Stanford University

Struggles for Political Change in the Arab World

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Struggles for Political Change in the Arab World seminar

Lisa Blaydes and Hesham Sallam join CDDRL to discuss their new edited volume, Struggles for Political Change in the Arab World: Regimes, Oppositions, and External Actors after the Spring (University of Michigan Press, 2022).

The advent of the Arab Spring in late 2010 was a hopeful moment for partisans of progressive change throughout the Arab world. Authoritarian leaders who had long stood in the way of meaningful political reform in the countries of the region were either ousted or faced the possibility of political if not physical demise. The downfall of long-standing dictators as they faced off with strong-willed protesters was a clear sign that democratic change was within reach. Throughout the last ten years, however, the Arab world has witnessed authoritarian regimes regaining resilience, pro-democracy movements losing momentum, and struggles between the first and the latter involving regional and international powers.

This volume explains how relevant political players in Arab countries among regimes, opposition movements, and external actors have adapted ten years after the onset of the Arab Spring. It includes contributions on Egypt, Morocco, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Algeria, Sudan, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, and Tunisia. It also features studies on the respective roles of the United States, China, Iran, and Turkey vis-à-vis questions of political change and stability in the Arab region, and includes a study analyzing the role of Saudi Arabia and its allies in subverting revolutionary movements in other countries.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Lisa Blaydes
Lisa Blaydes is Professor of Political Science at Stanford University. She is the author of Elections and Distributive Politics in Mubarak’s Egypt (Cambridge University Press, 2011) and State of Repression: Iraq under Saddam Hussein (Princeton University Press, 2018).

Hesham Sallam
Hesham Sallam is a research scholar at Stanford’s Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) and serves as the associate director of the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy. He is also a co-editor of Jadaliyya ezine and serves on the Editorial Committee of Middle East Report. His research focuses on Islamist movements and the politics of economic reform in the Arab World. He is the author of Classless Politics: Islamist Movements, the Left, and Authoritarian Legacies in Egypt (Columbia University Press, 2022), co-editor of Struggles for Political Change in the Arab World (University of Michigan Press, 2022), and editor of Egypt’s Parliamentary Elections 2011-2012: A Critical Guide to a Changing Political Arena (Tadween Publishing, 2013).

Virtual to Public. Only those with an active Stanford ID with access to E008 in Encina Hall may attend in person.

Didi Kuo

Virtual to Public. Only those with an active Stanford ID with access to E008 in Encina Hall may attend in person.

Lisa Blaydes

Encina Hall West, Room 408
Stanford, CA 94305-6044

(650) 723-0649
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Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Professor of Political Science
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Lisa Blaydes is a Professor of Political Science at Stanford University. She is the author of State of Repression: Iraq under Saddam Hussein (Princeton University Press, 2018) and Elections and Distributive Politics in Mubarak’s Egypt (Cambridge University Press, 2011). Professor Blaydes received the 2009 Gabriel Almond Award for best dissertation in the field of comparative politics from the American Political Science Association for this project.  Her articles have appeared in the American Political Science Review, International Studies Quarterly, International Organization, Journal of Theoretical Politics, Middle East Journal, and World Politics. During the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 academic years, Professor Blaydes was an Academy Scholar at the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies. She holds degrees in Political Science (PhD) from the University of California, Los Angeles, and International Relations (BA, MA) from Johns Hopkins University.

 

Affiliated faculty at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law
Affiliated faculty at the Center for International Security and Cooperation
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Hesham Sallam

Encina Hall, E105
616 Jane Stanford Way
Stanford, CA 94305-6055

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Senior Research Scholar
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Hesham Sallam is a Senior Research Scholar at CDDRL, where he serves as Associate Director for Research. He is also Associate Director of the Program on Arab Reform and Development. Sallam is co-editor of Jadaliyya ezine and a former program specialist at the U.S. Institute of Peace. His research focuses on political and social development in the Arab World. Sallam’s research has previously received the support of the Social Science Research Council and the U.S. Institute of Peace. He is author of Classless Politics: Islamist Movements, the Left, and Authoritarian Legacies in Egypt (Columbia University Press, 2022), co-editor of Struggles for Political Change in the Arab World (University of Michigan Press, 2022), and editor of Egypt's Parliamentary Elections 2011-2012: A Critical Guide to a Changing Political Arena (Tadween Publishing, 2013). Sallam received a Ph.D. in Government (2015) and an M.A. in Arab Studies (2006) from Georgetown University, and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh (2003).

 

Associate Director for Research, Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law
Associate Director, Program on Arab Reform and Development
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Ramzy Mardini

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Ramzy Mardini is the founder of Geopol Labs, a geopolitical risk and strategic advisory firm based in the Middle East.

His research focuses on international security, civil wars, and conflict resolution. He has conducted over five years of conflict field research across nearly a dozen countries, including as a Fulbright-Hays Fellow and as a Minerva Peace Scholar at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC. He was also a consultant at the Dialogue Advisory Group, a European-based organization that facilitates mediation and dialogue between armed actors in active conflict zones. From 2020 to 2025, he was an Associate at the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts at the University of Chicago.

Prior to graduate studies, Mardini was a Nonresident Fellow at the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East at the Atlantic Council, an Adjunct Fellow at the Iraq Institute for Strategic Studies, and a Research Analyst at the Institute for the Study of War. In government, he served at the Executive Office of the President, State Department, Intelligence Community, and later at the White House from 2010 to 2011 within the Office of the National Security Advisor to the Vice President. He is the editor of two books on rebellion and the armed politics of failed states and has written commentary for the New York Times, Financial Times, Washington Post, among others.

Mardini was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University. He received a PhD and two MAs from the University of Chicago as a William Rainey Harper Fellow within the Department of Political Science, and graduated summa cum laude from Ohio State University. He was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio.

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How the cyberwar between Iran and Israel has intensified

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In late June, Iran’s state-owned Khuzestan Steel Co. and two other steel companies were forced to halt production after suffering a cyberattack. A hacking group claimed responsibility on social media, saying it targeted Iran’s three biggest steel companies in response to the “aggression of the Islamic Republic.”

Read more at The Washington Post.

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cybersecurity Photo Credit: Philipp Katzenberger accessed via Unsplash
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Three things to know about the not-so-covert cyber-operations between these two adversaries

ARD Releases June 2022 Issue of Mofeed Digest

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The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the June 2022 issue of Mofeed Digest, a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world. 

Mofeed Digest is a feature of the Mofeed Project, an initiative that builds foundational resources for understanding how the politics and societies of the Arab world have adapted in light of the pandemic. The Mofeed Project is supported in part by the Open Society Foundation.

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Mofeed Digest (June 2022)

The following digest summarizes the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles covering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world. Mofeed Digest is produced by Mofeed Project Coordinator Serage Amatory.

[MENA | Algeria | Bahrain | Djibouti | Egypt| Iraq| Jordan| Kuwait| Lebanon| Libya| Morocco| Oman| Palestine| Qatar| Saudi Arabia| Somalia| Sudan| Syria| Tunisia| UAE| Yemen]

 

MENA

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Arab States: Overcoming the Fragilities of Governance Systems for Sustainable Recovery
UNDP, Date Unspecified 
This article assesses the fragility of Arab government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and provides policy recommendations. It discusses how government trust and the perception of the social contract will change due to the citizen-government interaction during the pandemic. 

COVID-19 in the MENA: An Exploration of Gender Sensitive State Responses
Middle East Political Science, Date Unspecified
This article describes how women in the formal sector of MENA economies have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Authors focus on 3 MENA countries and explore the gendered impacts of the pandemic. 

