Turkey Elections, Eurovision Winner, and Influencer Clones

Runoff in Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and challenger Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu appear headed to a runoff in the country's presidential race after neither secured a majority of votes in yesterday's election. Current results have Erdoğan with 49.5% of the vote and Kılıçdaroğlu with 44.8%. 

Erdoğan is one of the most powerful figures in the history of modern Turkey, having served as prime minister beginning in 2003 until assuming the presidency in 2014. The country's strategic location—controlling the Bosphorus Strait in the west and bordering Syria, Iraq, and Iran to the south and east—has often made him a key player on the international stage. Erdoğan has also been frequently criticized for moving Turkey toward an autocracy.

Erdoğan faced stiff headwinds during his reelection campaign. Opposition parties united behind a single candidate, a long-running economic crisis that saw inflation peak above 80% in the fall, and a pair of recent earthquakes that left 50,000 people dead—a death toll many blamed on government corruption.

If results are confirmed, the runoff will be held May 28.

Cyclone Mocha

At least six people were killed as Cyclone Mocha moved over Myanmar and Bangladesh yesterday, triggering floods and landslides and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of residents in low-lying coastal areas. Officials expect the death toll to rise as search and rescue efforts get underway.

The system is the second-most powerful storm recorded in the Bay of Bengal. Measurements suggest it reached the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane, with sustained winds near 175 miles per hour, before weakening slightly ahead of landfall. Footage shared on social media from landfall included a toppled radio tower. 

The Bangladeshi city of Cox's Bazar—home to an estimated 1 million Rohingya refugees—was reportedly spared the worst of the storm as the center of Mocha's path passed by to the east.

Sweden Wins Eurovision

Swedish singer Loreen won her second Eurovision title for the song "Tattoo" during Saturday night's finale in Liverpool, United Kingdom, in the 67th edition of one of the most highly watched live music performances in the world (see recap). With the win, 39-year-old Loreen became the second artist and first woman ever to win the contest twice. 

An original slate of 37 performances was whittled down to 26 ahead of the final competition, the first to allow anyone in the world to vote for their favorite performers. The show, which in recent years has garnered over 100 million viewers worldwide, is known for its glamorous costumes and staging—see a visual breakdown here.

While the event was held in the UK due to the war in Ukraine, much of the night—whose theme was "United by Music"—featured tributes to Ukraine. The technically nonpolitical nature of the event stirred controversy Friday when organizers did not permit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to speak at the event. 

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