International News
Trump Diagnosed With Vein Issue After Leg Swelling, Hand Bruising
US President Donald Trump has been diagnosed with a long-term but benign vein condition, the White House said Thursday, following speculation about his heavily bruised hand and swollen legs.
The 79-year-old was found to have “chronic venous insufficiency” after he “noted mild swelling in his lower legs” in recent weeks, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
Leavitt said the widely noted discoloration on Trump’s right hand resulted from “frequent handshaking” and the use of aspirin in a “standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.”
Trump became the oldest person in US history to assume the presidency when he began his second term this January, replacing Democrat Joe Biden, who was 82 when he left office.
The Republican frequently boasts of his energy levels and regularly plays golf, while the administration recently even posted an image depicting him as Superman.
In April, Trump said after undergoing a routine medical check-up that he was in “very good shape.”
But Leavitt’s revelations follow viral online discussions about the president’s visibly swollen ankles, seen in particular at the recent FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey, and his discolored right hand.
Leavitt said Trump had asked her to share a note from his physician about the diagnosis “in the effort of transparency.”
She said he had undergone “a comprehensive examination” and ultrasound tests, which revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.”
The condition involves damaged leg veins that fail to keep blood flowing properly.
‘Excellent health’
“Importantly, there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease,” she added.
Tests showed Trump had a “normal cardiac structure and function, no signs of heart failure, renal impairment or systemic illness,” added Leavitt, 27.
Of the hand bruising issue, Leavitt said: “This is a well-known and benign side effect of aspirin therapy. And the president remains in excellent health.”
The White House had, however, dismissed questions about Trump’s bruised hand on a number of previous occasions, saying that it was purely down to handshaking.
The health of US presidents has always been closely watched, but with the White House seeing its two oldest ever occupants since 2017, the scrutiny is now heavier than ever.
For its part, Trump’s administration has recently doubled down on claims that Biden’s White House covered up evidence of the Democrat’s physical and mental decline.
Biden’s health was a key issue in the 2024 election, and the then-president was forced to drop his campaign for a second term after a disastrous debate performance against Trump.
Republicans in the House of Representatives have issued subpoenas to several Biden aides, including his doctor, to get them to testify in an investigation into the Democrat’s mental fitness.
Trump has alleged, without evidence, that Biden’s use of a so-called “autopen” to sign documents, including presidential pardons, showed that he was not competent to lead. The autopen — a mechanical device to replicate signatures — have widely been used in by presidents and other powerful Washington figures for years.
Biden was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in May. He has dismissed questions about his mental acuity in office and said he believes he could have won a second term.
AFP
German authorities deported at least 137 Nigerian citizens across five chartered flights between February and June 2026, according to migration monitoring reports.
Data from the DERS Team and Refugees4refugees.org shows the deportations occurred in phases, with 27 Nigerians returned in February, 37 in March through a joint European Union operation, 24 in April, 23 in May, and 26 in June.
The February operation departed from Stuttgart and landed at Lagos Cargo Airport, with Baden-Württemberg listed as a primary participant. The March operation represented the largest single return of Nigerians recorded over three years and was executed in collaboration with Spain, Austria, and Belgium.
The reports indicate a growing reliance on multi-national chartered flights by European states to repatriate undocumented or non-resident individuals to Nigeria.
The United States has condemned the killing of members of the family of Plateau-based cleric, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, describing the attack as horrific and urging Nigerian authorities to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
In a statement shared on X on Thursday, the US Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs expressed condolences to the victims’ families and called for stronger measures to prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities across Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
“The United States strongly condemns the horrific killing of members of Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo’s family in Plateau State, Nigeria. The continued violence targeting Christian communities and other vulnerable populations in Nigeria’s Middle Belt is deeply alarming,” the bureau said
The US said it had already engaged Nigerian officials on the worsening security situation, stressing that urgent action was needed to curb recurring attacks and hold perpetrators accountable.
“As I discussed last week with Nigerian officials, we must do more to prevent violent acts. The perpetrators must be held accountable, and urgent action is needed to strengthen security and protect Christians and other vulnerable communities,” the statement added.
The bureau reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to working with the Nigerian government to combat terrorism and violent extremism, stressing that Christians and other Nigerians should be able to practise their faith without fear of violence.
The statement followed the July 12 attack on Kum community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, where nine members of Rev. Dachomo’s extended family, including a two-month-old baby, were killed.
According to the cleric, the attackers, believed to be armed Fulani militias, asked for him by name before opening fire on his relatives.
Dachomo, who serves as Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, said his family had repeatedly been targeted because of his outspoken criticism of the violence in Plateau State.
He recalled that his grandmother and an uncle were also killed in previous attacks, adding that days after burying his relatives, he received a written death threat from the same group, warning that he would be their next target.
Saudi Arabia has updated its tourist eVisa programme for 2026, limiting eligibility in Africa to only three countries as part of its list of 66 nations whose citizens can apply through the Kingdom’s online visa platform.
The move leaves most African countries, including Nigeria, outside the simplified entry scheme.
The electronic visa allows eligible travellers to visit Saudi Arabia for tourism, leisure activities, family visits and Umrah, excluding the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Applications are completed online, eliminating the need for embassy visits and lengthy visa processing.
Saudi authorities said the eVisa forms part of ongoing efforts to expand tourism, attract international visitors and simplify travel procedures through a fully digital application system. The visa is available only to citizens of approved countries and territories listed on the Kingdom’s official tourism portal.
Below is the list of African countries eligible for Saudi Arabia’s eVisa.
1. Mauritius
2. Seychelles
3. South Africa
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