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UN says Burundi election wasn’t ‘inclusive, free, credible’
U.N. electoral observers in Burundi say last week’s election that won President Pierre Nkurunziza a controversial third term took place in an environment that was “not conducive for an inclusive, free and credible electoral process.” ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mohamed Fahmy: Caught between Egypt, Qatar and the struggle for free press
Ahead of the upcoming verdict in his trial in Egyptian court, Mohamed Fahmy describes his experiences during the past year and a half. HUFFINGTON POST

Pakistan bans BlackBerry services in privacy crackdown
Telecommunication authority orders encrypted messaging and internet services to be stopped ‘for security reasons.’ THE GUARDIAN

NSA surveillance update: After Patriot Act renewal, agency to limit spying, phone record metadata storage by November
The federal agency will no longer keep data past 180 days of its collection, and old metadata will be used only in relation to the ongoing lawsuits, according to a statement. IB TIMES

Obama criticized for calling Ethiopia’s government ‘democratically elected’
While US president calls for end of crackdown on political and press freedom, his comments on Hailemariam administration are widely condemned. THE GUARDIAN

Lawsuit points to hacking by Ethiopia as Obama makes visit
As President Barack Obama faces pressure to discuss human rights in his first official visit to Ethiopia, a unique lawsuit back home is challenging whether the African country can spy on an American by turning his computer into a giant recording device. ASSOCIATED PRESS