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Guatemala ends emergency powers after a monthlong crackdown sparked by 10 police killings

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemala lifted its state of emergency Monday, one month after President Bernardo Arévalo sought special powers following the killing of 10 police officers by suspected gang members.

The measure had restricted some constitutional rights, allowing authorities to do things like make arrests without a warrant issued by a judge. That will not be allowed under less restrictive measures scheduled to take effect Tuesday, but Arévalo has not detailed exactly what those will be.

The new measures would not require congressional approval or renewal.

Arévalo said Sunday that 83 gang members had been arrested during the state of emergency and that homicides and reports of extortion had fallen during the period compared with the same stretch a year earlier. He did not provide figures.

The brief state of emergency contrasts with extraordinary powers granted to El Salvador President Nayib Bukele to deal with gang violence that have been renewed monthly by that country’s Congress for nearly four years.

In January, gangs in Guatemala retaliated against police after authorities put down riots in three prisons.

Satellite images begin to show damage wrought by Iran war

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Satellite images are beginning to be released giving a glimpse into the toll of the Iran war, with ships ablaze in an Iranian port and destroyed buildings at American bases in the region. Information has so far been scarce about the damage being done across the Middle East, particularly when it’s inside closed military facilities, since the war started on Feb. 28. The images come from Planet Labs PBC, a San Francisco-based firm used by media outlets, including The Associated Press. Planet Labs has put a two-week delay on its imagery becoming public, citing concerns its imagery could be used by “adversarial actors.” High-resolution images also have been published by competing firms. Other providers, like the U.S. Geological Survey, have been publishing lower-resolution imagery as well that’s been useful.
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