Salem News Channel

WASHINGTON (AP) — House lawmakers return to Washington on Monday with a short to-do list after five weeks back in their home districts. The first order of business is likely a vote on a stopgap funding bill designed to keep the federal government fully funded through early December, removing the possibility of a shutdown before the midterm elections. With election season getting underway, votes are also expected on measures designed to amplify the GOP’s messaging strategy going into November, most notably a resolution condemning socialism. Lawmakers will also have their first chance to act on a recommendation from the House Ethics Committee that Repblican Rep. Chuck Edwards of North Carolina be censured for engaging in inappropriate conduct toward two young female aides.

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WASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new round of drug-pricing agreements with international pharmaceutical companies and some smaller biotechs on Monday, part of a push to make healthcare more affordable for Americans. Deals were signed with nine companies including Astellas, BeOne Medicines, CSL, BridgeBIO, Sun Pharmaceutical, Teva and UCB SA. These companies have offered drugs to state Medicaid programs at most-favored-nation prices, Trump said in an Oval Office event with executives of the companies, describing this as "a tremendous discount, which should bring down the cost of your medical care by tremendous amounts." U.S. patients currently pay by far the most for prescription medicines, often nearly three times more than in other developed nations, and Trump has been pressuring drugmakers to lower their prices to what patients pay elsewhere. The deals will build on agreements the administration struck with 17 of the world's largest drugmakers, including Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Amgen, starting last year. The drugmakers agreed to offer lower prices comparable to what is paid in other developed countries, referred to as "most-favored-nation" pricing. Those companies agreed to cut some prices for federal health programs and sell some medicines directly to patients through a Trump-branded website, in return for tariff relief. SMALL DRUGMAKERS HAVE DELAYED DEALS Smaller and mid-sized drugmakers had been slow to sign onto drug-pricing deals, Reuters has reported. A Reuters report in June found that only Japan's Astellas had confirmed applying for the Medicaid pricing program by that point, with executives at companies such as Ionis Pharmaceuticals saying they saw little financial benefit in joining. It is not yet clear how much the deals will save the government or patients. Medicaid already gets steep discounts from drugmakers under existing law, and most people covered by the program pay little out of pocket for prescriptions. The White House has held several high-profile events with pharmaceutical executives this year to promote its efforts on healthcare costs, part of a broader push to highlight affordability before this year's midterm elections that will decide control of Congress. The administration has said its broader drug pricing push, including the earlier deals with large pharmaceutical companies, could save $64.3 billion in federal and state spending over the next decade, but that number is speculative.

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MIAMI (AP) — The National Hurricane Center posted a tropical storm warning on Monday for the Gulf of Mexico coast near the Texas-Louisiana state line. Forecasters expect a potential tropical cyclone will strengthen into a named storm by Monday night as it swirls toward Texas and make landfall sometime Tuesday. In the Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Lowell was expected to rapidly intensify into a hurricane by Monday night and reach the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands later this week. Elsewhere in the Pacific, Hurricane Karina became a powerful Category 4 hurricane on Monday. It isn't threatening land but could send high surf to parts of California and Mexico.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Hundreds of people showed up near New York City's Washington Square Park to judge a Mayor Zohran Mamdani look-alike contest. Nine contestants sought a $100 cash prize in Sunday's contest sponsored by a social media app, Sonder. Mamdani, a democratic socialist who took office in January, has amassed a large following on social media and young fanbase. The winner was Amadeo Fusca, who wore a jersey for the NBA champion New York Knicks jersey underneath a suit. Other contestants wore suits, dress shoes, rings — and had haircuts and facial hair similar to Mamdani's.

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BIG SUR, Calif. (AP) — Fire crews with water-dropping aircraft attacked a small wildfire that prompted new evacuations Thursday along California's remote Big Sur coast, where a much larger blaze has been burning for nearly three weeks. The Plaskett Fire erupted the previous day in steep terrain in Monterey County near Highway 1. Officials briefly closed a portion of the scenic coastal route Thursday afternoon as firefighters scrambled to keep the flames from running through canyons. A handful of isolated properties were under evacuation orders and warnings. The fire had no containment so far, and its cause was under investigation. About 40 miles (60 kilometers) to the north, officials closed another section of the highway where the Timber Fire has been active since Aug. 8. Crews performed back-burning operations, deliberately setting fire to brush to keep the bigger blaze from advancing toward populated areas of Big Sur. The larger fire was nearly 31 square miles (80 square kilometers), with more than 20% containment. Fire danger is high in much of California due to an increased risk of lightning and gusty winds from the remnants of a tropical storm in the Pacific.

