Current Events
Page: 70
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Chris Unger / Getty
Donald Trump announced a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, compelling some to compare it to an infamous Nazi rally once held there.
On Wednesday (Oct. 9), an official with former President Donald Trump’s election campaign confirmed that they would be holding a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City. News of the rally immediately sparked comparisons to an infamous rally held by a group sympathetic to the Nazi Regime in Germany in 1939. According to reports, the campaign event will be held on Oct. 27, and “will kick off an ‘arena tour’ for the former president who plans to visit battleground states in the final push before the Nov. 5 election,” reportedly including Coachella in Palm Springs, California.
Trump teased the possibility of a rally at the vaunted arena in April. “We’re going to be doing a rally at Madison Square Garden, we believe,” he said at the time. “We think we’re signing Madison Square Garden to do. We’re going to have a big rally honoring the police, and honoring the firemen, and everybody. Honoring a lot of people, including teachers by the way. We’ll be honoring the people that make New York work.” At his campaign rally in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday evening, he announced it to the crowd who met the news with cheers. “We’re going to make a play for New York,” he said.
Observers noted that the rally’s theme of “America First” bears a striking resemblance to the rally held at the former Madison Square Garden on Feb. 20, 1939, by the German American Bund. The rally featured attendees cheering on “speeches were explicitly anti-Semitic, and tirades against ‘job-taking Jewish refugees’ were met with thunderous applause.” It would be the subject of a PBS short film released in 2020, A Night at the Garden, which captured the event. Others questioned Trump’s decision to have a rally in a state that hasn’t gone for a Republican since Ronald Reagan.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, historian Michael Beschloss shared an image from that 1939 event featuring a banner of George Washington next to a banner bearing the Nazi swastika in response to the news. In another X post, New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal called on Madison Square Garden to cancel, feeling their approval for the rally was a decision “that will endanger the public safety of New Yorkers and has the potential to incite widespread violence.”
This is a disastrous decision by Madison Square Garden that will endanger the public safety of New Yorkers and has the potential to incite widespread violence.
For the good of NYC and its residents, I demand @TheGarden keep our city safe by cancelling the Trump rally 3/3
— Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal (@bradhoylman) October 9, 2024
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Dia Dipasupil / Getty / Diddy / Janice Combs
Diddy is still behind bars awaiting trial on sex trafficking, kidnapping, and racketeering charges, but he did get a visit that should have lifted his spirits.
TMZ exclusively reports that Diddy’s mother, Janice Combs, and his twin daughters, D’Lila and Jessie, stopped by the MDC in Brooklyn to visit the disgraced mogul.
According to the celebrity gossip site, Diddy’s mom was so moved after seeing her son that she felt compelled to speak up for the rapper.
Per TMZ:
We’re told the four family members went to a visiting area, where they were able to hug and converse … under supervision by jail staff.
Our sources say this meeting was the first time D’Lila and Jessie were able to see their father since his arrest last month … and they were very eager to visit him, traveling all the way from their home in California.
We’re told the visit was incredibly emotional for everyone … and after seeing her son, Janice felt compelled to speak out on his behalf, because she felt like he was going through something he didn’t deserve.
Janice Combs Broke Her Silence
As we previously reported, Mrs. Combs put on her cape for her son, basically saying that her son is not the sexual predator the over 100 allegations claim he is, panting him as someone who made mistakes in his past but not guilty of everything he has been charged with.
“It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies,” she said in a statement The Hollywood Reporter shared. “To bear witness what seems to be like a public lynching of my son before he has had the opportunity to prove his innocence is a pain too unbearable to put into words. Like every human being, my son deserves to have his day in court, to finally share his side, and to prove his innocence.”
According to TMZ, Diddy has seen all his adult children and was happy they all stopped by to see him.
Local news affiliate ABC7NY reports that a date has finally been set for his trial: May 5, with another bail hearing in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: The Washington Post / Getty
An interview between Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk took a dark turn as the two joked about the hypothetical assassination of Kamala Harris.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk sat down for a recent interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and it would be aired on X, formerly Twitter. Musk has owned the platform since late 2023. The conversation, which lasted two hours, took a dark turn as Musk revisited a comment made earlier. “I made a joke, which I realised – I deleted – which is like: nobody’s even bothering to try to kill Kamala because it’s pointless. What do you achieve?”, he said, laughing.
Musk was referring to a post he made on X in the wake of an apparent second assassination attempt on the life of former President Donald Trump last month. “It’s deep and true though,” Carlson replied, joining him in laughter. “Just buy another puppet,” Musk continued, before adding: “Nobody’s tried to kill Joe Biden. It’d be pointless.”
