Salem News Channel

Americans preparing for flu season may have reason to be optimistic about this year's vaccine, with health experts reporting that the updated flu shot appears to be a better match for several circulating influenza strains. The 2026–2027 influenza vaccine has been updated to target strains expected to spread during the fall and winter months, including a version of the H3N2 virus that contributed to widespread illness last season. Last year's flu vaccine provided less protection than health officials typically hope to see, partly because of changes in the viruses circulating during the season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the 2025–2026 flu vaccine was approximately 36% effective overall, based on preliminary data. This season's vaccine targets three influenza viruses: two influenza A strains, H1N1 and H3N2, and one influenza B strain. Researchers say two of the vaccine's three components appear to be well matched to circulating viruses, although questions remain about how effectively the shot will protect against a newer H1N1 variant. Health experts caution that it is still too early to determine the vaccine's overall effectiveness for the current season. Flu viruses can change over time, which is why vaccine formulations are reviewed and updated annually using surveillance data from around the world. Even when the vaccine is not a perfect match, vaccination can reduce the risk of serious illness, hospitalization and complications associated with influenza. The CDC continues to recommend annual flu vaccination for most people ages six months and older. Health officials generally recommend getting vaccinated in September or October, before flu activity typically increases during the winter months. Protection takes approximately two weeks to develop following vaccination. Doctors emphasize that people who received last year's flu shot, including those who subsequently became sick, should still receive an updated vaccine for the current season. With flu activity already increasing in some parts of the country, health experts are encouraging Americans to prepare before the season reaches its peak.

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New York City lost more than 30,000 private-sector jobs over a two-month period, according to new employment figures highlighted by City Comptroller Mark Levine. The decline has raised concerns about the city's economic outlook as businesses continue to face rising operating costs and uncertainty over employment trends. According to a report from Levine's office, private-sector employment fell by approximately 23,000 jobs in September, following a loss of 7,400 positions in August. The combined decline amounts to roughly 30,400 jobs in just two months. Some of the largest losses occurred in the city's finance, tourism and hospitality industries. The leisure and hospitality sector shed approximately 7,700 jobs in September alone, despite what Levine described as a relatively strong tourism season. Employment in that sector has fallen by approximately 17,000 positions over the past year. New York City's finance industry also experienced significant losses, shedding nearly 6,000 jobs in September. The industry remains a major contributor to the city's economy and tax revenue. Levine described the employment figures as concerning, particularly given the declines across industries that traditionally support large portions of the city's workforce. Business owners have pointed to rising rents, energy expenses and other operating costs as challenges to maintaining employment and keeping businesses open. One Manhattan business owner, Sam Musovic, told the New York Post that high operating expenses contributed to his decision to close a restaurant on the Upper West Side, resulting in approximately 100 layoffs. The latest figures come as New York City continues to grapple with affordability concerns and the financial pressures facing small businesses. The city's unemployment rate stands at approximately 4.8%, according to the figures cited in the report. The employment losses have also prompted questions about whether the recent declines represent a temporary slowdown or a broader challenge for New York City's private sector. The report highlights the importance of employment growth in industries such as finance, hospitality and tourism, which support thousands of businesses and workers across the five boroughs. For more on the employment figures and reactions from New York City business owners, read the full report at Townhall.com.

