Liverpool have said the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) error that resulted in a goal by Luis Diaz being

Damon Hill has praised Lewis Hamilton for the “admirable” way he “kept his chin up” after the controversy of Abu Dhabi – and believes the Mercedes man is “absolutely motivated” to win a record eighth world title. Eighteen months have passed since Hamilton lost out to Max Verstappen at the contentious season finale, with his Dutch rival going on to take last year’s title too. And Verstappen, 69 points clear in this season’s championship, is primed to complete his hat-trick. Hamilton, 38, has not won a race since the penultimate round of the 2021 campaign – the longest losing streak of his career – but he heads to this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix following two consecutive podium finishes in his revamped Mercedes machine. “It is admirable the way Lewis kept his chin up after what happened in Abu Dhabi,” Hill, the 1996 world champion, told the PA news agency. “He got back on with the task in hand and he is driving better again this year than he has done before. He is starting to gel with that car now and he has solved some of the problems he faced. “So I would be amazed if he doesn’t want to go out on a high by winning that eighth title, and he is absolutely motivated by that. He has got that longevity and he looks after himself. “He needs a competitive car, half-a-chance, and someone like Lewis will rise up to that challenge and find more in himself. At the moment we are seeing a happier Hamilton, and a happy Hamilton is a fast Hamilton.” The British driver’s future on the grid, however, remains a hot topic of speculation. Hamilton has entered the final six months of his current £40million-a-season contract with Mercedes. But despite a string of recent discussions with team principal Toto Wolff, a conclusion to the saga is not understood to be imminent. “The talk is that Lewis is finalising a much longer-term deal that goes beyond his racing career,” added Hill, 62. “The car company itself is involved, so there is a bit more bureaucracy in this deal.” Hamilton is already 93 points behind Verstappen in the standings after the Red Bull driver raced to his sixth victory from eight rounds to equal Ayrton Senna’s career tally of 41 wins last time out in Canada. Following Verstappen’s triumph, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said his star driver must now be considered among Formula One’s all-time greats. “Comparing different eras is quite difficult,” said Hill, who was speaking at his Halow Project charity event in Sandown following a world-first kart run on Zero synthetic fuel. “They do many more races than they used to in the sport. But, nevertheless, in every era there are one or two drivers who are the cream of the crop, and you have to say Max is one of them, along with Lewis and Fernando (Alonso). “I certainly see him having his own era called ‘the Max Verstappen era’ where he wins practically everything. “If you appreciate great drivers and the job they do then it is great to watch. But I understand people want to see a race and not a demonstration and we have to be patient and hope the others catch him up pretty quickly.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Horner details what makes ‘mega talent’ Verstappen so special Max Verstappen aims to ‘keep winning’ after matching Ayrton Senna’s 41 victories Max Verstappen claims pole position during rain-hit qualifying for Canadian GP

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SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 3, 2023--

Batteries in older Nissan Leaf electric vehicles are getting a new life as portable power sources that can be used to run gadgets on the go or deliver emergency power in disasters

Russell Brand’s downfall was never going to be a fall from grace because he was proudly ungraceful to begin with. The loud-mouthed comic has built a career on being uncouth, uncontrollable and unapologetic, and even though platforms are being torn from under his feet, he clearly won’t be silenced. This is thanks to the die-hard fanbase he’s assembled by becoming a “mainstream media”-basher and promoter of right-wing conspiracy theories. But whilst the likes of Andrew Tate and Tucker Carlson have been quick to offer Brand their support, other celebrities are admitting that the allegations against him confirm their long-held suspicions. Now, indy100 is here to keep you updated on all the high-profile figures who are pledging their allegiance to the disgraced 48-year-old, all of those who have spoken out against him in the past, and all of those who are shouting from the rooftops now. Katherine Ryan responds to Brand allegations Katherine Ryan has responded to the claims around Brand for the first time since they were made public. Recent news reports suggested