WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky returned to the Senate to vote on Monday for the first time in three months, looking noticeably more frail after he was hospitalized for a June fall in his home.
McConnell's lengthy absence from the Senate generated a flood of criticism and online speculation, as he initially remained quiet for weeks about his condition. The 84-year-old senator eventually disclosed a month later that he had been "briefly unconscious" due to the fall and had also been treated for mild pneumonia in the hospital.
He briefly addressed reporters Monday from a wheelchair outside the Senate chamber, smiling but speaking slowly and with some difficulty. McConnell joked that he wasn't sure how many reporters would be there after dodging so many questions during his almost two decades as leader.
He said he was back in the Senate to work on a pending farm bill and because he has an ongoing interest in NATO and "backing up our good friends who are totally in the fight against the Russians."
Reporters and photographers were told by Senate staff not to take video of his remarks in the second-floor hallway, even though video is often permitted in that area. Still images were allowed.

#mcconnell

Liverpool have left Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo out of their 25-man squad for the league phase of the Champions League.
Italy forward Chiesa was also initially excluded in the competition last season under former boss Arne Slot, before being added to the list after defender Giovanni Leoni suffered a long-term knee injury in September.
Chiesa, 28, is currently out injured but expected to return to training during the international break later this month.
He has struggled for first-team football at Liverpool since joining from Juventus in August 2024.
Japan midfielder Endo, 33, has been an unused substitute for manager Andoni Iraola's side in their two league games so far this season, but he misses out too, with 21-year-old James McConnell making the cut.

#chiesa #wataru #arne

Liverpool's midfield is set for a further shakeup following the departure of Curtis Jones to Inter Milan.
The 25-year-old joins the Italian champions for £30m - and there are indications that the midfield outgoings won't end there.
Stefan Bajcetic is expected to reach a deal to rejoin Celta Vigo while James McConnell could end up leaving on loan before the window slams shut.
You would imagine that Andoni Iraola can ill-afford any more headline departures from his midfield. But sporting director Richard Hughes could come under pressure if Manchester City firm up their interest in Alexis Mac Allister.
BBC Sport is reporting that the 27-year-old Argentina playmaker is wanted by new City boss Enzo Maresca amid a summer of big changes at the Etihad Stadium.

#curtis #jones #Inter #Milan

Liverpool have made a clear call on James McConnell, and it matters more than it might first appear. A loan to Preston North End was lined up, a deal was in place, regular football had effectively been mapped out, and then the club stopped it. That is not administrative drift. It is a football decision.
According to Lewis Steele for the Daily Mail, Liverpool have "pulled the plug" on the move after Andoni Iraola decided McConnell is part of his plans. The key detail here is simple, McConnell forced the issue on the pitch and in training. If a manager changes course late in the window, it usually means the player has done something tangible, not cosmetic.
This also comes at a moment when Liverpool's midfield is shifting. Curtis Jones is heading towards Inter Milan in a £30m move, ending a long ***** ociation with his boyhood club. That departure alters the internal arithmetic. Minutes open up, squad roles change, and players on the edge of the first-team picture suddenly move closer to the centre.
Photo by IMAGO
McConnell is 21, homegrown, tactically reliable and already familiar with senior demands at Liverpool. He featured in four pre-season matches and started the closed-doors game against Como, playing an hour. That is relevant because coaches do not hand those minutes out for sentiment. They use them to test trust, positioning and decision-making.

#mcconnell #move #decision #preston

Liverpool have 'pulled the plug' on one player's proposed exit from Anfield despite a deal having been agreed with the club he was set to join.
The Reds are preparing to say goodbye to homegrown midfielder Curtis Jones after a 16-year **** ociation with his boyhood side, with the England international on the verge of completing a £30m transfer to Inter Milan.
Another LFC academy graduate in James McConnell had also been set to depart, albeit on loan for Championship outfit Preston, but those plans have now changed.
In a transfer Q&A for the Daily Mail, Lewis Steele explained that Liverpool have 'pulled the plug' on the 21-year-old's planned move to Deepdale, even though the Lilywhites had a 'deal agreed' for him to join and had promised him regular game-time.
The journalist wrote: 'The young midfielder, who spent time at Ajax last season, knocked on the door of boss Andoni Iraola last Friday and was told he is part of his plans after impressing in training and there will be minutes for him in the first team this year.

