TUNIS: More than 3,000 people demonstrated against Tunisia’s government on Saturday at a rally organized by the UGTT trade union, which called on President Kaid Saied to accept “dialogue.”
Saied has pushed through sweeping changes to the political system in the country.
In a major crackdown, police have arrested around 20 prominent political figures over the past two weeks, primarily Saied’s opponents.
Demonstrators marched in Tunis on Saturday, also calling for “a halt to impoverishment” in the North African country.

TUNIS: The Tunisian Judges Association said in a statement on Saturday that Tunisian President Kais Saied had suspended a judge because he had not sent a suspect to prison, accusing the government of a crackdown on opponents.
“The Association warns of the great and unprecedented pressures on the judiciary, after arrests and prosecutions that included political activists, judges, lawyers, trade unionists, journalists and media professionals,” the statement said.
A spokesperson for the president was not immediately available.

CHICAGO: John Kerry, the US special presidential envoy for climate, said on Friday that environmental threats relating to climate change and the world’s oceans persist, but he praised the work that is being being done to address them by the UN and the support it is receiving from nations in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain.

TEHRAN, BERLIN: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Friday blamed a wave of poisonings of hundreds of schoolgirls around the country on Tehran’s enemies.

TUNIS: Tunisian authorities said Thursday they had banned a protest by the country’s main opposition coalition, arguing that senior members are suspected of crimes against the state.
Tunis prefect Kamel Feki said a request by the “so-called National Salvation Front” to hold a march on Sunday had “not been approved as some of its leaders are suspected of plotting against state security.”
Around 20 prominent political figures have been arrested in Tunisia this month, primarily rivals and critics of President Kais Saied.