We began planning the cover for this week’s Guardian Weekly magazine wondering if it would mark the end of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s long political career. But it soon became clear that predictions of the Turkish president’s demise had been greatly misjudged. A first-round victory over his secular opponent, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, did not come by a wide enough margin to prevent a runoff vote on 28 May. But, barring a remarkable swing back to Kılıçdaroğlu, the indications are that Erdoğan will further extend his 20-year authoritarian brand of rule over Turkey.
Guardian reporters Ruth Michaelson and Jon Henley reflect on last Sunday’s result, while Archie Bland explains why the election was so important and what happens now. To round off, we consider the plight of Turkey’s large population of Syrian refugees, who are facing a bleak future regardless of who emerges victorious in the election.
As Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, toured European capitals to drum up support this week, speculation continued over when and where Ukraine’s long-anticipated counteroffensive against Russian forces would begin – or if indeed it had already done so. From Kherson, Luke Harding hears from a frontline commander why Kyiv is happy to bide its time, while defence editor Dan Sabbagh outlines four possible scenarios in which a Ukrainian counterattack might develop.
Two environmentally slanted features bring fascinating insights into very different parts of the world. From Kenya there’s the uplifting story of the waste picker who is lobbying for his colleagues’ working rights to be enshrined in a UN treaty. Then, John Bartlett reports from Antarctica on how the climate crisis, geopolitical tensions and booming tourism are straining relations at a remote scientific research station.
From The Office to Peep Show, British TV comedies have long held great appeal for the US networks – that is, as long as they can make their own versions. But why does the humour so often get lost in translation, asks Daniel Dylan Wray.
Also in Culture this week, Zoe Williams reflects on a Eurovision song contest that was staged in the UK and won by Sweden, but which was really all about Ukraine.
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