Latest news with #PPE
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Accused of Acting as a Chinese Agent, NY Governors' Ex-Aide Now Faces Pandemic Fraud Charge, Too
NEW YORK (AP) — Already charged with acting as an illicit agent of the Chinese government, a former aide to two New York governors is being accused of illegally profiteering off the state's pandemic-era scramble for face masks. Linda Sun — who worked for Govs. Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul, both Democrats — and husband Chris Hu were indicted Wednesday on bribery and other charges in the alleged mask graft. 'When masks, gloves and other protective supplies were hard to find, Sun abused her position of trust to steer contracts to her associates so that she and her husband could share in the profits,' Brooklyn-based U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in a statement Thursday. The couple is due to answer those charges in court Monday, and Sun's lawyer said she will vigorously contest the allegations. 'The newest allegations continue the government's trend of making and publicizing feverish accusations unmoored from the facts and evidence that we expect will actually come out at trial,' attorney Jarrod Schaeffer said. Hu's attorneys, Nicole Boeckmann and Seth DuCharme, said they remained confident in him and that prosecutors were 'scrambling to try to come up with some new charging theory' as the trial approached. The couple already pleaded not guilty to the earlier charges of subtly using Sun's state jobs to advance Chinese government perspectives and priorities in exchange for lucrative financial benefits. A trial is set for November. With the new charges, the case now weaves together two significant threads that federal prosecutors have been pulling in recent years: pandemic fraud and rooting out alleged covert agents for China and other countries. The new indictment accuses Sun and Hu of reaping millions in kickbacks by exploiting her role on a Cuomo administration team that procured much-needed personal protective equipment in the spring of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold. At the time, New York was a hotspot for the virus and, like other U.S. states and other nations, was scouring the globe for masks and other supplies. A naturalized U.S. citizen born in China, Sun used her homeland ties to help New York wrangle PPE from the country where much of it was made even as exports had dwindled because of China's own battle with the virus. Sun connected the state with vendors the Chinese government recommended. But, according to the indictment, she also forged documents to falsely claim that Chinese contacts had suggested two additional companies. One was run by a second cousin of Sun's, and the other by a business associate of her husband's, the indictment said. Sun didn't disclose those relationships to New York's government, which signed contracts with both companies in March 2020 and went on to pay them over $44 million in all, according to the indictment. The cousin funneled about $2.3 million back to Hu, the indictment said. It doesn't specify whether Hu's associate allegedly paid anything. Hu worked in state government for about 15 years, starting in Cuomo's administration and eventually working for his successor, incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul. Hochul's administration has said it fired Sun in 2023 after 'discovering evidence of misconduct.' Cuomo got national attention in 2020 for his daily pandemic briefings. He has since faced — and vociferously contested — criticism and congressional and federal Justice Department inquiries about his administration's handling of the virus in nursing homes. After resigning amid sexual harassment allegations in 2021, he conceded a Democratic primary race for New York City mayor this week. A message seeking comment on the new charges against Sun was sent to Cuomo's spokesperson. He has previously said Cuomo very rarely interacted with her. Sun also is accused of quietly doing the Chinese government's bidding by, for example, banishing any mention of Chinese human rights issues from a Hochul video celebrating the Lunar New Year. In return for Sun's efforts on China's behalf, prosecutors allege, Hu got assistance with business ventures in China. Prosecutors say the financial boost helped the couple buy multimillion-dollar properties and luxury cars.
