Tunisian public health sector struggles to heal itself

Tunisia is seeing a surge in xenophobic violence against people from sub-Saharan Africa after the president claimed in February that migrants from the south were part of an in-ternational plot to change the country's demographic makeup.

The Wallah We Can project in Tunisia is transforming public schools into social enterprises. The Makthar school is energy self-sufficient and a farm provides students with free meals. It's improving the prospects for both the kids and their parents.

The migrants were trying to cross over to Italy from Tunisia when their boats sank. The Coast Guard said that it had rescued 53 people.

Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of Ennahda party and a prominent critic of Tunisian president Kais Saied, has been arrested, becoming the latest in a series of opposition figures detained.

At least five people are killed in Tunisia in a shooting at a synagogue on the island of Djerba. A national guard member opened fire on colleagues and worshippers before being shot dead himself. Also, in northwestern Nigeria, divers in the Shagari river have been desperately searching for survivors since over a dozen children drowned there on Tuesday.

With a background in financial engineering and after working for a few years in the banking sector, 30-year-old Tunisian Saif El-din Sayd decided to let it all go and follow his passion for animals.

The Mediterranean migrants crisis was one of the main topics discussed by Tunisa's foreign minister Nabil Ammar and his French counterpart Catherine Colonna during their first meeting in Paris. In an interview with FRANCE 24, Nabil Ammar said that the two nations "share lots of views".

Police in Tunisia have detained more than a dozen opposition figures in the past months, accusing them of conspiring against state security. Activists have said President Kais Saied has been steadily turning back the clock on democracy since July 2021.

The Tunisian coastal city Sfax is a gateway to Europe for many African migrants. From here, they cross the Mediterranean. But Tunisia itself is mired in crisis, and a surge in racism is adding to the migrants’ problems.

Sub-Saharan African migrants are targeted by Tunisians amidst a flare-up of racist tensions exacerbated by the killing of a local man in the port city of Sfax. Also, the UN condemns not just a humanitarian crisis but a crisis of humanity amid reports of widespread sexual assault in Sudan's war. Residents are also struggling with food and medicine shortages.

Tunisia's crackdown against Sub-Saharans has reached a new brutal stage. Hundreds of migrants were saved at the last minute near Libya, while others remain stuck in the desert near the border with Algeria.

Leaders from the EU want a "strategic" pact with Tunisian President Kais Saied to stem the flow of migration to Europe. Last month, Brussels pledged more aid to the North African country.