that Brand left the series Roast Battle on Comedy Central after co-star Ryan kept mentioning sexual abuse claims on camera. On her podcast on Thursday, Ryan said: “I have nothing else to say about anything... apart from just a passing observation that when a woman says 'no, I don't want to engage in that conversation, no I have no comment on that story', 'no I won't be confirming or denying or participating at all about anything in the news right now', her consent is not valid.” She added that “no is a full sentence”. “Why is my consent totally unimportant when we are speaking a lot in the press right now about issues surrounding the importance of consent?” Right wing TV host Megyn Kelly blasts Brand supporters x.com Megyn Kelly says she’s “SICK of conservatives online trying to defend” Russell Brand. Megyn Kelly has slammed the "knee-jerk" response of some right wing commentators to support Brand. The former Fox News host said: "People need to take a pause before they resort to the knee jerk. "We cannot go from the absurdity of believe all women, which was never the right way, into the absurdity of believe no women. And that's what we're now doing." ‘Jimmy Savile police unit’ working with Met on Brand allegations A police team set up after the Jimmy Savile scandal, called the Hydrant Programme, is working with the Metropolitan Police to investigate the claims made against Brand. “We are working with the Metropolitan Police in support of their response to recent allegations and would urge any victim or survivor who feels ready to report any allegations of sexual assault to come forward and speak to officers,” a spokesperson for the Hydrant Programme said. Read more. Ed Miliband 'regrets 2015 Russell Brand interview' Former Labour leader Ed Miliband has said he regrets allowing Russell Brand to interview him during the 2015 general election campaign. Knowing what he does now, he “wouldn't have done that interview, and I regret doing it,” he told the BBC. Miliband, now Labour's shadow energy security and net zero secretary, said: “Russell Brand was rather notoriously going round saying people shouldn't vote because voting made no difference.” “That's why I did an interview with him, because I wanted to get to the people who he was influencing to say voting does make a difference.” Here's the clip. MPs' concern over Brand monetising content x.com The UK Parliament (Culture, Media and Sport Committee) letter to Rumble concerning Russell Brand. Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport Committee writes to social media firm Rumble, asking it to prevent Brand monetising his content on its platform. The letter asked the firm to confirm “whether Mr Brand is able to monetise his content [on Rumble]” and, if so, “whether Rumble intends to join YouTube in suspending Mr Brand’s ability to earn money on the platform”. Rumble, which tends to attract people with right wing views, responded by rejecting the letter. “We regard it as deeply inappropriate and dangerous that the UK Parliament would attempt to control who is allowed to speak on our platform or to earn a living from doing so,” the statement from Rumble said. “We emphatically reject the UK Parliament’s demands." Read more. Elon Musk weighs in... Again Elon Musk, the X/Twitter owner, has jumped back into the debate. This time, he was responding to a UK Parliamentary committee letter that suggested companies cut Russell Brand's income in the wake of the allegations. Musk wrote: "There is more to this than meets the eye. "If the concern is actually sexual predation in the entertainment industry, that is a very long list. "Why @rustyrockets and why now?" Presumably, the answer is that it is because allegations of historic abuse have only just come to light. But Musk's post appears to have got conspiracy theorists excited. One person wrote beneath that it is a "psyop x distraction," while another said it is "targeted". Neither provided evidence or elaborated on their rationale. Here's the post. Brand was 'thrilled' with Katy Perry's chilling nickname for him, claims Piers Morgan Brand's ex-wife, popstar Katy Perry, referred to the comedian as Rasputin, according to Piers Morgan. The TV personality wrote in the Sun newspaper that Perry used the chilling nickname at an event in 2013. She allegedly told Morgan that British people are "so damn confident". "Trouble is, I find that irresistible. I love Brits ... Well, not all of them – not Rasputin, obviously." Grigori Rasputin was a monk during the final years of the Russian Empire, who was "infamous for his drunkenness and for womanising". Morgan continued that Brand was later "thrilled" with the name. He reportedly reacted by saying that Rasputin was a "pretty powerful bloke" who could "manipulate" people with his eyes, and who was "having it off with everyone, drinking and getting into fights". Read