A boat carrying migrants toward Italy capsized near Tunisia’s coast, leaving at least 13 Tunisians missing, according to the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights. The vessel had departed at dawn on Thursday, and the information was reported on Saturday by the observatory’s head, Mostafa Abdelkabir.

Two people were rescued from the boat. One survivor told rescuers that those aboard had been stranded in the sea for several hours after the vessel overturned. The source did not provide further details on the condition of the missing people or the circumstances that caused the boat to capsize.

Tunisia was once one of the main departure routes for migrants seeking to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. However, migrant departures from the country have decreased significantly over the past two years, the report said. The incident occurred during an attempted journey toward Italy.

Public discontent is intensifying in Tunisia five years after President Kais Saied’s power takeover, driven by political repression, a worsening economy, deteriorating public services and prolonged electricity and water shortages. Thousands recently protested in the capital, Tunis, against what they described as Saied’s growing authoritarian rule and declining living conditions. Saied supporters held a counter-rally, calling opponents traitors and demanding their imprisonment.

Human Rights Watch Tunisia director Salsabil Chellali said criticism of the government has become effectively intolerable, alleging that opposition parties, civil society and media have been targeted and political rights curtailed. Many leading government opponents are either imprisoned or in exile. Most senior leaders of Ennahda are detained, including its 85-year-old leader Rached Ghannouchi, whose condition has not been disclosed since he reportedly fainted in prison last month.

A heatwave and wildfires have burned about 4,400 hectares, while rolling blackouts have left some areas without electricity for up to 12 hours. Researcher Hamza Meddeb said censorship makes people fearful of openly blaming the president. Analysts cited continued support for Saied’s government from the European Union, Algeria and Libya, while saying hopes for reforms have diminished.

Tunisia’s Football Association (FTF) has dismissed head coach Sabri Lamouchi following the team’s 5-1 loss to Sweden in their opening match of the World Cup. The decision was made in an emergency meeting the day after the defeat, marking the first coaching dismissal of the current tournament. Tunisia had entered the World Cup with a strong defensive record, having qualified without conceding a goal, but their backline faltered dramatically on the main stage.

Before the Sweden match, Tunisia had suffered a 5-0 defeat to Belgium in a friendly, bringing their total to ten goals conceded in just two games. Lamouchi, who replaced Sami Trabelsi after the team’s exit from the Africa Cup of Nations, oversaw only five matches in charge. His tenure began with a 1-0 win over Haiti, followed by a goalless draw with Canada, and three consecutive losses to Austria, Belgium, and Sweden.

Ahead of their second group-stage match against Japan on Saturday, the FTF has appointed a new coach to boost player morale. The upcoming match will determine Tunisia’s World Cup fate under new leadership.

Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania’s new film “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” centered on the Palestinian crisis, has secured a place in the final nominations for the upcoming 98th Academy Awards. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September last year to record-breaking standing ovations, will compete in the Best International Feature Film category. The Oscars ceremony is scheduled for March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in California, with the final nominations announced on January 22.

Alongside Tunisia’s entry, the category includes films from Brazil, France, Norway, and Spain. Despite submissions from seven African countries, Tunisia is the only one to reach the final list. This marks Ben Hania’s third Oscar nomination, following previous recognition for “The Man Who Sold His Skin” (2020) and “Four Daughters” (2023). She remains the only Tunisian filmmaker to receive multiple Oscar nominations.

“The Voice of Hind Rajab” depicts the January 2024 Gaza attack that killed five-year-old Hind Rajab, her relatives, and paramedics. The film’s executive producers include Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Alfonso Cuarón, and Jonathan Glazer.

Tunisian President Kais Saied has summoned the European Union’s ambassador, Giuseppe Perrone, accusing him of violating diplomatic protocol. The president’s office issued a brief statement confirming the summons but did not provide details about the alleged breach. The move follows Perrone’s meeting with Noureddine Taboubi, head of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), a group that has been critical of Saied’s government. EU representatives in Tunis said Perrone had praised the UGTT’s role, while Taboubi called for stronger cooperation between Tunisia and the EU. The UGTT, part of the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize-winning National Dialogue Quartet, remains a key political player and one of Saied’s main domestic critics. Since taking power in 2021, Saied has faced accusations of authoritarianism and has imprisoned several opponents. The diplomatic tension highlights growing friction between Tunisia and the EU amid concerns over governance and political freedoms.