Activist who exposed Hunter Biden laptop data flees to Switzerland

Activist who exposed Hunter Biden laptop data flees to Switzerland
Conservative critics have alleged that Hunter Biden, the president’s second son, partnered with his uncle James Biden to exploit Joe Biden’s political influence to win multimillion-dollar contracts in Ukraine and China. (AFP)
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Updated 08 April 2022

Activist who exposed Hunter Biden laptop data flees to Switzerland

Activist who exposed Hunter Biden laptop data flees to Switzerland
  • James Maxey plans to post all of the data from the laptop, which includes more than 80,000 files, 1.7 gigabytes of data and 8,000 emails, online in the coming weeks
  • Former Bannon colleague suggested he feared he could be killed in the US, telling Newsmax he was being followed by ‘black SUVs’

CHICAGO: The whistleblower who sent the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop to members of Congress, triggering a congressional investigation in October 2019, says he has fled to Switzerland to escape surveillance by “bad actors” and members of the FBI.

During an interview on the conservative cable TV channel Newsmax on Thursday, Jack Maxey said he posted many of the files from Biden’s computer online, but that the documents were “taken down” by US intelligence agencies.

Allegations of influence-peddling by Joe Biden’s son to secure lucrative contracts poses a political threat to the president’s ability to hold on to Congress during the midterm elections in November.

Conservative critics have alleged since 2018 that Hunter Biden, the president’s second son, partnered with his uncle James Biden to exploit Joe Biden’s political influence to win multimillion-dollar contracts in Ukraine and China.

The allegations gained momentum when Hunter Biden’s personal laptop fell into the hands of Republican congressmen. He took the laptop to a Delaware computer repair store in April 2019 — the same month his father officially launched his bid for the presidency — but forgot to pick it up. After being abandoned, the laptop legally became the property of the store’s owner, who took its contents, including thousands of Hunter Biden’s personal emails, and turned them over to Republican activists, who quickly called for an investigation.

One of the conservative activists who got a copy of the laptop’s hard drive was Maxey, who co-hosted the podcast “The War Room” with Steve Bannon, a former campaign adviser to Donald Trump.

The initial emails released from the laptop, according to several published accounts, include lurid details of a decadent lifestyle, as well as information pertaining to Hunter Biden’s contracts in China and Ukraine.

In 2014, for example, Hunter Biden joined Ukraine’s state-owned natural gas company Burisma as a $1 million-per-year consultant. Less than a month after his then-vice president father visited Ukraine and met Burisma executives in April that year, the lucrative contracts began rolling in.

A top US diplomat stationed in Kyiv warned in a classified email sent to the State Department in 2016 that Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine, while his father was still vice president, “undercut” anti-corruption efforts in the country. That email, dated Nov. 22, 2016, was written by George Kent, who at the time was the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Ukraine.

Republicans in Congress introduced a resolution on Oct. 15, 2019, that provided specific details culled from the laptop and demanded an investigation into Hunter Biden’s Ukraine dealings.

Maxey said he fled to Switzerland recently after fearing he was being surveilled by “bad actors” and the FBI. He told British tabloid The Daily Mail that he feared retaliation. Maxey told the newspaper he plans to post all of the data from the laptop, which includes more than 80,000 files, 1.7 gigabytes of data and 8,000 emails, online in the coming weeks.

Maxey said he posted the files on another site but they were quickly taken down by “US intelligence agencies,” implicating the Biden administration in covering up the scandal.

“We chose five different drop boxes around the world. One in New Zealand, two in the United States, two in the United Kingdom,” Maxey told Newsmax, adding that his objective “is to expose the truth.”

He added: “In each case, the material that we put on there, and it was a relatively small amount, 8,000 emails, they were taken down in under 70 minutes. I would say that the vast majority were taken down in under 15 minutes.”

Dalia Al-Aqidi, a conservative columnist and senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy, said: “This issue has been largely covered up in the liberal media and social media platforms to minimize its negative effect on the 2020 presidential elections.

“Nobody cares about Hunter Biden’s personal life nor his lifestyle as a private citizen; however, the issue is much more complicated than that. Americans deserve to know what role President Biden had played in his son’s business and what services were offered by Hunter in order to get paid thousands of dollars. Did he offer access to his father, and did the president benefit from his son’s deals? A transparent and bipartisan investigation is due now. Better late than never.”

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California’s 50th District told Arab News last week that the Hunter Biden controversy is “the most consequential political scandal since Watergate, and it deserves an investigation in Congress no less robust and no less bipartisan than that one.”

