I’m tall when I’m young, and I’m short when I’m old. What am I?

What am I?

As a whole I am both
safe and secure.

Behead me and I become
a place of meeting.

Behead me again and I am
the partner of ready.

Restore me, and I become
the domain of beasts.

What am I?

I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish. What am I?

I am the largest in my family of fifty.
The youngest of our family lives separately from the rest of the family and so do I.
I am regarded as harsh and tough.
I am so large, you cut me in two equal halves,
each half would still be larger than the second largest member of the family.
Who am I?

What is full of holes but still holds water?

I am first found in caves, now prolific online; I am a depiction, a drawing, a symbol, or sign. I will convey whichever mood you could wish; or for that matter, a fist, flask, or fish. What am I?

I am a five-letter word and people eat me. If you remove the first letter I become an energy form. If you remove the first two letters, I am needed to live. Scramble the last three letters and I am a drink. What word am I?

I shave every day, but my beard stays the same. What am I?

I am an eight letter word and I am a computer terminology.
The second, third and fourth letters make an animal.
The fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth letters make a weapon.
The first, second, third and fourth letters can be taken as an outcome of any exam.
The fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth letter combine to form a high end typing software.

Can you tell who am I ?