Using data from Afrobarometer surveys conducted across 39 countries (n ≈ 53,000), this study examines the relationship between ethnic identification and public attitudes toward interethnic marriage in Africa. Descriptive analyses indicate that most Africans are either supportive of or indifferent toward such unions. However, multivariate regression results show that individuals who identify more strongly with their ethnicity than their nationality are significantly less likely to support interethnic marriage. This negative association is particularly strong among rural residents. These findings suggest that strong ethnic identification can act as a barrier to social integration in multiethnic societies. They also highlight the importance of policies that foster inclusive national identities and encourage intergroup engagement through education and civic initiatives.

Discussions on the relationship between science and society frequently advocate for direct engagement between scientists and lay people. While such engagement is often framed as a remedy for declining trust in science, it introduces a distinct set of ethical challenges. One such challenge concerns the risk of epistemic trespassing, the overstepping of disciplinary boundaries. Another arises when individual scientists, by virtue of their public role, are seen as representatives of “science” as a whole. These issues are further complicated by a less-discussed form of trespassing: the ethical tensions that emerge when scientists draw on non-epistemic sources of authority, such as charismatic or traditional authority (in the Weberian sense), to bolster their public claims. This paper argues that addressing these challenges requires a nuanced, context-sensitive approach. In some cases, the most ethically defensible strategy and pragmatically viable strategy may be not to communicate individually, but rather to contribute to collective efforts that facilitate responsible public communication. By reframing public engagement as a team task, scientists can mitigate the risks of trespassing while still fulfilling their role in fostering trust in science.

Agriculture relies heavily on the ecosystem services provided by beneficial insects, and supporting their populations in these areas is important. We tested for differences in bee communities between pastures and unmanaged (natural) grasslands in Manitoba, Canada. Pastures were either grazed by cattle or cut for hay. Hayed pastures were planted with an enhanced seed mix to benefit both bees and livestock. Nevertheless, enhanced hay fields were dominated by alfalfa. We found that natural and grazed sites supported more bees than hay sites did. Grazed sites tended to support oligolectic (plant specialist) bees, whereas natural sites supported more polylectic (plant generalist) bees. Bee capture rates were positively associated with overall field size. Associations between bee functional traits (diet, nesting, and sociality) and environmental variables are discussed. Our results indicate that grazing may be an important management tool for conservation of oligolectic and ground-nesting bees. In addition, polylectic and stem-nesting bees may use natural landcover types more than agricultural landcover types, and increasing the amount of natural landcover for insects should be a priority.

Water insecurity is a persistent challenge in many American Indian and Alaska Native communities, where access to safe, reliable, and culturally relevant water sources is shaped by historical displacement, infrastructure neglect, and environmental degradation. Addressing these longstanding inequalities calls for more equitable, relationship-based, and decolonial approaches to community engagement and collaboration. Our reflexive essay examines how collaborative, Indigenous-centered research practices can strengthen water security efforts in Tribal communities. Using a reflexive qualitative approach grounded in Indigenous Research Methodologies, we analyzed how relationality, ethical engagement, and attention to Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) shaped our team’s research practices and partnerships with Tribal communities. Reflexive and culturally grounded approaches strengthened trust, collaboration, and accountability between researchers and community partners. Integrating IKS with western science research and water justice approaches improved the cultural relevance of the work and supported community-driven, sustainable outcomes. Our experience suggests that water security research is strengthened when it is grounded in relationality, deep listening, and respect for Tribal sovereignty. These findings support the development of ethical, collaborative, and culturally responsive research and policy approaches to water security in Tribal communities.

For a given $d$-tuple $\rho =(\rho _1,\ldots ,\rho _d):\Gamma \to G$ of faithful Zariski-dense convex-cocompact representations of a finitely generated group $\Gamma$, we study the correlations of length spectra $\{\ell _{\rho _i(\gamma )}\}_{[\gamma ]\in [\Gamma ]}$ and correlations of displacement spectra $\{\mathsf{d}(\rho _i(\gamma )o,o)\}_{\gamma \in \Gamma }$. We prove that for any interior vector $\mathsf v=(v_1,\ldots ,v_d)$ in the spectrum cone, there exists $\delta _\rho (\mathsf v) \gt 0$ such that for any $\varepsilon _1, \ldots , \varepsilon _d\gt 0$, there exist $c_1,c_2\gt 0$ such that

\begin{align*} & \#\{[\gamma ]\in [\Gamma ]: v_iT \le \ell _{\rho _i(\gamma )} \le v_i T+\varepsilon _i, \;1 \le i \le d \} \sim c_1 \frac {e^{\delta _\rho ({\mathsf v})T}}{ T^{{(d+1)}/{2}}};\\ & \#\{\gamma \in \Gamma : v_iT \le \mathsf{d}(\rho _i(\gamma )o,o) \le v_i T+\varepsilon _i, \;1 \le i \le d \} \sim c_2 \frac {e^{\delta _\rho (\mathsf v)T}}{ T^{{(d-1)}/{2}}}. \end{align*}

We deduce this result as a special case of our main theorem on the distribution of Jordan projections with holonomies and Cartan projections in tubes of an Anosov subgroup $\Gamma$ of a semisimple real algebraic group $G$. We also show that the growth indicator of $\Gamma$ remains the same when we use Jordan projections instead of Cartan projections and tubes instead of cones, except possibly on the boundary of the limit cone.

