Online News Sources Research Articles

P044 “Get some sleep before baby”: Discourses of sleep and pregnancy in the media

Abstract Background Physiological and psychosocial changes during pregnancy are often associated with altered sleep. Beliefs and expectations about sleep at this life-stage inform social discourses and help-seeking, in turn influencing women’s health and wellbeing. An understanding of discourses concerning sleep and pregnancy is required. Analysis of sleep-related messaging within mainstream media contributes to this understanding. Method Texts from New Zealand’s primary free online news source “Stuff” were identified using key words “sleep AND pregnancy” or “sleep AND pregnant” between December 2018 and December 2021. Forty-three relevant articles were collated. A critical discourse analysis was used to describe and interpret the texts in relation to discursive practices and wider social explanations. Findings Discursive constructions included: ‘banking’ sleep before baby; sleep’s role in ‘being the perfect mother’ (including ways to reduce risk of infant death through sleep practices); the inevitability that sleep will fail amongst the busy lifestyle of parenthood. Pregnant women were presented as responsible for good sleep yet not provided the knowledge of how to achieve it. Furthermore, pregnant women’s sleep situations were used to illustrate ‘desperate times’ associated with poor living or working situations. Conclusions Social discourses of sleep and pregnancy within mainstream media were sensationalised including tensions between discouraging ‘harmful’ sleep practices whilst also asserting that poor sleep is inevitable due to physiological changes and the negotiation of sleep with others, which would only worsen after birth. Findings will inform future research in the field of sleep as a social concept and practice among people during pregnancy.

The Role of Legacy Media and Social Media in Increasing Public Engagement About Violence Against Women in Turkey

Evidence that women have paid the price of what has been labeled the “shadow pandemic” is found in the increase in violence against them. The rates of femicide and lack of trust in the Turkish judicial system of the authoritarian government are worrisome. Protests have been made in the streets and through social media in response. Our goal was to determine the role of legacy news media and social media in bringing awareness of the femicide issue to the public and how affective publics function surrounding a relatively unaddressed societal problem using datasets created by women’s organizations. We conducted a content analysis on 150 sampled femicide cases in Turkey before and during the pandemic taken from online news sources. We investigated the quality of traditional news media coverage and the volume of social media users expressing emotional reactions to individual femicides over time. Results suggest that the journalistic performance of covering the issue of femicide fails to detail essential facts, and awareness and concern for the issue are evident in the Likes, retweets, shares, and expressions of emotional engagement provided to the victims, while online reactions to femicide have increased substantially since 2019, contributing to the formation of affective publics. The study makes a conceptual contribution to the understanding of legacy media and social media’s roles in spurring public engagement about serious social problems in autocratic political contexts while advancing the methodological tools of combining social scientific techniques with computational ones.

EMPOWERMENT OF THE MALAY LANGUAGE: ISSUES, RATIONALES AND CHALLENGES OF THE MALAYSIAN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

The focus of the discussion in this paper is about the use of the Malay language among plural societies in Malaysia. This writing attempts to cover the empowerment of the Malay language that is being worked on by the Ministry of Higher Education, which includes (i) the mastery of the Malay language regardless of race or ethnicity, (ii) the ability and authority of the Malay language, (iii) the organization and strengthening of programs to dignify the Malay language, and (iv) the use of the Malay language as the medium of communication. The use of a qualitative approach in this writing utilizes secondary sources such as research results in journals, scholarly writing, online news sources and public forums. The results of the study found that (a) the use of English today as the first medium in speech is a contributing factor to the lack of use of the mother tongue among the multi-ethnic community in Malaysia and instils an individualistic attitude., (b) the use of the Malay language in the private sector has not been prominent because there are a few parties who think that the Malay language has a low commercial value in the business sector, (c) Malay language empowerment programs play a vital role in catalysing the fluency of students as well as the administrative parties at the school and university level so that, issues such as lack of fluency and the dignity of the use of the Malay language as an official language that should be mastered by every Malaysian citizen can be improved and streamlined and (d) If Malay is not used as a medium of instruction, it is unlikely that it will be able to stand majestically on the world stage. As a result, drastic measures must be taken to ensure that the empowerment of the Malay language is in line with the country's development and does not fall solely on the shoulders of the Ministry of Education and Culture. The study's direction looks at the continuation of the impact of the Malay language's empowerment as a language of unity and one of the mediums that play a role in realising our country's aspirations, which is to create racial harmony.

