Salem News Channel

BELLEVILLE, Ontario (AP) — A 29-year-old man opened fire on a police officer stationed outside an Ontario synagogue during Yom Kippur, triggering a shootout involving as many as 30 shots, the province's police watchdog said Monday. The gunfire left the man with life-threatening injuries and seriously wounded a veteran of nearly 13 years with the Belleville Police Service who was recovering in intensive care. The Special Investigations Unit said preliminary evidence showed the man arrived in a truck around 7 p.m. on Sunday and fired at an officer outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, about 110 miles east of Toronto. The officer returned fire before a second officer arrived and also fired. SIU spokesperson Kristy Denette estimated that 20 to 30 shots were fired and said investigators found dozens of bullet holes along the street, with homes and vehicles struck and some vehicle windows shot out. “It would have been quite, quite the scene indeed,” said Denette. She said the scene appeared to stretch about half a block from the synagogue. Police have not established a motive or said whether the Sons of Jacob Synagogue or the Jewish community was targeted. The SIU is investigating the actions of the officers, while Belleville police are conducting a parallel criminal investigation that will examine the man’s actions and possible motive. Authorities said investigators were still trying to establish the exact sequence of events and were collecting body-camera and police vehicle footage, surveillance video and witness accounts. Deputy Police Chief Sheri Meeks said the wounded officer’s condition had stabilized but that he faced a significant road to recovery. The officer joined the Belleville Police Service in December 2013 and is a longtime member of its Emergency Response Unit, Meeks said. “We remain hopeful and encouraged by this progress,” she said. Meeks acknowledged the shooting’s impact on Belleville’s Jewish community, particularly because it happened outside the synagogue during Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. “Antisemitism, hate and violence have no place in our community,” Meeks said. “Every person deserves to feel safe when attending a place of worship.” Police increased patrols and their presence around places of worship but said there was no ongoing threat to public safety. Belleville Mayor Neil Ellis said it was too soon to say whether the shooting was a hate crime but said “the circumstances are where it happened, when it happened” and that it “points towards that.” “We have a tight-knit Jewish community. We don’t tolerate this in our city or across the country,” Ellis said. “Everyone has the right to feel safe.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned the shooting in a social media post, saying, “Jewish people must be able to worship safely” and “live free, open, proud Jewish lives.” He said the federal government would support law enforcement in ensuring the perpetrator is held accountable. Ontario Premier Doug Ford also condemned the shooting, saying Jewish people “have every right to gather and worship safely and without fear.” The shooting comes months after Carney warned that Canada was failing its Jewish community amid a surge in antisemitism. Carney cited shootings at Jewish schools, firebombings of synagogues and attacks on community centers and Jewish-owned businesses. Synagogues in the Toronto area have previously been targeted by gunfire. In March, shots damaged the entrances of synagogues in Vaughan and Toronto. No one was injured, and police later arrested three suspects.

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Two helicopter pilots were killed when their aircraft crashed Sunday afternoon while conducting water drops on a wildfire at Yosemite National Park, officials say. The pilots were the only people on board, and were employed by the contract aircraft company Precision. They were working with a wildland firefighting crew that specializes in using ropes to descend from helicopters to reach otherwise inaccessible terrain, known as helitack rappelling. The Super Puma helicopter was using a water bucket to help suppress the fire when it went down southeast of Ostrander Lake, said Benjamin Cossel, a spokesperson with the Federal Complex Incident Management Team overseeing the firefighting response. Details about the circumstances surrounding the crash were not immediately released. The crash will be investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. “It is with unimaginable sadness and broken hearts that we share the loss of two beloved members of our team,” Precision wrote in a social media post. “We are devastated by this loss and are struggling to find the words. We ask for privacy and compassion for their families and our team as we grieve this tremendous loss.” The names of the pilots were not immediately released. Roughly 580 people are fighting the Dome Fire, which started Sept. 15 near Wawona, California, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. It's burning on about 4.7 square miles (12.3 square kilometers) and is about 15% contained. The lake near the crash site was roughly 9 miles (14 kilometers) south of Yosemite’s iconic El Capitan, and about 7 miles (11 kilometers) northeast of Wawona. At least 14 people have died while helping with wildfires in the U.S. this year, the most since 2022 when 25 deaths were recorded, according to government reports. In August, two helicopter pilots died while helping fight a fire in Utah, and a helicopter pilot in Colorado crashed into a reservoir. Earlier this month, a firefighter suffered a medical emergency while fighting a wildfire in Oklahoma. Another firefighter in Oregon was hit by a tree that broke while he was cutting it in Mt. Hood National Forest. Also in August, a wildfire officer was killed after getting trapped while evacuating a burning building in a wildland fire in Oklahoma; a firefighter died following a medical emergency during a wildfire in Minnesota; and a bulldozer operator got overrun by flames in Oregon. In June, four firefighters got trapped in a fire in western Colorado. ___ Associated Press correspondent Matthew Brown contributed from Billings, Montana.

