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This cross-sectional study investigates the online education intention of undergraduate students in the largest and oldest public university in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under convenient sampling, 843 undergraduate students with rural and urban backgrounds participated in an online self-administered questionnaire. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to examine the hypothesized relationships. We found that students' online class intention is significantly influenced by their attitude towards online classes (AOC), perceived usefulness (PU), and facilitating conditions (FC). We further identified that external antecedents have significant indirect effects on the outcome variables. Our findings provide new insights and contribute to a learners' community on online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to depict the factors influencing undergraduate students' intention to attend online classes (IOC) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mountain communities are often defined by their distinctive flora and fauna, and the way local people utilize these natural resources. Our study aims to document the indigenous knowledge of wild flora among the local people of three valleys in Northern Pakistan. The ethnobotanical study was conducted in July and August of 2019 and 2020 in 21 hill villages across Shamshal, Hopper, and Phandar valleys in Gilgit-Baltistan, Northern Pakistan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 90 key informants. We collected data on traditional knowledge of wild food plants (WFPs), wild medicinal plants (WMPs), and wild veterinary plants (WVPs) among three selected linguistic and religious groups scattered in different villages of the valleys. We documented 79 wild plant taxa belonging to 68 genera and 33 families utilized in the study area, among which, 50% were used as food, 43% were used for veterinary purposes, and 24% for medicinal applications. The data analysis revealed significant differences among the studied valleys and communities. The highest overlap was recorded between the Wakhi and Burushaski communities with a Jaccard Similarity Index (JI) value of 0.265, while the lowest was between the Burushaski and Khowar communities with a JI value of 0.238. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women are the "guardians of the kitchen" and central to household food security, yet their role has never been studied across the Hindukush region or Pamiri Knot. This study explores the women's knowledge (specifically from the Khowar (Kho) and Wakhi linguistic groups) of local food systems and determines their role in ensuring household food security and sustainability in the mountain regions of northern Pakistan. Based on in-depth semi-structured interviews with female informants in the Rech and Broghil valleys of upper Chitral, 91 different types of food products were recorded, including wild and cultivated species. Eremurus stenophyllus and Allium barsczewskii were the commonly utilized plant species, though distinct preferences between the Kho and Wakhi groups were noted. Prominent differences were perceived in using certain cultivated plants among the two ethnic groups. For instance, Kho preferred plants like Beta vulgaris, Zea mays, and Brassica napus as indicated by the use reports, while Wakhi concentrated on Thymus serpyllum, Zygophyllum obliquum and Papaver involucratum. Both groups had shared dairy practices, but cottage cheese and curd were highly cited among Kho, while double-fermented curd and Qurut for Wakhi. The study recorded some new food uses for specific plants, such as Atriplex hortensis, Carthamus tinctorius, Hylotelephium spp., and Saxifraga sibirica. Cross-culture analyses revealed a mosaic pattern of homogenous and heterogenous trends based on reported food species of plants/animals and their use reports. Our findings emphasize the significant role of women in sustaining local food diversity, food sustainability, and the preservation and security of the local food systems, cultural legacy, and household food management. Therefore, inclusive research addressing their social, economic, and environmental issues must be conducted. Furthermore, policies must incorporate women's traditional knowledge to build resilient food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the underdevelopment of Islamic theology and the need for a more comprehensive approach that encompasses the entire way of a Muslim's life, rather than focusing solely on legal dimensions. The author argues that theology has been overshadowed by legal discourse and offers reasons for this, including the defensive nature of Islamic theology and the influence of Greek philosophy. The article proposes a systematic Islamic theology based on the Islamic tradition itself, divided into five chapters that explore the historical roots, sources, and methods of maqāṣid al‐'aqīda (the higher objectives of Islamic theology). The author also discusses the significance of maqāṣid al‐'aqīda in promoting interfaith and intrafaith relations. Overall, the article highlights the importance of pursuing, preserving, and promoting truth in Islamic theology and suggests avenues for further development in the field. [Extracted from the article]