Gaza ceasefire remains fragile; LA declares emergency over ICE raids
Despite a signed peace deal, unrest persists in the streets of Gaza. From Hamas disarming to humanitarian aid not being permitted through, there are still big questions unresolved.
Plus, President Donald Trump praised a blast off the coast of Venezuela as another blow to drug trafficking in the Caribbean and what he calls a designated terrorist organization route.
And Los Angeles declared a state of emergency, but not for a natural disaster. The move pits the local government against the feds when it comes to immigration enforcement.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025.
Gaza ceasefire fragile as Hamas fails to return hostages’ remains
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains fragile as Israel threatens to cut aid deliveries to Gaza in half. This comes as Hamas has not yet returned the remains of all the hostages who died in their custody.
Meanwhile, Hamas security forces have returned to the streets of Gaza in a show of force.
While Hamas sent back the remains of four more hostages to Israel on Tuesday, Israel claimed the terror group is not upholding its end of the peace deal. The deal calls for Hamas to return the remains of all 28 deceased hostages, alongside the 20 still living.
So far, it has only returned a total of eight deceased.
As a result, Israel said that starting Wednesday, it will only allow half the agreed number of humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza.
The United Nations also confirmed that it has been notified that no fuel or gas will be allowed into the enclave, except for specific needs related to infrastructure.
This comes as Hamas security forces have reportedly clashed with armed groups and publicly executed people, in what it calls an attempt to restore law and order in areas where Israeli troops have withdrawn.
That show of force could threaten the fragile peace agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintained the war won’t end until Hamas is dismantled.
President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan calls for Hamas to disarm and let an internationally supervised body that has yet to be formed take over in Gaza.
“We have told them we want disarm and they will disarm. And if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them,” Trump said. “And it’ll happen quickly and perhaps violently.”
Hamas has not yet accepted those terms, stating that further negotiations are needed.
Netanyahu told CBS News on Tuesday that if Hamas does not disarm, “All hell breaks loose.”
6 killed in US strike on boat off the coast of Venezuela
The U.S. military has conducted another strike on a boat it says was trafficking drugs off the coast of Venezuela.
Trump posted the strike video on Truth Social, saying six “narco-terrorists” were killed in “a lethal, kinetic strike.”
He also said the boat was “affiliated with a designated terrorist organization,” but did not name which one.
The strike marks the fifth deadly strike in the Caribbean.
It comes as the Trump administration has declared the U.S. is in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels.
Venezuela has accused the government of hidden motives. This involves trying to oust President Nicolás Maduro to gain control of the country’s natural resources.
Los Angeles County declares state of emergency over ICE raids
The political controversy over the Trump administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on suspected illegal immigrants in Los Angeles is now leading to new action at the local level.
Los Angeles County has declared a state of emergency over the federal presence and the fallout from the feds’ rounding up thousands of migrants.
The move enables the county to assist immigrants who have been financially impacted by the ICE raids.
Los Angeles is a so-called sanctuary city, with the county home to more than 3 million immigrants, who are now dealing with what advocates deem a widespread fear.
The county said that fear has led to decreased attendance at workplaces, disruption to the local economy, and a strain on schools, hospitals and churches.
In June, fiery protests in Los Angeles prompted Trump to activate the National Guard against California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass’s wishes. The matter wound up in court.
There have been more than 5,000 ICE and Border Patrol arrests in Los Angeles since June. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem marked the milestone in August, saying, “Families protected, American taxpayers spared the cost of crimes … If you are here illegally, we will find you, arrest you and send you back.”
US, China now charging each other port fees amid trade battle
The latest back-and-forth between the U.S. and China in the ongoing trade battle concerns port fees.
On Tuesday, both countries began charging each other additional levies on products from toys to crude oil as the two countries continue to posture on tariffs, trade and fees.
China claimed it has started collecting the special charges on American-owned and operated flagged ships, but Chinese-built ships are exempt.
That followed the Trump administration’s plans to impose fees on ships with ties to China, aiming to boost domestic shipbuilding in the U.S.
All of this follows a weekend filled with rhetoric and trade threats.
On his Truth Social platform on Friday, Trump accused China of exerting an “extraordinarily aggressive position” in controlling its exports, mainly of rare earth magnets and minerals.
Trump vowed to retaliate with a blanket 100% tariff on Chinese products on Nov. 1.
By Monday, Trump had reversed course, saying, “Don’t worry about China; it will all be fine!”
New U.S. tariffs, ranging from 10% to 50%, went into effect this week on imports of furniture, kitchen cabinets and lumber. On Wednesday morning, Trump threatened to end all cooking oil purchases from China because the Chinese are no longer buying American soybeans.
Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are slated to meet later this month at the APEC summit in South Korea.
Grammy award-winning singer D’Angelo dead at 51
R&B icon and neo-soul pioneer D’Angelo died Tuesday at 51 years old after a fight with pancreatic cancer, according to a statement from his family.
While the four-time Grammy winner is most widely known for the song “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” and its accompanying music video, D’Angelo’s work as a whole embraced a more stripped-down style of music that began the neo-soul movement.
D’Angelo’s unique sound combined old-school soul vocals and instrumentals with modern R&B beats. His lyrics touched on major social topics, similar to those of ‘60s and ‘70s soul stars.
Mega star Justin Timberlake is among those mourning the loss of D’Angelo and paying tribute. He credited D’Angelo with helping him define his own voice, pointing to “Brown Sugar” as pivotal in guiding Timberlake’s unique sound.
1,900-year-old Roman tablet found among weeds in New Orleans backyard
A Louisiana woman was clearing up some overgrowth when she uncovered a marble tablet with the mysterious inscription “spirits of the dead” on it.
It turned out to be the 1,900-year-old grave marker of a Roman sailor named Sextus Congenius Verus.
So how did it end up in New Orleans? The woman learned the tablet had been missing from an Italian museum for decades.
A U.S. soldier from New Orleans who served in Italy during World War II had apparently taken the tablet when the museum was destroyed by Allied bombing.
It was passed down to his granddaughter, who used to own the house where the tablet was found. She said she used it as a garden decoration and forgot about it.
Now, the FBI is in talks with Italian authorities to return the tablet to its rightful home.
More from Straight Arrow News:
Bilt partners with mortgage firm to give ‘points’ for paying off house loan
Bilt, a company that offers rewards for paying rent in select neighborhoods, is partnering with mortgage lender United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) to provide perks typically reserved for credit cards, specifically for mortgage payments. They say this partnership will make the process of getting and managing a mortgage better and more modern — not just when you buy a home but throughout your time owning it.
Bilt offers a loyalty rewards program that allows users to earn points, including on rent. Homeowners with a mortgage through UWM will soon be able to participate in a rewards program that allows them to earn Bilt Points when they pay their mortgage on time, along with other perks. Read the full story now >
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
