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| Barack Obama holiday pictures released by Richard Branson after former President's Mosquito island stay | Barack Obama holiday pictures released by Richard Branson after former President's Mosquito island stay |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| While the world debates Donald Trump’s controversial string of executive orders, Barack Obama has been enjoying some downtime. | While the world debates Donald Trump’s controversial string of executive orders, Barack Obama has been enjoying some downtime. |
| If Sir Richard Branson's photos are anything to go by, the former President is making the most of his newfound free time on the unlikely duo's recent holiday break together. | If Sir Richard Branson's photos are anything to go by, the former President is making the most of his newfound free time on the unlikely duo's recent holiday break together. |
| The Virgin Group founder and Mr Obama spent time kitesurfing on Mosquito Island in the British Virgin Islands – an island which Sir Richard purchased for £10m in 2007. | |
| Writing on Virgin’s website, the billionaire entrepreneur said it was an honour to invite Mr Obama and Michelle Obama to the island. | Writing on Virgin’s website, the billionaire entrepreneur said it was an honour to invite Mr Obama and Michelle Obama to the island. |
| “So we decided to set up a friendly challenge: could Barack learn to kitesurf before I learned to foil board?” Sir Richard wrote. “We agreed to have a final day battle to see who could stay up the longest.” | “So we decided to set up a friendly challenge: could Barack learn to kitesurf before I learned to foil board?” Sir Richard wrote. “We agreed to have a final day battle to see who could stay up the longest.” |
| Sir Richard posted a video of their challenge, with footage showing both men taking a dive in the water but the outgoing President coming out on top. | Sir Richard posted a video of their challenge, with footage showing both men taking a dive in the water but the outgoing President coming out on top. |
| “Barack and I both fell many times, but we kept trying again and again and made progress over the days,” Sir Richard wrote. | “Barack and I both fell many times, but we kept trying again and again and made progress over the days,” Sir Richard wrote. |
| “We were neck and neck until the last run on the last day, when I got up on the foil board and screamed along for over 50 metres, three feet above the water. | “We were neck and neck until the last run on the last day, when I got up on the foil board and screamed along for over 50 metres, three feet above the water. |
| "I was feeling very pleased with myself, only to look over and see Barack go 100 metres on his kiteboard! I had to doff my cap to him and celebrate his victory.” | "I was feeling very pleased with myself, only to look over and see Barack go 100 metres on his kiteboard! I had to doff my cap to him and celebrate his victory.” |
| Since Mr Obama and his family boarded a Marine helicopter and left the White House after Mr Trump’s inauguration, they have enjoyed time off before returning to Washington so their 18-year-old daughter, Malia Obama, can finish school. | Since Mr Obama and his family boarded a Marine helicopter and left the White House after Mr Trump’s inauguration, they have enjoyed time off before returning to Washington so their 18-year-old daughter, Malia Obama, can finish school. |
| Sporting a backwards baseball cap and flip flops, Mr Obama could be seen pictured alongside Sir Richard. | Sporting a backwards baseball cap and flip flops, Mr Obama could be seen pictured alongside Sir Richard. |
| While enjoying some R&R, Mr Obama found time to condemn President Trump’s hardline immigration order, which bans immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations. | |
| “The President fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion,” Mr Obama's spokesman said in a statement. | |
| “Citizens exercising their Constitutional rights to assemble, organise and have their voices heard by their elected officials is exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake.” |