Why are least developed countries (LDCs) and conflict zones particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic? Has there been adequate attention given to the needs of war-affected populations and LDCs during this crisis? Why is helping LDCs and war-affected communities particularly important in the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic? To answer these questions and to […]

A two-day training on hydro-climatic modelling for engineers from Afghanistan and Pakistan was held in Dubai, U.A.E. in October 2019 as part of Afghanistan Pakistan Partnership Summit project supported by the U.S. Embassy Kabul. The training was a joint project created by one Pakistani and one Afghan participant from the second year of the Summit. […]

The COVID-19 pandemic created what the World Health Organization has called an ‘infodemic’ – massive amounts of misinformation passing through the airwaves and billions of social media feeds every day. In times like these, people need information to be accurate, cross-checked, and useful, as this can literally save lives. During a virtual meeting of the […]

What new realities do new media platforms present? Robert Rosenthal discusses the great opportunities provided by new platforms. Robert Rosenthal is currently an executive producer at The Center for Investigative Reporting. He joined CIR as executive director in 2008, a position he held until 2017. When Rosenthal joined CIR, it had a staff of seven. […]

How do you produce multimedia news stories in different countries? Mayada Ghazala discusses the challenges of producing multimedia stories from countries where journalists are not based. Mayada Ghazala, is a multimedia producer at Middle East Broadcasting Networks. Before joining MBN, she was in Cairo covering the Egyptian revolution from a social media perspective at a […]

Why is media and information literacy important? Bayan Tal discusses the media and information literacy program at the Jordan Media Institute. Bayan Tal is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Crown Prince Foundation and senior adviser at the Jordan Media Institute where she also manages the Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Program […]

What are the common needs of journalists in different countries? Fatima Bahja, who has worked with journalists in many countries discusses success stories of cross-border collaboration. Fatima Bahja is research & proposal coordinator of New Initiatives at the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ). In this role, she is responsible for writing and preparing proposals, tracking […]

What are the essential elements of trust in the media? Claudia Kozman discusses the challenges of preserving trust in the media and why trust is necessary. Claudia Kozman is an assistant professor of multimedia journalism in the Department of Communication Arts, and is the research director of the Institute of Media Research and Training at […]

Do cities in arid regions require a different development mindset? How can these cities think differently about their ecology? Huda Shaka discusses how some cities in these regions can think differently. Huda Shaka is an experienced sustainability and urban planning consultant, based in Dubai. She advises on large-scale master planning and infrastructure projects as well […]

Raed B’kayrat how energy planning and management systems can be developed in smart cities. He further outlines the role renewable energy sources can play in a smart city’s future. Raed B’kayrat is currently the managing director for the Clean Energy Business Council (CEBC) in Dubai. He is also a senior advisor at the Alternative Energy […]