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Tunisia

‘Four Daughters’ Breaks the Mold To Give an Honest Picture of a Mother’s Loss

Depicting a Mother's Loss

Kaouther Ben Hania's newest documentary, “Four Daughters,” traces the life of Olfa Hamrouni, a Tunisian mother whose two eldest daughters joined the Islamic State group in 2016. Its innovative storytelling, mixing actors with real subjects, made a splash last year at Cannes and just scored an Oscar nomination.

How Disinformation Fueled the Tunisian Revolution

The Rumor That Toppled Ben Ali

When news spread that Gen. Rachid Ammar had refused an order to have the army fire on protesters during the Tunisian Revolution, it emboldened the resistance and made Ammar a hero. But neither the order — nor the refusal — ever happened.

Attempts To ‘Green the Desert’ Have Dried Tunisia’s Oases

Attempts To ‘Green the Desert’ Have Dried Tunisia’s Oases

A global push for “green solutions” to climate change has driven many governments to pursue policies designed to keep the desert at bay by planting trees. But oasis communities in southern Tunisia are raising the alarm about the problem with a “great green wall.”

Europe’s Money-for-Migrants Scheme Is Buying Human Rights Abuses in Tunisia

Europe’s Money-for-Migrants Scheme Is Buying Human Rights Abuses in Tunisia

On Sunday, Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s far-right prime minister, hosted Saied and a number of other leaders from around the Mediterranean basin for a summit on migration in Rome. While she heralded the conference as a chance to initiate “wide cooperation to support development in Africa," the immediate objective was clear: stop the flow of migrants coming to Italy from Tunisian and Libyan shores.

Angelic Swords, Blushing Brides and Savvy Aunties — Inside the World of Tunisia’s Bards

Angelic Swords, Blushing Brides and Savvy Aunties — Inside the World of Tunisia’s Bards

Fdaouis, the traditional bards or storytellers of Tunisia, have nearly died out in the modern world. Yet while the ritual of listening to stories in public squares survives only in memory, a new generation of storytellers are reviving and renovating the art form.

Under Tunisia’s Humorless Autocrat, Satirists Wonder Who Will Get the Last Laugh

Under Tunisia’s Humorless Autocrat, Satirists Wonder Who Will Get the Last Laugh

Satirists flourished in the years after the Tunisian revolution. But two years on from President Kais Saied’s consolidation of power, their humor is being stifled by both economic hardship and a return to heavy-handed authoritarian control.

Can the Taxman Save Tunisia?

Can the Taxman Save Tunisia?

Kais Saied, who rode into power in 2019 on the slogan “the people want” and who took sole control of the country almost two years ago amid a wave of popular support after years of political gridlock and economic decline, has limited options for how to wrest Tunisia from the grips of economic disaster — and none of them is particularly what “the people want.”