ABSTRACT This article explores the implications of the East African Community’s rapid enlargement from three to eight members – including conflict-affected countries. By assessing institutional and political consequences of the EAC’s widening, considering experiences from the European Union and ASEAN, the study argues that enlargement does not inherently impede deepening but requires strategic institutional adaptations. The EAC stands at the crossroads between its federalist ambitions and an even more intergovernmentalist model. The outcome will hinge on the management of security issues and the political willingness to pool sovereignty. Indecision risks leading the community into a widening gap between treaty ambitions and political reality.

ABSTRACT Fan zones have become an integral feature of major football tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, providing spaces for collective viewing, entertainment, and commercial activity. This paper examines how fan zones can balance fan engagement, safety, and profitability. Using the Bolton Wanderers Football Club fan zone (2022–2023) as a case study, the study identifies practical lessons in spatial design, behaviour management, and the creation of inclusive atmospheres. Although based on a club-level example, the analysis considers how these insights can inform planning for FIFA World Cup 2026 fan zones across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Particular attention is given to issues of proportional security, crowd behaviour, and the risks of excessive commercialisation. The findings suggest that well-designed fan zones can strengthen collective identity and contribute to event legacy, indicating that community-centred approaches may enhance the experience and inclusivity of large-scale international tournaments.

This study examined the dynamics of conflict between artisanal small-scale miners and local communities in Matobo District, Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe. It used a convergent mixed-methods approach. Data were collected through interviews, questionnaires, and observations. The findings revealed significant conflict between largely unregulated artisanal miners and residents in Matobo. Communities believe the miners are damaging the environment and creating security issues, and they are accused of theft, robbery, sexual assault, and other crimes. The miners contend they earn a decent living and support local livelihoods. This is supported by income data showing that small-scale miners earn substantially from mining activities. Another major source of conflict is the encroachment of miners into the Matobo Hills, a UNESCO World Heritage site of cultural and spiritual importance to the communities. The conflict is intensified by weak policy enforcement and corruption within law enforcement, particularly involving artisanal miners. The study concludes that the ongoing conflict reflects a struggle for survival among groups with competing interests. There is a need to improve policies on shared land use and promote peaceful coexistence among communities.

Since the twenty-first century, global non-traditional security (NTS) challenges have increasingly threatened society. This study uses event data from the Global Database of Events, Language, and Tone (GDELT) to examine how the frequency and impact of NTS issues have evolved worldwide from 2000 to 2023. Building on a newly constructed global panel dataset covering 153 countries, two complementary indicators, the CEN (count the number of event) and NSII (non-traditional security impact index), are calculated to measure the scale and severity of NTS activities. The analysis identifies five distinct phases in the global evolution of NTS issues, with peaks in 2012 and 2016 driven primarily by surges in terrorism and social instability in the Middle East, South Asia, and parts of Africa. Over time, NTS hotspots have gradually shifted toward more dispersed and transregional patterns, reflecting the diffusion of risks across interconnected systems. These findings underscore the need for adaptive, cross-border governance and continuous monitoring mechanisms. This study contributes a global, data-driven framework for tracking the spatiotemporal evolution of NTS risks and informing policy responses.

Abstract As the Arctic undergoes rapid geopolitical and environmental transformations, submarine cables have emerged as a critical infrastructure for enhancing connectivity, fostering economic development, and improving digital well-being for northern communities. Submarine cables form a digital backbone of the modern world and significantly contribute to the telecommunications infrastructure development of the northern territories. At the same time, their presence also introduced significant governance and security challenges unique to the Arctic region. This article explores governance frameworks surrounding submarine cables, including international and national levels. Beyond that, the article analyzes key security challenges associated with submarine cables in the Arctic, such as geopolitical competition, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, human security concerns and Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) driven issues. This article also offers several considerations as to how these challenges may be addressed in the current context of the Arctic including discussion regarding the Arctic-specific submarine cable agreement. By analyzing completed submarine cables and considering ongoing cable projects, this article aims to raise awareness about the vital role of submarine cables in the Arctic. It underscores the need for enhanced international and regional collaboration, robust security measures, and sustainable governance approaches to ensure the resilience and security of this essential infrastructure in the circumpolar area.

