Search

Viral haemorrhagic fevers encompass a diverse group of severe, often life-threatening illnesses caused by viruses from multiple families, including Arenaviridae, Filoviridae, Flaviviridae, Hantaviridae, Nairoviridae, Peribunyaviridae, and Phenuiviridae. Characterised by fever and haemorrhagic symptoms, these diseases challenge public health systems by overwhelming healthcare facilities, complicating diagnostic processes, and requiring extensive resources for containment and treatment, especially in resource-limited settings. This discussion explores the intricate relationships between VHFs and their transmission vectors—both animal and arthropod—and examines the impact of ecological and geographic factors on disease spread. The primary transmission of VHFs typically occurs through direct contact with infected animals or via bites from haematophagous arthropods, facilitating zoonotic and, at times, human-to-human transmission. With an emphasis on the role of diverse wildlife, domesticated animals, and vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks in the epidemiology of VHFs, there is a recognised need for robust surveillance and strategic public health responses to manage outbreaks. This review discusses the necessity of interdisciplinary approaches that integrate virology, ecology, and public health to enhance diagnostic capabilities, develop vaccines and antivirals, and improve outbreak interventions. Exploring the ecological and biological dynamics of VHFs will help bolster a deeper understanding of these emerging viruses and underpin preparation for future outbreaks. The importance of enhanced global cooperation, continuous research, and collaboration to mitigate the public health threats posed by these complex infections is a central theme, serving as a foundational strategy to reinforce worldwide preparedness and response efforts. Future directions include addressing gaps in vaccine development and tailoring public health strategies to the unique challenges of managing VHFs, such as the rapid mutation rates of viruses, the need for cold chain logistics for vaccine distribution, and socio-economic barriers to healthcare access, in order to ensure readiness for and effective response to emerging threats worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent chatbots powered by large language models (LLMs) have recently been sweeping the world, with potential for a wide variety of industrial applications. Global frontier technology companies are feverishly participating in LLM-powered chatbot design and development, providing several alternatives beyond the famous ChatGPT. However, training, fine-tuning, and updating such intelligent chatbots consume substantial amounts of electricity, resulting in significant carbon emissions. The research and development of all intelligent LLMs and software, hardware manufacturing (e.g., graphics processing units and supercomputers), related data/operations management, and material recycling supporting chatbot services are associated with carbon emissions to varying extents. Attention should therefore be paid to the entire life-cycle energy and carbon footprints of LLM-powered intelligent chatbots in both the present and future in order to mitigate their climate change impact. In this work, we clarify and highlight the energy consumption and carbon emission implications of eight main phases throughout the life cycle of the development of such intelligent chatbots. Based on a life-cycle and interaction analysis of these phases, we propose a system-level solution with three strategic pathways to optimize the management of this industry and mitigate the related footprints. While anticipating the enormous potential of this advanced technology and its products, we make an appeal for a rethinking of the mitigation pathways and strategies of the life-cycle energy usage and carbon emissions of the LLM-powered intelligent chatbot industry and a reshaping of their energy and environmental implications at this early stage of development.