Maxey suggested he feared he could be killed, telling Newsmax he was being followed by “black SUVs.” He said he feels less vulnerable to harassment in Switzerland and has friends there who could help him release the documents.

“I’m constantly reminded that I’m American and plenty of better men than me are taking dirt naps. I’m going to keep my oath to defend the constitution against all enemies. Foreign and domestic,” he said.


Firefighters rescue 5 mischievous boys lost in New York City sewer

Firefighters rescue 5 mischievous boys lost in New York City sewer
Updated 24 March 2023

Firefighters rescue 5 mischievous boys lost in New York City sewer

Firefighters rescue 5 mischievous boys lost in New York City sewer
  • Scream as loud as you can for rescuers to hear you, 911 dispatcher the panicked lads

NEW YORK: Five mischievous boys had to be rescued after they crawled through a storm drain tunnel in New York City and got lost, authorities said.
In audio released by the fire department, 911 dispatchers work to pinpoint the boys’ exact location and then tell them to scream once rescuers are close enough to hear.
“Now you can scream as loud as you can,” a dispatcher says. “They want you to scream and yell.”
The five boys, aged 11 and 12, crawled into a storm drain on Staten Island at about 6 p.m. Tuesday, fire department officials said at a news conference Wednesday.
The boys walked about a quarter mile and then called 911 when they couldn’t find their way back, officials said.
“We’re stuck in the sewer,” one of the boys says on the recording. “You’re stuck where?” a dispatcher responds.
A second dispatcher says he is familiar with the area and tries to determine exactly where the boys are. “Once you went down, was the sewer left, right, straight — where was it?” the dispatcher asks. “I need you to guide me.”
When sirens can be heard, the dispatcher tells the boys to scream. At first the boys fear that the rescuers aren’t stopping.
“It sounded like they went past us,” one boy says.
The dispatcher assures the boys, “They’re not going anywhere, we’re going to get you out of there.”
Soon an emergency responder can be heard saying “We might have hands on the kids right now,” and then, “We have all five children removed from the sewer.”
Firefighters said the boys were in the tunnel for about an hour. The boys and one firefighter were taken to a hospital for evaluation, but none had significant injuries, officials said.
“Amazing that the cellphone worked in the tunnel,” FDNY Chief of Department John Hodgens told reporters. “That was a key component of us finding them.”


Hollywood star Salma Hayek visits Jordan’s Wadi Rum

Hollywood star Salma Hayek visits Jordan’s Wadi Rum
Updated 23 March 2023

Hollywood star Salma Hayek visits Jordan’s Wadi Rum

Hollywood star Salma Hayek visits Jordan’s Wadi Rum
  • Hayek is the third celebrity to visit Jordan this week, along with Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King

AMMAN: US actress Salma Hayek, who is of Lebanese descent, visited Jordan this week with her husband, French businessman François-Henri Pinault.

Hayek took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a photo from her trip to Wadi Rum, with the caption: “Inhaling the magic of Jordan.”

The famous desert destination, characterized by its red sand, was a location for several major scenes in Disney’s live-action “Aladdin,” and the sci-fi adventure “Dune.”

Hayek is the third Hollywood star to visit Jordan this week, along with TV personalities Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King.

“Put it on your must-see list if you haven’t already” Winfrey posted on Instagram on Sunday about her recent trip to Jordan’s “Rose City,” Petra.

 


SeaWorld Abu Dhabi to open on May 23

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi to open on May 23
Updated 23 March 2023

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi to open on May 23

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi to open on May 23
  • Marine-life theme park will host 150 species
  • Spaces were built to recreate the way sea animals would live in natural habitat

DUBAI: Property developer Miral announced on Tuesday that SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, a next-generation marine-life theme park on Yas Island, is set to open on May 23, Emirates News reported. 

The marine-life theme park will feature the region’s largest multi-species aquarium, with more than 58 million liters of water and 150 species, including sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. It will be constructed on five indoor levels with a total area of about 183,000 sq m. 

The theme park will offer up-close animal encounters, rides, and dining and shopping opportunities across eight themed guest environments. Meanwhile, the development also includes the UAE’s first dedicated marine research, rescue, rehabilitation and return center. 

“As part of our commitment to the Year of Sustainability, the marine life park will embed Sheikh Zayed’s legacy and profound respect for nature and all its beauty, as well as play a key role in promoting environmental awareness and protecting marine life in Abu Dhabi, the UAE and the wider region,” said Miral Chairman Mohamed Khalifa Al-Mubarak. 

