Tunisians will vote Sunday for a new president in the country’s second election (Economist) since it democratized in 2011. The election was moved up after former President Beji Caid Essebsi died in office in July.
 
Many of Tunisia’s most prominent politicians (Al-Monitor)—including the prime minister and defense minister—are running in what analysts consider a wide-open contest. Polling published in July suggested one frontrunner is businessman Nabil Karoui, who was arrested in August on what his staff called politically motivated charges. The first presidential candidate from the Islamist party Ennahda is also running (Al Jazeera). If no candidate receives 50 percent of votes, the election will go to a run-off.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s bill would create a registry (Reuters) to track legal firearms in the country and increase requirements for getting and keeping a gun license.
 
This CFR Backgrounder compares countries’ gun control policies.
 
Japan: Two lawsuits and a statement by new Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi have sparked debate about paternity leave (NYT). The plaintiffs argue they faced professional retribution for taking paternity leave, while Koizumi says he may take it next year.

More than 3,800 people have been detained (Reuters) in Indian-administered Kashmir since New Delhi changed the region’s status, according to government data. Officials say the detentions aimed to prevent violence and around 2,600 people have already been released.
 
Afghanistan: Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. envoy for negotiations with the Taliban, has been subpoenaed to testify (Politico) before the U.S. Congress on September 19.
 
CFR’s Max Boot discusses how to correct mistakes made by U.S. negotiators during talks with the Taliban.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied claims in a Politico report that Israel was likely behind cellphone surveillance devices found near the White House and around Washington.

Protests against gender-based violence erupted in Johannesburg (ANA) after new statistics showed a 3.9 percent rise in reported rapes in the past year. South Africa’s president canceled his visit (AP) to the UN General Assembly gathering later this month to focus on unrest
 
Mali: An al-Qaeda affiliate, the Group of Support for Muslims and Islam (JNIM), issued a rare apology (Bloomberg) after a land mine killed civilian bus passengers.

The European Central Bank cut its interest rate for deposits to minus 0.5 percent (FT) and relaunched a bond-buying program it had paused in 2018.
 
Russia: Police raided at least 150 homes and offices (Moscow Times) of supporters of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the third wave of such raids in a week, according to his allies.

The European Union will give $33 million (Reuters) for Colombian efforts to support Venezuelans who have fled their country, announced EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.
 
Cuba: Twitter suspended several accounts (BBC) run by government officials and state-run media, saying they violated company policies.

During a televised debate, the presidential candidates largely supported moves toward withdrawing troops in Afghanistan (Vox) and de-escalating the trade conflict with China, favoring coordination with allies (WSJ).
 
The democratic candidates answer CFR’s foreign policy questions.