Elon & Tucker having a good laugh in new interview: “Nobody has even bothered to kill Kamala because it’s pointless. Ha, ha, ha. What do you achieve? Nothing, you just bought another puppet Nobody is trying to kill Biden, it would be pointless.” pic.twitter.com/9evhzElxai
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) October 8, 2024
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Carlson agreed, then asked Musk to speak further on his point. “Some people interpreted it as though I was calling for people to assassinate her, but I was like … Does it seem strange that no one’s even bothered? Nobody tries to assassinate a puppet … She’s safe,” Musk said, to which Carlson replied in a deadpan manner, “That’s hilarious.” The two would also talk about other topics including Musk’s potential role in a Trump presidential administration. “If he [Trump] loses man … you’re f—d, dude,” Carlson joked. Musk bantered back: “I’m fucked. If he loses, I’m f—d.” Both laughed, with crew members joining in as Musk continued: “How long do you think my prison sentence is going to be. Will I see my children, I don’t know.”
The Tesla founder received a huge swarm of backlash after that initial post, and this time around he wound up getting praise from conservatives and fans of his on X, with one stating that “Elon Musk is the Democrats’ worst nightmare.” Others online expressed their disgust, with some writing that Musk shouldn’t be a government contractor and privy to classified documents. In a post on X, political strategist Simon Rosenberg wrote, “The owner of this platform is a deeply unwell person.”
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: JESUS GUERRERO / Getty
The crime in Mexico has claimed another politician’s life. A mayor was found decapitated just after one week of being elected.
As reported by on USA Today another official has fallen victim to the rampant violence in Mexico. Alejandro Arcos met his demise on Sunday, Oct. 6 only a couple of days after winning the mayoral race for Chilpancingo; a town south of Mexico City. According to the local news he was found with head cut off. Soon after photos of his head on top of a truck went viral on the popular messaging app WhatsApp. Al Jazeera reports that the late mayor was on route to Petaquillas but had decided to forego having guards secure him. “The mayor was going to Petaquillas for a meeting alone,” Security Minister Garcia Harfuch said. “We know that he was going to a specific meeting, he was not accompanied, communication was lost in the community, and the discovery [of his body] was made hours later.”
Naturally the murder made headlines throughout the Central American country. Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the act and made it clear that Arcos’ murder will be prosecuted. “We are going to fortify the intelligence investigative capabilities of the Mexican government,” she told reporters. Evelyn Salgado Pineda, governor of Guerrero expressed her sadness via X, formerly known as Twitter. “His loss has saddened all of Guerrero society and fills us with indignation” she wrote.
Friends and family of Alejandro Arcos carried his coffin throughout the city on Monday, Oct. 7 for the funeral ceremony. He was 43 years old.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Raymond Hall / Getty
Kamala Harris took part in major interviews with Howard Stern and Stephen Colbert, closing out a busy media day for her campaign.
Tuesday (Oct. 8) turned out to be a major media blitz for Vice President Kamala Harris, as she took part in interviews with Howard Stern and Stephen Colbert after appearing on ABC’s The View. The Democratic presidential nominee’s appearance on Stern’s Sirius XM show had a few key moments, beginning with Stern blasting former President Donald Trump for declining a 60 Minutes interview. “It just says so much,” Stern said. “He didn’t want to be fact-checked. This is madness. This is insanity. What do you mean, you don’t want to be fact-checked?”
Harris would jab Trump for his false claims about the 2020 presidential election, calling him a “sore loser” and taking him to task for his “dictator on day one” comments. “Understand what dictators do,” said Harris. “They jail journalists, they put people who are protesting in the street in jail.” She also commented on the bombshell report of Trump sending Russian President Vladimir Putin COVID tests at the height of the pandemic when he was in office. “People in America were struggling to get tests and this guy is sending them to Russia, to a murderous dictator for his personal use?” she said. Stern declared that he’d vote for her in November.
In her appearance on Late Night With Stephen Colbert, Harris opened up more, even sharing a beer – Miller High Life – with the host who expressed that he got advance permission to do so. Harris spoke about her Republican endorsements from Liz and Dick Cheney, praising them for putting “country over party.” Colbert asked her about her thoughts during her debate with Trump last month. “It’s family TV, right? It starts with a W, there’s a letter between it, then the last letter’s F,” she said, laughing and adding later on in the interview, “This is what happens when I drink beer.”
