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San Francisco — Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin loved pulling pranks, so they began rolling out outlandish ideas every April Fool's Day not long after starting their company more than a quarter century ago. One year, Google posted a job opening for a Copernicus research center on the moon. Another year, the company said it planned to roll out a “scratch and sniff” feature on its search engine. The jokes were consistently over-the-top, and people learned to laugh them off as another example of Google mischief. That's why Page and Brin decided to unveil something no one would believe was possible 20 years ago on April Fool's Day. It was Gmail, a free service boasting 1 gigabyte of storage per account, an amount that sounds almost pedestrian in an age of 1-terabyte iPhones. But it sounded like a preposterous amount of email capacity back then, enough to store about 13,500 emails before running out of space compared to just 30 to 60 emails in the then-leading webmail services run by Yahoo and Microsoft. That translated into 250 to 500 times more email storage space. Besides the quantum leap in storage, Gmail also came equipped with Google's search technology so users could quickly retrieve a tidbit from an old email, photo or other personal information stored on the service. It also automatically threaded together a string of communications about the same topic, so everything flowed together as if it was a single conversation. “The original pitch we put together was all about the three ‘S’s’ — storage, search and speed," said former Google executive Marissa Mayer, who helped design Gmail and other company products before later becoming Yahoo's CEO. It was such a mind-bending concept that shortly after The Associated Press published a story about Gmail late on the afternoon of April Fool's 2004, readers began calling and emailing to inform the news agency it had been duped by Google's pranksters. “That was part of the charm, making a product that people won't believe is real. It kind of changed people’s perceptions about the kinds of applications that were possible within a web browser," former Google engineer Paul Buchheit recalled during a recent AP interview about his efforts to build Gmail. It took three years to do as part of a project called “Caribou” — a reference to a running gag in the Dilbert comic strip. “There was something sort of absurd about the name Caribou, it just made make me laugh,” said Buchheit, the 23rd employee hired at a company that now employs more than 180,000 people. The AP knew Google wasn't joking about Gmail because an AP reporter had been abruptly asked to come down from San Francisco to the company's Mountain View, California, headquarters to see something that would make the trip worthwhile. After arriving at a still-developing corporate campus that would soon blossom into what became known as the “Googleplex,” the AP reporter was ushered into a small office where Page was wearing an impish grin while sitting in front of his laptop computer. Page, then just 31 years old, proceeded to show off Gmail's sleekly designed inbox and demonstrated how quickly it operated within Microsoft's now-retired Explorer web browser. And he pointed out there was no delete button featured in the main control window because it wouldn't be necessary, given Gmail had so much storage and could be so easily searched. “I think people are really going to like this,” Page predicted. As with so many other things, Page was right. Gmail now has an estimated 1.8 billion active accounts — each one now offering 15 gigabytes of free storage bundled with Google Photos and Google Drive. Even though that's 15 times more storage than Gmail initially offered, it's still not enough for many users who rarely see the need to purge their accounts, just as Google hoped. The digital hoarding of email, photos and other content is why Google, Apple and other companies now make money from selling additional storage capacity in their data centers. (In Google's case, it charges anywhere from $30 annually for 200 gigabytes of storage to $250 annually for 5 terabytes of storage). Gmail's existence is also why other free email services and the internal email accounts that employees use on their jobs offer far more storage than was fathomed 20 years ago. “We were trying to shift the way people had been thinking because people were working in this model of storage scarcity for so long that deleting became a default action,” Buchheit said. Gmail was a game changer in several other ways while becoming the first building block in the expansion of Google's internet empire beyond its still-dominant search engine. After Gmail came Google Maps and Google Docs with word processing and spreadsheet applications. Then came the acquisition of video site YouTube, followed by the introduction of the Chrome browser and the Android operating system that powers most of the world's smartphones. With Gmail's explicitly stated intention to scan the content of emails to get a better understanding of users' interests, Google also left little doubt that digital surveillance in pursuit of selling more ads would be part of its expanding ambitions. Although it immediately generated a buzz, Gmail started out with a limited scope because Google initially only had enough computing capacity to support a small audience of users. But that scarcity created an air of exclusivity around Gmail that drove feverish demand for elusive invitations to sign up. At one point, invitations to open a Gmail account were selling for $250 apiece on eBay. “It became a bit like a social currency, where people would go, ‘Hey, I got a Gmail invite, you want one?’” Buchheit said. Although signing up for Gmail became increasingly easier as more of Google's network of massive data centers came online, the company didn't begin accepting all comers to the email service until it opened the floodgates as a Valentine's Day present to the world in 2007.

