A British Airways passenger was left feeling ‘completely devastated’ and ‘physically sick’ after she and her family were ‘removed’ from a flight – because her son has a severe nut allergy and there was a meal with nuts on board the plane.

What’s more, the passenger, Alice Smith*, 43, had spent days in conversation with BA arranging for her cabin on the August 24 flight from London Heathrow to Dubai to be nut-free.

Yet when BA staff discovered that a cashew nut meal had been delivered to the galley for the meal service, Smith claims they decided to remove her group from the flight instead of the nut dish. So Smith – who has vowed never to fly with BA again – disembarked, along with her husband, 50, her two elderly parents, aged 73 and 74, and her two children, aged 14 and 18.

They weren’t placed on another flight to Dubai until the following day. On their replacement flight, Smith, her husband and their sons were downgraded to economy seats, despite having paid to sit in premium economy, marketed by BA as World Traveller Plus. Smith’s elderly parents, however, were upgraded from premium economy to business class. 

As a result of the debacle, the family lost a whole day of their 10-day trip in Dubai, which had been booked – along with their flights – through BA Holidays. 

To compensate, an extra day was added on to their trip ‘free of charge’.

The holiday was a special one for the family, as it was Smith’s elderly father’s first trip after undergoing a heart bypass. Smith was recommended BA Holidays by a friend, and spent £15,500 on the package break, splashing out extra on premium economy tickets to ensure her father would be comfortable.

Smith’s 14-year-old son is allergic to all nuts – including tree nuts such as cashews – and must carry an emergency adrenaline pen in case of an allergic reaction.

The mum-of-two, who is self-employed, first contacted BA about her son’s severe allergy on August 12 – nearly two weeks before their flight was due to depart.

Smith is aware that the airline can’t guarantee a completely nut-free environment, as its website states, but she alleges she was told that they wouldn’t have any nut dishes on the menu in her cabin. She says: ‘We [were] assured by BA several times that no nuts would be served in our cabin and several announcements would be made before take-off.’ 

When the family of six arrived at the airport to check in for flight BA107, they were again reassured that no nuts would be served in the cabin, Smith claims.

Later they boarded the A380 early ‘to clean and sanitise the area’ around their seats as they usually do, Smith explains. When she spoke to the crew on board about her son’s allergy, they told her that they ‘knew all about it’ and said that earlier in the day, they’d held a meeting in which they’d discussed the precautions they would take, Smith says.

She continues: ‘[The crew] proceeded to make five separate announcements [to fellow passengers] to “please refrain from eating or opening any nuts or nut products as there is a young person on board who has a severe nut allergy”.’

Smith was impressed by the multiple announcements and says that ‘all seemed well’. She says of her fellow passengers: ‘People were handing in nuts to the crew, saying: “Oh I’ve got some, can you take them away from me.” Passengers were lovely.

‘We were fully assured, fully confident. [We were] literally sitting there, ready for take-off.’ 

However, things took a turn when they were handed their menus, ‘which, to [her] horror included a prawn with cashew nut meal’.

Smith says: ‘What happened over the next hour has traumatised our whole family and won’t leave us.’

Feeling ‘tearful and anxious’, she says she alerted the crew to the nut dish on the menu. 

Smith alleges she was initially told that the cashew nut dish would be replaced. Then, three members of ground staff came on board the flight and Smith was informed that it had been decided it was ‘best’ for her family to disembark the aircraft, she alleges.

She notes that ‘some of [the crew] were so upset and they were lovely… I do not know whose decision this was to remove a family [instead of] a little carton of food’.

Smith claims: ‘By this point, I was shaking and feeling very intimidated and bullied… I explained that I had my elderly parents with us and there were six of us.’ She also pointed out that they had repeatedly received assurance there would be no nuts served in the cabin, but it was to no avail – they were asked to leave the flight, she alleges.

She admits: ‘I can’t tell you the shock and horror of that feeling… I just kept thinking this can’t be happening. We were removed, our bags [were] taken off and my family [was] distraught.

‘I was in floods of tears.’

She alleges that fellow passengers on board were ‘disgusted and said how horrendous it was… no one could believe it’.

Smith and her family spent the rest of the day in arrivals with representatives from British Airways’ customer service team trying to arrange a new flight to Dubai, she says. Eventually, a flight for the following day was arranged. 

The family was offered water, but not food vouchers or a hotel for the night, she alleges – a claim that BA disputes. 

Smith alleges they had no option but to return to their Berkshire home ahead of their replacement flight the following day, paying for taxis both there and back. 

There were no issues with nuts on their subsequent flight to Dubai.

Smith says: ‘Our holiday we had been looking forward to [was] ruined. The treatment we received was horrific. The stress suffered has affected us all.

‘We have not had any explanation for what they did to us and no remorse [has been] shown.’

She plans on seeking compensation from BA eventually but says she is currently ‘too traumatised’ by the experience to navigate making a claim.

Smith says: ‘It was just the most traumatic, awful, horrendous experience. It left me feeling physically sick. I’ll never travel with them again. Never – it was shocking.’