As of late, environmental considerations have been on the rise in all types of discourses, including academic ones, plenty of which address the connection between environmental and security issues, and aim to influence decision-making. Whether it is climate change, extinction of species, pollution, migratory pressures, or scarcity of resources, the grounds for analysis are numerous. In line with this thinking, the following article provides an insight into the applicability of one of such terms, the contested “environmental terrorism” concept, beyond the realm of mere theory and into the concept’s application in reality. Albeit contested, the concept is based on a relevant idea, whereby it spotlights how actors, state or non-state, may commit “acts of terror” against civilians through the damage of the environment. In turn, the environment itself becomes the misused victim and/or weapon, which thus may prove to be futile for the civilian population that depends on environmental resources for survival. For that reason, acts of “environmental terror” are particularly worrisome, especially when used in situations of armed conflicts to which they tend to be connected. Arguably, it is thus meaningful to assess what is the pertinence of this contested concept in practice. Does it have the necessary baseline to be utilized by the key actors in armed conflicts, namely states, who have the supremacy in deciding what the laws of armed conflict, including the concepts and their definitions, may be? In answering this question, the article contributes to the theoretical literature related to terrorism as well as the protection of the environment in armed conflicts. Results of a longitudinal qualitative content study in Atlas.ti focused on state positions in the UN system (UNSC, UNGA, UNEP, etc.) related to environmental destruction in armed conflicts over the course of more than 50 years (1970s–2020s) imply this has not been the case for decades, nor is it likely to change. The reasons are manifold, as this article shows; nevertheless, in general, they relate to the prevailing politicization of the overarching term “terrorism” by states. In turn, this sensitivity seemingly makes the concept obsolete beyond scholarship. The article, therefore, highlights the meaning of a practical approach for the sake of positive results and outlines how the international community could proceed with this matter. It is thus argued here that the tools used for theoretical analyses must at least to some extent reflect reality, which in this case speaks against the viability of the concept.

Security has become one of the leading challenges besetting Nigeria today; like Fulaniherdsmen attack, Kidnapping, Banditry, among others. These problems that are threatens the peace and tranquility of Nigeria and its neighbors where linked to the nature of Nigerian porous border and lack of commitment on security issues from the community members. The main focus of this paper is to examine the security issues related to the Nigerian border with Niger republic; and the communities’ effort towards tackling such challenges with particular reference to Illela (Nigeria) and Konni (Niger) borders. The study has discovered that citizens/border communities, security agencies and government officials are responsible for either efficient or inefficient security of these countries. Therefore, this paper posits that for the effective national security of Nigeria and beyond, there is need to do among others, the mobilization and proper utilization of border communities for participatory security measure; law enforcement agencies along the borders are to be well equipped; and above all the implementation of socio-economic (developmental) programs across the nation. Anchored on the Symbolic Interactionism Theory, the paper relies on both primary (questionnaire/interview) and secondary sources (text books, journals, theses, dissertations and internet).

Based on a bibliometric analysis of 2680 publications (1962–2024), this study elucidates the knowledge structure and intellectual evolution of research on climate change-driven nitrogen migration and transformation in inland waters, a critical issue for water security and global climate stability. The field has experienced accelerated growth since 2016, led by the United States and China. Analysis reveals a research framework centered on climate change, nitrogen, and water quality, interconnected with processes like eutrophication and denitrification. The intellectual focus has evolved from early investigations into fundamental chemical mechanisms towards a contemporary emphasis on human–climate interactions (e.g., land use), model-based predictions, and regional management solutions for nonpoint source pollution. A key finding is the bidirectional climate–nitrogen feedback, where climate alters nitrogen pathways and transformations, which in turn release greenhouse gases. The findings underscore a pivotal shift from theoretical understanding to applied, solution-oriented research. Future work must prioritize integrated multi-technique approaches, cross-ecosystem comparisons, and data-driven modeling to advance predictive capabilities and support effective nitrogen management in inland waters under a changing climate.

