If Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan succeeds in reclaiming Istanbul, he will “head into the next election against an opponent he chose himself, effectively securing his rule for life,” writes Gönül Tol. foreignaffairs.com/turkey/turkey-…

An overwhelming number of people turned out today to vote for Imamoglu in the primaries, 3 million more than CHP’s total votes in the 2023 elections.

CHP leader Özgür Özel had urged a boycott of TV channels that refuse to broadcast the protests against İmamoğlu’s arrest. After the boycott call, NTV backtracks and finally airs Saraçhane protests footage.

Imamoglu’s message from prison: “I am here. I’m wearing my white shirt—you can’t stain it. My wrist is strong—you can’t bend it. I won’t take a single step back. I will win this war.”

A whirling dervish in Istanbul at the pro-Imamoglu demonstrations last night. Photo: Umit Bektas

If you value democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, the world has never felt more unbearable.

Everyone else: "Look at how cute these Studio Ghibli AI drawings are!" Miyazaki:

While foreign journalist are being deported for covering the protests, Turkish media watchdog (RTÜK) announced on social media that penalties were imposed on Sözcü TV, Halk TV, Tele 1, and NOW. “Broadcasting Özgür Özel’s rally live was deemed a crime” RTÜK said.

Working with Scott is always an absolute pleasure. He delivers sparkling copy breaking down complex tech stories into bright, digestible language. Readers and editors alike love his work! If you’ve got a slot for him to fill in, reach out now! He books up fast.

hi, economy expert here! this is not funny, stock markets only do this when they’re in extreme distress.

China warned Monday that it would “take countermeasures” against countries that try to curry favor with the US by hurting Beijing. More than 70 countries have reached out to Washington in hopes of brokering deals to avoid eye-watering tariffs. gzeromedia.com/news/watching/…

Preparations for the funeral of Pope Francis are underway after the Holy Father died from a cerebral stroke early Monday – as are those for the secretive election to choose his successor. gzeromedia.com/news/watching/…

🇨🇳’s Li Qiang urged 🇯🇵’s Shigeru Ishiba to “fight protectionism together.” “I don’t know what the Japanese for ‘chutzpah’ is, but I think the Japanese bureaucrats will snicker a bit to themselves,” says David Boling. (“Chutzpah” is 厚かましさ, btw) gzeromedia.com/amp/beijing-tr…

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a reduction in State Department staff and bureaus on Tuesday as the Trump administration continues its staffing and program cuts. But some diplomats are breathing a sigh of relief. gzeromedia.com/news/watching/…

Singapore kicked off a lightning-fast, nine-day campaign on Wednesday for its May 3 election. The vote promises to be the most contested since independence, as the ruling People’s Action Party sweats a strong challenge amid weak economic forecasts. gzeromedia.com/amp/singapores…

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon today, I spoke with three scholars about the forgotten aftermath of the Vietnam War, and their personal stories of escape and survival. gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/…

REUTERS: embattled populist leader of the United States of America proposes capital controls amid market selloff, currency depreciation spurred by nationalist trade policy and expansionary fiscal policy, as well as government transparency and rule of law concerns

Pepe Mujica has passed away, legendary left-wing president of Uruguay known for living humbly