Three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing a previously undisclosed US intelligence report.&nbsp;

The newspaper said the report, which provides fresh details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses, and their hospital visits, may add weight to calls for a broader probe of whether the COVID-19 virus could have escaped from the laboratory.&nbsp;

The report came on the eve of a meeting of the World Health Organization's decision-making body, which is expected to discuss the next phase of an investigation into the origins of COVID-19.&nbsp;

A National Security Council spokeswoman had no comment on the Journal's report but said the Biden administration continued to have "serious questions about the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its origins within the Peoples Republic of China."&nbsp;

She said the US government was working with the WHO and other member states to support an expert-driven evaluation of the pandemic's origins "that is free from interference or politicisation."&nbsp;

"We're not going to make pronouncements that prejudge an ongoing WHO study into the source of SARS-CoV-2, but we've been clear that sound and technically credible theories should be thoroughly evaluated by international experts," she said.&nbsp;

The Journal said current and former officials familiar with the intelligence about the lab researchers expressed a range of views about the strength of the report's supporting evidence, with one unnamed person saying it needed 'further investigation and additional corroboration’.&nbsp;

The United States, Norway, Canada, Britain and other countries in March expressed concerns about the WHO-led COVID-19 origins study, and called for further investigation and full access to all pertinent human, animal and other data about the early stages of the outbreak.&nbsp;

Washington is keen to ensure greater cooperation and transparency by China, according to a source familiar with the effort.&nbsp;

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.&nbsp;

On Sunday, China's foreign ministry noted that a WHO-led team had concluded a lab leak was extremely unlikely after a visit in February to the virology institute. "The US continues to hype the lab leak theory," the ministry said in response to a request for comment by the Journal. "Is it actually concerned about tracing the source or trying to divert attention?"&nbsp;

The Trump administration had said it suspected the virus may have escaped from a Chinese lab, which Beijing denies.&nbsp;

A State Department fact sheet released near the end of the Trump administration had said "the US government has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses." It did not say how many researchers.&nbsp;

China refused to give raw data on early COVID-19 cases to the WHO-led team probing the origins of the pandemic, according to one of the team’s investigators, potentially complicating efforts to understand how the outbreak began.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing a previously undisclosed US intelligence report.

Three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing a previously undisclosed US intelligence report. The newspaper said the report, which provides fresh details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses, and their hospital visits, may add weight to calls for a broader probe of whether the COVID-19 virus could have escaped from the laboratory. The report came on the eve of a meeting of the World Health Organization's decision-making body, which is expected to discuss the next phase of an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. A National Security Council spokeswoman had no comment on the Journal's report but said the Biden administration continued to have "serious questions about the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its origins within the Peoples Republic of China." She said the US government was working with the WHO and other member states to support an expert-driven evaluation of the pandemic's origins "that is free from interference or politicisation." "We're not going to make pronouncements that prejudge an ongoing WHO study into the source of SARS-CoV-2, but we've been clear that sound and technically credible theories should be thoroughly evaluated by international experts," she said. The Journal said current and former officials familiar with the intelligence about the lab researchers expressed a range of views about the strength of the report's supporting evidence, with one unnamed person saying it needed 'further investigation and additional corroboration’. The United States, Norway, Canada, Britain and other countries in March expressed concerns about the WHO-led COVID-19 origins study, and called for further investigation and full access to all pertinent human, animal and other data about the early stages of the outbreak. Washington is keen to ensure greater cooperation and transparency by China, according to a source familiar with the effort. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday. On Sunday, China's foreign ministry noted that a WHO-led team had concluded a lab leak was extremely unlikely after a visit in February to the virology institute. "The US continues to hype the lab leak theory," the ministry said in response to a request for comment by the Journal. "Is it actually concerned about tracing the source or trying to divert attention?" The Trump administration had said it suspected the virus may have escaped from a Chinese lab, which Beijing denies. A State Department fact sheet released near the end of the Trump administration had said "the US government has reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses." It did not say how many researchers. China refused to give raw data on early COVID-19 cases to the WHO-led team probing the origins of the pandemic, according to one of the team’s investigators, potentially complicating efforts to understand how the outbreak began. (With inputs from agencies)

Wuhan lab staff sought hospital care before COVID-19 outbreak disclosed: WSJ

Ambulance technicians Itxaso Garcia Giaconi and Marisa Arguello de Paula work the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic in Spain, one of the countries worst hit by the disease.