A statement from BA disputes aspects of Smith’s account. It says: ‘The safety and welfare of our customers is always our priority, and that’s why on every flight we operate we follow the recommendations of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for allergen-sensitive passengers. 

‘We clearly state in our published policy, and all correspondence with customers, that we can never guarantee an allergen-free cabin environment. Our crews work hard to limit any risk by allowing customers to board early to carry out additional cleansing, making allergy announcements to all passengers and restricting the serving of peanuts. 

‘In this case, our teams worked hard to find solutions to the issues raised once the customers elected not to travel that day, offering overnight hotel accommodation, the same flight the following day and extending the family’s holiday free of charge.’

The BA website says: ‘We cannot guarantee an allergen-free cabin environment or prevent other passengers from bringing their own food on board. Meals containing tree nuts may continue to be served throughout the aircraft and tree-nut-based snacks may also continue to be served in other cabins of travel depending on the aircraft type.’

The charity Allergy UK says that ‘it is important that airline staff are informed of a food allergy at every opportunity’ though it notes that ‘individual airlines will have their own policy on food allergy management and this will vary depending on the provider’.

It adds: ‘There is no legislation to date that determines best practice for managing the needs of the food allergic traveller.’

*The subject’s name has been changed.  

Kirsty Gallacher breaks her silence as she posts on social media for the first time since brother-in-law Russell Brand was accused of rape, sexual assault and predatory behaviour

By Jason Chester for MailOnline

Published: 08:33 EDT, 20 September 2023 | Updated: 09:00 EDT, 20 September 2023

Hunter Biden‘s former associate’s emails with then-Vice President’s staff from 2015 detail a closely coordinated relationship that blurred the line between official government work and the Biden family business and may be evidence of ‘collusion,’ say Republicans.

The GOP is ramping up its investigation into the Biden family’s decades-long ‘influence peddling scheme’ as lawmakers eye opening a potential impeachment inquiry into the sitting president over his connections to his son’s foreign business operations.

They are narrowing in on a series of emails between Eric Schwerin, a close business associate of Hunter’s at his investment firm Rosemont Seneca, and then-VP staffer Kate Bedingfield in December 2015 regarding Hunter’s Ukraine ties.

In an exchange on December 4, 2015 labeled ‘Quotes,’ Schwerin sought the VP’s sign-off on statements he suggested the White House use to respond to media inquiries regarding Hunter’s role in Ukrainian oil company Burisma as Joe ramped up his anti-corruption work in the country.

At the time, Hunter was serving on the board of the company making roughly $83,000 a month despite having no previous experience in the energy industry.

According to the records, Schwerin wrote to Bedingfield’s official ‘@ovp.eop.gov’ account, suggesting language ‘from a spokesperson for Hunter’ distancing Joe from Hunter’s lucrative Burisma role.

She replied: ‘VP signed off on this’ a few hours later, and then sent the statement to the New York Times and other inquiring outlets.

On the exact day of the email exchange, Hunter was actually in Dubai with Burisma executives at a dinner at the Four Seasons.

Hunter allegedly said at that dinner that he would be able to get ‘help from D.C.’ in order to relieve some ‘government pressure’ on the company as they faced corruption probes.

Archer testified before Congress last month that Burisma ‘requested Hunter, you know, help them with some of that pressure,’ and ‘D.C.’ meant his influence based on his connection to his then-VP father. 

‘Well, I mean, he was a lobbyist and an expert and obviously he carried, you know, a very powerful name. So I think it was that’s what they were asking for,’ said Archer about Hunter. 

He then continued on to confirm that immediately after Hunter was asked to help during the Four Seasons meeting, he ‘called his dad.’ 

Although Archer was not ‘privy’ to the call, he was told that ‘we called D.C.’ 

The emails between Schwerin and Bedingfield were first publicized by America First Legal in March as part of an ongoing Freedom of Information Act lawsuit with the National Archives. 

Many of the related emails have been ‘withheld in full’ due to White House executive privilege. 

Now, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is demanding the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) produce all the emails between Schwerin and Bedingfield in their full, un-redacted state. 

He also asks for documents and communications between the VP’s office and staff with Hunter’s other associates including Devon Archer, Vuk Jeremic, John Robinson ‘Rob’ Walker and Jeffrey Cooper.

‘Joe Biden never built an ‘absolute wall’ between his family’s business dealings and his official government work – his office doors were wide open to Hunter Biden’s associates,’ Chairman Comer told DailyMail.com in a statement. ‘There is evidence of collusion in the efforts to spin media stories about Burisma’s corruption while Vice President Biden was publicly pushing an anti-corruption agenda in Ukraine.’

A spokesperson for NARA said that the agency has received the request from Comer and will respond ‘in accordance with the Presidential Records Act (PRA), NARA’s implementing regulations, and the governing Executive Order.’ 

The White House has maintained that Joe Biden has never been ‘in business’ with his son or aware of his foreign dealings. 

The follow-up request comes a week after Comer wrote to NARA asking the agency to provide records detailing reports that Hunter traveled to at least 15 countries with his dad then-Vice President Joe on Air Force Two.