DEMOCRATIZATION AND MATURE ELECTIONS: A STUDY OF YOUTH POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN VOTERS 18 AND AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION

The discussion in this paper pertains to the issue of Voters 18 and Automatic Voter Registration (AVR). The issues refined in this debate include: (1) The efforts of democratization that is mature, fair, and equitable elections to advance social and political development; (2) Studies on the impact of youth political participation in the General Election (GE); (3) Justification of the enforcement & implementation of Vote 18; (4) Improvisation of the work of the election series; and (5) Jurisdiction and responsibility of the Election Commission (EC). This paper uses secondary sources, such as research results published in journals, scholarly writing, online news sources, and public forums, to employ a qualitative methodology. The results of the study indicate that the participation of 18-year-old voters is an important factor in the formation of a government capable of representing the interests of all age groups and the community as a whole. It is hoped that the young generation or youth will now exercise their rights with maturity, discernment, and efficiency. Voting is a personal decision, and there is no incorrect vote, but all young Malaysians should have the right to vote. The future of the nation can be influenced by the rationale behind efforts to involve the youth in political power determination. Thus, the elaboration research of this study should concentrate on the significance of political system, state government, and the federal constitution education for the young generation in order to prepare them to participate in general elections.

EMPOWERING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE MALAY LANGUAGE AS A COMMUNICATION TRANSMISSION AND ELEMENT OF IDENTITY

The discussion in this paper refers to the effort to empower Malay language as a communication transmission bridge that is a significant element of Malaysian identity. The issues refined in this discussion refer to (i) The significance of the mother tongue as the language of knowledge in educational institutions, (ii) The balance between the use of Malay and English in HEIs, (iii) Efforts to uphold the Malay language as the national language, and (iv) The use national language in the public service sector. The application of a qualitative approach in this writing utilizes secondary sources such as research results in journals, scholarly writing, online news sources and public forums. The results of the study found that the government plays a critical role in the continued use and position of the Malay language by the people of this country and should be empowered by all parties. The rationale in the effort to dignify the Malay language is the maintenance of the nation state as enshrined in the national constitution which declares the Malay language as the official language of the country. The direction of this study is to pioneer the efforts of various parties in taking responsibility for preserving and empowering the mother tongue regardless of different backgrounds, religions and beliefs, in order to nourish the elements of identity, improve the quality and quality of the use of the national language, while maintaining the image of self-identity, race, and country. This is because in the face of global competition, the Malay language should be a bastion to defend the strength of the Malay nation's identity.