COVID-19 Responses in the Middle East and North Africa in Global Perspective
Middle East Political Science, Date Unspecified 
This article studies the nature of the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), exploring both within-region diversity and between-region variation. It concludes that while the MENA region as a whole is broadly similar to other parts of the world in its COVID response, there are substantial within-region differences in terms of how COVID policies were implemented and to what extent residents were affected by the pandemic and adopted public health behaviors. 

Does COVID-19 Pandemic Spur Digital Business Transformation in the MENA Region? Evidence from Firm Level Data
Economic Research Forum, June 2022
This working paper analyzes how the outbreak of COVID-19 in the MENA region affected the accelerating digital transformation in business firms. The results demonstrate a strong association between the pandemic outbreak and digitization. They also show that the firms operating in the service sector were more likely to adopt digital solutions.

Presentation, Management, and Outcome of COVID-19 among Patients with Cancer in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2 June 2022
This article captures data on 1345 patients with cancer to assess SARS-COV-2 infection presentations, diagnosis, treatment, complications, and outcomes in 12 centers in 8 Mena region countries.

Economic and Psychosocial Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Nations of the GCC
Global Business and Economics Review, 17 June 2022
This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in GCC countries, especially on the economic and psychosocial level. The article investigates the impact of government support on mitigating the psychological and psychosocial impacts of the pandemic on citizens.

Algeria

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Impact of COVID-19 Crisis on Energy Consumption and Socio-Spatial Behavior of the Residential Sector in Extreme Climates. Case study Southwest of Algeria
TECHNIUM, 9 June 2022
This article examines the immediate and long-term impact of COVID-19 on various forms of energy consumption during confinement in Algeria. The authors focus on the impact of COVID 19 on the energy consumption of electricity, gas, and water in the residential sector.  

The Impact of the COVID-19 Related School Closure on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Children with SEN and Their Parents in Algeria
International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 23 June 2022
This study studies and analyzes the experience of twenty-three parents and five children with special educational needs during complete lockdown and limited access to school support in Algeria.

 

Bahrain

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Post-Vaccination Outcomes in Association with Four COVID-19 Vaccines in the Kingdom of Bahrain
Scientific Reports, 2 June 2022
This study examines COVID-19 related outcomes derived from Bahraini national database where 4 vaccines were deployed, comparing the 4 vaccines through post-vaccination outcomes. 

Students’ Perception Regarding E-learning During COVID-19 at Bahrain Polytechnic
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 6 June 2022
This article presents the findings of a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at Bahrain Polytechnic to assess students' perspectives towards e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Bahrain Ranks First in Post-Pandemic Tourism Recovery Report
National News, 15 June 2022
According to money.co.uk study, Bahrain has been given the highest ranking in tourism recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, at a 95% rate. This ranking indicated that the Gulf nation's 2021 tourist numbers bounced almost all the way back to the 2019 level of 3.8 million.

 

 

Djibouti

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Epidemiology of the First and Second Waves of COVID-19 Pandemic in Djibouti and the Vaccination Strategy Developed for the Response
BMJ Public Health, June 2022
This study examines the epidemiology of the first two covid-19 waves in Djibouti, highlighting mishaps in the National Plan for Introduction and Deployment for COVID-19 vaccines. 

Assessing the Effectiveness of the Djiboutian Government during the COVID-19: Focusing on the Djiboutian Perspective
FigShare, 30 June 2022
This study assesses the Djiboutian government’s effectiveness in combating COVID-19 through studying different indicators like citizen trust in government, government responsiveness and leadership, and COVID-19 information access and accuracy. Results conveyed a strong link between responsiveness and effectiveness. 

 

Egypt

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The Impact of Job Stress on Employee’s Performance at one of Private Banks in Egypt during COVID-19 Pandemic
International Business Research, Date Unspecified 
This article investigates the perception of employees of one of the private banks in Egypt and their performance in the presence of job stress in the uncertain period of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Neurosurgical Practice in Egypt
Egyptian Journal of Neurosurgery, 7 June 2022
This article examines the impact of lockdown and restrictive measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic on neurosurgical cases at two university hospitals in Egypt. Results show that the number of cases has dropped by 38%.

Exenterate or Not: A Simple Proposed Management Algorithm for Mucormycosis During the Era of COVID-19 in a Tertiary Eye Care Center in Egypt
Clinical Ophthalmology, 11 June 2022
This article studies available data of 30 Egyptian patients with post COVID-19 orbital mucormycosis to construct a simple management algorithm for posed cases. 

Egypt Loses $23 Billion from COVID-19, Ukraine Conflict
Egyptian Streets, 21 June 2022
Egypt's Minister of Finance declared during his proposed budget speech that the country had lost 440 EGP, about 23.4 billion dollars due to the Russian-Ukrainian war and the COVID-19 pandemic over the span of the last two years. 

Recovering from COVID-19 Learning Losses
UNICEF, 23 June 2022
This UNICEF article delineates the various challenges that the pandemic has posed for children and their learning in Egypt. The article focuses on marginalized children of color or refugee status and recognizes that despite the progress achieved in the education sector in Egypt, marginalized children are still far behind expectations for their age in literacy. [ARABIC]

Acceptance Rate of COVID-19 Vaccination and Its Predictors in Egypt: An Online Survey
The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 30 June 2022
This article presents the findings of a self-administered study conducted on random participants from six different Egyptian governorates to assess the acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccination among the Egyptian adult population. 

Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination among Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients: an Egyptian Survey Study
Tropical Medicine and Health, 30 June 2022
This article presents a study conducted in 2 Maintenance Hemodialysis centers in Egypt to investigate the level of vaccine acceptance among Egyptian patients with MHD.

 

Iraq

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Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccine Among Nursing Students of Mosul University, Iraq
Rawal Medical Journal, Date Unspecified 
This article uses a quantitative cross-sectional study to assess the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination among nursing students in Mosul city in Iraq.

The Relationship between COVID-19 Fear and Anxiety with the Quality of Life of Students in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
Novelty in Clinical Medicine, June 2022
This article examines the link between the fear and anxiety students experience during the pandemic with online learning, and their quality of life. According to intention to be vaccinated, the patients were divided into vaccine acceptant (VA), hesitant (VH), and resistant (VR) groups who comprised 58.3%, 26.5%, and 15.2%, respectively.

Misdiagnosis of COVID-19 Infection before Molecular Confirmation in Sulaimaniyah City, Iraq
European Journal of Medical Research, 3 June 2022
This article utilizes a detailed questionnaire to assess the misdiagnosis and mismanagement of COVID-19 cases in Northern Iraq, Kurdistan region. Regarding the false diagnosis of cases, 92% were made by non-physician healthcare workers, and only 8% were made by physicians.

The Role of Influenza Vaccination in the COVID-19 Infection: Impact on Incidence and Severity in Iraq
Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 21 June 2022
This article investigates the extent to which influenza vaccinations can mitigate the severity and decrease the frequency of incidence of COVID-19 infections in Iraq. 

Predictors of Mental Health Symptomatology among Kurdish Patients Who Recovered from COVID-19 in Iraq
Discover Psychology, 27 June 2022
This article seeks to determine the mental health symptomatology and its associated factors among Kurdish Iraqis who recovered from COVID-19. It was found that 31.6% of the participating recovered patients with COVID-19 met the diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and 21.05% were classified with probable depression.

Menstrual Changes Following COVID-19 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study from Jordan and Iraq
Plos One, 29 June 2022
This study aimed to investigate and to evaluate menstrual changes in females following COVID-19 infection, and to evaluate female perception about the effect of COVID-19 on their menstrual cycles. Authors conducted the study on 483 women from Jordan and Iraq. 

Postmortem Lung Biopsy for COVID-19 Patients in Iraq
Research Square, 30 June 2022
This article studies the pathophysiological changes that happen to lung tissues in COVID-19 affected individuals and to accurately specify the cause(s) of death. Authors utilized a case series of post-mortem lung histopathology examinations of deceased COVID-19 positive patients in Iraq.