The Great Reset is a concept proposed by the World Economic Forum to rebuild the global economy sustainably following the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasising stakeholder capitalism, greener practices, and more equitable social contracts. However, most of the literature focuses on the role of business and government actors in the Great Reset. At the same time, research that considers the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) is lacking. However, HEIs have the significant capacity to support various aspects of the Great Reset. In this work, we examine different mechanisms by which HEIs could bring change, such as fostering the growth of workforce skills, promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, participating in community development and others. A survey on a sample of university professors, postdoctoral researchers, and research assistants has been conducted with the goal of evaluating the degree to which HEIs have played a role in influencing economic recovery after COVID-19, leveraging the industry 4.0, enhancing regional development, revitalising global cooperation, formulating sustainable business models, restoring environmental well-being, and restructuring social contracts, skills, and employment opportunities. A two-step cluster analysis has been conducted, indicating that HEIs played different roles in the Great Reset process, being the Leaders, Followers and Laggers. We found a significant difference between the various groups of respondents according to their scientific field, position, and region regarding the perception of the role played by their HEIs in influencing economic recovery after COVID-19. The position of the respondents contributed to their perception of the role that their HEIs participated in the process of the Great Reset, with the assistant professors perceiving the most often that their HEIs are Leaders. Additionally, the scientific field and region of the HEI also impacted their role in the Great Reset, with the HEIs from technology and countries outside of Europe being the Leaders most often. On the other hand, Followers and Laggers were equally from social sciences and other fields and European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principles of international environmental law provide a robust framework for analyzing the legal dynamics of environmental hazards. Central to this framework is the principle of participation, which is pivotal in enhancing environmental protection and mitigating the progression of environmental hazards. By leveraging methods like crowdsourcing, this principle can foster a more engaged public involvement in safeguarding the biosphere. This research explores participatory democracy, access to information, public decision-making, and environmental litigation as fundamental approaches to achieving the objectives of international environmental legislation. It aims to illuminate the two-way interaction between these elements and assess the feasibility of actualizing the participation principle through crowdsourcing. The research examines the effectiveness of crowdsourcing as a tool for implementing this principle in supporting and protecting the environment. By reviewing and analyzing relevant sources, the article posits that increasing stakeholder participation, including civil groups and individuals, can enhance the effectiveness of environmental legislation and advance social and environmental justice. It advocates for the creation of platforms that facilitate information sharing and stakeholder engagement, along with mechanisms to ensure accountability and balance power, as crucial strategies for effective environmental governance.

Collective memories support collective identities and provide lessons for group members to manage present challenges. Three surveys (total N = 1,137) tested whether U.S. nationals who strongly identify with all humanity (IWAH) were more interested in learning about pandemics in history as events that affected the whole world (Study 1) and more knowledgeable about past pandemics (Studies 2a and 2b). Stronger IWAH predicted greater interest in learning about past pandemics, but not greater knowledge of these events. Further, while IWAH was a consistent predictor of support for global cooperation for pandemic preparedness and, to a lesser extent, of compliance with COVID-19 health-protective behaviors, knowledge of past pandemics contributed modestly to these outcomes. These findings suggest that while past pandemics have the potential to become global memories, they are not yet actual global memories that inform a sense of global human identity and offer courses of action for the present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Iranian Research Letter of International Politics is the property of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Great Reset is a concept proposed by the World Economic Forum to rebuild the global economy sustainably following the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasising stakeholder capitalism, greener practices, and more equitable social contracts. However, most of the literature focuses on the role of business and government actors in the Great Reset. At the same time, research that considers the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) is lacking. However, HEIs have the significant capacity to support various aspects of the Great Reset. In this work, we examine different mechanisms by which HEIs could bring change, such as fostering the growth of workforce skills, promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, participating in community development and others. A survey on a sample of university professors, postdoctoral researchers, and research assistants has been conducted with the goal of evaluating the degree to which HEIs have played a role in influencing economic recovery after COVID-19, leveraging the industry 4.0, enhancing regional development, revitalising global cooperation, formulating sustainable business models, restoring environmental well-being, and restructuring social contracts, skills, and employment opportunities. A two-step cluster analysis has been conducted, indicating that HEIs played different roles in the Great Reset process, being the Leaders, Followers and Laggers. We found a significant difference between the various groups of respondents according to their scientific field, position, and region regarding the perception of the role played by their HEIs in influencing economic recovery after COVID-19. The position of the respondents contributed to their perception of the role that their HEIs participated in the process of the Great Reset, with the assistant professors perceiving the most often that their HEIs are Leaders. Additionally, the scientific field and region of the HEI also impacted their role in the Great Reset, with the HEIs from technology and countries outside of Europe being the Leaders most often. On the other hand, Followers and Laggers were equally from social sciences and other fields and European countries.

To address the global challenge of plastic waste, 175 UN Member States are negotiating a legally binding instrument, the Plastic Treaty, aimed at ending plastic pollution. This ambitious framework, targeting both terrestrial and marine sources, is being developed through Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meetings scheduled to conclude by 2025. Amidst uncertainties and power dynamics influencing state positions, this research identifies 10 critical, yet unresolved, points within the treaty negotiations (i.e., the scope of the treaty, equity and differentiation, involvement of non-state actors, integration with existing agreements, standards and specifications, trade implications, monitoring and reporting, responsibility and historical contributions, binding vs. non-binding commitments, and financing and technology transfer). The findings suggest potential compromises in the treaty’s environmental provisions, influenced by domestic interests and international power disparities. As negotiations progress, the imperative for cooperation and decisive action against plastic pollution becomes increasingly pressing, challenging member states to prioritize global environmental integrity over national interests.