#year #pulled #deal #transfer

Preston North End are close to signing Liverpool's English academy midfielder James McConnell, 21, on loan for the season. (Liverpool Echo)
For more EFL transfer news, read Monday's full gossip column here.
[BBC]

#academy

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche just lost the last little bit of cushion he had left to survive confirmation.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, announced that she would not support Blanche's nomination to be the nation's top prosecutor and law enforcement official, dealing another blow to his rocky confirmation process.
Her defection, despite a heavy lobbying effort by Blanche that saw him make the trek to Alaska, means that Senate Republican leadership can't afford to lose anymore votes to get him across the finish line, given that Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., though now back home, has still not returned to the Senate.
Collins Drops The Hammer On Trump's Pick To Lead Doj, Jeopardizing Path To Confirmation
Murkowski acknowledged Blanche's visit to Alaska and heavy lobbying effort throughout the last few weeks, but it's his connection to President Donald Trump's nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund, and broader concerns of a weaponized Justice Department, that proved the nail in the coffin for her.

#blanche #heavy

Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, after weeks of in-patient care following a fall in mid-June, announced via a statement on Thursday that he has been discharged from a rehabilitation center and will continue his recovery at home.
"Earlier today, I was discharged from the rehabilitation center to continue my recovery at home," McConnell said in a statement. "Elaine and I are grateful for the many well wishes and support from friends, colleagues, and Kentuckians, and for the attentive care I've received from excellent doctors, nurses, therapists, and hospital staff."
"On the advice of my doctors, I'll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I'll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business," McConnell added.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images - PHOTO: Mitch McConnell delivers an opening statement during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on the FY2027 budget request in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on May 12, 2026 in Washington, DC.
McConnell was first hospitalized on June 14 for reasons that were initially undisclosed by his office.

#mitch

Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell says he's been discharged from a rehabilitation center and will continue his recovery at home. The 84-year-old Republican had been away for nearly two months after falling at his home and being hospitalized.

#kentucky #mcconnell #center

Dynatrace (NYSE:DT) shares climbed more than 7% in pre-market trading after the software company reported first-quarter fiscal 2027 results that topped Wall Street expectations, supported by continued demand for its AI-powered observability platform.
The company posted adjusted earnings of $0.48 per share, beating the ****** yst consensus estimate of $0.44. Revenue increased 16% year over year to $554.5 million, ahead of the expected $549.3 million.
Chief Executive Officer Rick McConnell said enterprise customers continue to invest heavily in cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence initiatives.
"Dynatrace delivered an exceptional quarter, led by 41% organic net new ARR growth," McConnell said. "Demand continues to strengthen as enterprises expand cloud-native workloads and accelerate their AI initiatives."
Annual recurring revenue (ARR) rose 17% from a year earlier to $2.136 billion on both a reported and constant-currency basis.

#mcconnell #cloud

Northern Ireland bowlers Adam McKeown and Gary Kelly have won Commonwealth Games gold in the men's pairs after a dramatic extra-end win over England's Nick Brett and Jamie Walker.
McKeown and Kelly won the first set 6-2 but Brett and Walker won the second 6-2 to level - before the Northern Ireland pair prevailed to win the tiebreak 1-0.
It is a third gold medal for Northern Ireland at the Games in Glasgow after Kate O'Connor won the heptathlon and Jon McConnell's men's 70kg boxing success on Saturday.
It is a fourth Commonwealth medal for Kelly, and he finally adds gold to the bronze medals he won earlier in the Games in the singles and in Delhi in 2020, and his silver in Birmingham four years ago.
It is a second gold for McKeown after he won the fours with Northern Ireland in 2022.

#games #Gold #brett #walker

Team Northern Ireland boxers Michaela Walsh, Kaci Rock and Jon McConnell won their respective semi-finals to move into Saturday's gold medal bouts.
Walsh defeated Fiji's Jasmine Daunakamakama in the women's featherweight by unanimous decision.
The 33-year-old edged a cagey first round with her experience telling in the next two rounds which she also won as she eased to victory.
The Holy Family fighter, who has earned a medal in each of her four successive Games appearances, will look to win back-to-back golds after triumphing four years ago, having won silver in Glasgow in 2014 and at the Gold Coast Games in 2018.
She will face India's Jaismine Jaismine in the final, but plans to enjoy her semi-final win which guarantees at least another silver, by completing her Irish lesson for the day on the language app Duolingo.

