Salem News Channel

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The U.S. government issued a travel alert for Americans planning to visit Mexicali in northern Mexico and temporarily suspended consular activities in the border city due to a “potential threat,” without providing details. The notice, released Monday night, said that because of information about “a threat,” consular activities and travel to the capital of Baja California state, across the border from the U.S. city of Calexico, were suspended. The U.S. did not provide details about the threat or whom it was directed at and only urged its citizens to avoid government buildings, seek shelter in the event of an incident and remain aware of their surroundings. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday that “there was an alert about the possibility of a criminal group” and added that the report was based on information from U.S. agencies. “There is no further information about what this alert could involve, but simply to remain alert and maintain surveillance in Mexicali,” Sheinbaum said at her regular morning news conference. The city remained calm throughout the day Tuesday. Later that afternoon, Sheinbaum's security cabinet said in a statement that authorities “have not identified any elements confirming a specific or imminent risk to the population” but that authorities had stepped up surveillance and patrols in Mexicali as a “preventative measure.” Around midnight, Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila said in a message on her X account that Mexican authorities remained active and that security operations would be reinforced in the state capital. Mexicali, with more than 1 million residents, is one of the most populous cities along the Mexican border and is strategically important because of its close commercial and social ties with Calexico.

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The NC Senate Race is Tightening

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South Carolina Republicans are being asked to embrace something that sounds an awful lot like a dynasty. Darline Graham—the late Lindsey Graham's sister, who was appointed to fill his seat temporarily—is now running for a full term with Trump's endorsement, and some conservatives are calling it a "birthright senatorship". She has no serious political record and admitted "national security is not my thing" at a debate. Meanwhile, Congressman Ralph Norman is running as a proven conservative with a decade of proven legislative experience. Should Trump's endorsement trump actual qualifications? 

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Legendary country music icon Dolly Parton, who graced the Nashville music scene for decades, has passed away at the age of 80. Her nephew, Brian Seever, shared the news recently on social media. Parton's illustrious career was marked by numerous Grammy wins, memorable film roles, and a musical based on her life, titled "Dolly." She was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Thomas Dean. Known for her timeless songs and beloved roles in films such as "Nine to Five" and "Steel Magnolias," Parton's influence extended far beyond her music. She was a cultural icon and a beloved figure who touched countless lives. This somber news was shared by Scott Jennings during his broadcast on Salem.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Dolly Parton, the beloved music and film star known for her vibrant personality and poignant songwriting, has died. She was 80 years old. Her career spanned decades, with hits like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.” Born in Tennessee, she rose from humble beginnings to become a country music icon. Her partnership with Porter Wagoner helped launch her career, and she later became a successful actor and businesswoman. Parton was also a philanthropist, founding her Imagination Library to promote children’s literacy. Her charm and humor made her a beloved figure across generations and political divides.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Dolly Parton, the beloved music and film star known for her vibrant personality and poignant songwriting, has died. She was 80 years old. Her career spanned decades, with hits like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.” Born in Tennessee, she rose from humble beginnings to become a country music icon. Her partnership with Porter Wagoner helped launch her career, and she later became a successful actor and businesswoman. Parton was also a philanthropist, founding her Imagination Library to promote children’s literacy. Her charm and humor made her a beloved figure across generations and political divides.

