Tunisia

Opposition parties boycotted the election, calling it a sham amid a deteriorating political climate and authoritarian drift in the birthplace of the Arab Spring more than a decade ago.

The boat sank over the weekend in the Mediterranean Sea between Tunisia and Italy. About 25 people were rescued. Thousands of migrants have reached Italy's tiny Lampedusa island in the past few days.

Artist Mohsen Lihidheb collects objects that wash ashore in Zarzis, Tunisia. His collection is a tribute to the migrants who died trying to cross the Mediterranean.

Last year, the region imported more than 36 million metric tons of wheat, mostly from Russia and Ukraine. The concern is that Russia's war in Ukraine could disrupt supplies and drive up prices.

Najla Bouden Ramadhane, a university engineer with no political background, has been appointed by President Kais Saied to fill the post, which has been vacant since July.

President Kais Saied plunged the country into uncertainty after shutting down parliament and firing the prime minister as well as the country's defense and justice ministers.

Protesters erupted in celebration after President Kais Saied dismissed PM Hichem Mechichi Sunday and froze parliament's activities, following unrest over the country's pandemic and economic situation.

18-year-old Ahmed Hafnaoui seemed stunned by the result. "I just can't accept that — it is too incredible," he said after his victory in the 400 meter freestyle event.

Hopes from the Arab Spring have mostly been dashed. But the era led to "a radical change in the way people think about the authorities, the state, and about their rights," says an Egyptian journalist.

The Arab Spring uprising led to a transition to democracy in Tunisia, but young people decry widespread corruption and a lack of job opportunities. It's led to protests, including self-immolation.