India, Nigeria, Iran.

Today's three stories you should know.

Feb 28, 2023

India

The Indian government shut down the internet at least 84 times last year, making it the worst offender in the world for the fifth year running. Forty-nine of the incidents were recorded in Indian-administered Kashmir, a disputed region claimed by both India and Pakistan, according to a new report from digital rights watchdog Access Now. “It is a form of repression. The government is telling people that unless you toe the line, you will not be allowed to be part of a normal world,” Srinivas Kodali, digital rights activist and researcher with the Free Software Movement of India, told Al Jazeera. Globally, the internet was shut down 187 times across a record 35 countries.

Nigeria

High drama has erupted in Nigeria with the main opposition parties calling Saturday’s presidential election a sham as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party opened up a near unassailable lead. With results announced from about three-quarters of the country’s states, the APC’s Bola Tinubu has a lead of about 1.5 million votes. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition party has 29%, while upstart third-party candidate Peter Obi is on 24%. "The results being declared at the National Collation centre have been heavily doctored and manipulated and do not reflect the wishes of Nigerians expressed at the polls," opposition parties said in a joint statement. The country’s electoral commission has rejected the claims.

Iran

A horrific 700 schoolgirls have been mildly poisoned across several schools in Iran, the health ministry has said, in what some politicians have suggested might be attacks by groups opposed to their education. The attacks have taken place at more than 30 schools in at least four cities and many parents have started to keep their children at home, with girls suffering from respiratory problems, nausea, dizziness and fatigue, according to local reports. An investigation into the incidents has been launched.