in VOA Special English.Tunisia is observingthree days of mourningfor people killed in the revolutionthat ousted the president a week ago.As many as one hundred peoplemay have died since the startof the uprising in December.The former president,Zine el-Abidene Ben Ali,held power for twenty-three years.A temporary governmenthas offered a general pardonto political prisoners and agreed torecognize banned political parties.The acting prime minister,Mohammed Ghannouchi, has alsoremoved all restrictions on the media.The interim governmentpromises to hold elections.And it has arrested membersof Mr. Ben Ali's familyfor investigation of corruption.But protesters in Tunis and elsewherecontinued to demand the removal ofany officials from the old ruling party.(SOUND)On Friday, the first dayof national mourning, protestersin Tunis welcomed police officerswho joined them for the first time.Still, the situation calmed enoughthis week for the governmentto announce that schools anduniversities will reopen next week.The protests grew out of angerover high unemployment and food prices,which are currently reachingnew highs on world markets.The question now is how muchthe events in Tunisiawill influence peoplein other countries,like this man in Algeria.MAN (TRANSLATED): "Our problemis not to do with cooking oil,sugar or semolina.Our problem is with the injustice,the plundering of wealth and oppression."Maha Azzam is a North Africa expertat Chatham House,a research organization in London.MAHA AZZAM: "Over the next few monthsleading up to the presidential elections,if we see protestson the streets in Egyptthen we are underwayto some very serious changein a key country in the region."In Cairo, a protester set himselfon fire outside the parliament building.People have also burned themselvesin other countries-- all reminders of the actof resistance that startedthe revolution in Tunisia.Mohamed Bouazizi, a vegetable seller,became so tired of abusive officialsthat he set himself on fire and later died.The events in Tunisia are being calledthe Jasmine Revolutionafter the national flower.But Tunisia is in many waysan exception in the Arab world.It has a solid middle class built by an economy not tied to oil production.It has a high level of educationand more equal rightsbetween men and women.And it has a popular armythat has largely stayed out of politics.One political expert sayseven the corruption was different,limited mainly to the formerpresident and his family.This week, Arab leadersheld an economic summit meetingin Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.Egyptian President Hosni Mubarakcalled for investment in young people.(SOUND)Employment is a major priority,he said, along with education,economic growth and socialand human development.Arab League Secretary GeneralAmr Moussa told the leaders that-- in his words-- "the Arab soul is broken."He warned them that"the Tunisian revolutionis not far from us."And that's IN THE NEWSin VOA Special English.You can share comments,and read what other people are saying,at 51voa.comand on Facebook and Twitterat VOA Learning English.