AP roundup: investigations expose U.S. agency abuses, rising bills and global crises

A wide-ranging Associated Press compilation reports several major domestic and international developments. In the U.S., electricity bills have climbed despite presidential promises of cuts, pushing some West Virginians’ utility costs above rent and mortgage payments and highlighting the state’s dependence on coal-fired power. AP reviews and investigations detail misconduct and safety concerns across federal agencies and industry: at least two dozen ICE employees and contractors have faced criminal charges since 2020 for abuses including physical and sexual misconduct and corruption; ICE has continued using the full-body WRAP restraint during deportations despite safety worries; and the U.S. Border Patrol has run a secret program tracking millions of American drivers to flag “suspicious” travel. Separately, an examination of the Clairton Coke Works blast raised questions about management investment decisions and lingering safety and pollution risks at a high-pressure steel plant.

Internationally, AP reporting documents deadly consequences tied to U.S. actions and broader geopolitical developments. More than 60 people have been killed since U.S. strikes on boats accused of drug smuggling began in September along Venezuela’s coast, and a veteran U.S. agent allegedly attempted to recruit Venezuela’s leader’s pilot into a plot to capture Nicolás Maduro. AP also obtained internal and classified records showing how U.S. companies helped design systems that undergird China’s digital surveillance; reported on U.S. aid cuts blamed by families in Myanmar for costing lives; and published accounts that American contractors guarding Gaza aid sites used live ammunition and stun grenades as crowds scrambled for food. The roundup also includes investigations and feature stories on topics from anti-science state legislation and evolving land rights in Mexico to cultural and entertainment profiles. as reported by AP News

This story has also been reported by: Enab Baladi