Jordan

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User Experience Assessment of a COVID-19 Tracking Mobile Application (AMAN) in Jordan
Indonesian Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Date Unspecified 
This article examines the user experience of a COVID-19 tracking application in Jordan by getting feedback from users and identifying UX (user experience) based on user interaction.

Short-Term Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines: A Cross-Sectional Study in Jordan
Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, 27 June 2022
This article presents the findings of a cross-sectional study of the short-term side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine to clarify the expected outcome of getting vaccinated and reduce vaccine hesitancy.

Menstrual Changes Following COVID-19 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study from Jordan and Iraq
Plos One, 29 June 2022
This study aimed to investigate and to evaluate menstrual changes in females following COVID-19 infection, and to evaluate female perception about the effect of COVID-19 on their menstrual cycles. Authors conducted the study on 483 women from Jordan and Iraq. 

Exploring the Role of Superspreading Events in SARS-CoV-2 Outbreaks
medRxiv, 29 June 2022
This article presents a study that formulates a Markov chain model to investigate the influence of superspreading events on SARS-COV-2 outbreak dynamics.

 

Kuwait

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The Effects of COVID-19 School Disruptions Will Last Decades
World Bank, 20 June 2022 
This World Bank blog-post discusses the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools and learning in Kuwait. It states the long-term life long losses to their earning, males being affected more tragically than females. [Arabic here]

Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection in a Paediatric Cohort in Kuwait
BMJ Open, 28 June 2022
This article reports the findings of a population-level retrospective cohort study to describe the clinical characteristics and dynamics of SARS-COV-2 reinfection in children in Kuwait. Results show that reinfection is uncommon in children. 

Pandemic Price Controls Experiment Goes Seriously Awry in Kuwait
Bloomberg, 29 June 2022 
This Bloomberg article reports on the indiscriminate economic havoc that has risen in Kuwait two years after price control was applied to freeze food costs during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak. 

 

Lebanon

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Evaluating the Governance and Preparedness of the Lebanese Health System for the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study
BMJ Open, 1 June 2022
This article reports on a qualitative study held in Lebanon aiming to assess the capacity and governance of Lebanon's health system throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The health workforce showed high resilience despite the inadequate training and staff shortages. 

Genomic Surveillance of SARS CoV2 in COVID-19 vaccinated healthcare workers in Lebanon
BioRxiv, 6 June 2022 
This article reports on the findings of a national SARS-COV-2 genomic surveillance among healthcare workers in Lebanon. 

Experience of Field Testing in Lebanon during the COVID-19 Pandemic, January to August 2021
BMJ Global Health, 7 June 2022
This article presents data related to COVID-19 cases after field testing in Lebanon. The article also reflects on challenges faced and lessons learned. 

Risk Markers of COVID-19, a Study from South-Lebanon
MDPI, 27 June 2022
This article aims to assess the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among suspected COVID-19 patients in South Lebanon as well as the risk markers for COVID-19 associated with ABO blood group, Rhesus factor, and patient’s address during the past year.

 

 

Libya

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Knowledge, Attitude, Perception and Psychological Status of Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Outbreak in Libya: A Cross Sectional Study
Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology, 1 June 2022
This article studies and evaluates levels of knowledge, attitude, perception, and psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Libyan citizens. 

 

Morocco 

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Dataset to Explore Factors Affecting COVID-19 Vaccination Intention. Evidence from Morocco
Data in Brief, 9 June 2022 
This article identifies the various factors that influenced Moroccan citizens to get the COVID-19 vaccine.  The data were collected using an online questionnaire. 

Depression and Eating Disorders among Health Care Professionals in Morocco during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Electronic Journal of General Medicine, 8 June 2022
This article reports on the findings of an online anonymous self-administered questionnaire that was conducted on Moroccan healthcare workers to screen for depression and eating disorders during the coronavirus pandemic.

 

 

Oman

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Assessing COVID-19 Vaccine’s Acceptability Amongst Health Care Workers in Oman: A Cross-Sectional Study
Journal of Infection and Public Health, 16 June 2022
This article assesses the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines among health care workers in Oman. A cross-sectional study using a self- administered questionnaire was conducted among the HCWs in December 2020.

Audit Fees under the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from Oman
Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies, 28 June 2022
This article reports on the findings of a study examining the effect of COVID-19 on audit fees after its huge impact on companies' financial statements in Oman. 

Pulmonary Barotrauma in COVID-19 Patients: Experience From a Secondary Care Hospital in Oman
Cureus, 29 June 2022
This article discusses the findings of a retrospective study identifying patients with pulmonary barotrauma and recording their medical data at an Intensive Care Unit in Oman.

 

Palestine

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COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Its Associated Factors among Palestinian Healthcare Workers: Expectations Beaten by Reality
Vaccine, 9 June 2022
This article presents a cross-sectional study conducted in Palestine to examine the level of vaccination among healthcare workers and its determinants. Key findings show that almost two thirds of Palestinian healthcare workers have already received their vaccine. 

Health Consequences of University Employees Post COVID-19 Vaccination at Palestinian University
Research Square, 14 June 2022
This article examines health consequences of Palestinian university workers receiving their COVID-19 vaccination, aiming to decrease vaccination hesitancy and provide more adequate input on its side effects.

Vaccine Apartheid and Settler Colonial Sovereign Violence: From Palestine to the Colonial Global Economy
Distinktion Journal of Social Theory, 14 June 2022
This article adopts a decolonial lens to assess the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in Palestine and globally. It challenges the underlying premise being that the advanced, wealthy, and capable nation-states have endogenously earned the position of power and prosperity and that the world’s poor nation-states are posited as the recipients of charity from these rich states only after the latter have sufficiently inoculated themselves.

The Impact of the Corona Pandemic on the Performance of Palestinian Commercial Banks Listed on the Palestine Stock Exchange
Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, 30 June 2022
This article studies a sample of 6 companies from the banking sector in Palestine to shed light on the Palestinian stock exchange before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

Qatar

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Predictive Ability of Factors in diagnosing COVID-19: Experiences from Qatar's Primary Care Settings
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, June 2022 
This article aims to establish the predictive ability of demographic and clinical factors in diagnosing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Qatar's publicly funded primary care settings.

Duration of mRNA Vaccine Protection against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 Subvariants in Qatar
Nature Communications, 2 June 2022
This article investigates the duration of protection of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines after the second dose and after the third/booster dose, against symptomatic COVID-19 infections in Qatar.

Qatar: Challenges and Successes in COVID-19 Pandemic Response
Rand Blog, 9 June 2022
This article presents an overview of the Qatari experience in combating the coronavirus pandemic. It references Qatar's strict contact tracking and tracing policy, the launching of a vaccination campaign in December 2020, and media campaigns that promote awareness of the importance of taking preventive measures and getting the vaccine as important steps in the state’s pandemic response.

Qatar Airways Bounces Back from Pandemic with Record Revenues and Profits
Forbes, 16 June 2022
This Forbes article discusses the efforts, resilience and trajectory of Qatar Airways in emerging from the coronavirus pandemic. It references a sharp uptick in annual revenues to QR52.3 billion ($14.4 billion).  

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Acceptance among the Public in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Review of the Literature
Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, 29 June 2022
This article aims to provide an up-to-date evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among the public in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

 

Saudi Arabia

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Factors Related to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Saudi Arabia
Public Health in Practice, June 2022
This article presents the findings of a cross-sectional study aiming to assess the amount of vaccine hesitancy and its determinants in relation to various demographic, social, and personal characteristics among the Saudi population.