more. ‘Furious’ Russell Brand ‘left Roast Battle’ after Katherine Ryan ‘predator’ remarks Brand left the series Roast Battle on Comedy Central after co-star Katherine Ryan kept mentioning sexual abuse claims on camera, a new report by Deadline has claimed. Ryan starred in the first season of Roast Battle alongside Brand and Jimmy Carr in 2018. Brand departed after six episodes, with Jonathan Ross taking his spot as a judge. Read more here Vanessa Feltz ‘admired friend’ Russell Brand before his ‘deeply offensive comments’ on chat show Vanessa Feltz has revealed she went on Brand’s chat show as “his friend”, but admits she was horrified by his remarks asking if he could sleep with her and her daughters. Feltz told This Morning presenters Holly Willoughby and Dermot O’Leary that she and Brand were friends when she appeared on the show in 2006, and that she “admired his style”, but says she soon felt awkward when he made sexual remarks towards her and her young daughters. She said: “I was horrified, there has to be some boundaries but it is awkward when you are a guest on someone’s show. The genuine prevailing feeling was he was very funny.” Watch the interview here It's perhaps worth noting that Noel Fielding, Brand's longtime friend, has kept quiet on the whole scandal. Russell Brand’s prank call to rape helpline in 2008 Brand was widely condemned in 2008 after prank-calling an emergency rape phoneline during a stand-up routine. While onstage in Northampton in 2008, Brand phoned police in front of the audience, pretending to be a witness to numerous sexual assaults that had taken place in a local underpass. “I have got some information for you,” he told the call handler. “I’ve seen a gentleman who fits the description. He was wearing a lime green top and polka-dot trousers, and I thought, ‘Well, look at the state of him.’ I’ve had someone come near my underpass.” He continued: “He was dressed absolutely atrociously, he looked like Timmy Mallett.” Brand told the call handler that the audience laughter heard in the background was coming from an episode of The Bill he was watching on TV. He told them his name was Sarah. Read more here Follow the latest updates on Brand here. If you have information in relation to the allegations against Russell Brand which you would like to share with The Independent’s reporting team, please email newsdesk@independent.co.uk While onstage in Northampton in 2008, Brand phoned police in front of the audience, pretending to be a witness to numerous sexual assaults that had taken place in a local underpass. Accusations that Brand groomed and abused a 16-year-old have prompted important discussions about the age of consent in the UK and beyond x.com Completely agree that there should be a #Aliceslaw protecting teenage girls from predatory adults. The suggestion of making it illegal for anyone older than 21 to have sex with those 16-18 is an idea, but there are also working models in the US and Canada of raising the age of… Candace Owens is among the commentators questioning YouTube's decision to demonetise Brand's channel x.com I actually am struggling to comprehend how @YouTube can completely demonetize someone based on allegations— when there are actual drug dealers and convicts that currently have YouTube channels. How does that make sense? #RussellBrand Another interesting point about noughties 'lad culture' x.com Wonder if a lot of the defence re Russell Brand on social media stems from “lads” vindicated by the culture he promoted now being worried their past behaviour might not have been acceptable A number of commentators are pointing out that 'due process and the rule of law' must be respected in all cases x.com This is what worries me about Russell Brand case. Loathsome behaviour is not in question, but when was he convicted in a court of law on basis of being proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt? Due process and the rule of law does matter to all our freedoms @tfa4freedom 'Female Andrew Tate' gives the most toxic support to Russell Brand yet It’s a sad inevitability that the big names defending Brand are some of the most influential in the world. Elon Musk and Andrew Tate – two of the most Googled people on the planet – have already publicly backed the 48-year-old comedian, as have those great champions of right-wing and conservative conspiracy theories: Alex Jones, Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson. And so it comes as no surprise that Pearl Davis, the woman who proudly owns the nickname “the female Andrew Tate”, is the latest red pill ideologist to throw her support behind Brand, who vehemently denies all the allegations made against him. Read more here Buy now , But McPhee has insisted she's not a victim x.com Katherine McPhee criticizes Daily Mail for sharing clip of Russell Brand bouncing her on his lap at The Tonight Show in 2013: “I know nothing what you are trying to claim here but this specific incident was over 10 years ago and it was harmless. Please don't try and use me for… This clip has been doing the rounds x.com Russell Brand is told off by Jimmy Fallon after comedian bounces an uncomfortable Katharine McPhee on his lap Andrew Neil says public service broadcasters facilitated Brand's behaviour x.com "We have an ability in our culture where we elevate people of no talent to the status of national icons... I give you Jimmy Savile."Andrew Neil says the Russell Brand scandal is "another classic example" of "the power of celebrity" in the UK.