auto-update week 30

africa/ts.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "Introduction": {
     "Background": {
-      "text": "<p>Tunisia has been the nexus of many different colonizations including those of the Phoenicians (as early as the 12 century B.C.), the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, various Arab and Berber kingdoms, and the Ottomans (16<sup>th</sup> to late 19<sup>th</sup> centuries). Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades following World War I was finally successful in convincing the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's first president, Habib BOURGUIBA, established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. Street protests that began in Tunis in December 2010 over high unemployment, corruption, widespread poverty, and high food prices escalated in January 2011, culminating in rioting that led to hundreds of deaths. On 14 January 2011, the same day BEN ALI dismissed the government, he fled the country, and by late January 2011, a \"national unity government\" was formed. Elections for the new Constituent Assembly were held in late October 2011, and in December, it elected human rights activist Moncef MARZOUKI as interim president. The Assembly began drafting a new constitution in February 2012 and, after several iterations and a months-long political crisis that stalled the transition, ratified the document in January 2014. Parliamentary and presidential elections for a permanent government were held at the end of 2014. Beji CAID ESSEBSI was elected as the first president under the country's new constitution. Following ESSEBSI&rsquo;s death in office in July 2019, Tunisia moved its scheduled presidential election forward two months and after two rounds of voting, Kais SAIED was sworn in as president in October 2019. Tunisia also held legislative elections on schedule in October 2019. SAIED's term, as well as that of Tunisia's 217-member parliament, expires in 2024.</p>"
+      "text": "<p>Tunisia has been the nexus of many different colonizations including those of the Phoenicians (as early as the 12 century B.C.), the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, various Arab and Berber kingdoms, and the Ottomans (16th to late 19th centuries). Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades following World War I was finally successful in convincing the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's first president, Habib BOURGUIBA, established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. Street protests that began in Tunis in December 2010 over high unemployment, corruption, widespread poverty, and high food prices escalated in January 2011, culminating in rioting that led to hundreds of deaths. On 14 January 2011, the same day BEN ALI dismissed the government, he fled the country, and by late January 2011, a \"national unity government\" was formed. Elections for the new Constituent Assembly were held in late October 2011, and in December, it elected human rights activist Moncef MARZOUKI as interim president. The Assembly began drafting a new constitution in February 2012 and, after several iterations and a months-long political crisis that stalled the transition, ratified the document in January 2014. Parliamentary and presidential elections for a permanent government were held at the end of 2014. Beji CAID ESSEBSI was elected as the first president under the country's new constitution. Following ESSEBSI’s death in office in July 2019, Tunisia moved its scheduled presidential election forward two months and after two rounds of voting, Kais SAIED was sworn in as president in October 2019. Tunisia also held legislative elections on schedule in October 2019. SAIED's term, as well as that of Tunisia's 217-member parliament, expires in 2024.</p>"
     }
   },
   "Geography": {
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
       "text": "4,590 sq km (2012)"
     },
     "Population distribution": {
-      "text": "the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated as shown in this <a href=\"https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/static/39ab085913747071f58bcf7c95d4279b/TUNISIA_Population_density.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">population distribution map</a>"
+      "text": "the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated as shown in this population distribution map"
     },
     "Natural hazards": {
       "text": "flooding; earthquakes; droughts"
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@
         "text": "Arabic (official, one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce), Berber (Tamazight); note - despite having no official status, French plays a major role in the country and is spoken by about two thirds of the population"
       },
       "printed major-language sample": {
-        "text": "<br />كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن كتاب تتعلم به المعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)<br /><br />The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)<br /><br />The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information."
+        "text": "<br>كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن كتاب تتعلم به المعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)<br><br>The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information."
       }
     },
     "Religions": {
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@
       "text": "-1.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)"
     },
     "Population distribution": {
-      "text": "the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated as shown in this <a href=\"https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/static/39ab085913747071f58bcf7c95d4279b/TUNISIA_Population_density.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">population distribution map</a>"
+      "text": "the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated as shown in this population distribution map"
     },
     "Urbanization": {
       "urban population": {
@@ -304,13 +304,13 @@
       }
     },
     "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": {
-      "text": "<.1% (2019 est.)"
+      "text": "<.1% (2020 est.)"
     },
     "HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS": {
-      "text": "6,500 (2019 est.)"
+      "text": "4,500 (2020 est.)"
     },
     "HIV/AIDS - deaths": {
-      "text": "<500 (2019 est.)"
