A senior Republican senator has alleged that the photo intended to address concerns over Mitch McConnell’s health is not recent. The image was meant to quash speculation after McConnell’s health became a topic of widespread discussion.

The 84-year-old senator had shared a photo depicting him in a hospital bed, alongside a Sunday newspaper, claiming that a recent fall had resulted in him being ‘briefly unconscious.’ This announcement came after his office remained silent for weeks regarding his hospital visit and subsequent absence from Senate duties.

In the photograph, McConnell is pictured sitting up in a hospital bed with his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, at his side. He was shown holding the sports section of Sunday’s Washington Post.

However, in a recent interview on Real America’s Voice, Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson suggested that the image might not be current, citing unnamed sources.

“I just heard from some other source that was an older photo, so I really don’t know,” Johnson explained to host Eric Bolling during the broadcast.

‘I haven’t talked to Mitch, um, I sincerely wish his family well. I hope he can recover,’ Johnson added. ‘Listen—it’s sad to watch people age, no matter who that person is.’

The photo has sparked rampant speculation online with thousands of posts scrutinizing the image, including claims that the Sunday paper in McConnell’s hand is doctored.

The Washington Post published an analysis last night which found that the metadata on the photo – the digital footprint coded into the image – shows that it was indeed taken on Sunday.

An independent digital forensics expert also said that there is no evidence that the image is fake.

Viral posts amplifying claims the McConnell photo was doctored showed a zoomed in picture of the paper in his hand which showed garbled text in the sports section. 

But others cautioned that AI had been used to zoom in on the photo, and in trying to ‘upscale’ the image the technology simply generates random text.

Other zoomed in pictures of the paper show that its layout appears consistent with Sunday’s paper. 

Johnson and McConnell have served together for more than 16 years and often clashed, with Johnson siding with Trump over the former Senate leader. 

Johnson backed off the remarks hours later, posting on X that viewers should ‘beware of clickbait’ and watch the full interview, before wishing McConnell a full recovery. 

McConnell was admitted to a hospital on the morning of June 14 following a medical emergency at his Washington, DC home.

Paramedics responded to a report of an unconscious person believed to have suffered a ‘cardiac arrest,’ with a medic reporting ‘CPR in progress’ at the address.

The senator was not named on the call, and his office has instead claimed that he had a mild case of pneumonia and had not suffered a stroke or a heart attack.

McConnell said his doctors have told him he cannot return to the Senate floor yet, though he said he is still working with his staff on Kentucky business.

McConnell’s statement landed less than 24 hours after the sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham, 71, and days after Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat, publicly pressed for information on his condition. 

Republican leaders are now short of votes on a floor where the margin was already thin, with Graham gone and McConnell absent. 

No timeline has been given for the Kentucky senator’s return to Capitol Hill. 

Speculation over McConnell’s health intensified after Trump loyalist Laura Loomer claimed an unnamed White House source told her he is ‘brain dead’ and ‘not coming back’ to work. 

NEW YORK (AP) — The cosmos has just become a tad sweeter.

Scientists have unearthed a type of sugar floating in space, which is also found in raspberries and used in self-tanning lotions. Known as erythrulose, this sugar resides within the interstellar medium—these are sparse clouds of gas and dust scattered among the stars.

Sugars, beyond adding flavor to our desserts and drinks, play a crucial role in fueling our cells and constructing DNA. Understanding how these sugars originate is essential for scientists since they are fundamental building blocks for life.

Employing two dish-shaped radio telescopes located in Spain, scientists gathered information from a massive gas cloud situated near our galaxy’s heart, the Milky Way. To pinpoint the sugar in its gaseous state, they compared the telescope data with laboratory samples. This marks the latest detection of space-bound sugars in an area explored by NASA’s twin Voyager spacecraft, which have ventured farther from Earth than any other probes.

The findings were published on Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy.

Scientists have found interesting chemistry in our galaxy, including building blocks for genetic material and parts of the cell. They spotted a cousin to table sugar near the center of the Milky Way about 25 years ago, and black grains from asteroid Bennu retrieved by NASA’s Osiris-Rex spacecraft yielded other sugars, including a key DNA ingredient.

The latest sugar isn’t essential for life, but can easily convert to a form that’s thought to be crucial to kick-starting life on Earth. And it’s one of the most complex sugars spotted so far, said astrophysicist Erika Hamden with the University of Arizona.

It’s “a pristine example of the stuff that’s just floating out in the galaxy,” said Hamden, who had no role in the new research.

These interstellar investigations are all about understanding how life got started. Did faraway comets or space rocks deliver the essential ingredients to us? Or were the essential components already here that eventually gave rise to our solar system?

The new sugar lends evidence to the latter theory. Researchers want to look for more sugars in space and learn about how they convert to different forms.

Finding them in one spot means they’re likely also hiding in distant corners of the galaxy along with other important bits, said study author Izaskun Jiménez-Serra, an astrophysicist at the Center for Astrobiology in Spain.

“The key ingredients for the origin of life could be present in other regions across the galaxy, opening the possibility for life to develop elsewhere in the universe,” Jiménez-Serra said.