@afneil | @piersmorgan | #PMU Fearne Cotton deletes Russell Brand podcast episodes after ‘unfollowing’ him on Instagram Fearne Cotton has appeared to delete two episodes of her podcast featuring Brand. The comedian is married to Cotton’s good friend, Laura Gallacher, and, in August 2019, he was a guest speaker at her wellness festival Happy Place. In a Facebook post, Brand described the festival as the “Woodstock of Wellness”. One year later, Cotton invited Brand to appear on her podcast, also titled Happy Place, for a second time. He had previously made a brief guest appearance after it was launched in 2018. Read more here Yet another reason why we love David Lynch x.com love how david lynch was sincerely asked if he would ever work with russell brand and he instantly said no right in front of him Interesting that this guy would urge fans to follow Brand's Rumble channel... x.com Join Rumble today. Russell is already there. (He's one of the biggest financial backers of the platform) What part has the "lads' mag" culture of the noughties played in all this? x.com "I was full of shame and self-hatred."Georgina Baillie speaks to @MinnieStephC4 about 'Sachs-gate' and her relationship with Russell Brand.Her grandfather, Andrew Sachs, was prank-called by Brand in 2008 and told his granddaughter had slept with the comic. More disturbing comments from Brand have emerged x.com More questions emerge for the BBC as @C4Dispatches uncovers more inappropriate comments made on Russell Brand’s Radio 2 show pre Sachsgate. In this clip from 2007, Brand suggests to a 15-year-old listener that she should have a sex themed 16th birthday party. #C4Dispatches An important discussion on BBC Radio 4's 'Women's Hour' earlier today: x.com 'The issue here is about age disparity'Following our interview with one of Russell Brand's alleged victims, we asked: Can a 16-year-old give meaningful consent to sex with a 30-year-old & should the age of consent rise?@HelenaKennedyKC & Gudrun Young KC joined @Emmabarnett⬇️ Commentators continue to point out that Brand has always been famous for the wrong reasons x.com What I wrote about Russell Brand in 2013: “a comedian who won fame by sexually humiliating a woman on the radio and thinks it normal to harass every woman in his vicinity is now treated as Che Guevara because he uses words like ‘pre-existing paradigm’ in conversations with… The BBC has now banned some content featuring Brand from its iPlayer and Sounds apps In a statement a spokesman for the corporation said: “The BBC does not ban or remove content when it is a matter of public record unless we have justification for doing so. “There is limited content featuring Russell Brand on iPlayer and Sounds. We’ve reviewed that content and made a considered decision to remove some of it, having assessed that it now falls below public expectations.” Russell Brand likes bizarre Phillip Schofield tweet following allegations Russell Brand has been silent on social media since allegations were made against him over the weekend, but he has liked one bizarre tweet featuring a GIF of Phillip Schofield. The post in question features the Dispatches hashtag and a GIF of Schofield. The only words in the post are 'If only.' Read more here Buy now , Donald Trump once asked Katy Perry why she married 'loser' Russell Brandeditsharetrending_up Donald Trump’s Twitter timeline was a mixture of ridiculous and unhinged before being banned in 2021, most of it not worth revisiting. However, people are now returning to one tweet about Russell Brand from way back in 2014 following allegations against the comedian. Trump tweeted Katy Perry before he announced his run for president, asking what she saw in “loser” Brand. "Katy, what the hell were you thinking when you married loser Russell Brand," he wrote. “There is a guy who has got nothing going, a waste!" Read more here Buy now , Comedian Sam Avery breaks down the appeal of brand Brand x.com People talking about Russell Brand like he’s the ONLY person to ever question the establishment, big pharma, etc.Nah, mate. He’s just the one with good cheekbones who uses long words that make YOU feel intelligent.The dude’s less authentic than astroturf. Speaking of right-wing presenters... x.com Julia blasts YouTube for the “outrageous” suspension of the monetisation on Russell Brand’s channel.