washington — Vietnam is crying foul over a Chinese bid to redefine its coastal waters in the Gulf of Tonkin, a waterway at the northern end of the South China Sea lying between China's Hainan Island and Vietnam. Beijing's delineation of a new baseline in the gulf was declared earlier this month. Under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a country's baseline is essentially its shoreline at low tide and is used to determine the extent of coastal waters and exclusive economic zones. The convention makes exceptions in the case of close-in coastal islands, inlets and other unusual features, in which case a straight-line baseline may be applied. But experts say China has taken this provision to extremes by drawing a series of straight lines between islands far off its coast. While the immediate implications of China's latest sea grab are limited, the experts say it could have implications for freedom of navigation in the region, and in an extreme case, Beijing could seek to apply the principle to declare the Taiwan Strait as Chinese coastal waters. It also follows a pattern of aggressive Chinese behavior in the South China Sea, where since 2013 the country has been building artificial islands in waters claimed by Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. China says its delineation of the baseline in the Gulf of Tonkin, known as the Beibu Gulf in China, "strictly complies with domestic laws, international laws and bilateral agreements" and "will not impact Vietnam's interests or those of any other nation," according to a March 4 statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry quoted by the official Global Times. Hanoi disputes this assertion. When asked about the baseline more than a week later, its Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Pham Thu Hang, stressed that "coastal countries need to abide by the UNCLOS 1982 when determining the baseline for measuring their territorial waters" and urged Beijing to honor a previously negotiated bilateral demarcation agreement in the gulf. UNCLOS was ratified in 1982. Free of disputes Unlike other parts of the South China Sea, the Gulf of Tonkin has been largely free of disputes since Hanoi and Beijing signed the delineation agreement in 2000 that went into effect four years later. The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman declined to comment on whether China's new baseline could jeopardize that agreement, according to Reuters. Hoang Viet, a lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City's University of Law who follows regional maritime issues closely, told VOA Vietnamese over the phone, "The gulf was already demarcated. China cannot claim more than what it agreed on in the deal, no matter what baseline it draws in the gulf." He stressed that "it's almost impossible" for Beijing to amend the agreement already ratified by the two nations. Raymond Powell, a team leader at Stanford University's Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, told VOA Vietnamese in an email that China's baseline delineation varies from the standard UNCLOS practice, which says the baseline "must not depart to any appreciable extent from the general direction of the coast." "China has drawn a straight baseline from its coast to a couple of offshore islands to illegally expand its territorial sea," Powell said. "UNCLOS does not allow drawing straight baselines except in extreme circumstances, such as the complex fjords of Norway. This is not one of those special cases." According to UNCLOS, any waters inside the baseline are considered internal waters of a coastal state and unapproved passage of foreign vessels or aircraft is not allowed. "The new baseline turns a significant area into China's closed waters. Qiongzhou Strait [the strait between Hainan island and the Chinese mainland] is now wholly China's internal waters," said Viet. "It affects the freedom of navigation of foreign vessels." He added that China could cite this as a precedent to claim the Taiwan Strait as internal waters. Powell predicted that Beijing's new claim "may someday" draw a U.S. Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP), in which a warship will enter an unrecognized claim and either transit without notification or conduct military activity. The United States "challenges excessive maritime claims around the world regardless of the identity of the claimant," according to the U.S. Navy press office.   Most FONOPs in the region have been confined to the South China Sea to challenge Beijing's territorial claims.

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London — A U.K.-based journalist for independent Iranian media who was attacked outside his London home, prompting a counterterrorism police probe, is "doing very well," his news channel said Saturday.   Pouria Zeraati, a presenter for Persian-language outlet Iran International was in stable condition, the channel's spokesman Adam Baillie said.   “He's doing very well actually. He's in the hospital recovering from the attack," Baillie told BBC radio, calling Friday's attack "a shocking, shocking incident whatever the outcome of (the) investigation reveals." London's Metropolitan Police has said its counterterrorism unit is investigating the stabbing, given previous hostile threats by Iran against perceived opponents in Britain.   The force said the motive was unclear and officers were keeping "an open mind," but that "the victim's occupation as a journalist at a Persian-language media organization based in the U.K." was being considered. Iran's charge d'affaires in the U.K., Mehdi Hosseini Matin said Saturday that Tehran "denied any link" to the incident.   Zeraati, in his 30s, sustained injuries to his leg in the mid-afternoon attack outside his home in Wimbledon, southwest London.   Announcing the incident on social media, Iran International noted it came after Tehran was implicated in a plot to kill two of its television anchors in 2022.   Baillie said the channel's journalists and their families and others had been repeatedly targeted and threatened by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). "Along with our colleagues at BBC Persian, Iran International has been under threat, very heavy threats, for the last 18 months since the IRGC said, 'We're coming for you,’" he added. Baillie said the paramilitary security force gets "in touch through proxies" and its tactics include taking in relatives in Iran for questioning and threatening.   "The scale of that has increased dramatically over the last few months. And the scale and the type of questioning is more aggressive," he added. The Met has disrupted what it has called plots in the U.K. to kidnap or even kill British or Britain-based individuals perceived as enemies of Tehran. An Austrian national was convicted last December of spying for a group that may have been preparing to attack Iran International.   The Iranian government has declared the outlet a terrorist organization after it reported on protests sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. She died in 2022 after her arrest in Tehran for an alleged breach of the Islamic republic's strict dress code for women.    The U.K. government last year unveiled a tougher sanctions regime against Iran over alleged human rights violations and hostile actions against its opponents on U.K. soil.

