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Despite precautions, Obama birthday bash draws criticism from right

AFP

Even though Barack Obama plans to celebrate his 60th birthday adhering to all the current health guidelines, the former president has come under fire — mainly from the Republican camp — for throwing a large party amid a resurgence of coronavirus cases due to the Delta variant. 

The celebration is to take place this weekend on the upscale island of Martha’s Vineyard, in full compliance with the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the main US public health agency, according to unnamed sources quoted by the American press. 

All the guests will need to be vaccinated and have tested negative for coronavirus, the sources said. 

The event will take place outdoors, and a “Covid coordinator,” whose exact role has not been specified, will be present on the premises.

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In addition, the CDC said Monday that Martha’s Vineyard, in the state of Massachusetts, was reporting only a moderate level of virus transmission, not enough to trigger the new recommendations from the health authorities that even vaccinated people should wear a mask indoors. 

Nevertheless, Republican congressman Jim Jordan, a loyalist of Obama’s successor Donald Trump, took to Twitter to joke that “if this was President Trump’s birthday,” Democrats would be saying “How can someone be so reckless?” or “They’re killing people.”

“Is there an exception for parties attended by rich liberal celebrities?” demanded Ronna McDaniel, the Republican National Committee chairwoman.

“Barack Obama will have a birthday bash with 700 guests on Saturday,” tweeted Republican congressman Lance Gooden. “Will Democrats demand he require all of his guests wear masks?”

The Trump administration made headlines on numerous occasions for organizing maskless events in the White House or in government departments, or holding campaign rallies, including at the height of the pandemic and before vaccines were widely available. 

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In particular, a ceremony in honor of Amy Coney Barrett, whom Trump appointed to the Supreme Court, was suspected of being a superspreader event that led to the infection of a dozen people, including Trump himself. 

“The former president — who is a huge advocate of getting vaccinated, of following the guidance of public health experts — would certainly advocate for himself as well,” said White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Monday, noting that the event was being held in the open air and that numerous precautions were in place. 

Current President Joe Biden — who served as Obama’s vice president — is not expected to attend.

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International

Trump urges Putin to reach peace deal

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his desire for Russian President Vladimir Putin to “reach a deal” to end the war in Ukraine, while also reaffirming his willingness to impose sanctions on Russia.

“I want to see him reach an agreement to prevent Russian, Ukrainian, and other people from dying,” Trump stated during a press conference in the Oval Office at the White House.

“I think he will. I don’t want to have to impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil,” the Republican leader added, recalling that he had already taken similar measures against Venezuela by sanctioning buyers of the South American country’s crude oil.

Trump also reiterated his frustration over Ukraine’s resistance to an agreement that would allow the United States to exploit natural resources in the country—a condition he set in negotiations to end the war.

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International

Deportation flight lands in Venezuela; government denies criminal gang links

A flight carrying 175 Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States arrived in Caracas on Sunday. This marks the third group to return since repatriation flights resumed a week ago, and among them is an alleged member of a criminal organization, according to Venezuelan authorities.

Unlike previous flights operated by the Venezuelan state airline Conviasa, this time, an aircraft from the U.S. airline Eastern landed at Maiquetía Airport, on the outskirts of Caracas, shortly after 2:00 p.m. with the deportees.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who welcomed the returnees at the airport, stated that the 175 repatriated individuals were coming back “after being subjected, like all Venezuelans, to persecution” and dismissed claims that they belonged to the criminal organization El Tren de Aragua.

However, Cabello confirmed that “for the first time in these flights we have been carrying out, someone of significance wanted by Venezuelan justice has arrived, and he is not from El Tren de Aragua.” Instead, he belongs to a gang operating in the state of Trujillo. The minister did not disclose the individual’s identity or provide details on where he would be taken.

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International

Son of journalist José Rubén Zamora condemns father’s return to prison as “illegal”

Guatemalan court decides Wednesday whether to convict journalist José Rubén Zamora

The son of renowned journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín, José Carlos Zamora, has denounced as “illegal” the court order that sent his father back to a Guatemalan prison on March 3, after already spending 819 days behind barsover a highly irregular money laundering case.

“My father’s return to prison was based on an arbitrary and illegal ruling. It is also alarming that the judge who had granted him house arrest received threats,” José Carlos Zamora told EFE in an interview on Saturday.

The 67-year-old journalist was sent back to prison inside the Mariscal Zavala military barracks on March 3, when Judge Erick García upheld a Court of Appeals ruling that overturned the house arrest granted to him in October. Zamora had already spent 819 days in prison over an alleged money laundering case.

His son condemned the situation as “unacceptable”, stating that the judge handling the case “cannot do his job in accordance with the law due to threats against his life.”

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