Mid-term elections find Trump trending for Halloween

Comic book characters will likely parade through Greenwich Village on the last Saturday in October. A tribute to the late country music singer Dolly Parton might even delight revelers on Halloween. However, with the midterm elections approaching, a special treat could feature political revelers dressed to resemble President Donald Trump. Reports of plummeting approval ratings, another snub by Norway's Nobel Peace Prize committee, repetitive commentary about conquests in several world wars, fallout from tariffs, and the renaming of oceans and edifices have kept the top Republican leader a trending costume best-seller. Throughout his two-year leadership, the Make America Great Again (MAGA) advocate has maintained prominence among ghouls, superheroes and popular celebrity thrillers. Over the years, Trump's Mount Rushmore talking statue, inflatable images of a baby Trump, imposing images of Mexicans and other immigrants on his shoulders, masks, neckties, blonde wigs, T-shirts, hats, jack-o'-lantern heads, orange faces, skin and gloved hands, as well as other ghoulish novelty designs, have provided spectacular parodies of breaking news. Traditionally, presidents are targeted for satire during this imaginative parade. But with so much material to choose from, this year's procession might emerge as New Yorkers' trickiest treat of caricatures.

Did he? U.S. hip-hop mogul Combs vs. Jamaican kingpin Coke

Unverified reports claim that hip-hop millionaire Sean "Diddy" Combs had a head-on collision with extradited Jamaican kingpin Christopher "Dudus" Coke, resulting in an emergency hospital visit. Neither prison officials nor family spokespeople have confirmed allegations of a confrontation between the convicted individuals or claims that Combs was rushed for emergency treatment. However, social media platforms and broadcast outlets in Jamaica reported the rumored run-in as a factual, newsworthy event. According to several sources, the two faced off at the Fort Dix federal prison facility in New Jersey after reports surfaced that Combs received privileged treatment and was regularly afforded access to social media and other perks. Claims that inmates prepared paid meals for Combs were revealed, with curried chicken reportedly a requested treat on his menu. Other alleged privileges included personal laundry services, smuggled alcohol, Asian-style massages and a contraband phone. Apparently, soon after the published records became public, the revered Jamaican, a former head of the Shower Posse gang, became indignant. Coke, himself an inmate who has been denied access to a cellphone, allegedly became incensed and took matters into his own hands. Jokes about the incident went viral. Other references implied Combs had met his match. Although it was reported that Combs was rushed to a nearby hospital for alleged head injuries, none of the rumors were corroborated by the Bureau of Prisons. "The reports are false and did not happen," a BOP report stated. Combs' spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, said: "The continued scrutiny of every mundane detail of Sean Combs' personal life in prison has reached the point where the media characterizes ordinary prison life as news." "The only real news is that Sean continues to serve his sentence ..." she added. Combs was found guilty and sentenced to 50 months in prison for transporting prostitutes across state lines for drug-fueled sex acts. He is set for release in May 2028. Coke, meanwhile, was extradited to the United States in 2012, at age 43. After pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy and drug-related charges, he was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison. Now 57, Coke's prospects for "good behavior" and an early release are reportedly off the table. Jamaican media outlets reported the item as credible, adding that the former Tivoli Gardens-based kingpin's sentence has since been extended, pushing his release date back by one year to January 2029. Meanwhile, celebrity power broker Combs, 56, has been transferred to a low-security federal correctional facility in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Both families and prison officials deny any interaction between the inmates, saying their proximity never made such an encounter possible. Another version of the hospital visit claims Diddy needed emergency treatment after falling out of a bunk bed.

Panamanians launch donation drive to aid earthquake victims

"Together, we can make a difference" — that's the mantra of a consortium formed to provide aid to victims of a seismic shock that disrupted the lives of Panamanians. Following the magnitude-7.7 earthquake on Oct. 9, which triggered tsunami warnings and 756 aftershocks on the Azuero Peninsula in the southern region of the Republic of Panama, Family & Friends United For Panama joined forces to collect and transport essential items they believe will ease the burden of recovery. The newly organized business entity includes Michelle's Lounge, Famoso, Pana's Kitchen, McCormack Enterprise International Consulting Accounting & Taxes, Panama 507 Roundtable Group, and the Day of Independence Committee of Panamanians in New York (DICPNY), organizers of the annual Panamanian Day Parade in Brooklyn. The consortium is asking members of the diaspora to donate canned goods, dry food, hygiene products and first aid supplies during a four-hour daily collection window. New, sealed and unexpired items are the priority. According to the group, urgent assistance is needed, with donations accepted at 2294 Bedford Ave. and 3518 Church Ave. from Thursday through Sunday, between 4 and 8 p.m. Reportedly, the State Department has already deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), which provided an airlift by U.S. military helicopter. Catch you On the Inside!