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President Donald Trump defended his administration's tariff policies during a campaign rally in Corinth, Mississippi, Monday night, arguing that tariffs are strengthening the American economy and encouraging companies to keep jobs and operations in the United States. Speaking to supporters ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, Trump said his trade policies are helping generate revenue while discouraging businesses from moving production overseas. The president has repeatedly promoted tariffs as a way to protect American manufacturing and reduce the country's dependence on foreign-made goods. Under his trade strategy, tariffs impose additional costs on certain imported products, which Trump argues gives companies an incentive to manufacture goods domestically rather than rely on foreign suppliers. Trump told the Mississippi crowd that his administration's approach is helping keep businesses in the United States and bringing economic benefits to American workers. The president has also argued that tariff revenue is contributing to the nation's finances, presenting the policy as a central component of his economic agenda. However, economists have debated the broader impact of tariffs. While the measures can provide protection for some domestic industries, they can also increase costs for American importers, businesses and consumers. Tariffs are collected by the federal government from companies importing goods into the United States. Those businesses may absorb the additional expenses or pass some of the costs along to customers. Trump's remarks come as economic issues remain a major focus of the midterm campaign, with both parties seeking to make their case to voters on jobs, manufacturing and the cost of living. The president has made his economic record a recurring theme at campaign rallies as Republicans work to increase voter turnout ahead of Election Day. Voters will head to the polls Tuesday, November 3, to determine control of Congress and decide numerous state and local races across the country.

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President Donald Trump fired back at former President Barack Obama during a campaign rally in Corinth, Mississippi, on Monday night, defending his White House renovations after Obama mocked the building's gold-heavy decor. The exchange comes as both presidents campaign ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, with Republicans and Democrats making their final appeals to voters. Obama recently criticized Trump's changes to the White House, joking that the elaborate gold decorations made the historic building look as though former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had opened a Cheesecake Factory. The remark targeted Trump's preference for gold accents and ornate furnishings, which have become prominent features of the Oval Office and other areas of the White House during his second term. During Monday's rally, Trump responded to the criticism while addressing supporters in Mississippi. The president has defended his approach to decorating the White House, presenting the changes as improvements to the appearance of the historic presidential residence. Trump's renovations have attracted attention throughout his second term, particularly the expanded use of gold-colored decorations, decorative trim and other elaborate design elements. Supporters have praised the changes as a reflection of Trump's personal style, while critics have questioned whether the decorations are appropriate for the White House. The dispute adds another point of contention between Trump and Obama, who have frequently criticized one another over political issues and their respective administrations. Both presidents have been active in the final stretch of the midterm campaign, appearing at events intended to energize voters and support candidates from their respective parties. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, when Americans will vote in congressional and other races across the country.

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Yolanda Renee King, granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr., shares her reflections on the current state of the nation and the progress made since her grandfather's era. Yolanda discusses her personal experience casting her first vote, expressing both excitement and disappointment over the accessibility of voting and the challenges that remain. She reflects on her grandfather's legacy and imagines his reaction to the advancements and setbacks in civil rights and racial equality. The discussion also touches on historical milestones, such as the election of Barack Obama as the first Black president, and contrasts it with contemporary perceptions of racial progress and regression.

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Bernie Sanders criticizes President Donald Trump, alleging he is a racist and the most divisive president in recent memory. Sanders claims Trump perpetuated the false narrative that President Obama was born in Africa and labeled Mexicans as rapists and murderers during his campaign. The discussion also touches on Trump's alleged derogatory comments about women of color and other groups. Larry Elder challenges these claims, pointing out that speculation about Obama's birthplace existed before Trump and that Trump's criticisms extend beyond racial lines. The conversation reflects on the political rhetoric surrounding the midterm elections and the accusations levied against Trump.

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Pennsylvania is banning cell phones in schools during the school day. Governor Josh Shapiro signed the bipartisan bill Monday, saying the goal is to reduce distractions and help students focus on learning. The ban takes effect in the 2027-2028 school year. Pennsylvania joins New Jersey and other states taking steps to limit cell phone use in classrooms.

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WASHINGTON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Former FBI Director James Comey is facing a third criminal case from President Donald Trump's administration, the latest accusing him of sharing sensitive national security information, according to court documents made public on Monday. Comey was charged with transmitting and conspiring to transmit national defense information in October 2016, according to a court document. Comey said in a video on Instagram that "they're back again" and referenced the Justice Department, but did not provide further details. "I'm still innocent," he added. Comey's lawyers have already asked a judge to dismiss the case.