RECOGNIZING, APPRECIATING AND PRESERVING WOMEN'S RIGHTS: ISSUES, RATIONALES AND CHALLENGES FOR WOMEN IN FACING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Article history: Received date: 15.06.2022 Revised date: 20.07.2022 Accepted date: 30.08.2022 Published date: 29.09.2022 To cite this document: Othman, I. W., Zakaria, S., & Esa, M. S. (2022). Recognizing, Appreciating and Preserving Women's Rights: Issues, Rationales and Challenges for Women in Facing Social Responsibility. International Journal of Law, Government and Communication, 7 (29), 556-577. DOI: 10.35631/IJLGC.729039. This work is licensed under CC BY 4.0 The discussion in this paper focuses on issues that increase the awareness and understanding of society on the importance of achieving common equality in a fair way to optimize women's ability to provide a sustainable future for the country. Among issues discussed (i) Career issues halt for highly educated women with families, (ii) The issue of women as victims of domestic violence, (iii) Elimination of gender discrimination in an effort to dignify women, (iv) Confusion over the issue of women's human rights labelled as a family, community and welfare, and (v) Denial of women's entrepreneurial potential and leadership credibility in the national political arena. This paper uses secondary sources, such as research results published in journals, scholarly writing, online news sources, and public forums, to employ a qualitative methodology. The results of the study present information regarding (a) Gender discrimination, cultural clashes and community perceptions, (b) Implementation & enforcement of the Domestic Violence Act 1994, (c) Viability of the National Women's Policy 2009, (d) Strengthening the functions and jurisdictions of the Affairs Unit Woman (EVE). The rationale for preserving women's rights is for the society to be aware of the importance of women in mobilizing the economy, social, and culture. In addition, the recognition and appreciation of women's contributions must continue to ensure a more prosperous, peaceful and prosperous future for the country. The direction for the future undertaking should focus on the significance of women's empowerment in guaranteeing the development of the country which no longer refers solely to economic development but covers development in terms of social, personality and community unity.

THE VISIBILITY OF THE ENFORCEMENT AGENCY INTEGRITY COMMISSION (EAIC) IN STRENGTHENING THE PUBLIC SECTOR’S CULTURE

As a Federal Statutory Body established by an Act of Parliament and gazetted on 3 September 2009 under Section 3 of the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission Act 2009 [Act 700], the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) is viewed as having a prominent role in enhancing the culture of integrity. The main purpose of this paper is to discuss the issues of integrity leakage currently facing by the EAIC including (i) Issues Concerning the Cultivation of Bribery Rewards and Corrupt Practices Among Civil Servants, (ii) Issues of Empowering Integrity Education in Sustainable Public Sector Governance, (iii) The Issue of Bureaucracy in Impairing the Efficiency of Human Resources and weakening the Organisational Administrative System, and (iv) The Issue of Exploitation by the Department’s Top Management for Personal Gain, and (v) The Issue of Cartels in Preventing the Loss of National Treasures. This paper applies secondary sources, such as research results published in journals, scholarly writing, online news sources, and public forums, to employ a qualitative methodology. According to the findings of the study found that civil servant’s breach of integrity is a serious concern if corruption and malpractice continue to occur. The study suggests that if the present system in the organisation is plagued by bureaucracy-related issues, it will worsen the situation of integrity in the government, resulting in the paralysis of the country’s governance delivery system. Hence, the crisis of integrity resulting from abuse of power, corruption, and breach of trust which can be interpreted as a frequent betrayal of trust among governments, civil servants, the private sector, and the general public places the nation at risk of having governance systems that are unreliable.

THE VALUE OF PATRIOTISM AND POLITICAL ASPIRATION IN THE FORMATION OF NATIONHOOD: AN APPRECIATION OF MALAYSIAN INDEPENDENCE HISTORY

The discussion in this paper focuses on the appreciation of Malaysia's independence in relation to the spirit of patriotism among those who value patriotism and political aspirations in the formation of the Malaysian nation. This study attempts to address issues such as why are there still people who do not understand or remember historical figures' struggles for independence? How do political aspirations play an important role in looking at aspects of prosperity, unity and political stability? In terms the agreement of independence, how important is it to sacrifice self-interest for national interest in order to form a free country? Thus, the primary focus of the debate is to identify the issues referring to political aspirations that can change over time in terms of strategy, but not in terms of the fundamental value of patriotism that does not change from the social contract or ethnic agreement in the formation of the Malaysian nation. This writing employs a qualitative approach that draws on secondary sources such as research findings in journals, scholarly writing, online news sources, and public forums. According to the findings of the study, the formation of political aspirations benefitting in balancing the formation of the country from other aspects and encourage leaders in solving problems related to the country and the people. As a result, the ultimate goal of a cultured society should be national pride and sovereignty. To do so, the dynamic Malaysian nation must develop an identity in order to become a civilised and glorious nation. The study's direction considers the continuation of patriotism as well as the maximum appreciation of Malaysia's independence history to be nurtured and instilled among the younger generation, allowing Malaysia to exist as a strong country in politics, economy, social, and socio-culture.

