Turkey's election; the U.N. commemorates Palestinian displacement; uncertainty after Title 42's expiration

Plus, how to move forward now that the federal COVID public health emergency is over. [View this email online]( [NPR Up First Newsletter]( by Suzanne Nuyen May 15, 2023 Good morning. It's graduation season! [President Biden]( gave a commencement speech to Howard University, and [Steve Inskeep]( was at UMN Morris. I'm getting my MA from Georgetown on Friday. 🎓 Here's what else we're following today. Turkey is likely headed toward a runoff election between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his chief challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The final votes are [still being counted]( and neither candidate has gotten the 50% of the votes needed to win outright. [Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, seen here in September, is facing a united opposition in Sunday's election that threatens his grip on power.]( Andrej Isakovic/AFP via Getty Images 🎧 NPR's Peter Kenyon says pundits and opposition party supporters are surprised by the close race, as they were convinced "[voters were getting tired of Erdogan]( On the Up First podcast this morning, he adds that another term would "continue the contentious relations Turkey has had with its NATO allies." Today, the United Nations will commemorate the mass displacement of Palestinians when Israel was founded 75 years ago at its headquarters in New York. Israel is calling the event "shameful" and is lobbying countries to boycott it. 🎧 NPR's Daniel Estrin calls the event an "example of how this history of Palestinian displacement is being commemorated in new ways." After 75 years of conflict, Palestinians Estrin spoke to say they've [given up on the two-state solution idea]( and "see their best hope as a future where there's just one state and where Palestinians are equal to Israelis." North Carolina's Democratic Governor Roy Cooper vetoed a proposed ban this weekend on abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. The law could still go into effect as Republicans have vowed to override Cooper's decision. 🎧 The 12-week limit isn't as restrictive as laws in other states. WUNC's Colin Campbell says Republican leaders saw the backlash and "[wanted to take a different approach]( But Democrats say the law could cause providers to move to other states and shut down clinics. Campbell explains that the law requires more in-person doctor visits, which could be a challenge for residents in rural areas. There wasn't an immediate rise in crossings at the southern border after Title 42 ended last week. But there's still a lot of [uncertainty about what comes next](. 🎧 On Morning Edition, Mimi Tsankov, President of the National Association of Immigration Judges, tells A Martinez that [backlogs are at an all-time high]( and she expects caseloads to increase. Many courts are suffering staffing shortages, and there are concerns about whether they can "meet the expectations of the administration." --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [A poster in Kolkata, India, from peak pandemic days sends a message to mask up.]( NurPhoto via Getty Images We’ve entered a new phase of the pandemic. Now that the U.S COVID public health emergency is over, here's [how you can move forward]( with masking, testing, vaccinations and more. 😷 Don't dismiss COVID if you catch it. Consider consulting your doctor for treatment, especially if you're high-risk. 😷 Gauge your risks and decide if you want to continue precautions like masking and using hand sanitizer. 😷 Talk to your doctor about which vaccines you might need — not just the ones for COVID. 😷 Don't be paralyzed by fear. Loneliness and lack of social interaction can also affect your health. --------------------------------------------------------------- Enlighten me [Roland Griffiths sits on a white couch lit with purple and green lights. ]( Andre Chung/The Washington Post via Getty Images Enlighten Me is a special series with NPR's Rachel Martin on in-depth conversations about the human condition. Dr. Roland Griffiths is known for his work with the psychedelic psilocybin. He's used it to help countless cancer patients treat their anxiety and depression. Then in 2022, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. 🎧 Listen to Dr. Griffiths' conversation with Rachel Martin on [contemplating his own mortality]( or [read it here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [A U.S. Postal stamp with an illustration depicting Standing Bear, the Ponca chief who championed 14th Amendment rights.]( U.S. Postal Service The USPS has released a Forever Stamp honoring Chief Standing Bear, whose landmark 1879 lawsuit established that a [Native American is a person]( under the law. This high school custodian and his students are living out their Queen's Gambit dreams. He became a custodian after retiring and [coached the chess team]( straight to the championships. What's the deal with Elon Musk and the letter X? We take a look at Musk's [history with the letter]( from Tesla's Model X to his "everything app." --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. 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