Salem News Channel

Moving Interview: Living While Dying Or I Covet My Prayers

This is a remarkable interview. When our time comes, may we all have one/tenth of the courage, strength, grace, and humility he has.

Facts About Leaders Who Shaped the Nation

As America prepares to mark its 250th birthday, here’s a look at some of the leaders who helped shape the nation’s history. George Washington led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolution and became the first U.S. president. A little-known fact: he set an early precedent by refusing to seek a third term. Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, also played a major role in designing his home Monticello and founding the University of Virginia. Benjamin Franklin was a diplomat, inventor, and thinker who created bifocals, helped establish the U.S. postal system, and famously experimented with electricity using a kite and key during a thunderstorm. Abraham Lincoln preserved the Union during the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation. He was also known for his youth as an accomplished wrestler and stood 6-foot-4. Franklin D. Roosevelt led the United States through the Great Depression and World War II, introducing the New Deal and helping establish Social Security, which remains in place today. Martin Luther King Jr. led the civil rights movement, delivering his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech and inspiring landmark legislation advancing civil rights and equality.

California AG Bonta Brags About Finally Uncovering Large Fraud Case

Religious Organizations Will Appeal Dismissal Of Johnson Amendment Challenge

With Troy Miller, President of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) | NRB.org | @NRBCEO

Faith & Freedom 250 - Episode 21: Teddy Roosevelt On Christianity & Patriotism

Faith & Freedom 250 - Episode 21: Teddy Roosevelt On Christianity & Patriotism Courtesy of The Herzog Foundation.

The New Face of Birth Tourism: Chinese Nationals, American Surrogates, & Birthright Citizenship

With Emma Waters, Senior Policy Analyst in the Center for Technology and the Human Person at The Heritage Foundation ||| @emlwaters

Artemis II crew returns to Earth in historic splashdown

The four astronauts aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft are set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean as they complete the first human voyage to the Moon in more than 50 years. Mission Control in Houston is tracking a high-speed reentry at Mach 32 as the capsule endures extreme heat and transitions into its parachute descent phase. Officials say the mission marks a major milestone for NASA’s Artemis program and future crewed Moon landings.

Measles outbreak puts infants at risk

Babies too young to receive the MMR vaccine are among the most vulnerable in a widespread measles outbreak in South Carolina. Health officials say declining vaccination rates are weakening herd immunity and allowing the disease to spread across multiple states. Experts warn the United States could lose its status of having eliminated measles if outbreaks continue.

Vance To Lead U.S.-Iran Talks Amid Fragile Ceasefire

Vice President JD Vance is traveling to Pakistan to lead mediated talks with Iran as U.S. and Iranian negotiators prepare for high-level discussions. The diplomatic push comes as a fragile ceasefire in a six-week conflict continues to hold by a thread, with sporadic regional fighting still flaring. Officials say the goal is to prevent further escalation and keep broader negotiations involving Israel, Lebanon, and Iran on track.

Mayor Cleared In Ballot Drop Box Case

Wausau Mayor Doug Diny will not face criminal charges after removing an absentee ballot drop box ahead of the 2024 election, according to a special prosecutor. The prosecutor said there was not enough evidence to prove a crime, noting the box was empty and had never been opened at the time it was taken. The incident drew attention in Wisconsin, sparking debate over the security and use of absentee ballot drop boxes in the key battleground state.

Wisconsin Legalizes Online Sports Betting

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has signed a bill legalizing online sports betting, making the state the 33rd in the nation to allow the practice. However, bettors will not be able to place wagers immediately, as state officials must first negotiate agreements with tribal nations that will operate and regulate the system under the new law. Supporters say the measure could generate new revenue for Wisconsin, potentially funding programs such as mental health services and efforts to address addiction.

Judge dismisses DOJ voter data lawsuit

A federal judge has dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking access to Massachusetts voter rolls, marking another legal setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to obtain state election data. The court ruled that the Justice Department failed to meet federal requirements justifying its request, finding the legal filing did not include a sufficient factual basis as required under law. The administration has argued the voter data is needed to help ensure election security, while state officials and others have raised concerns about voter privacy and the potential misuse of sensitive information.