A day in the life of frontline ambulance staff in coronavirus hit Spain

Inside Air Force One - America's most famous plane used by US Presidents

Office-sharing startup WeWork is planning to cut as many as 4,000 jobs as a part of a turnaround plan put in place by top shareholder Japan's SoftBank Group&nbsp;after it took control of the company this week, Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

The job cut will amount to just under a third of WeWork's global workforce, and about 1,000 of the cuts will hit employees such as janitorial staff, the report said, citing people with direct knowledge of the plans.

SoftBank agreed to spend more than $10 billion&nbsp;to take over WeWork on Tuesday, giving a near $1.7 billion payoff to the startup's co-founder Adam Neumann to relinquish control.

WeWork was not immediately available for comment.

Office-sharing startup WeWork is planning to cut as many as 4,000 jobs as a part of a turnaround plan put in place by top shareholder Japan's SoftBank Group after it took control of the company this week, Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

Office-sharing startup WeWork is planning to cut as many as 4,000 jobs as a part of a turnaround plan put in place by top shareholder Japan's SoftBank Group after it took control of the company this week, Financial Times reported on Wednesday. The job cut will amount to just under a third of WeWork's global workforce, and about 1,000 of the cuts will hit employees such as janitorial staff, the report said, citing people with direct knowledge of the plans. SoftBank agreed to spend more than $10 billion to take over WeWork on Tuesday, giving a near $1.7 billion payoff to the startup's co-founder Adam Neumann to relinquish control. WeWork was not immediately available for comment.

WeWork plans to lay off 4,000 staff: Report

Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday announced a scheme to give recognition to the trainers and other support staff working in police training institutions of State and Central Police Forces.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has instituted a scheme for the award of Union Home Minister's Medal for Excellence in Police Training to the trainers and other support staff working in police training institutions of State and Central Police Forces," read a press release from the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD).

The ministry revealed that it has received over 560 nominations for the award out of which 245 were recommended as eligible for the year 2017-18.

The nominations for the award were scrutinised by the Institution Level Committee and the Headquarters Level Committee of each nominating organisation.&nbsp;

The final recommendation was made by a BPRD committee which was then approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

"The objective of the institution of the Union Home Minister's Medal for Excellence in Police Training is to accord due recognition to the work of trainers in enhancing the quality and standard of training in Police Training Institutions in the States/UTs and CPOs/CAPFs," the press release further said.&nbsp;

Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday announced a scheme to give recognition to the trainers and other support staff working in police training institutions of State and Central Police Forces.

Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday announced a scheme to give recognition to the trainers and other support staff working in police training institutions of State and Central Police Forces. "The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has instituted a scheme for the award of Union Home Minister's Medal for Excellence in Police Training to the trainers and other support staff working in police training institutions of State and Central Police Forces," read a press release from the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD). The ministry revealed that it has received over 560 nominations for the award out of which 245 were recommended as eligible for the year 2017-18. The nominations for the award were scrutinised by the Institution Level Committee and the Headquarters Level Committee of each nominating organisation. The final recommendation was made by a BPRD committee which was then approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs. "The objective of the institution of the Union Home Minister's Medal for Excellence in Police Training is to accord due recognition to the work of trainers in enhancing the quality and standard of training in Police Training Institutions in the States/UTs and CPOs/CAPFs," the press release further said.

Home Ministry launches scheme to award trainers, support staff in police institutions

New York's La Guardia airport faced major delays Friday as air traffic control struggled with staff shortages in the final hours of a partial government shutdown that President Donald Trump later announced he was suspending.&nbsp;

An FAA spokesperson said the disruption caused by a "slight increase in sick leave" during the record five-week halt, which has also hit nearby Newark and Philadelphia airports.

"We've mitigated the impact by augmenting staffing, rerouting traffic and increasing spacing between aircraft when needed," the spokesperson added.