Quito, Ecuador — Armed gunmen attacked a group of people in Ecuador 's coastal city of Guayaquil, killing eight people and injuring eight others, the interior ministry said, the latest in a string of violent incidents in the South American country. At around 7 p.m. local time on Saturday, armed men arrived in a vehicle in the southern neighborhood of Guasmo, witnesses said. They shot at a group of people, killing two of them. Six others later died in a health center due to the "seriousness of the wounds," the ministry told journalists. No group immediately claimed responsibility. It was the second mass killing in as many days. On Friday, five people who had been kidnapped were killed execution style in the coastal province of Manabi by an armed gang. Police said there were signs the victims were tourists mistakenly caught up in a local drug-trafficking dispute. They didn't elaborate. In that incident, an armed group had kidnapped a total of 11 people. Police said the other six, including five minors, were rescued and handed over to their families. Two suspects were arrested on Saturday morning, according to police. The killings in Manabi "remind us that the battle continues," said Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa on the social media network X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday. "Narcoterrorism and its allies are looking for spaces to scare us, but they will not succeed," Noboa said. His post contained a video of a man handcuffed and bent over, being led away forcefully by an armed police officer. Ecuador was once considered a bastion of peace in Latin America, but in recent years has seen a surge in violent attacks. In January, Noboa declared a state of emergency, which provides for permanent operations by a security force made up of police and military. In addition, a five-hour curfew is in force in high-incidence areas such as Guayaquil. On March 24, the 27-year-old mayor of a small town — also in the province of Manabi — was killed along with her collaborator. Brigitte Garcia and Jairo Loor were found inside a vehicle with gunshot wounds. On Thursday, a riot in a Guayaquil prison under military and police control left three inmates dead and four injured. Ecuador surpassed a rate of 40 violent deaths per 100,000 inhabitants at the end of 2023, one of the highest in the region, according to police.

Lima, Peru — Peru's prosecutor's office on Sunday ordered President Dina Boluarte to present any Rolex watches in her possession, after a raid on her home and office as part of a corruption probe.   Boluarte, 61, is being investigated for alleged illegal enrichment and failing to declare several luxury watches which she has been spotted wearing since coming to power in 2022, following her predecessor's arrest.   "The president of the republic has been formally summoned to exhibit the Rolex watches," when she gives her sworn statement on April 5, the prosecutor's office said. The statement from the prosecutor's office said that officers had not found the luxury watches during a dawn raid on Saturday, in which agents were shown breaking down the door of Boluarte's home in dramatic television footage. However, it said, "Other elements of interest for the investigation were obtained." Local media indicated that documents were found showing when one of the watches was obtained. Boluarte's lawyer, Mateo Castaneda, told journalists on Saturday that police had found some watches during their operation. "They did not take them away. They were noted and photographed. There were around 10, and among them were some nice ones, but I cannot say if they were Rolex," Castaneda told radio station RPP. In response to the summons, Boluarte on Sunday requested to have her "investigative statement taken immediately, in order to clarify the facts under investigation as soon as possible" and not on April 5 as planned. In the statement released through her attorney, she said the request was due to "the political turbulence that has been occurring."   She did not confirm whether she would comply with the request to present the Rolex watches. The raid came after prosecutors refused Boluarte's request for more time to respond to a subpoena demanding she furnish proof of purchase for her watches.   Prosecutors also want to know if she has reported the Rolex watches on her income statements. Boluarte came to power in December 2022 after then-President Pedro Castillo tried to dissolve Congress and rule by decree, leading to his arrest and violent protests demanding she step down, and that fresh elections be held. She is also facing a constitutional complaint over a crackdown on those protests which led to the deaths of more than 50 people. Boluarte, whose approval ratings hover around 10%, said Saturday the raids were "an attack on democracy and the state of government, generating political, social and economic instability." In an address to the nation, she criticized the raids as "arbitrary, disproportionate and abusive." She has previously said that the watches were the product of working hard since she was 18 years old. If she is indicted in the case, a trial could not take place until after her term ends in July 2026 or she is impeached, according to the constitution.   Congress potentially could seek her dismissal on grounds of "moral incapacity," but that would require the unlikely cooperation of the right-leaning groups that control the parliament -- and are Boluarte's main support -- with their left-wing rivals.