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Hundreds of flights are delayed after the FAA issued ground stops at several Northeast airports due to equipment outages. The ground stops are in place at LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy, Newark, Teterboro and Philadelphia airports. There have been more than 220 flights delayed at Newark so far. The FAA issued an advisory, but did not specifically say what equipment has been impacted. Travelers are being encouraged to contact their airline regarding flight status.

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CNN, MS NOW and Politico have sued President Donald Trump’s administration after they were barred from covering the White House, saying the selective ban was “a blatant violation” of the First Amendment. Reporters from the three major news organizations were blocked from the White House on Saturday, a day after Trump said he was barring them because of reporting he found to be “fake news.”

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Republican Florida Sen. Rick Scott says Republicans win by standing for freedom vs. socialism, crediting Trump for jobs and lower poverty, and shrinking government to cut costs.

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Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is pouring $2.25 million into expanding the Welcome Family program, which sends registered nurses into new mothers’ homes for government-backed visits and postpartum screenings. At the same time, the state has expanded abortion access later in pregnancy. The juxtaposition raises questions about government’s role in the lives of families—help after birth, or overreach from the same officials who widened later abortion.

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The Trump administration is now officially standing against proposed legislation that would shift the responsibility of managing courthouses and other relevant buildings to the Judiciary branch. 

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Congressman Scott Perry from Pennsylvania's 10th district discusses the crucial issues facing his re-election campaign. The conversation highlights the importance of the upcoming midterm elections in determining control of the House of Representatives, focusing on potential impeachment hearings and investigations into the current administration. Perry emphasizes the need for oversight in federal programs and accountability for fraud, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. He voices concerns about the Democrat party's shift towards more radical positions and the struggle for bipartisan cooperation. The discussion also touches on the rising costs of living and the geopolitical threats posed by Iran, advocating for a balanced approach that holds all parties accountable.

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In this segment, Hans Von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow for Advancing American Freedom, discusses the implications of recent legal actions taken by three news outlets to regain access to the White House. Von Spakovsky clarifies the distinction between government control over physical access and the First Amendment rights of the press to report freely. He also addresses concerns about potential censorship and the importance of maintaining clear boundaries to prevent abuse of power. Additionally, the conversation shifts to the issue of illegal voting by non-citizens, highlighting the Trump administration's efforts to combat this problem and contrasting it with previous administrations. Von Spakovsky emphasizes the significance of enforcing election integrity and ensuring that only eligible voters participate in the electoral process.

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Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were denied access to the White House over the weekend, one day after President Donald Trump announced he was barring the three news organizations over coverage he described as “fake news.” White House reporters Betsy Klein of CNN and Akayla Gardner of MS NOW said Saturday that their press credentials had been deactivated when they attempted to enter the White House grounds. Politico reporter Cheyenne Haslett was also turned away and had her White House credential confiscated. The action followed Trump’s announcement Friday that he was banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House because of what he described as inaccurate and unfavorable coverage of his administration. Trump also suggested additional news organizations could face restrictions. All three organizations have challenged the decision and defended their reporting. CNN called the restriction an “illegal assault” on its rights, while MS NOW and Politico said they would take steps to defend their First Amendment protections. The White House Correspondents’ Association has also called on the administration to restore the outlets’ access. The dispute moved toward the courts Monday, when CNN, MS NOW and Politico announced they had notified the Trump administration that they were filing a lawsuit challenging the restrictions. The organizations argue their credentials were revoked because the White House objected to their reporting and say the action violates their First Amendment rights.

