Elton John speaks out on Trump’s ‘Rocket Man’ nickname for Kim Jong Un: ‘Hilarious’
Elton John is speaking out about what he thinks of former President Trump nicknaming North Korea Leader Kim Jong Un “Little Rocket Man” after one of the singer’s hit songs. The “Tiny Dancer” singer told Variety in an interview at the Toronto Film Festival last week that he thought Trump’s nickname for the dictator was “hilarious” and made him laugh. “I laughed, I thought that was brilliant,” John said. “I just thought, ‘Good on you, Donald.’ … Donald’s always been a fan of mine, and he’s been to my concerts many, many times. So, I mean, I’ve always been friendly toward him, and I thank him for his support. When he did that, I just thought it was hilarious. It made me laugh.” In 2017, Trump and Kim traded threats of destruction as North Korea carried out a slew of high-profile weapons tests aimed at acquiring an ability to launch nuclear strikes on the U.S. mainland. Trump said he would rain “fire and fury” on North Korea and derided Kim as “Little Rocket Man,” while Kim questioned Trump’s sanity and said he would “tame the mentally deranged U.S. dotard with fire.” FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP WITH KIM JONG UN IS ‘NOT A BAD THING,’ TRUMP SAYS Their relationship seemed to thaw in 2019 when Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to meet with a dictator of North Korea. The former president has since described their relationship as friendly. “I got along with Kim Jong-un of North Korea. Remember I walked over […] the first person to ever walk over from this country,” the former president said to a crowd during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania last week. 2024 SHOWDOWN: ANTI-TRUMP REPUBLICAN LIZ CHENEY SAYS SHE’S BACKING KAMALA HARRIS John also weighed in on the upcoming U.S. presidential election, telling Variety that he won’t use his stage to tell concertgoers who to vote for this fall. “I don’t go on stage and say to people, ‘You must vote for the Republicans, you must vote for the Democrats.’ It’s none of my business how they vote. They come to see me, and I’m so grateful they have,” John said. “What I want by saying that last night … there is a danger, as Dick Cheney said the other day. America is in a very volatile position. And it’s a country I love, and I’ve always loved, and I’m so thankful that it made me who I am.” “I just want people to vote for things that are just, things that are important to people: the right to choose, the right to be who you are, and not let anybody else tell you who to be. And that goes all the way up to the Supreme Court,” the “Your Song” singer continued.
First suspected case of Mpox reported in India, patient put under isolation, stable condition
The ministry went on to say that the patient has been kept apart in a special hospital and is doing well right now.
Haryana Assembly Polls: AAP MP Raghav Chadha gives big update on AAP-Congress alliance, says, ‘both parties trying to..’
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Chadha said that both parties will decide before September 12, which is the last day of nomination.
‘Have suffered patiently…’: TMC MP Jawhar Sircar says he will quit Rajya Sabha over over Kolkata doctor’s rape-murder
Sircar, a retired IAS officer, claimed that corruption by a section of leaders of his party and lack of action against them was one of the reasons for his decision.