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Louisiana National Guard is ending its eight-month deployment patrolling the streets of New Orleans, and troops will be withdrawn from the city by the end of the month. The 120 remaining troops completed their final patrol Monday and are set to conclude their mission in the city on Aug. 31, said Lt. Col. Noel Collins, a guard spokesperson. In late December, 350 troops were deployed to the city to boost public safety in the French Quarter as part of a heavy security presence for New Year’s celebrations a year after an attack on revelers on Bourbon Street killed 14 people. While the troops were initially set to withdraw from the city following Mardi Gras festivities in February, a slimmed-down deployment was extended through August. The deployment, requested by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, was authorized by President Donald Trump following high-profile National Guard missions his administration launched in other Democrat-led cities last year, including in Washington and Memphis, Tennessee. But the sight of National Guard troops was not unusual in New Orleans, where troops had already been deployed briefly to bolster security for the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras earlier that year. According to the Louisiana National Guard, troops conducted more than 4,000 patrols and assisted law enforcement with 171 arrests. They were mainly present in the city's historic French Quarter, a tourist hot spot. Mayor Helena Moreno, a Democrat who initially opposed the guard's deployment, said in a statement that she was “incredibly grateful to the men and women of the Louisiana National Guard.” Louisiana's governor, a staunch Trump ally, said the troops' presence had improved safety in the city. “This mission, though temporary, allowed our great soldiers readiness training that they otherwise would not have experienced,” Landry said in a statement provided by the guard. Violent crime in New Orleans has been declining for several years in parallel with national trends, according to data compiled by the city's police department.

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Country music mourns the loss of Dolly Parton, whose remarkable career spanned music, acting, comedy, and philanthropy. James Lylex reflects on her journey from humble beginnings to becoming an American icon and champion of children’s literacy. Parton’s talent, generosity, and lasting influence on country music cement her legacy as a national treasure.

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Hugh Hewitt examines the challenges facing Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, whose campaign polling has reportedly declined significantly against Mike Rogers. El-Sayed faced criticism after struggling to answer questions on immigration, the federal budget, transgender surgery for minors, and the Green New Deal during an appearance on Jesse Watters’ show. Hewitt argues that El-Sayed’s inconsistent responses could further hurt his campaign with Michigan voters.

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Trafalgar’s Robert Cahaly joins Mike live to unpack the shifting numbers, regional rivalries, and questions over who really owns the data that keep this race on a knife’s edge—with turnout the only remaining decider.

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The South Carolina Senate runoff is entering its final hours, with Ralph Norman and Darline Graham locked in a remarkably tight race. Trump’s endorsement, outside spending, debate performances and questions about experience have made this contest one to watch.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Secret Service has confirmed it is aware that Iranian state media has aired a video that appears to threaten the life of Barron Trump, President Donald Trump’s youngest son. Secret Service spokesman Nate Herring confirmed that the agency is aware of the video and investigates anything that can be perceived as a threat toward the people it protects. But Herring offered no further details and cited the Secret Service practice of not discussing intelligence affecting protectees. Since the U.S. assassination of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian media have on multiple occasions circulated content threatening the president and family members. The assassination came at the start of the war in Iran that Trump launched alongside Israel.

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WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he was considering changing the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America" and denied that a rift over French language requirements contributed to a breakdown in trade talks between the U.S. and Canada. "The United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America in that we don’t expect to doing much business with Ontario any longer," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. One of the five Great Lakes of North America, Lake Ontario borders both the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York. Asked about Trump's comment, Canada's minister responsible for U.S. trade, Dominic LeBlanc, said Canada would not respond to social media posts by the U.S. administration. “We've decided as a federal government months ago not to respond to sort of the daily social media posts of either the president or his cabinet secretaries," LeBlanc said in an interview on CNBC. Such a move is unlikely to have any practical impact on resolving the trade war started by the U.S. president. Trump -- who has long cast himself as a master dealmaker -- is also struggling to end the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran that he launched earlier this year, which has driven up global energy prices. “I think it's a lot of rhetoric because we're the No.1 customer to 17 states, No.2 to 12 others. Ontario alone, if Ontario was just standalone, would be the third-largest trading partner in the world,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a CNN interview. Trump's threat to rename Lake Ontario comes after he issued an executive order in January 2025 to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. FRENCH VS ENGLISH Trade talks between the U.S. and Canada collapsed last week with each side blaming the other for derailing three days of intensive negotiations. In a separate post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump said disagreement over Canada's French-language requirements did not contribute to the collapse. "I would never interfere with Canadians speaking French! In fact, I have never even thought of doing such a stupid thing," he wrote. "This lie was made up by a weak and ineffective Prime Minister in an attempt to gain political support, which he has totally lost, from the people of Quebec. I love French Canadians!" Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said at a press conference on Monday that the trade deal faltered after U.S. negotiators proposed changes that put Canada's French-language rules at risk. The U.S. has demanded that Canada roll back new legal requirements for streaming services providers to prioritize French language content for Quebec. The U.S. Trade Representative had listed the requirements as a trade barrier in its 2026 National Trade Estimate report. English and French are the official languages of Canada and have equal status, rights and privileges under its Constitution. In Quebec, where 80% of the population speaks French, Trump is more disliked than anywhere else in Canada, polling data shows. According to August data from the pollster Angus Reid, only 10% of people from Quebec have a favorable view of Trump and even a deal to lower tariffs would be unlikely to reverse public opinion.