Jersusalem — Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered outside the parliament building in Jerusalem on Sunday in the largest anti-government demonstration since the country went to war in October. They urged the government to reach a cease-fire deal to free dozens of hostages held by the Hamas militant group in Gaza and to hold early elections. Israeli society was broadly united immediately after Oct. 7, when Hamas killed some 1,200 people during a cross-border attack and took 250 others hostage. Nearly six months of conflict have renewed divisions, though the country remains largely in favor of the war. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas and bring all the hostages home, yet those goals have been elusive. While Hamas has suffered heavy losses, it remains intact. Roughly half the hostages in Gaza were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November. But repeated attempts by international mediators to broker another cease-fire deal to bring home the remaining hostages have failed. Hostages' families believe time is running out. "After six months, it seems like the government understands that Bibi Netanyahu is an obstacle," said demonstrator Einav Moses, whose father-in-law, Gadi Moses, is held hostage. "Like he doesn't really want to bring them back, that they have failed in this mission." The crowd stretched for blocks around the Knesset, or parliament building, and organizers vowed to continue the demonstration for several days. They urged the government to hold new elections nearly two years ahead of schedule. Thousands also demonstrated in Tel Aviv. Netanyahu, in a nationally televised speech before undergoing hernia surgery later Sunday, said he understood the families' pain. But he said calling new elections — in what he described as a moment before victory — would paralyze Israel for six to eight months and paralyze the hostage talks. Netanyahu's governing coalition appears to remain firmly intact, and even if he were ousted, top rival Benny Gantz is a war Cabinet member and likely would continue many of his policies. Netanyahu also repeated his vow for a military ground offensive in Rafah, the southern Gaza city where more than half of territory's population of 2.3 million now shelters after fleeing fighting elsewhere. "There is no victory without going into Rafah," he said, adding that U.S. pressure would not deter him. Israel's military says Hamas battalions remain there. In another reminder of Israel's divisions, a group of reservists and retired officers demonstrated in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood. Ultra-Orthodox men for generations have received exemptions from military service, which is compulsory for most Jewish men and women. Resentment over that has deepened during the war. Netanyahu's government has been ordered to present a new plan for a more equitable draft law by Monday. Netanyahu, who relies heavily on the support of ultra-Orthodox parties, last week asked for an extension. "There is a need to promote equality. This can be done with hammers, but it won't work," he said. Gaza's death toll nears 33,000 as hunger grows The United Nations and partners warn that famine could occur in devastated, largely isolated northern Gaza. Humanitarian officials say deliveries by sea and air are not enough and that Israel must allow far more aid by road. Egypt has said thousands of trucks are waiting. The head of the World Food Program, Cindy McCain, told CBS it was able to get just nine trucks into Gaza on Thursday. "That's nothing. We just cannot continue this way," she said. "People are going to die otherwise, and they already are dying." Gaza's health ministry said Sunday that at least 32,782 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war. The ministry's count does not differentiate between civilians and fighters, but it has said that women and children make up around two-thirds of those killed. Israel says more than one-third of the dead are militants, although it has not provided evidence, and it blames Hamas for civilian casualties because the group operates in residential areas. The United States, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to broker another cease-fire. Talks resumed in Cairo on Sunday with little expectation of any breakthrough. Hamas wants any such agreement to lead to an end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. Netanyahu has rejected those demands and says Israel will keep fighting until it has destroyed Hamas' military and governing capabilities. Amid concerns about a wider conflict in the region, Lebanese state media reported that an Israeli drone struck a car in the southern Lebanese town of Konin. A Lebanese security official told The Associated Press that Hezbollah militant Ismail al-Zain was killed, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Israel's military called al-Zain a "significant commander" in Hezbollah's elite Radwan Forces' anti-tank unit, which has conducted strikes into northern Israel. Hezbollah confirmed the death. Israeli airstrike Also Sunday, an Israeli airstrike hit a tent camp in the courtyard of a crowded hospital in central Gaza, killing two Palestinians and wounding another 15, including journalists working nearby. An Associated Press reporter filmed the strike and aftermath at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, where thousands of people have sheltered. The Israeli military said it struck a command center of the Islamic Jihad militant group. Tens of thousands of people have sought shelter in Gaza's hospitals, viewing them as relatively safe from airstrikes. Israel accuses Hamas and other militants of operating in and around medical facilities, which Gaza's health officials deny. Only a third of Gaza's hospitals is even partially functioning. Doctors say they are often forced to operate without anesthetic and other crucial supplies. Those wounded in Sunday's strike lay on Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital floor and gasped while being treated, one clutching at the underside of a stretcher that held someone else. Israeli troops have been raiding Shifa Hospital, Gaza's largest, for nearly two weeks and say they have killed scores of fighters, including senior Hamas operatives. Gaza's health ministry said more than 100 patients remain with no potable water and septic wounds, while doctors use plastic bags for gloves. Not far from Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, dozens of Palestinian Christians gathered at the Holy Family Church to celebrate Easter, with incense wafting through the rare building that appeared untouched by war. "We are here with sadness," attendee Winnie Tarazi said. About 600 people shelter in the compound. Israel is carrying out one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history.

