On December 1, 2022, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rendered its judgment in the Dispute Concerning the Status and Use of the Waters of the Silala (Chile v. Bolivia). There is no basin agreement governing the Silala, and Chile and Bolivia have ratified neither the 1997 Convention on the Law of Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses nor the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes. In the absence of a treaty regime applicable to the waters of the Silala River, the Court had the opportunity in this case to consider the legal framework applicable to international watercourses under customary international law.

On December 15, 2022, the International Criminal Court's Appeals Chamber unanimously confirmed Dominic Ongwen's convictions for crimes against humanity and war crimes and, by majority vote, confirmed his sentence of twenty-five years' imprisonment.

Arthropod species diversity enhances ecosystem productivity and sustainability by increasing pollination and biological control services. Although, it is declining rapidly due to conventional agricultural intensification, organic agriculture with reduced reliance on agronomic inputs can regenerate ecosystems' resilience and restore them. Here, we report whether hexapod communities differ on both types of farming systems in small-scale field plot experiments, wherein Maize variety AG-589 was grown organically and conventionally in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Livestock manure was applied in organic fields, whereas nitrogen and phosphorous were used as synthetic fertilizers in conventional fields. Hexapods were sampled three weeks after sowing once a week from the middle rows of subplots from both organically and conventionally grown maize. Twelve species of herbivores and four species of predators were recorded. Hexapod abundance overall and that of herbivores only was higher in conventionally cultivated maize, while predator abundance was higher in organic maize. Herbivores species diversity and evenness were significantly higher in conventional maize. Predator species diversity and evenness were significantly higher in organic maize fields. We noted predator abundance, diversity, and evenness as strong predictors to lower herbivore populations. These findings suggest that organic farming conserves natural enemies’ biodiversity and regulates herbivores with increased provision of suitable habitats and prey resources for natural enemies, leading to enhanced relative abundance in their specialized niches. Thus, organic agriculture can potentially mediate better ecosystem services.

Open-air surface accumulations and scatters of material cultural remains often are perceived as less-reliable archaeological archives, where it is difficult to distinguish anthropogenic versus geogenic formation processes or to assess their specific effects on the integrity of archaeological records. Here we analyze the depositional histories of three Middle Paleolithic open-air sites in the Negev desert of Israel, combining archaeological and geomorphological methods to create a conceptual model of multi-scale effects on the archaeological remains. Relying on the long research history in archaeology and geomorphology in the Negev, we show that integration of archaeological and geomorphological methodologies provides nuanced insights to our understanding of the archaeological record. The links established between regional and local geomorphic processes and lithic taphonomy by applying such a multi-scale analysis further allow back-tracking environmental processes from flint taphonomic attributes. Placing each site within the range of regional and local processes of exposure and burial by using informed and critically evaluated data helps to create a robust regional archaeological data base. We suggest that our approach is useful in other arid zone contexts and may have implications for understanding Pleistocene population movements across such regions.

Increasing age and puberty affect the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis maturation, which is likely associated with an increase in environmental demands (e.g., social) and vulnerability for the onset of psychiatric conditions (e.g., depression). There is limited research as to whether such patterns are consonant in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a condition marked by social challenges, dysregulation of the HPA axis, and higher rates of depression setting the stage for enhanced vulnerability during this developmental period.

The current study interrogated diurnal cortisol by examining (1) cortisol expression longitudinally over the pubertal transition between autistic and neurotypical youth, (2) the trajectory of diurnal cortisol and the unique contributions of age vs. puberty, and (3) potential sex differences. As hypothesized, results indicate autistic compared to typically developing youth demonstrate a shallower diurnal slope and elevated evening cortisol. These differences were in the context of higher cortisol and flatter rhythms based on age and pubertal development. Also, sex-based differences emerged such that females in both groups had higher cortisol, flatter slopes, and higher evening cortisol than males. The results show that despite the trait-like stability of diurnal cortisol, HPA maturation is impacted by age, puberty, sex, as well as an ASD diagnosis.

Increasing pressure – such as from conflict, climate change and urbanisation – on maritime cultural heritage in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) led to the establishment of the Maritime Endangered Archaeology (MarEA) Project in 2019. This five-year programme aims to assess rapidly and comprehensively the vulnerability of maritime and coastal heritage in the MENA region and assist in its management in the face of the aforementioned challenges. The two case studies discussed in this article highlight some of the main aspects of MarEA's current work in North Africa by focusing on two different aspects of the methodological approach used: first, the generalised but comprehensive damage and threat assessment, as applied to all sites, and demonstrated for the historic port of Suakin (Sudan); second, site-specific shoreline change assessment for the purpose of assessing the impact of coastal erosion, as demonstrated for the World Heritage Site of Sabratha (Libya).

For solitary bees, nesting substrate availability may limit population growth. Here, we investigate the nesting of a locally abundant bee Osmia conjuncta Cresson (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in empty shells of exotic snails, Cepaea spp. Held (Stylommatophora: Helicidae), in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. A literature review determined that O. conjuncta was sparsely distributed throughout its range, with a low relative abundance except for the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada, three sites in Maryland, United States of America, and the focal study area in Hamilton, Ontario. The Hamilton field survey of five grassland bee communities found O. conjuncta to be the most abundant bee species. The average relative abundance was 18.7%, peaking at 87% on one spring day. A survey of 1088 empty snail shells was done at the site with the highest O. conjuncta abundance. It revealed an average of 10.87 empty shells per square metre with cocoons in 9.8% of the shells, averaging 1.6 cocoons per nest. The relation between shell traits and cocoon presence indicated that O. conjuncta preferred nesting in shells with intermediate size and colour and avoided shells near shrubs. The presence of Cepaea snails increased O. conjuncta populations with potential consequences to the local bee assemblage.

Urbanisation has modified the distribution and community composition of mosquito species (Culicidae). Habitat disturbance may increase the risk of loss of species diversity and the occurrence of vector-borne diseases. Studies on the presence of larvae and the eco-physicochemical characteristics of water bodies near urban areas provide information on the risk of these diseases. In this study, the presence of larvae in different types of urban and periurban water bodies in Villahermosa City, Tabasco, Mexico was analysed. The eco-physicochemical characteristics of each collecting site were measured. A total of 67 528 larvae were collected, 1366 were identified to species, and 15 species were observed. Although Culex spp. were the most dominant species, Anopheles albimanus was the only species present in all habitats. Despite the large variability in the parameters measured (especially in physicochemical parameters; e.g., pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids), differences were observed among the breeding sites. Weak correlations were found between eco-physicochemical parameters and species presence. Predators may have a major role in determining community processes in the region. Habitat disturbance may be responsible for eco-physicochemical variations altering mosquito community composition, resulting in the loss of endemic mosquito species and increasing the risk of vector-borne diseases in Villahermosa.

On March 11, 2004, Madrid suffered one of the worst terrorist attacks in the history of Spain, leaving more than 190 dead and 2,000 injured. For years, the psychological consequences of the attacks have been studied; however, its long-term effects on symptomatology and especially on well-being remains unknown. This study aims to explore, through a qualitative approach, pathways and obstacles to the well-being of those affected directly or indirectly by the attacks of March 11 in Madrid. Two focus groups were held, one for indirect victims and one for direct victims. Subsequently, a thematic analysis of the materials obtained was carried out. More than 10 years after the attacks, most of the participants reported great difficulty in achieving well-being. Acceptance and victims’ associations seemed to act as key facilitators, while symptoms, political institutions and the media were the main obstacles. Direct and indirect victims presented similar data although aspects such as guilt and family relationships played a different role in their well-being.