The Senate reconvened without Mitch McConnell, whose extended absence remains unexplained and has drawn widespread coverage. In entertainment news, Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour after his advocacy for Palestine. An oil tanker in the Hormuz Strait struck a sea mine, causing an explosion, and Azerbaijan marked the 108th anniversary of Baku’s liberation from occupation. Governor Gavin Newsom said he will not run for president in 2028 if Vice President Kamala Harris does, while the Supreme Court blocked a Trump administration plan to screen mail‑in ballots. In sports, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin warned of real safety issues ahead of his return and noted that pressure is not on LSU, and former President Trump dismissed calls for an AI slowdown as a “sick conspiracy.”