The appearances by the vice president were strategic in targeting key journalists supportive of her campaign, as many observers complained that she was ignoring traditional media outlets. Stern’s base, predominately composed of white males, is a key demographic for the Democratic party, evidenced by the “White Dudes For Harris” collective. Colbert has been a strong supporter of both Harris and President Joe Biden in the past, appearing as a host for fundraisers.
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Donald Trump and his connection to President Vladimir Putin have come under scrutiny over time and a new book from longtime journalist Bob Woodward delves deeper into the ties. In Woodward’s latest book War, the author shares details of Donald Trump sending COVID-19 tests to Vladimir Putin, holding telephone conversations with the Russian leader, and more.
The explosive details shared in Woodward’s new book reveal Trump’s deeper ties to Putin than previously reported. As seen in a report from CNN, which obtained an advanced copy of the book, Woodward wrote that Trump secretly sent COVID-19 tests to the Russian leader for Putin’s use and this occurred during the height of the pandemic that ravaged the United States.
Woodward also shared in his writings that Trump called Putin at least seven times since leaving office, further solidifying their relationship with one another.
More from CNN:
During the height of the pandemic, Russia and the United States did exchange medical equipment such as ventilators. But Putin — who infamously isolated himself over fears of Covid — told Trump on a phone call to keep the delivery of the Abbott machines quiet, Woodward reports.
“Please don’t tell anybody you sent these to me,” Putin said to Trump, according to Woodward.
“I don’t care,” Trump replied. “Fine.”
“No, no,” Putin said. “I don’t want you to tell anybody because people will get mad at you, not me. They don’t care about me.”
Donald Trump and his team have denied Woodward’s account of the events laid out in Woodward’s book.
Woodward also highlights candid conversations held by President Joe Biden, including one especially profanity-laced exchange regarding Putin and another highlighting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Kremlin confirmed via spokesperson Dmitry Peskov that Trump did indeed send the COVID-19 equipment as told to Bloomberg News. Peskov did say to Russian outlet RBC that Trump and Putin did not speak on the phone at the rate Woodward said in his book.
—
Photo: Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: KAZUHIRO NOGI / Getty / Will Smith / Michael Bay
It only took 30 years, but Will Smith and Michael Bay are finally working together again.
Spotted on Variety and first reported by Deadline, Will Smith and Michael Bay will reunite for the upcoming Netflix action film Fast and Loose.
According to the website, Fast and Loose will follow a man, played by Smith, who wakes up in Tijuana with no memories. As he works to regain his memory, he learns that he has been living a double life as a crime kingpin and an undercover CIA agent.
The upcoming project marks the first time Smith and Bay have worked together since 1995’s box office blockbuster Bad Boys, which also starred Martin Lawrence and went on to spawn three successful sequels.
Speaking of Lawrence, the actor/comedian joked on X, formerly Twitter, “Don’t forget about ya boy.”
Variety notes that Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, Chris Bremner, and Eric Pearson will work on the script with Smith, Kelly McCormick, and David Leitch for 87North, serving as producers.
Jon Mone and Ryan Shimazaki are in negotiations to produce for Westbrook Studios.
Since Bad Boys, Smith has become one of Hollywood’s biggest names. He won an Acadmey Award for his portrayal of Richard Williams in King Richard and starred in Apple’s Emancipation in 2022. He is set to star in the long-awaited sequel to I Am Legend alongside Michael B. Jordan and Sony Pictures’ sci-fi thriller Resistor.
Michael Bay has been busy blowing things up on screen in blockbuster Transformers live-action films and has sat in the director’s chair for other high-action films like Pearl Harbor and Ambulance.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: EVELYN HOCKSTEIN / Getty
Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed that she owns a Glock and has been to the firing range during her 60 Minutes interview.
On Monday (October 7), the anticipated 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris aired, and included among several of the key moments was Harris speaking about being a gun owner. “It’s a hard left turn here, but you recently surprised people when you said you were a gun owner,” interviewer Bill Whitaker began, “what kind of guns do you own and why did you get them?”
“I have a Glock, and I’ve had it for quite some time,” the Democratic presidential nominee replied. “Look, Bill, my background is in law enforcement, so there you go.” Whitaker then asked her if she’s ever fired it. “Of course I have,” she said with laughter. “At a shooting range. Yes, of course I have.”
https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1843450339774574637
The topic of the vice president being a gun owner was recently raised during her chat with Oprah Winfrey in Michigan last month, where she mentioned owning a firearm. “If someone breaks into my house, they’re getting shot,” she replied, which garnered laughter from Winfrey and the audience. Harris has mentioned being a gun owner before, as she began her first campaign for the presidency while she was still a U.S. Senator back in 2019. “I own a gun for probably the reason a lot of people do — for personal safety,” she said at the time. She also supported a ban on assault rifles and mandatory gun buybacks, but her current campaign position no longer supports buybacks.
