ISTANBUL

Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Monday including Türkiye waits with bated breath for final results of presidential, parliamentary elections, Thailand’s opposition takes lead in general elections, and UN, EU welcome truce between Israel and Gaza.

TOP STORIES

• Türkiye holds elections, final results awaited

Millions of Turkish citizens cast their votes on Sunday to elect the president and a 600-member parliament in the highly anticipated elections.

With 99.01% of votes counted in presidential elections, the final results of the elections are awaited.

Latest results by Anadolu put President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the lead with 49.36%. Leader of the opposition Republican People’s Party Kemal Kilicdaroglu is behind with 45%. Sinan Ogan, the third candidate, is at 5.22%.

If no presidential candidate secures more than 50% votes, there will be a runoff on May 28.

In the parliamentary elections, the People’s Alliance is ahead with 266 seats with 98.93% ballots boxes opened. The Nation Alliance is behind with 169 seats.

On Sunday night, Erdogan, from his party’s headquarters in Ankara, said that he was ‘well ahead’ in election race, and that he had secured 2.6 million more votes than his main opponent.

Sunday’s elections in Türkiye witnessed one of the highest voter turnouts in its electoral history, with over 50 million people said to have participated.

• Opposition leads in Thailand elections

Thailand's Move Forward Party (MFP) was leading in the general elections held on Sunday against military-backed parties, preliminary data showed.

The center-right MFP made early gains leading on 115 constituency and 38 party list seats while counting was still in progress.

Prayuth Chan-Ocha, a retired army officer, came to power through a military coup in May 2014. He has remained in power since, later becoming one of Thailand's longest-serving prime ministers.

• UN, EU welcome Egypt-brokered ceasefire in Israel, Gaza

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the recent cease-fire agreement in Israel and Gaza, reaffirming its commitment to achieving two-state solution based on relevant UN resolutions.

The European Union also hailed the new cease-fire in Gaza and urged the opening of crossings to allow humanitarian aid, fuel, and workers to the region. Israel and Palestinian groups on Saturday agreed to an Egyptian-mediated cease-fire set. At least 33 Palestinians had been killed and dozens injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since last Tuesday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Search teams combing through Kenya’s Shakahola forest, where mass graves connected to a cult were found last month, exhumed 22 more bodies, bringing the death toll to more than 200, police have said.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy paid a surprise visit Sunday to Paris, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron. The two countries urged Russia should immediately and unconditionally withdraw its force from Ukraine, particularly the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
• Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and European Council head Charles Michel on Sunday welcomed the resumption of the Brussels format to normalize relations between Baku and Yerevan.

SPORTS

• Barcelona clinch La Liga title with 4 matches remaining

Barcelona beat Espanyol 4-2 on Sunday to win the 2022-23 La Liga season title with four matches to go. Robert Lewandowski scored twice in the 34th week match while Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde produced other goals for Barca.

Espanyol's goals came from Javier Puado and Joselu at RCDE Stadium. - Barca are 14 points ahead of 2nd place Real Madrid.

• Feyenoord claim 16th Eredivisie title with convincing victory

Feyenoord secured its 16th Eredivisie title with a commanding 3-0 win over Go Ahead Eagles on matchday 32. Oussama Idrissi, Santiago Gimenez, and Igor Paixao all found the back of the net for Feyenoord at De Kuip Stadium in Rotterdam, clinching the Eredivisie championship for the team.