THE RELEVANCE OF IMPLEMENTING COMPREHENSIVE SECURITY CONCEPT (COMSEC) TOWARDS THE ENDEMIC ERA OF COVID-19

The discussion in this paper refers to Comprehensive Security (COMSEC) as a continuous effort that is balanced, integrated at every level of government administration and societal structure and across all fields. In order to maintain the Federation of Malaysia’s sovereignty, peace and prosperity, it is necessary to protect the country from all internal and external dangers. This paper discusses COMSEC and its relationship to the sovereignty and security of our nation, Malaysia. The discussion’s focus has shifted when a number of issues were brought up, including the problem of cross-border crime and the current digital threat, where it is important to comprehend COMSEC in order to deal with the Covid-19 outbreak and build public awareness and resilience in order to ensure national security and sustainable development, which is the key to sustainable development. The primary objective of this discussion is to identify the issues that play a significant role in the government’s attempts to implement COMSEC, as well as the challenges faced by the government in addressing the contested issues. The qualitative approach used in this writing uses secondary sources such published study findings, academic writing, online news sources, and public forums. The issue of cross-border crime, such as smuggling, human trafficking, and the invasion of illegal Immigrants (PATI) continues to plague the majority of developing nations, including Malaysia. The problem of digital threats also sparked alarm among the public and the government, since it is one of the issues the government faces in ensuring the security and sovereignty of the nation. In the meantime, there are doctrines regarding the implementation of COMSEC that are still applicable in the current day, but they should be modified to reflect the changing patterns of the times. According to the findings of the study, the government also had a crucial role in preventing the growth of the Covid-19 outbreak in Malaysia. However, other parties also play a crucial role in breaking the chain of the Covid-19 epidemic. Especially in this epidemic period, all parties must work together to realise the government’s goals so that the safety of the people and the nation can be ensured through the application of the COMSEC concept.

THE PRACTISE OF PATRIOTISM AS CITIZEN APPRECIATION ELEMENT: MAINTAINING THE INTEGRATION OF UNITY AND TOGETHERNESS IN THE FACE OF COVID-19 CALAMITIES

The focus of the discussion in this paper refers to the practice of patriotism as an element of citizen appreciation in maintaining the integration of unity and togetherness. This writing tries to cover the national issues closely related to patriotism in an effort to create a harmonious country where Malaysian practice and embody the spirit of patriotism. Among the matters argued are (i) Factors contributing to the unification of various races such as the basis of integration, economics, the concept of pluralism, tolerant of culture and language and political integration, (ii) The issue of combating & overcoming the health crisis due to the economic crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic in an effort to form national community and (iii) the issue of unity among the people to deal with Covid-19. The use of a qualitative approach in this writing utilizes secondary sources such as research results in journals, scholarly writing, online news sources and public forums. The results of the study found that patriotic spirit plays a critical role in encouraging the community to unite, especially in the face of calamities such as the Covid-19 pandemic, thus realizing the responsibility of being a citizen who wants to see our country continue to survive in any situation. The direction of the study looks at the continuity of the impact of the appreciation of citizens in togetherness for the sake of Malaysia's vision to become a united country in the aspect of cooperation and unity among various races, in addition to giving birth to a society that is united, obeys and loves the country.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN NATIONAL SPORTS INDUSTRY AS A COMPONENT OF APPRECIATING PLURALISM AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