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Los Angeles — The Godzilla-King Kong combo stomped on expectations as “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” roared to an $80 million opening on 3,861 North American screens, according to Sunday studio estimates.   The monster mash-up from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures starring Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry brought the second-highest opening in what has been a robust year, falling just short of the $81.5 million debut of “Dune: Part 2.”  Projections had put the opening weekend of “Godzilla x Kong: Frozen Empire” at closer to $50 million.   Last week's No. 1 at the box office, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” was second with $15.7 million for a two-week total of $73.4 million.   “Dune: Part Two” stayed strong in its fifth week, falling in the third spot with an $11.1 million take and a domestic total of $252.4 million.   The last matchup of the two monsters from Warner Bros. and Legendary, 2021's “Godzilla vs. Kong,” had a much smaller opening weekend of $48.5 million, but that was a huge number for a film slowed by the coronavirus pandemic and released simultaneously on HBO Max.   The newer film had the second biggest opening of the studios' broader MonsterVerse franchise. “Godzilla” brought in $93.2 million in 2014.   Estimated ticket sales are for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters,   according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.   1. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” $80 million. 2. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” $15.7 million. 3. “Dune: Part Two,” $11.1 million. 4. “Kung Fu Panda 4,” $10.2. million. 5. “Immaculate,” $3.3 million. 6. “Arthur the King,” $2.4 million. 7. “Late Night With the Devil,” $2.2 million. 8. “Tillu Square,” $1.8 million. 9. “Crew,” $1.5 million. 10. “Imaginary,” $1.4 million.

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SOFIA, Bulgaria — Romania and Bulgaria partially joined Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone Sunday, marking a new step in the two countries’ integration with the European Union. After years of negotiations to join the Schengen area, there is now free access for travelers arriving by air or sea from both countries. However, land border checks will remain in place due to opposition primarily from Austria which has long blocked their bid over illegal migration concerns. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the change as a “huge success for both countries” and a “historic moment” for what is the world’s largest free travel zone. The Schengen Area was established in 1985. Before Bulgaria’s and Romania’s admission, it was comprised of 23 of the 27 EU member countries, along with Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Around 3.5 million people cross an internal border each day. Austria vetoed Romania and Bulgaria’s admission into the Schengen zone at the end of 2022 but allowed Croatia full accession. Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU in 2007 and Croatia in 2013. Siegfried Muresan, a Romanian Member of the European Parliament, told The Associated Press that it is “an important first step” that will benefit millions of travelers annually. “Bulgaria and Romania have been fulfilling all criteria for joining the Schengen area for years — we are entitled to join with the terrestrial border as well,” he said, adding that it “will offer additional arguments to the last EU member state that has been vetoing the full accession.” Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu called it a “well-deserved achievement” for Romania that he said will benefit citizens who can travel more easily and will bolster the economy. “We have a clear and firmly assumed government plan for full accession to the Schengen Area by the end of the year,” he said. The EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, has said for more than a decade that Romania and Bulgaria both meet the technical criteria for full accession, which requires unanimous support from their partners. Both countries have agreed to implement random security screening at airports and maritime borders to combat illegal migration and cross-border crime. “Bulgaria’s full accession to Schengen will happen by the end of 2024,” Kalin Stoyanov, Bulgaria's interior minister, told reporters Sunday. “We showed and continue to show to illegal migrants that they should not take the road to Europe through Bulgaria." The lifting of border control is expected to facilitate operations at Bulgaria’s four international airports, which in 2023 saw nearly 11 million passengers, according to official data. The airport in the capital, Sofia, serves as the biggest hub for Schengen flights which constitute 70% of all flights, airport representatives said. While the eased regulations are expected to positively impact the tourism sector, members of the European Parliament have voiced concerns about long queues at the EU’s land borders and the impact it can have on trade in the bloc’s single market, as well as the health and safety of drivers. Truck drivers are frequently stuck in kilometers-long (miles-long) queues at the borders of both Romania and Bulgaria. The Union of International Carriers in Bulgaria estimates delays cost the sector tens of millions of euros each year.

