Global digital integration is desirable and perhaps even inevitable for most States. However, there is currently no systematic framework or narrative to drive such integration in trade agreements. This article evaluates whether community values can offer a normative foundation for rules governing digital trade. It uses the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Digital Trade Protocol as a case study and argues that identifying and solidifying the collective needs of the African region through this instrument will be key to shaping an inclusive and holistic regional framework. These arguments are substantiated by analysis of the regulation of cross-border data flows, privacy and cybersecurity.

Measures restricting data flows outside one's borders, including mandatory data/server localization measures, are not only a barrier to trade, but also largely ineffective in achieving better internet security or trust. Nevertheless, governments deploy such measures, primarily on grounds of cybersecurity and privacy, potentially violating their obligations under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). In this article, I investigate whether GATS-inconsistent measures may be justified under GATS Art. XIV when aimed at ensuring privacy or cybersecurity, and, if so, whether GATS Art. XIV effectively balances trade and internet policy. As the internet governance framework is complex and somewhat ambiguous, applying GATS Art. XIV to cybersecurity/privacy measures necessitates balancing of trade liberalization principles and domestic internet policy. This exercise can be effective in weeding out data localization measures disguised as privacy/cybersecurity measures, particularly by employing relevant technical and factual evidence. However, given the lack of binding international law/norms on these issues, GATS Art. XIV has a limited role, particularly in cases involving direct conflict between multistakeholder/transnational internet norms and domestic internet policies, or where the measures are founded on contentious standards/benchmarks on privacy/cybersecurity. Ultimately, ensuring free and secure data flows requires a multidimensional policy response, including strengthening linkages between trade law and internet governance.

Multiple interactions occurring within aphidophagous guilds determine their final predation outcomes, i.e., antagonistic, additive, or synergistic. Based on these predatory outcomes, the suitability of guilds in suppressing aphid pests is determined. The present study assesses the efficacy of 11 guilds, formed from both larval and adult stages of four locally abundant aphidophagous coccinellids (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), while exploiting the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae). The observed antagonistic effects within these guilds are resultants of enhanced predator–predator interactions due to the size and diversity of guild predators. Smaller ladybird predators maintained their usual body mass, probably by increasing their conversion efficiencies to compensate for their reduced prey consumption. However, larger ladybirds reported loss in their body mass, owing to their higher energy needs. The overall guild conversion efficiencies and growth rates were reduced. Among the experimental guilds, the observed prey mortalities were relatively higher in two-predator guilds, and within these two-predator combinations, the higher prey mortalities were recorded in those guilds where Coccinella septempunctata was one of the predators.

Ghumusar is an inadequately studied goat population of western region of Ganjam district of Orissa state. Sporadic information is available on its morphological traits but no information is found on its genetic variability. Therefore, an attempt was made to measure the genetic diversity in Ghumusar goat population using 25 microsatellite markers. Genomic DNA isolated from blood samples drawn at random from 50 individuals were utilized for this study. The average number of observed allele was 9.80 and the effective average number of allele was 4.28. The polymorphic information contents ranged from 0.53 to 0.91. The average observed and expected heterozygosity was 0.73 and 0.71, respectively. The values of Nei's gene diversity in Ghumusar goat population ranged from 0.11 to 0.87 with a mean of 0.69. The overall Fis value was observed to be 0.002, which is not significantly different from zero; hence indicating no global deficit of heterozygotes. Under sign test, expected number of loci with heterozygosity excess (Hee) was 14.88, 14.79 and 14.74 for the infinite allele model (IAM), stepwise mutation model (SMM) and two-phased model (TPM) of mutation, respectively. The observed number of loci with heterozygotic excess (He) was 14, 8 and 2 under these three models, respectively. Under all the three models, He was less than Hee and this deviation was significant under SMM and TPM models. There was no serious genetic reduction in effective population size as indicated by L-shaped curve in Ghumusar goat population.