#four #final

WASHINGTON – Six weeks after he was hospitalized for a fall and pneumonia, Sen. Mitch McConnell's doctors still have not medically cleared him to return to work or leave a rehabilitation facility, the Capitol physician's office said.
Since June, the Kentucky Republican's health has been a source of widespread speculation and interest. He has missed 38 roll call votes in the Senate, including on key measures such as the annual defense policy bill and ending the Iran war, as well as high-profile confirmation hearings for crucial Trump nominees like Todd Blanche, who is awaiting a vote to become the next attorney general.
All summer his office has provided only limited updates on his condition. But in a statement July 27, McConnell, 84, said he was still having "intense physical therapy" and wouldn't be able to travel to western Kentucky for the annual Fancy Farm picnic, a marquee political event in the state.
"As always, I appreciate all of your continued well wishes, and I'm looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon," he said.
The Office of the Attending Physician, which provides medical services and guidance to members of Congress, said the lifelong effects of McConnell's bout with childhood polio continue to be a "significant factor in his mobility." Doctors visit with him every day.

#still #annual

(NewsNation) — Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell was the subject of a scathing "pre-obituary" by his hometown newspaper.
Joseph Gerth, a columnist for the Louisville Courier Journal, published a piece reflecting on the 84-year-old's career even though McConnell is still alive.
The piece was highly critical, saying McConnell dismantled civil rights protections he once advocated and enabled President Donald Trump.
These democratic socialists are running in 2026 elections
"Unlike Nixon, McConnell never paid for his sins that have damaged our nation's trust in government, destroyed the country's ability to have meaningful dialogue and cemented our nation's politics as an arena in which winning is the only thing that matters," Gerth wrote in the publication, calling McConnell a "detestable figure."

#kentucky #senator

By Nate Raymond
July 21 (Reuters) - A White House lawyer nominated by President Donald Trump to serve on a court that hears litigation regarding trade laws and tariff policies was confirmed to the bench on Tuesday after she apologized for past social ‌media posts that attacked various senators including Republicans.
The Republican-led Senate voted 50-48 in favor of Kara Westercamp becoming a life-tenured judge ‌on the U.S. Court of International Trade, with Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine joining with Democratic lawmakers to oppose her confirmation.
Two Republican senators did not vote, including Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who has been hospitalized and has not been present for votes. Westercamp has previously in Twitter posts referred to McConnell as "Cocaine Mitch" and accused him of betraying Trump.
The Senate moved ahead with votes on Westercamp while McConnell was out following the July 11 death of another of her social media targets, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, whom she called "weak-ass" and "disappointing." She had retweeted a post critical of Collins as well.

#republican #mcconnell

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said this week that he received two calls from agencies suggesting Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., died while he was in the hospital.
In an interview with Katie Couric uploaded to YouTube on Thursday, Beshear, a Democrat, did not specify which agencies called him with the news or when the calls were made.
"In fact, I'd gotten two calls from different agencies, not state agencies, suggesting he'd passed," said Beshear, who has served as governor since December 2019.
Fox News Digital reached out to Beshear and McConnell's offices for comment.
Gop Senators Split As Tuberville Demands Mcconnell Answers

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is calling for more information about Sen. Mitch McConnell's, R-Ky., prolonged absence from the Senate, while Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., urged people to "leave Mitch alone" as questions about the Kentucky Republican's health persist.
"Somebody needs to do something," Tuberville told Fox News Digital. "Somebody needs to come out."
McConnell finally broke his silence on his previously undisclosed medical conditions that have kept him absent from the Senate since he was first hospitalized on June 14. In a post to social media, McConnell said he would not be returning to the Senate floor just yet due to doctors' orders, but vowed he would return to "finish the job" before his announced retirement at the end of his term.
Mitch Mcconnell Breaks Silence On Mystery Hospitalization After Graham's Death
Tuberville said no additional information from Senate leadership about a timeline for when McConnell may come back or the status of his health has been given out internally to his colleagues.