+      "text": "<200 (2020 est.)"
     },
     "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": {
       "text": "26.9% (2016)"
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@
         "text": "President Kais SAIED (elected 13 October, sworn in 23 October 2019)"
       },
       "head of government": {
-        "text": "Prime Minister Hichem MECHICHI (since 2 September 2020)"
+        "text": "prime minister (vacant); on 25 July 2021, President SAIED removed Prime Minister Hichem MECHICHI from office"
       },
       "cabinet": {
         "text": "selected by the prime minister and approved by the Assembly of the Representatives of the People"
@@ -535,12 +535,12 @@
         "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 15 September 2019 with a runoff on 13 October 2019 (next to be&nbsp;held in 2024); following legislative elections, the prime minister is selected by the winning party or winning coalition and appointed by the president"
       },
       "election results": {
-        "text": "<p>first round - Kais SAIED (independent) 18.4%, Nabil KAROUI (Heart of Tunisia) 15.6%, Abdelfattah MOUROU (Nahda Movement) 12.9%, Abdelkrim ZBIDI(independent) 10.7%,Youssef CHAHED (Long Live Tunisia) 7.4%, Safi SAID (independent) 7.1%, Lotfi MRAIHI (Republican People's Union) 6.6%, other 21.3%; runoff - Kais SAIED elected president; Kais SAIED 72.7%, Nabil KAROUI 27.3%</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>"
+        "text": "<p>first round - Kais SAIED (independent) 18.4%, Nabil KAROUI (Heart of Tunisia) 15.6%, Abdelfattah MOUROU (Nahda Movement) 12.9%, Abdelkrim ZBIDI(independent) 10.7%,Youssef CHAHED (Long Live Tunisia) 7.4%, Safi SAID (independent) 7.1%, Lotfi MRAIHI (Republican People's Union) 6.6%, other 21.3%; runoff - Kais SAIED elected president; Kais SAIED 72.7%, Nabil KAROUI 27.3%</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>"
       }
     },
     "Legislative branch": {
       "description": {
-        "text": "unicameral Assembly of the Representatives of the People or Majlis Nuwwab ash-Sha'b (Assemblee des representants du peuple) (217 seats; 199 members directly elected in Tunisian multi-seat constituencies and 18 members in multi-seat constituencies abroad by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)"
+        "text": "<br>note: on 25 July 2021, President SAIED suspended the Assembly for 30 days<br>unicameral Assembly of the Representatives of the People or Majlis Nuwwab ash-Sha'b (Assemblee des representants du peuple) (217 seats; 199 members directly elected in Tunisian multi-seat constituencies and 18 members in multi-seat constituencies abroad by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)"
       },
       "elections": {
         "text": "initial election held on 6 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2024)"
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@
       "note": "<strong>note:</strong> the new Tunisian constitution of January 2014 called for the creation of a constitutional court by the end of 2015, but as of November 2018, the court had not been appointed; the court to consist of 12 members - 4 each to be appointed by the president, the Supreme Judicial Council (an independent 4-part body consisting mainly of elected judges and the remainder are legal specialists), and the Chamber of the People's Deputies (parliament); members are to serve 9-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years"
     },
     "Political parties and leaders": {
-      "text": "Afek Tounes [Yassine BRAHIM]Al Badil Al-Tounisi (The Tunisian Alternative) [Mehdi JOMAA]<br />Call for Tunisia Party (Nidaa Tounes) [Hafedh CAID ESSEBSI]<br />Congress for the Republic Party or CPR [Imed DAIMI]<br />Current of Love [Hachemi HAMDI] (formerly the Popular Petition party)<br />Democratic Alliance Party [Mohamed HAMDI]<br />Democratic Current [Mohamed ABBOU]<br />Democratic Patriots' Unified Party [Zied LAKHDHAR]<br />Dignity Coalition [Seifeddine MAKHIOUF]<br />Free Destourian Party [Abir MOUSSI]<br />Free Patriotic Union (Union patriotique libre) or UPL&nbsp; [Slim RIAHI]<br />Green Tunisia Party [Abdelkader ZITOUNI]<br />Heart of Tunisia (Qalb Tounes)<br />Irada Movement<br />Long Live Tunisia (Tahya Tounes) [Youssef CHAHED]<br />Machrou Tounes (Tunisia Project) [Mohsen MARZOUK]<br />Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ahmed KHASKHOUSSI]<br />Ennahda Movement (The Renaissance) [Rachid GHANNOUCHI]<br />National Destourian Initiative or El Moubadra [Kamel MORJANE]<br />Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard [Ahmed JEDDICK, Kheireddine SOUABNI]<br />People's Movement [Zouheir MAGHZAOUI]<br />Popular Front (coalition includes Democratic Patriots' Unified Party, Workers' Party, Green Tunisia, Tunisian Ba'ath Movement, Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard)<br />Republican Party [Maya JRIBI]<br />Tunisian Ba'ath Movement [OMAR Othman BELHADJ]<br />Tunisia First (Tunis Awlan) [Ridha BELHAJ]<br />Workers' Party [Hamma HAMMAMI]"