A Nationwide Survey to Assess COVID-19’s Impact on Health and Lifestyle in Saudi Arabia
European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Science, June 2022 
This article aims to assess the COVID-19 related knowledge and its socio-demographic correlates in individuals from different parts of Saudi Arabia and to evaluate the health-related impact and lifestyle changes in the Saudi population because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also determines the perceived importance of future preparedness among residents. 

Characteristics of Mechanically Ventilated COVID-19 Patients in the Al-Ahsa Region of Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study with Survival Analysis
Annals of Saudi Medicine, 2 June 2022
This article seeks to identify the characteristics and risk factors for mortality in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients in Al-Ahsa region in Saudi Arabia. 

Psychological Distress Reported by Healthcare Workers in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study
PLOS ONE, 3 June 2022
This article estimates the prevalence and severity of psychological distress and studies predisposing risk factors among healthcare workers in KSA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Authors conducted a cross-sectional online survey of 1,985 HCWs from 6 hospitals across the country designated with caring for COVID-19 patients.

Side Effects and Perceptions of COVID-19 Vaccination in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Frontiers in Medicine, 7 June 2022
This article assesses the side effects and perceptions about COVID-19 vaccines among adults following vaccination in Saudi Arabia.

Factors Affecting Online Learning, Stress and Anxiety during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia
International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, 10 June 2022
This article reports the findings of a study investigating the factors affecting online learning (OL) and stress and anxiety (SaA) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia.

Voluntary Testing for COVID-19: Perceptions and Utilization among the Inhabitants of Saudi Arabia
Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives, 10 June 2022
This article investigates the perceptions and utilization of Voluntary Testing services for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among the inhabitants of Saudi Arabia. In total, 3,510 adult participants from all provinces of Saudi Arabia were recruited via a national online survey.

Types of Variants Among Increased Cases of COVID-19 in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia in June 2021
Cureus, 16 June 2022
This article seeks to identify the types and distribution of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants causing cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the western region in Saudi Arabia in June 2021.

Assessment of Risk Factors Associated with COVID-19 Illness Outcomes in a Tertiary Hospital in Saudi Arabia
International Journal of General Medicine, 27 June 2022
This article reports the findings of a retrospective study that presents the demographic, epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and imaging characteristics of patients at a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia and determines risk factors contributing to their COVID-19 outcome.

 

Somalia

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Pumping Oxygen into Somalia’s Health System as Part of COVID-19 Response
World Bank, 6 June 2022
This article reviews the response of Somalia to the coronavirus pandemic in the light of the amalgamation of crises facing the country. The article acknowledges that unlike many countries, Somalia was dealing with multiple threats of crises: locusts, drought, flooding, COVID-19 in addition to the country’s fragility, after decades of war and political instability.

 

Sudan

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Mental Health Status of High School Students in Khartoum State, Sudan During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study
BJPsych Open, 20 June 2022 
This article aims to assess the mental health status of high school students in Khartoum State, to evaluate the participants’ adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures and to identify factors associated with commitment to COVID-19 guidelines and mental health status during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

Syria

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Syndromic Surveillance of Respiratory Infections during Protracted Conflict: Experiences from Northern Syria 2016-2021
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, June 2022 
This article investigates the trends of Early Warning and Response Network (EWARN) reported ILI (influenza-like illness) and SARI (severe acute respiratory illness) in northern Syria between 2016 and 2021 and the potential impact of SARS-CoV-2.

Addressing the Impacts of COVID-19 on Refugee Health
PLOS Medicine, 27 June 2022
This article discusses the disparity in the experience of the pandemic between refugees and citizens and focuses on Syrian refugees.  It acknowledges that refugees are often blamed by governments and members of the public for infectious disease epidemics and states that they may experience elevated risks of infectious diseases like COVID-19 through no fault of their own.

 

Tunisia

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Students’ perceptions of distance education during a Covid-19 pandemic in Tunisia
International Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies, June 2022
This article uncovers the perceptions of university students regarding the use of distant learning tools and techniques during the spread of COVID-19, by exploring their experiences during containment. 

COVID-19’s Impact on Tunisia
The Borgen Project, 1 June 2022
This article discusses the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Tunisia, exploring different indicators such as GDP, tourism, retail and agriculture. 

COVID-19 and Gender-Based Violence: Pandemic Response and Impact on Civil Society in Tunisia
Project on Middle East Political Science, 16 June 2022
This working paper argues that CSOs made progress in combatting violence during the first year of the pandemic due to political openness, a culture of coalitions, and bipartisan support for eliminating violence against women. However, the President’s power grab and subsequent political instability led to a breakdown in coalition culture and a stifling of civil society, making it harder for feminist organizations to advocate for GBV protections. The paper draws on pre-pandemic ethnographic data and international and Tunisian news articles, polling data, statistics, and reporting during the pandemic.

 

UAE

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Association between Quality of Sleep and Screen Time during the COVID-19 Outbreak among Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates
Journal of Sleep Research, 7 June 2022 
This article aims to investigate the association between screen time on different electronic devices and sleep quality among adolescents in the United Arab Emirates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effectiveness of BBIBP-CorV Vaccine Against Severe Outcomes of COVID-19 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Nature Communications, 9 June 2022
This article aims to study the effectiveness of the inactivated BBIBP-CorV vaccine against severe COVID-19 outcomes (hospitalization, critical care admission and death due to COVID-19) and its long-term effectiveness in Abu Dhabi in the UAE.

 

Yemen

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Adult Mortality before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nine Communities of Yemen: A Key Informant Study
medRxiv, 21 June 2022
This article aims to estimate population mortality during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods in nine purposively selected urban and rural communities of southern and central Yemen (Aden and Ta’iz governorates).

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The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the June 2022 issue of Mofeed Digest, a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world.

Rare Earth Elements in Materials Science

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A vast array of critical new technologies rely on rare earth metals, a group of elements that are difficult to mine because they are so well dispersed in the earth and often contain radioactive elements such as thorium and uranium.

Over the last 20 years, demand for these elements in the U.S. has increased while domestic supply and production have fallen off. And globally, the supply chain is tightly controlled by just a few countries.

To explore the significant challenges created by this imbalanced supply chain, Gorakh Pawar, a visiting scholar at CISAC, and CISAC Co-Director Rod Ewing edited “Rare Earth Elements in Material Science,” a special theme issue of the MRS Bulletin, a journal of the Materials Research Society.

“With China's rapid rise and the reemergence of Russia as a major power, the global stage is set for multipolar competition to secure the critical materials supply chains and control the rare earth elements (REE) derived high-end products and relevant technologies,” Ewing and Pawar write in the introduction to the issue.

The issue includes six articles that delve into the material science aspects of the rare earth elements supply chain. Researchers from Australia, Germany, Korea and the US contributed articles on mineralogy, separation and extraction, mining economics and the environmental impact of rare earth element mining.

“REE recycling is no longer just a choice, but it has become necessary in a world where resources are constrained,” Pawar and Ewing write.

The MRS Bulletin includes recommendations that the US and other countries can follow to reduce dependence on China for rare earth elements.

The March issue of the MRS Bulletin can be found here. 

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A vast array of critical new technologies rely on rare earth metals, a group of elements that are difficult to mine because they are so well dispersed in the earth and often contain radioactive elements such as thorium and uranium.

U.S.-Russian Nuclear Arms Control Negotiations—A Short History

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In my line of work, you have to have a long memory. Periods of success in negotiations are followed by droughts, because of politics, military upheaval, arms buildups—yes, sometimes the weapons have to be built before they can be reduced—or a sense of complacency: “We have arms control treaties in place; let’s just focus on implementing them.” In those cases, new thinking and new negotiations may slow or even stop. Yet, the national security interest of the United States continues to drive the necessity for nuclear arms control.
Read the rest at The Foreign Service Journal

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An accomplished negotiator puts nuclear arms control in perspective—what it has achieved, where it has failed and what it can do for our future security.

