Biden stumbles several times while boarding Air Force One; White House says he is '100% fine'
Washington: US President Joe Biden is doing "100% fine" after he tripped multiple times while jogging up the stairs to board Air Force One on Friday, according to a senior White House official.
Biden, 78, stumbled as he climbed the plane's steps, initially appearing to trip, get up, then trip a second time. He struggled to get up the second time for a brief moment, before making it up, turning to give a salute before entering the cabin.
"So, as you know, it's pretty windy outside, it's very windy. I almost fell coming up the steps myself," White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said while briefings reporters on the presidential plane on the way to Atlanta, Georgia where Biden was to meet members of the Asian-American community which has been shocked by a series of shootings in massage parlours.
"He is doing 100% fine," CNN quoted her as saying. Jean-Pierre would not say if he hurt the foot that was recently broken.
"He's doing great. All I can tell you is he's doing fine. He's preparing for the trip today and he is doing just great," she said in response to a question.
She repeated that he was doing just fine when asked if Biden got checked out by a doctor.
Biden had broken his foot in November, just after celebrated his 78th birthday and winning the race for the White House, making him the oldest president in US history.
Biden fractured his foot after he slipped while playing with his dog, Major. The Biden family has two dogs, Major and Champ, both German shepherds.
During the 2020 campaign, the Biden campaign released a summary of Biden's medical history, which showed the former vice president was healthy and fit for the presidency.
Biden stumbles multiple times, falls as he climbs Air Force One stairs pic.twitter.com/365Iqz08Wy
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) March 19, 2021
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
International Federation of Journalists says 128 journalists killed worldwide in 2025
Majority killed in conflict zones
Brussels, Belgium: A total of 128 journalists lost their lives across the world in 2025, with more than half of the deaths recorded in the Middle East, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said on Thursday.
According to the global press body, the Palestinian territories accounted for the highest number of fatalities, with 56 media professionals killed as Israel’s war with Hamas continued in Gaza. IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger described the situation as unprecedented, saying the concentration of deaths in such a small geographical area over a short period had not been seen before.
“This is not just a statistic. It is a global red alert for our colleagues,” Bellanger told AFP, warning that the scale of violence against journalists reflected a deepening crisis for press freedom worldwide.
Journalists were also killed in several other countries during the year, including Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, Peru and India. This shows the risks faced by media workers in both conflict zones and politically volatile regions.
Bellanger also criticised the lack of accountability for attacks on journalists, arguing that impunity continued to fuel violence against the press. Without justice, he said, those responsible for targeting journalists are emboldened to continue.
The IFJ report said 533 journalists were currently imprisoned, a figure that has more than doubled over the past five years. China remained the world’s largest jailer of journalists, with 143 reporters detained, including several in Hong Kong, where the imposition of national security laws has drawn criticism from Western governments.
The IFJ noted that its death toll is typically higher than figures released by other watchdogs due to differences in methodology. Its count for 2025 includes nine journalists who died in accidents. In comparison, Reporters Without Borders reported 67 journalists killed in the line of duty during the year, while UNESCO placed the number at 93.
