-
Joe Biden's administration finished Trump's investigation into Covid links to Wuhan lab

Shweta Sharma
Joe Biden’s administration has terminated the inquiry launched under the presidency of Donald Trump into whether Covid originated in a Chinese lab.
The closely guarded inquiry by the State Department was ended amid “concerns about the quality of its work,” CNN reported, citing three unnamed sources.
,The probe had been launched last autumn on the orders of Mr Trump and led by an aide to then-secretary of state Mike Pompeo, investigating whether China’s biological weapons programme was liked to the origin of the novel virus in Wuhan.
The development comes as some of the US’s top health officials demanded a swift investigation into the origins of coronavirus and amid renewed concerns about whether the virus escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Tuesday said international experts should be allowed to independently investigate the “source of the virus and the early days of the outbreak,” reported the Washington Post, during a ministerial meeting of the World Health Organisation.
The most prominent theory since the start of the outbreak has been that the virus emerged from the meat of wild animals that was sold in a market in Wuhan. But the so-called “lab leak” theory, while mostly dismissed by experts, has been heavily pushed by US Republicans as part of Mr Trump’s rivalry with China.
A WHO team that went to various labs in China to investigate the source of the virus concluded in February that it was extremely unlikely the virus leaked from the Wuhan lab.
But the issue resurfaced this week after a report by the Wall Street Journal said three workers at the Wuhan lab became sick and were hospitalised in November 2019 not long before the first reported cases of Covid.
The report cited previously undisclosed US intelligence findings, but has been dismissed by Beijing officials who accused the US of “hyping the lab leak theory”.
“The United States continues to hype up the lab leak theory. Does it care about traceability or is it just trying to distract attention?” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.
Dr Anthony Fauci, the US’s top virologist, has previously dismissed the lab leak theory but admitted after the WSJ report that he is not 100 per cent “convinced” Covid developed naturally, backing an investigation.
“I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we find out to the best of our ability what happened,” said Dr Fauci, who is Mr Biden’s chief medical adviser.
The decision to dissolve the probe launched by the Trump administration came after Biden officials were briefed about the draft findings of the team, with questions raised on the legitimacy of the findings.
But the Biden administration also says it remains “sceptical of Beijing’s role in limiting investigators from accessing information” which could be crucial to know the origin of the virus.
The State Department confirmed that US intelligence agencies are continuing to look into the matter closely even as the inquiry has been stopped.
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!