When political instability is factored in, Tunisia’s emergence from the pandemic may not be quick. — by Emily Hoch and Mahshid Abir As the BA.5 variant rapidly infects populations worldwide, Tunisia is facing its fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, averaging nearly 5,000 new cases weekly and faring worse than neighboring Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt. Nevertheless, compared to the delta-variant peak in August 2021 (PDF), vaccination…

Recent Russian missile attacks against civilians raise the question of whether the war in Ukraine is entering a new phase. — by Karl P. Mueller Recent Russian missile attacks against civilian targets in cities far away from the front lines have killed scores of Ukrainians, leading to widespread outrage. …

Qatar adopted a spectrum of policies and health measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. — by Hamad Al-Ibrahim, Nazia Wolters, Mahshid Abir Qatar has been preparing to host the World Cup 2022 since it was chosen to host the tournament in 2010. The country engaged in scenario planning, trying to deal with the geopolitical challenges in the region, which might impact the tournament. One of…

Employers can benefit from veterans’ experience and skills. For veterans, a fulfilling career can ease the transition to civilian life. — Around 200,000 service members retire or separate from the U.S. military each year, and they are often still in their prime working years. July 25 was National Hire a Veteran Day, and its purpose is to encourage employers to look to this diverse pool of workers to fill open positions…

When zoning officials needed to put in a new factory or freeway, redlined neighborhoods were like a bullseye they hit again and again. — On the north side of Denver, people have a word for the stench that often drifts through their windows and under their doors: purijuana. It’s a combination of the Purina pet food factory up the street, and the many marijuana operations that have made the neighborhood their own. …

The way the U.S. military waged war in Raqqa too often undercut the Pentagon’s commitment to reduce civilian harm. — Reporters who reached the Syrian city of Raqqa in October 2017 found an apocalypse of dust, death, and rubble. NPR described it as a “wasteland of war-warped buildings and shattered concrete.” The New York Times called it a ghost city. The United States had promised the most precise air war…

RAND senior policy researcher Dara Massicot discusses Russia’s war in Ukraine. — “I wanted to be wrong,” Dara Massicot tweeted on the evening of February 23. It was just before dawn on the following day in Moscow and Kyiv, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine had begun. “The next days and weeks will be dark times and a humanitarian catastrophe.” Massicot is…

RAND researchers identified challenges in COVID-19 response as well as successes and innovations that sought to address these challenges. — by Nasma Berri and Mahshid Abir Like many other countries in the region, Lebanon established successful measures to contain COVID-19, prompting a slow, but steady return to pre-COVID behavior following an Omicron wave peak in February 2022. The number of infections, reported cases, hospitalizations, and daily deaths continue to decline…

Synthetic opioids require a comprehensive response. It’s time to meet this everything problem where it is: everywhere. — Overview Fatal drug overdoses — primarily from illegally manufactured synthetic opioids — have increased sharply in recent years. And they’re not slowing down. Potent and dangerous synthetic opioids affect a wide range of policy areas and require a comprehensive response. It’s time to meet this everything problem where it is: everywhere.