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In this episode of Hugh Hewitt: Abdul El-Sayed discusses the pitfalls of cancel culture and emphasizes the importance of focusing on the ideas and policies rather than individual personas. El-Sayed shares his views on how cancel culture can distract from meaningful discourse and political progress. He explains that while he disagrees with certain viewpoints, the essence of his campaign lies in collaborative efforts for healthcare reform, financial justice, and ending futile wars. El-Sayed also clarifies that his campaign is not aligned with every opinion of every influencer, but rather with the core principles of positive change and community-driven politics.

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GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) — More storms and flooding are possible at the Grand Canyon where a major flash flood left at least two people dead and about 15 more missing. Scores of visitors were evacuated after heavy rain caused water to rush through Bright Angel Creek on Saturday. Emergency water restrictions began Monday after the only water pipeline for tourists and residents in the canyon was destroyed. Tourists are barred from staying overnight at lodges and hotels inside the park and year-round residents must conserve water. The National Weather Service warned of an elevated risk of flash flooding through Monday. More than 60 people have been airlifted to safety.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says his administration has entered a sweeping agreement with Venezuela that, if realized, could give the U.S. access to vast amounts of the South American country’s untapped oil reserves, at cost. Trump said in a social media post Friday that the agreement was negotiated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez. The president calls it "THE BIGGEST OIL DEAL IN WORLD HISTORY!” Rodríguez’s government says the deal involves the development of 17 fields with a proven potential of 65 billion barrels. It says it could draw $100 billion in investment into Venezuela’s oil industry,

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DUBAI/ASHEVILLE, North Carolina, Aug 31 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump was quoted on Monday as promising to "hit them hard" after Iran launched missiles overnight at two U.S. air bases in Jordan in response to a U.S. attack on Iran's Larak island. "We're going to hit them hard," a Fox News reporter quoted Trump as telling the channel. "There will be a response." A senior Iranian source, speaking to Reuters, described the overnight hostilities between the United States and Iran, the first since late July, as a "limited and contained confrontation" but added that Tehran would deliver a harsh response if attacked again. Trump also said U.S. air defences had shot down all Iranian missiles that could have caused any damage and said that tough new U.S. economic sanctions on Iran were having a big impact, Fox News reported. PILING ON ECONOMIC PRESSURE Washington has recently stepped up efforts to punish Tehran and its business partners with costly secondary sanctions, with diplomacy in stalemate six months into a war that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, echoing Trump, said on Monday the resumed exchanges of fire showed that Iran was "lashing out" now because the new sanctions were taking a heavy toll on its already battered economy. "They're taking it very seriously...they're in shock at the state of their economy," Bessent told reporters at a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in North Carolina. "I would think that they are lashing out kinetically because they are losing economically." Bessent told Reuters on Sunday new secondary sanctions were likely to be unveiled weekly in the effort to pressure Iran, with an initial focus on banks. US HIT IRANIAN ISLAND IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ U.S. forces on Sunday struck two Iranian launchers on Iran's Larak Island, a U.S. official said, after "Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz". Three people were killed in the U.S. attack, Tasnim news agency reported. The state-affiliated Nournews said two of them had been identified as members of the Revolutionary Guards Navy. Larak is a small island in the strait near the strategic Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. The Strait of Hormuz, which normally handles a fifth of global crude oil shipments, has been effectively blocked since the start of the war. In a statement, the U.S. Central Command said it took "limited, precise" action against minelaying forces of Iran's Revolutionary Guards that posed an "imminent threat" in the strait. It gave no details. In response, as well as attacking the U.S. bases in Jordan, Iran's army said it had struck the Al Minhad air base in the United Arab Emirates early on Monday. However, the UAE's defence ministry dismissed that report as false. The UAE defence ministry later said its air force engaged a drone that had come from Iran over its territorial waters. It provided no further details. Iranian state TV quoted the Revolutionary Guards as saying a supertanker had caught fire and was brought to a complete halt after being struck by two naval mines in the southern Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military later dismissed the claim as false. PRESIDENT SAYS IRAN STILL WANTS NEGOTIATED END TO CONFLICT The senior Iranian source, who has direct knowledge of Iranian decision-making and spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said conditions in the Strait of Hormuz would "become worse for vessels that violate" rules set by Tehran for passage through the waterway. The source added that no target was beyond Iran's reach. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian struck a milder tone on Monday, telling India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of a regional security meeting in Kyrgyzstan, that his country still sought a negotiated resolution of the conflict. "... we are still trying to achieve an agreement and understanding, and we believe that continuing the war is in no one's interest, neither ours, nor the region's, nor humanity's," Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted him as saying. 'BLOWN TO SMITHEREENS!!!' Trump had annoyed Iran overnight by posting on his Truth Social platform an AI-generated video clip that he said showed Iran's oil hub Kharg Island being "blown to smithereens!!!" There was no evidence of any such attack and a U.S. official said on Monday the military had not targeted Kharg Island in overnight strikes. An Iranian official dismissed Trump's post as "laughable". Reuters confirmed that the video clip showing dramatic explosions was most likely synthetically generated, using software that detects AI-manipulated imagery. The White House and the U.S. Defense Department did not respond to Reuters requests for comment outside regular business hours. Kharg handled 90% of Iran's oil exports before the war launched by U.S. and Israeli attacks on February 28, and attacking it ?would severely disrupt energy trade and put huge pressure on the economy. Trump has yet to achieve the objectives he set out at the start of the war: dismantling Iran's nuclear program, curbing its ability to attack regional rivals and creating conditions for Iranians to overthrow their clerical rulers.