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A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and wounded a Venezuelan man during an immigration enforcement operation in Austin on Sunday, prompting calls from local officials for a transparent investigation. The man was identified by his attorney as 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez. Austin officials said he was shot once in the torso and was hospitalized in serious but stable condition. He was later released from the hospital into federal custody. The shooting occurred on Austin’s north side following a traffic stop and brief pursuit. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said city police officers were not involved in the federal operation or the shooting. The Department of Homeland Security said Garces Perez entered the United States illegally during the Biden administration and had a final order of removal. DHS said he remains in federal custody pending removal. His attorney has disputed parts of the government’s account of his immigration status, previously saying he entered the country legally and had a work permit. Garces Perez's attorney also said he was working as a DoorDash delivery driver when the incident occurred. DoorDash confirmed he was in the process of making a delivery at the time of the shooting. Homeland Security Investigations is leading the investigation into the shooting with assistance from the FBI. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson has called for Austin police and other outside authorities to have a role in the investigation, saying independent involvement would provide “clear, third-party eyes” on what happened. The shooting drew about 100 protesters to the area Sunday as federal and local authorities remained at the scene. Texas Rep. Greg Casar, whose district includes parts of Austin, also called for transparency in the investigation. Local officials say they are seeking additional information from federal authorities about the circumstances leading up to the shooting.

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Patrick Clancy is speaking publicly about the deaths of his three children, the murder trial of his former wife and the intense scrutiny surrounding the case following a mistrial earlier this month. In his first televised interview since the trial, Clancy spoke with CBS News’ “60 Minutes” about his grief and the deaths of Cora, Dawson and Callan at the family’s Duxbury, Massachusetts, home in January 2023. Lindsay Clancy was charged with three counts of first-degree murder. Her attorneys argued she was suffering from postpartum psychosis and was not criminally responsible for killing the children, while prosecutors argued she understood what she was doing. Neither side disputed that she killed the children. The trial ended in a mistrial on Sept. 4 after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict. Eleven of the 12 jurors were prepared to find Lindsay Clancy not criminally responsible, while one juror sided with prosecutors. During the interview, Patrick Clancy described the emotional toll the deaths and subsequent trial have taken on him. He also recalled suffering a panic attack while testifying after jurors heard the 911 call he made after discovering his children. Clancy said he continues to forgive his former wife and believes mental illness was responsible for her actions. He also discussed the importance of raising awareness about perinatal mental health. He also addressed baseless conspiracy theories that have circulated on social media suggesting he was somehow connected to his children's deaths. Clancy said the claims have been harmful to him and distract from what he believes should be the larger conversation surrounding perinatal mental health. Clancy was joined during the interview by his wife, Dr. Rachel Danis. The couple married earlier this year and said they are now preparing to start a family. The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office has not yet announced whether prosecutors will retry Lindsay Clancy.

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CNN, MS NOW and Politico say they are taking legal action against the Trump administration after their reporters were denied access to the White House over the weekend. The three news organizations said Monday they notified the administration that they are filing a lawsuit seeking to protect their First Amendment rights and restore access for their journalists. Reporters from all three outlets were turned away from the White House Saturday, one day after President Donald Trump announced he was barring the organizations because of reporting he described as “fake news.” CNN White House reporter Betsy Klein and MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner said their White House credentials had been deactivated when they attempted to enter. Politico said its White House reporter Cheyenne Haslett was also denied entry and had her credential confiscated. The three organizations said in a joint statement that the White House revoked their journalists’ credentials because it objected to their reporting. They argue the restrictions violate First Amendment protections and contend the government should not determine what news organizations report or publish. Trump announced the restrictions Friday, saying CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be banned from the White House because of what he called unfavorable and inaccurate coverage. The president also suggested additional news organizations could face similar restrictions. The White House Correspondents’ Association has called on the administration to restore access to the three organizations, warning that standards used to exclude one outlet because of its coverage could potentially be applied to others.

