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Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. has agreed to buy cancer drugmaker Mirati Therapeutics Inc. for $4.8 billion as the company

You might detest his politics, but can cracking jokes at the expense of an 81-year-old having a very public health episode ever be a good look? In July Republican Senator Mitch McConnell appeared to freeze mid-sentence during a press conference, before being led away by his team, social media was quickly inundated with reaction. McConnell stopped speaking for 19 seconds before being escorted away by concerned colleagues, appearing to sway slightly and lose focus. An aide explained that McConnell had “felt lightheaded and stepped away for a moment”. They continued: “He came back to handle Q&A, which as everyone observed was sharp.” Sadly this happened again to McConnell on Wednesday when he was speaking at a press event in Covington, Kentucky and froze for around 30 seconds when he was asked about his intention to run for re-election in 2026. He was then assisted by an aide and answered two more questions before leaving without addressing the incident. "Leader McConnell felt momentarily lightheaded and paused during his press conference today," McConnell's spokesperson said after the incident. The memes following both incidents were relentless, with people calling on him to retire. Again, much like the reaction to the Titan submersible tragedy and the riots in France earlier this summer, it shows the often cruel, reactionary nature of social media, with people quick to chip in on major incidents in the name of a few easy likes. Calling for younger leaders to represent Americans is perfectly valid, but outright mocking and joking about what appeared to be a serious health concern shows the internet at its least empathetic. Yes, it’s a buzzkill sentiment, and McConnell’s brand of politics has been completely oppositional to many over the years, but that shouldn’t excuse piling on an elderly public figure suffering an episode in the most public of spaces, should it? Some did express similar thoughts online, with one writing: “Oh also about this McConnell business. Y’all need to keep it cute with your insults! Not about McConnell (**** him) but because several people are making ableist and ageist jokes. You can talk about him without elderly and disabled people catching strays.” Another said: “All the people in the comments joking about this - i dont find it funny at all. I’m no Mitch McConnell girlie in the slightest but he’s had some serious health issues… Lets not joke about people’s health and scary situations like this.” It’s not the first time health concerns have been raised about McConnell. In March, the 81-year-old suffered a fall at a Washington DC hotel and was hospitalised due to concussion and a minor rib fracture. After undergoing rehab, he returned to Congress in April. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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Arsenal and Liverpool have both signed new deals which will offer new ways for fans to follow their progress this season. Both football clubs have named Google Pixel as their mobile phone partner with the brand set to provide new content for the men’s and women’s teams of both clubs. As part of the new deals, Pixel will collaborate with Liverpool to launch the club’s first dedicated women’s soccer show on YouTube. Arsenal will also work with the brand to provide exclusive pitchside footage of every home Premier League and Women’s Super League (WSL) game. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter It comes after Google Pixel was announced as the mobile phone partner of the England national teams in a partnership with the Football Association, focusing on bridging the gap between the men’s and women’s games. “This latest partnership is one of the many ways we are enhancing the club’s presence and transforming the game for football supporters everywhere,” said Juliet Slot, Arsenal’s chief commercial officer. “I’m particularly proud that it will help to make the game more accessible and boost the visibility of women’s football on the global stage.” Ben Latty, Liverpool’s commercial director, said: “At LFC, it is important to us that we are not only partnering with the biggest and most exciting brands, but that the brands we are partnering with allow us to offer something of real value to our supporters. “We are looking forward to seeing how over the course of the partnership we will work together to give fans of our men’s, and women’s first teams exclusive content and experiences that will bring them closer to the game they love.” Eileen Mannion, Vice President Marketing at Google UK, said: "We are thrilled to partner with Arsenal and Liverpool football clubs. As their Official Mobile Phone partner, Google Pixel will use its legendary AI-powered camera to enhance the matchday experience, bringing fans closer to the game they love, by helping them capture all the emotions of football. We will also work with both clubs to help close the visibility gap for the women's game, delivering on our commitment of making football more accessible and equitable for all fans.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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