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President Trump announces a $1 million reward for information leading to voter fraud arrests and convictions. Posting on Truth Social, the President writes: "Anybody reporting Voter Fraud in the past Elections, or the upcoming 2026 Midterm Election, will be paid $1,000,000 upon the arrest and conviction of those that created the Fraud! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP."

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In the Brazilian presidential election, Lula emerged victorious in a surprising turn of events. Despite losing the first round to Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, Lula won the second round by a significant margin. The election raised eyebrows due to a large number of null votes and an extension of voting hours in some areas, actions that were deemed illegal. The Supreme Court justice who extended the voting time was Lula's personal attorney, adding to the controversy. Lula, a former communist and convicted felon, has been a divisive figure in Brazilian politics. His win has set the stage for potential political turmoil, as Brazil's conservative Congress may seek to impeach him upon his inauguration.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom gave unvarnished thoughts to an undercover journalist about the future of the Democrat Party recently, and believes the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is “going to be the dominant” force, spotlighting the fissure in the party that is only going to grow heading into the 2028 presidential election. “I am a younger voter, and a lot of us, we want to see the Democrat Party move forward,” the person in the video obtained exclusively by Townhall said to Newsom. “You know, we don’t want Kamala Harris,” she continued, referring to the failed 2024 presidential candidate and would-be 2028 Newsom rival. “We want, you know, more, I guess, democratic socialist policies. Where do you see the Democratic Party going?” “No one is arguing to manage the status quo and fail more efficiently,” Newsom responded. “So the DSA, the energy and the desire and demand for bold change, not incremental change, is very much going to be dominant. I mean, that’s going to be a mainstream democratic movement. Absolutely. No question about that,” the California governor said in the video. “You can’t play in the margins anymore. The whole– the system’s broken. It’s completely unbalanced, and we can’t manage the decline. We have to completely reimagine.” The exchange took place as Newsom was campaigning for New Hampshire congressional candidate Stefany Shaheen in mid-October. A New York Times/Siena poll released Saturday shows Newsom trailing Harris among potential 2028 presidential contenders. Harris wins 12 percent, while Newsom is at 9 percent. Pete Buttigieg is at 7 percent. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has been endorsed previously by the DSA, is at 6 percent. “Don’t know” won 45 percent. Read more on Townhall: https://townhall.com/news/kyleolson/2026/10/26/gavin-newsom-calls-dsa-mainstream-democratic-movement-heading-into-2028-presidential-election-n2685292

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(Newport, OR) -- Evacuations were ordered in coastal Oregon triggered by possible ammonia contamination after a seafood processing plant caught fire. Authorities said on social media Sunday the fire took place at Pacific Seafood in the city of Newport. The city said Sunday afternoon that level three evacuations were in place for those within a one-mile radius of the plant "due to potential ammonia contamination in the area from the plant." The Oregon State Fire Marshal said Sunday afternoon that an ammonia tank had been found and its didn't appear to be punctured or leaking. The city said no injuries have been reported and Pacific Seafood said it was not aware of any reported injuries and all its team members were accounted for.

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First Lady Melania Trump says she helped secure a localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine to evacuate elderly civilians from the city of Oleshky. Both countries confirmed the limited ceasefire, which is set to begin Tuesday. Ukrainian officials say about 1,700 civilians remain in the Russian-occupied city, where food and medicine supplies have been blocked. The agreement is intended to allow humanitarian aid into the city and help residents who want to leave. Russian and Ukrainian officials say the evacuation will take time and require complex coordination.