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President Donald Trump says his proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery would also serve as what he described as a “top grade military complex,” adding a national security component to the planned Washington landmark. Trump announced Sunday that the arch would be capable of housing and rapidly deploying drones, while also providing locations for snipers and ammunition storage. The president said he agreed to the changes at the “strong request” of the U.S. military and for national security purposes. The arch is planned for Memorial Circle near the Arlington Memorial Bridge, between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. Trump has promoted the project as a monument commemorating the United States’ 250th anniversary. The Pentagon said it had no information to provide about the military component of the project beyond the president’s announcement. The project has received preliminary approval from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, but it has not yet received final approval from the National Capital Planning Commission. That commission approved the site and preliminary plans in July and is expected to consider the project again this fall. The arch is also facing a legal challenge from three military veterans and an architectural historian. Their lawsuit argues that congressional authorization is required before construction can move forward. The Trump administration has argued that existing federal authority allows the project to proceed. The groundbreaking had been expected sometime this month. Trump has not announced whether the addition of the proposed military functions will affect the construction schedule or design of the arch.

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Jessica Tarlov, a host on Fox News' popular show "The Five," shares her insights on the evolving situation at the southern border. Initially believing the Biden administration's claims that the border was secure, Tarlov was surprised to see the stark reality revealed by Fox News' drone footage. The footage showed tens of thousands of people crossing the border monthly, a situation she found both alarming and unfair. Tarlov notes the contrast between the administration's statements and the actual border conditions, suggesting that the administration only began addressing the issue as elections approached. She also highlights the significant surge in border crossings following the end of President Trump's "remain in Mexico" policy. Interviews with asylum seekers indicate that many are coming due to the perceived leniency under the Biden administration, contrasting sharply with their reluctance during Trump's presidency. This video provides a detailed look at the border crisis and its political implications, offering a perspective from a notable figure in conservative media.

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The discussion centers on President Trump's critical decision regarding Iran, emphasizing the potential for military action to dismantle the regime. The conversation highlights the brutal crackdown on Iranian protesters, noting the rising death toll. It also touches on the strained relationship between the U.S. and its NATO allies over military cooperation. Additionally, the segment discusses differing opinions on Iran's right to nuclear arms, with one commentator suggesting that nuclear weapons could lead to regional stability in the Middle East. The broader context involves ongoing geopolitical tensions and the complex dynamics of international alliances and security.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced that all 50 states will join a program to provide Most Favored Nation pricing for some Medicaid drugs. The administration claims this plan, called the Medicaid “GENEROUS” model, will save billions on prescription drug costs. Last year, Trump signed an executive order to pay the same price for medications as the lowest-paying nation. The White House estimated these deals could save $529 billion over 10 years. However, details of the deals remain unclear, raising questions about the true savings. The announcement comes as cost-of-living issues are a major concern for voters.

