sisters, tell our friends, that you can do this, even though your friend is telling you, you cant. Were looking at the next generation of female leaders, and were telling them, you have a role to play as a leader of yourself, as a leader of your family, as a leader of your community. And that will trickle down to the whole country. Reporter jacky mutama is a good example of the shift that is starting to taking place in rwanda. In 2010, she was a 35yearold housewife with two small children, but she was restless. I was not interested in staying home as a housewife. Reporter she became part of the first class of students at akila, graduating in 2012, and then pursued a dream of owning a farm. Mutama bought 17 acres of land outside kigali and now manages four fulltime and several seasonal workers, growing nuts, bananas, sorghum and yucca. And shes looking to expand her business, and knows that her success will help provide jobs for others in her community. And shes also become a role model for her two daughters, who say they dream of going to harvard and oxford when they grow up. She gives much of the credit to akilah. I think akilah makes you into a new creature. Reporter makes you into a new creature . Yeah. How to manage things. How to become a leader. Reporter the Akilah Institute is also hoping to expand in the coming years, building colleges in seven other african countries. For the pbs newshour, im fred de sam lazaro from kigali, rwanda. Woodruff freds reporting is part of the undertold stories project at university of st. Thomas in minnesota. Woodruff now, for many americans, the traditions of thanksgiving week include food, family and very often, football. But this year, the sport is, at least for the moment, struggling to find its footing. Jeffrey brown has the story. Brown the National Football league finds itself mired in a number of controversies this season. Most prominent, player protests over Police Mistreatment of African Americans and the reaction from President Trump and other critics about taking a knee. There are also continuing concerns over player safety and the status of a concussion settlement with retired players. And topping it off a recent civil war of sorts between two of the most powerful people in the League CommissionerRoger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys owner jerry jones. In the meantime, the games do go on, but ratings have fallen. Seth wickersham covers the n. F. L. For espn and joins us now. Thanks for joining us, seth. So lets start with the player protests. How are players and teams dealing with it now and is it still boiling or do you see things calming down at all . Its largely faded. I think that the number of players that are kneeling as a protest are down to two now. And you know, i think that its been an interesting moment to look at the n. F. L. , as this has happened because, a lot of the owners of teams and a lot of League Executives want a mandate that would force the players to stand. And Roger Goodell, who has been accused by the players of often serving as a puppet for the billionaire, ruthless owners, has backed them in their right to protest and has not backed a mandate. And so its been a really interestin