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Research and Perspective: Small Modular Reactors

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A recent study has found small modular reactors (SMRs) may actually produce more radioactive waste than larger conventional nuclear power reactors has drawn reaction from vendors and supporters of SMRs.

Small modular reactors are often described as nuclear energy’s future. Nuclear power can generate electricity with limited greenhouse gas emissions, but large reactor plants are expensive, and they also create radioactive waste that pose a threat to people and the environment for hundreds of thousands of years. In an attempt to address this challenge, the nuclear industry is developing smaller reactors that industry analysts say will be cheaper, safer and yield less radioactive waste than the larger ones.

The study on SMRs noted above was conducted by Lindsay Krall, lead author and a former MacArthur Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC), and co-authors Allison Macfarlane, professor and director of the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia, and Rodney Ewing, the Frank Stanton Professor in Nuclear Security at Stanford and co-director of CISAC.

Summing up their findings, Krall wrote in the study, “Our results show that most small modular reactor (SMR) designs will actually increase the volume of nuclear waste in need of management and disposal, by factors of 2 to 30 per unit of energy generated for the reactors in our case study. These findings stand in sharp contrast to the cost and waste reduction benefits that advocates have claimed for advanced nuclear technologies.”

In a recent interview, Krall, Macfarlane and Ewing elaborated on the fuller context of and industry reaction to their study:

What have you learned from publishing this research?

Lindsay Krall: I would like to emphasize the positive responses to this article, particularly among experts in Europe’s nuclear waste management and disposal community, who found the results surprising and very important. It appears that the article has swiftly brought the discussion of SMR waste issues (or lack thereof) to the forefront and attracted the attention of decision- and policy-makers in certain European countries. This makes me hopeful that the results of this study and follow-up research will have a real-world impact and improve the viability of nuclear energy, at least in Europe.

Nevertheless, it is also apparent that the scarcity of practical expertise in nuclear waste management in the U.S., exacerbated by the 12 year-long absence of a waste management and disposal strategy, may make it difficult for the results of the study to reach policy- and decision-makers here.

Did your research involve contacting NuScale for information or clarifications regarding NuScale fuel burnup. If yes or no, please describe why?

Lindsay Krall: As part of the background research to the study, I attended advanced nuclear events around Washington, D.C., where I discussed the study with vendors, NGOs, university researchers, national laboratories, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The reactor certification application that NuScale had already submitted to the NRC contained much of the information needed to estimate and characterize the waste streams for their reactor, with the exception of the fuel burnup, which was redacted.  In an attempt to obtain the fuel burnup, I filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the NRC, but the burnup was not released. Therefore, I calculated the burnup as described in the appendix that was published with the article.

Why was the 160 MWth NuScale iPWR design chosen for study?

Lindsay Krall: The design certification application submitted to and reviewed by the NRC provided a comprehensive, high quality dataset for the iPWR analysis. In general, the analysis aimed to assess SMR designs that are undergoing or have undergone the regulatory approval process, rather than hypothetical future SMR designs that might be achievable provided significant technical or policy breakthroughs. Although the industry tends to market the benefits of SMRs around the latter “ideal” designs, these are not as “technologically ready” as the certified designs. Therefore, SMR vendors have levied some unfair criticism against this study, because the article and its accompanying appendix clearly state our preference for NRC-reviewed designs.

Please describe the challenges of completing your analysis in light of the lack of access to relevant design specifications?

Allison Macfarlane: It’s essential that quantitative analyses of waste production and management for new reactor designs be completed.  Our paper was an attempt to do so in an open way, to provide the beginning of the discussion of this issue.  Availability of quality data to do such analyses, especially by independent academic researchers, such as ourselves, will improve public confidence in small modular reactors.

What is your response to NuScale’s claim that its 250-MWt design does not produce more spent nuclear fuel than the small quantities typically observed in the existing light-water reactor fleet?

Rod Ewing: The fundamental point is that the information on the design and operational parameters for the 250MWth have not yet been submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Our understanding is that the application will be submitted in December of this year. When the required data are available, then it will be possible to do the analysis.

What responsibility do the vendors, who are proposing and receiving federal support to develop advanced reactors, have in addressing concerns about the waste and conducting research that can be reviewed in open literature settings?

Allison Macfarlane: Vendors should have first-hand knowledge of all issues associated with their reactor designs.  These include waste production, of course (and all wastes – low-, intermediate-, and high-level), as well as fuel supply issues, supply chain issues, awareness of security challenges, and proliferation hazards (one assumes they understand safety issues already).  Many of these designers are early in their progress towards one day making their reactors a reality and so, perhaps, the blanks will be filled.  It will be important to do so transparently and in dialogue with other experts and the public to ensure public support of this technology.

What were your most significant findings in this research that people and the nuclear industry should be aware of?

Rod Ewing: The most important point of our paper is that with different reactor designs with new and more complex fuels and coolants, there will be an impact on the approaches that are required for the safe, final disposal of fuels and activated materials. Of particular significance is that at this time the United States has no long-term strategy for dealing with its highly radioactive waste streams, even from its present reactor fleet.

What have you learned from the reaction to this paper?

Rod Ewing: That many of the negative comments have been misplaced in that our paper has been taken as being anti-nuclear. Our paper had a simple purpose, that is to understand the implications of SMRs for the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle, particularly for the permanent and safe disposal of nuclear wastes from SMRs. Although the question is a reasonable and an obvious question to ask, I now understand that it was an unwelcomed question to pose. We have been criticized for not seeing and acknowledging the bigger picture – the role of nuclear power in reducing greenhouse gas emissions – and instead focusing only on the nuclear waste issue. I see no reason why a paper about nuclear waste and disposal should also be a cheerleader for nuclear power. These are really two separate issues.

Another surprise was the lack of a technical response. Letters were written to the editor of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (which published the study), but these letters were not copied to the authors. Letters appeared on the web, but were not copied to the authors. This was a public relations response not a technical, scientific response. Public relations may win the day, but I do not think that this builds public confidence in nuclear power. The public has to see that important issues are discussed openly and in a way that converges on solutions rather than polarized positions.

There was one important, bright spot during the past week. Jose Reyes (chief technology officer and co-founder) of NuScale published his letter to the editor of PNAS in the Nuclear Newswire of the American Nuclear Society. We prepared a response to Dr. Reyes and submitted it to Nuclear Newswire, and it was accepted and published promptly on June 13.  This effort to foster discussion certainly reflects well on the American Nuclear Society.

Any other points?

Allison Macfarlane: I would like to emphasize a point Lindsay Krall made: no country has an operating geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel yet.  A few countries are moving in that direction, but the U.S. has fallen to the back of the pack in this regard.  The U.S. is at a stalemate with regards to developing a deep geologic repository for high-level nuclear waste and is largely uninterested in solving this problem.  Since a waste issue essentially brought us the climate catastrophe, is it responsible to ignore the waste problem from another energy source?

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From left to right: Dr. Allison Macfarlane, Dr. Rod Ewing, Dr. Lindsay Krall
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A recent study has found small modular reactors (SMRs) may actually produce more radioactive waste than larger conventional nuclear power reactors has drawn reaction from vendors and supporters of SMRs. In a recent interview, Lindsay Krall, Allison Macfarlane and Rod Ewing elaborated on the fuller context of and industry reaction to their study.

ARD Releases May 2022 Issue of Mofeed Digest

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The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the May 2022 issue of Mofeed Digest, a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world. 

Mofeed Digest is a feature of the Mofeed Project, an initiative that builds foundational resources for understanding how the politics and societies of the Arab world have adapted in light of the pandemic. The Mofeed Project is supported in part by the Open Society Foundation.

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Mofeed Digest (May 2022)

The following digest summarizes the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles covering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world. Mofeed Digest is produced by Mofeed Project Coordinator Serage Amatory.