NATO and Trump in talks over Iran relations

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has told European governments that U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking concrete commitments within days from allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, according to reporting by Olivia Zollino. The push comes as U.S. officials intensify discussions with NATO partners over regional security concerns tied to escalating tensions with Iran and broader instability affecting key global shipping routes. European governments are now weighing how to respond to Washington’s request, as diplomatic and security talks continue amid uncertainty over how far NATO members are willing to go in supporting maritime operations in the region.

NATO admits they failed

NATO Admits They Failed

Does Trump have the moral high ground?

Does Trump have the Moral High Ground?

Can the enemy be negotiated with?

Can the Enemy Be Negotiated With?

How Will the Negotiations Go?

Republicans Block Bid To Rein In Trump Iran War Powers

U.S. House of Representatives Republicans on Thursday blocked a Democratic effort to end U.S. attacks on Iran, as Donald Trump's party continued to prevent efforts to rein in the Republican president's war powers. Representative Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, presided over an abbreviated "pro forma" House session, ending it before a group of Democrats could seek to pass the resolution via unanimous consent. Democrats in the Senate and House of Representatives have tried and repeatedly failed in recent months to pass war powers resolutions to force Trump to obtain lawmakers' authorization before launching military operations, in both Venezuela and Iran. Trump's threat early this week that "a whole civilization will die" intensified concern from Democrats, dozens of whom called for Trump's removal from office. The 1949 Geneva Conventions on humanitarian conduct in war prohibit attacks on sites considered essential for ?civilians. "Threatening genocide is not a negotiating tactic," Representative Sara Jacobs, a California Democrat, told a news conference outside the Capitol after the pro forma session, held because Congress is out of Washington for the two-week Easter recess. Trump announced that he had agreed to a ceasefire in the U.S.-Israel war on Iran on Tuesday, less than two hours before his deadline for Tehran to reopen the blockaded Strait of Hormuz or face devastating attacks on its civilian infrastructure. The White House says Trump's actions are legal and within his rights as commander-in-chief to protect the U.S. by ordering limited military operations. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful. The Trump administration has sought to portray the war as a decisive victory, although the top U.S. general said U.S. troops stood ready to resume fighting. Trump's fellow Republicans hold slim majorities in both the Senate and House, and have almost unanimously backed all of his policies. Although the U.S. Constitution says that Congress, not the president, can declare war, that restriction does not apply for short-term operations or if the country faces an immediate threat.

Protesters rally against planned Maryland ICE facility that's now paused

Protesters are rallying against a planned immigration detention facility in Maryland. The Department of Homeland Security bought a warehouse to convert into a detention center. Residents and activists are upset, saying they had no say in the decision. The facility is meant to hold between 500 and 1,500 people, but legal battles have delayed its opening. New Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is reviewing the project along with other warehouses bought to be turned into Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities. The federal government has faced fierce opposition in the communities where it's purchased warehouses. Washington County, Maryland, is the most welcoming community. Officials there said they supported ICE, albeit amid whistles and jeers.

US fertility rates drop to record low in 2025 as births fall

The U.S. fertility rate hit a record low last year, extending a nearly two-decade decline, provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed on Thursday. The decline also reflects global trends, as fewer women choose to have children against a changing social backdrop. In the U.S., the general fertility rate has fallen nearly 23% since 2007, according to the agency's data. Shifting priorities among younger women, including "greater and more demanding job market opportunities, expanded leisure options, increased intensity of parenting... make the option to have children less desirable," said Phillip Levine, an economics professor at Wellesley College. The number of babies born in the U.S. in 2025 declined 1% from a year earlier to roughly 3.6 million, while the general fertility rate - the number of births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 - also slipped 1% to 53.1, the data showed. While fertility rates among women in their 30s and 40s have increased over the past decade, those gains have remained too modest to offset sustained declines among women under 30. Last year, the fertility rate among women aged 25 to 29 fell about 4.4%, while the rate for women aged 30 to 34 rose about 2.7% from 2024, the data showed. Fertility rates among teenagers also declined sharply, with the rate for those aged 18 to 19 falling 7% and the rate for younger teens aged 15 to 17 dropping 11%, both reaching record lows. The provisional data is based on 99.95% of all birth records received and processed last year by the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the CDC, as of February 3, 2026.