“Through its innovative programs and its state-of-the-art facilities, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi aims to inspire the next generation of conservationists and marine life scientists while fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural world,” Al-Mubarak said 

The theme park was built to allow marine creatures to live in dynamic habitats alongside other fish, birds and animals as they would in nature, WAM reported. Spaces have also been designed to mimic social seasonal patterns for animals and provide the health benefits of full spectrum light.


Media mogul Murdoch, 92, engaged for fifth time

Media mogul Murdoch, 92, engaged for fifth time
Updated 21 March 2023

Media mogul Murdoch, 92, engaged for fifth time

Media mogul Murdoch, 92, engaged for fifth time
  • The Australian Murdoch, whose media empire includes The Wall Street Journal, Fox News and other influential outlets, is worth more than $20 billion, according to Forbes

WASHINGTON: Conservative media tycoon Rupert Murdoch will tie the knot for the fifth time, at the age of 92 years, he said Monday in an interview with his own newspaper, the New York Post.
Murdoch is engaged to Ann Lesley Smith, a 66-year-old former police chaplain in San Francisco and widow of American country singer and media executive Chester Smith.
“I was very nervous. I dreaded falling in love — but I knew this would be my last. It better be,” he told the tabloid. “I’m happy.”
Murdoch divorced his fourth wife, model Jerry Hall, last year after six years of marriage.
The Australian Murdoch, whose media empire includes The Wall Street Journal, Fox News and other influential outlets, is worth more than $20 billion, according to Forbes.
Murdoch met his new fiancee last year at an event he hosted at his vineyard in California and soon enough the pair decided to spend “the second half of our lives together,” the tycoon was quoted as saying.
“In perspective, it’s not my first rodeo. Getting near 70 means being in the last half,” said Smith. “I waited for the right time. Friends are happy for me.”
The wedding will take place this summer and the couple plans to split their time between the United States and Britain.
Murdoch, who has six children, was first married to Patricia Booker, an Australian flight attendant, whom he divorced in the late 1960s.
He and his second wife, Anna, a newspaper reporter, were together more than 30 years before divorcing in 1999. His third marriage to Wendi Deng ended in 2013.

 


Chinese city to launch matchmaking app in bid to increase marriage rate

The app is not the only incentive in Jiangxi’s campaign to increase the marriage rate. (AFP)
The app is not the only incentive in Jiangxi’s campaign to increase the marriage rate. (AFP)
Updated 21 March 2023

Chinese city to launch matchmaking app in bid to increase marriage rate

The app is not the only incentive in Jiangxi’s campaign to increase the marriage rate. (AFP)
  • Service uses residents’ local data to help in search
  • Japan, Iran promoted similar initiatives to help people into relationships

LONDON: A Chinese city has launched a state-sponsored matchmaking app that promises to find the perfect partner, in an attempt to reverse the declining marriage rate.

Guixi, a city of about 640,000 people in Jiangxi province in eastern China, has developed an app that uses residents’ data to build a matchmaking platform.

After receiving the data, the app — known as Palm Guixi — then looks for potential matches to send a prospective couple on a blind date.

The app was created as part of a province-wide initiative aimed at boosting the marriage rate, which has been declining across China over the past decade.

According to the China Statistics Yearbook, in 2021 the number of people getting married in the country dropped to 7.64 million, about 500,000 down on the previous year and a rate of 5.4 marriages per 1,000 people.

The figures highlight a worrying trend, although it is difficult to gauge the impact of COVID-19 on the figures.

The marriage rate in Saudi Arabia in contrast was at 9.6 per 1,000 people in 2020, with a growth rate of 10.6 percent from 2019.

The downward trend in China is likely to be mirrored by a further fall in birth rates, which plummeted to a historic low of 6.77 births per 1,000 people in 2022, according to official figures, with the population declining for the first time in six decades.

The app is not the only incentive in Jiangxi’s campaign to increase the marriage rate.

In other areas of the province, local authorities have promoted initiatives for single locals to socialize.

The campaign also aims to raise awareness of high “bride prices,” a cultural tradition in which the potential groom offers large sums of cash to the bride’s family in a practice that remains common, especially in rural areas.

Several state officials around the world have come up with unusual ways to promote marriage and the birth rate in the last few years.

A project was sponsored a few years ago by Luanzhou municipality in China’s Hebei province, with authorities mapping data about the city’s single women and men while helping them to find their perfect match.

The Iranian government in 2021 endorsed a state-run dating app called Hamdam to help single people find the right partner for a “sustainable marriage.”

Japanese authorities since 2010 have set up matchmaking websites to pair residents with lonely hearts in cities in an effort to persuade urbanites to marry and relocate to the countryside.