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Pope Francis calls for an immediate cease-fire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. This as Christians around the world celebrate Easter Sunday, and relief teams struggle to deliver aid to besieged Palestinian territories. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has more.

Ankara — Turkey's main opposition party appeared set to retain its control over key cities in Sunday's local elections, preliminary results showed, in a major upset to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had set his sights on retaking control of those urban areas. With some 20% of the votes counted, incumbent mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, of the Republican People's Party, or CHP, was leading in Istanbul, Turkey's largest city and economic hub — according to state broadcaster TRT. Mayor Mansur Yavas, the mayor of the capital Ankara, also appeared poised to retain his seat with a comfortable majority, the results indicated.  The CHP appeared to be leading in 35 of Turkey's 81 provinces, according to the preliminary results reported by TRT.  The vote was seen as barometer of President Erdogan's popularity as he sought to win back control of key urban areas he lost to the opposition in elections five years ago. The CHP's victory in Ankara and Istanbul in 2019, had shattered Erdogan's aura of invincibility.  The main battleground for the 70-year-old Turkish president was Istanbul, a city of 16 million people where he was born and raised and where he began his political career as mayor in 1994.  A strong showing for Erdogan's ruling Islamic-oriented Justice and Development Party, or AKP, would likely harden his resolve to usher in a new constitution — one that would reflect his conservative values and allow him to rule beyond 2028 when his current term ends, analysts say.  For the opposition — divided and demoralized after a defeat in last year's presidential and parliamentary elections — keeping Istanbul and Ankara would be a major boost and help remobilize supporters.  Some 61 million people, including more than a million first-time voters, were eligible to cast ballots for all metropolitan municipalities, town and district mayorships as well as neighborhood administrations.  Turnout is traditionally high in Turkey, but this time the vote comes against the backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis. Observers said disillusioned opposition supporters could opt to stay home, doubting that the election will change things. Governing party supporters, meanwhile, could also choose not to go to the polls in protest at the economic downturn that has left many struggling to pay for food, utilities and rent.  Some 594,000 security personnel were on duty across the country to ensure the vote goes smoothly. Nevertheless, one person was killed and eleven others were hurt in the city of Diyarbakir where a dispute over the election of a neighborhood administrator turned violent, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. At least six people were also injured in fighting that erupted in the nearby province of Sanliurfa.  "According to the data we have obtained, it seems our citizens' trust in us, their faith in us has paid off," Imamoglu said of the early results.  Polls had pointed to a close race between Istanbul's incumbent mayor, Imamoglu, and the AKP's candidate Murat Kurum, a former urbanization and environment minister.  Imamoglu — a popular figure touted as a possible future challenger to Erdogan — ran without the support of some of the parties that helped him to victory in 2019.  Both the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party and the nationalist IYI Party fielded their own candidates in the race.  A six-party opposition alliance led by CHP disintegrated after it failed to oust Erdogan in last year's election, unable to capitalize on the economic crisis and the government's initially poor response to last year's devastating earthquake that killed more than 53,000 people.  Hamish Kinnear, a senior Middle East and North Africa analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, said that if Imamoglu hangs on in Istanbul, "he will be well placed to unify the fractious opposition and launch a bid for the presidency in 2028."  However, losing Istanbul would deal a significant blow to both Imamoglu and the opposition, Kinnear said.  Meanwhile, a new religious-conservative party, the New Welfare Party, or YRP, is appealing to voters who have been disillusioned with Erdogan's handling of the economy and was expected to draw some votes away from his candidates.  In Turkey's mainly Kurdish-populated southeast, the DEM Party was poised to win many of the municipalities but it's unclear whether it would be allowed to retain them. In previous years, Erdogan's government removed elected pro-Kurdish mayors from office for alleged links to Kurdish militants and replaced them with state-appointed trustees.  Erdogan, who has presided over Turkey for more than two decades — as prime minister since 2003 and president since 2014 — has been advocating a new constitution that would put family values at the forefront. He does not have sufficient votes to enact a new constitution now, but a strong showing could allow him to woo some conservative, nationalist or Islamic legislators from the opposition camp for a needed two-thirds majority.  Berk Esen, an associate professor of political sciences at Istanbul's Sabanci University, said Erdogan is pushing for a new constitution "more conservative than the current version" to expand and define his legacy.  This is where the local elections come in.  "This would be a big opportunity for Erdogan to leave his political imprint," Esen said.

