The new data also shows a marked increase in the percentage of children covered in India. “The number of countries reaching and sustaining 90% coverage of children with routine life-saving vaccinations has doubled since 2000. Updated data on the status of immunization worldwide in 2014 reveal that 129 countries, 6 more than in 2013, now immunize at least 90% of their children with the required 3 doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis containing vaccines (DTP3).” (WHO http://bit.ly/1fNieRO)
Ebola “Resurgence” in Liberia...A resurgence of Ebola in Liberia is likely to have originated in a survivor still carrying the virus, scientists said as the country announced a second death in the new outbreak. ( Yahoo http://yhoo.it/1I5A9NY)
Study of the Day: From the Natural Resources Defense Council: “Bringing coal use to a peak by 2020 could save China billions of dollars in environmental costs, slash water consumption by nearly 30 percent and prevent tens of thousands of deaths from coal-related illnesses.” (Reuters http://yhoo.it/1I5Abp5)
Africa
European timber companies have helped fund the conflict in the Central African Republic by doing business with logging firms that have paid millions of dollars to rebels, according to a watchdog group report. (AFP http://yhoo.it/1RBjLLt)
Africa is likely to benefit from weak global growth by attracting more investment that will drive its development, experts said at a financing conference in Ethiopia. (Reuters http://yhoo.it/1Ogwmyf)
Desmond Tutu will remain in hospital for several more days to fight a persistent infection that is not related to his prostate cancer, his daughter Mpho said on Thursday. (Reuters http://reut.rs/1fNg192)
The NBA is holding an exhibition game in Johannesburg in which first and second generation African players square off against players from the rest of the world. (Yahoo http://yhoo.it/1fNhoob)
The fight against extremists in northern Mali has shifted from full-on combat to a phase of hide-and-seek with jihadists, who are outnumbered and avoid direct contact with French troops, the forces say. (ABC http://abcn.ws/1fNhHzi)
MENA
Around 2,700 migrants were rescued from 13 boats near the coast of Libya on Wednesday, Italy’s coastguard said. (Reuters http://bit.ly/1Ogwlu9)
Egypt’s cabinet has amended a draft counter-terrorism law so that journalists would be fined, rather than jailed, for contradicting the authorities’ version of any terrorist attack, the state news agency reported. (Reuters http://bit.ly/1RBjKHv)
A draft U.N. resolution on the Iran nuclear deal that says U.N. sanctions would “snap back” if Iran fails to meet its obligations also contains a surprise: The crucial mechanism will end in 10 years. (AP http://yhoo.it/1I5A9h6)
In the wake of the nuclear agreement with Iran, President Barack Obama will meet Friday with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, a White House official said. (WSJ http://on.wsj.com/1Loojzv)
Asia
U.N. human rights investigators demanded an end to a Chinese crackdown on lawyers on Thursday after more than 100 people were detained, intimidated or went missing over the past week. (Reuters http://yhoo.it/1TEJosz)
The United States has launched a campaign to get U.N. accreditation for the non-profit organization Freedom Now, which works to free prisoners of conscience around the world, but the effort is facing opposition, especially from China. (VOA http://bit.ly/1HAi9rv)
India and Pakistan have traded blame for a series of firefights and shelling over the past two days along their border in the disputed Kashmir region that killed five civilians and wounded nine people. (Guardian http://bit.ly/1fNgkkc)
The Americas
The United States is set to remove Cuba from the bottom tier on its list of worst human trafficking centers, U.S. sources said, in what will be another step in the historic rapprochement between the former Cold War foes. (Reuters http://yhoo.it/1TEJpg6)
…and the rest
Angela Merkel has come under criticism for her awkward treatment of a young refugee girl brought to tears by the German chancellor’s comments on asylum. (AP http://yhoo.it/1TEJmRm)
A fence on Hungary’s border with Serbia to stem the flow of migrants and refugees will be complete by Nov. 30, the Hungarian defense minister said Thursday. (AP http://yhoo.it/1I5AcJV)
Scientists are reporting progress in the fight against a parasite that’s a major cause of diarrheal disease in the developing world. (NPR http://n.pr/1Ogw2Q8)
Two Russian bloggers say they faced threats and violence when they walked through Moscow streets holding hands to gauge attitudes toward gays. (AP http://yhoo.it/1TEJosm)
Opinion/Blogs
The IAEA and Iran: How Inspections Work (Global Dispatches Podcast http://bit.ly/1DiWGS8 )
What if I told you every country on the planet just agreed to finance the eradication of extreme poverty by 2030–and do so in an environmentally sustainable way? (UN Dispatch http://bit.ly/1Md2ZP7)
Americans and Middle Easterners are scared of the same thing after all (GlobalPost http://bit.ly/1JjPG9r)
Development finance summit: milestone or millstone for the world’s poor? (Guardian http://bit.ly/1I5zOer)
Think Beyond Microfinance When Talking About Businesswomen (Africa Renewal http://bit.ly/1HAhUwp)
What Will It Take to Bring a Second Green Revolution to India? (Inter Press Service http://bit.ly/1Ogwgqn)
How best to measure child poverty? (Guardian http://bit.ly/1TEJ64W)
Why peace won’t be enough in Colombia (IRIN http://bit.ly/1fLLTLl)
Hunting in Africa – to Ban or Not to Ban? (The Conversation Africa http://bit.ly/1V71B3r)
Microfinance – Good for the Poor? (Africa Renewal http://bit.ly/1HAi6vE)