Jangipur sub-division of Murshidabad district is a major hub of beedi industry in West Bengal and also in India. In Jangipur sub-division about seventy (70) percent of the workers involved in the Beedi industry are women and children. Major Beedi factories in the state are located in Aurangabad and Dhuliyan areas of Jangipur sub-division and this area is home to the largest number of beedi workers. They have various problems related to wages, job security, and health issues. Due to the production of tobacco products, the number of diseases among workers in this region is high. School dropouts are high among children as they are engaged in beedi production from an early age. The workers are duped in various ways by the Munsis and beedi companies. As most of the workers are unorganized and poverty is a constant companion of the people in this region and there are no major industries in this district, the economic base of this region is dependent on beedi industry; they cannot voice their demands for fear of losing their jobs. The State and Central Government have various developmental schemes for the workers but these schemes reach them with very few benefits.

The educational landscape has transformed as a result of social media integration with the system. Social media has become an essential part of our lives the way we interact with one other. E-learning is the transmission of knowledge and education using computer networks, particularly the internet. The objective of this research article is to study the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges of social media in e-learning. The strengths of social media in e-learning are better interaction, immediate data access, better potential for growth, quick and easy access, increased involvement of students, tools for content creation, free educational opportunities. On the other hands, the weaknesses are distraction issues, privacy issues, authenticity of data, availability of unsuitable content, adverse effect on mental health. Beside this, the opportunities of social media in e-learning are as micro-learning, social and interactive experiences, gamification, Combining Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), content created by users, AI-assisted education. There are various challenges are as data security and privacy issues, sustaining levels of student involvement, managing social and academic links, assessing the appropriateness of content, linking various social media sites, bringing inclusivity and accessibility into consideration, controlling social media time, consistency of content on all platforms, distractions and effectiveness, overcoming technological constraints. So, this paper explores the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges of social media in e-learning.

The article is devoted to the study of the essence and signs of asset securitization, as well as determining its place in the legal system of Ukraine. It is determined that in recent years, when the national economy is at the stage of active search for means to attract large-scale investments, asset securitization is considered not only a financial mechanism, but also a strategic legal category. Making changes to the rights of claim in liquid securities allows business entities to mobilize resources, which plays a critically important role in the restoration of the housing and infrastructure sector. However, the legal significance of this process is still debatable, repeatedly creating legal uncertainty between the usual assignment of the right of claim (cession) and factoring. In general, the need to study asset securitization from the point of view of legal science is associated with comprehensive changes in the financial system of Ukraine, the need to attract investments for the purpose of post-war economic recovery and the dynamic development of digitalization. It is worth noting that the development of the digital economy leads to the emergence of new challenges, in particular the need for a legal definition of securitization of virtual assets and the use of «blockchain technologies». In turn, this requires a reassessment of the features of securitization. Securitization should be considered a complex legal institution, which includes an interdisciplinary complex of legal norms and stock market law. Therefore, a clear understanding of its place will make it possible to unify legal norms and ensure stable development of the capital market. We have determined that asset securitization in Ukraine should be considered the process of transforming future cash flows from assets (in particular, loans) into securities, which allows the originator (creditor) to obtain financing by selling rights to such flows to investors through a specially created institution (SPV). It has been established that securitization should be considered not only as an economic process, but also as a complex legal structure, which involves the assignment of the right of claim to a specially created institution (SPV) and the subsequent issuance of securities. The main features of securitization are identified, in particular, the separation of the originator’s property pool; the presence of a special entity (SPV); the change of rights of claim into financial instruments.