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Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood have been a major problem for his campaign in recent weeks. El-Sayed gets very touchy when asked about it, but there are well-documented ties between El-Sayed's family and the Muslim Brotherhood — including a Substack article El-Sayed penned defending his friend with ties to the terrorist group and campaign donation records showing ties to other terrorist organizations. Now The Midwesterner has obtained video of an El-Sayed campaign staffer defending the Muslim Brotherhood. TJ Wolfgram is the El-Sayed campaign's captain of conservative and independent outreach, and he blamed the concerns about El-Sayed's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood are "because Americans are idiots." Catch the full story on Townhall: https://townhall.com/news/amy-curtis/2026/10/26/midwesterner-el-sayed-staffer-video-n2685324

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Major flooding is expected to hit the southeast coast. This will mark at least the fifth consecutive day of water levels rising more than two feet, thanks to rising high tide and persistent winds pushing seawater onshore. Coastal Flood Warnings extend across parts of South Florida, Georgia and the South Carolina Lowcountry. Warnings will remain in effect as the region braces for the most critical phase of the fall King Tide event.

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(Corinth, MS) -- The midterm takes place in a little over a week. President Trump will continue his pre-election blitz when he holds a rally in Mississippi later today. He'll be there to support incumbent Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith as polling shows the race between Hyde-Smith and Democratic challenger Scott Colom becoming more competitive. Before he leaves the White House, Trump is set to hold a meeting with the U.S. Ambassador to the French Republic and the Principality of Monaco. Meanwhile, Vice President Vance is holding rallies in Montana and Kansas today.