“It’s not YouTube’s job to sit as judge and jury on Russell Brand! They’ve got no right to get involved in this.”@JuliaHB1 | @Tom_Slater_ Who knew GB News could tear itself apart over a single topic? x.com I’m afraid this is just not true. @bevturner was told in explicit terms I would challenge on air her deeply offensive defence of #russellbrand who she describes as her ‘hero’. I’ve been overwhelmed with supportive messages for calling her out Here's what his dear pal, that fountain of reliable information, Alex Jones has had to say: x.com Tucker Carlson, Andrew Tate, Elon Musk, and now Alex Jones come to the defense of Russell Brand who was credibly accused of rape and sexual harassment by 4 women.Hell of a bunch of character witnesses. Here's a list of Brand's big-name backers so far: x.com The roll call of people who have come to Russell Brand's defence reads like a Hall of Humanity's Shame- Elon Musk, Andrew Tate, Alex Jones, Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump Jr. If you have that lot in your corner you need a stern word with yourself. Emily Maitlis reflecting on her 2017 interview with Brand x.com “I went in preparing to loathe him, he was late, I thought ‘what a narcissist’… but in truth, he walked into the room and I was mesmerised.”@maitlis discusses her 2017 interview with Russell Brand.Coming to @GlobalPlayer@lewis_goodall x.com Megyn Kelly goes off on those reactively taking Russell Brand's side:"Can you please for a second stay open minded to the idea the women are telling the truth? I'm pissed cuz I've just seen a rash of guys saying 'it's bullshit!' Did you read the details?" Sean Lock said he ‘hates’ Russell Brand and ‘fears’ his daughters ‘will take someone like him home’ in resurfaced clip A clip of the late comedian Sean Lock discussing his contempt for Russell Brand has gone viral in the wake of criminal allegations being made against the 48-year-old comedian. The clip in question is taken from the Channel 4 comedy panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats, and originally aired in November 2014. In the footage, Lock says that he “hates” Brand because of his role as a father, and “fears” his daughters would “bring someone like that home”. Lock, who died in 2021 at the age of 58, is seen discussing Brand in the wake of the comedian’s controversial comments about voting. In October 2013, Brand had urged people not to vote during an interview with Newsnight’s Jeremy Paxman. Read more here Dannii Minogue labelled Russell Brand ‘vile predator’ in resurfaced interview Dannii Minogue thought Russell Brand was a “vile predator” who “wouldn’t take no for an answer” when they met in 2006. The Australian singer’s comments after her MTV interview with the under-fire presenter have resurfaced following Brand being accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse. “He is completely crazy and a bit of a vile predator,” Minogue told the Mirror after being interviewed by Brand on his MTV chatshow, 1 Leicester Square back in 2006. “I certainly don’t think he has cured his sex addiction, that’s for sure. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. [...] He always goes that step too far. Never quite far enough to slap his face, but usually too far.” Read more here x.com Extraordinary takedown of a co-presenter by @toryboypierce after she said #RussellBrand was her “hero.” I have never seen anything like this before. x.com Lot of nonsense spouted about “trial by media” re Russell Brand. The media has no power to try and/or convict. Rightly. But it has a responsibility to research, reveal and expose wrongdoing. Which it has in the Brand investigation by @Channel4 @thetimes — responsibly and… Vanessa Feltz shares ‘deeply offensive’ clip of Russell Brand asking to sleep with her and her daughters Vanessa Feltz shared a “deeply offensive” clip of Russell Brand asking to sleep with her and her daughters when she appeared on his chat show in 2006. Feltz shared the clip during her TalkTv Show on Monday night. Brand asks her: “Can I have it off with either you or your daughters?” Cringing, Feltz replies: “No, you may not.” Brand states: “Come on, some of them are adults.” Read more here Buy now , Kristen Bell and Russell Brand in a scene from 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' Kristen Bell comments about Russell Brand resurface after sex abuse allegations Shortly after the release of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," Kristen Bell told interviewers that she had to "intimidate" her co-star Russell Brand to make sure he understood she was not interested in a sexual relationship with him during the shoot. Her recollections of her time with the British actor and comedian have resurfaced in the wake of allegations that he raped and