 Port-au-Prince, Washington     — YouTube influencer Addison Pierre Maalouf blames “corrupt policemen” of Haiti’s National Police force, PNH, for the ambush that led to his capture by the 400 Mawozo gang. “We had confirmed an interview with Barbecue [Jimmy Cherizier, leader of the G9 gang alliance], Barbecue had approved us, and we had safe passage until a group of corrupt security set us up – corrupt police officers in the country set us up and set up an ambush on us to kidnap us,” Maalouf told VOA. VOA Creole was unable to confirm this allegation. Lanmo Sanjou, leader of the 400 Mawozo gang, held Maalouf and his fixer, Haitian Jean Sacra Sean Roubens for 17 days before releasing them Saturday. The YouTuber says he paid about $50,000 for his release. He said the gang promised to give him back his laptop, equipment and camera they seized, but only relinquished his camera — after removing the SD card — before letting him go. Maalouf has a popular YouTube channel under the name “YourFellowArab” and has made a name for himself by traveling to dangerous countries where he interviews influencers. Maalouf describes himself as “an adventurer who likes danger.” He has 1.44 million subscribers. “You know I came to this country [Haiti] because I wanted to give a voice to someone who’s leading an insurrection in this country against a very, very corrupt government,” he told VOA. The YouTuber decried the corruption he witnessed during his time in Haiti where he says his car was stopped on the street multiple times and asked for “bribes” by “corrupt police officers” whom he alleged were working with the gangs. Fixer Roubens, who has worked with international media such as CNN, ABC and CBS news, accompanied the YouTuber. Roubens described his time in captivity as “the worst moment of my life.” “In my 20-year career as a journalist, this is the worst moment of my life. I can’t say I was beaten by the kidnappers, but it was the worst moment for me,” he said. Roubens said a gang member brandished an M16 rifle as well as a shotgun. “The guy took out the charger, filled it with bullets and put it back in the gun and he led me to believe if I didn’t give him my weapon and anything else I had on me or prove that I’m not carrying any weapons he’d unload the gun on me,” Roubens said. He said he was fearful at that moment because although it is something he prepares for in his work as a journalist in Haiti, this was the first time he was kidnapped with a client. Roubens said the experience also saddened him. “It hurt [my heart] to see kids 12 years old, 13 years old, I’m older than they are. The gangs are recruiting these kids on the street. These are kids the Haitian government should be supporting, providing them with schooling so they can learn and be educated but instead they are in the streets and here’s what they are holding [guns],” Roubens said. A recent United Nations report said over 1,500 people in Haiti have died due to gang violence since the beginning of 2024. Hundreds of thousands of others have fled their homes and are living on the street. U.N. agencies and the World Health Organization have expressed alarm over the worsening humanitarian and security situation in Haiti as gangs continue to battle the national police force and each other to control more territory. It is estimated that gangs control over 80% of Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince as well as cities in the north and south. YouTuber Maalouf told VOA before his kidnapping, he had spent time enjoying the seaside in Cap Haitien, Haiti’s second largest city, located in the north. He also visited islands off the northern coast, before hitting the road to interview gang leader Barbecue. “I want to talk so badly about Haiti, but it would be unfair to the people of Haiti if I said that what all these gang members do [committing crimes against foreigners] is what all the Haitian people do,” Maalouf told VOA. “My experience in Haiti has been horrible because I was kidnapped. But I believe Haiti has beautiful things to offer,” he added. Barbecue is one of the gang leaders targeted by U.N. and U.S. sanctions citing rampant human rights abuses including the rape of women and children as well as kidnappings. In February he announced a new gang alliance called “Viv Ansanm” (Live Together) alliance and told journalists their goal was to oust Prime Minister Ariel Henry from power and launch a “revolution” to uproot and eliminate the country’s corrupt politicians. A gang takeover of the areas surrounding the international airport in the capital forced the government to declare a state of emergency and cancel all flights in and out of Port-au-Prince. The prime minister was subsequently unable to return home from official visits to Guyana and Kenya. His private plane was forced to land in Puerto Rico. He announced on March 12 that he would resign after a Transitional Presidential Council to lead the country and organize new elections was up and running. That has still not happened after weeks of political infighting, death threats and the resignations of several council members. The plan for a transitional council was agreed upon by Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders, Haiti opposition groups, civil society and diaspora representatives in the Jamaican capital, Kingston. The Haitians participated via videoconference, unable to travel because of the closure of Port-au-Prince’s international airport. Under the plan, six people representing various Haitian political coalitions will be on the transitional council, along with a seventh from the private sector. The seven will be voting members. There will also be two nonvoting members — one from civil society and one from the interfaith community — according to CARICOM. The council will select an interim prime minister and prepare to hold the next presidential elections. Maalouf traveled to Haiti from the U.S. at a time when the State Department’s travel advisory for the country is at Level 4: Do Not Travel. The United States has recently beefed-up security at its embassy in the capital, evacuating nonessential employees and ushering in a new group of U.S. Marine Fleet anti-terrorism security team members. The United States, Canada and France have also organized charter flights to transport their citizens out of Haiti citing worsening security and gang violence. A State Department spokesperson told reporters the U.S. has facilitated the departure of over 230 U.S. citizens since March 17. Nike Ching, VOA State Department Correspondent, contributed to this report.