They accuse then-VP Biden of having ‘abused’ his taxpayer-funded office ‘to enrich his family’ by flying Hunter all over the world to meet with his business associates, according to a letter to the National Archives on Aug. 29 obtained by DailyMail.com.

Hunter tagged along with his powerful father during official vice president trips between 2009 and 2017 to Asia, Europe, Africa, Mexico and Canada spanning at least 15 different countries, according to a recent report by Fox News.

During the trips, Hunter would reportedly meet with his international business associates and potential clients. He also apparently offered short ‘handshake’ meetings providing his partners direct access to his father on several occasions. 

They demanded all Air Force Two flight records and emails sent from the White House to Biden family members during the Obama-Biden administration.

Additionally, new records have revealed that then-Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter’s investment firm Rosemont Seneca exchanged over 1,000 emails during his time as the No. 2 most powerful politician in the world.

Republicans claim there is mounting evidence that the then-vice president was involved in Hunter’s overseas deals that raked in millions from nations including China, Romania and Ukraine.

The House Oversight Committee Republicans reiterate their ‘concerns’ that foreign nationals ‘sought access and influence by engaging in lucrative business relationships with high-profile political figures’ immediate family members,’ including members of the Biden family. 

DailyMail.com reached out to NARA for a response to the Republican-led letter last week, and a spokesperson said Comer’s ‘request’ has been received. 

‘NARA has received the request from Chairman Comer, and will respond in accordance with the Presidential Records Act (PRA), NARA’s implementing regulations, and the governing Executive Order.’ 

The Foreign Office has apologised to a British academic who had accused the Government for ‘abandoning’ him while he was tortured in the UAE after being falsely accused of spying for the MI6.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has admitted that officials ‘did not fully follow our guidance on torture and mistreatment’ in the case of Matthew Hedges.

Mr Hedges was sentenced to life in jail after being arrested at Dubai airport in May 2018. He was held in UAE custody where he suffered intense interrogations and torture amid accusations he was collecting sensitive information which went ‘far beyond’ academic research.

The Durham University researcher was released after being granted a presidential pardon and returned to the UK in November 2018. 

The apology – which Mr Hedges has hailed as a ‘watershed moment’ – comes after Parliamentary Ombudsman ruled last month that the FCDO failed to protect Mr Hedges, should issue a formal apology and pay him compensation. 

The UAE Government categorically denies torturing Mr Hedges, and said his claims are ‘wholly untrue and without any foundation’. 

The FCDO issued a formal apology to Mr Hedges in a letter on August 31 this year, MailOnline can reveal.  

In the letter the authority accepted the findings of the parliamentary watchdog’s internal review in full and told Mr Hedges that officials ‘recognise the profound impact of your detention in UAE on you and the injustice you have faced’.

The letter reads: ‘On behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, I acknowledge, and apologise for, the failing identified by the Ombudsman, specifically I recognise that we did not fully follow our guidance on torture and mistreatment and that this failure has left you uncertain as to whether more could have been done on your behalf.’

The Ombudsman, which began its probe in 2019, ruled last month that the FCDO did not act in accordance to its own internal guidance when it came to ‘spotting signs of torture when meeting with British detainees’.

The watchdog recommended the FCDO should issue a formal apology to Mr Hedges within three months, as well as pay him £1,500 in compensation. The Ombudsman also advised that the authority review their internal practices.

Mr Hedges – who last month told MailOnline that he ‘felt completely abandoned’ by the British Government and ‘could not believe that they were not able to understand the very clear and obvious signs of my torture’ – said he is ‘delighted’ to have received the apology from the FCDO.

‘It has been a battle to reach this stage. The FCDO’s acknowledgement of the torture and injustice I suffered at the hands of the UAE is a watershed moment, not just for me and my family, but for all British nationals,’ he told MailOnline on Monday. 

‘There is now no doubt that the FCDO failed in their obligations towards one of their citizens and I truly hope that the hundreds of other British nationals who are currently detained and suffering torture will benefit from the FCDO’s promise of reviewing their clearly outdated and insufficient policies.’

However, Mr Hedges claims the apology does not alleviate all of the pain he endured, including the fact that ‘I still have a criminal record for espionage on behalf of the British Government’.

He criticised the Government’s continued relationship with the UAE, saying ‘it is baffling that the UK continues to work alongside the UAE knowing how callous they are with British lives’.

Mr Hedges also called the FCDO to ‘do more to push the UAE to clear my name given that they have this close relationship’. He also acknowledged that the false allegations of espionage were ‘refuted by all levels of the UK Government at the time of my detention’.

Mr Hedges was arrested at Dubai Airport on May 5, 2018, as he was poised to leave the country, having been in the UAE on a two-week research trip for his PhD in security.

He was accused of being an MI6 agent, detained and eventually found guilty on spying offences, before being given an official pardon after a long campaign by his wife Daniela and an intervention from Mr Hunt.

Last month he told MailOnline: ‘The reluctance of the FCDO to protect me – a completely innocent British citizen, within a country that they themselves know commits torture – was one of the most shocking things to deal with during that time.’ 

The academic has always fiercely denied being involved with any spying agency and the UK government has previously confirmed it did not see any evidence which supported the state’s claims.

