During and after any disaster, a situation report (SITREP) is prepared, based on the Daily Incident Updates (DIU), as an initial decision support information base. It is observed that the decision support system and best practices are not optimized through the available formal reporting on disaster incidents. The rapidly evolving situation, misunderstood terms, inaccurate data and delivery delays of DIU are challenges to the daily SITREP. Multiple stakeholders stipulated with different tasks should be properly understood for the SITREP to initiate relevant response tasks. To fill this research gap, this paper identifies the weaknesses of the current practice and discusses the upgrading of the incident-reporting process using a freely available software tool, enabling further visualization, and producing a comprehensive timely output to share among the stakeholders. In this case, “Power-BI” (a data visualization software) is used as a 360-degree view of useful metrics—in a single place, with real-time updates while being available on all devices for operational decision-making. When a dataset is transformed into several analytical reports and dashboards, it can be easily shared with the target users and action groups. This article analyzed two sources of data, namely the Disaster Management Center (DMC) and the National Disaster Relief Service Center (NDRSC) of Sri Lanka. Senior managers of disaster emergencies were interviewed and explored social media to develop a scheme of best practices for disaster reporting, starting from just before the occurrence, and following the unfolding sequence of the disasters. Using a variety of remotely acquired imageries, rapid mapping, grading, and delineating impacts of natural disasters, were made available to concerned users.

South Africa’s border posts are increasingly becoming crucial hubs for organized crime posing serious national and regional security implications with far-reaching consequences. The country’s national security, economic stability, and community safety are significantly jeopardised by organised criminal enterprises at border posts. As a result, the porous borders of South Africa have fostered an environment that is conducive to a variety of unlawful activities, such as the smuggling of drugs into the country and human trafficking. This paper seeks to identify political, economic, and social factors that lead to organised crime, corruption, and weak border management systems. The paper employed a secondary data analysis of existing scholarly articles, government reports as well as relevant case studies. The study found that local communities are most affected by illegal activities at the ports of entry. The findings further emphasize the importance of inclusive approaches in responding to security challenges that address cross-border flow regulation, fight corruption in service delivery, and promote community resilience. The paper concludes with recommendations for strengthening border controls towards enhancing cooperation between countries and curbing transnational crime networks.

Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) has become a pivotal factor influencing consumers’ decisions, particularly in the context of hotel services. With the advent of social media, it provides individuals with powerful tools to share its experiences and opinions about hotels. In this digital age, customers increasingly rely on online reviews and recommendations from their peers when selecting accommodations. eWOM on social media platforms has a substantial impact on customers’ perceptions and decision-making processes. This study aims to better understand the influence of eWOM by social media platforms on purchase intention of hotel services. To understand the influence of eWOM, this study uses the information adoption model as the model has been widely used in previous eWOM studies. The information quantity construct has been added to strengthen the model. The online questionnaire was distributed to social media users by using Google forms via social media platforms and only 210 of them were responded. The SmartPLS 4.0 software is used to analyze the data as the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) is a method to confirm the structural equation models and to test the link between inert developments. Based on results, the information quantity and information quality of hotel services on eWOM positively influences the information usefulness and the information usefulness of hotel services on eWOM positively influences the purchase intention. The results lead to increase sales of hotel services and contribute to economic growth.

This study delves into the evolving landscape of smart city development in Kazakhstan, a domain gaining increasing relevance in the context of urban modernization and digital transformation. The research is anchored in the quest to understand how specific technological factors influence the formation of smart cities within the region. To this end, the study adopts a Spatial Autoregressive Model (SAR) as its core analytical tool, leveraging data on server density, cloud service usage, and electronic invoicing practices across various Kazakhstani cities. The crux of the research revolves around assessing the impact of these selected technological variables on the smart city development process. The SAR model’s application facilitates a nuanced understanding of the spatial dynamics at play, offering insights into how these factors vary in influence across different urban areas. A key finding of this investigation is the significant positive correlation between the adoption of electronic invoicing and smart city development, a result that stands in contrast to the relatively insignificant impact of server density and cloud service usage. The conclusion drawn from these findings underscores the pivotal role of digital administrative processes, particularly electronic invoicing, in driving the smart city agenda in Kazakhstan. This insight not only contributes to the academic discourse on smart cities but also holds practical implications for policymakers and urban planners. It suggests a strategic shift towards prioritizing digital administrative innovations over mere infrastructural or technological upgrades. The study’s outcomes are poised to guide future smart city initiatives in Kazakhstan and offer a reference point for similar emerging economies embarking on their smart city journeys.

A novel composite material based on polymers (polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl butyral) and liquid crystal (4-n-pentyl-4’-cyanobiphenyl) has been developed and studied. Configuration transformations of point defects in nematic droplets under the influence of an electric field, caused by localized changes in the concentration of NLC within the polymer matrix, have been discovered and analyzed. The boundary conditions necessary for achieving a nematic structure with homogeneous alignment of the director both within the droplet and at its surface have been established, optimizing the anisotropy of light transmission in polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films. Additionally, polarization effects inside nematic droplets under the application of an electric field have been identified.

In recent years, e-sports, as an emerging form of competition, has been rapidly integrated into the daily life of college students, and with its rich interactivity, instant feedback and teamwork, e-sports provides them with an effective channel for emotional catharsis and psychological regulation. This study takes students from four universities as the survey object and adopts quantitative research method to analyze the relationship between different types of e-sports activities and psychological stress resistance through questionnaire survey method combined with spss. The samples were randomly sampled, and a total of 500 valid questionnaires were collected. The results of the study show that: 1. In terms of participation, the ability of students to withstand academic stress and life stress is significantly improved, and e-sports is an effective way to regulate emotions and relieve stress; 2. the three types of games (First-person Shooter, Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, Real-Time Strategy Game) have different impacts on stress tolerance, of which FPS has the greatest impact on stress tolerance; 3. the frequency of playing e-sports affects your stress tolerance; 4. teamwork and strategy play an important role in e-sports resilience.