With Democrats back in Austin, Republicans approved their new redistricting map. The plan passed late Wednesday night, and now the political and legal battles begin.
Plus, Hurricane Erin — now a Category 2 storm — lashes the Carolina coast with dangerous surf and flood warnings. Now, millions brace for the storm as it tracks north.
And Vice President JD Vance faced a chorus of boos in Washington, D.C. However, he pressed ahead with his message, telling supporters he’s not backing down.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025.
Texas House approves Trump-backed map; Democrats blast move as power grab
A major victory for Texas Republicans Thursday morning: the state House approved a controversial redistricting plan that could add up to five GOP seats in Congress.
The bill cleared the chamber after hours of debate, with every Democratic amendment shot down.
Protesters packed the gallery, as Democrats, back from their trips out of state, accused Republicans of pushing a map designed by President Donald Trump himself.
“Let me be clear, this is Donald Trump’s map,” said State Rep. John H. Bucy III, D. “It clearly and deliberately manufactures five more Republican seats in Congress, because Trump himself knows the voters are rejecting his agenda. And instead of respecting that rejection, he’s changing the rules.”
State Rep. Todd Hunter, R, spoke up for Republicans, saying, “We will not agree on this issue. We will push forward, as the votes have been all day long. The votes today have followed the Supreme Court, which is partisanship preferential.”
Democrats also protested the House speaker’s rule, which required “permission slips” to leave the Capitol. Many are ripping them up in defiance.
At the center of that fight is Democratic Rep. Nicole Collier, who refused to sign that slip.
She had slept in the chamber until Thursday, in protest. She quickly became a symbol of resistance, calling the order unconstitutional.
On a national Democratic call, she was forced to cut out, saying she could face a felony just for leaving her seat and talking on the phone in the bathroom.
As the chair of the DNC was speaking, Collier cut in, saying, “Sorry, I have to leave. They said it’s a felony for me to do this. Apparently, I can’t be on the floor or in the bathroom. Well, you told me I was only allowed to be here in the bathroom. No, hang on. Bye, everybody. I’ve got to go.”
Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, responded, calling the situation “outrageous.”
“That is outrageous. First of all, let me tell you something. Representative Collier in the bathroom has more dignity than Donald Trump in the Oval Office. That is outrageous.”
The bill now proceeds to the Texas Senate, which is anticipated to consider it Thursday night.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he will sign it as soon as it hits his desk, setting the stage for a certain court battle.
Israel launches new phase of war, expanding into dense urban areas
Israel has begun the first stages of a new offensive aimed at taking control of Gaza City. The military said it called up 60,000 reservists and plans to extend service for 20,000 more already on active duty.
The move marks a new phase of operations in Gaza’s most densely populated areas, pending final sign-off from the chief of staff in the coming days.
The assault is expected to force thousands of Palestinians from northern Gaza to the south, where conditions are already grim with food shortages and a worsening hunger crisis.
The timing is especially significant, coming just a day after Hamas announced it accepted a ceasefire plan from Qatar and Egypt.
Coastal flooding, beach closures as Erin surges up the East Coast
Hurricane Erin continues to churn up the East Coast as a Category 2 storm, packing winds up to 110 miles an hour. As of Thursday morning, it was about 200 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, tracking north at 17 miles an hour.
It’s already impacting the coast, with large waves hitting the Outer Banks.
Water is flowing over dunes into coastal streets and submerging Highway 12, the main road on and off the barrier island. Forecast models indicate Erin will pass near Virginia late Thursday morning before turning north-northeast along the coast.
Beaches from the Jersey Shore to Long Island are closed Thursday due to public warnings of rip currents and coastal flooding. New York City is preparing for high water in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and even the Bronx.
JD Vance heckled inside Washington’s Union Station
Vice President JD Vance heads to Georgia on Thursday to promote the White House’s new “Big Beautiful Bill.” He’s likely to receive a warmer welcome there than he did on Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
Inside Washington’s Union Station, Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House aide Stephen Miller tried to stage a photo op with National Guard troops. However, protesters’ chants of “Free D.C.” quickly drowned them out.
Vance brushed it off, saying Washington doesn’t need to be freed from protesters, but from lawlessness.
“I think you hear these guys out here screaming at us. A bunch of crazy protesters. But I’ll tell ya, a couple years ago when I brought my kids here, they were getting screamed at by violent vagrants and it was scaring the hell out of my kids,” Vance said.
Vance praised guard members for “busting their tails” as part of Trump’s crime crackdown in the nation’s capital, which includes a federal takeover of the city’s police department.
Critics, including Mayor Muriel Bowser, say the guard shouldn’t be used for law enforcement and point out that city crime stats are actually down. An investigation is now underway into the crime figures and their interpretation.
The White House insists those numbers have been manipulated.
Delta flight lands safely in Austin after wing flap breaks off mid-flight
A Delta Airlines flight lost part of its wing mid-flight, and the incident was all caught on camera.
The jet was approaching Austin, Texas, from Orlando, Florida, when a passenger noticed something was wrong. The woman started recording as a section of the left wing flap broke away.
The passenger told CNN it felt like bad turbulence, and the plane was shaking.
Delta stated it grounded the aircraft, confirming that part of the left wing flap was not properly in place. The flaps in question are essential for takeoff and landing, aiding in slowing the plane and managing lift.
The flight did land safely. The Federal Aviation Administration has since launched an investigation into the incident.
10 cheetah cubs saved from exotic pet trade in Somaliland
A joyful conclusion for 10 small cheetah cubs saved from the illegal wildlife trade. Rescuers in Somaliland recovered the cubs during an operation in one of the region’s busiest wildlife trafficking routes.
The Cheetah Conservation Fund, which now cares for them, reported that all 10 are doing well, despite being in captivity since birth.
Authorities arrested two suspects in connection with their captivity.
Somaliland is a key transit center for the illegal wildlife trade, with cubs smuggled through the Gulf of Aden to countries where exotic pets are popular.
Experts believe that hundreds of cheetahs and leopards have been trafficked in this manner. But for these 10, it’s a second chance at life and much more room to explore.
More from Straight Arrow News:
As the school year starts earlier, AC systems struggle to keep up
A growing number of American students are returning to classrooms earlier in the summer. As a result, millions of students attending schools with mounting air-conditioning concerns are more likely to be exposed to excessive heat, which can affect everything from test scores to kids’ health.
Houston Independent School District school board member svoted in 2024 to add two weeks to the school calendar in hopes of boosting learning gains. That shifted the first day from Aug. 28 in 2023 to Aug. 12 in both 2024 and 2025.
Students in the state’s largest district were in their seats for some of summer’s hottest days, including four 100-plus degree days during those first two additional weeks of school.
The district’s aging heating and cooling system struggled to keep up.
According to Houston ISD data, obtained by Straight Arrow News via a public information request, the district fielded 1,005 “urgent” and “emergency” maintenance requests for its AC systems last August. That includes 196 requests on those four triple-digit days alone. Read the full story now >
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Author: Craig Nigrelli
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