Heat conduction theory stipulates that two thermo-physical properties of materials: the thermal conductivity “k” and the thermal diffusivity “α” influence the temperature evolution in regular and irregular bodies as a response to various cooling/heating conditions. The traditional statement involving the two thermo-physical properties is examined at length in the present study for the case of a semi-infinite region. The primary objective of the present study is to investigate the influence of the less known thermo-physical property called the thermal effusivity “e” on the incipient surface temperature rise in a semi-infinite body affected by uniform surface heat flux. The secondary objective of the study is to identify a key figure of merit named the dimensionless threshold time that separates the incipient temperature elevation in a semi-infinite region from the incipient temperature elevation in a large wall of finite thickness under the same uniform surface heat flux. The outcome of the methodical analysis suggests that the accurate estimate for the dimensionless threshold time τ_th in the semi-infinite region should be 0.10.

The use of autonomous weapons systems (AWS) has led to several opposing legal opinions regarding their violations of international law. The responsibility of the state, individuals, and corporations as producers, designers, and programmers is all being taken into consideration. If the decision to kill humans without “meaningful human control” is transferred to computers, it would be hard to attribute accountability for the actions of AWS to their corporations. Consequently, this means that corporate actors will enjoy impunity in all cases. The present paper indicates that the most significant problem arising from the use of AWS is the attribution of responsibility for its violation. Corporations are not subject to liability for the legitimate use of weapons under international law. The main problem with corporate responsibility, according to article 25 (4) of the Rome Statute, is that the provision only relates to individual criminal responsibility and that the ICC shall only have jurisdiction over natural persons. Nevertheless, corporations may be held accountable under aspects of international law. The paper proposes a more positive view on artificial intelligence, raising corporations’ accountability in international law by historically linking the judging of business leaders. The article identifies aiding and abetting as well as co-perpetration as the two modes of accountability under international law potentially linked to AWS. The study also explores the main ambiguity in international law relating to corporate aiding and abetting of human rights violations by presenting the confusion on determining the standards of these 2 modes of liability before the ICC and International ad doc Tribunal. Moreover, with the new age of war heavily dependent on AI and AWS, one cannot easily and precisely ascertain who must be held accountable for war crimes because of the unanticipated facts in decision-making combined with the aiding or abetting of violations of international law. International law prioritizes the goal of ending impunity for the individual and largely neglects the need to achieve the same goal for corporate complicity. In sum, progress to regulate the use of AWS by corporate actors could be enormously helpful to the cause of ending impunity.

In Indonesia, the village government organization is part of local democracy. This includes the local democracy in indigenous villages. Indigenous villages have their own customary rules for implementing village elections. They have their own conflict resolution systems in implementing the village government. The implementation of the indigenous village governance leaves conflicts. So, there is a need for a suitable model for resolving problems in the implementation of village elections. The method used in this research is the qualitative research method with the juridical empirical approach. The locus of this research is in the Baduy, Tengger, and Samin indigenous village communities. The conflict resolution model in the administration of the Baduy, Tengger, and Samin customary villages differs in the right mechanism, but in substance, the resolution model is the same, as they use a deliberation model for consensus. In resolving conflicts, indigenous peoples fully submit to traditional leaders. The provincial and the regency/city governments are expected to give greater attention to the conditions of villages with customary government characteristics.

There is fast growth of digital banking services in Saudi Arabia clearly shows the necessity of well-considered legal decisions. However, there is an obscurity with respect to protecting consumers’ rights and creating a reliable atmosphere for digital finance through legal framework in the digital banking sector in the Kingdom. The primary aims and objectives of this research is to scrutinize the digital banking consumers’ protection legal framework being overseen in Saudi Arabia, analyzing its content, mechanisms, and impact on different stakeholders. Similarly, the study tires to determine its efficacy as well as identify the roadblocks which can prevent its success. Through an extensive review and examination, the evaluation defines key issues, difficulties and finalizes statements about the legal field. The content analysis methodology was used to help address issues emanating from the existing literature. Various scholarly articles, policy documents, and regulatory guidelines were explored. In other words, data for this study were collected through different search sources such as journals, traditional articles of Google Scholar, policy documents, and library sources. A total of 25 articles were explored and contributed immensely to unveiling various aspects of the legal framework of digital banking as well as consumers’ protection in the Kingdom. The findings of this investigation have identified three basic themes on the domestic legal regulation of consumers’ protection in the digital banking system in Saudi Arabia. First, the study has analyzed various legislations such as: consumer protection law, sector-specific regulations, among others concerning the rights and duties of consumer protection. Second, legal obligations in seeking remedies when there is a discriminatory treatment in digital banking services. Third, it has been established that Saudi Arabia have taken a proactive step towards a robust safety cushion to protect the consumer rights and minimizing the risks involved in cybersecurity in the context of Saudi Arabia. Theoretically, on one hand, the study highlights the paramount significance to consumers’ protection legislations in the Kingdom. On the other hand, practically, the Kingdom’s witness of rapid economic growth and technological advancement, ensuring robust consumer protection measures becomes increasingly paramount to foster trust, promote fair business practices, and enhance consumer confidence in the marketplace. Nonetheless, some limitations such as insufficient consumers’ education and regulatory inadequacies were noted which need national coordination between stakeholders. Notwithstanding the fact that the legal framework exhibits strong points especially in addressing vital issues, its timely evaluation, amendment, and enforcement is deemed as a key to solve the emerging challenges and obtain confidence of consumers when it comes to digital banking.

Building cooling load depends on heat gains from the outside environment. Appropriate orientation and masonry materials play vital roles in the reduction of overall thermal loads buildings. A net-zero energy building performance has been analyzed in order to ascertain the optimum orientation and wall material properties, under the climatic conditions of Owerri, Nigeria. Standard cooling load estimation techniques were employed for the determination of the diurnal interior load variations in a building incorporating renewable energy as the major energy source, and compared with the situation in a conventionally powered building. The results show a 19.28% reduction in the building’s cooling load when brick masonry was used for the wall construction. It was observed that a higher heat gain occurred when the building faced the East-West direction than when it was oriented in the North-South direction. Significant diurnal cooling loads variation as a result of radiation through the windows was also observed, with the east facing windows contributing significantly higher loads during the morning hours while the west facing windows contributed higher amounts in the evening. The economic analysis of the net-zero energy building showed an 11.63% reduction in energy cost compared to the conventional building, with a 7-year payback period for the use of Solar PV systems. Therefore, the concept of net-zero energy building will not only help in energy conservation, but also in cost savings, and the reduction of carbon footprint in the built environment.

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2023 the “International Year of Millets” in order to promote millet cultivation, consumption, and conservation. Millets play an important role in food security, livelihoods, and biodiversity. Despite its numerous benefits, millet cultivation and consumption in Uttarakhand have declined due to a variety of constraints. This paper examines the effects of regiocentrism and materialism on intention towards Uttarakhand’s regional food products (millets). It employs PLS-SEM to investigate relationships between latent variables and generate results on a sample of 460 participants. This study elucidates the intricate interplay between materialism, regiocentrism, and intention towards regional food products in the Himalayan region, enriching the theory of planned behavior (TPB) with a nuanced understanding of personal values and regional identity. It reveals materialism’s positive association with attitudes towards regional food products, suggesting materialistic individuals may view these products as status symbols, thus affecting behavioral intentions. Additionally, the research highlights regiocentrism’s dual influence—enhancing attitudes yet deterring purchase intentions—underscoring the complexity of regional pride in consumer decision-making. These findings advance TPB by integrating broader value systems and cultural context, offering significant theoretical and practical insights for promoting sustainable consumption patterns.