It was dark and the rain had been falling for some time when the engine failed on the small boat Mohamed Mourad and his 13 friends had bought together. More than five hours out of Tunisia and with the boat leaking, they tried to start their spare engine but found it had flooded.
Desperate and scared, their chances of building new lives in Europe receded as the water within their small craft rose.
“We almost lost hope,” Mr Mourad, 22, told a translator. “There was no sign of other boats.”
The next morning though, their fortunes appeared to have turned when they hailed a fishing boat. The would-be migrants asked the fishermen, who came from the same Tunisian coastal town of Zarzis, to tow them into Italian waters where they would issue an SOS.
Journeys such as this are becoming increasingly common, with migrant numbers from Tunisia more than doubling over the past year. Driven by a lack of hope and a growing disenfranchisement with the political process, growing numbers of young Tunisian men are joining refugees from war-torn countries and migrants from impoverished sub-Saharan nations in seeking a new life in Europe.
But days after their rescue, the 14 hopeful migrants were returned to Tunisia and official disinterest. The captain and five crew of the fishing boat who came to their aid were thrown in an Italian prison, charged with people smuggling. If convicted, they face up to 15 years in jail.
The Italian coastguard maintains that it did not receive an SOS. Italian authorities have yet to respond to requests for comment.
Unlike many of the larger migrant boats that leave Tunisia for Europe, the group from Zarzis organised their own crossing attempt. As unemployed young men and adolescents, each had contributed what they could to the price of buying and equipping the boat.
Mr Mourad said he had paid 2,000 Tunisian Dinars, (Dh 2,645), others less. “Some didn’t pay anything, they didn’t have money, but it was OK because we were from the same neighbourhood,” he said.
The captain of the fishing boat that rescued them, Chamseddine Bourassine, is a well-known figure in Tunisia. The President of the Association of Fishermen in Zarzis, stories of Mr Bourassine’s efforts to rescue migrants at sea have received international attention. Anger and protests greeted his arrest, with demonstrations in Zarzis and outside the Italian Embassy in Tunis demanding his release.
Mr Mourad’s feelings on the matter are clear: “He should be honoured for helping us not imprisoned. He saved 14 people from drowning.”
_______________
Read more:
Cyprus appeals for EU help as migrant influx increases
UN agency: Trips across Mediterranean fall but risks rise
Thousands of migrants trapped in middle of escalating Libyan violence
_______________
As of August, 3,811 Tunisians had been caught by Italian authorities attempting the crossing, compared to 1,721 during the same period last year.
Across Tunisia, unemployment is at 15 per cent and tops 30 per cent in areas such as Kasserine, near the Algerian border. In Tunis, where politicians and factions jockey for position ahead of the 2019 elections, inflation runs at 7.5 per cent, ratcheting up the cost of living monthly.
“There’s more despair, more hopelessness, more inflation,” said Massoud Romdhani, president of the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights, a local civil society NGO.
“The political situation is so bleak, with the parties splintering and concentrating upon their own affairs ahead of the elections, which seem far removed from those looking for work and hope.”
People know the risks of illegal migration but they are desperate, says Mr Romdhani. This year more than 1,600 migrants drowned in the Mediterranean, including more than 100 this month.
“This year, one in 18 migrants has gone missing at sea, last year, it was one in 42,” said Mr Romdhani. “It’s getting more dangerous.
"No one expects much from [a new life in] Europe. They don’t think it’ll be some kind of dream. They just see no future here.”
Mr Mourad said he would not attempt the journey again. He would still like to leave Tunisia, but says all legal routes are denied to him.
“I don’t have a future in this country,” he said. “There’s no solution that would fix my problem.”
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
MATCH INFO
Europa League final
Who: Marseille v Atletico Madrid
Where: Parc OL, Lyon, France
When: Wednesday, 10.45pm kick off (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?
The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.
Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.
New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.
“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.
The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.
The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.
Bloomberg
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
Results:
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m | Winner: AF Al Montaqem, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m | Winner: Daber W’Rsan, Connor Beasley, Jaci Wickham
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m | Winner: Bainoona, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m | Winner: AF Makerah, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 | Winner: AF Motaghatres, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,600m | Winner: Tafakhor, Ronan Whelan, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
- Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
- Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
- Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
- Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
Aggro%20Dr1ft
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