The Russian Federation’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine has shown significant shortcomings in the international legal regulation of security issues and criminal liability for crimes of aggression. In such conditions, even with the functioning of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and special tribunals, modern international justice faces limited jurisdiction, imperfect investigative procedures, and a tendency to political interference in the work of the prosecutor’s office. The purpose of writing a scientific article is to study the powers of the prosecutor of the special tribunal regarding the crime of aggression against Ukraine, as well as to determine the legal mechanisms for initiating an investigation and supporting the prosecution. The article aims to identify challenges in the functioning of the Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine in order to improve the effectiveness of international prosecution of crimes of military aggression. The methodological basis includes a legal analysis of international and national regulatory legal acts; application of the comparative law method to analyze the powers of the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal and the experience of initiating ad hoc tribunals in Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Lebanon; the method of content analysis of scientific publications and reports of international organizations; the method of systematization to determine the issues of the Prosecutor’s activities; and the method of generalization to improve the system of powers and functions of the Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal. The study showed that for effective international prosecution of the crime of aggression, it is necessary to clearly outline the powers of the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal, which include, first of all, independence from participating States or political structures in making decisions on initiating investigations and bringing charges; transparent rules and procedures for the nomination, dismissal and transfer of the Prosecutor and/or his deputies (enshrined in separate legislative acts and provisions of the Statute of the Tribunal); the prohibition of double jeopardy and external influence; and the right of the parties to the proceedings (the accused and the victims) to request the dismissal of the Prosecutor due to a possible conflict of interest or lack of independence (as provided for in the Statute of this tribunal). Promising areas of future research should include an assessment of the actual exercise of the powers of the Prosecutor’s Office, a comparative study of the effectiveness of the functions of the Prosecutor’s Office in different international regimes, and the development of methodologies for assessing the impact of the actions of the Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal on the consolidation of international responsibility for acts of aggression. Such an approach will ensure the improvement of mechanisms for prosecuting crimes of aggression and the strengthening of the principles of international law.

The fast development of Internet of Things (IoT) devices has introduced unknown security issues in the networked systems. Classical cryptography methods are restricted to sophisticated attacks and the emerging threat of quantum computing. This survey paper presents the overview of quantum key distribution (QKD) use in IoT settings, systematic review of the research trend, technological solutions, challenges, and future developments. We examine more than 150 published in-between 2018-2025 research papers, categorize the current QKD-IoT solutions, and uncover gaps in the research. We find that hybrid QKD-classical cryptography designs provide promise of realistic IoT implementation and edge-based quantum gateways emerge as an architecture of scalable implementation.

Internet of Things has become very essential technological tool and gaining wide acceptability globally due to the convenience, economy and effectiveness it adds to various life operations into which it is being applied. This study reviews how IoT has evolved till date and taking a look at the future of this technology. The objectives of the study include examining the technology upon which IoT was developed, various fields into which it has been implemented, its impacts and applications in essential fields, advantages and disadvantages of IoT in several fields of life. IoT has greatly impacted the manufacturing industries, agriculture and sports. IoT market will experience inconceivable increase in the future in that it is expected to be hybridized with artificial intelligence (AI) to facilitate effective security, domestic services and smart cities; with 6G/7G technology for effective telecommunications; with robotic technology for space and marine explorations. Security and interference issues across the complex network of things are some of the anticipated challenges but since no technology stands alone, others such AI will help to mitigate the challenges. Therefore, it is obvious that IoT will make all fields more efficient by ensuring security, enhanced productivity, education and boosting economy, leading to a smart world.

The sustainability nexus of cultured meat: Integrating environmental, social, and technological-economic insights.

We have witnessed a significant amount of fraud and security issues in modern life. Numerous biometric characteristics, such as the eyes, face, fingers, and palms, are used to address these problems. Among these, facial recognition is considered one of the least intrusive methods and is frequently used to identify or verify an individual. Face recognition is one of the most effective applications of computer vision, and has achieved considerable attention in recent years. Deep learning networks have achieved state-of-the-art performance in still-image-based face recognition. Video-based face recognition is a more complex task than still-image-based face recognition due to video quality, pose variation, occlusion, and illumination, and it also entails processing a large volume of data. We address these challenges by developing an efficient deep learning model trained, tested, and evaluated on the YouTube Face Dataset, designed for unconstrained face recognition in videos. In this paper, a deep learning face detection algorithm, Multi-task Cascaded Convolutional Neural Network (MTCNN), is employed to detect and localise faces in videos. Feature extraction and face recognition have been performed by using a convolutional neural network (CNN). This model has been proposed for accurate face detection and recognition from unconstrained video and performs better on the YouTube face dataset. The test accuracy of the proposed model is 93.11%. This work has been conducted to improve face recognition accuracy in the presence of intra-video variations.