The study critically examines current condition of global rule in resolving the developing hazard of cyber terrorism. The research dives right into the complexities and problems posed by cyber terrorism as well as reviews the effectiveness of existing lawful platforms in responding to this progressing threat. Employing a diverse series of academic jobs, the study investigates the requirements for brand-new global lawful frameworks, developments in cybercrime inspection as well as digital forensics, as well as the function of surfacing modern technologies in rule administration. Also, the report stresses the significance of enhancing global cyber resilience and response abilities by means of worldwide teamwork and collaboration. The study's searching highlights varied attributes of cyber violence and demand for a complete, collaborated, and international reaction to fight this threat. The analysis uses valuable knowledge right into advancement of brand-new lawful platforms, technologies in cybercrime examination & enlargement of global cyber resilience to deal with problems positioned through cyber terrorism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar geoengineering (SG) may have the potential to reduce extreme climate damages worldwide. Yet, international coordination will make the difference between success and failure in leveraging it. Using a simple game-theoretic framework, we investigate whether the stability of an efficient, self-enforcing international agreement on SG is attainable. We demonstrate that side payments from countries less vulnerable to climate change to those more vulnerable can guarantee the stability of an efficient agreement. The size of the side payments will vary within a zone of possible agreement, which will change depending on certain key assumptions. For example, assuming stronger mitigation reduces the necessary payments. Alternatively, asymmetry in national damages from SG over-provision vs. under-provision justifies larger payments; here, the welfare-optimal strategy may be deployment that makes no one worse off. We also show that an agreement may be stable without side payments if deployment costs are substantial and counter-SG is available, while a moratorium may be socially optimal if SG brings substantial global non-excludable fixed costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has become the largest global platform for economic, social, and energy cooperation, there remains a question of how to effectively utilize its globalizing role to promote sustainable development among the countries along the route. Innovation capability is identified as the key to resolving sustainable development issue, because innovation capability has the potential to effectively reconcile the conflict between economic development and environmental conservation. Therefore, this study has opted to utilize a sample of 99 countries across the globe, comprising of 78 BRI countries and 21 non‐BRI countries. The DDD model has been employed to examine the impact of innovation capability on sustainable development in the BRI. The result shows that BRI can contribute to the achievement of green sustainable development. Innovation serves as an effective means to improve green sustainable development, which can be achieved through green technical progress and green technical efficiency. In addition, global cooperation has a significant moderating effect on this outcome, with the foreign direct investment and trade capability being the main moderators of economic global cooperation, while digital capability, infrastructure, and social exchange are the main moderators of social global cooperation. Finally, in the regional heterogeneity analysis, we find that the results of the role of the four continents are more consistent with the regression results of the total world sample, the difference being that the moderating role of global cooperation is not consistent across states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study critically analyzes the formulation of criminal offenses related to fraud in the revised Penal Code (KUHP) within the context of contemporary technological advancements. Employing a normative legal research method, the investigation draws on relevant legal literature, legislation, and scholarly publications. The findings reveal inadequacies in the current legal provisions, particularly in addressing cyber fraud facilitated by information technology. The newly introduced Article 492 of the revised KUHP remains rooted in conventional fraud models, lacking the capacity to accommodate digital modus operandi and failing to encompass diverse identity theft techniques and system vulnerabilities. The absence of specific regulations pertaining to electronic transactions, computer networks, and digital systems further underscores the limitations. While the revised KUHP exhibits positive enhancements, urgent revisions are warranted to incorporate comprehensive elements, impose stricter penalties, and reinforce global cooperation in combating cybercrime. The overarching goal is to ensure that criminal provisions remain adaptive and responsive to the dynamic landscape of technology-driven offenses in the future. Highlights: • The revised Penal Code inadequately addresses digital fraud, necessitating a comprehensive update to encompass evolving technological modus operandi. • Existing legal provisions lack specificity concerning electronic transactions, computer networks, and digital systems, revealing a crucial gap in addressing contemporary cyber threats. • Urgent revisions are imperative to fortify criminal statutes, impose stricter penalties, and enhance international collaboration, ensuring a responsive legal framework for combating future technology-based crimes. Keywords: Technological Fraud, Penal Code Revision, Cybercrime Legislation, Legal Adaptation, Global Cooperation