sexually assaulted a number of women at the peak of his fame. During an interview with the Scottish Daily Record, Bell said she was aware of Brand's "womanising" and made it clear to him that she was not going to tolerate his advances. Read more here Buy now , x.com Ben Shapiro: Russell "Brand was 30 and she was apparently 16. Now, in the United States, crime. In the UK, not crime. The age of consent in the UK is 16 ... Scuzzy, scumbaggy behavior? Sure. Criminal behavior? No, if you're, again, in the UK" x.com Piers Morgan warns that describing Russell Brand's accusers as "victims" and "survivors" implies he has already been convicted of a crime. Piers Morgan is among the big names warning against the drawing of conclusions before legal and police investigations into Brand's behaviour are complete. Russell Brand's conspiracy theory YouTube channel proves his skill at influencing others Russell Brand has always prided himself on ruffling feathers. Indeed, the ruffle-haired, one-time-winklepicker-championing anti-establishment icon even uses a crow (farting), as the logo for his website and podcast. And yet, his preferred platforms have changed over the years: from London’s stand-up circuit to prime spots on British radio and terrestrial TV, to the Hollywood red carpet, and now to the favourite of every cash-hungry rebel – social media. Yes, the 48-year-old has become a darling of the self-styled “free-speakers” of the internet, with the likes of Andrew Tate, Alex Jones and Tucker Carlson name-checking him as a mainstream-fighting compadre. But really, it seems as though his great talent lies not in speaking truth to power, but in speaking so much and at such speed that you no longer remember what the truth was in the first place. Read more here Buy now , Daniel Sloss standup clip recirculates as he's praised for speaking out against Russell Brand Comedian Daniel Sloss is being praised by viewers after he spoke out against Russell Brand in a joint investigation from Channel 4 and The Times. During the 'Dispatches' programme, it was revealed that comedians who worked in the industry at the same time as Brand were contacted, but only one was willing to speak on camera. That comedian was Daniel Sloss. As Sloss, 33, sits down to talk to an off-screen interviewer, he says: "This is scary, this is intimidating, and if I'm scared of this, and there's almost no consequences to me, what do people who have suffered, and been subject to, his alleged behaviours, how must they feel?" Read more here Buy now , Andrew Tate supports Russell Brand as comedian denies ‘very serious allegations Andrew Tate knows a thing or two about being investigated for rape and sexual assault Andrew Tate has sent a message of support to Russell Brand after the comedian denied “very serious allegations” made against him in a recent YouTube video. Tate posted an image of a knight preparing for battle with the caption: “On my way to fight the crazy b**** allegations.” Read more here Buy now ,

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan turned away a challenger who sought to reverse his authoritarian-leaning changes, securing five more years to oversee the country at the crossroads of Europe and Asia that plays a key role in NATO. Erdogan prevailed by winning more than 52% of the vote in Sunday's presidential runoff, which came two weeks after he fell short of scoring an outright victory in the first round. A majority of Turkish voters in the second round chose him over challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu, showing their support for a man who they see as a strong, proven leader. Voters were divided between loyalty to Erdogan, who has ruled for two decades, and hopes for the opposition candidate, who promised to return to democratic norms, adopt more conventional economic policies and improve ties with the West. With his immediate political future secure, Erdogan must now confront skyrocketing inflation that has fueled a cost-of-living crisis and rebuild in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people. In two speeches — one in Istanbul and one in Ankara — Erdogan thanked the nation for entrusting him with the presidency again. “We hope to be worthy of your trust, as we have been for 21 years,” he told supporters on a campaign bus outside his home in Istanbul. He said the divisions of the election are over, but he continued to rail against his opponent. “The only winner today is Turkey,” Erdogan said outside the presidential palace in Ankara, promising to work hard for Turkey’s second century, which he called the “Turkish century.” The country marks its centennial this year. Supreme challenges lie ahead, starting with the economy that has taken a beating from what critics view as Erdogan’s unorthodox policies. He also must tend to massive rebuilding efforts in 11 provinces hit by the Feb. 6 earthquake