How to select claims for fact-checking: a discussion with Dr. Arwa Kooli

With tens of thousands of false claims circulating online, how do fact-checkers decide which ones matter most? This question lies at the heart of an upcoming webinar organized by ARIJ's AFCN. During the session, researcher Peter Cunliffe-Jones (UK) and Dr. Arwa Kooli (Tunisia) will present insights from AFCN’s new study, supported by International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and led by Stellenbosch University in South Africa, exploring how fact-checkers across the Arab world determine which claims to verify. The discussion will also highlight key lessons from Cunliffe-Jones’ new peer-reviewed book, Fake News – What’s the Harm?, which introduces a framework to help fact-checkers identify and prioritize the most consequential false claims. 📅 Monday, October 27, 2025 ⏰ 18:00 – 19:30 Amman time (GMT+3) 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/eG_T3xu5

At the invitation of H.E. Sheikh Fawaz Khalifa, the Ambassador of Bahrain and Dean of Arab Ambassadors, a delegation from the ABA addressed a meeting of representatives of Arab embassies in London. CEO, Gaby Fadel explained the work that the ABA does to create a bridge between financial institutions in the Arab world and the UK, and elaborated on ways in which the ABA can be of benefit to the various Arab embassies in London. During productive discussions, the meeting explored other opportunities for future collaboration, including scheduling events around UK visits by senior financial figures from the home nations, hosting lunches and receptions, and arranging meetings with UK regulators or other key actors in the sector. 

In an exclusive interview on CGTN’s Talk Africa, our Executive Director, Ms. Jane Nalunga, shared critical insights on the implications of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) expiration. She highlighted the associated risks, key dynamics, and the possibility of an extension — while emphasizing the need for Africa to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a sustainable alternative and seize opportunities to strengthen trade with partners like China. 🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/eihHSWsV

Just published 👉 Constructing Ties: How Security Narratives Led to the Defunding of UAWC in Occupied Palestinian Territories. This thesis examines how security narratives shaped the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ 2022 decision to end its funding for the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC), a Palestinian NGO supporting farmers in Area C of the West Bank. The research draws on more than 1,100 pages of internal documents obtained through the Dutch Transparency Act. 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/egC7fnqF

“Prepared Today, Resilient Always” 🌍💪 – In this edition, we highlight the activities of National Societies in Preparedness, celebrating the signing of the new NS Preparedness Framework, which strengthens and guides NS actions worldwide. We also share experiences, good practices, and lessons learned from different regions, showing how innovation, coordination, and teamwork help optimize emergency response and build stronger, more resilient communities.

In a new study for Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Dr. Ilyas Saliba, adjunct lecturer at the Centre for Fundamental Rights, takes a close look at how shrinking civic space affects the work of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Western Asia and North Africa (WANA). The study "𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗦𝗢𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻" draws on case studies in Tunisia, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and Lebanon. In addition to mapping shrinking civic space in the forms of repression, threats and restrictions for CSOs it identifies successful adaptation strategies and offers actionable recommendations for donors and civil society partners. Read the full study via the link in the comments. 👇 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻: 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻 𝗔𝗵𝗼

This new resource from the African Evaluation Association - AfrEA, The Handbook on Made in Africa Evaluation, will be of interest to many in my network: "The Handbook on Made in Africa Evaluation is a pioneering work that redefines evaluation practices by centering African epistemologies, values, and methodologies. Developed by the African Evaluation Association (AfrEA), this volume challenges dominant Western frameworks and advocates for a transformative, culturally grounded approach to evaluation." #evaluation https://lnkd.in/eUJzFdAe

 𝐎𝐧𝐞-𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐀𝐀 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔–𝟐𝟎𝟑𝟎 On 1 October 2025, the Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA), with the support of the SHER programme, organized a one-day workshop dedicated to finalizing the draft of the KAA Strategic Plan 2026–2030. The workshop aimed to engage the contributions of all relevant stakeholders in shaping this important strategic document, which will play a key role in enhancing the institutional performance of KAA and improving the overall quality of higher education in Kosovo. https://lnkd.in/dbnvbaXi

ANNOUNCING A NEW SERIES FROM API 🔹 The Logic of the Throne 🔹 Every week, API will publish a fresh essay interrogating the nature, structure, and future of political power in Africa. Authored by barrister, strategist, and governance scholar Z Allan Ntata, this series aims to provoke reflection among those who seek power and those who seek to influence it. In these essays, expect bold insights, uncomfortable truths, and a new vocabulary for understanding why Africa’s systems of power continue to fail, and what must be done to rebuild them. This is not just a commentary series. It is part of the intellectual foundation for the Africa Politicojuridity Institute (API) and will culminate in the publication of a landmark book. 🔔 First essay drops this Wednesday: “The Logic of the Throne: Why Africa Must Rethink Power” Follow API to read, share, and engage.

AUB, Civic Influence Hub, and INFO OPS Poland Foundation Convene Lebanese–Polish Consultation on Information Space Security, Good Governance, and Citizenship https://lnkd.in/dizT8_sU #AUB #AUBVibes The Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship Simon Kachar, PhD Lina Abou-Habib (she/her/hers)