Lack of consensus is hampering progress on the refugee question. “Even as three more countries followed Germany in introducing border checks to control a flood of migrants, the European Union on Monday failed to agree on a modest plan that would force individual countries to take in a share of some of the hundreds of thousands now seeking asylum in Europe. Gathering in Brussels for an emergency meeting, interior ministers from across Europe agreed to share 40,000 migrants sheltering in Greece and Italy, but only on a voluntary basis, a watered-down version of a plan announced in May. But as the fractious meeting stretched into the evening, there seemed little prospect that ministers would endorse a new plan put forward last week by Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, for a program of resettlement for a further 120,000 asylum seekers that would be compulsory for member countries.” (NYT http://nyti.ms/1OS79dz )
Abbot, Out….Australia’s conservative, climate change denying prime minister was ousted in a dramatic parliamentary session. “Abbott, a conservative who firmly opposes same-sex marriage and the use of emissions trading schemes to tackle climate change, rose to power in part because he capitalised on the leadership upheaval in the opposing Labor party.Turnbull, a moderate who supports same-sex marriage and strong action on global warming, was ousted by Abbott as Liberal opposition leader in 2009 amid damaging party divisions over climate policy.” (Guardian http://bit.ly/1OS6yso)
Africa
Sierra Leone on Monday announced a new Ebola death in a northern district that had gone nearly six months without reporting any infections. (AP http://yhoo.it/1iqnKvb)
Four children and a teacher were killed when an Islamic primary school collapsed near the central Nigerian city of Jos, the country’s main relief agency said on Monday. (AFP http://yhoo.it/1QADyX8)
South Sudan’s army repelled a fresh rebel attack on Monday, the latest battle to rock the country despite a ceasefire aimed at ending a brutal 21-month civil war. (AFP http://yhoo.it/1FICOJh)
Democratic Republic of Congo’s leading opposition party said on Sunday it was breaking off talks with representatives of President Joseph Kabila, leaving the two sides deadlocked ahead of next year’s presidential election. (Reuters http://bit.ly/1EYiWaf)
Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara called on his supporters to “forgive” their political opponents, while also urging them to mobilise for upcoming presidential elections in which he is seeking a second term. (AFP http://yhoo.it/1gmC3ir)
Breast milk banks are growing rapidly in South Africa, combating a climate where breastfeeding rates are low, formula is fashionable and a premature baby dies every 20 minutes. (Guardian http://bit.ly/1EYiPvo)
Swiss mining giant Glencore, which announced last week drastic moves to cut its debt as the slump in commodities prices bites, said Monday it would keep 80 percent of staff on at a DR Congo mine despite suspending production there. (AFP http://yhoo.it/1iqnQ5X)
100,000 Burundians are massed outside their tiny country after violence that blew up over a controversial, but finally successful, bid by the head of state in July for a third term in office. Trouble lingers in the country and memories of the brutality of the pro-government militia thugs — the Imbonerakure — remain strong with those who suffered their terror. (AFP http://yhoo.it/1gmC6uw)
MENA
The United Nations envoy to Yemen will return to Saudi Arabia to meet with members of the exiled Yemeni government after it pulled out of U.N.-mediated peace talks with its Houthi adversaries, the U.N. press office said on Monday. (Reuters http://yhoo.it/1iqnIDz)
Pope Francis has warned against the risk that militants could slip into Europe under cover of a huge wave of refugees fleeing war in Syria but also said the migrant crisis could help reawaken the continent’s conscience. (Reuters http://yhoo.it/1iqnMmK)
British Prime Minister David Cameron visited Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon and Jordan on Monday, pledging increased aim which he said would help stem the migration crisis in Europe. (AFP http://yhoo.it/1KOsvL7)
Asia
Sri Lanka’s new government said on Monday it was setting up a South Africa-style truth and reconciliation commission to look into atrocities during its long civil war, as it came under renewed pressure to prosecute perpetrators. (Reuters http://yhoo.it/1Fa1i39)
Thailand’s military government has detained a reporter for an English-language newspaper, in what appears to be part of a fresh crackdown on critics of the ruling junta. (AP http://yhoo.it/1Fa1iAe)
Indonesia said on Friday it will send more than 1,000 troops to fight fires in southern Sumatra, as smoke makes thousands sick, delays flights and pushes air quality to unhealthy levels in neighboring Singapore and Malaysia. (Reuters http://yhoo.it/1QADA1f)
Gunmen in northern Afghanistan captured and torched five vehicles belonging to the World Food Programme at the weekend, in another sign of the increasingly hostile environment facing humanitarian workers in the war-torn country. (Guardian http://bit.ly/1iqnM68)
Taliban insurgents stormed a prison in Afghanistan’s Ghazni on Monday , killing police and releasing more than 350 inmates, including nearly 150 deemed a threat to national security , and then attacked troops rushing to help officials said. (Times of India http://bit.ly/1OS685f)
The Americas
Cuban police detained about 50 people when a predominantly Roman Catholic dissident group led a march in Havana on Sunday, less than a week before Pope Francis visits the communist-ruled country. (Reuters http://yhoo.it/1gmC0D8)
…and the rest
Germany may receive one million people seeking refugee status this year, up from the record 800,000 arrivals predicted so far, said Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel on Monday. (AFP http://yhoo.it/1QADxm8)
Rich nations are stubbornly divided ahead of talks in Paris on Thursday to seek a deal to phase out coal subsidies in a foretaste of the difficulty of agreeing on action to curb global warming at a U.N. summit later this year. (Reuters http://yhoo.it/1FICQkh)
The United Nations rights chief on Monday called for Europe and countries across the globe to establish “effective and principled migration governance” to address a multitude of migrant and refugee crises rocking the world. (AFP http://yhoo.it/1Fa1jnF)
Hungary has effectively stopped registering thousands of migrants crossing the border from Serbia and is transporting them straight to the Austrian frontier, the UN refugee agency said Monday. (AFP http://yhoo.it/1Fa1jEd)
Opinion/Blogs
Aid can help to eliminate inequality by 2030 – if five key lessons are heeded (Guardian http://bit.ly/1MmNvsB)
Smartphones Bring Happiness And Headaches To Myanmar (Goats and Soda http://n.pr/1UPJtOb)
Book Review: The Frontman-Bono (in the name of power) (Aidnography http://bit.ly/1iqpX9Y)
ICC’s Gift to Africa Is More Bloodshed (The Star http://bit.ly/1LcD0GK)
What works to keep adolescent girls in school? A three-part series (Development Impact http://bit.ly/1iqq3hR)
Why you can’t find Haitian coffee in your local cafe (Tree to Cup http://bit.ly/1UPzrwf)
Reflections on the state of LGBT activism in Africa (Africa is a Country http://bit.ly/1OQS8ZA)
Is Good Governance Good For Development? (IPS http://bit.ly/1LcMuSs)
Bangalore or bust: can India’s clothing factories offer freedom to rural recruits? (Guardian http://bit.ly/1OqkCvf)
Ending Chronic Poverty By 2030 – What Is Required for Implementation? (IDS http://bit.ly/1K9N6UB)