“Fire, fire, fire!” echoes the command from a Kibbutz Bror Hayil security member as he directs his weapon at a volunteer pretending to be a threat. This kibbutz, situated close to the Gaza border, was near the route used by thousands of Hamas-affiliated Palestinians who entered Israel and were responsible for the tragic loss of around 1,200 lives on October 7, 2023.

The training, covered by News Media, marked the eighth such drill organized by Magen48 in collaboration with the Israel Defense Forces. This comprehensive exercise involved local civilian defense teams and aimed to reinforce readiness in southern Israeli settlements for emergencies akin to those experienced on October 7.

Within one scenario, the response to a mock terrorist intrusion at the kibbutz kindergarten was tested. As IDF units were en route, the civilian defense group had to act swiftly, balancing the presence of children, low visibility conditions, and the dual objectives of tackling the threat and facilitating a secure evacuation. During the simulation, a mock grenade explosion resulted in a pretend injury to the leg of one defense squad member, while others successfully subdued the attackers.

In earlier sessions, participants learned to operate weapons from behind cover while sitting, lying down, standing and moving. They are also trained to work in pairs and larger groups while developing communication skills. The exercises grew increasingly complex, with teams conducting drills inside buildings and responding to continuous emergency alerts.

Because the exercise took place inside a civilian community, no live ammunition was used. All weapons and equipment were secured to prevent accidental discharge. Residents were notified in advance of the drill.

Among the 47 participants were IDF soldiers and medical personnel from the Gaza Division’s Northern Brigade.

Magen48 instructor T., who could not reveal his full name for security reasons, said the Bror Hayil program initially presented significant challenges.

“The civil defense squad was made up of soldiers who had served in special forces alongside others who had never held combat roles in the military. Some were issued weapons they had never used during their service. Training begins with weapons familiarization, covering the basics of firearm operation and how to manipulate the weapon’s safety mechanisms,” he said.

One lesson drawn from Oct. 7 was that many members of civilian security squads responded alone. “Whoever ran alone was not able to fend off terrorists,” T. said, explaining that the training emphasizes locating another squad member before engaging whenever possible.

“The idea behind this project is to establish a unified operational language, so that if an incident occurs, nearby communities can join the response and coordinate effectively,” he said.

“The idea is that they are able to manage the event until forces arrive, then hand over control in an orderly manner while continuing to work together. They know the kibbutz, they work well as teams and they have undergone high-quality training that sharpened their skills.”

Magen48, established in July 2024 and named for the 48 first responders killed on Oct. 7, has trained 1,500 civilians to respond to life-threatening emergencies, equipping them with the knowledge, skills and resources to contend with scenarios including terrorist attacks, medical emergencies and fires.

Counterterrorism expert Ehud Dribben, who has 30 years of experience in the field, co-founded the organization with Ari Briggs and Mike Aron. As the three began planning to create a training facility, the IDF approached them to develop a program providing each of the 67 Gaza Envelope communities with 12 full training days annually. To date, Magen48 has conducted more than 550 training sessions.

The training exercise began with the community command center issuing an alert about eight terrorists infiltrating the kibbutz, prompting members of the civil defense squad to mobilize to their assigned defensive positions.

Briggs and Dribben designed the exercise around five key locations where the defense squad would ultimately need to concentrate its forces. Response times are measured, and every step — from alerting residents to engaging the terrorists and evacuating casualties — is closely monitored.

“The reports that emerged after Oct. 7 showed that civilian first responders were incredibly brave. They were prepared to do anything to protect their families, friends and communities, but they were not trained adequately and lacked the equipment they needed,” Briggs said.

“Strong, well-trained civilian response teams don’t just improve security — they help bring communities back together, strengthen resilience and ensure these towns grow and have an amazing future,” he added.

Retired British Col. Richard Kemp, who observed the training exercises, said the primary objective is to prevent another Oct. 7.

“I was in the British army for 30 years, so I understand the importance of defense and security for a country like Israel,” he told News Media. “If you know that your enemy has a capability of any sort to endanger you, you have to be ready to deal with that capability through the kind of work that Magen48 is doing.”

Kemp called the drill one of the most complex exercises he had witnessed.

“It’s really important that these drills take place to give the local community confidence that its security is a top priority and that forces are doing everything they can to prepare for another terrorist attack like the one we saw on Oct. 7,” he said.

Following an incident at a Texas lake involving the drowning of a high school swimmer, authorities have detained two teenagers who are accused of discarding his belongings.

Eighteen-year-old Daniel Erving, a distinguished swimmer and honor roll student, tragically lost his life after he and two friends leaped off a railroad bridge into Lake Ray Hubbard, located in the eastern suburbs of Dallas.

Four days post-incident, Erving’s body was retrieved from the lake. A medical examiner confirmed that the cause of death was accidental drowning.

According to the Dallas Police Department, Lucas Roper, 19, along with a 17-year-old juvenile, allegedly neglected to report their friend’s tragic demise and subsequently disposed of Erving’s clothing and cellphone.

