Trump to outline DC crime plan, homeless removal today at White House: Unbiased Updates, Aug. 11, 2025
President Donald Trump threatens to clear homeless camps and send more federal law enforcement into Washington, D.C., ahead of a press conference at the White House on Monday morning.
In Gaza, a prominent Al Jazeera journalist is among seven people killed in an Israeli strike, as Prime Minister Netanyahu vows to expand the war into crowded refugee camps.
And in the Midwest, record rainfall has flooded streets, cut power to thousands, and forced the Wisconsin State Fair to cancel its final day.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, Aug. 11, 2025.
More troops, homeless removal part of Trump’s DC crime crackdown plan
President Donald Trump has promised a clean-up and crackdown in the nation’s capital. On Monday morning, Trump plans to hold a news conference regarding crime in Washington, D.C.
In a string of Truth Social posts on Sunday, the president called for removing homeless people “immediately” and moving them “far” from the city. He promised jail time for criminals and “no more MR. NICE GUY.”
The news comes after he ordered several hundred more federal agents into D.C. over the weekend, following the assault of a former DOGE staffer during an attempted carjacking.
Trump has even floated the idea of taking federal control of the city. Federal control is possible, but some legal experts said it would be difficult without Congress.
Washington, D.C., has one of the highest homicide rates among major cities in the U.S. It was the fourth highest in 2024.
But statistics show violent crime is down 26% so far compared to last year. In response to Trump’s portrayal of the city, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser pushed back.
“If the priority is to show force in an American city, we know he can do that here … But it won’t be because there’s a spike in crime,” Bowser said over the weekend.
The president’s news conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET at the White House.
Israel strike kills prominent Al Jazeera reporter, three others in Gaza
A deadly strike in Gaza has killed four Al Jazeera journalists, including one of the network’s most prominent voices. This comes as Israel prepares to expand its offensive.
Al Jazeera reported that Anas Al-Sharif, who spent nearly two years covering the war from inside Gaza, was targeted by Israeli forces while sheltering with other journalists near Al-Shifa hospital.
The Israeli military accused him of leading a Hamas cell, allegations he repeatedly denied.
Three other journalists were also killed. The network described it as a “desperate attempt to silence voices” ahead of Israel’s anticipated ground offensive.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined the push on Sunday. He said Israel will expand operations beyond Gaza City into the “central camps” sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians.
The move has drawn international condemnation abroad and fresh criticism from hostage families fearing for their loved ones.
“Contrary to false claims, this is the best way to end the war and the best way to end it speedily. We will do so by first enabling the civilian population to safely leave the combat areas to designated safe zones,” Netanyahu said. “In these safe zones, they’ll be given ample food, water and medical care, as we’ve done before.”
Netanyahu said he spoke with Trump on Sunday and thanked him for his steadfast support. This came as the U.N. Security Council held an emergency session. In the session, the U.S. defended Israel, but other nations warned that the plan would only bring more bloodshed.
The war has now entered its 22nd month, with over 60,000 Palestinians killed, according to Gaza health officials.
Officials believe Hamas still has thousands of fighters.
Suspected CDC shooter blamed COVID vaccine for depression
Police have offered more information about the man they said opened fire at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention campus on Friday, Aug. 8, killing a police officer.
Investigators identified the suspect as 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White. According to law enforcement, White claimed the COVID-19 vaccine made him sick and depressed. However, officials haven’t confirmed whether that was White’s motive, and the shooting remains under investigation.
Police said White attempted to enter the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, but guards stopped him. Minutes later, he drove to a pharmacy across the street and started shooting.
It’s still unclear whether White died by suicide or was shot by officers.
The shooting resulted in the death of 33-year-old police officer David Rose. Officials stated that Rose was a Marine veteran who served in Afghanistan and had just graduated from the police academy in March.
Abbott threatens to keep Texas Democrats out of state for ‘years’ in map fight
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has escalated pressure on Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to block his redistricting plan, warning they could be kept out for years. Abbott said if they set foot back in Texas, they’ll be arrested and taken to the capital.
Abbott also threatened to keep calling special sessions until Republicans get their way. Here’s what he said on Fox News Sunday:
“This could literally last years because in Texas, I’m authorized to call a special session every 30 days. And as soon as this one is over, I’m going to call another one. Then another one. Then another one. Then another one. If they show back up in the state of Texas, they will be arrested and taken to the capital. If they want to evade arrest, they’re going to stay out of Texas for literally years.”
— Gov. Greg Abbott, Fox News Sunday
The Democrats have been confined to blue states such as Illinois and Massachusetts, attempting to delay Abbott’s efforts to redraw congressional districts to benefit Republicans.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, ready to push back in her state, called Abbott’s stance hypocritical.
“I want to call out the hypocrisy of the Republicans who are now whining about the fact that we’re doing something in New York. Where was the outrage when Donald Trump told Texas, ‘Go find me 5 more seats?’ C’mon, people aren’t gonna buy this,” Hochul said.
The control of the U.S. House in 2026 is at stake.
Over 10 million people under flood alerts amid Midwest rainfall
Over 10 million residents across the Midwest remain under flood alerts Monday as heavy rains cause record flooding in Wisconsin and disrupt the last day of the state fair.
In Wisconsin, the amount of rain that fell between Saturday and Sunday was so great that it could potentially break the state’s record. The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District reported that more than 14 inches of rain fell in just 24 hours. Mayor Cavalier “Chevy” Johnson said it has affected thousands in the city.
Meanwhile, most of southern Kansas, parts of western Missouri and northern Oklahoma remain under flash flooding warnings Monday morning as severe storms move through the region, according to the Weather Prediction Center.
A level 2 of 4 risk covers much of the Midwest, from southern Wisconsin to eastern Colorado.
The same system brought 80-mile-per-hour wind gusts to Nebraska on Saturday, Aug. 9, causing one death and seriously injuring another when a tree fell on a car at Two Rivers State Park.
Seattle Kraken player, mascot have close call with brown bear
A promotional photo shoot for the Seattle Kraken hockey team turned into a close call when one of its players and the team mascot came face-to-face with a bear.
The mascot — a sea troll named Buoy — and NHL center John Hayden were fly-fishing in Alaska’s Katmai National Park when a brown bear suddenly charged at them.
On his X page, Buoy said this is a good reminder to “always respect wildlife in their natural habitat.”
“I want to blame it on Buoy. They were pretty interested in his whole look. So, we got out of it okay, but it was a close call,” Hayden said.
All blame aside, it’s not uncommon to spot brown bears in the Brooks River at Katmai. The park hosts the popular annual “Fat Bear Week” contest.
More from Straight Arrow News:
Quilters rally to stitch Texas community back together one ‘hug’ at a time
The quilt hanging behind Connie Kortz started as all quilts do. Dozens of fragments — 560, actually, in this instance — waiting for someone to stitch them together with patience and purpose. Patchwork pieces looking to be made whole.
It’s called a “poppy” quilt, featuring seven rows of poppy flowers — those simple, four-leafed beauties that have long symbolized remembrance and peaceful sleep. This quilt, plus hundreds more like it, are heading to Texas Hill Country in coming weeks to bring those poppy qualities, plus comfort and warmth, to families who suffered devastating losses in the deadly July 4 floods.
SAN senior storytelling editor Maggie Gordon spent a day at Kortz’s shop, learning more about the motivation behind this effort. Read the full story now >
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