Florida Republican, Democrat team up to tackle student loan debt as Biden-Harris forgiveness bids derail
A seemingly unlikely duo is pushing for Congress to do something about ballooning college debt that’s plaguing millions of Americans. Reps. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., and Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., introduced a bill to cap federal student loan interest at 3% this week, and Luna told Fox News Digital that she’s already gearing up to lobby Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for a House-wide vote. “I actually fully anticipate having that conversation in person when we return next week,” Luna said. TRUMP AND HARRIS IN TOSS-UP RACES IN KEY SWING STATES PENNSYLVANIA, GEORGIA, NEVADA: POLL She wants Johnson to fast-track the bill under a procedure known as “suspension of the rules,” which allows legislation to bypass the normal committee process in exchange for raising the threshold for passage from a simple majority to two-thirds – which both Luna and Moskowitz anticipated the bill would see. “I think this would pass if you put this to the floor. In fact, if you bypass committee, I think this would probably get two-thirds. I mean, I think it would pass overwhelmingly,” Moskowitz told Fox News Digital. Luna similarly said, “I think it would be really hard for any member to vote against it.” She also suggested creating a discharge petition for the bill – a measure that would force a piece of legislation up for a vote if the petition got a majority of House lawmakers’ signatures. KAMALA HARRIS GOES VIRAL WITH ‘CRINGE’ NEW ACCENT AT DETROIT RALLY, SPARKS ‘FOGHORN LEGHORN’ COMPARISONS Discharge petitions rarely, if ever, succeed in forcing a House-wide vote themselves, but Luna said that just the creation of one could be enough to pressure leadership into action. “I talk to people that are just like, ‘I am literally paying off loans from 15, 20 years ago, and because the interest rate is so high, we’re not even able to make a dent,” Luna said. “It’s turning Americans into indentured servants.” It comes after the Biden-Harris administration’s multiple attempts at mass student loan forgiveness keep getting blocked by GOP-led states and even the conservative-leaning Supreme Court. President Biden has managed to implement more narrowly targeted forgiveness measures, however. And while Luna and Moskowitz’s opinions on Biden’s initiative differ, both said they have heard people on both sides of the aisle express a need for reform to the student debt system. “Quite frankly, we both, we both were working on this issue in a silo, and then in a conversation one day, we both brought it up,” Moskowitz said of how their partnership on the issue came about. KAMALA HARRIS HAS YET TO DO FORMAL PRESS CONFERENCE SINCE EMERGING AS DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE “Everybody knows it’s a problem. . . . Let’s start here, where we have some common ground, where people who can’t afford an education can go get a loan, but they won’t be saddled with debt for the rest of their lives.” Both also dismissed concerns about giving each other’s side a win during the hyper-partisan environment of an election year. “I can’t be concerned about that, because at the end of the day, if we’re going to make progress for the American family, I’m not interested in this credit nonsense,” Moskowitz said. “If I’m out there criticizing Republicans who wanted to deny Joe Biden a win on something, I can’t then partake in that behavior myself, right?” Luna said, “Ultimately, we as a country will take a win.” “I know that we’re in an election year, and I will say that I wish, and I hope that [Democrats] will look at this legislation not like it’s being drawn from, and passed by, the Republican body, but that, you know, it’s something that would be a net positive,” she said. At of the end of 2023, roughly 43 million Americans shared the burden of some $1.6 trillion student loan debt in the country, according to federal data. Nearly 95% of that debt is in federal loans, according to the Education Data Initiative, which also cited the average federal student loan interest rate as 5.99%.
Pennsylvanians offer mixed answers on where Harris stands on key issues: ‘Better than the alternative’
With Vice President Harris hunkering down in swing-state Pennsylvania in the lead-up to her debate with former President Donald Trump this week, Fox News Digital decided to ask people in Pittsburgh where they think she stands on key issues. Lately, Harris has taken heat for appearing to waffle on issues like taxation – particularly on gratuities, after Trump made a similar campaign pledge to end the policy – as well as claiming she will secure the southern border. And last week, Harris’ campaign confirmed to Fox News that her position had changed on several immigration-related policies, including decriminalizing illegal border crossings and closing detention centers. Richard Walker of Pittsburgh said he believes Harris stands in favor of allowing fracking in places like Pennsylvania – as other states like New York currently have blanket moratoriums. ‘TOTAL BULLS—’: TRUMP CAMPAIGN RIPS ‘PREPOSTEROUS’ HARRIS PRO-BORDER WALL NARRATIVE AFTER MEDIA REPORT As for her stance on the nationalization of health care, Walker said he hasn’t heard what her position is, but remarked it should be more affordable than at present. When asked whether she would be the best candidate to bring down the inflated prices of groceries