[MENA | Algeria | Bahrain | Egypt| Iraq| Jordan| Kuwait| Lebanon| Morocco| Oman| Palestine| Qatar| Saudi Arabia| Somalia| Sudan| Tunisia| UAE]

 

MENA

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Population’s Behavior toward COVID-19 Safety Measures: Evidence from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia
Agence Française de Développement, May 2022
This article captures the public’s behavior toward COVID-19 safety measures in each of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. In all these countries, the article found that women are those who mostly observe the safety measures.

Social Safety Nets and Food Insecurity in MENA in the Time of COVID-19
Agence Française de Développement, May 2022
This article assesses the efficiency of social safety nets in the MENA region in mitigating food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also provides context for the chronic undernourishment of over 50 million people in the region in 2019.

A Billionaire’s World: Labor, Loss, and Inequality in the Middle East and North Africa During COVID
Harvard International Review, 4 May 2022
This article focuses on the MENA region in juxtaposing the global spike of 3.9 trillion USD in billionaires’ wealth during the first year of the pandemic with the parallel loss of 3.7 trillion USD in workers’ assets.

Diverging Levels of COVID-19 Governmental Response Satisfaction Across Middle Eastern Arab Countries: A Multinational Study
BMC Public Health, 5 May 2022
This article evaluates and compares public opinion on the governmental measures to control the spread of COVID-19 of high, low and middle-income countries in the Middle East. When benchmarked with international levels of satisfaction, GCC countries scored highly whereas Lebanon scored poorly. 

Tracking COVID-19 Urban Activity Changes in the Middle East from Nighttime Lights
Scientific Reports, 16 May 2022
This article utilizes nighttime lights data from NASA from 584 urban areas to track the implementation and adherence to curfew and lockdown measures in 17 MENA countries during the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Algeria

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The Geometrization of the COVID-19 Care Offer for the ORSEC Plan in Algeria
Algerian Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, Date Unspecified 
This article utilizes several scientific tools to examine the readiness of different Algerian provinces to face the COVID-19 pandemic.

Intention to Get COVID-19 Vaccination and Its Associated Predictors: A Cross-Sectional Study Among the General Public in Algeria
Science Direct, 13 May 2022 
This article presents the results of an online survey conducted to assess the intentions to receive the Covid-19 vaccine among the Algerian population. Out of a total of 656 participants, 51.1% were in favor of COVID-19 vaccines while 18.5% and 30.5% were against or hesitant respectively.

Side Effects of COVID-19 Inactivated Virus vs. Adenoviral Vector Vaccines: Experience of Algerian Healthcare Workers
Frontiers in Public Health, 16 May 2022
This article evaluates side effects of COVID-19 vaccines in a sample of 721 Algerian healthcare workers. Most common self-reported side effects were injection site pain, arm pain, fatigue, fever, headache and myalgia. 

Food Behavior of the Algerian Population at the Time of the COVID-19: The First Survey Carried Out in the Western Algerian Region
South Asian Journal, 28 May 2022
This article sheds light on the Algerian population's food habits during the pandemic through an observational and descriptive epidemiological study conducted on 640 individuals.

 

Bahrain

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Comparative Modelling of Stock Price Volatility Before and During the COVID- 19 Pandemic in Bahrain: Implications to the Effect of the Pandemic to Stock Price Autocorrelation
Diamond Scientific Publishing, Date Unspecified  
This article studies the volatility of stock prices before and during the pandemic in Bahrain. It found that the weekly price movements of the BAX index were more volatile during the pandemic than before its onset.

The Effect of Age, Gender and Comorbidities Upon SARS-CoV-2 Spike Antibody Induction After Two Doses of Sinopharm Vaccine and the Effect of a Pfizer/BioNtech Booster Vaccine
Frontiers in Immunology, 30 May 2022
This article reports the findings of a study that evaluated antibody levels in 379 Bahraini individuals to assess the effect of a COVID-19 booster dose. The authors hoped that their study would help develop a triple dose vaccination strategy to ensure protective immunity against COVID-19.

 

 

Egypt

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Impact of COVID-19 on Cardiothoracic Surgery: Experience of Alexandria (Egypt) Main University Hospital
Brazilian Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery, 23 May 2022
This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the workflow and waiting lists of high-cost Cardiothoracic surgeries in Egypt. It found that cardiac surgeries have witnessed the worst consequences, including cancellation of all surgeries, expansion of waiting lists, and patients' non-compliance with follow-up.

 

Iraq

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Trends in COVID-19: Incidence, mortality, and case fatality in Iraq
Saudi Medical Journal, May 2022
This article reports the findings of a biometric study conducted in 2021 to help detect the epidemiological trend of COVID-19 in Iraq, the distribution of cases according to age, gender, and geographic distribution. The authors also examined morbidity and mortality rates to evaluate the intensity of the COVID-19 burden on the Iraqi healthcare system.

Jordan

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The Impact of COVID-19 on the Jordanian Households and Firms: Findings from the ERF Covid-19 Monitor in Jordan 
Economic Research Forum, May 2022
ERF and FCDO collaborated to conduct short panel phone surveys aiming to assess how Jordanian households, firms, micro firms, and workers cope with the impact of COVID-19.

Attitude of Pregnant and Lactating Women toward COVID-19 Vaccination in Jordan: a Cross-Sectional Study
Journal of Perinatal Medicine, 3 May 2022
This article reports the findings of a study conducted with pregnant and lactating women in Jordan to determine their stances towards the COVID-19 vaccine and understand their varying attitudes. 

COVID-19 Epidemiology and Changes in Health Service Utilization in Azraq and Zaatari Refugee Camps in Jordan: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Plos Medicine, 10 May 2022
This article utilized observational programmatic data to describe the epidemiology of COVID-19 in Jordan, and at two refugee camps Zaatari and Azraq specifically. The authors analyzed the difference in routine health services pre and post COVID-19. 

Conception Preferences during COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns
Behavioral Sciences, 13 May 2022
This article focused on women in Jordan to study their insights regarding fertility, the preparedness to use assisted reproductive technology, and the awareness and beliefs related to conceiving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Kuwait

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School Is Closed : Simulating the Long-Term Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic–Related School Disruptions in Kuwait
World Bank, 5 May 2022
This working paper tackles the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent educational disruptions on students in Kuwait. It found that during the pandemic, students in Kuwait faced significant reductions in their lifetime income, with males facing a larger reduction than females.

COVID-19 Outcomes Among Rheumatic Disease Patients in Kuwait: Data from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance (C19-GRA) Physician Registry
International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, 11 May 2022
This article assesses the characteristics of inflammatory rheumatic disease (IRD) patients in Kuwait diagnosed with COVID-19 and the factors linked with hospitalization, complications, and mortality.

 

Lebanon

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Lebanon: Challenges and Successes in COVID-19 Pandemic Response
Rand Corporation, 6 May 2022 
This blog-post from The Rand Blog identifies challenges in COVID-19 responses faced by Lebanon amid the current political and economic crises. The authors also highlights the country’s successes and innovations in combating those challenges. 

Too Much to Mask: Determinants of Sustained Adherence to COVID-19 Preventive Measures Among older Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
MedRxiv, 10 May 2022 
This article studies the determinants of adherence of two non-pharmaceutical COVID-19 preventive measures in Lebanon: masking-up and social distance.  The study focused on Syrian refugees in Lebanon aging 50 and older. 

The Impact of COVID-19 and the Economic Crisis on Lebanese Public Health: from Food insecurity to Healthcare Disintegration
Ethics, Medicine and Public Health, 16 May 2022
This article reviews the impact of the economic crisis in Lebanon and the pandemic's effect on health and healthcare. The study looked at measures such as food insecurity, water shortages, hospital and medication crises, labor force issues, and electricity and fuel shortages. 

