Headline

Biden Speaks Of Quitting Presidential Race If…

Published

1 year ago

July 17, 2024

US President Joe Biden said he could drop his reelection bid if doctors found he had a medical condition, as a top Democrat on Wednesday urged the 81-year-old to step aside.

Biden’s comments were the first time he has even slightly opened the door to abandoning the White House race, and came as Representative Adam Schiff, a key ally from California, urged Biden to “pass the torch.”

“If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if the doctors came and said ‘you’ve got this problem, that problem,’” Biden told the Black media outlet BET in an interview taped Tuesday, when asked what could make him rethink.

Biden however defended his decision to stay on for a rematch with Republican Donald Trump in November, and explained why he had not handed over to a younger generation after one term.

“I said I was going to be a transitional candidate, and I thought I’d be able to move on from this, pass it on to someone else,” he said. “But I didn’t anticipate things getting so, so, so divided.”

Biden has been fighting for political survival since a disastrous debate against Trump nearly three weeks ago, in which his tired and confused appearance sparked concerns about his age.

Schiff became the first Democrat to call for him to step aside since the assassination attempt against Trump on Saturday, which had briefly silenced the growing chorus against Biden.

“A second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the President can defeat Donald Trump in November,” Schiff said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.

Schiff, who is expected to win a Senate seat this November, is a key White House ally in the legislature and shot to nationwide prominence as lead prosecutor during then-president Trump’s first impeachment trial.

Biden was set to make a fresh attempt to prop up his candidacy in a speech to crucial Latino voters in the battleground state of Nevada later Wednesday.

– ‘Pretty damn good’ –

Around 20 House Democrats and one senator have now called on Biden to leave the White House race but Biden has refused, insisting he is best placed to beat Trump.

Biden, Trump agree to election debates in June, September
Most polls show Biden trailing in a tight race, with Trump pulling ahead in key swing states but no dramatic movement since the debate debacle or shooting.

Biden said his mental acuity was “pretty damn good” in an NBC interview on Monday, one of a series of unscripted outings aimed at showing he has what it takes.

With pressure on Biden mounting, Democrats said on Wednesday they plan a virtual nomination for the president in the first week of August, ahead of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on August 19.

Some Democrats have slammed the scheme, accusing the party of trying to ram through Biden’s candidacy and avoid a full discussion of alternative choices.

Party chiefs say they need to carry out the virtual roll-call by August 7, which is the deadline set by the Republican-led state of Ohio for the submission of nominations.

Biden otherwise risks not being on the ballot in Ohio, the home state of Trump’s new running mate J.D. Vance.

While Ohio’s governor has signed a law giving Biden more time, the DNC said it feared further legal challenges.

“None of this will be rushed,” the heads of the DNC’s rules committee said in a letter to lawmakers obtained by AFP. “No matter what may be reported, our goal is not to fast-track.”

But several lawmakers are planning to sign a letter against the virtual nomination plan and others have criticized it, according to US media.

Biden insists that Democratic voters support him, but a poll by the Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research said Wednesday that nearly two-thirds want him to step aside.

Headline

Coup: Guinea-Bissau Junta Releases Six Held Opposition Politicians

Published

16 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Editor

Guinea-Bissau’s ruling junta on Tuesday released six members of the political opposition who had been detained since a coup last month.

The six freed opposition members are said to be close associates of Domingos Simoes Pereira, head of the PAIGC party that led the country to independence in 1974.

Pereira has been in custody since the coup.

In a statement by the High Military Command, the junta’s governing body, the releases are described as a sign of good faith and a step towards the return to constitutional normality and respect for international rights.

The army seized power on 26 November after ousting outgoing President Umaro Sissoco Embalo in the wake of a presidential vote.

After taking over, the military suspended the electoral process and announced it would take control of the West African country for a period of one year.

Recall that another opposition candidate, Fernando Dias, took refuge in Nigeria’s embassy, which granted him asylum, while Embalo fled the country after being briefly detained by the military at the time of the coup.