During his detention, Mr Hedges was kept in a windowless cell, and for the first few months was forced to sleep on the floor with the lights constantly switched on.

Mr Hedges also previously revealed that he was forced to take a cocktail of drugs that doctors were made to prescribe for him, was constantly watched and repeatedly interrogated.

While in confinement, he suffered from anxiety and panic and was unable to sleep. After being sentenced to life in prison, he attempted to take his own life.

But he was granted clemency in November 2018 and returned to the UK shortly afterwards. 

He submitted his complaint to the Ombudsman in September 2019 and the watchdog last month ruled the FCDO failed to protect him. 

The watchdog said embassy staff who visited Mr Hedges while he was in detention noticed his voice was shaking, he avoided eye contact and mentioned having anxiety attacks.

It added these were signs he might have been subject to torture or mistreatment, and that Foreign Office guidelines say that staff should have acted in response even when they do not have consent.

The Ombudsman recommended the authority not only apologise and pay compensation, but also ‘say what it will do to ensure its handling of similar circumstances is consistent with relevant guidance’.

Mr Hedges has now said it is a ‘real shame’ that the ‘long-awaited apology’ only came in response to the parliamentary watchdog’s investigation.

‘I would have hoped that the FCDO would take the initiative to learn from their own mistakes without needing an oversight body to force them to do so,’ the academic told MailOnline on Monday. 

‘I cannot overstate how fundamental it is that the FCDO improves its procedures for protecting British citizens that are detained abroad, especially for those like Jaghtar Singh Johal in India, and Alaa Abd El-Fattah in Egypt, who like me, have suffered torture at the hands of the authorities holding them – also British allies.’

Mr Hedges said he will ‘continue to fight for those who are not lucky enough to have been freed’ and for those who have ‘ridiculous false charges made against them’.

He added: ‘And today I revel in the fact that the FCDO have agreed they must do more to protect and help British citizens.’

His vow to continue advocating for other alleged victims of torture, echoes remarks he made last month.

Last month, responding to the Ombudsman’s findings, Mr Hedges said he wants to do everything in his power to warn other British nationals about the dangers of travelling to the UAE, adding ‘there are serious limits to what the FCDO will actually do to help and protect you’.

He told MailOnline at the time: ‘Nothing will ever make up for what I went through, but it feels like a semblance of justice to know that the behaviour of the Foreign Office was unacceptable and to have their failure to protect recognised.’

‘The Foreign Office doesn’t tell you it’s unsafe, but people aren’t educated that this is a country that is known to do this.

‘The FCDO knows the UAE tortures and abuses people, it’s in the report. They know this occurs and they act as if there’s no issue.

‘This is when the anger starts to rise’, he said of individuals he is currently pursuing legal action against. ‘They act as if nothing happened and if something did happen they are disregarding it.

‘They are cosying up to the people involved in this, it questions their morality. I’m not here to say never contact these people. But they saw this torture occur and their acting as if nothing happened.’ 

Mr Hedges added that he was not angry with the FCDO as a whole, but instead with ‘individuals in the Foreign Office’ who he feels failed to protect him.

Last month, a statement from the UAE government said Mr Hedges was convicted of espionage following a ‘fair and transparent trial at which he admitted the charges against him’.

The UAE government said it provided Mr Hedges with ‘entirely proper care and treatment’.

‘He was never subjected to, or threatened with, either torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of any sort. The UAE has evidence to support this,’ the statement read.

‘Allegations by Mr Hedges of mistreatment are categorically false and lack evidentiary basis. His claims of being “tortured” while in UAE custody are wholly untrue and without any foundation whatsoever.

It added: ‘None of Mr Hedges’ claims have ever been accepted by any court, government, or international body.’

MailOnline has approached the Foreign Office for comment. 

Hunter Biden‘s business partner Devon Archer revealed that Ukrainian oil company Burisma used vague terms to demand he use his influence as the then-vice president’s son for help.

According to Archer, during a dinner with Burisma executives at the Four Seasons in Dubai in December 2015, Hunter said he would be able to get ‘help from D.C.’ in order to relieve some ‘government pressure’ on the company.

He said that the Burisma executives Mykola Zlochevsky and Vadym Pozharskyi did not directly ask Hunter ‘can the big guy help?’

Rather, they used the ‘amorphous’ term: ‘can we get help in D.C.?’

‘The request — you know, basically the request is like, can D.C. help?’ said Archer.

‘But there were not — you know, I’m not going to — there were not — it wasn’t like — there weren’t specific, you know, can the big guy help? It was — it’s always this amorphous, can we get help in D.C.?’

Archer said he understood that ‘D.C.’ meant Hunter’s influence based on his connection to his then-VP father. 

‘Well, I mean, he was a lobbyist and an expert and obviously he carried, you know, a very powerful name. So I think it was that’s what they were asking for,’ said Archer about Hunter. 

He then continued on to confirm that immediately after Hunter was asked to help during the Four Seasons meeting, he ‘called his dad.’ 

Although Archer was not ‘privy’ to the call, he was told that ‘we called D.C.’ 