Irish Independent
10 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Independent
Temporary sick leave scheme for health workers with long Covid extended for six months
After that, they will return to standard public service sick leave arrangements. The move comes after Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill accepted a Labour Court recommendation yesterday to extend the temporary scheme to December 31. However, the court rejected health unions' key demand that a special occupational sick pay scheme should be set up on a permanent basis for workers suffering from Long Covid. There are around 159 employees on the temporary special scheme, which was due to end on June 30. 'The minister fully supports the decision and will now move to ensure the scheme is extended as per the Labour Court recommendation,' said the department in a statement. A temporary 12-month special paid leave scheme was introduced in July 2022 for employees suffering from long Covid. The scheme aimed to support staff working in environments where they could be exposed to Covid before PPE and vaccinations were readily available. Albert Murphy, Chairperson of the Ictu Group of Healthcare Unions, said the workers get full basic pay under the temporary long Covid sick pay scheme. If the court had recommended unions' demand for a special occupational scheme, the workers be entitled to two further extensions of paid leave, and possibly further extensions subject to medical assessments. The court dismissed the creation of a special occupational scheme on the grounds that Covid-19 and long Covid are not considered occupational illnesses or an injury at work in this jurisdiction. As a result, it said it could not decide otherwise. 'The court is saying its hands are tied because long Covid is not considered an occupational illness, but we are saying the ball is back with the government and it should remove that obstacle,' said Mr Murphy. The court said there was a dispute over the scheme between the Department of Health, HSE and healthcare workers represented by Siptu, Fórsa, the IMO and INMO. It said it arose in relation to the unions' claim for an Occupational Illness Scheme, similar to a Blood Borne Disease scheme, for sufferers of long Covid. The court said the unions also want the establishment of a scheme for other long Covid sufferers who are excluded form a Special Leave with Pay Scheme. 'Any recommendation that the court makes has to be based on the fact, that at this point in time, Covid-19 and long Covid are not considered occupational illnesses or an injury at work in this jurisdiction,' it said. 'It is not within the gift of the Labour Court to determine otherwise.' The unions said as of January this year, there are 159 employees receiving a temporary scheme of paid leave. This equals less than 0.01pc of health workers.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Accused of acting as a Chinese agent, NY governors' ex-aide now faces pandemic fraud charge, too
NEW YORK (AP) — Already charged with acting as an illicit agent of the Chinese government, a former aide to two New York governors is being accused of illegally profiteering off the state's pandemic-era scramble for face masks. Linda Sun — who worked for Govs. Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul, both Democrats — and husband Chris Hu were indicted Wednesday on bribery and other charges in the alleged mask graft. 'When masks, gloves and other protective supplies were hard to find, Sun abused her position of trust to steer contracts to her associates so that she and her husband could share in the profits,' Brooklyn-based U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in a statement Thursday. The couple is due to answer those charges in court Monday, and Sun's lawyer said she will vigorously contest the allegations. 'The newest allegations continue the government's trend of making and publicizing feverish accusations unmoored from the facts and evidence that we expect will actually come out at trial,' attorney Jarrod Schaeffer said. A message seeking comment was sent to Hu's attorneys. The couple already pleaded not guilty to the earlier charges of subtly using Sun's state jobs to advance Chinese government perspectives and priorities in exchange for lucrative financial benefits. A trial is set for November. With the new charges, the case now weaves together two significant threads that federal prosecutors have been pulling in recent years: pandemic fraud and rooting out alleged covert agents for China and other countries. The new indictment accuses Sun and Hu of reaping millions in kickbacks by exploiting her role on a Cuomo administration team that procured much-needed personal protective equipment in the spring of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold. At the time, New York was a hotspot for the virus and, like other U.S. states and other nations, was scouring the globe for masks and other supplies. A naturalized U.S. citizen born in China, Sun used her homeland ties to help New York wrangle PPE from the country where much of it was made even as exports had dwindled because of China's own battle with the virus. Sun connected the state with vendors the Chinese government recommended. But, according to the indictment, she also forged documents to falsely claim that Chinese contacts had suggested two additional companies. One was run by a second cousin of Sun's, and the other by a business associate of her husband's, the indictment said. Sun didn't disclose those relationships to New York's government, which signed contracts with both companies in March 2020 and went on to pay them over $44 million in all, according to the indictment. The cousin funneled about $2.3 million back to Hu, the indictment said. It doesn't specify whether Hu's associate allegedly paid anything. Hu worked in state government for about 15 years, starting in Cuomo's administration and eventually working for his successor, incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul. Hochul's administration has said it fired Sun in 2023 after 'discovering evidence of misconduct.' Cuomo got national attention in 2020 for his daily pandemic briefings. He has since faced — and vociferously contested — criticism and congressional and federal Justice Department inquiries about his administration's handling of the virus in nursing homes. After resigning amid sexual harassment allegations in 2021, he conceded a Democratic primary race for New York City mayor this week. A message seeking comment on the new charges against Sun was sent to Cuomo's spokesperson. He has previously said Cuomo very rarely interacted with her. Sun also is accused of quietly doing the Chinese government's bidding by, for example, banishing any mention of Chinese human rights issues from a Hochul video celebrating the Lunar New Year. In return for Sun's efforts on China's behalf, prosecutors allege, Hu got assistance with business ventures in China. Prosecutors say the financial boost helped the couple buy multimillion-dollar properties and luxury cars.
