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US Senator Mitch McConnell freezes for second time during press event
For the second time in just over a month, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell appeared to freeze while speaking to reporters.
At a press event in Covington, Kentucky, the 81-year-old paused for more than 30 seconds when asked whether he would run for re-election in 2026.
Aides attempted to prompt the senator, but it took several more seconds for Mr McConnell to recover.
He then answered two more questions, which had to be repeated by staff.
He made no comments about his health, before leaving with aides.
“Leader McConnell felt momentarily lightheaded and paused during his press conference today,” a spokesperson said after the incident.
A staffer later told the BBC’s US partner CBS News the lawmaker “feels fine” but “will be consulting a physician prior to his next event”.
Mr McConnell’s first verbal lapse occurred during a press conference at the US Capitol in Washington DC on 26 July.
There, he paused mid-sentence for approximately 20 seconds, before being ushered away by his fellow Republican senators.
He later returned and told reporters he was “fine” and had felt “lightheaded”.
Mr McConnell, who leads the Republican party’s narrow minority in the upper chamber of Congress, was admitted to hospital for a week after suffering a concussion and a fractured rib following a fall outside a Washington area hotel in March.
He was transferred to a rehabilitation facility and did not return to the Senate until mid-April.
After the freezing incident in July, US media reported that Mr McConnell has endured at least three other falls since February.
This latest episode will again raise questions about the health of the Kentucky senator heading into what will be a busy autumn legislative session, as Congress attempts to avoid a partial government shutdown at the end of October.
An aide to Senator John Thune, Mr McConnell’s deputy in the chamber, told reporters they had spoken after the incident. Mr McConnell “sounded like his usual self and was in good spirits”, Ryan Wrasse said.
“We have disagreements politically but he’s a good friend and so I’m going to try and get in touch with him later this afternoon,” President Joe Biden said later on Wednesday.
Concern over Mr McConnell’s health follows questions about the condition of 90-year-old California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, who was absent from the chamber for months after being diagnosed with a severe case of shingles.
The average age for members of the US Senate is 65.
Source: BBC
News
The Catholic Archdiocese of Accra to embark on Environmental Prayer Walk Against Galamsey
The Catholic Archdiocese of Accra in collaboration with the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious – Ghana (CMSR-GH), is organizing an Environmental Prayer Walk Against Galamsey on Friday, October 11, 2024, at 10am.
The walk will start from the Cathedral and end at Christ the King Parish, Cantonment.
According to a statement signed by Metropolitan Archbishop, Most.Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, this initiative reflects our civil, communal and religious commitment to our country and its ecosystem which is being destroyed.
In a statement issued, the church noted that “We shall engage in a Peaceful Prayer Walk, praying the Rosary which is our weapon against any adversaries. We shall congregate at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Adabraka, to pray, go through the principal streets and end with Holy Mass at Christ the King Grotto, Cantonment, We shall present a petition to the Presidency at the Jubilee House.”
He asked all Priests to read this letter and announce this Prayer Walk in all Churches in the Archdiocese on Sunday, October 06, 2024, adding that Each Parish Priest or Priest-in-Charge is expected to bus his parishioners and support this event with bottles of water.
“I also ask the Knights of St.John International and Ladies Auxiliary, and the Knights and Ladles of Marshall to be present in their uniform and assist in coordination and maintenance of order,” the statement added.
“All Priests, Religious and Lay Faithful are expected to be present to show their commitment to our Country and its environment. May our Blessed Lady, who we beech in earnest prayer in this walk, intercede for our beloved country Ghana,” the statement concluded.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
News
Democracy Hub: Ama Governor, eight other protesters granted GH₵70k bail each
Ama Governor and eight other Democracy Hub protesters have been granted bail, each set at GH₵70, 000 with two sureties.
As part of the bail conditions, the accused must report to the police once a week and deposit their Ghana cards at the court registry.
This decision follows an appeal against an earlier ruling by the circuit court, which denied bail to the nine individuals.
They are part of a group of 53 people charged with unlawful assembly, unlawful damage, assaulting a public officer, and offensive conduct conducive to breaching the peace.
These charges stem from their alleged involvement in disturbances during a protest against illegal mining (galamsey).
Despite opposition from the state, the court granted the bail application submitted by the defense lawyers. The other eight individuals granted bail include Emmanuel Gyan, Emmanuel Kwabena Addo, Ziblim Yakubu, Oheneba Prempeh, Philip Owusu Kobina, Desmond Akisbik, Von Coffie, and Sadik Yakubu.
Their release comes after protests demanding the release of the detained protesters erupted in Ghana and the UK. In Ghana, activists staged a three-day protest chanting slogans and holding placards that read “Free the Protesters” and “Justice for Democracy.”
The demonstrators emphasised the importance of the right to peaceful assembly and urged the government to respect citizens’ voices.
Simultaneously, supporters gathered outside the Ghana High Commission in the UK expressing solidarity with the protesters in Ghana and calling for the immediate release of all individuals arrested during the demonstrations.
Many attendees waved Ghanaian flags and carried signs bearing messages of support, drawing attention to the ongoing struggle for democratic rights in Ghana.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
