Human settlement patterns in the South are clearly inequitable and dysfunctional, with tenure insecurity remaining a significant issue. Consequently, there has been a dramatic increase in housing demand driven by rising household sizes and accelerated urbanization. Local governments have a clear mandate to ensure socio-economic development and promote democracy, which necessitates ongoing consultations and renegotiations with citizens. This paper critically examines the de-densification of informal settlements as a pivotal strategy to enhance the quality of life for citizens, all while maintaining essential social networks. Governments must take decisive action against pandemics by transforming spaces into liveable settlements that improve livelihoods. A qualitative method was employed, analyzing data drawn from interviews to gain insights into individual views, attitudes, and behaviors regarding the improvement of livelihoods in informal settlements. The study utilized a simple random sampling technique, ensuring that every individual in the population selected had an equal opportunity for inclusion. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty community members in Cornubia, alongside discussions with three officials from eThekwini Municipality and KwaZulu Natal (KZN) Provincial Department of Human Settlements. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis, and the findings hold substantial benefits for the most disadvantaged citizens. Therefore, municipalities have an obligation to transform urban areas by reducing inequality, bolstered by national government policy, to achieve a resilient, safe, and accessible urban future. The evidence presented in this paper underscores that local governments, through municipalities, must prioritize de-densifying informal settlements in response to pandemics or hazards. It is vital to leverage community-driven initiatives and reinforce networks within these communities. The paper calls for the establishment of a socially centered government through the District Development Model (DDM), emphasizing socio-economic transformation as a pathway to enhance community quality of life.

This study explores the impact of technology effectiveness, social development, and opportunities on higher education accessibility in Myanmar, focusing on private higher education institutions. Utilizing a sample of 199 respondents, with an average age of X (SD = Y), the research employs standardized questionnaires and descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis to examine the relationships between these variables. The findings indicate that technology effectiveness significantly enhances higher education accessibility, with strong positive correlations (r = 0.752, p < 0.001) and substantial impacts on educational outcomes (β = 0.334, p = 0.001). Social development also plays a crucial role, demonstrating that supportive social norms and community engagement significantly improve accessibility (β = 0.405, p < 0.001). Opportunities provided by technological advancements further contribute to enhanced accessibility (β = 0.356, p < 0.001), although socio-political and economic challenges pose significant barriers. The study highlights the interconnectedness of these factors and their collective influence on educational accessibility. Practical implications include the need for strategic investments in technological infrastructure, promotion of supportive social environments, and innovative solutions to leverage opportunities. Future research directions suggest longitudinal studies, broader demographic scopes, and in-depth analyses of specific technological and infrastructural challenges. By addressing these areas, stakeholders can develop effective strategies to improve higher education accessibility, ultimately contributing to the socio-economic development of Myanmar.

Political identity is of special significance to the political construction and social development of contemporary China. Returnee lecturers are an important part of the university teaching team and an important force in training socialist builders with Chinese characteristics. An empirical survey was conducted on 35 returnee lecturers in universities in Jinhua area by means of questionnaires and interviews. The results show that the political identity of the returnee lecturers is generally good, but there are some problems, such as political party identity, national identity, institutional identity and interest identity need to be improved. As a result, factors such as gender, political profile and length of stay abroad have a significant effect on the political identity of returnee lecturers. The paper concludes with some initiatives, such as strengthening ideological and political education, improving remuneration and promoting career development.

With the economic development and the carbon emissions cluster rise, this study uses CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and R-based Bibliometrix software to visualize and analyze the relevant literature on carbon emissions retrieved from the Web of Science database from 2014 to 2023. Through the analysis of the trend of publication volume, author co-citation analysis, institutional co-citation analysis, country co-citation analysis, literature co-citation analysis, thematic analysis of research, research evolution, and other related contents, it reveals the main academic forces, hot research areas, thematic focus changes and cutting-edge trends of international carbon emission research. The results of the study found that the themes of international carbon emissions research focus on carbon emissions, the drivers of carbon neutrality, and the impacts of climate change. An in-depth study of these aspects can help formulate more effective climate policies and emission reduction strategies to achieve global carbon neutrality and combat climate change.

The business environment in the modern era is witnessing numerous Intellectual Changes, Technological developments, and increasingly Complex Situations, which has led to a need for effective Leadership in the Business Sectors. This leadership plays a role in transforming companies into giant corporations that serve as a true foundation for enhancing and improving Job Competencies (JC)., The study aimed to analyze the impact of the Soft Skills approach in Human Resources (analytical and critical thinking, decision-making and problem-solving, planning and organization, teamwork) on developing Job Competencies (productivity, technical, managerial) in Petroleum Sector Companies in Egypt. The researchers employed the descriptive-analytical method to study the phenomenon, conducting the study on stratified random samples consisting of 379 managers and a sample of 382 employees from Petroleum Sector Companies. The study utilized the SPSS and AMOS Software Programs. The study found statistically significant differences at the (0.01) level between the average scores of managers and employees regarding soft skills in human resources and job competencies, with managers scoring higher. Additionally, the study revealed a statistically significant direct causal effect at the (0.01) level of Human Resources Soft Skills on Job Competencies in Petroleum Sector Companies., Finally, a proposal was developed for enhancing Job Competencies in Petroleum Companies in Egypt based on the application of human resources Soft Skills, alongside future research directions and practical implications.