Year: 2020

Coronavirus: US reversal scuppers UN vote on global pandemic ceasefire

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The United States has stunned other members of the UN Security Council by preventing a vote on a resolution for a ceasefire in various conflicts around the world to help troubled nations better fight the coronavirus pandemic, diplomats said. Washington’s reversal on Friday came a day after it agreed to the text, negotiators said under cover of anonymity, AFP reports “The United States cannot support the current draft,” the country’s delegation declared, without further detail, to the 14 other Security Council members, after nearly two months of difficult negotiation over…

EU removes Tunisia from money laundering blacklist

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The European Union (EU) has removed Tunisia from its list of countries that pose threats to the financial system over money laundering and terrorism financing because of lack of legislation at home, reports indicated. The draft document prepared by the European Commission is set to take six countries including Tunisia out the blacklist. The list includes countries which pose significant threats to the financial system of the Union. Banks in the union and other financial and tax firms must check more closely their clients who have operations with countries on…

Through its Tunisia jobs program: USAID awards first approved grant to Dasri Sterile

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In response to the COVID-19 crisis in Tunisia, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Tunisia Jobs, Opportunities & Business Success (JOBS) program, is providing assistance to private companies on the front lines of the fight against the pandemic. Tunisia JOBS also supports the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC) in rapidly deploying financing to companies impacted by the economic crisis. The first approved grant is awarded to Dasri Sterile, a company specialising in the treatment and disposal of hazardous medical waste. The company is located in El…

Tunisia ranks first in Arab world for freedom of press

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Tunisia is the best-performing country in terms of freedom of the press in the Arab world, the World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) revealed yesterday. According to the report, released on World Press Freedom Day Sunday, Lebanon ranked 102nd, Iraq (162th), Algeria (146th), Egypt (166th), and Saudi Arabia (170th) globally. Meanwhile, Syria came in at 174th out of 180 countries for the second consecutive year. Norway topped the Index for the fourth year in a row followed by Finland, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. Journalists in…

WB gives Tunisia $35m for medical equipment to fight against COVID-19

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The World Bank will grant Tunisia $35 million for the fight against COVID-19 and to support the health ministry. The WB said in a statement that $20 million of the aid package is earmarked to bolster the capacity of the health system in a bid to support Tunisia’s efforts in stemming COVID-19 which has infected 994 people and caused the death of 41 others. The remaining $15 million makes up a previous support credit allocated early last month as part of COVID-19 accelerated mechanism, the bank said. The WB also…

Tunisia Exports 146,000 Tons of Olive Oil Amid COVID-19 Crisis

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Tunisia has recorded record growth in revenues from olive oil exports despite the coronavirus crisis according to figures released by the Office National de l’Huille (ONH). Tunisia exported 146,000 tons of olive oil in the first three months of 2020 which generated revenue of around 896 million Tunisian Dinars ($310 million). During the same period in 2019 the country’s exports stood at 80,000 tons worth 740 million TND in revenue ($255 million). President and CEO of ONH Chokri Bayoudh said that although exports had slowed during the coronavirus crisis, the…

“First draft of health protocol for Tunisian tourism has been sent to professionals to be soon validated”, says tourism minister

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“The first draft of a sanitary protocol for Tunisian tourism has been sent to the professionals of the sector so that they can bring their proposals. It will soon be discussed between the Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts and professional structures before being validated,” said Tuesday afternoon, Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, Mohamed Ali Toumi. Speaking at a webinar on the theme “From Berlin to Tunis: Tourism after COVID19” organized by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in partnership with Tunisia Hospitality Symposium (IHEC), the Minister stressed that “to prepare…

Horizons 2020 Tunisia accepts project “Tunisian Researchers” and Citizens “Green Deal”

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Horizons 2020 Tunisia announces on its official Facebook page the acceptance of the project “Tunisian Researchers’ and Citizens’ Green Deal” [Green Night] as part of the call “European researchers’ Night 2020”. This project was accepted after a demanding and very competitive selection process, the same source said. The project was carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research – Management Unit of the European R&I Horizon 2020 Programme, with associated partners namely the National Agency for the Promotion of Scientific Research (ANPR), Association la…

COVID-19: Tunisia researchers use AI, X-rays to create online virus scan tool

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Tunisian engineers have created a web-based platform that scans lung X-rays and evaluates whether patients are likely to be suffering from the novel coronavirus. While it’s not the first initiative of its kind in the world, its creators say it is the first to be openly available. And though not a diagnostic tool, the technology provides a “90%” reliable indication of the probability of infection, they add. Teachers and students at the Tunisian engineering and technology institute INSAT have been developing the platform — Covid-19 Exam Ct/XR images by AI…