Another former associate of the first son, U.S. Navy veteran Tony Bobulinski, publicly claimed in October 2020 that ‘big guy’ was a reference to President Biden.

In addition, an internal FBI document revealed that Burisma CEO Zlochevsky had also referred to Joe as the ‘big guy.’

Archer testified that Burisma was ‘getting pressure’ and as a result, they ‘requested Hunter, you know, help them with some of that pressure.’

He said it was ‘government pressure’ from the ongoing Ukrainian corruption investigation into the company at the time – led by top prosecutor Viktor Shokin.

However, Archer said that Shokin ‘wasn’t specifically on my radar as being an individual that was — that was targeting him.’ 

‘I vaguely — whether it was Shokin, I vague — there was a lot of pressure initially. There was — there was several pressure issues. It was kind of a theme of Burisma.’ 

‘But yes, there was constant pressure. And it was like it was like whack a mole in regards to the pressures that had to resolve,’ Archer continued.

In March 2016, Joe Biden is alleged to have threatened to withhold $1 billion in aid to Ukraine if Shokin was not fired for corruption, which he eventually was.

DailyMail.com obtained the full transcript of Archer’s testimony Thursday following his closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee on Monday.

 Archer, Hunter’s ex-best friend and business associate, sat with him on Burisma’s board beginning in 2014 and was co-founder of Rosemont Seneca Partners, an investment advisory firm. They each made around $83,000 per month as Burisma board members.

 Archer also told Congress that Joe Biden‘s ‘intimidating’ influence directly led to his son receiving huge sums of foreign money – and a $142,300 Porsche. 

According to the full transcript of his testimony obtained by DailyMail.com on Thursday, Archer said that the Biden ‘brand’ acted as protection for Ukrainian oil company Burisma because ‘people would be intimidated to mess with them.’ 

Hunter’s presence on Burisma’s board and access to his father – then vice president – led to the company’s ‘longevity’ because they had the ‘capabilities to navigate D.C.,’ Archer said according to the transcript. 

‘I think Burisma would have gone out of business if it didn’t have the brand attached to it. That’s my, like, only honest opinion,’ Archer continued.

Archer also added that Hunter Biden would refer to his father as ‘my guy,’ which Republicans noted following the closed-door testimony on Monday.

According to the transcript, Hunter was ‘getting paid a lot of money’ by Burisma and ‘wanted to show value’ by getting credit for Joe Biden’s Ukraine trip in 2014.

‘I can’t guide my father in what he’s going to do on this trip, but let’s get credit for it,’ Archer said Hunter was thinking by referring to his dad as ‘my guy.’

Exhibit 2 in the attachments also showed Hunter, on email as ‘Robert,’ writing to Archer in April 2014 saying ‘our guy needs to set himself up as the anti-Victor Pinchuk (coal and steel oligarch – pro Russian Yanukuvich supporter).  

At the time, then-Vice President Joe Biden was leading the U.S. anti-corruption efforts abroad. 

• Hunter’s ex-business partner Devon Archer testified that the  Biden ‘brand’ acted as protection for Ukrainian oil company Burisma 
• He said because ‘people would be intimidated to mess with them’ because the then-VP’s son sat on their board
• ‘I think Burisma would have gone out of business if it didn’t have the brand attached to it,’ said Archer 
• Burisma had the ‘capabilities to navigate D.C.’ based on its connections to Joe Biden through Hunter
• Archer testified that the company ‘requested Hunter’ to ‘help them with some of that pressure’ they faced from investigations
• Hunter put Joe on speakerphone 20 times during business meetings over a 10-year period, which was a ‘signal’ of ‘value’
• Archer said Hunter used his dad as ‘defensive leverage’
• Hunter got a $142K Porsche days after Joe sat down for dinner with his business associates at Cafe Milano in D.C. 
• Another $3.5 million from a Russian billionaire was wired into a Biden-connected account after Joe attended one of Hunter’s business dinners 
• Archer also said that Hunter Biden would refer to his father as ‘my guy‘

Hunter’s best friend and business associate sat with him on Burisma’s board beginning in 2014. They also started Rosemont Seneca Partners, an investment advisory firm, together.

He confirmed that Hunter put Joe on speakerphone 20 times during business meetings over a 10-year period, which was a ‘signal’ of ‘value,’ and Hunter used his dad as ‘defensive leverage.’

He also told lawmakers that Joe sat and had dinner in-person on at least two occasions with Hunter and his foreign business partners, who then wired money almost immediately after to Biden-affiliated companies.

In the spring of 2014, Joe joined Hunter and a handful of his business partners for dinner at Cafe Milano in Washington, D.C. Those at the dinner included Kenes Rakishev, Karim Massimov, Yelena Baturina and possibly Eric Schwerin.

Archer confirmed that Joe was present long enough to eat dinner with the group. 

Following the dinner, $3.5 million was wired from Russian billionaire Yelena Baturina into Rosemont Seneca Thornton on February 14.

On April 22, $142,300 was wired into the Rosemont Seneca Bohai account from Kenes Rakishev, a businessman from Kazakhstan, who was also at the Cafe Milano dinner.

The payment was made as a gift to Hunter, who received an ‘expensive car.’

