Wednesday morning news: June 11, 2025

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Protests spread to more U.S. cities » Anti-ICE protesters clashing with police in Chicago as protests have spread from Los Angeles to other major U.S. cities.

In San Francisco, demonstrators marched down Mission Street chanting “Get ICE out the Bay” with some turning violent. Police arrested at least 148 people. Two officers were injured.

Meantime, in LA: protesters clashing once again with police in riot gear firing tear gas pellets.

Mayor Karen Bass told reporters last night:

BASS: I have declared a local emergency and issued a curfew for downtown Los Angeles to stop the vandalism, to stop the looting.

She said the curfew would be in effect from 8 p.m. last night until 6 a.m. this morning.

She added—quote—“We reached a tipping point” after 23 businesses were looted.

LA protests-2 » California Gov. Gavi Newsom on Tuesday asking a federal court to halt President Trump’s deployment of U.S. Marines to LA.

The president ordered the deployment of 700 Marines to support National Guard forces on the ground in LA.

Democrats have blasted Trump over the move. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer:

SCHUMER: Donald Trump bringing American troops and American uh, Marines in against American citizens is not only provocative, it's not only dangerous, it really threatens the bedrock of our democracy.

However, the troops have not been deployed to push back protesters. They will provide security for federal agents. Marines deployed under Title 10 are barred from law enforcement.

And they might not all arrive for another day or two. Fox News reported that an infantry unit was receiving training on protocols for use of force in a domestic setting.

He has also ordered deployment of another 2,000 National Guard troops to LA in addition to 2,000 already there.

President Trump said Tuesday:

TRUMP:  All I want is safety. I just want a safe area. We have, Los Angeles was under siege until we got there. The police were unable to handle it. You can speak to the chief. He said it on television.

Governor Newsom has sued the president over the guard deployment.

Ukraine latest » Cheers as well as tears after Russia released a second round of Ukrainian prisoners yesterday.

Both Russia and Ukraine have agreed to release all wounded troops and captured soldiers under the age of 25. That amounts to more than 1,000 troops on both sides.

But in the Ukrainian city of Odessa:

SOUND: [Odessa aftermath]

Fire crews again battled flames after Russia launched its largest overnight drone bombardment to date.

Authorities say two people were killed and nine others wounded in the city.

Meanwhile...U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told lawmakers yesterday the Trump administration aims to decrease military assistance to Ukraine in the upcoming defense budget.

HEGSETH: As you know, this administration takes a very different view of that conflict. We believe it, negotiated peaceful settlement is in the best interest of both parties and our nation's interest, especially with all the competing interests around the globe.

Hegseth's comments came during an appearance before the House Defense Appropriations Committee.

Trump plans to end FEMA » President Trump wants to pull the plug on FEMA and hand responsibility for disaster relief back to the states.

He says he plans to begin the process of winding down the Federal Emergency Management Agency at the end of this hurricane season.

TRUMP: When you have a tornado or a hurricane, or you have a problem of any kind. Uh, in a state, that's what you have governors for. They're supposed to fix those problems.

The president says, in his view, FEMA has been mismanaged.

TRUMP: The FEMA thing has not been a very successful experiment, very, very expensive, and it doesn't get the job done.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says she will set up a FEMA Review Council to reform the agency and begin shifting toward state-led disaster response after hurricane season.

The Trump administration can downsize FEMA, but ending the agency or reallocating its funds requires approval from Congress.

Democrats warn the changes could endanger Americans.

Biden aides to appear before Oversight Committee » The House Oversight Committee is set to question several former Biden aides about the former president’s mental fitness while in office. WORLD’s Benjamin Eicher has more.

BENJAMIN EICHER: Four former officials have agreed to sit for voluntary, transcribed interviews beginning later this month.

Those include Biden’s former domestic policy chief, as well as aides who helped to manage his daily schedule and control access to the president. A former adviser to first lady Jill Biden will also appear.

Separately, the committee has subpoenaed Biden’s personal physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, to testify on June 27 after he declined to appear voluntarily.

Committee Chairman James Comer says the panel is investigating whether Biden aides obscured signs of cognitive decline … and whether anyone made key decisions without his direct involvement.

Comer says he will subpoena any aides who refuse to cooperate.

Democrats have sharply criticized the probe, calling it politically motivated.

For WORLD, I’m Benjamin Eicher.

Baptists call for Biblical marriage, pro-family policies » Southern Baptists have overwhelmingly endorsed a Biblical definition of marriage and a ban on same-sex marriage. That includes a call for a reversal of the Supreme Court’s 10-year-old precedent legalizing it nationwide.

They also called for legislators to curtail sports betting and to support pro-family policies.

The votes came at the gathering of more than 10,000 church representatives in Dallas at the annual meeting of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.

A proposed resolution says legislators have a duty to “pass laws that reflect the truth of creation and natural law — about marriage, sex, human life, and family.”

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Washington Wednesday, the Supreme Court, DOGE, and the process of cutting government waste. Plus, a conversation with novelist Andrew Klavan on darkness and light.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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