Fears for Tunisia's secular tradition

Saturday will mark exactly one year since Tunisia’s former President, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, fled to Saudi Arabia. In his absence, the country held its first truly democratic elections. The winners were Islamist party Ennahda, which for some threaten Tunisia's secular tradition. Already, one town in the north is now under the control of a group of Salafists - a sensitive situation, as our reporter David Thomson found out.

FOCUS

By David THOMSON

10/05/2013 - PAKISTAN

The Taliban's election campaign of violence

The Taliban have been doing their best to disrupt Pakistan's May 11th election. It's been the deadliest campaign in the country's history with hundreds killed and many others kidnapped. The Taliban unleashed a campaign of terror calling democracy "un-Islamic" and vowed to attack anyone who associated with it. Our correspondents Taha Siddiqui and Julien Fouchet went to Peshawar, where candidates found themselves under threat 24/7.

09/05/2013 - ITALY

Berlusconi tax fraud conviction upheld

An Italian court has upheld a ruling in Silvio Berlusconi's trial for tax fraud. The former prime minister had appealed the conviction, which came with a four-year prison sentence. His lawyers now say they will contest the decision before Italy's highest court of appeal. This comes shortly after Berlusconi's centre-right PDL party joined a grand coalition with the centre-left PD.

09/05/2013 - USA

Three women held captive for over a decade found alive in Ohio

Three women who had been missing for around a decade have been found alive in Ohio. Kidnapped and held in a house in Cleveland for years, they managed to escape their captor on Monday. The owner of the house and his two brothers have now been arrested over the kidnappings of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight.

09/05/2013 - MEXICO

Mexicans sceptical of new law to compensate crime victims

Mexico's new president, Enrique Pena Nieto, has signed a bill into law that promises recognition and compensation to victims of crimes, in particular those citizens who have become caught up in the country's drug wars. But as France 24's reporters in Mexico found out, many are sceptical it will make any difference.

08/05/2013 - TURKEY

PKK rebel fighters begin retreat to northern Iraq

Kurdish rebels began withdrawing from Turkey on Wednesday, taking a major step towards ending a 29-year conflict which has killed tens of thousands. The PKK originally demanded an independent state in Turkey's Kurdish south-east, but has since scaled down its goals, looking for wider political and cultural autonomy for Kurds in Turkey. A total of 2,000 PKK rebel fighters are expected to leave Turkey and cross into their stronghold in northern Iraq.

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