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson (Wis.) on Monday cast doubt on the recency of a photo Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) shared of himself in the hospital alongside his wife.
"I've just heard from some other sources that was an older photo. So I really don't know," Johnson told host Eric Bolling on Real America's Voice's "Bolling!"
The Wisconsin Republican noted he has not spoken to McConnell, hopes he can recover and will "come back and vote" in line with President Trump's agenda.
Later Monday, Johnson backtracked from his remarks to Bolling. The Wisconsin senator wrote on the social platform X, "Beware of clickbait — watch the full clip. Most importantly, I hope SenMcConnell makes a full recovery and returns to the Senate."
On Sunday, McConnell provided an update on his condition after weeks of silence in the wake of his hospitalization on June 14. The 84-year-old senator, who is retiring, said he went to the hospital after a fall left him "briefly unconscious."

Tonight lawmakers from both parties are remembering the life and legacy of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who died at the age of 71. There are new questions tonight about who will replace him in South Carolina, and growing scrutiny about fellow Republican Mitch McConnell's health after a newly released statement and photo of the 84-year-old GOP senator. NBC News' Ryan **** les reports.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Sunday said he won't return to the Capitol for votes "quite yet" as lawmakers prepare to return from recess.
"As much as it frustrates me, this process takes time. And on the advice of my doctors, I won't be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet. But rest ***** ured that, in the meantime, I'm not taking a break from the Senate business that matters to you," McConnell wrote in a Sunday statement shared with The Hill.
"I've been working closely with my legislative staff on current issues, and with my Kentucky team who help me provide timely constituent services across our Commonwealth. I've also been keeping in touch with my Senate colleagues on the appropriations process, midterm politics, and everything in between," he added.
The press release had a photo of the Kentucky senator with a copy of The Washington Post in hand while seated on a hospital chair next to his wife.
McConnell has been hospitalized and absent from the Senate for more than four weeks, following a medical emergency at his Washington, D.C., home on June 14.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., nearly a month after being hospitalized, revealed what actually happened to cause his absence from the Senate.
In a lengthy statement released Sunday evening, McConnell attributed his childhood fight with polio to a fall he suffered last month which landed him in the hospital. He was "briefly unconscious," he said in an open letter to Kentuckians, and while recovering was hit with a "mild case of pneumonia."
"My doctors have confirmed that I didn't break any bones or suffer a concussion," McConnell said. "I didn't have a heart attack or a stroke. I don't have any tumors or hemorrhages."
Mcconnell Faces Fresh Calls To Come Clean About Health Issues
Yet, when he will return to the Senate remains a mystery, something that McConnell himself acknowledged.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Our coverage on Sen. Mitch McConnell has moved here.
US Sen. Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized for about a month, and it's still not clear why he was admitted or what his condition is.
Aides for the Kentucky Republican have been fiercely protective of his condition – publicly and privately – during his hospitalization.
Despite requests for updates from CNN, his office has not disclosed a medical reason for the hospitalization or provided specifics on his health status beyond saying last week that he "continues to improve" and "is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters."
The lack of information has sparked questions over McConnell's health – and has led to speculation and rumors online that his health had significantly deteriorated.

The sudden death of influential Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina will have implications for legislative business in the Senate — where Republicans' slim margin is already under stress with the absence of Sen. Mitch McConnell after he was hospitalized— and the November election.
Here's what we know about what comes next.
Under state law, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster can appoint a temporary replacement to fill Graham's now-vacant seat.
But because Graham was up for reelection this year, his death will kick off a sprint primary election to replace him on the November ballot.
Officials have yet to announce how Graham will be replaced, but state law appears to call for a special primary election on August 11 — with a possible runoff on August 25 — to choose a new nominee.

(NewsNation) — Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., said Thursday he doesn't know whether Sen. Mitch McConnell is still alive, criticizing the lack of updates about the Kentucky senator's condition after nearly a month in the hospital.
"I have not heard from him, and I think it's a question that Republicans should be asking because he does represent the state of Kentucky," Stutzman said on "Morning in America." "His constituents deserve answers where he is at."
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has also called on McConnell's office to provide an update, sending a letter requesting more information about the senator's health.
Stutzman said he agrees with Beshear's request.
What is Mitch McConnell's health status?

