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Welcome back. The heat wave here in London is thankfully nearing an end. But there’s more extreme heat forecast worldwide in the future — the UN warns the next five years could look even hotter. Also in the news today: Democratic members of Congress say there are dire conditions in a federal immigration detention center in New Jersey; the Trump administration tells prosecutors to stand down on criminal investigations of Venezuela’s acting president; and the recent West Coast chemical emergencies raise questions on the safety of industrial tanks. Also, a look at the giant inflatable artworks which have taken over The Hague.
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Protesters confront ICE agents outside the Delaney Hall detention center while demonstrating near the entrance gates, Wednesday, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
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Members of Congress visit federal immigration detention center in New Jersey amid reported hunger strike
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Several Democratic members of Congress said Wednesday they observed dire conditions within Delaney Hall in Newark where protesters have been demonstrating for days and asserting that detainees are on a hunger strike. Read more.
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- U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler, a Manhattan Democrat, said detainees at the center are being given small portions of food that “very often” contain maggots and that the only medication they receive is Tylenol. One woman, he said, had a lump in her breast but was still waiting on a mammogram more than a month into her detention. The facility has been a frequent flashpoint of protests and clashes between immigrant rights advocates and immigration enforcement officials.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, has denied any hunger strike, abuse or poor conditions inside the center and dismissed the criticisms as political posturing.
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AP Exclusive: Trump administration tells prosecutors to stand down on Venezuela leader, sources say
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The Trump administration has quietly instructed federal prosecutors in Miami to avoid pursuing criminal investigations into Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez, a longtime target of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, according to current and former U.S. law enforcement officials. Read more.
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It's the latest sign of warming relations between the White House and the oil-rich nation, as the Trump administration seeks to work with Rodríguez to stabilize Venezuela after Nicolás Maduro’s ouster and open the country to U.S. investment.
It’s unclear whether prosecutors had implicated Rodriguez in any crimes or whether investigators were moving toward an indictment. A Justice Department spokesperson said in an email “there was never an investigation into her to shut down.” But DEA records obtained by the AP earlier this year show she consistently surfaced on the radar of federal law enforcement dating to at least 2018, though she has never been criminally charged in the U.S. like several other senior Venezuelan officials. Rodríguez, a U.S. attorney representing her and the Venezuelan Communications Ministry didn’t respond to requests for comment.
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West Coast chemical emergencies raise questions about the safety of massive industrial tanks
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There are millions of chemical tanks around the U.S., and experts say it is exceedingly rare for them to fail. Yet this past week, there were two major hazardous chemical emergencies on the West Coast. Read more.
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2 people were killed and 9 are missing and presumed dead, after a Washington state paper mill tank ruptured on Tuesday. And late last week in Southern California, about 50,000 people were evacuated because of the threat of a chemical tank explosion. They have since been allowed to return. The incidents have raised questions about who is responsible for regulating companies that handle dangerous materials.
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A woman takes a selfie in front of an art installation at the BlowUp Jubilee Art walk in the Hague, Netherlands, May 21. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
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It’s been nearly two months since I’ve started waking up extra early to write the Morning Wire, and I’ve been loving it. Thanks for sticking with me and please let me know what you think of the newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Nadja
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It’s been nearly two months since I’ve started waking up extra early to write the Morning Wire, and I’ve been loving it. Thanks for sticking with me and please let me know what you think of the newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Nadja
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