Meanwhile, Senegal’s Foreign Minister, Cheikh Niang, led a delegation to Guinea-Bissau, where he met with detained opponents and requested their release.

Headline

7 Territories Still Under Colonial Rule

Published

17 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Editor

Even though most nations became independent in the last century, some territories are still ruled by other nations.

Contents
1. Western Sahara
2. Guam
3. American Samoa
4. United States Virgin Islands
5. Falkland Islands / Malvinas
6. Gibraltar
7. Bermuda

Many of them remain on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories, meaning they have not completed the process of decolonization. These places usually depend on bigger countries for laws, passports, defence, or political control.

In this article, Nigerian Tribune highlights 7 territories still under colonial rule:

1. Western Sahara

Western Sahara remains one of the world’s biggest unresolved colonial issues. Morocco controls most of the territory, but the Polisario Front wants independence for the Sahrawi people. The UN is still trying to help both sides agree on a peaceful solution.

2. Guam

Guam is an important US territory in the Pacific, used heavily for American military operations. The US oversees its defence and foreign relations.

People living there are US citizens, but they cannot vote in presidential elections and do not have full representation in Congress.

3. American Samoa

American Samoa has more local control than Guam, but the United States still decides immigration, defence, and foreign affairs.

Residents are considered US nationals and must apply if they want full citizenship.

4. United States Virgin Islands

The US Virgin Islands have their own legislature, but the United States makes major constitutional and political decisions. The territory depends heavily on US federal support.

5. Falkland Islands / Malvinas

The Falkland Islands remain controlled by the United Kingdom (UK), but Argentina has long disputed this claim, having been in control of the Islands for a few years before 1833.

The people living there voted strongly to stay British, yet the sovereignty dispute continues to appear in the UN.

6. Gibraltar

Gibraltar sits at the Southern tip of Spain. The United Kingdom controls it, but Spain insists the territory belongs to them.

Gibraltarians have repeatedly voted in favour of remaining British, but the dispute is still discussed within the UN Decolonisation Committee.

7. Bermuda

Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory situated in the North Atlantic Ocean. Although it manages most of its own internal affairs and enjoys a strong economy with modern facilities, the United Kingdom still handles its defence and represents it in global matters.

Headline

Russia-Ukraine War: Pope Leo Calls For Global Christmas Truce

Published

17 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Editor

Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday renewed his call for a global truce on Christmas Day, saying he felt “great sadness” after Russia “apparently rejected a request” for a pause in fighting.

Speaking to reporters at his residence in Castel Gandolfo near Rome, the Pope urged all sides involved in conflict to observe at least one day of peace.

“I am renewing my request to all people of goodwill to respect a day of peace — at least on the feast of the birth of our Saviour,” Leo said.

Recall that Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and has repeatedly turned down calls for a ceasefire, arguing that any pause would give Ukraine a military advantage.

“Among the things that cause me great sadness is the fact that Russia has apparently rejected a request for a truce,” the pope said.

Referring to conflicts worldwide, Leo added, “I hope they will listen and there will be 24 hours of peace in the whole world.”

The appeal came as fighting continued in eastern Ukraine. On Tuesday, Ukrainian forces withdrew from a town after heavy battles with Russian troops. Russian strikes killed three civilians and left thousands without power during winter temperatures.

There was no indication of progress toward ending the war after separate meetings last weekend in Miami between the United States officials and negotiators from Russia and Ukraine. The conflict is nearing four years with no settlement in sight.

Earlier this month, Pope Leo met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. When asked whether he would accept Zelensky’s invitation to visit Ukraine, the pope said, “I hope so,” while noting that it was not possible to say when such a visit could happen.

Leo also warned that efforts to secure peace without European diplomatic involvement were “unrealistic”, expressing optimism that President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan could bring a “huge change” to the transatlantic alliance.