"The results have been minimal impacts to efficiency while maintaining consistent levels of safety in the national airspace system."

The New York region's third-largest airport, LaGuardia primarily serves domestic flights.

By early afternoon the FlightAware flight tracking site reported that some 267 departing flights and 272 arrivals had experienced delays, accounting for 44 percent of all traffic.

Most federal workers in American airports were on their 35th day of working without pay due to a feud between Democratic lawmakers and Trump, who is demanding cash for a US-Mexico border wall.

Trump announced in the afternoon he would temporarily end the shutdown after reaching a deal with Democrats to fund the government for the next three weeks, while dropping previous insistence on immediate funding.

Passenger Chris O'Connor said she faced an about an hour delay to her flight after boarding, exiting and then being boarded again.

"I feel bad for them, not getting paychecks," she said of the various unpaid federal employees including screening agents and air traffic controllers, who are now set to receive back pay.

The impact of the deadlock on aviation security had caused experts and Democratic lawmakers to raise alarm.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned on Twitter that the shutdown was "pushing our airspace to the breaking point."

Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez warned that "when our air traffic shuts down, the damage to our economy is enormous, millions of Americans are affected and our national security is endangered."

Without commenting on possible causes for the delays or how to resolve them, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the president had been briefed and the White House was monitoring the situation.

- Aviation leaders' warnings - 
Earlier this week, leaders of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Air Line Pilots Association and Association of Flight Attendants warned that if the deadlock did not end soon, flights could be cut back around the country.

Control tower staffing is at a 30-year low due to no-shows and the national flight grid was only holding up due to overtime work by controllers, some of whom are working 10-hour days and six-day working weeks.

Air traffic controllers, transportation security officers, safety inspectors and air marshals were not furloughed and have been working without pay.

"As predicted, the system is starting to unravel. This is only the beginning. Our safety professionals from @NATCA are fatigued, worried, and distracted," tweeted AFA-CWA flight attendant union president Sara Nelson.

United Airlines said it wasn't anticipating significant disruptions, but added that it was an illustration of the "escalating impact of the government shutdown" and the need for the federal government to re-open.

Inside terminals in major airports, passenger inspection times are lengthening due to an increasing number of workers for the Transportation Safety Administration not showing up.

The TSA said this week there was a 7.6 percent absence rate, compared to three percent a year ago.

Many of the workers are facing financial difficulties and some are unable to pay for transport to get to work or for childcare.

New York's La Guardia airport faced major delays Friday as air traffic control struggled with staff shortages in the final hours of a partial government shutdown that President Donald Trump later announced he was suspending.

New York's La Guardia airport faced major delays Friday as air traffic control struggled with staff shortages in the final hours of a partial government shutdown that President Donald Trump later announced he was suspending. An FAA spokesperson said the disruption caused by a "slight increase in sick leave" during the record five-week halt, which has also hit nearby Newark and Philadelphia airports. "We've mitigated the impact by augmenting staffing, rerouting traffic and increasing spacing between aircraft when needed," the spokesperson added. "The results have been minimal impacts to efficiency while maintaining consistent levels of safety in the national airspace system." The New York region's third-largest airport, LaGuardia primarily serves domestic flights. By early afternoon the FlightAware flight tracking site reported that some 267 departing flights and 272 arrivals had experienced delays, accounting for 44 percent of all traffic. Most federal workers in American airports were on their 35th day of working without pay due to a feud between Democratic lawmakers and Trump, who is demanding cash for a US-Mexico border wall. Trump announced in the afternoon he would temporarily end the shutdown after reaching a deal with Democrats to fund the government for the next three weeks, while dropping previous insistence on immediate funding. Passenger Chris O'Connor said she faced an about an hour delay to her flight after boarding, exiting and then being boarded again. "I feel bad for them, not getting paychecks," she said of the various unpaid federal employees including screening agents and air traffic controllers, who are now set to receive back pay. The impact of the deadlock on aviation security had caused experts and Democratic lawmakers to raise alarm. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned on Twitter that the shutdown was "pushing our airspace to the breaking point." Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez warned that "when our air traffic shuts down, the damage to our economy is enormous, millions of Americans are affected and our national security is endangered." Without commenting on possible causes for the delays or how to resolve them, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the president had been briefed and the White House was monitoring the situation. - Aviation leaders' warnings - Earlier this week, leaders of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Air Line Pilots Association and Association of Flight Attendants warned that if the deadlock did not end soon, flights could be cut back around the country. Control tower staffing is at a 30-year low due to no-shows and the national flight grid was only holding up due to overtime work by controllers, some of whom are working 10-hour days and six-day working weeks. Air traffic controllers, transportation security officers, safety inspectors and air marshals were not furloughed and have been working without pay. "As predicted, the system is starting to unravel. This is only the beginning. Our safety professionals from @NATCA are fatigued, worried, and distracted," tweeted AFA-CWA flight attendant union president Sara Nelson. United Airlines said it wasn't anticipating significant disruptions, but added that it was an illustration of the "escalating impact of the government shutdown" and the need for the federal government to re-open. Inside terminals in major airports, passenger inspection times are lengthening due to an increasing number of workers for the Transportation Safety Administration not showing up. The TSA said this week there was a 7.6 percent absence rate, compared to three percent a year ago. Many of the workers are facing financial difficulties and some are unable to pay for transport to get to work or for childcare.

