Tunisian President Sacks Prime Minister, Names Sara Zaafarani as Replacement 

People shop in the old city market during the Muslims' holy month of Ramadan in Tunis, Tunisia, 18 March 2025. (EPA)
People shop in the old city market during the Muslims' holy month of Ramadan in Tunis, Tunisia, 18 March 2025. (EPA)
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Tunisian President Sacks Prime Minister, Names Sara Zaafarani as Replacement 

People shop in the old city market during the Muslims' holy month of Ramadan in Tunis, Tunisia, 18 March 2025. (EPA)
People shop in the old city market during the Muslims' holy month of Ramadan in Tunis, Tunisia, 18 March 2025. (EPA)

Tunisian President Kais Saied sacked Prime Minister Kamel Maddouri less than a year after his appointment, and named Sara Zaafarani as his replacement.

Zaafarani, who is an engineer and served as minister of Equipment and Housing since 2021, is the third prime minister in less than two years.

In recent months, Saied has sharply criticized the performance of ministers, saying many they have not met the required standards and that the expectations of the Tunisian people are high. Last month he sacked Finance Minister Sihem Boughdiri.

Economic growth has not exceeded 1.4% in the past year, and the North African country's public finances face a severe crisis that has led to shortages of key commodities including sugar, rice and coffee.

"We will continue the liberation battle until justice prevails for all citizens ... We will continue to thwart all conspiracies", Saied said in a speech at a National Security Council meeting on Friday.



Iraq Agrees to Supply Lebanon with Fuel for Six Months

Beirut seen through the smog. (AP)
Beirut seen through the smog. (AP)
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Iraq Agrees to Supply Lebanon with Fuel for Six Months

Beirut seen through the smog. (AP)
Beirut seen through the smog. (AP)

Iraq has agreed to supply Lebanon with fuel for six more months, the office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said in a statement on Saturday, renewing a deal meant to alleviate Lebanon's acute power shortage.

Under the heavy fuel oil deal, first agreed in July 2021, Iraq provides the Lebanese government with the fuel in exchange for services including health care for Iraqi citizens.

Lebanon then swaps the heavy fuel oil for gas oil that it can use at its power stations.

These have operated for decades at partial capacity, but electricity provision deteriorated further during a financial crisis that has hit the state's ability to buy fuel.