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(CNN) -- Anthropic filed for an initial public offering Monday in what could become one of the largest stock market debuts in history — detailing its surging business growth, along with a vast multitude of warnings about how it could all go wrong. Anthropic’s filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission sets the stage for the company to go public and begin trading on the stock market as soon as November 16. The IPO could reportedly value the company at up to $2 trillion, which would make it one of the largest public companies in the world. The company’s stock will trade under the ticker ANT and will be listed on the Nasdaq exchange. The San Francisco-based company did not disclose how many shares it intends to sell nor at what price. That information will be determined in the coming weeks ahead of the stock market debut. In the filing, Anthropic’s founders penned a letter to potential shareholders laying out their vision for the value of AI, while also disclosing what they see as the major risks for the business. Those risks include everything from competition from other AI labs to “catastrophic or existential risks to humanity.” The IPO filing offers insight into how Anthropic views the future of its business despite those concerns and uncertainties. Anthropic’s revenue grew 1,300% year-on-year in the first six months of 2026, to $16.3 billion. The company’s business is largely dependent on companies using its Claude AI system. Anthropic said it has more than 14,000 enterprise customers, with approximately 250 of those contributing $10 million or more in annual revenue. But the company reported an overall net loss of over $80 billion, according to the SEC filing. Still, just shy of $9 billion of that loss was due to spending on AI infrastructure and computing, while more than $72 billion was attributable to “change in fair value of convertible notes, derivative liabilities, and SAFEs.” That means only a fraction of the loss was actual spending during the first half of the year. The company did not include results for the most recent financial quarter, which ended on September 30. Anthropic’s IPO will test Wall Street’s appetite for AI, as the general public, policymakers and the industry’s own technologists raise major questions about the risks posed by AI — and whether the rapidly advancing research and data center buildout should be slowed. The filing also addresses many of the same themes that have sparked concerns of an AI bubble, including the possibility of AI demand growing more slowly than expected. Anthropic was last valued at $965 billion after raising $65 billion from investors in May. Anthropic’s decision to move forward with its IPO signals “a willingness to face heightened public scrutiny,” said Jacob Bourne, an analyst with Emarketer. “Anthropic’s IPO filing comes at a pivotal moment for the AI industry, as an anticipated wave of fall public offerings has failed to materialize amid rising concerns over debt-fueled infrastructure investments, uncertain returns, and AI safety risks that have reportedly contributed to rival OpenAI delaying its own IPO until next year.” Anthropic’s risk factors Anthropic’s filing lays out four major categories of risk from artificial intelligence: misuse, such as being used to design and implement bioweapons or cyberattacks; loss of human control; authoritarian abuse, such as its potential use to create surveillance states; and economic disruption. The filing includes 93 pages of risk factors for Anthropic’s business. That’s significantly more than other tech companies that have filed to go public over the last decade, like Snap, which had around 30 pages of risk factors, and Uber, which had about 50. If Anthropic’s models cause extreme harm, the company could face liability exceeding what its insurance can cover, the filing states. The company also said its AI models may behave in unintended or “misaligned” ways and may take “harmful actions that no user or third party directed.” Anthropic sought to reassure potential investors by writing that it believes “frontier AI companies must invest in safety and alignment to help ensure the responsible diffusion of this technology.” But the company could face conflicting pressures to balance safety versus returns for investors once it goes public. Anthropic sees a wave of other potential risks to its business in other areas as well, from whether it’s able to secure enough computing resources to uncertain regulatory and political environments. It also said much of its revenue relies on a limited number of products and customers. But Anthropic’s growth will likely overshadow concerns about the company’s losses, challenges and potential risks to its business, according to Dan Ives, partner and senior managing director at Yorkville & Ives Co. Anthropic and the AI race Tech giants including Meta, Google, OpenAI and Anthropic are pouring billions of dollars into the AI race, all hoping to become the dominant player in what they promise will be a society-changing industry. Global spending on AI across services, software, infrastructure and other areas is expected to reach roughly $3.6 trillion in 2027, up from $1.8 trillion in 2025, according to market research firm Gartner. OpenAI had an early lead following ChatGPT’s launch in November 2022, but the competition has intensified in the last four years. Anthropic’s Claude Code tool quickly became a favorite among software developers after launching in early 2025, and the company sought to replicate that success for other office jobs earlier this year with its Cowork agent. Claude Cowork helped kickstart the shift from AI chatbots to agents — and rattled software stocks in the process over anxieties that it could make other businesses’ software tools obsolete. Fintech firm Ramp reported that 43.8% of US businesses paid for services from Anthropic in September, compared to OpenAI’s 40.6% share. The Claude app has also seen a surge in growth this year. Market intelligence firm Sensor Tower estimates that it has more than 67 million monthly active users as of the third quarter of 2026, compared to 9.4 million a year ago. But OpenAI also beefed up its own agents this year by launching its Codex coding app in February and ChatGPT Work agent in July for accomplishing multistep tasks like writing a brief or analysis. Anthropic claimed in the S-1 that its own employees have made huge efficiency gains using Claude — pointing to a growth in revenue per employee from $1.4 million in September 2025 to more than $6.6 million in September 2026, mirroring sharp overall revenue growth during the period. Now, tech companies are racing to create AI agents that will become the gateway to our entire digital lives, handling everything from shopping to booking restaurants and messaging friends. Anthropic is challenging Meta and OpenAI in this space with its new Duet agent, designed to complete tasks that require taking multiple steps across several apps. At the same time, Anthropic has landed at the center of ongoing concerns over the breakneck pace of AI advancement. Last month, CEO Dario Amodei called for an industry-wide slowdown to allow time for safety research, industry standards and regulation to catch up, a sentiment echoed by some other top AI leaders. His essay came after an employee resigned over fears that AI could pose a threat to humanity, and follows reports from Anthropic and its rivals of AI models hacking into other companies during testing. Anthropic has also had a rocky relationship with the White House. The company temporarily revoked all access to its most capable models when the Trump administration ordered it to prevent foreign nationals from using the technology in June. But Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei was one of several AI CEOs who met with President Donald Trump in September and signed a voluntary commitment to self-police AI models.

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This video discusses the findings of a Gallup poll on the values Americans believe the country needs most today. The poll asked participants to choose three values from a list that includes honesty, responsibility, integrity, equality, fairness, freedom, respect, patriotism, courage, kindness, humility, and service. The analysis focuses on the stark differences between Republicans and Democrats regarding the value of patriotism. While 46% of Republicans ranked patriotism in their top three values, only 6% of Democrats did, making it the lowest ranked category for them. This disparity highlights a significant ideological divide in perceptions of patriotism between the two parties. The speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing this difference and the implications it has for the nation's future.

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