The Harris presidential campaign still advocates for red-flag laws and universal background checks. Her vice presidential pick, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, has spoken publicly about being an avid shooter. He once was viewed favorably by the National Rifle Association, but saw his rating go from an A to an F after he supported tighter gun restrictions once he became governor.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Taylor Hill / Getty
With the massive success that Deadpool has been experiencing over the past few years, creator Rob Liefeld could just sit back and laugh all the way to the bank, but the comic book artist is still on his grind and is looking to breath more life into one of his more overlooked comic book series, Youngblood.
According to Deadline, Rob Liefeld will be returning to the comic book series he created in the 1980’s for Image Comic and not only will they be rebooting the franchise with new merchandise and media, but Leifeld will also be writing and illustrating the series as he did back in the day. Jesus H. Christ, we’re old. Though the comic book team itself never really reached X-Men or Avengers-ish heights, it did find a loyal fanbase that appreciated the characters and stories as Image Comics burst out the gate with dope new superheroes such as Spawn, The Savage Dragon and WildC.A.T.S.
Per Deadline:
Youngblood became the first independent non-Marvel, non-DC Comic title to chart at #1 and sell over 1M copies. The original Youngblood miniseries sold over 25M copies worldwide, and its publication history spans over 100 issues with featured contributions throughout its run from comic talents such as Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead) Alan Moore (Watchmen, Supreme), and Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, The Kingsmen).
Says Liefeld, “It’s so great that I can run into the comfort of characters that I created, that launched a movement. They carry such history. I love Youngblood so much. These characters are my absolute passion.”
Rosenberg adds, “Rob and I are a fantastic team, and I’m as excited now for Youngblood’s relaunch as I was in 1992 for its initial launch. The team’s awesome characters have not only been in their own Youngblood comics, but also appeared in more than 100 million comic publications worldwide, including crossovers with Marvel and other Image comics. I’m excited to bring them to audiences old and new with their original creator, Rob Liefeld.”
While details surrounding Leifeld’s return to the franchise is scarce at this point, they do plan to release a “Youngblood Vault Edition representing high resolution scans of the original art from the first Youngblood series in a deluxe oversized hardcover, as well as a Facsimile Edition of Youngblood #1 to mark the title’s 33rd anniversary in April 2025, both to be published by Image Comics.”
Those day-one Youngblood fans will be ecstatic to learn of the news. Whether or not the series will find a new fanbase in 2024 remains to be seen.
What do y’all think about Rob Liefeld making his way back to his baby, Youngblood? Let us know in the comments section below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Donald Trump remains in a tight race with Vice President Kamala Harris which ends in just under a month, and the stakes are rising higher than ever. In a new interview, Donald Trump attacked immigrants with a vile comment suggesting that they are “bad genes” in the country who have a genetic predisposition to murder.
Donald Trump appeared on The Hugh Hewitt Show on Monday (October 7) and immediately seized upon the xenophobic fears of his supporters by aiming attacks at Vice President Harris and immigration policies enacted under President Joe Biden. Furthering his stances on the southern border and attempting to frame Harris as a communist, Trump went on a verbal tear that many are currently decrying.
“When you look at the things that she proposes, they’re so far off she has no clue. How about allowing people to come to an open border, 13,000 of which were murderers,” Trump says.
He added, “Many of them murdered far more than one person, and they’re now happily living in the United States. You know, now a murderer, I believe this, it’s in their genes. And we got a lot of bad genes in our country right now. They left, they had 425,000 people come into our country that shouldn’t be here, that are criminals.”
Trump’s comments were found to be appalling by others in the media, including the panelists of the Morning Joe show on MSNBC, which discussed the matter on the Tuesday morning broadcast of the program. Across X, others observed Trump’s chat with Hewitt and considered his words offensive and a rallying cry for fascism among other digs.
Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, perhaps realizing how much of a gaffe this could be considering Election Day is fast approaching, countered in a statement that Donald Trump was referring to murderers and not migrants but it appears the damage is done.
Across X, formerly Twitter, many are discussing Donald Trump’s “bad genes” quip. We’ve got reactions listed below.
JUST NOW: @realDonaldTrump leans heavily into race science by telling @hughhewitt that you can tell whether migrants are predisposed to committing murder by “their genes.”
“We got a lot of bad genes in our country right now,” he adds. pic.twitter.com/t722iYq4Hm
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) October 7, 2024
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
—
Photo: Getty
State Champ Radio