Delays at New York airport due to shutdown staff shortages

Chinese drone-maker DJI has placed 45 employees under investigation for alleged fraud that could cost the company more than one billion yuan ($150 million) in losses, the firm said Monday.

The world's top civilian drone maker said in an internal memo that most of the employees involved in the fraud worked in the supply chain, and 29 were fired while 16 were reported to the police.

The case is expected to involve more than 100 people and many people will be facing a sentence in jail, according to Friday's memo, whose authenticity was confirmed by a company spokeswoman on Monday.

The initial investigation is just "the tip of the iceberg," the spokeswoman told AFP.

The memo said the employees fraudulently inflated the prices of parts for personal financial gains.

The staffers received kickbacks from suppliers that charged double or triple the price to sell parts to DJI, the memo said.

A company spokeswoman said DJI has established a special anti-corruption group to conduct in-depth investigations.

"DJI will not tolerate corruption because of the rapid development and will not stop its development because of corruption," she told AFP.

The company has become the latest in a string of Chinese tech firms dealing with internal misdeeds in recent months.

China's dominant ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing uncovered more than 60 cases of corruption within the company last year.

Yang Weidong, former president of Alibaba's video-streaming platform Youku, stepped down and was put under investigation in December on suspicion of accepting improper payments, according to Chinese media.

Chinese drone-maker DJI has placed 45 employees under investigation for alleged fraud that could cost the company more than one billion yuan ($150 million) in losses, the firm said Monday.

Chinese drone-maker DJI has placed 45 employees under investigation for alleged fraud that could cost the company more than one billion yuan ($150 million) in losses, the firm said Monday. The world's top civilian drone maker said in an internal memo that most of the employees involved in the fraud worked in the supply chain, and 29 were fired while 16 were reported to the police. The case is expected to involve more than 100 people and many people will be facing a sentence in jail, according to Friday's memo, whose authenticity was confirmed by a company spokeswoman on Monday. The initial investigation is just "the tip of the iceberg," the spokeswoman told AFP. The memo said the employees fraudulently inflated the prices of parts for personal financial gains. The staffers received kickbacks from suppliers that charged double or triple the price to sell parts to DJI, the memo said. A company spokeswoman said DJI has established a special anti-corruption group to conduct in-depth investigations. "DJI will not tolerate corruption because of the rapid development and will not stop its development because of corruption," she told AFP. The company has become the latest in a string of Chinese tech firms dealing with internal misdeeds in recent months. China's dominant ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing uncovered more than 60 cases of corruption within the company last year. Yang Weidong, former president of Alibaba's video-streaming platform Youku, stepped down and was put under investigation in December on suspicion of accepting improper payments, according to Chinese media.

