Good week
Burkina Faso, as leaders agree a framework for a transitional government.
George Weah, former Liberian football star, who has been backed to run for Senate.
Bad week
Nigeria, after the army admitted that some of the country’s territories have fallen into the hands of Boko Haram.
Mondher Zenaidi and Slim Riahi, who have received assassination threats ahead of standing as candidates in Tunisia’s presidential election.
Quote of the week
Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s opposition leader, describes how progress towards open democracy has stalled in the country.
I always warn against over-optimism, because that could lead to complacency. Our reform process is going through a bumpy patch, but this bumpy patch is something we can negotiate with commitment, with help and understanding from our friends around the world.”
What you’re saying
In response to our article Beyond the hype: how can ‘innovation’ make impact?, commenter howmatters suggested we need to find solutions to problems closer to where they originate.
Doesn’t it just make good sense to support more opportunities for “innovation” closer to where the problems are occurring? Aren’t the people who intimately know a problem from the inside out more likely to see where the possibilities for innovation lie?”
This week in numbers
$782 million to be invested in zinc deposits in southern Africa by Sesa Sterlite.
224,000 hectares of opium crops grown in Afghanistan.
27 groups given permits to protest at the G20 summit in Brisbane this weekend.
6 people killed a day by police in Brazil.
1 doctor in custody for the mass sterilisations that killed 13 women in India.
Picture of the week
Milestones
Liberia’s president lifts state of emergency in the country as Ebola cases are no longer rising.
Israel says it will allow Muslim men of all ages into Jerusalem’s holy site after months of restrictions.
The first trials for drugs to treat Ebola will start at Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) sites in December.
Shell has admitted that 2008 oil spills that deprived thousands of farmers and fishermen of their livelihoods in Nigeria were bigger than previously thought.
On the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, the African Union has declared 2014 as the Year of Agriculture and Food Security in Africa.
Multimedia
Reading list
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No escape: civilians in Syria struggle to find safety across borders (Norwegian Refugee Council and International Rescue Committee)
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2014 global nutrition report (International Food Policy Research Institute)
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2014 Afghanistan opium survey (Afghan Ministry of Counter Narcotics and UNODC)
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A foreseeable disaster in Burma: forced displacement in the Thilawa special economic zone (Physicians for Human Rights)
- Counter terrorism laws and regulations - what aid agencies need to know (Overseas Development Institute)
Coming next week: have your say
- Our live chat on Thursday, 20 November 1-3pm GMT asks ‘what innovations will revolutionise global health by 2030?’ Email globaldevpros@theguardian.com to recommend someone for the panel.
- Can genetic barcodes help stop the spread of malaria? Stay tuned for this article and a guide to the top books on food security next week.
- Calling all professionals and journalists from the Middle East and north Africa (Mena). Pitch your stories to us at globaldevpros@theguardian.com for our Mena month this November.
Join our community of development professionals and humanitarians. Follow@GuardianGDP on Twitter.
