- Verstappen stages protest over 'ridiculous' swearing punishment
- Bayern boss Kompany lauds 'special talent' Olise
- Diaz fires Liverpool top of Premier League, Spurs bounce back
- Heavy fire over Israel-Lebanon border after deadly Beirut strike
- Ramos guides unbeaten Toulouse to Montpellier win despite Hogg scuffle
- Myanmar flood death toll jumps to 384
- Chelsea owners 'happy' with win at West Ham amid rift report
- Kane and Olise run riot as Bayern thump Bremen
- Ramos guides unbeaten Toulouse to Montpellier win
- Norris pips Verstappen to dramatic Singapore pole after Sainz crash
- Carey takes Australia to 270 in 2nd ODI against England after collapse
- Two Hezbollah leaders killed in Israel's Beirut strike
- Hungary Danube waters reach decade high after Storm Boris
- Bagnaia cuts Martin's MotoGP lead with Emilia-Romagna sprint win
- Jackson double fires Chelsea to victory at woeful West Ham
- Fiji beat Japan to lift Pacific Nations Cup
- Kasatkina to face Haddad Maia in Korea Open final
- S.Africa snowfall closes roads, strands motorists overnight
- Lawyers of women alleging Al-Fayed sex abuse receive over 150 new enquiries
- President Museveni's son backs Ugandan strongman for 7th term
- Norris quickest as Verstappen bounces back in Singapore practice
- Wallabies lament All Blacks' fast start
- Germany's Oktoberfest opens under tight security after attacks
- Environmental protesters block French cruise liner port
- Hezbollah in disarray after Israeli strike kills top commanders
- No place like home: Biden hosts 'Quad' leaders
- One dead, 7 missing as heavy rains trigger floods in central Japan
- Zelensky says no UK, US go-ahead to use long-range missiles
- New Zealand edge Australia 31-28 in Bledisloe Cup thriller
- Japan orders evacuations as heavy rains trigger floods in quake-hit area
- New Zealand pilot freed in Indonesia after 19 months in rebel captivity
- Hezbollah in disarray after Israeli air strike kills top commanders
- The BYD Seal Hybrid U DM-i AWD in a practical test by journalists
- Leading climate activist released from Vietnam jail
- Ethiopians struggle with bitter pill of currency reform
- Sri Lanka votes in first poll since economic collapse
- Feminist author warns of abortion disaster if Trump wins US election
- US city of Flint still reeling from water crisis, 10 years on
- Arsenal's mean defence faces acid test to shut out Man City again
- Late surge lifts Thailand's Jeeno to LPGA Queen City lead
- DeChambeau says PGA's Ryder Cup decision 'just the start'
- Alcaraz defeated on Laver Cup debut
- Postecoglou embraces 'struggle' to make Spurs a success
- Nice hand 'ashamed' Saint-Etienne 8-0 Ligue 1 mauling
- Boeing CEO says ending strike 'a top priority'
- Stock markets mostly fall after Fed-fueled rally
- Harris slams Trump for hypocrisy on abortion as US starts voting
- Academy to host first overseas ceremony to honor young filmmakers
- No doctor necessary: US okays nasal spray flu vaccine for self-use
- Gurbaz, birthday boy Rashid lead Afghanistan to 177-run rout of South Africa
Biden, 80, to undergo medical checkup ahead of potential 2024 bid
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 anesthesia.
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 last July, 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 rigors 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.
P.Santos--AMWN