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The Ministry of Health says a 66-year-old Tunisian man has died after being infected by the coronavirus following a visit to the Gulf. This is the first such case in Tunisia as the virus slowly spreads beyond the Middle East, according to the Ministry of Health’s National Observatory of New and Emerging Diseases, known by [...]

Amira Masrour | 21 May 2013 | 8 Comments

Two More Soldiers Injured by Land Mines in Hunt for Terrorists

Two members of the armed forces were injured in a land mine explosion this morning near the Algerian border. This followed multiple injuries caused by land mine explosions last week near Chambi Mountain, where security forces are searching for a terrorist group. The two officers were immediately brought by helicopter to the regional hospital of Kasserine [...]

Amira Masrour | 06 May 2013 | 2 Comments

Dean Acquitted of Assaulting Veiled Student

The dean of a Tunisian university accused of assaulting a veiled female student was acquitted Thursday. Two female students, including Fatouma Haji, the one who accused him of assault, were convicted of damaging the dean’s property and each received postponed four-month sentences. In a press conference following the verdict’s announcement, Dean Habib Kazdaghli said he thanked [...]

Asma Smadhi | 02 May 2013 | 5 Comments

Ennahdha Approves Mixed Political System

The Shura Council of the Ennahdha ruling party approved the creation of a mixed parliamentary/presidential system for Tunisia’s future government during an emergency meeting held yesterday, Fathi Ayadi, chair of the Council, told Mosaique FM. The new system of government would balance power between the president and prime minister. It was proposed by a key parliamentary committee [...]

Amira Masrour | 29 April 2013 | 1 Comment

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Category: Traditions

‘Hannibal’ Site to Preserve Remnants of Ancient Carthage

Amira Masrour | 21 May 2013 | 0 Comments

An initiative to create a new archaeological site to preserve the ancient Punic Harbors in Carthage was announced yesterday by the Culture Ministry. The site, to be called “Hannibal” after the famous Carthaginian military leader, is meant to protect the historic area from further deterioration, Culture Ministry press officer Faicel Errokh told Tunisia Live. The ancient harbors in [...]

Tunisia’s Sufis Uphold Traditions in the Face of Adversity

Roua Khlifi | 08 May 2013 | 1 Comment

The following feature is the second story in “Tunisia’s Spiritual Pluralism,” a recurring series Tunisia Live is running about religious minorities in the country. See the previous installment on Baha’i here. Since the twelfth century, Sufism has been a vital piece of Tunisia’s religious and cultural identity. Adherents to this strain of Islam seek God [...]

Spring Brings the “Spirit of the Flowers” to Tunisia

Roua Khlifi | 03 May 2013 | 0 Comments

With flowers blooming and the sky clearing, spring is not only a time for rebirth and rejuvenation, but also a time for celebration. All over the world, cultures have embraced rituals and festivities to celebrate the beginning of this season of renewal. Tunisia is no exception, as the country prepares for the annual tradition of flower [...]

Annual Jewish Pilgrimage Underway in Djerba

Roua Khlifi | 26 April 2013 | 12 Comments

Hundreds of Jews from Tunisia and abroad began the annual pilgrimage to El Ghriba today. “The mood is festive. We felt that a lot of people came this year,” said Rene Trabelsi, the organizer of the pilgrimage to the island of Djerba. “We hope to promote the image of Tunisia as a land of tolerance.” [...]

Students Party Before Hitting the Books

Roua Khlifi | 26 April 2013 | 12 Comments

A festive mood overtook downtown Tunis today as high school seniors celebrated finishing the athletic component of their national examinations — and blew off steam before studying for the upcoming academic exam that will determine their college majors. High school seniors throughout Tunisia took the sports exam this week and will sit for the national [...]

Jews Prepare for Annual Djerba Pilgrimage

Roua Khlifi | 22 April 2013 | 5 Comments

Preparations are underway for the annual El Ghriba pilgrimage hosted on the island of Djerba to celebrate the end of Passover. The festivities will be held from April 26 to 28 at the El Ghriba Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in Africa, and are expected to draw hundreds of visitors from both Tunisia and abroad. Many [...]

People Talking Without Speaking: A Guide to Tunisian Hand Gestures

Chris Barfield | 29 March 2013 | 4 Comments

Have you ever wondered what that crazy man outside your apartment is saying? Why does everyone unscrew an imaginary light bulb like a Bollywood dancer whenever I talk to them? We often assume that hand gestures are universal, but Tunisia actually has a host of new signals whose meanings are not readily apparent to the [...]

Independence Day Festivities Planned in Tunisia

Racha Haffar | 20 March 2013 | 0 Comments

Festivities today to mark the 57th anniversary of Tunisian independence will include a ceremony at the presidential palace with speeches, military drills, and security forces displaying the Tunisian flag. Yet aside from that, little official fanfare is planned for March 20. According to Kmar Bendana, a historian and expert at the Institute for the History [...]

Three Tunisian Popes Preceded Pope Francis of Argentina

Salma Bouzid | 16 March 2013 | 26 Comments

While the recent election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the Catholic Church’s first South American pope has sparked worldwide attention, many people do not realize that in the early years of Christianity, three popes originated from the Roman province of Africa, which constituted present-day Tunisia as well as eastern Algeria and northern Libya. According to Liliane [...]

Shrines Remain Refuges, Places of Worship

Roua Khlifi | 25 February 2013 | 1 Comment

Sufis believe that before entering any city, one must pause outside its walls to honor the local saints, both living and dead. Yet the saints of Tunisia have not been the recipients of such reverent behavior in recent months; their shrines have been under attack by religious extremists who contend that they are heretical. But [...]

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