This paper focuses on a balanced, integrated and blended effort at every level of government administration and community structure to empower and strengthen the nation's sports industry. In accordance with the endemic era, it was then used as an element of appreciation for the unity of Malaysia's plural society. This paper attempts to address the following topics: (i) the potential income of youth through the sports industry; (ii) The status and future prospects of the country's sports industry; (iii) The Ministry of Youth and National Sports Key Performance Index target and unemployment among the youth; (iv) Challenges and empowerment on the implementation of the term youth age limit; and (v) The spirit of Malaysian Family Sports. The primary objective of the discussion is to identify the debate regarding the government's role and efforts to align national sports with national development. In reality, the method utilised by the Ministry of Youth and National Sports is competitive with foreign sports industries. This paper uses secondary sources, such as research results published in journals, scholarly writing, online news sources, and public forums, to employ a qualitative methodology. According to the findings of the study, the progressive development of the country's sports industry can generate numerous benefits for individuals, communities, and the country, thereby boosting the country's total income and economy. Therefore, drastic measures must be taken so that the development of the sports industry is in line with the development of the nation and is not solely dependent on the Ministry of Youth and National Sports.

Framing in the social media era: Socio-psychological mechanisms underlying online public opinion of cultured meat

The shift in reliance from broadcast to online news sources has called into question the continued relevance and applicability of conventional frame building practices and frame setting processes in the new media environment. Findings from a 2 (frame direction: same vs different) × 2 (frame emphasis: environment vs health) × 2 (popularity cues: high vs low) between-subjects experiment ( N = 326) showed that user comments serve an egalitarian function by enabling laypeople to participate in the construction and dissemination of frames for a novel risk issue, cultured meat. Interestingly, the congruence between elite and lay perspectives was found to be more influential than the specific arguments put forth by different sources in influencing attitudes and behavioral intentions. Issue importance moderated the relationship between frame direction and framing outcomes while perceived source credibility mediated it. Suggestions to safeguard the democratic process and improve online science communication are provided.

Mapping the European media landscape – Meteor, a curated and community-coded inventory of news sources

We present Meteor, a new inventory for European news sources (i.e. EU + UK, CH, NO, IL): https://wp3.opted.eu/ . This inventory will facilitate researchers’ efforts to select sources across platforms and gather related textual data. It contains the names of print and online news sources, social media accounts, news blogs, and alternative news media sources, as well as rich meta-information for each entry (e.g. language, audience size, topical focus, ownership structures, access to full-text archives, secondary data, related research). Meteor accounts for the fuzziness of hybrid media systems through an interlinked knowledge graph. Entries are submitted by researchers, validated, continuously updated, and openly accessible to the public. Our inventory allows users to find various European news sources based on a wide range of criteria, putting scholars in a better position to navigate the European media landscape.

Connectivity Between Russian Information Sources and Extremist Communities Across Social Media Platforms

The current military conflict between Russia and Ukraine is accompanied by disinformation and propaganda within the digital ecosystem of social media platforms and online news sources. One month prior to the conflict's February 2022 start, a Special Report by the U.S. Department of State had already highlighted concern about the extent to which Kremlin-funded media were feeding the online disinformation and propaganda ecosystem. Here we address a closely related issue: how Russian information sources feed into online extremist communities. Specifically, we present a preliminary study of how the sector of the online ecosystem involving extremist communities interconnects within and across social media platforms, and how it connects into such official information sources. Our focus here is on Russian domains, European Nationalists, and American White Supremacists. Though necessarily very limited in scope, our study goes beyond many existing works that focus on Twitter, by instead considering platforms such as VKontakte, Telegram, and Gab. Our findings can help shed light on the scope and impact of state-sponsored foreign influence operations. Our study also highlights the need to develop a detailed map of the full multi-platform ecosystem in order to better inform discussions aimed at countering violent extremism.

Gender-Based Violence Against Trans* Individuals: A Netnography of Mary Gregory's Experience in Powerlifting.