Development of a Quality Assurance Tool for Intensive Care Units in Lebanon during the COVID-19 Pandemic
International Journal for Quality in Healthcare, 31 May 2022
This article was motivated by the fact that the World Health Organization has supported the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health to increase ICU beds at public hospitals by 300%, without having a readily available tool to monitor the quality of ICU care. Therefore, the authors describe the process of rapidly developing and implementing a tool to monitor the quality of ICU care at public hospitals in Lebanon.

 

 

Morocco 

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Real-world study of the effectiveness of BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm) COVID-19 vaccine in the Kingdom of Morocco
medRxiv, 27 April 2022 
This article discusses the findings of a case control study that was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the Sinopharm vaccine in Morocco. The results were in agreement with the literature showing it was highly protective against serious and critical hospitalization. 

Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in Morocco: Applying the Health Belief Model
Vaccines, 16 May 2022
This article presents an analysis of a cross-sectional survey completed by 3800 individuals to identify the factors that influenced the population in Morocco to receive the vaccine. Authors show that the strongest predictor for the intention of receiving a vaccine is whether a participant is married.

Role of Instagram on the Purchasing Behavior of Moroccan Consumers during the COVID-19
International Journal of Accounting, Finance, Auditing, Management and Economics, 31 May 2022
This article delineates the factors that influenced the purchasing habits of Moroccans during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigates the way Instagram specifically shaped these behaviors. It presents the results of a survey taken among 200 Instagram using consumers.

 

 

Oman

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Psychological Effects of, and Compliance with, Self-Isolation among COVID-19 Patients in South Batinah Governorate, Oman: A Cross-Sectional Study
The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, 8 May 2022
This article investigates the extent to which COVID-19 patients complied with self-isolation policies. It also examines the psychological effects of self-isolation on patients in Oman.

The Impact and Challenges of Education and Administration in VET on Economic Growth in Oman During the COVID-19 Period
Frontiers in Psychology, 16 May 2022
This article aims to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic growth and the impact of institutional management and education on Vocational Education and Training schools in Oman. 

Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of COVID-19 in a Primary Care Center in the South Batinah Region of Oman
Cureus, 18 May 2022
This article reviews the medical charts of 150 patients at Rustaq Polyclinic in South Oman to identify the clinical and biomedical profile of the coronavirus disease and variations across demographic groups.

 

Palestine

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Seroprevalence of SARS-COV-2 Antibodies Among Vaccinated and Non-Vaccinated Adults in the West Bank: Results of a Repeated Cross-Sectional Study
medRxiv, 16 May 2022
This article discusses the findings of an assessment of the seroprevalence rate among a random sample of Palestinians residing in the West Bank region. The authors reveal a drastic rise in seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies due to infection and vaccination.

UNRWA Releases Health Programme Report: Innovation in the Face of Covid-19 – Press Release
United Nations, 24 May 2022
This UNRWA report examines the situation of Palestinian refugees during the COVID-19 pandemic against the backdrop of the hostilities in Gaza, the ongoing war in Syria, and the economic/social/political crisis in Lebanon.

 

Qatar

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Effectiveness of Ehteraz Digital Contact Tracing App versus Conventional Contact Tracing in Managing the Outbreak of COVID-19 in the State of Qatar
BMJ Innovations, 3 May 2022
This article uses two databases to evaluate the accuracy of Ehteraz (the Qatari app for the control of the COVID-19 pandemic) as a tracing tool and compares its effectiveness to that of the traditional human led case investigation. 

Effect of mRNA Vaccine Boosters against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Infection in Qatar
The New England Journal of Medicine, 12 May 2022
This article conducted two retrospective studies in Qatar to examine the effectiveness of a booster vaccination, compared to the usual two dose vaccination, in preventing SARS-COV-2 infection and serious COVID-19 hospitalization and death.

Flu Vaccine Could Cut COVID Risk
Nature, 12 May 2022
This article reports that influenza vaccines were effective in preventing COVID-19 according to a study held on more than 30,000 healthcare workers in Qatar.

Predictors of Mortality and Morbidity in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: An Experience from a Low Mortality Country
Health Sciences Report, 17 May 2022
This article studies the clinical characteristics and factors associated with mortality in patients admitted to intensive care units in Qatar. They found that these rates were lower in Qatar compared to other countries. 

The Association between Tobacco Use and COVID-19 in Qatar
Preventive Medicine Reports, 19 May 2022
This article studies the association between tobacco usage and COVID-19 hospitalization cases.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown “Home Quarantine” on the Physical Activity and Lifestyle of Children in Qatar
Frontiers in Public Health, 25 May 2022  
This article presents the results of a cross-sectional online survey distributed in Qatar to assess the impact of quarantine on physical activity, screen time, sleep, and diet in children aging 5 to 12.

 

Saudi Arabia

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Fractional-Order Coronavirus Models with Vaccination Strategies Impacted on Saudi Arabia's Infections
AIMS Mathematics, Date Unspecified  
This article highlights the role of fractional calculus models in describing the growth of COVID-19 dynamics in Saudi Arabia over the span of 107 days. 

Post-Acute COVID-19 Condition in Saudi Arabia: A National Representative Study
Journal of Infection and Public Health, May 2022
This article presents a retrospective cross-sectional study characterizing the symptoms that appear after SARS-COV-2 infection in Saudi Arabia. The article also determines the relationship of the different “post-symptoms” with COVID-19 severity. 

Clinical Characteristics, Laboratory Findings, Management, and Outcome of Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Children at a Tertiary Care Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study
Frontiers in Pediatrics, 3 May 2022
This article investigates the clinical features of COVID-19 infected children, and discusses the therapeutic methods used in their treatment in Saudi Arabia. It analyzes data on children with COVID-19, including demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, imaging and laboratory results, therapies, and clinical outcomes.

Perceived Stress and Resilience Levels during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Critical Care Nurses in Saudi Arabia: A Correlational Cross-Sectional Study
PeerJ, 6 May 2022
This article studies the level of stress of nurses working in critical care units fighting directly against COVID-19. Although COVID-19 cases had declined significantly during the study period in Saudi Arabia, the majority of nurses were still experiencing moderate to high levels of stress about the epidemic, but were, at the same time, moderately resilient.

Prevalence of Anxiety, Depression, and Sleep Disturbances Associated With the COVID-19 Outbreak in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Cureus, 9 May 2022
This article assesses the occurrence of sleep disturbance associated with the spread of COVID-19 among residents in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It also discusses the psychological effects of the outbreak. 

Effect of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions in the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Epidemic in Saudi Arabia
Plos Global Public Health, 9 May 2022
This article reports on a study of the relation between non-pharmaceutical interventions (such as masking and lockdowns etc…) and SARS-COV-2 transmission in Saudi Arabia during its first pandemic wave. 

The Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Residents of Saudi Arabia
Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 13 May 2022
This article studies stress levels and their determinants during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. The authors report that 35.4% of participants suffered from moderate or severe psychological impact, 19.7% had a mild psychological impact, whereas 44.9% reported minimal psychological impact. 

How Students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are Coping with COVID-19 Pandemic
Journal of Public Health Research, 16 May 2022
This article sheds light on the coping mechanisms adopted by higher education students in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results reveal that the 4 most frequent strategies were: seeking social support, acceptance, mental disengagement, and humanitarian engagement. 

Stress Perception among Dental Practitioners in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Sigma Vitae, 18 May 2022
This article reports the stress levels among dentists in Saudi Arabia after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Overall dental practitioners are at moderate stress levels; among them, males, private practitioners, and dentists above 50 years of age exhibited more stress, whereas graduates had the least stress scores.