Staff fraud may cost China's DJI drone maker $150 million

Poland adopted legislation on Friday that will ban most Sunday trading by 2020, with opinion surveys showing that consumers have mixed feelings about the move in the heavily Catholic EU state.&nbsp;

First presented last year by Poland`s Solidarity trade union as a citizens` initiative bill, the new legislation limits shopping to the first and last Sundays of the month as of March 2018.

Trade will only be allowed on the last Sunday of the month in 2019 before a wider ban takes effect in 2020 that will allow shopping on seven Sundays per year, including two before Christmas and one before Easter.

The move applies to foreign-owned hypermarket chains as well as other non-Polish players, but will still allow online shopping as well as smaller locally-owned shops including bakeries and petrol stations to do business.

Lawmakers in Poland`s right-wing dominated 460-seat parliament passed the ban with 254 votes in favour to 156 against and 23 abstentions.

The Solidarity trade union says it sought the move to ensure retail staff gets free weekends, but opposition politicians and other critics argue that it will limit job opportunities for students and cramp cross-border shopping from the Baltic states, Belarus, Ukraine, and Slovakia.

Solidarity is allied with Poland`s governing conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, which is closely tied to the powerful Roman Catholic Church, long an advocate of shutting shops on Sundays for religious reasons.&nbsp;

Sunday shopping became a popular family pastime in Poland with the advent of the free market after the 1989 collapse of communism, but surveys published this week suggest that consumers have mixed feelings.&nbsp;

The independent Kantar TNS pollsters found that 76 percent of respondents supported a compromise that would allow Sunday shopping, but also give retail workers two free weekends per month.

However, the Warsaw-based CBOS agency found that 58 percent of respondents supported a blanket Sunday shopping ban, while just 37 percent were opposed. It also found that 52 percent of respondents said they shop on Sunday.

Switzerland and Norway limit Sunday shopping, while Austria has a blanket ban.&nbsp;

Up to now, stores in Poland have remained closed for 12 days a year for major national or religious holidays.

The Solidarity trade union says it sought the move to ensure retail staff gets free weekends, but opposition politicians and other critics argue that it will limit job opportunities for students and cramp cross-border shopping from the Baltic states, Belarus, Ukraine, and Slovakia

Poland adopted legislation on Friday that will ban most Sunday trading by 2020, with opinion surveys showing that consumers have mixed feelings about the move in the heavily Catholic EU state. First presented last year by Poland`s Solidarity trade union as a citizens` initiative bill, the new legislation limits shopping to the first and last Sundays of the month as of March 2018. Trade will only be allowed on the last Sunday of the month in 2019 before a wider ban takes effect in 2020 that will allow shopping on seven Sundays per year, including two before Christmas and one before Easter. The move applies to foreign-owned hypermarket chains as well as other non-Polish players, but will still allow online shopping as well as smaller locally-owned shops including bakeries and petrol stations to do business. Lawmakers in Poland`s right-wing dominated 460-seat parliament passed the ban with 254 votes in favour to 156 against and 23 abstentions. The Solidarity trade union says it sought the move to ensure retail staff gets free weekends, but opposition politicians and other critics argue that it will limit job opportunities for students and cramp cross-border shopping from the Baltic states, Belarus, Ukraine, and Slovakia. Solidarity is allied with Poland`s governing conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, which is closely tied to the powerful Roman Catholic Church, long an advocate of shutting shops on Sundays for religious reasons. Sunday shopping became a popular family pastime in Poland with the advent of the free market after the 1989 collapse of communism, but surveys published this week suggest that consumers have mixed feelings. The independent Kantar TNS pollsters found that 76 percent of respondents supported a compromise that would allow Sunday shopping, but also give retail workers two free weekends per month. However, the Warsaw-based CBOS agency found that 58 percent of respondents supported a blanket Sunday shopping ban, while just 37 percent were opposed. It also found that 52 percent of respondents said they shop on Sunday. Switzerland and Norway limit Sunday shopping, while Austria has a blanket ban. Up to now, stores in Poland have remained closed for 12 days a year for major national or religious holidays.

Poland adopts 'gradual ban' on Sunday shopping

staff

Staff, News on Staff, stories on Staff, articles on Staff, Staff stories at Wion, Staff news, Staff latest news