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GAZA/JERUSALEM, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Artists in Gaza have painted a mural of Macklemore wrapped in a Palestinian flag on a huge slab of concrete in the ruins of Gaza City, after the US rapper was kicked off Ed Sheeran's upcoming tour for calling for a "Free Palestine". The mural, on a slab that leans against ruined buildings surrounded by rubble, depicts the "Thrift Shop" rapper raising a fist in the air. "Thank you for using your voice for Palestine," it reads. "We wanted to send a message to thank rapper Macklemore in this simple way," said Anne Redwan, 26, who designed and painted the mural with fellow artist Qusai al-Helo. "As an artist living under siege here in Gaza, we are waiting for support from anyone who can see (the) persecution we live under," she told Reuters. "We can paint murals bigger than this to express our feelings." Macklemore, who has long supported Palestinian causes, was cut from British pop star Sheeran's musical lineup over remarks on stage criticizing Israel's military assault in Gaza, which was launched after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel in October 2023. Sheeran said he was unable to keep Macklemore on the tour after stadium owners refused to let him appear. US billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts where his New England Patriots football team plays, said he had barred Macklemore from appearing there for antisemitism, which the rapper denies. Nearly a year after a ceasefire ended major fighting in Gaza, reconstruction has yet to begin. Most buildings have been destroyed and more than two million residents are confined to around a third of the enclave's territory, mostly in tents or crowded rooms in damaged buildings among the ruins. A US-brokered plan to end the war has stalled, with negotiators failing to agree conditions for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its troops. The furore over Sheeran's tour has led to a series of pledges from those involved to send money. Macklemore said on Wednesday he would donate his $1 million in net earnings from the tour to six aid groups supporting Gaza. Kraft, in turn, said Sheeran had told him he would donate $2 million for aid in the region, and had asked him to match the pledge. Sheeran has not commented on any donations. Macklemore's donation drew a matching $1 million pledge from Ms Rachel, a popular children's TV personality. Aid agency officials said the boost in celebrity attention could help bring more support to Gaza, where nearly all residents rely on aid for food, water, medical care and shelter. "But what's really most important is that people who have been so generous keep fighting over a sustained time," said Toby Fricker, a local official with UNICEF. "That's why we really call for sustained support, not one-off peaks, but sustained." Hussein Murtaja, who runs a Gaza humanitarian group that provides mental health support to children, said Macklemore's solidarity matters more than the money he donated. "When artists of this stature, with this many followers or fans, all come to know more about the cause, and support reaching a political solution, support achieving peace for the people of Gaza... That means a great deal to us."

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Sept 18 (Reuters) - A US immigration agent pleaded not guilty on Friday to federal charges of lying to the FBI that he was attacked before shooting a Venezuelan man in the leg in Minneapolis at the height of President Donald Trump's deportation sweeps in January. Christian Castro, who has been suspended without pay from his job as a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, is the first federal law enforcement officer to be charged by the US Justice Department with wrongdoing in Operation Metro Surge, which saw thousands of armed, masked agents deployed to Minnesota's cities last winter. Federal prosecutors say that Castro lied when he told investigators that Julio Sosa-Celis, 24, and others were attacking him with a broom and snow shovel when he fired his gun. Castro's plea in the US District Court in Saint Paul comes a day after he answered to separate state charges of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and falsely reporting a crime brought by Hennepin County prosecutors in neighboring Minneapolis. The court appearances follow an extraordinary months-long legal battle to have Castro, who lives in Texas, returned to Minneapolis. The state charges were filed in May, but Castro, 52, spent 90 days in a county jail in Texas after Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, refused to sign extradition papers sent down by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat. A few days after his release earlier this month, he was arrested again after a federal grand jury handed down an indictment of six counts of making materially false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison. Castro drove from Texas to Minneapolis on Wednesday to surrender himself, his lawyers said, and spent the night in the Hennepin County jail before being released on bail. After the nonfatal shooting on January 14, Castro told investigators that he fired at Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan delivery driver, when Sosa-Celis and another man attacked him in a struggle on the ground. His account was repeated by then Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other Trump administration officials as they defended the widely protested surge in immigration enforcement in Minnesota. Prosecutors say Castro's account was disproved by video evidence, forcing the Justice Department to drop its prosecution of Sosa-Celis and open a criminal investigation into Castro. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the video evidence showed Castro was standing and fired from a short distance through the front door of Sosa-Celis's home, wounding the man in the leg. "Mr. Castro invented a story to justify shooting through a front door into a house with multiple people in it," Moriarty told reporters after Thursday's state court hearing. "The bullet he fired lodged in the wall of a child's bedroom." A lawyer for Castro, Daniel Gerdts, declined to comment. Moriarty's office is continuing to investigate the federal immigration officers who fatally shot Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both US citizens, in January.

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Is Energy Reform Possible?

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