The Preveli nappe of Crete (Uppermost Unit) is derived from Permo-Triassic sediments and volcanics. Structural data, deformation microfabrics and petrological constraints suggest that subduction of the Preveli rocks was related to ESE-directed D2 shearing under epidote-blueschist-facies conditions (T = 360 ± 40°C and P > 1.0 GPa). New U-Pb ages of rutile from blueschist (132 ± 12 and 135 ± 10 Ma, 2σ) suggest that subduction and related HP-LT metamorphism occurred during the Early Cretaceous (Eohellenic phase). 39Ar-40Ar dating of ferri-winchite and Rb-Sr dating of phengite yielded 125 ± 10 Ma (1σ) and 131 ± 7 Ma (2σ), respectively, which also reflect the subduction stage. Further Rb-Sr dating of phengite and albite, coupled with trace element data (B, Li), revealed four growth stages, which are younger. They range from 120 to 90 Ma and are attributed to fluid-assisted shearing and reactivation of the main foliation at still deep structural levels (>1 GPa). Alpine emplacement of the Preveli nappe on top of the Pindos Unit was accommodated by brittle top-to-the west thrusting and west-vergent D3 folding. The age of this event has been constrained at 31 ± 9 Ma (2σ), by U-Pb dating of calcite. Despite the uncertainty, this age confirms that the Preveli nappe was emplaced after the deposition of the Paleogene Pindos flysch. The new data suggest that the Preveli nappe is derived from the Rhodope-Strandja or from the Sakarya Zone of Turkey. When travelling towards its recent position on Crete, the Preveli nappe should have passed the Cyclades, where similar rocks are exposed.

Time-varying effective reproductive numbers of infectious diseases are commonly estimated using renewal equation models. In the widely applied R package EpiEstim and various related tools, this approach is combined with a Poisson distributional assumption. This has been criticized on various occasions, mostly on grounds of general model realism or a desire to estimate dispersion parameters. Here, we argue that an important issue arising from the Poisson assumption is that inference about the effective reproductive number becomes overconfident in the presence of overdispersion. The extent to which standard errors are underestimated follows from theory on generalized linear models in a straightforward manner. We therefore recommend to replace the Poisson assumption by quasi-Poisson or negative binomial extensions, and contrast their respective properties. We illustrate our arguments in detailed simulation studies and three case studies on Ebola, pandemic influenza, and COVID-19.

Recent conflicts have revived interest in a subject that has remained largely untouched since the trials of war criminals after the Second World War: prosecuting individuals for the crime of aggression. Due to its restricted jurisdictional regime, the International Criminal Court has so far been unable to investigate this crime and remains barred from doing so in, for example, the context of the Ukraine situation. When exploring alternative domestic (or hybrid) venues for prosecuting aggression, discussions have come to focus on the possibility of exercising universal jurisdiction (UJ), a concept increasingly used to counteract substantive selectivity of international criminal justice. However, scholars and practitioners have expressed differing views on the extent to which the notion of UJ has come to extend to the crime of aggression under customary international law. This study contributes to the ongoing debates by providing a legal-empirical analysis of the practice and opinio juris of 126 states, as presented to the Sixth Committee of the UN General Assembly under the agenda item on the ‘scope and application of universal jurisdiction’. These empirical quantitative and qualitative insights provide a foundation for evaluating the customary status of UJ over the crime of aggression and exploring the legal challenges of prosecuting aggression under this jurisdictional title.

This article examines the historical evolution, legal foundations and contemporary practice of National Information Bureaux (NIBs), institutions that States are required to establish under the Geneva Conventions to collect, centralize and transmit information on enemy combatants hors de combat and certain categories of enemy civilians who have fallen into the State’s hands. It traces the origins of NIBs from early wartime initiatives in the nineteenth century to their codification in the 1949 Geneva Conventions, particularly Article 122 of Geneva Convention III and Article 136 of Geneva Convention IV. NIBs are intended to facilitate the exchange of information on prisoners of war and interned protected persons, to respond to enquiries concerning their fate and whereabouts, and to assume certain other tasks related to these categories of persons. Drawing on historical sources and contemporary State practice, the article shows that the establishment and functioning of NIBs remain uneven. States most frequently establish NIBs in the context of international armed conflicts, in particular conflicts with neighbouring States or military interventions abroad. These bodies are usually embedded within governmental structures, and their activities often extend beyond the tasks envisaged in the Geneva Conventions, frequently prioritizing issues relating to the State’s own nationals. By contrast, there is no documented practice of establishing NIBs in non-international armed conflicts, although some States have created institutions performing partially comparable tasks. Peacetime practice is also limited, with a relatively small number of States establishing or preparing NIBs through standby institutional arrangements. Two models have emerged: the State-operated model, in which NIB functions are assigned to ministerial or other governmental bodies, and the auxiliary-humanitarian model, in which these tasks are entrusted to National Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies. The article concludes by identifying key challenges in the contemporary operation of NIBs and suggesting measures to strengthen their effectiveness.

This study examines the intersection of climate change awareness and legal literacy consciousness among staff and students in Ghanaian senior high schools (SHS) situated in environmentally vulnerable areas. Focusing on district schools within the Central and Western regions of Ghana, where illegal mining and pollution have severely degraded ecosystems, the research explores how legal knowledge influences environmental advocacy justice. Using a qualitative paradigm, the study employs a multiple-case study design involving 30 participants, including students and staff from selected SHS in these regions. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, with thematic analysis applied to identify recurring patterns and themes. The findings reveal that while participants demonstrate a growing awareness of the impacts of climate change, their legal literacy regarding environmental rights and regulations remains limited. This gap hinders their ability to advocate for environmental justice and hold stakeholders accountable. The study underscores the need for integrating legal literacy into environmental education curricula to empower communities to combat climate change and environmental degradation. By amplifying the untold stories of these communities, this research contributes to the discourse on climate justice and the role of education in fostering sustainable environmental practices in resource-rich but vulnerable districts of Ghana.