“A Neither Free Nor Fair Election”

It’s election day in Burundi. And the African Union is recalling its election observers. “The African Union stood down its election observers in Burundi on Sunday, saying Monday’s parliamentary election would be neither free nor fair, as the speaker of parliament said he had fled after being threatened and heavy gunfire echoed across the capital. Residents of the capital Bujumbura reported hearing the sound of grenade explosions and heavy machinegun fire in northern and southern districts, after a night in which at least three people were killed. Burundi has been in turmoil since April, when President Pierre Nkurunziza said he would seek a third term, exacerbating months of protests and triggering an abortive military coup last month.” (Reuters http://reut.rs/1ImuP9E)

Turkish Police Violently Crack Down on Istanbul’s Pride Parade…”In Turkey on Sunday, police sprayed jets of water from trucks at crowds of hundreds who had gathered – many in colourful clothing and waving rainbow flags – near the central Taksim Square neighbourhood, one of Istanbul’s busiest shopping and tourist areas. As the crowds fell back, men who appeared to be plain clothes police officers detained several demonstrators, according to footage from a Reuters cameraman at the scene.” (SMH http://bit.ly/1Imuwf1)

Stat of the Day: Italian coastguard ships and vessels from a multi-nation naval mission and humanitarian organisations rescued at least 2,900 migrants yesterday from 21 boats launched by smugglers from Libyan shores, authorities said. (Irish Examinder http://bit.ly/1ImuTWT)

Research Study of the Day: Data collected among 7,018 people in Botswana found that an extra year of secondary schooling lowered the risk of HIV infection over the following decade by eight percentage points — from about 25 to 17 percent. (AFP http://bit.ly/1Imvub4)

Africa

Suspected Islamist fighters attacked a town in western Mali near the border with neighbouring Mauritania before dawn on Saturday, leaving 12 people dead, including three soldiers and nine attackers, the defence ministry said. (Reuters http://reut.rs/1Imujs2)

At least five people have been killed and 10 wounded after a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a leprosy hospital on the outskirts of the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, emergency services said Sunday. (AFP http://bit.ly/1ImvzeX)

Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Bai Koroma said Friday he was imposing a three-week daytime curfew in the last Ebola-hit areas in a bid to curb a resurgence of the deadly virus. (AFP http://bit.ly/1Imw8oM)

The Acting Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of (UNMEER), Peter Graaff, ended a two-day official visit today in Guinea-Bissau, calling on authorities and citizens to remain vigilant against Ebola. (UN http://bit.ly/1Imw4FJ)

MENA

The search is on for any accomplices of the Tunisian beach hotel massacre, which left over 30 people dead. (CBC http://bit.ly/1Imudk9)

Another Flotilla on the Way…Five years after the fatal interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla, a new group of pro-Palestinian activists sailing for the Gaza Strip on Sunday urged Israel to allow them to arrive peacefully. (LAT http://lat.ms/1ImuILh)

From Morocco where he is facilitating the dialogue among Libyan parties, the United Nations envoy for the North African country has stressed that the coming week should be decisive to reach an agreement on the draft political proposal he recently introduced to bring Libya’s diverse stakeholders together and ensure peace and stability. (UN news Center http://bit.ly/1Imvhoh)

Asia

Uber dials into India’s call center generation. (FT http://on.ft.com/1ImuWlp)

At least 23 people have died in flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains that lashed southeastern Bangladesh, officials said on Sunday. (VOA http://bit.ly/1ImvRm0)

The Americas

Guatemala’s Fuego volcano shook from explosions Sunday and spewed ashes over nearby communities as it entered a more intense phase of activity, authorities said. (AFP http://bit.ly/1ImvUy3)

Puerto Rico’s governor, saying he needs to pull the island out of a “death spiral,” has concluded that the commonwealth cannot pay its roughly $72 billion in debts, an admission that will probably have wide-reaching financial repercussions. (NYT http://nyti.ms/1ImwlbF)

Opinion

This Amazing Woman Was A Translator at the Original UN Conference. (UN Dispatch http://bit.ly/1HkT5Ik)

Making Measurement and Evaluation Relevant to Women’s Economic Empowerment (CGDev http://bit.ly/1ImwVpS)

Should the USA spend 1 trillion on Nuclear Weapons? (The Diplomat http://bit.ly/1ImwYSG)

10 Days That Turned America into a Better Place (Guardian http://bit.ly/1Imx5gR)

CNN’s most embarrassing flub ever? The ISIS dildo gay pride flag, explained. (Vox http://bit.ly/1ImxdgB )