Day: May 5, 2024

Bangladesh has wavered over reopening schools for some 33 million students amid pressure to prepare pupils for exams, even as the worst heatwave in seven decades sent temperatures as high as 43.8 C (110.84° Fahrenheit) last week.

Many people have died across the region, and experts warned the heat could exacerbate inequalities, widen a learning gap between developing and developed nations in the tropics.

Bangladesh, which follows the Islamic work week from Sunday to Thursday, will hold classes on Saturdays until further notice, the education ministry said. Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury has said schools would open on Friday if needed to complete the curriculum.

Parents have welcomed the decision.

“Children don’t want to study at home. This will help them make up for the loss,” said Fatema Akhtar, who was waiting to pick up her grade-two daughter outside a school.

Scientists have said climate change is causing more frequent, severe, and lengthy heat waves during summer months.

The U.N. children’s agency has estimated that one in three children, or nearly 20 million children, in low-lying Bangladesh bear the brunt of such climate change every day.

Separately, a fire that broke out amid the heatwave on Saturday and spread across three acres of the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest that is home to the Royal Bengal tiger, was brought under control on Sunday, officials said.

Intense heatwaves have caused water shortages and frequent power cuts, hitting the key apparel sector that accounts for more than 80% of exports and supplies retailers such as H&M, Walmart and Gap Inc.

Analysts say Mahamat Idriss Deby, who seized power the day rebels killed his long-ruling father Idriss Deby in April 2021, is most likely to win, although his chief opponent has been drawing larger-than-expected crowds on the campaign trail.

Deby has promised to bolster security, strengthen the rule of law and increase electricity production.

The vote coincides with a temporary withdrawal of U.S. troops from Chad, an important Western ally in a region of West and Central Africa courted by Russia and wracked by jihadism.

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 5 p.m., with some 8.5 million people registered to vote.

Soldiers began early voting on Sunday.

Provisional results are expected by May 21 and final results by June 5. If no candidate wins more than 50% of the votes, a run-off will be held on June 22.

Since replacing his father at the helm of the oil-producing Central African country, Deby has remained close with former colonial power and longtime ally France.

While other junta-ruled Sahel countries including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have told Paris and other Western powers to withdraw and turned to Moscow for support, Chad remains the last Sahel state with a substantial French military presence.

The U.S., however, announced a temporary withdrawal of at least some troops last month, saying it would continue with a review of security operations after the election.

Opposition concerns

Monday’s vote pits Deby against his prime minister Succes Masra, previously a political opponent who fled into exile in 2022 but was allowed back a year later. Also running are former prime minister Albert Pahimi Padacke and seven other candidates.

Yaya Dillo, an opposition politician who had been expected to run against Deby despite coming from the same clan, was shot and killed in the capital N’Djamena on Feb. 28, the day the election date was announced.

Padacke has accused Masra of collaborating with Deby. But Masra has attracted large crowds to his own rallies.

Some opposition members and civil society groups have called for a boycott, citing concerns about possible vote-rigging.

That has raised fears of potential violence.

“This presidential election is of capital importance for the country because an entire people aspires for change,” said Baniara Yoyana, a former minister and magistrate.

“The process must be conducted with transparency to avoid any risk of confrontation.”

One Deby supporter, however, said he expected no problems.

“We want the election to go well and peacefully,” said Abdelkhader Sougui, a 28-year-old student.

“My wish is to go out and vote the morning of May 6 to confirm our victory… in the first round.”

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TikTokers arrested in Azerbaijan

According to survey results published by the pro-government Center for Social Research in April, around 75 percent of respondents want the social network TikTok to be restricted in Azerbaijan. The center reported that surveys were conducted in March 2024 among 390 respondents aged 18 and older using computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI).

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The announcement of the survey results coincided with the arrests of several TikTokers in the country. During April, about 10 TikTokers were arrested.

It is unclear under which specific articles of the Code of Administrative Offenses they are being charged. In the only statement released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs regarding this matter, it was stated that these individuals “showed disrespect to society, posted unethical posts and calls on social networks that do not correspond to moral values,” and therefore were arrested.

Lawyers argue that the circumstances listed do not entail administrative liability.

“The Code does not contain any administrative offenses related to the desecration of national and moral values,” said Fariz Namazli, a lawyer with Abzas Media.

Amidst all these events, there is heated discussion about the possibility of completely blocking TikTok in Azerbaijan.

“A knife can cut bread or kill a person”

Most participants in a small survey conducted by JAMnews among social media users stated that not only restricting TikTok but also interfering with social media activity in general is wrong.

“Although I don’t use TikTok myself, I am very upset about the possibility of TikTok being blocked. People have a choice, and if they choose this platform, no one can take that choice away from them,” said one survey participant.

“A knife can cut bread or kill a person. It all depends on the user,” said another survey participant in response to the opinion that “TikTok propagates immorality.”

“I can’t get as much information anywhere else as I do from TikTok. Because TikTok features short and concise video clips from different areas of the country. In a short amount of time, I learn a lot. That’s why I strongly oppose the possibility of the platform being blocked,” says one active TikTok user.

“TikTok brought me a regular income”

Aygün was born in a remote village and did not receive formal education. After getting married, she moved to Baku. She had never worked, being a homemaker, spending her days managing household chores and taking care of her children. In her free time, she knitted shawls.

On TikTok, Aygün posted videos dedicated to knitting.

“Many people watched my videos. I filmed videos about knitting and hosted live streams, talking about my handicraft. I started earning thanks to viewers who sent gifts to my videos, as well as viewers who wanted to buy the shawls I knitted. My monthly income sometimes exceeded 500 manats [around $300],” Aygün says.

But she had to delete her account after the arrests of TikTokers in April.

“My husband and his mother insisted that I delete my account. Actually, I didn’t do anything wrong there. But my husband said that TikTokers were being arrested, and he didn’t want anything to happen to me too. I couldn’t explain to them that I wasn’t doing anything that could lead to arrest. I just had to delete the page,” Aygün says.

She lost income from TikTok. But she says she intends to return to the platform as soon as things calm down a bit.

“Social networks shouldn’t be regulated by authorities at all”

“Social networks shouldn’t be regulated by authorities at all. Because there is no such concept as rules for regulating social networks. Such measures can only be taken by the company that owns the platform.

Usually, large companies open their local offices in different countries and cooperate with local authorities. Companies respond to government requests for quick intervention in platform operations regarding fake news, terrorism-related content that could undermine national security, or concerning child pornography. But there is no model of direct state intervention,” says Farid Pardashunas, a social media specialist at JAMnews.

According to him, there is content on TikTok that could be considered harmful. But it entirely depends on users. It’s wrong to blame the platform.

“The concept of right and wrong use of social networks can be associated with platform rules. If you use the platform as allowed, all your posts are your personal choice.

Many in Azerbaijan criticize TikTok. The platform just creates an environment and gives you access to other people. This is the case with all platforms. The advantage of TikTok is that it has broader capabilities and can make even the simplest person famous,” says Farid Pardashunas.

The expert notes that TikTokers receive specific warnings. In case of legal liability, they are punished with administrative arrest or fines.

However, in his opinion, TikTok will not be blocked in Azerbaijan:

“Based on the information available to me, there are no plans to block TikTok in Azerbaijan. The platform was only blocked for information security purposes during the war. Even then, people used VPNs to access the platform. Overall, I don’t consider the blockage effective.”