Individuals who identify themselves with humanity as a whole tend to be more prosocial in a number of different domains, from giving to international charities to volunteering for humanitarian causes. In this paper, we show that global identity is "inclusive" in character. That is, rather than neglecting or diminishing attachments to local and national groups, identification with all of humanity encourages individuals to embrace local and national goals at no lesser intensity than they embrace global goals. We have done so using experimental data on social dilemmas at the local level and nested social dilemmas at the local and national level, as well as at the local and world levels. Experiments were conducted with adult samples in the United States, Italy, Russia, Argentina, South Africa, and Iran. We show that the higher the identification with global collectives, net of identification with local and national collectives, the higher the cooperation at the local, national, and world levels. Conversely, local social identity is not significantly associated with cooperation at any level of interaction, while national social identity, net of local and global identification, tends overall to have a negative correlation with cooperation, particularly at the local level. We also show that individuals with strong global identity are significantly more optimistic of others' contributions than individuals with lower levels of global identification, but they are as accurate as others in predicting others' cooperation at the local and national levels. Their forecast error is instead systematically larger than that of all others for cooperation at the world level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delving into the intricate nexus between the artificial intelligence (AI) and international law and policy, this research paper embarks on an intellectual exploration of AI's metamorphosis, multifaceted application & far-reaching consequences across diverse realms such as warfare, surveillance and climate change mitigation. In this regard, illuminating the pressing imperative for malleable international legal frameworks and global collaboration towards harness AI's boons whilst counterbalancing its perils, the study also lays bare its constraints primarily its expansive scope coupled with swiftly transforming AI milieu that might render the findings obsolete. Current study highlighted the important issues with the aim to produce new information and contribute the existing knowledge database. This intellectual odyssey culminates in a call-to-arms for the future investigations to scrutinize minute facets of AI's impact on the worldwide legislation and strategies a steppingstone towards deciphering the enigmatic dance between the technology as well as global governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The purpose of this article is an in-depth analysis and systematization of the constitutional and legal principles that underlie the regulation of the right to education in modern society. This article is aimed at highlighting the current aspects of the constitutional provision of educational rights, assessing the current state of these principles and considering possible prospects for development in the future. Research methods. The methodological basis of the scientific article is a complex of general scientific and special scientific methods of cognition, the application of which allowed to reveal the essence of the constitutional and legal principles of regulation of the right to education under modern conditions. Results and conclusions. Within the framework of scientific research, attention is focused on the challenges and opportunities facing the paradigm of the constitutional and legal foundations of the regulation of the right to education, namely: globalization of legal systems (active world integration, exchange of ideological and cultural assets), digital revolution (rapid development of the technology market), geopolitical conflicts (obstacles in access to education, deterioration of the quality of education), demographic changes (the growing population creates a demand for proper provision of high-quality education for citizens) and inclusive education (taking into account the special needs of students in the process of providing educational services). The consequences of the existence of such challenges, which are manifested in the emergence of new standards and approaches in the constitutional and legal regulation of the right to education, are indicated, in particular: quality and accessibility of education, inclusiveness of education, universality of education, flexibility and adaptation in education, digitalization of education, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals who identify themselves with humanity as a whole tend to be more prosocial in a number of different domains, from giving to international charities to volunteering for humanitarian causes. In this paper, we show that global identity is “inclusive” in character. That is, rather than neglecting or diminishing attachments to local and national groups, identification with all of humanity encourages individuals to embrace local and national goals at no lesser intensity than they embrace global goals. We have done so using experimental data on social dilemmas at the local level and nested social dilemmas at the local and national level, as well as at the local and world levels. Experiments were conducted with adult samples in the United States, Italy, Russia, Argentina, South Africa, and Iran. We show that the higher the identification with global collectives, net of identification with local and national collectives, the higher the cooperation at the local, national, and world levels. Conversely, local social identity is not significantly associated with cooperation at any level of interaction, while national social identity, net of local and global identification, tends overall to have a negative correlation with cooperation, particularly at the local level. We also show that individuals with strong global identity are significantly more optimistic of others’ contributions than individuals with lower levels of global identification, but they are as accurate as others in predicting others’ cooperation at the local and national levels. Their forecast error is instead systematically larger than that of all others for cooperation at the world level.