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) has become a new disruptive technology in precision medicine, which allows the provision of tailored treatment plans with the help of sophisticated data analytics, multimodal assimilation, and predictive modelling. It is an empirical review of the recent literature on AI and ML in the context of precision medicine, specifically how they can be used to combine patient genomics, lifestyle data, and clinical records to provide personalised care delivery. The review covers the new advances in genomics, clinical diagnostics, biomarker discovery, personalised therapeutics, and answers questions on the issues of critical data security in healthcare and ethical concerns. Randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews, and massive implementations provide evidence indicating that AI can transform patient care by means of precision based on data, but show that stringent security systems and ethics governance are needed.

In recent years, . This creates a dangerous environment in which people live in fear. In today’s environment, the issue of home security is a cause of concern. The conventional systems used for intruder detection are very costly, and there is also a possibility of false alarms. The problem of false alarms is eliminated by using OpenCV and a mobile phone to develop a system that can effectively detect an intruder by eliminating the movements of objects that are also moving. When an intruder is detected, the system sends an alert to the user through an email, and the video is also stored in the local storage.

The development of financial digitalization today encourages Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) to adopt more effective and efficient financial service systems. The presence of a fingerprint-based cashless system serves as a form of modernization and enhancement of financial transparency in pesantren, which typically involve numerous economic activities. This study aims to examine and analyze the benefits, implications, and challenges of implementing a fingerprint-based cashless system in improving students’ financial discipline. This research employs a descriptive qualitative method by conducting observations, documentations, and interviews with students and the management of TMI Al-Amien Prenduan as direct users of the fingerprint-based cashless system in their daily payment activities. The findings indicate that the fingerprint-based cashless system simplifies students’ daily transactions, increases the efficiency of pesantren financial services, strengthens transparency, and enhancing discipline in the financial management of the students. The system also enables more accurate and structured financial monitoring, particularly for parents or guardians who can directly track their children’s spending activities through an application integrated into their mobile devices. However, several challenges persist, including the risk of consumptive behavior due to transaction convenience, limited digital literacy among some students, and data security issues that require serious attention. Overall, the implementation of the fingerprint-based cashless system is considered effective in supporting the modernization and accountability of pesantren financial management. Its successful implementation of fingerprint-based cashless requires support in financial literacy, consumption pattern education, and the application of Islamic economic principles to create a safe and proportional financial digitalization. Keywords: cashless system; financial discipline; student.

Background Modern hospital environments require wireless communication systems that ensure electromagnetic interference (EMI) compliance, privacy, and high throughput for mission-critical applications, such as telemetry, medical imaging, and Electronic Health Record (EHR) synchronization. Traditional RF-based wireless systems are susceptible to EMI, limited spectrum availability, and security issues. Direct-Modulated Laser (DML)-based Light Fidelity (LiFi) offers a promising alternative by leveraging the visible spectrum for high-speed, interference-free communication in terms of intended optical emissions. Methods The optimized configuration achieves BER < 10⁻⁹, SNR ≈ 74.94 dB, and Q ≈ 18.84 at 25 m, surpassing hospital reliability thresholds (BER < 10 -9 ; Q > 6). Launch powers ≥ +5 dBm are required beyond ~15 m, modulation indices of 0.8–1.0 yield higher Q across distances, narrow beam divergences (1–2 mrad) maintain stronger SNR, and receiver apertures of 4–6 mm provide a balance between light collection and noise. Results The optimized configuration achieves BER well below commonly cited hospital-grade analytical reliability thresholds (BER < 10⁻⁹), SNR ˜ 74.94 dB, and Q ˜ 18.84 at 25 m, surpassing hospital reliability thresholds (BER < 0 -9 Q > 6). Launch powers = +5 dBm are required beyond ~15 m, modulation indices of 0.8–1.0 yield higher Q across distances, narrow beam divergences (1–2 mrad) maintain stronger SNR, and receiver apertures of 4–6 mm provide a balance between light collection and noise in a best-case, well-aligned configuration. Conclusions This paper introduces a four-parameter DML-LiFi optimization framework unique to a given hospital, which offers a theoretical explanation of link-budget feasibility and parameter sensitivity to idealized indoor environment. These results indicate an upper-bound performance study, and not a demonstration of deployment-ready reliability, and are meant to be used in future experimental and system-level studies that focus on mobility, line-of-sight blockage, ambient-light-induced shot noise, electromagnetic interference pickup, and eye-safety constraints in hospital settings.