Sen. Mitch McConnell's recent conversations with colleagues are drawing attention as he remains hospitalized for an undisclosed reason.
As questions about McConnell's health continued to mount, two of his colleagues and a longtime confidante revealed they recently spoke to the 84-year-old from the hospital.
Both Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, spoke to McConnell on July 6 and 7, respectively, aides confirmed. Scott Jennings, a commentator and longtime McConnell adviser, also said he spoke to the senator on July 7.
McConnell's office has shared little about his hospitalization beyond revealing he was admitted on June 14 and saying as recently as July 7 that he "continues to improve."
Now, the internet is fixating on McConnell's reported conversations and the mystery surrounding his hospitalization, with social media users riffing that they too talked to the senator about dramatized topics.

Tony East: Pacers officially announce the signing of forward Kelly Oubre Jr. And a question I had is answered: He will wear jersey number 10 for the Pacers. Oubre's past career numbers were all taken: 3 (Braden Smith), 9 (T.J. McConnell), and 12 (Johnny Furphy). A new era of Oubre.
bsky.app
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Pacers officially announce the signing of forward …

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate's top two Republicans have spoken individually to Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, according to aides, as the former GOP leader remains in the hospital more than three weeks after being admitted for undisclosed health issues.
Aides to McConnell have declined to release any information about his condition, fueling speculation about his prognosis and whether he will be healthy enough to be at the Capitol when the Senate returns to Washington next week after a two-week recess. McConnell, 84, is retiring at the end of his term in January.
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he had spoken with McConnell by phone on Monday and that the two had a "lengthy and substantive conversation that covered a variety of topics, including national security." As leader, Thune is generally kept up to date on illnesses and absences in his conference as he has to navigate vote counts and his narrow 53-47 majority.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Senate Republican, had a 20-minute conversation with McConnell on Tuesday, according to a spokeswoman. The two discussed Senate races ahead of the midterm elections, the Supreme Court and other topics, the statement said.
"Senator McConnell was fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate," said Barrasso spokeswoman Kate Noyes.

(NewsNation) — Catholicism is seeing renewed interest among some members of Gen Z, many of whom are embracing traditional values and searching for deeper meaning and purpose. The trend has also become part of a broader conversation about how faith and traditional values are influencing American politics, particularly among conservatives seeking to reshape the Republican Party.
"There are so many things out there that cheapen life, and they're looking for some meaning," said the Rev. Jim Lisante of Our Lady of the Lourdes Church in Massapequa Park, New York. He spoke with NewsNation's Leland Vittert on Monday, saying he thinks the church provides that to the younger generation.
"I think for many, many young people today, they are saying, 'Everything I've been promised that would give my life meaning has not given my life meaning, and maybe there is a deeper spiritual reality I should explore.'"
Mitch McConnell: What is known about his health
In Washington, D.C., Catholics hold a significant number of influential positions. Catholics make up a majority of the Supreme Court, and more than a third of President Donald Trump's second-term Cabinet. Vice President J.D. Vance is among the most prominent Catholic figures in the administration and recently released a book about his faith journey **** led "Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith."

You see a guy like Jalen Brunson, leading his team to win the ****** le. Throughout his career, people have talked about him being undersized. When you see that, does it tell you, 'Hey guys, it doesn't matter how big you are as long as you have the heart and can make the right reads, it really doesn't matter what size you are'? Braden Smith: Yeah, that's exactly what it is, and obviously, him doing that last year and with [Ryan] Nembhard on the Mavericks. I think with him playing as well as he did, I think that helps. TJ [McConnell], the year before, when they went on their Finals run, helps. It just shows that it's kind of making a little bit of a comeback. I think it's the right way to play basketball, one. But two, you need those guys who understand the game and it's not just off of athleticism and just because you can go run and dunk type of thing, more than people that actually understand basketball.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Braden Smith on undersized guards succeeding in NBA: It's kind of making a bit of a comeback

Sen. Mitch McConnell's office said Thursday that he is still in the hospital but hasn't disclosed why he was admitted June 14. It comes as police scanner audio indicates paramedics gave CPR to a person in cardiac arrest at his known address.