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Baltimore, Maryland — The crumpled Baltimore bridge was being cut up in preparation for its removal, Maryland's governor said Sunday, promising "progress" was being made after it was destroyed by an out-of-control ship. Demolition crews using blow torches sliced through the top part of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed when the Dali cargo vessel lost power and struck it on Tuesday, killing six people. "Progress is beginning to happen despite the fact that it's an incredibly complicated situation," said Maryland Governor Wes Moore, adding that weather conditions and debris in the water meant divers were unable to assist with the recovery operation. "We now do have cranes, the Chesapeake 1,000, which has a capacity of lifting a thousand pounds," Moore told CNN on Sunday. "[Workers have] begun to cut up the remnants of the bridge that we can then prepare for removal." Video footage shared Saturday by the Unified Command — the overall response team that includes the U.S. Coast Guard — showed sparks flying as crews suspended in cages cut through an upper section of the steel structure. The Unified Command said the wreckage will lifted away and processed at a Baltimore shipping site before being taken to a disposal site. Moore said the recovery would be a "long road," adding: "This is a very complex operation, but movement is happening." The difficult conditions have hampered efforts to recover the bodies of the six road workers — all Latino immigrants — who died when the bridge collapsed, with just two bodies recovered so far. Shipping in and out of Baltimore — one of the United States' busiest ports — has been halted, with the waterway impassable due to the sprawling wreckage. Moore told MSNBC on Sunday that his priorities were recovering the victims' bodies before reopening the channel. "It's impacting the nation's economy. It's the largest port for new cars, heavy trucks, agricultural equipment. It's impacting people all over the country," he said. The ship veered towards the bridge due to power trouble, with the pilot issuing a Mayday call that allowed some road traffic to be stopped just before the collision at 1:30am after which the structure collapsed in seconds. "It takes a lot to make sure that it can be dismantled safely, to make sure that the vessel stays where it is supposed to be and doesn't swing out into the channel," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told "Face the Nation" on CBS.

Tokyo — Japan said Sunday its experts have held talks with their Chinese counterparts to try to assuage Beijing’s concerns over the discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea.  The discharges have been opposed by fishing groups and neighboring countries especially China, which banned all imports of Japanese seafood. China’s move has largely affected Japanese scallop growers and exporters to China.  During the talks held Saturday in the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian, Japanese officials provided “science-based” explanation of how the discharges have been safely carried out as planned, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.  A 2011 earthquake and tsunami damaged the Fukushima plant’s power supply and reactor cooling functions, triggering meltdowns of three reactors and causing large amounts of radioactive wastewater to accumulate. After more than a decade of storage in tanks taking up much space on the complex, the plant began discharging the water after treating it at least once and diluting it with seawater on Aug. 24, starting a process that’s expected to take decades.  Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping — at their summit meeting in November — agreed to hold scientific talks by experts, and the countries have since held several informal meetings. Sunday’s statement from the Japanese Foreign Ministry was its first public acknowledgement of the talks.  The experts exchanged views on “technical matters” involving the discharges, the ministry official said on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. While stressing the importance of transparency, the official declined to give any other details, including what the Chinese side said and whether their differences have been narrowed.  The meeting comes just after the International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Mariano Grossi’s visit to the plant in mid-March confirming that the ongoing discharges have been safely carried out as planned.