  Extensive observational campaigns of afterglow hunting have greatly enriched
our understanding of the gamma-ray burst (GRB) phenomenon. Efforts have been
made recently to explore some afterglow properties or signatures that will be
tested by the on-going or the future observational campaigns yet come. These
include the properties of GRB early afterglows in the temporal domain; the
GeV-TeV afterglow signatures in the spectral domain; as well as a global view
about the GRB universal structured jet configuration. These recent efforts are
reviewed. Within the standard cosmological fireball model, the very model(s)
responsible for the GRB prompt emission is (are) not identified. These models
are critically reviewed and confronted with the current data.