and other commodities, Walker suggested she would be, but added he saw prices rise before she and President Joe Biden took office. Walker indicated the same about the border crisis, in that he believes Harris is trying to secure the border, but that it has long been a problem. He told Fox News Digital he is not sure whether Harris can win his home state, calling it a “toss-up” – but suggested she has a good shot at winning next week’s debate. “I hope so,” he said. On Penn Avenue, sporting a classic green and white Randall Cunningham jersey, Tyrone Murray joked that he might not seem like the typical Pittsburgher, given such attire. But, he said he is from the Steel City and believes Harris will win statewide in November. “I think the women are going to take over,” he said. “I think that’s the difference in her winning – women [votes] period.” He appeared to agree with Walker that the border has long been a crisis, and that Harris is putting forth an effort. HARRIS SHIFTS KEY POSITIONS ON BORDER, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, AS CAMPAIGN PROMISES PRAGMATIC APPROACH As for the cost of consumer goods and whether Harris will help bring them down, he remarked, “They can’t go any higher.” “Everything’s been going up since the virus hit. You know, it didn’t make any difference who was president.” He went on to urge Harris to endorse an expansion of fracking, noting the economic and regional importance of American natural gas. Waiting for his bus downtown, Ron – who declined to give his last name – said he believes Harris does support a secure southern border. In terms of fracking, Ron said he believes Harris is more in favor of fracking than not, but supports restrictions and regulations on it. In terms of the debate, he said Harris has trouble with public speaking, but offered her a good shot at winning the debate and the election: “I think she’s better than the alternative,” he said. Meanwhile, fellow Pittsburgher Vijay Kumar said he believes she leans more toward renewables than fracking or drilling for fossil fuels. Kumar said that while there is “always room for improvement” in securing the border, he believes Harris has tried to “ask people to follow the rules” when it comes to immigrating to the U.S. “I think she is doing a good job. If the question is like, is there something else that could be done? Definitely, yes.” Off William Penn Place near the Drury Plaza Hotel, Anita told Fox News Digital she believes Harris supports a secure border, and proffered that she will win both the debate and Penn’s commonwealth in November. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I think she’s going to do great [at the debate],” added Nancy, who was walking with her friend, Lavonte, nearby. When asked what he thought Harris’ position is on the border, Lavonte instead blamed Congress for torpedoing a recent compromise border bill between Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz. “They use it as a political football,” he said. “Congress needs to get their behinds together and pass a bill that’ll take care of that… You see what Trump did.” Trump has been blamed for lobbying against the legislation. Local resident Charlie Cane remarked that he believes Harris will win the debate next week, calling it the match-up of a “prosecutor versus a criminal.” He added he believes she is the right candidate to bring down inflation in food and housing prices, while saying she “could do better” on border security. Fox News’ Bill Melugin and Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
Manipur: Anti-drone systems deployed to enhance security amid rise in attacks
Kuki militants reportedly deployed long-range rockets at two locations in civilian areas, killing a 78-year-old man, identified as RK Rabei, and injuring six others in Bishnupur, as confirmed by Manipur Police on Saturday.
In first foreign trip as LoP, Rahul Gandhi receives warm welcome in US from Indian diaspora, says, ‘looking forward…’
Congress MP was welcomed at the airport by Sam Pitroda, Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, and members of the Indian diaspora
Former Brazilian President Bolsonaro leads ‘free speech’ rally in Sao Paulo
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has rallied thousands of protesters in central Sao Paulo to protest against the country’s ban of the social media platform X. The demonstration was timed to the country’s Independence Day on Saturday. It also unfolded while Bolsonaro’s political rival, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, led an official parade with the country’s military in the capital Brasilia. Dressed in the colours of the Brazilian flag, Bolsonaro climbed atop a temporary stage erected on Sao Paulo’s main thoroughfare, Paulista Avenue, and addressed the crowd. His remarks took aim at one of the main figures responsible for the ban on X: Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. “I hope that the Federal Senate puts the brakes on Alexandre de Moraes, this dictator who does more harm to Brazil than Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva himself,” Bolsonaro told the crowd. De Moraes had called upon the social media platform to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, as is required under Brazilian law. In August, when X refused to comply, De Moraes released an order for the suspension of all the platform’s activities in Brazil. It was the culmination of an ongoing spat between De Moraes and X’s owner, Elon Musk. The