International
Arizona first state to file suit against Biden vaccine mandate
AFP
Arizona on Tuesday became the first US state to file suit against President Joe Biden‘s Covid vaccination mandate for federal employees and businesses with more than 100 employees.
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, announced the filing of the suit against what he described as an “unconstitutional” move by the Democratic president.
“The federal government cannot force people to get the Covid-19 vaccine,” Brnovich said in a statement. “The Biden Administration is once again flouting our laws and precedents to push their radical agenda.”
In the suit, the attorney general argued that the vaccine mandate violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution by “favoring” migrants who have unlawfully entered the country over US citizens.
“Migrants who cross the southern border illegally are not subject to any vaccination requirements even when released directly into the United States,” Brnovich said.
“This reflects an unmistakable — and unconstitutional — brand of favoritism in favor of illegal migrants.”
The attorney general of Arizona, which borders Mexico, asked a US District Court to declare the vaccination mandate unconstitutional.
A number of Republican governors have vowed to fight the vaccination mandate.
Asked last week about legal challenges to the strict new vaccination rules, a defiant Biden said: “Have at it.”
Biden‘s vaccination mandate comes as the Delta variant has sent Covid cases surging across the country.
Announcing the move, Biden addressed the estimated 80 million eligible Americans who have not yet gotten the shot against a disease that has left 650,000 people dead in the United States.
“We’ve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin,” the 78-year-old president said. “And your refusal has cost all of us. So, please, do the right thing.”
Biden‘s plan mandates vaccinations for all federal employees and contractors and businesses with more than 100 employees. Companies could face fines if they do not comply.
International
Erin brings strong winds and storm surge despite weakening offshore
Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 2 storm on Tuesday but continues to pose a threat to parts of the U.S. East Coast with potentially dangerous flooding, according to meteorologists.
Although the hurricane’s eye is expected to remain offshore, experts are concerned about Erin’s size, as strong winds extend hundreds of kilometers beyond the storm’s center.
In its 18:00 GMT bulletin, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) lifted tropical storm warnings for the Bahamasand Turks and Caicos Islands, but kept them in effect for parts of North Carolina.
Erin was located several hundred kilometers southeast of North Carolina and was moving northwestward.
“This means there is a risk of potentially life-threatening flooding of 60 to 120 centimeters above ground level,” said NHC Director Michael Brennan.
He also warned of the possibility of destructive waves, combined with storm surge, that could cause severe damage to beaches and coastal areas, making roads impassable.
International
Three U.S. Warships deploy near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking
Three U.S. naval vessels are moving toward the coasts of Venezuela, according to international media reports on Tuesday, after White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump is ready to combat and curb international drug trafficking.
Reports indicate that the ships will reach Venezuelan waters within the next 36 hours as part of a recent U.S. deployment aimed at countering international narcotics operations.
The announcement coincides with Leavitt’s statement that Trump is prepared to “use the full extent of his power” to halt drug flows into the United States. The naval deployment involves approximately 4,000 military personnel.
“The President has been clear and consistent. He is ready to use every element of U.S. power to prevent drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice. The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela—it is a narco-terror cartel,” the spokesperson said during a press conference.
International
Cuban authorities free salvadoran convicted in 1997 hotel bombing
Salvadoran national Otto René Rodríguez Llerena was released after serving a 30-year prison sentence for his involvement in a terrorist attack at a hotel in Cuba in 1997, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
During his trial, Rodríguez Llerena admitted to placing an explosive device at the Meliá Cohiba Hotel under the orders of anti-Castro exile leaders. He was arrested the following year when he returned to Havana with another load of explosives that failed to detonate.
“The Cuban government reiterates its commitment to combating terrorism, respecting human rights, and the need for the international community to hold accountable those who promote such acts,” the statement read.
He was released on August 15 and is the second Salvadoran to complete his sentence. In December of last year, another Salvadoran, Ernesto Cruz León, was released after planting bombs at tourist centers, one of which killed an Italian tourist identified as Fabio Di Celmo.
A third Salvadoran, Francisco Chávez Abarca, also received a 30-year sentence from Cuban courts in 2010 after being extradited from Venezuela through Interpol for actions against Cuba.
Rodríguez Llerena had requested conditional release in 2016, arguing that his actions had not caused any direct fatalities, but no further information was released about his situation until now.
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