In the context of sport, a growing body of research has reported the prevalence of violence against athletes, including sexual, physical, and psychological violence and neglect, experienced by both women and men in sport. Preliminary research has reported that gender-diverse individuals, specifically transgender athletes, may have a greater vulnerability to experiences of violence in sport, but this remains an under-researched population. In addition to limited research specifically on violence experienced by transgender athletes in sport, there is also only emerging research on virtual violence against athletes, with previous research on virtual violence in sporting spaces highlighting how online spaces are sites that can foster widespread hostility and violence. This study builds on previous research by examining discourses of virtual violence faced by transgender powerlifter, Mary Gregory, following her expulsion from the 100% Raw Powerlifting Federation. This research used a netnographic approach—an online ethnographic case study design. Data were collected from online news sources, as well as social media platforms, including Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube and were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The data provided an insight into the cyberculture of powerlifting, and the negotiation of space, or lack thereof, for Mary Gregory within this physical culture. Five themes of were generated, including invalidation of gender identity, dehumanization, infliction of derogatory and crude language, accusations of cheating, and being compared to cisgender athletes without nuance. The study highlights the presence of significant vitriol across virtual platforms directed at Mary Gregory and the underlying presence of negative gender-based violence again trans* (GBV-T*) discourse. This case provides examples of virtual gender-based violence and transphobia in sport, a lack of readiness to accept trans* athletes, and concerns for the safety of trans* athletes in sporting spaces.

Exploring the impact of media and information on self-reported intentions to vaccinate against COVID-19: A qualitative interview-based study

ABSTRACT Background The World Health Organization declared vaccine hesitancy a top threat to global health following resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases close to eradication in many countries (e.g. measles). Vaccines are effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19, yet there remains a small proportion of the eligible population who choose not to vaccinate. Social media and online news sources are opportunities for targeted public health interventions to improve vaccine uptake. This study reports the results of a semi-structured interview study that explored the influence of media and information on individuals’ self-reported intentions to vaccinate against COVID-19. Methods A qualitative descriptive study was employed to gain insight from a diverse group of individuals. Adult participants were recruited through a related COVID-19 study; we used a maximum variation sampling technique and purposively sampled participants based on demographics. Interviews were conducted from February 2021 to May 2021. Themes from interviews were summarized with representative quotations according to the 3C Theoretical Framework (Confidence, Complacency, Convenience). Results Key themes identified following thematic analysis from 60 participants included: vaccine safety, choice of vaccine, fear mongering, trust in authority, belief in vaccinations (Confidence); delaying vaccination (Complacency); confusing information, access to vaccines and information (Convenience). While most participants intended to vaccinate, many expressed concerns and hesitancy. Conclusions COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy prevents universal immunization and contradictory messages in media are a source of concern and fear. The success of future vaccine campaigns will depend upon authorities’ ability to disseminate accessible, detailed, and consistent information promoting public confidence.

Uncovering Public Perceptions of Older Adults' Vaccines in Canada: A Study of Online Discussions from National Media Sources.

This study explored how a subsection of Canadians perceive older adults' vaccines through a qualitative analysis of comments posted in response to national online news articles. We used reflexive thematic analysis to analyse 147 comments from 31 news article comments sections published between 2015 and 2020 from five different national online news sources (CBC, National Post, Global News, Globe & Mail, and Huffington Post Canada) that focused on three older adults' diseases and vaccines: influenza, pneumococcal pneumonia, and herpes-zoster. Three themes encompassed the similarities and differences in how these three diseases were discussed: (1) the importance of personal experiences on stated stance in vaccine uptake or refusal, (2) questioning vaccine research and recommendations, and (3) criticisms of the government's unequal vaccine opportunities across different Canadian provinces. Our findings identified that perceptions regarding older adult vaccination were dependent on the vaccine type, and, therefore, we make suggestions for future researchers to build on our findings, particularly the need not to treat the research subject of "older adults' vaccines" as one entity. Gaining a better understanding of how older adults' vaccines are perceived in Canada will enable public health professionals to develop effective communication strategies that should ultimately improve vaccination rates for older adults.