that leveled entire cities. Kilicdaroglu said the election was “the most unjust ever,” with all state resources mobilized for Erdogan. “We will continue to be at the forefront of this struggle until real democracy comes to our country,” he said in Ankara. He thanked the more than 25 million people who voted for him and asked them to “remain upright.” The people have shown their will "to change an authoritarian government despite all the pressures,” Kilicdaroglu said. Supporters of Erdogan, a divisive populist and masterful orator, took to the streets to celebrate, waving Turkish or ruling party flags, honking car horns and chanting his name. Celebratory gunfire was heard in several Istanbul neighborhoods. His next term is certain to include more delicate maneuvering with fellow NATO members over the future of the alliance and the war in Ukraine. Leaders across the world sent their congratulations, highlighting Turkey and Erdogan’s enlarged role in global politics. Western politicians said they are ready to continue working with Erdogan despite years of sometimes tense relations. Most imminently, Turkey holds the cards for Sweden’s hopes to join NATO. The bid aims to strengthen the military alliance against Russia and is central to the continuity of a deal to allow Ukrainian grain shipments and avert a global food crisis. “No one can look down on our nation,” Erdogan said in Istanbul. Steven A. Cook, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Council on Foreign Relations, said Turkey was likely to “move the goal post” on Sweden’s membership in NATO as it seeks demands from the United States. He also said Erdogan, who has spoken about introducing a new constitution, was likely to make an even greater push to lock in changes adopted by his conservative and religious Justice and Development Party, or AKP. In his victory remarks, Erdogan said rebuilding the quake-struck cities would be his priority. He also said a million Syrian refugees would go back to Turkish-controlled “safe zones” in Syria as part of a resettlement project being run with Qatar. Erdogan has retained the backing of conservative voters who remain devoted to him for lifting Islam’s profile in Turkey, which was founded on secular principles, and raising the country’s influence in international politics. Erdogan’s rival was a soft-mannered former civil servant who has led the pro-secular Republican People’s Party, or CHP, since 2010. The opposition took months to unite behind Kilicdaroglu. He and his party have not won any elections in which Erdogan ran. In a frantic outreach effort to nationalist voters in the runoff, Kilicdaroglu vowed to send back refugees and ruled out peace negotiations with Kurdish militants if he was elected. Erdogan and pro-government media portrayed Kilicdaroglu, who received the backing of the country’s pro-Kurdish party, as colluding with “terrorists” and supporting what they described as “deviant” LGBTQ rights. In his victory speech, Erdogan repeated those themes, saying LGBTQ people cannot “infiltrate” his ruling party or its nationalist allies. In Ankara, Erdogan voter Hacer Yalcin said Turkey’s future was bright. “Of course Erdogan is the winner ... Who else? He has made everything for us," Yalcin said. “God blesses us!” Erdogan, a 69-year-old Muslim, is set to remain in power until 2028. He transformed the presidency from a largely ceremonial role to a powerful office through a narrowly won 2017 referendum that scrapped Turkey’s parliamentary system of governance. He was the first directly elected president in 2014 and won the 2018 election that ushered in the executive presidency. The first half of Erdogan’s tenure included reforms allowing the country to begin talks to join the European Union, as well as economic growth that lifted many out of poverty. But he later moved to suppress freedoms and the media and concentrated more power in his own hands, especially after a failed coup attempt that Turkey says was orchestrated by the U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen. The cleric denies involvement. In the Kurdish-majority city of Diyarbakir, 37-year-old metalworker Ahmet Koyun said: “It is sad on behalf of our people that a government with such corruption, such stains, has come into power again. Mr. Kemal would have been great for our country, at least for a change of scene." But he said everyone must accept the results. ___ Bilginsoy reported from Istanbul. Bela Szandelszky in Ankara, Turkey; Mucahit Ceylan in Diyarbakir, Turkey; and Cinar Kiper in Bodrum, Turkey, contributed to this report. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Analysis: Only Erdogan knows his plans for Turkey’s future. That is the problem AP News Digest 8:40 a.m. Erdogan declared winner of Turkey presidential run-off – extending his 20-year rule

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