The growing plastic production, the lack of their waste management, and fragmented regulatory responses have increased their abundance in the environment. Plastic pollution has created significant environmental concerns leading to planetary boundary threats. As a result, an increasing number of governments and non-state actors have begun negotiations on a legally binding treaty to cover the full-life-cycle of plastics by 2024. While the negotiations were mandated at the United Nations Environment Assembly 5.2 in March of 2022, how the new agreement would link to existing governance bodies addressing plastic pollution at the global, regional, national and local levels requires careful consideration. This analysis examines the main multi-level governance structures in place to govern plastics while highlighting their principal roles as well as shortcomings and gaps. It then explores ways a new global agreement could complement existing governance structures without imposing and duplicating the work of previous agreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing plastic production, the lack of their waste management, and fragmented regulatory responses have increased their abundance in the environment. Plastic pollution has created significant environmental concerns leading to planetary boundary threats. As a result, an increasing number of governments and non-state actors have begun negotiations on a legally binding treaty to cover the full-life-cycle of plastics by 2024. While the negotiations were mandated at the United Nations Environment Assembly 5.2 in March of 2022, how the new agreement would link to existing governance bodies addressing plastic pollution at the global, regional, national and local levels requires careful consideration. This analysis examines the main multi-level governance structures in place to govern plastics while highlighting their principal roles as well as shortcomings and gaps. It then explores ways a new global agreement could complement existing governance structures without imposing and duplicating the work of previous agreements.

Mushrooms are now well-known as healthy food ingredients that contain dietary fiber, vitamin D and compounds with numerous health benefits. Its procurement was initially based on the collection of naturally occurring wild mushrooms in the field, which depended on the region. Modern established cultivation techniques have contributed to environmental sustainability through the recycling of forestry and agricultural by-products and have successfully developed into a global industry. Such development of global mushroom production is the “bright” side as circular agriculture. However, the potential environmental and economic benefits in the sustainability of mushroom production have not yet been widely recognized, and its global production trend has stagnated in recent years. Therefore, dissemination activities through international mutual cooperation centered on education including ecology, cultivation science, and nutrition science of mushrooms are indispensable for the development of mushroom production in the future. On the other hand, we also need to urgently identify and address the challenges associated with negative sustainability impacts, or “dark” side, of mushroom production. The adverse effects of spores derived from cultivated mushrooms on the surrounding environment and disposal methods such as used heat-resistant bags and spent mushroom substrates are often neglected. Clarifying such the positive and negative aspects of sustainability in mushroom production and presenting their future prospects should contribute to improving international perceived value and the continuity of mushroom production.

This article describes the implications of cities rising as international actors in the field of migration policy with a look at how they mobilize in national and inter‐regional contexts. What is notable about the current period are new configurations of power between cities that are more sophisticated than the standard best practice sharing of traditional inter‐city networks. The author has direct insights into the two case studies presented, and the information gathered derives in large measure from the author's conversations, relationships, and role in the activities described. The article presents assumptions on how these new configurations of power will influence global cooperation, pointing towards a redesign of governance in which local knowledge informs national policy, local action drives national response, and local needs trigger global cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last three decades, a networked global system has emerged in the natural-science-based disciplines, sustained by collegial epistemic relations in universities. Nationally ordered and funded science has expanded alongside the global science system. The common global pool of papers, defined by bibliometric collections, nevertheless excludes large components of knowledge. In the global system, four tendencies are apparent: (1) rapid growth of papers, (2) diversification of scientific capacity to many more countries, (3) expansion of networked international and national collaboration as measured by co-authorship, (4) growing multi-polarity of capacity, outputs and quality, with the rise of China and several middle-sized national systems outside the Euro-American bloc. The paper critiques the interpretation of global science dominant in scientometrics, in which positivist data analyses are applied to performative national comparisons. It argues for a historical-synthetic explanation of the global system that combines data and theorisation, and accounts for relations of power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has stimulated numerous reflections and academic debates about its impact not only on health systems, economy and labor market, but also on human rights and international relations. This paper is a brief synthesis- mostly with a political science learning- of the literature dedicated to the challenges of the pandemic, possible post-pandemic scenarios and opportunities towards a better and more sustainable world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overall aim of the current paper is to establish best practices for developing, engaging and working critically in virtual intercultural communication. The need to build practical language communication skills is not a new idea or a new part of methodology. With the development of technology, the range of communicative opportunities has grown and allowed virtual intercultural dialogues to take place. The focus of these situations is not only language development and practice, but also critical cultural awareness and intercultural skill development. The paper presents contrasting approaches in the methodological construction of one such programme between young students in Entel Foreign Language School, China, and Krosno State College, Poland. Over the course of the link from Spring to Summer 2017, different approaches were taken by the instructors and students in both countries resulting in varying levels of engagement and critical understanding. The Chinese approach stresses communication as an outcome and delivers more time to oral activities in the classroom, which contrasts with the Polish approach of a stricter language-based teaching strategy. As a result, the paper will discuss the relative merits of the two methodological frameworks in the communication project. This will be achieved by evaluating the overall success of the communication based on interviews with the student participants and observations of interaction during the link meetings. Finally, the paper will illustrate a methodology for working with such links and developing intercultural communication.