Implementation of Discourse Network Analysis Related to News regarding PT Pertamina's Consumer Needs, Satisfaction, and Engagement

The purpose of this study is to implement Discourse Network Analysis (DNA) and analyze the results in the formation of networks related to issues and actors in a news regarding consumer needs, satisfaction, and attachment to PT Pertamina. This study is the qualitative method that applies a qualitative Discourse Network Analysis (DNA) approach. Sources of DNA data come from various information in cyberspace (mass media, journals, articles, etc.) that are by the research context. Based on the search results in cyberspace, we obtained about 68 relevant news sources discussing consumer service on BBM products PT. Results of DNA taken from 68 news stories in cyberspace show that there are 45 actors from 14 different organizations who have opinions about PT Pertamina's consumers. Two actors only have a negative opinion, two actors have positive and negative opinions, and 41 actors have a positive opinion about the main issue of consumer needs. And we obtained 74 issues from the news obtained grouped into 3 main issues, namely, consumer needs, consumer satisfaction, and consumer engagement. And from 45 actors obtained from online news sources, they are grouped into 11 actor themes. Based on DNA results, it can be seen that there are several variables that have a possible influence on customer service. Variables that are likely to affect customer service include consumer needs, consumer satisfaction, and consumer engagement. The originality of this research lies in the application of DNA regarding consumer needs, satisfaction, and attachment to PT Pertamina.

COVID-19 Pandemic- Ethical Challenges for Healthcare Workers Practicing in Resource-Limited Settings.

In this review, the ethical issues peculiar to the COVID-19 pandemics and the role of healthcare workers, especially those in resource-limited settings are x-rayed. We contend that there is a pressing ethical issue that needs urgent clarification on the rights and responsibilities of healthcare workers, especially in the current context of COVID-19 pandemic preparedness and responsiveness. We searched MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, Google Scholar, PUBMED related articles, newspaper articles, and online news sources for relevant information. The various professional codes of conduct (World Medical Association, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria) were also consulted. The ethical principles of equitable distribution of healthcare resources, confidentiality with associated stigmatization, issues relating to duty to care by the healthcare workers and those pertaining to conduct of clinical trials and access to approved therapies or vaccines were highlighted in this study. We agree with the submission that healthcare workers only have a moral duty to treat patients with COVID-19 if the necessary protective equipment and adequate compensation are not provided. We argue that the duty of physicians and other healthcare workers to care for patients during pandemics such as COVID-19 is obligatory in the absence of required protective equipment and other forms of compensation. There is a need for the government and other stakeholders to put in place a National Pandemic /Epidemic Ethical Framework to address these identified ethical challenges.

Aspect-based Sentiment Analysis for Bengali Text using Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT)

Public opinion is important for decision-making on numerous occasions for national growth in democratic countries like Bangladesh, the USA, and India. Sentiment analysis is a technique used to determine the polarity of opinions expressed in a text. The more complex stage of sentiment analysis is known as Aspect-Based Sentiment Analysis (ABSA), where it is possible to ascertain both the actual topics being discussed by the speakers as well as the polarity of each opinion. Nowadays, people leave comments on a variety of websites, including social networking sites, online news sources, and even YouTube video comment sections, on a wide range of topics. ABSA can play a significant role in utilizing these comments for a variety of objectives, including academic, commercial, and socioeconomic development. In English and many other popular European languages, there are many datasets for ABSA, but the Bengali language has very few of them. As a result, ABSA research on Bengali is relatively rare. In this paper, we present a Bengali dataset that has been manually annotated with five aspects and their corresponding sentiment. A baseline evaluation was also carried out using the Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) model, with 97% aspect detection accuracy and 77% sentiment classification accuracy. For aspect detection, the F1-score was 0.97 and for sentiment classification, it was 0.77.