Day: February 17, 2017

Hackathon student makes a difference with data for native Tunisia

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University’s annual hackathon, 36-hour marathon of data-crunching and problem-solving, runs this Friday through Sunday. Anis Kallel ’17 received a Renaissance & Global Scholarship from the University four years ago. The full-tuition, four-year scholarship is offered annually to about 20 students who are academic all-stars and have unique backgrounds that add to the diversity of the student body. Kallel was shocked and thrilled. But mostly, he was grateful. “I was given something most people wouldn’t dream of receiving,” the computer science and business dual major from Tunisia says. “That comes with…

Caïd Essebsi receives telephone call from Donald Trump

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President Béji Caïd Essebsi received a telephone call from U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday afternoon. During the telephone call, both sides reviewed the main steps marking the historical relations between Tunisia and the United States which date back to over two centuries and the constant evolution that they are experiencing. According to a statement of the Presidency of the Republic, the two presidents commended the level of bilateral cooperation, affirming their commitment to further promote it in all fields, “given the role Tunisia plays as a key partner of…

Tunisia waives visas for Chinese visitors to boost tourism

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Tunisian officials said Thursday that the visa exemption for Chinese would boost the tourism industry badly hit by terrorist attacks during last two years in this North African country. “From today, the tourists of Chinese nationality will not need a visa to enter Tunisian territory, in the conditions of having a round-trip flight ticket and a valid hotel reservation voucher within 90 days,” said Chafik Hajji, general director of consular affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “This is good news for Tunisian tourism, which has succeeded in attracting the…

Tunisia: slight increase in industrial sector exports

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Exports from the industrial sector rose from 24,544.5 million Tunisian dinars(MTD) in 2015 to 26,396.8 MTD in 2016, posting an increase of 7.5%. This increase is mainly due to the sector of the mechanical and electrical industries whose exports reached 13,251.0 MTD, against 11,450.7 MTD in the year 2015, UP 15.7%. Similarly, exports from the chemical industry sector grew by 18.3% from 1,876.3 MTD to 2,218.8 MTD in year 2016. The sector of miscellaneous industries followed suit with exports of the order 1,876.2 MD against 1,650.5 MD during the year…

Tunisia in front of the outside confusion between migrants and terrorists

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Foreign policymakers, security experts as well as some famous foreign media report every time that a high number of Tunisians have joined the Islamic State groups. It is worth reminding that figures surfacing from time to time are contradictory. We are convinced as Tunisians, that such high number of Tunisians joining the Islamic State is overblown which is very  painful for us. Though the Tunisian Security Authorities confirm on a regular basis  the actual numbers of those Tunisians, according to the official security data available, some analysts insist on providing…

Belgian authorities keep an eye on IS fighters’ children

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Belgian authorities fear for the fate of some 80 children of Syrian fighters from Belgium, who may currently be residing in territories occupied by the jihadist group Islamic State. The Mediahuis group publications are reporting today (Thursday) that several such fighters wish to return to Belgium. Up to now, the authorities have already received an indication that some twenty Syrian fighters, mainly women, are now wishing to return to Belgium. A spokesman for the Interior Minister, Jan Jambon (of the New Flemish Alliance) indicated, “Some may possibly come back with…