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PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy trial have resumed deliberating whether to hold the Massachusetts woman criminally responsible for killing her three children in 2023. The 12 jurors and six alternates returned to Plymouth County Superior Court on Monday morning for a third day of deliberations that began Thursday. Clancy, a former nurse, doesn’t deny strangling her children but claims postpartum psychosis led to her actions. Prosecutors argue she knew what she was doing. The jury could find her guilty of murder or manslaughter, or acquit her if they believe psychiatric problems were to blame. Her sentence could range from life in prison to confinement in a mental health facility.

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A top party power broker just called for 13 justices. The real fight is who wins Congress this fall — and whether nine is still the limit. If the Court can be expanded once, what stops it next time?

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The president says a terror sponsor’s navy, air force, and defenses are already gone, sanctions are biting, and a nuke is off the table because the alternative is catastrophe. He also shrugs off assassination threats as the odd badge of a consequential presidency — the kind that “saved the country.”

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Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is proposing significant changes to the state's health code, aiming to expand his administration's control over public health decisions. This move has sparked debate, particularly concerning the implications for parental rights and potential authoritarian overreach. Investigative reporter Meg Brock discusses how these changes, if enacted, would allow the Department of Health to implement drastic measures such as school-wide mandates without warrants and interfere with parental decisions regarding their children’s health. Brock highlights the historical context, noting that Pennsylvania's stringent COVID-19 measures in 2020 led to widespread discontent. The state’s attempt to rewrite the health code comes amid fears of repeating past mistakes. Shapiro's proposed changes include redefining terms like "mother" to "postpartum individual," a move criticized for its insensitivity and potential to dehumanize personal tragedies. Brock argues that these changes, driven by political motives, could erode public trust in health institutions and further polarize communities. Pennsylvanians are vocal in their opposition, seeing the proposal as an erosion of democratic principles and a slippery slope towards increased governmental control.

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Join Ned Ryun, executive producer of the new documentary "The Thread of Liberty," as he explores the rich tapestry of Western political thought that has shaped the American founding. This documentary aims to reframe the history of America, emphasizing the millennia of ideas that culminated in the creation of the Constitution. Through insightful interviews and historical context, "The Thread of Liberty" challenges the narrative of American exceptionalism and highlights the fragile nature of self-governance. Ned Ryun discusses the urgency of understanding our nation's roots and the importance of instilling patriotic values in younger generations, who he believes have been subjected to a skewed version of history in schools and universities. The documentary also touches on contemporary issues such as the impact of data centers and the ethical considerations of artificial intelligence. It calls for a national conversation to guide future decisions that will affect the lives of coming generations. Available at threadofliberty.com.

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The Trump administration plans to sanction another bank this week as it intensifies its campaign to financially isolate Iran and crack down on institutions facilitating transactions with Tehran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration is beginning its latest pressure campaign with banks and could announce additional measures on a weekly basis. Bessent did not identify the institution expected to be targeted next. The move follows Treasury action Friday targeting the United Arab Emirates branches of Egypt’s Banque Misr. The Treasury Department says the branches processed billions of dollars in transactions connected to the Iranian government. Bessent is in Asheville, North Carolina, for meetings with G20 finance ministers and central bank governors. He plans to urge other countries to cut financial ties with Iran or potentially face secondary U.S. sanctions. The administration has dubbed its broader economic campaign “Operation Economic Outcast,” aimed at restricting Iran’s access to the international financial system and reducing revenue available to the regime. The renewed economic pressure comes as hostilities between the United States and Iran flared again Sunday following a month-long lull in direct military action.