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WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Voters in South Carolina will decide whether they want to establish a Graham family dynasty as they go to the polls on Tuesday in a Republican primary pitting Darline Graham against U.S. Representative Ralph Norman. Graham, 62, is the sister of Lindsey Graham, who died at the age of 71 on July 11, having served in Congress for 31 years -- 23 of those in the U.S. Senate. She subsequently was appointed to fill out his Senate term that expires at the beginning of January. Tuesday's primary will decide whether the current Senator Graham or Norman will be the Republican nominee in the November 3 election, facing Democratic Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, for a six-year Senate term. President Donald Trump has endorsed Graham and held a rally for her on Friday in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where he placed the spotlight on himself and proclaimed, "I am on the ballot" on Tuesday. The primary election will be another in a series of tests of Trump's sway with voters in this year's midterm elections. He is trying to use his bully pulpit to prevent Democrats taking control from Republicans of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. One former Senate Republican aide, noting Graham's lack of political experience or strong base of supporters, said the election could turn on whether "Trump can push her over the line just on his endorsement." Trump, in a posting on his Truth Social network defended the power of his candidate endorsements. But without giving specific names one day before the South Carolina primary, he added that the "few" such candidates who lost were endorsed only because of his "loyalty" to them. "It was almost impossible for them to win but, I felt obligated to go with them because they were, in my opinion, good people!" he wrote. Meanwhile, MAGA INC., a super PAC that supports Trump has spent $827,711 in support of Graham, according to its filing on Monday with the Federal Election Commission. While Trump remains broadly popular among South Carolina Republicans, his endorsement was not enough to elevate Lt. Governor Pamela Everette in her runoff for governor. Instead Trump also endorsed her opponent, Attorney General Alan Wilson, who won the nomination. If Norman becomes the nominee in South Carolina and goes on to win the November election, he has a reputation in the House of Representatives of putting up resistance, at least temporarily, to some Republican leadership demands, which could preview how he would operate as a senator. For her part, Graham used the rally to try to recover from what has been cast as a debate misstep when she said she was not knowledgeable about national security issues, on which her late brother had expertise. "Guilty as charged," Graham proclaimed at the rally. Instead, she focused her remarks on her stances on domestic issues, including Trump's immigration clampdown and anti-abortion advocacy -- matters that likely are higher on South Carolina voters' list of concerns than foreign policy. She had never held public office until her appointment to the Senate, having previously held positions advocating for persons with physical disabilities. South Carolina, a deep red state, has overwhelmingly embraced Trump in all three of his runs for president and is not likely to play a role in the Republican-Democratic battle for the control of Congress. Norman, ?73, a longtime real ?estate developer, has spent nearly a decade in the U.S. House. He mounted an unsuccessful bid for governor, finishing third in a June ?primary. He has been a leading member of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus, but endorsed the more moderate Nikki Haley, a former governor of South Carolina, in her 2024 failed presidential bid. Nonetheless, Norman supports many of Trump's initiatives, including a nationwide tightening of requirements for casting votes throughout the United States, which Democrats say would make it more difficult for eligible citizens to participate in elections. Norman also has backed Trump in opposing congressional constraints on the U.S. war against Iran. Earlier this month, Graham and Norman were the two top vote-getters in the Republican primary's 10-candidate field, but neither garnered enough support to avoid Tuesday's runoff. In that election, Graham won 32.7% of the vote to Norman's 24.6%, raising the possibility of a tight race to pick a nominee on Tuesday.