+      "text": "Afek Tounes [Yassine BRAHIM]Al Badil Al-Tounisi (The Tunisian Alternative) [Mehdi JOMAA]<br>Call for Tunisia Party (Nidaa Tounes) [Hafedh CAID ESSEBSI]<br>Congress for the Republic Party or CPR [Imed DAIMI]<br>Current of Love [Hachemi HAMDI] (formerly the Popular Petition party)<br>Democratic Alliance Party [Mohamed HAMDI]<br>Democratic Current [Mohamed ABBOU]<br>Democratic Patriots' Unified Party [Zied LAKHDHAR]<br>Dignity Coalition [Seifeddine MAKHIOUF]<br>Free Destourian Party [Abir MOUSSI]<br>Free Patriotic Union (Union patriotique libre) or UPL  [Slim RIAHI]<br>Green Tunisia Party [Abdelkader ZITOUNI]<br>Heart of Tunisia (Qalb Tounes)<br>Irada Movement<br>Long Live Tunisia (Tahya Tounes) [Youssef CHAHED]<br>Machrou Tounes (Tunisia Project) [Mohsen MARZOUK]<br>Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ahmed KHASKHOUSSI]<br>Ennahda Movement (The Renaissance) [Rachid GHANNOUCHI]<br>National Destourian Initiative or El Moubadra [Kamel MORJANE]<br>Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard [Ahmed JEDDICK, Kheireddine SOUABNI]<br>People's Movement [Zouheir MAGHZAOUI]<br>Popular Front (coalition includes Democratic Patriots' Unified Party, Workers' Party, Green Tunisia, Tunisian Ba'ath Movement, Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard)<br>Republican Party [Maya JRIBI]<br>Tunisian Ba'ath Movement [OMAR Othman BELHADJ]<br>Tunisia First (Tunis Awlan) [Ridha BELHAJ]<br>Workers' Party [Hamma HAMMAMI]"
     },
     "International organization participation": {
       "text": "ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CD, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO"
@@ -1127,12 +1127,15 @@
     },
     "Military service age and obligation": {
       "text": "20-23 years of age for compulsory service, 1-year service obligation; 18-23 years of age for voluntary service (2019)"
+    },
+    "Military - note": {
+      "text": "the Tunisian military&rsquo;s primary operational areas of focus are counter-terrorism, counterinsurgency, and border security; it conducts counter-terrorism and counterinsurgency operations against al-Qa&rsquo;ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Islamic State of ash-Sham (ISIS)-linked militants who have been fighting a low-intensity insurgency against the government, mostly in the mountainous region along the border with Algeria, particularly the Chaambi Mountains near the city of Kasserine; the Tunisian military routinely conducts joint operations with Algerian security forces against these&nbsp; groups, as well to counter smuggling and trafficking activities; the Tunisian military in recent years also has increased its role in securing the southern border against militant activity, smuggling, and trafficking from war-torn Libya; the Tunisian Government has constructed a complex structure of berms, trenches, and water-filled moats, complemented by electronic surveillance equipment such as motion detectors, ground surveillance radars, and infrared sensors along the 220-kilometer border with Libya; in the more populace northern border area, the Tunisian Army backs up Ministry of Interior security forces (Customs and the National Guard), while in the more remote southern sections of the frontier a military exclusion or buffer zone has been created, with the Tunisian Army having the lead in conducting patrols, interdiction, and making arrests"
     }
   },
   "Terrorism": {
     "Terrorist group(s)": {
-      "text": "Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) network in Tunisia; al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb<br><br><strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in <a title=\"Appendix-T\" href=\"../appendix/appendix-t.html\">Appendix-T</a>",
-      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in <a title=\"Appendix-T\" href=\"../appendix/appendix-t.html\">Appendix-T</a>"
+      "text": "Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) network in Tunisia; al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb<br><br><strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T",
+      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T"
     }
   },
   "Transnational Issues": {