A Remaining Piece of the COVID-19 Puzzle: Saudi Arabia’s Remittances Account
King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, 30 May 2022
This paper assesses the behavioral shift and trend break in remittance outflows from Saudi Arabia which is ranked among the top 5 countries in remittance worldwide. It contextualizes the change within the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Knowledge Levels of Acceptance and Hesitancy of COVID-19 Vaccine Among General Population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Medicine and Pharmacology, 31 May 2022
This article examines the knowledge levels of acceptance and hesitancy of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine among the population of Saudi Arabia. 

 

Somalia

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Resilience during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives from Somalia’s Businesses
World Bank, 5 May 2022
This World Bank blog-post discusses the COVID-19 related sections of the WB Somalia Economic Update.

 

Sudan

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Women Mental Health Status and Behaviour Change during the COVID-19 in Sudan
Heliyon, May 2022
This article discusses the results of a questionnaire assessing women's roles during the COVID-19 pandemic in Khartoum, Sudan. It also tackles changes in their mental health. 

Face Mask Practice and Technique During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Nonrepresentative Cross-Sectional Study in Sudan
Patient Preference and Adherence, 3 May 2022
This article reports the findings of a cross-sectional study conducted among Sudanese aged 18 and older to assess face mask wearing practice during the COVID-19 pandemic among the Sudanese population. 

Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of COVID-19 on Migrants in Eastern Sudan
DTM, 15 May 2022
This report examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on various aspects of migrants’ life in Sudan.

Widespread Cynicism About COVID-19 Vaccines In Sudan
SMEX, 26 May 2022
This article highlights the governmental and non-governmental responses in Sudan to counter vaccine and COVID-19 misinformation online.

 

 

Tunisia

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Phylogenetic and Amino Acid Signature Analysis of the SARS-CoV-2s Lineages Circulating in Tunisia
Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 10 May 2022
This article identifies SARS-COV-2 lineages in Tunisia and explores their genetic characteristics. The researchers captured a total of 335 mutations. 

 

UAE

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Vaccine Side Effects Following COVID-19 Vaccination Among the Residents of the UAE—An Observational Study
Frontiers in Public Health, 6 May 2022
This article aims to investigate the nature, difference, and severity of COVID-19 vaccines’ side effects.

The Psychological Distress and COVID-19 Pandemic during Lockdown: A Cross-Sectional Study from United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Heliyon, 13 May 2022
This article evaluates the psychological impact of COVID-19 related lockdown measures on UAE residents. It concludes that the lockdown more psychologically impacted males, older people, and unemployed individuals during the pandemic.

Investigation of Factors Affecting COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Communities of Universities in the United Arab Emirates
Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, 20 May 2022 
This article investigates the impact of various factors on the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine in 5 universities across UAE. 

Impact of the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic and Related Vaccination in an Orthopedic Clinic in the United Arab Emirates: An Observational Study
Frontiers in Surgery, 31 May 2021
This article explores the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination on individuals fighting musculoskeletal disorders in the UAE.

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Mofeed Digest 2
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The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy (ARD) at CDDRL is pleased to announce the release of the May 2022 issue of Mofeed Digest, a periodic recap of the most important scholarly and policy publications, reports, and articles investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the politics, economies, and societies of the Arab world.

FSI’s Visiting Fellowship in Israel Studies Brings Or Rabinowitz to the Center for International Security and Cooperation

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The Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) is pleased to announce that Or Rabinowitz will come to Stanford for the 2022-23 academic year as part of the institute’s new Visiting Fellowship in Israel Studies. Dr. Rabinowitz is currently a Senior Lecturer in International Relations at Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

During her time at Stanford as a visiting fellow in Israel Studies, Dr. Rabinowitz will teach a one quarter long undergraduate course on “Israel: National Security and Nuclear Policy.” She will also organize and run an international workshop on “Deterrence and Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East” in the spring or summer quarters of 2023, and engage with Stanford pre- and postdoctoral fellows and FSI faculty.

Dr. Rabinowitz’s appointment will be based at FSI’s Center for International Security and Cooperation.

“Or Rabinowitz is one of Israel’s finest scholars writing about nuclear proliferation, deterrence, and national security policy,” said Scott Sagan, co-director of CISAC.  “Stanford is really fortunate to be able to bring her to campus for a year under this program.”

Or Rabinowitz is one of Israel’s finest scholars writing about nuclear proliferation, deterrence, and national security policy. Stanford is really fortunate to be able to bring her to campus for a year under this program.
Scott Sagan
Co-director of the Center for International Security and Cooperation

Dr. Rabinowitz’s current research lies at the intersection of nuclear and intelligence studies, with a focus on Israel’s nuclear program and the role of science and technology in its national security doctrine. Her book, “Bargaining on Nuclear Tests: Washington and its Cold War Deals” was published in April 2014 by Oxford University Press, and she has since published articles in International Security, Journal of Strategic Studies, The International History Review and the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, among others.

She holds a PhD degree from the War Studies Department of King’s College London, an MA degree in Security Studies and an LLB degree in Law, both from Tel-Aviv University. She is currently conducting a study on intelligence collaboration between allies in the realm of counter-proliferation operations, funded by the Israel Science Foundation.

“I am honored to be joining Stanford this coming academic year, and to share my knowledge about Israel with Stanford’s undergraduates,” said Dr. Rabinowitz. “CISAC is a global leader when it comes to producing new knowledge and insight about the challenges of nuclear proliferation, and being chosen as an Israel Studies Fellow is a true privilege.”

Dr. Rabinowitz’s many awards and honors include being named an Israeli Chevening Scholar by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and receiving The Scouloudi Award from the Institute of Historical Research, University of London. In 2018 she also won the Professor Ya’acov Barsimantov Best Article Award from the Israeli Association for International Studies.

The Visiting Fellowship in Israel Studies was launched in September 2021 with the generous support of Stanford alumni and donors. The search committee included senior fellows from throughout the institute. In addition to bringing to Dr. Rabinowitz to Stanford, the committee selected Dr. Amichai Magen, a scholar of law, government and international relations, as the inaugural Visiting Fellow in Israel Studies. Dr. Magen will also arrive at Stanford in the 2022-2023 academic year.

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Amichai Magen joins the Freeman Spogli Institute as its inaugural Visiting Fellow in Israel Studies.
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Amichai Magen Selected as Inaugural Visiting Fellow in Israel Studies

Magen, a scholar of law, government and international relations, will arrive at Stanford in the 2022-2023 academic year.
Amichai Magen Selected as Inaugural Visiting Fellow in Israel Studies
Hakeem Jefferson
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Welcoming Hakeem Jefferson to CDDRL

Jefferson, an assistant professor of political science at Stanford University, will join the center as a faculty affiliate.
Welcoming Hakeem Jefferson to CDDRL
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Dr. Or Rabinowitz of Hebrew University, Jerusalem, whose research explores how nuclear technology interacts with decision-making, strategy, and diplomacy, will come to Stanford in the 2022-2023 academic year as a visiting fellow in Israel Studies.

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NATO-Russia: It’s time to suspend the Founding Act

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During a period of greater hope for Russia tempered by uncertainties, President Bill Clinton sought both to enlarge NATO and build a strategic partnership between the Alliance and Moscow. As part of his National Security Council staff, we three worked on the approach that produced the 1997 “Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation.” It formalized a NATO-Russia relationship that we thought of as a potential “alliance with the Alliance” and contained security assurances for Moscow.

While the Founding Act produced tangible results in its early years, Europe today faces an aggressive, revanchist Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions have destroyed the basis for cooperation. NATO should suspend the Founding Act and, in particular, renounce its assurance regarding the stationing of conventional forces on the territory of new member states.

Read the rest at The Hill

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NATO and Russian flags
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During a period of greater hope for Russia tempered by uncertainties, President Bill Clinton sought both to enlarge NATO and build a strategic partnership between the Alliance and Moscow.

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