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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
Sam George authorises dismissal of about 100 Ghana Post staff over irregular recruitment
Communications Minister, Sam George, has authorised the dismissal of nearly 100 staff of the Ghana Post Limited, citing an irregular recruitment process.
The affected staff members were employed after the December 7, 2024, election, a period during which the minister says proper procedures were not followed.
Speaking about the decision, Sam George expressed his commitment to clearing the ministry of individuals whose recruitment was not in line with the established protocols.
He stated that as the head of the ministry, he could not work with staff members whose employment was marred by irregularities.
“If you are a minister and you take over a ministry that has 3,117 staff in the ministry and its agencies and 600 were recruited after December 7, you cannot expect me to come and inherit such a mess, and so the rationalisation is ongoing,” he told the press on Tuesday.
He added, “Today, I have authorised a termination of a few more at Ghana Post, almost 100 that were done post-election.”
The Communications Minister explained that the irregular recruitment had created a situation where positions were filled without following due process, leading to inefficiencies within the department.
The Ningo-Prampram legislator emphasised that he is on a mission to “Clean up the ministry to make sure that it is lean and efficient and carries out its works.”
The government has been reverting many post-election employment in the public sector, which it says was done without following the laid down procedures in various sectors of the economy.
Source: myjoyonline.com
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High Commissioner of Barbados to Ghana pays courtesy call on Minister of Health
The High Commissioner of Barbados to Ghana, Juliette Byone-Sutherland, paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to discuss key issues in the health sector.
During the meeting, Mr.Akandoh highlighted the need for increased funding to ensure the effective implementation of healthcare processes.
To address the challenges faced by health workers in rural areas, the Minister mentioned a proposed package of incentives, including an additional 20% of their basic salaries, quicker promotions, and scholarships for further training.
He also emphasised the importance of providing steady leave with pay to encourage health workers to remain in these areas.
Mr.Akandoh stressed the need for six additional hospitals to cater to the new regions created in Ghana. He also discussed plans to upgrade regional and teaching hospitals to attract more skilled health workers.
In response, High Commissioner Byone-Sutherland expressed her appreciation for the Minister and the government’s efforts to improve the health sector.
She also suggested that nurses from Barbados could benefit from health training programmes in Ghana, gaining practical experience in the field.
This courtesy call highlights the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing between countries to improve healthcare outcomes.
The Ministry of Health remains committed to addressing the challenges faced by health workers and ensuring that Ghanaians receive quality healthcare services.