billionaire entrepreneur had closed X’s offices in Brazil earlier that month, to avoid having to comply with separate court orders to suspend accounts peddling misinformation. On September 2, Brazil’s Supreme Court unanimously upheld the decision to ban X, with all five judges offering their support. Explaining the decision, Justice Flavio Dino said, “A party that intentionally fails to comply with court decisions appears to consider itself above the rule of law.” But that failed to quell the uproar, particularly among members of the far right in Brazil, who considered the shuttering of X as an infringement of their free-speech rights. Bolsonaro, a figurehead of Brazil’s far right, seized the moment to call for protest. “When freedom of expression and the press are threatened, democracy cries out for help,” he wrote on social media on September 4. “Therefore, I call on all Brazilians who love freedom and our democracy: Come to Paulista Avenue next Saturday, September 7!” Bolsonaro himself has had clashes with De Moraes, who formerly led the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), which oversees Brazil’s elections. In the lead-up to the 2022 presidential elections, Bolsonaro, the incumbent, spread misinformation about electoral fraud. After he lost the vote, Bolsonaro and his allies proceeded to challenge the results, using unfounded claims to sow suspicion. The result was weeks of protests and a violent assault on Brasilia’s government buildings on January 8, 2023, as Bolsonaro’s supporters looted the premises. De Moraes led the Superior Electoral Court in voting to ban Bolsonaro from office until 2030 for his role in spreading false information. At the Independence Day protest in Sao Paulo, Bolsonaro re-upped his false claims about the 2022 election. “The 2022 elections were completely biased by the president of the Superior Electoral Court, Alexandre de Moraes,” he told the crowd, adding that the January 8 riot was a “set-up”. Adblock test (Why?)
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 926
As the war enters its 926th day, these are the main developments. Here is the situation on Sunday, September 8, 2024. Fighting At least five people were killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Three people were killed and four injured in the town of Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin said, while two men were reported killed near the town of Toretsk about 20km (12 miles) to the southeast. Serhiy Lysak, the governor of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, said the number injured in a Russian missile attack on the city of Pavlohrad the day before had increased to 82. “Sixty people remain in hospital,” he said. Debris from one of dozens of Russian drones shot down over Ukraine in the early hours of Saturday was found next to Ukraine’s parliament building, the country’s parliament said in a statement. Funerals were held in Poltava for the more than 50 people killed when Russia attacked a military educational institute in the eastern Ukrainian city. Residents knelt in silent tribute as hearses carrying the victims passed by on their way to a military cemetery outside the city for burial. At least three people were injured in Ukrainian shelling of the town of Shebekino in Russia’s Belgorod region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its forces had taken control of the village of Kalynove in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Kalynove lies about 25km (16 miles) southeast of Pokrovsk, a major Ukrainian logistics hub that Russia aims to capture. Ukraine attacked a munitions depot in the Russian region of Voronezh with drones, a Ukrainian security source told the Reuters news agency. Alexander Gusev, the province’s governor, said that “explosive objects” had triggered a fire. There were no casualties but several hundred people were evacuated and a local state of emergency declared. Politics and diplomacy Richard Moore, the head of the United Kingdom’s MI6 foreign intelligence service, and CIA chief William Burns wrote a joint op-ed for the Financial Times highlighting British and United States efforts to help Ukraine in its war against Russia, and stressing it was crucial for the West to maintain its support. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to London on Monday and Tuesday to discuss the war in Ukraine, the war in Gaza and other key security concerns, the State Department said. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pledged unwavering support for Ukraine after a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of a conference at Lake Como in which they discussed Kyiv’s plans to end the war against invading Russian forces and reconstruction efforts. Zelenskyy also met Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders at the forum and the two discussed Ukraine’s peace plan. Wilders is the leader of the largest Dutch parliamentary party. Weapons Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was deeply concerned by reports about a possible impending transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia. The ministry said the deepening military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow was a threat to Ukraine, Europe and the Middle East, and called on the international community to increase pressure on Iran and Russia. Reports in August said Russia was expecting the imminent delivery of hundreds of Fath-360 close-range ballistic missiles from Iran. Adblock test (Why?)