Archer told the committee: ‘I believe it was a Fisker first and then a Porsche.’

Hunter took a picture of himself while driving a Porsche at 172mph on a highway outside Las Vegas in 2018, according to pictures found on his abandoned laptop. It was not immediately clear if the Porsche gifted to Hunter by Rakishev was the same vehicle.

The then-vice president also sat in on another dinner with Hunter and his partners in 2015 at Cafe Milano, Archer confirmed.

Questions had remained about why Archer decided to cooperate with the committee this week after he previously cancelled on the committee at least three times in recent weeks.

Archer, 48, was subpoenaed on June 12 by the House Oversight Committee, which is investigating Hunter’s businesses and whether he and other members of the Biden family improperly traded on their connections.

According to Archer’s opening statement in the transcript, he said ‘it’s been a long decade’ and his entire forties have been ‘mired in fighting the government.’

‘So I want to be cooperative now and maybe we can all be friends. So let’s take it from there,’ he told committee staff and lawmakers.

Archer is facing legal troubles of his own and is expected to go to prison shortly.

He was sentenced to one year and a day in prison in February 2022 for defrauding a Native American tribal entity and various investment advisory clients of tens of millions of dollars, in connection with the issuance of $60 million in bonds.

He is on the hook with his co-conspirators for $43.4 million in restitution over the fraud.

On the eve of his testimony, the Department of Justice sent a letter calling for Archer’s sentencing to be expedited.

Republicans claimed the move by DOJ was an attempt to ‘intimidate’ Archer, who they view as being central to providing information that is critical to their ongoing investigation into whether Joe Biden was involved in his son’s foreign business deals.

DOJ seemingly walked back their request in a fresh Sunday filing, telling District Judge Abrams that they did not wish to see Archer imprisoned before he testified before Congress.

‘To be clear, the Government does not request (and has never requested) that the defendant [Archer] surrender before his Congressional testimony,’ the letter read.

The White House has maintained the president was never ‘in business’ with his son, but the GOP have ramped up their investigation with testimonies from whistleblowers and a slew of other evidence. 

After Archer’s closed-door testimony on Monday to the House Oversight Committee, Republicans said he revealed Joe was directly involved in Hunter’s shady dealings, while Democrats insisted the then-vice president’s involvement was innocent and focused on ‘niceties,’ not business.

It’s a picture certain to raise Instagram likes: a clear blue sky background, a look at the calm ocean and a colourful billowing dress soaring in the wind.

These images, known as ‘flying dress photos’, largely started out on the picturesque Greek island of Santorini, with whitewashed buildings and the sapphire sea providing the perfect backdrop to eye-catching frocks with enormous trains.

But they have since become popular in other tourist spots, such as Hawaii, Dubai and Jamaica.

Looking like they could feature in a high-end fashion magazine, the images have become increasingly common, with several businesses now offering nothing but ‘flying dress photoshoots’.

Speaking to FEMAIL, Stacey Williams, a photographer based on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, started her business devoted to the trend in April 2021, booking typically 12 to 15 photoshoots a month, which cost customers from $800 (£622) plus tax.

Her clients (ranging in age from 30 to 50 and located across the world) have reserved slots as far out as June 2024 already – so the craze seems to show no signs of slowing down. 

She explained how the ’empowering’ shoots are often booked for milestone birthdays (even an 80th on one occasion) as well as family photos, anniversaries and to celebrate major life changes.

The photographer said: ‘While many are in pursuit of that beautiful image to post on Instagram or hang on their wall, most of our clients are doing it for the experience. 

‘It might be their first solo trip and they want to celebrate that and feel empowered, or they want to celebrate something they have accomplished or overcome in life. 

‘When I started this business and started working with the flying dresses I never knew what they would mean to our clients. 

‘Many struggle with insecurities, however there is something truly special about how beautiful you feel when you put on this long train dress and feel the wind flowing through it.’ 

Stacey – who supplies the dresses for her clients and assists with planning the location or transportation, makeup artists and even drone footage – initially wanted her own red flying dress to use during her journeys around the world.

‘However once I put the dress on I immediately knew I needed to offer it to every other woman out there,’ she explained. 

‘I wanted them to feel as amazing as I did in it and I was also inspired creatively to capture images of these dresses against the Hawaii landscapes.’

She continued: ‘I have always been impressed by the beautiful flying dress images in Santorini and in 2021 I discovered a local company on Maui was manufacturing flying dresses so I felt it was the perfect time to try them out on Oahu.’

A customer from Texas recently reviewed the experience, saying: ‘Stacey and her stylist made my 50th birthday photoshoot amazing! I felt like a model. I felt beautiful. I felt empowered! 

Another wrote: ‘No matter what your insecurities are, they just vanish when you are in this dress. The wind and the sun… it’s just perfect.’

Several photoshoots around the world are priced upwards of €550 (£477) per hour per person, according to Bloomberg Línea. The publication estimated that a business committed to providing the Instagrammable holiday photo can make more than a quarter million pounds (£388,465) in just four months.