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Vice President JD Vance is set to address the Republican Jewish Coalition Monday as some conservative Jewish activists raise questions about his approach to Israel and the direction of the Republican Party on foreign policy. Vance has repeatedly expressed support for Israel as a key U.S. ally but has also criticized some Israeli officials and policies, including during the ongoing conflict involving Iran. His position has drawn increased attention as Republicans debate the extent of future U.S. involvement in the region. The vice president’s appearance comes as the GOP confronts broader internal disagreements over Israel, U.S. foreign policy and concerns about antisemitism within parts of the conservative movement. Vance has argued that supporting Israel does not mean the United States must agree with every decision made by its government. His allies say that position reflects the Trump administration’s “America First” approach to foreign policy rather than a weakening of U.S. support for Israel. The Republican Jewish Coalition remains an influential organization among Republican donors and pro-Israel conservatives, making Vance’s remarks closely watched as the party looks ahead to the midterm elections and the 2028 presidential race.

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Age and generational change have emerged as major issues ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary in Massachusetts, where 80-year-old Sen. Ed Markey is facing a challenge from 47-year-old Rep. Seth Moulton. Moulton has repeatedly argued that Markey is too old to serve another six-year term and has made the need for a new generation of Democratic leadership a centerpiece of his campaign. Markey would be 86 by the end of another term. The issue drew additional attention following a recent debate when Markey struggled to explain which artificial intelligence platforms he uses. Moulton seized on the exchange, arguing lawmakers need a better understanding of rapidly changing technology if they are going to regulate it. Young Democratic voters, however, are divided. Some Moulton supporters say issues such as artificial intelligence, housing costs and student debt require younger leadership. Markey’s younger supporters argue his age matters less than his decades-long record on climate policy, technology regulation and other progressive priorities. Despite the focus on his age, Markey enters Tuesday’s primary with a sizable polling advantage. A recent 7NEWS/University of New Hampshire poll showed Markey leading Moulton 63% to 28% among Massachusetts Democrats surveyed. Massachusetts voters head to the polls Tuesday to decide the Democratic nominee.

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Google Maps has updated its platform to display Lake Ontario as “Lake America” for users in the United States, following President Donald Trump’s executive order changing the lake’s name for federal use. Google says the change reflects its long-standing practice of using geographic names listed by official government sources. The U.S. Geographic Names Information System has formally updated the lake’s name following Trump’s order. The change depends on where a Google Maps user is located. Americans will see “Lake America,” while users in Canada will continue to see “Lake Ontario.” People outside the United States and Canada will see both names displayed. The move mirrors Google’s response in 2025 when the company began displaying “Gulf of America” for U.S. users after Trump ordered the federal government to rename the Gulf of Mexico. The latest change comes amid escalating trade tensions between the United States and Canada. Canadian officials have rejected the new name, with Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiling a large sign along the Canadian shoreline reaffirming the name Lake Ontario. Google says the Maps update is now rolling out to users.

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Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pushing back against President Donald Trump’s executive order directing U.S. federal agencies to refer to Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” Ford unveiled a massive billboard along the Canadian shoreline near Grimsby, Ontario, reading, “Lake Ontario. Now and Always.” The message is also displayed in French. The sign measures roughly 24 feet wide and 12 feet tall and was erected after Trump signed the executive order Thursday. Ford said the lake carried the Ontario name long before Trump took office and predicted it would continue to do so after his presidency. Trump’s order changes the name used by U.S. federal agencies but does not require Canada to recognize it. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has rejected the change, noting that the name Ontario has Indigenous origins dating back centuries. The dispute comes amid worsening U.S.-Canada relations following the collapse of trade negotiations and an escalating exchange of tariffs between the two longtime allies. Google Maps has since adopted “Lake America” for users in the United States, while Canadian users continue to see “Lake Ontario.” Users elsewhere see both names.

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Jurors are resuming deliberations Monday in the murder trial of Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy after spending about 10 hours Friday considering the case without reaching a verdict. Clancy, 36, admits she strangled her three children — Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months — at the family’s Massachusetts home in January 2023. Her attorneys argue Clancy was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time and was not criminally responsible for her actions. The defense says she had lost touch with reality following months of worsening mental health problems and treatment, including a stay at a psychiatric hospital. Prosecutors argue Clancy understood what she was doing and made a conscious decision to kill her children. Medical experts called by both sides offered differing assessments of her mental state during the weeks-long trial. Clancy has pleaded not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility. Jurors can find her guilty of murder, convict her of the lesser charge of manslaughter or find her not guilty based on her mental state. Deliberations continue Monday.

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