Copyright of Bilecik Seyh Edebali University Journal of Social Sciences is the property of Bilecik Seyh Edebali University Journal of Social Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The nexus of COVID-19 and climate change has so far brought attention to short-term greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions, public health responses, and clean recovery stimulus packages. We take a more holistic approach, making five broad comparisons between the crises with five associated lessons for climate change mitigation policy. First, delay is costly. Second, policy design must overcome biases to human judgment. Third, inequality can be exacerbated without timely action. Fourth, global problems require multiple forms of international cooperation. Fifth, transparency of normative positions is needed to navigate value judgments at the science-policy interface. Learning from policy challenges during the COVID-19 crisis could enhance efforts to reduce GHG emissions and prepare humanity for future crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

None.

This paper puts forward a proposal to help monetary policies confront the challenge of the “normalisation” of money creation and interest rates. The difficult unwinding of years of unorthodox policies put financial stability at risk in major monetary centres and in EMEs. The authors argue that global coordination is crucial to facing this challenge. They propose to convene appropriate official meetings to coordinate in an explicit, formal, and wellcommunicated way the process of normalisation and the discussions on the needed longterm changes in the strategy and institutional setting of monetary policies.

This short article is a basis for a contrast between Western and Eastern – particularly Chinese – thinking about the metaphysical foundations of world order. The most essential question is the nature of human beings: are they inclined towards amity and cooperation, or do they tend more to a competitive aggressiveness? The apparent obsession of the West with freedom and especially with security and defense contrasts with the much vaguer Eastern concern with harmony and good relations. Of course, this is not an analysis of the contemporary reality of international security relations, but an attempt to give shape to traditional Western and Eastern patterns of thought about foundations of diplomacy. The article is written for Western audiences and so the first part is a scheme of foundational attitudes that are taken to be very widely held and uncontested. The citations are intended merely as illustrative. The real core of the article is in the second and third parts, which offer insights into an alternative anthropology of international relations. Therefore, the first part is purely schematic, while the two other parts are much more discursive and grounded in traditional Chinese culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising number of sea travel is followed by the emerging number of sea crimes such as sea piracy and maritime terrorism. In recent two decades, the number of crimes on the sea have shown an alarming figure, where areas with a dense traffic of vessels such as the Gulf of Aden and Malacca Strait becomes the hot spots for piracy crime. The main reason behind the emerging of modern piracy is the increasing number of sea transported goods which create a significant opportunity to be a huge target of crime considering the drives behind piracy is financial reason. Some area of sea piracy took place commonly in Africa and Southeast Asia.

The COVID-19 pandemic has continuously caused many people to suffer worldwide. The Philippine government had imposed a series of lockdowns that caused many citizens to be unemployed and hungry. As the crisis continues, ordinary citizens from different religious communities and non-governmental organizations willed to establish community pantries to aid their hungry and helpless neighbors. The spirit of volunteerism was also awakened for those who desired to serve and shared their time and effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]