They noted that most clients will add on other costly services, including transportation, makeup and hair styling and several dress options. A customer booking a full package could pay €1,500 (£1,302)

‘We’ve had persons who travelled just for their [flying-dress] shoot,’ Chrisan Hunter, founder of the flying-dress photo service HerDressJamaica told the publication.

‘They come for three days, and then they go home,’ she explained, adding that the business ‘never handles less than 30 shoots per month.’ The prices range from £271 to £349 per hour per person.

Those booking a photoshoot with HerDressJamaica can pick from five different photographers and the dress, hair and makeup are all taken care of, reported CNN.

Explaining how they get the dresses to ‘fly’, Chrisan said: ‘All our shoots include an assistant. 

‘We get our clients dressed and everything, and then once it’s time to shoot, we coordinate with the photographer and it’s a 1, 2, 3 count. We throw up the dress, he catches (the shot) fast.’

One company, Flying Dress Photo, based in Santorini, says they offer their clients a ‘once in a lifetime photoshoot to make you feel like one in a million.’

Sandra Upton, founder of Upton Consulting Group revealed how she had a flying-dress photo taken in Greece in 2022 to mark a year to the month that she made the decision to relaunch her own firm. 

Celebrities have also got in on the action; Jessie James Decker had a mini-me moment with her look-alike daughter Vivianne Rose, then seven, in June 2021 as the two twinned while taking part in a ‘flying dress photoshoot’ during their holiday to Santorini in Greece.

The American country singer and her eldest child with former football star Eric Decker were seen in matching silk fuchsia gowns that blew in the wind as they posed on a mountain top with villas surrounding them.

‘Got to play dress up at sunset with my sweet girl. Thank you @santorinidress for making us feel fancy,’ said the Kittenish designer in her caption for her 3.6million Instagram followers.

The show-stopping dresses had impressive 10ft long trains that blew up in the wind while the pair posed as the sun went down over the Mediterranean Sea.

Revealed: The simple travel hack that gets you a FREE stay in a five-star hotel in Dubai (with all your meals included)

By Ailbhe Macmahon For Mailonline

Updated: 09:33 EDT, 26 June 2023

New York City‘s air quality is more than 56 times over the World Health Organization‘s safety limit, making it the world’s most polluted.

The air quality index (AQI) is at 353 – 500 is the highest – compared to 15 on June 3. 

These measurements are taken by converting measured pollutant concentrations to a uniform index based on the health effects associated with a pollutant.

New York City, experiencing its worst air quality in recorded history, is ahead of the typical frontrunners like Dubai, Lahore, Pakistan and Delhi, India. 

Mayor Eric Adams also announced Wednesday, urging residents to remain indoors after hazardous smoke from Canadian wildfires bellowed across the border.

However, parts of the nationwide, the Northeast to the Great Lakes, are braced for several more days of smog while Canadian officials battle over 400 wildfires.

Swaths of wildfire smoke came blowing into New York City this week, but on Wednesday the sky turned an ominous orange from toxic nanoparticles. 

Swiss air quality tech firm, IQAir, shares a live ranking of countries with the worst air quality. And numbers are updated live, so they are subject to change.

The company captures this data using PM2.5 measurements.

PM2.5 is defined as particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter and are dangerous and prevalent air pollutants.

The health impact of a particle concentration of 22μg/m3 per 24 hours is equivalent to about one cigarette.

And data shows breathing in the air in New York City for 24 hours is like smoking 22 cigarettes.

New York City, which has a population over 8.4 million, is currently 56.3 times the WHO’s annual air quality guideline value.

While Dubai, home to 3.33 million people, is 18.9 times over the limit, Lahore with 11 million is 19 times and Delhi, home to more than 32 million people, is 16 times over the safety threshold.

And all three nations have been nearly half the measurement of New York in the past month.

The fifth country with the worst air pollution is Baghdad, Iraq, followed by Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel and Kolkata, India – all are nearly half of the American city.

And Canada, where the fires are a blaze, only ranks eighth.

IQAir shows Toronto has a 149 AQI, making it 11.1 times the WHO annual air quality guideline value. 

Jakarta, Indonesia and  Santiago, Chile are ranked ninth and tenth with 146 and 138 AQI.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses the Air Quality Index on AirNow to report air quality.

It varies from zero to over 300, with levels 50 and below considered the healthiest.

An AQI value over 100 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.

When levels exceed 150, the general population may experience symptoms.

Anything over 300 is hazardous, where New York City currently sits.

Dr Mark Shapiro, a practicing Hospitalist and Medical Director in Santa Rosa, California, tweeted recommendations on staying safe in the hellscape of New York City.

He suggests wearing an N-95 mask, minimizing time outside, washing your hands and face, keeping headlights on when driving and quickly opening the door if necessary.

Adams urged vulnerable residents to be cautious amid the crisis and blamed climate change for the yellow skies.

‘This may be the first time we’ve experienced something like this on this magnitude,’ he said. ‘Let me be clear, it’s not the last.’

New York City’s health advisory warning has since been extended until 8 pm ET Thursday, as officials warned residents to avoid outdoor exposure and stay indoors when possible. 

Much of the smoke has been from Quebec, where over 400 wildfires are burning as Canadian officials warn they are in the midst of their worst fire season on record.