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Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial are hearing from the final witnesses in a case that has largely been about her mental state when she strangled her three young children. The trial resumed Tuesday with more testimony from a forensic psychologist hired by prosecutors to assess the defense claim that Clancy was suffering from acute postpartum psychosis. Clancy’s lawyer is questioning the psychologist about his conclusions, including whether the psychologist had made up his mind before interviewing Clancy. Prosecutors are expected to call at least one more expert witness before the trial moves on to closing arguments.

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Evacuations are being ordered in rural Texas where a wildfire has quickly expanded to cover more than 78 square miles. The fire that began early Monday afternoon in a lightly populated area in north central Texas has ripped through the area. Schools are canceling classes and shelters have opened for residents and livestock. Wildfires have been popping up across the South and western U.S. in recent days as extremely dry conditions persist. The National Interagency Fire Center says a dozen new large fires were reported on Sunday alone. In Nevada, firefighters are making progress slowing down a wildfire that forced tens of thousands to evacuate in Reno over the weekend. Many are still out of their homes.

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The Great Data Center Debate

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The Trump administration has reopened the Douglas, Arizona, border crossing to cattle from Mexico, beginning a phased resumption of livestock trade that officials hope will help increase U.S. cattle supplies amid historically high beef prices. Cattle imports were halted because of concerns over the spread of the New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite that can infest livestock and other warm-blooded animals. The USDA says conditions have improved enough to resume limited trade through Douglas, which borders the Mexican state of Sonora. Under the new safeguards, cattle entering the United States must undergo USDA inspections for signs of the parasite. Shipments are initially limited to about 700 cattle per day, with that number expected to gradually increase if the reopening proceeds safely. The administration hopes additional crossings in New Mexico will eventually reopen as well. However, economists caution that Mexican imports alone are unlikely to significantly lower beef prices anytime soon because the U.S. cattle herd has fallen to 86.2 million head — its lowest level in 75 years.

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The Trump administration is advocating for the American Bar Association (ABA) to lose its authority in accrediting law schools, a power it has held for about 75 years. The ABA's control over law schools is seen as a monopoly that enforces ideological conformity, including DEI practices and racially discriminatory requirements. Critics argue that the ABA has become too political, filing amicus briefs in support of liberal causes and ranking conservative judges lower than their progressive counterparts. Alexa Moutevelis, a communications director for Protect the Public's Trust, discusses the ABA's potential loss of accreditation power and the upcoming hearing in September where the ABA will make its case for continued authority. The Department of Education will then decide whether to strip the ABA of its monopoly, potentially opening the field to other accreditors. This move aims to introduce competition and ensure that law school accreditation is not solely driven by a single, politically influenced organization.

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In this segment, Daniel Turner, from Power the Future, discusses Operation Economic Outcast, an initiative aimed at isolating Iran economically and ensuring global compliance with U.S. sanctions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasizes the necessity of these measures, targeting countries that facilitate transactions supporting Iranian oil and repression. Turner highlights President Trump's broader strategy to prevent nations from disregarding international rules, using NATO funding and sanctions as examples. He argues this approach is crucial in countering China's influence and securing global oil supply. The conversation delves into potential outcomes, including China and Iran respecting sanctions, testing U.S. resolve, or facing severe consequences. Turner also anticipates the upcoming summit between President Trump and Xi Jinping, expecting oil to be a critical topic given China's reliance on imported oil and its impact on global oil prices and supply.

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