Africa News of Friday, 19 March 2021

Source: independent.co.uk

Joe Biden falls three times stumbling up stairs of Air Force One

US President Joe Biden stumbles while climbing the stairs of Air Force One US President Joe Biden stumbles while climbing the stairs of Air Force One

Joe Biden fell three times attempting to board Air Force One on his way to Atlanta.

America’s oldest president, 78, recovered to give a salute at the top of the stairs before departing to meet with Asian American community leaders in the wake of the massage parlour massacre.

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told White House pool reporters the president was “doing fine” after the fall.

“It was very windy. I almost fell coming up the steps myself. He is doing 100 percent,” she told reporters. “He’s doing fine. He’s preparing for the trip just fine.”

The triple tumble comes amid question over the ageing president’s fitness for office after referring to his vice president as “President Harris”.

Half of Americans were “not confident” that Mr Biden was “physically and mentally up to the job”, with a third concerned he hasn’t yet held a press conference, according to a Rasmussen poll in March.

The White House announced Mr Biden’s first press conference will be held on his 65th day in office on 25 March.

Mr Biden’s fall on a windy morning at Joint Base Andrews comes after he suffered a hairline fracture in his right foot playing with dog Major in November, after which he was required him to wear a boot for weeks.