Throughout the nation, Canadian officials have deemed more than 240 of the blazes to be ‘out of control.’

Many of the fires that sparked the smoke crisis have been burning for weeks, but were forced south in recent days due to a storm system blowing in over Nova Scotia.

The weather pushed much of the smoke across the East Coast, and is expected to continue for the next several days.

Men in crisp white shirts tap away at their laptops, the immaculately-dressed cabin crew welcome passengers by name and glamorous women with bright red lipstick take selfies while lounging in their cream leather seats.

I feel slightly underdressed as I board the Airbus A380 aircraft in jeans and white trainers. In fact, this premium economy cabin has such a business-class feel to it that I’m forced to check with the cabin crew manager that the giant 37A seat is indeed mine.

‘Yes, Mrs Sime,’ comes the reply, as she directs me back to my throne and offers to take my jacket.

I’m travelling from Heathrow Terminal 3 to Dubai International Airport on board Emirates’ new premium economy cabin. My window seat is furnished in cream and beige leather, with huge gaps by the window for me to place my two bags, and a walnut wood-finished side cocktail table for my drinks.

The seats are arranged in a 2-4-2 layout, with two window seats on either side and four in the middle.

There are several pockets around me, one to the right of my feet where I find my headphones, and another under the huge 13.3-inch high-definition touchscreen where I find some branded chocolate and place my flight essentials – water, phone, ear plugs and lip salve.

Once feeling comfortably assured that I’m in the right seat, I settle in and narrow my eyes for niggles. But I can’t find a single thing. The 40 inches of legroom pitch and 19.5-inch-wide seat mean there’s acres of space both above, below and either side of my 5ft 7in frame.

There are USB points under the screen and free Wi-Fi (it’s so good that the passengers in front are able to watch a live Premier League football match throughout the flight). There’s no amenity kit but that’s not to be expected when flying premium economy.

I’m sitting next to a rather large Dubai businessman who tells me how he recently switched from flying Emirates business class to premium economy because the latter offering was so good.

‘It’s the best premium economy seat in the world,’ he says, sipping on an orange juice served in a glass tumbler.

‘I’ve always flown business with Emirates but switched late last year. It’s actually better than some business-class cabins offered by other airlines.

‘It would cost me two and a half times more to fly business and I just think the premium economy seats are too good to justify the extra cost on this route.’

I too have flown business with many other airlines and have to agree. This version of premium economy comes very close.

We’re flying the day of the Coronation and the captain tells us we’re grounded because King Charles needs a clear airspace for the Red Arrows to do their thing for the next 45 minutes. But everyone’s in good spirits and the cabin crew supervisor, Sarah, reassures those with onward travel in Dubai that they should make their flights.

We’re presented with a packet of salted nuts and a menu, which includes wine options as well as information about our three-course lunch and options for ‘light bites’ later in the flight.

The cabin is around 75 per cent full and, once boarding is complete, my new friend is offered a seat further back so he can have a row to himself. He asks me what I’d like him to do but we both agree there’s plenty of space for the two of us for the next six and a half hours.

The passenger in front of me reclines her seat as soon as we’re in the air, meaning I’m slightly hemmed in. But once my seat is reclined to its full eight inches at the click of a button, my cushioned leather footrest lifted, and the wings of my headrest pushed out, I’m back in supremely comfy mode and feel confident I would fall asleep instantly were this a red-eye flight. But it’s not – and I’m keen to explore every offering on board.

We’re given hot, soft towels that smell like clementine to freshen up before I take a peek at the toilets. They’re huge, with cream and gold walls, a floor-to-ceiling mirror and White Company hand cream and eau de toilette.

As we fly above Brussels and onto Luxemburg, I’m presented with a glass of the sparkling Chandon Brut Vintage 2016 wine (also served in business) and ask to sample the South African Ken Forrester FMC Chenin Blanc, which retails at £35 a bottle. Both are delicious, but the Chenin Blanc is among some of the best white wine I’ve tasted.

I go for the vegan meal option and tuck into sweetcorn rice and black beans, a lemony asparagus couscous and fresh fruit for dessert. The packet of raisins makes me feel like I’ve gone for the children’s option, but the rest is delicious.

After lunch, I put the window blinds down at the click of the button. There are two modes: one that dims the light and the other that provides black-out blinds for bedtime.

Emirates hadn’t stopped pampering us just yet, though. We’re offered coffee and tea (or more wine) after lunch as most of the cabin recline their seats and get stuck into a movie.

It’s not often you wish a flight would go on for longer, but I could have comfortably done double the time in my seat. An hour or so before landing, we’re offered an assortment of sandwiches and a scone with strawberry jam and clotted cream.

It’s much the same on my return flight a few days later. This time, I’m right at the front of the cabin. A young man boards asking the cabin crew ‘Is this first class?’, to which they politely answer with a smile, ‘No, sir. This is premium economy.’ The boy looks at his father and says: ‘Daddy, I’m going to fly like this when I’m older and rich.’

Well, thankfully, you don’t need to be either of these things when flying Emirates’ game-changing premium economy. Let’s hope other airlines catch on soon.