Biden news: Pence undergoes pacemaker operation as Sanders pays Trump rare compliment on Afghanistan

(EPA)

Former vice president Mike Pence is recovering after surgery to install a pacemaker, a small device to regulate a heartbeat.

Mr Pence is expected to fully recover and return to normal activity in the coming days following the procedure, described as “routine surgery”.

His former boss may have got a shot of his own after receiving a rare compliment from Democrat senator Bernie Sanders.

While Sanders praised Joe Biden’s commitment to withdraw troops from Afghanistan before the 20th anniversary of September 11, he made clear it was a deal negotiated by the former president.

“I am not a great fan of Donald Trump and his administration, but he was right in trying to end endless wars," Sanders said.

Joe Biden, meanwhile, continued the seemingly endless sanctioning of Russia in response to election interference and cyberattacks.

Ten Russian diplomats are to be sent packing from the US as Washington piles pressure on Vladimir Putin over election meddling and military aggression on the Ukraine border.

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