Headline

Biden, 80, To Undergo Medical Checkup Ahead Reelection Bid

Published

3 years ago

February 16, 2023

Editor

Joe Biden will complete a routine medical checkup on Thursday, a crucial step for the oldest-ever US president ahead of his expected fight for reelection in 2024.

The White House has promised to release the report by the 80-year-old president’s doctor, as it also did during his previous checkup in 2021.

This time around, with the Republican 2024 campaign already kicking off, it will be scrutinized even more closely.

Despite poor poll ratings, Biden — a Democrat — has been suggesting for some time that he intends to run again, potentially lining up a rematch of his 2020 battle with his predecessor Donald Trump, who has already declared his candidacy.

“That’s my intention, I think, but I haven’t made that decision firmly yet,” he said in a PBS interview on February 8.

Biden’s last checkup was on November 19, 2021, when he underwent a complete examination, including a colonoscopy under general anaesthesia.

He transferred his powers for one hour and 25 minutes to Vice President Kamala Harris, making her the first woman in US history to hold the presidential prerogative.

Biden’s doctor, Kevin O’Connor, at the time painted a picture of a healthy man fit to carry out his presidential duties.

But he did also point out relatively minor signs of old age, and noted Biden’s stiffer gait, attributing it to a mild nerve condition affecting the feet; as well as a frequent cough caused by gastroesophageal reflux.

Biden does not smoke, does not drink, plays sports, and has not had any major health concerns since undergoing brain surgery in 1988.

He tested positive for Covid-19 in July 2022 but did not have a serious form of the disease.

The American president has shown uncommon stamina, making public appearances and travelling.

But his age remains a frequent angle of attack by the Republican opposition.

Some of the president’s opponents even claim that he is no longer in his right mind, citing some of his moments of confusion and his slurred speech. Biden has spoken often of overcoming a childhood stutter.

Nikki Haley, a 51-year-old Republican who has just entered the race for 2024, called Wednesday for mental fitness tests for any elected official over 75.

That would also apply to ex-president Trump, 76, whom she is challenging with her candidacy.

Haley, a former UN ambassador, hopes to capitalize on the American electorate’s desire for fresh blood in politics. Polls show many do not want a second Biden term any more than they want a repeat Trump presidency.

If he runs, Biden will have to face both the rigours of an election campaign and the demands of his office.

He wants Americans to judge him on his results, effectively saying age is just a number.

“Watch me,” he likes to say.

AFP

Headline

Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region

Published

23 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Russian army Monday claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, moving deeper into Ukrainian territory as peace efforts stall.

Russian forces are slowly but steadily gaining ground in costly battles for largely devastated areas in eastern and central Ukraine, normally with few inhabitants or intact buildings left.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had seized the settlement of Zaporizke in the region, which Russian troops recently advanced into for the first time in the three-and-a-half-year offensive.

Kyiv denies that Russian troops have gained a foothold in the Dnipropetrovsk region, an important industrial hub.

After another push by US President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia summit, hopes for peace dimmed when Russia last week ruled out any immediate meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The central region of Dnipropetrovsk has previously been largely spared from fighting that has ravaged swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, until Russia said its forces broke through in July.

Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea — that Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory.

Ukraine said Russia had launched over 100 drones Monday, killing a 37-year old civilian driver and wounding two people in the northeastern Sumy region.

Moscow said Kyiv had launched about two dozen drones targeting western Russia

Headline

US Comedian Reggie Carroll Shot Dead In Mississippi

Published

23 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

A United States comedian, Reginald “Reggie” Carroll, has been shot dead in Southaven, Mississippi.

The 52-year-old Carroll, widely known as the Knockout King of Comedy, was reportedly killed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.

The Southaven Police Department confirmed the incident in a Facebook statement on Saturday.

“Southaven officers located one male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

“The officers and medical personnel provided life saving techniques but the individual succumbed to his injuries,” the statement partly read.

The victim was later identified as Carroll, a Baltimore native.

Police said one suspect was arrested and charged with his murder.

“One male is in custody and has been charged with the murder of Reginald Carroll.

“Our thoughts are with the family of Mr. Carroll.

“Thank you to the community for their patience and understanding,” the department added.

The police further assured that there was no ongoing threat to residents, describing the case as “an isolated shooting.”

Carroll, who built his career in stand-up comedy, gained national recognition touring with Katt Williams and headlining his own showcase, Knockout Kings of Comedy.

He also featured in the 2000 edition of Showtime at the Apollo, appeared on the UPN sitcom The Parkers alongside Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn, and starred in the 2022 television film Rent & Go.

In 2023, he produced the stand-up special Knockout Kings of Comedy.

The Southaven Police Department disclosed that an investigation into his death is ongoing.

Headline

US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants

Published

23 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday reaffirmed that the safety and security of the United States remain the cornerstone of its visa application and decision-making process.

The US said this following its directive last week that mandates Nigerians to disclose all social media usernames and handles used over the past five years as part of the visa application process.

US Mission said Nigerian visa applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles on the DS-160 visa application form, and warned that omitting the information could lead to visa denials.

Reacting to the development, the Federal Government said US citizens intending to visit Nigeria will be subjected to the same measures.

“The best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said last Monday.

However, in a statement released Monday on X, the US Mission said prospective visa applicants undergo careful vetting to maintain a safe and welcoming environment in the US.

It said, “The safety and security of the United States is at the heart of every #USVisa application and decision process.

“That’s why prospective applicants undergo careful screening to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

The Mission added, “These measures help protect American citizens and communities while supporting secure and responsible travel.”