The Dallas police informed ABC News on a Monday that both individuals were taken into custody and face third-degree felony charges for tampering with physical evidence.

After the teen drowned, Roper and the juvenile fled the scene, and Roper allegedly threw Erving’s clothing into a tree line near the bridge, according to an arrest affidavit seen by the outlet.

The juvenile also threw Erving’s cellphone from the vehicle on Roper’s orders, the affidavit alleges.

Roper allegedly deleted communications with Erving from his cellphone because he “was aware that there would be an investigation into Daniel Erving’s death and he did not want to get into trouble,” the affidavit states.

Roper allegedly admitted he “panicked” after Erving drowned during a voluntary interview with detectives.

The case remains under investigation. 

Folarin Balogun has revealed that FIFA’s contentious decision to delay his suspension—partly due to an intervention by Donald Trump—impacted the USMNT’s performance in their World Cup loss to Belgium.

The 25-year-old found himself at the heart of a global controversy when news broke that the former president had urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to reassess Balogun’s red card. The dismissal came during a match in which the USA triumphed over Bosnia and Herzegovina, leading to an automatic suspension that initially kept Balogun out of the last-16 clash with Belgium.

Despite the initial ruling, efforts from US Soccer authorities and the White House resulted in the ban being lifted less than a day before the match. This move ignited allegations of favoritism and meddling in sports affairs. Ultimately, the USMNT’s campaign ended with a heavy 4-1 defeat to Belgium.

On Tuesday, Balogun appeared on CBS Mornings and he admitted: ‘My initial reaction was that I was happy to be back in the team. But when I started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy.

“I could sense a certain level of anxiety among my teammates because it was such an unusual situation,” Balogun reflected. “As the game drew near, I tried my hardest to stay focused, but it was challenging with all the outside distractions.”

He continued, “It was baffling as the team had been preparing without me, and I found myself in more of a supportive role, aiming to keep spirits high.”

Balogun’s comments come just days after Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup Task Force, conceded that the scandal surrounding the red card could have impacted US players.

Giuliani insisted he ‘stands by’ the decision to intervene, maintaining that – given all the money the US spent on the tournament – they wanted to ensure the World Cup was ‘fairly administered on the pitch.’

But when asked by the Daily Mail whether the whole saga could have distracted Mauricio Pochettino’s team, he said: ‘Potentially.’ 

Balogun, who has signed with Klutch Sports – the agency which represents the likes of LeBron James and Jalen Hurts – was shown a straight red card after a collision with Bosnian player Tarik Muharemovic. As he tussled for the ball, the USA striker landed on the back of his opponent’s leg, raking down his calf before landing on the defender’s ankle.

‘It wasn’t even a tackle so I was totally in shock,’ Balogun told CBS on Tuesday. ‘I think you could see my reaction but I just had to accept the decision and just try and be there for my team.’

He added: ‘When something is not intentional it should never be a red card – it was just an unfortunate situation and I think it put a lot more pressure on us than we needed.’

Balogun also gave CBS viewers an insight into the atmosphere within the USMNT as the saga played out.

‘My teammates are like my brothers so they gave me a lot of reassurance: it wasn’t something I could change, it was just the situation that was unfortunate – which gave me confidence,’ he said. 

‘But it was confusing because the team was practicing without me in the team, I’m almost just playing a supporting role to keep morale high… we found out [that his ban was suspended] on the team bus – everybody was screaming and shouting, it was a pretty intense bus ride to the practice field.

He continued ‘It’s more [about] being able to separate the emotion from the job at hand – we’re all professionals so it’s not something I think was too difficult to be able to separate once we got over the initial announcement that I’d be back in the team. 

‘But you saw definitely it was a difficult game against Belgium and that can overshadow whether we were focused or not. But from me being inside the camp and inside the setup, I know we had full concentration going into the game.’ 

Balogun was the USA’s top scorer at the World Cup with three goals and news of his reprieve was seen as a huge boost heading into the clash with Belgium.

But Pochettino’s team struggled badly in the last-16 clash in Seattle. ‘The feeling of disappointment is very difficult to put into words,’ Balogun said at the time.

‘To not have the energy in a round-of-16 World Cup game, it’s difficult to explain. So I can only tell you my emotions which are disappointment and a lot of sadness.’

USA captain Tim Ream insisted after the game that all the noise surrounding the red card ‘had no impact’ on the team but, even that night, Balogun suggested he would have more to say on the matter once the dust had settled on the USA’s loss.

‘The situation I’ve been involved in is also going to present different challenges,’ he said. ‘So it’s just important, for me, to be able to gather my thoughts and then at the right time, I’m sure I’ll be able to speak on the topic.’

On Tuesday, Balogun told CBS it ‘has been nice to step out’ of the ‘tough, high-pressure’ bubble of a World Cup campaign. But he added: ‘It was amazing to be a part of it – I really felt we were able to unite the country. 

‘That was an aspiration of mine and the team before we set out and I definitely felt that. You could how many fans and how many young kids were captured by it.’