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Accused of acting as a Chinese agent, NY governors' ex-aide now faces pandemic fraud charge, too
NEW YORK (AP) — Already charged with acting as an illicit agent of the Chinese government, a former aide to two New York governors is being accused of illegally profiteering off the state's pandemic-era scramble for face masks. Linda Sun — who worked for Govs. Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul, both Democrats — and husband Chris Hu were indicted Wednesday on bribery and other charges in the alleged mask graft. 'When masks, gloves and other protective supplies were hard to find, Sun abused her position of trust to steer contracts to her associates so that she and her husband could share in the profits,' Brooklyn-based U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in a statement Thursday. The couple is due to answer those charges in court Monday, and Sun's lawyer said she will vigorously contest the allegations. 'The newest allegations continue the government's trend of making and publicizing feverish accusations unmoored from the facts and evidence that we expect will actually come out at trial,' attorney Jarrod Schaeffer said. A message seeking comment was sent to Hu's attorneys. The couple already pleaded not guilty to the earlier charges of subtly using Sun's state jobs to advance Chinese government perspectives and priorities in exchange for lucrative financial benefits. A trial is set for November. With the new charges, the case now weaves together two significant threads that federal prosecutors have been pulling in recent years: pandemic fraud and rooting out alleged covert agents for China and other countries. The new indictment accuses Sun and Hu of reaping millions in kickbacks by exploiting her role on a Cuomo administration team that procured much-needed personal protective equipment in the spring of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold. At the time, New York was a hotspot for the virus and, like other U.S. states and other nations, was scouring the globe for masks and other supplies. A naturalized U.S. citizen born in China, Sun used her homeland ties to help New York wrangle PPE from the country where much of it was made even as exports had dwindled because of China's own battle with the virus. Sun connected the state with vendors the Chinese government recommended. But, according to the indictment, she also forged documents to falsely claim that Chinese contacts had suggested two additional companies. One was run by a second cousin of Sun's, and the other by a business associate of her husband's, the indictment said. Sun didn't disclose those relationships to New York's government, which signed contracts with both companies in March 2020 and went on to pay them over $44 million in all, according to the indictment. The cousin funneled about $2.3 million back to Hu, the indictment said. It doesn't specify whether Hu's associate allegedly paid anything. Hu worked in state government for about 15 years, starting in Cuomo's administration and eventually working for his successor, incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul. Hochul's administration has said it fired Sun in 2023 after 'discovering evidence of misconduct.' Cuomo got national attention in 2020 for his daily pandemic briefings. He has since faced — and vociferously contested — criticism and congressional and federal Justice Department inquiries about his administration's handling of the virus in nursing homes. After resigning amid sexual harassment allegations in 2021, he conceded a Democratic primary race for New York City mayor this week. A message seeking comment on the new charges against Sun was sent to Cuomo's spokesperson. He has previously said Cuomo very rarely interacted with her.
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Safety Awareness Campaign 2025: NGC organises seminars at various grid stations
LAHORE: The National Grid Company of Pakistan (formerly NTDC) has launched a nationwide series of safety training seminars under 'Safety Awareness Campaign 2025,' aimed at strengthening safety practices and enhancing public awareness, by ensuring compliance with directives of Nepra and equipping staff with essential knowledge and skills to achieve Zero Accident Goal. Following the campaign, safety seminars were organized at 500kV grid stations; New Lahore, Yousafwala (Sahiwal), Gatti (Faisalabad), 220kV grid stations; New Kotlapkhpat, Wapda Town, Ravi, Ghazi Road, Bund Road, Shalamar, Sarfraznagar, Gujrat, Daharki, Jhmapir-II (Sindh) and Industrial-II Quetta. The seminars focused on providing first aid, emergency response and key safety protocols relevant to field operations. Participants received hands-on training of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and were trained about emergency preparedness, safety procedures and the significance of life-saving techniques in operational environment. The NGC officers delivered technical presentations covering a range of critical safety topics, including substation and transmission line hazards, field inspection practices, standard of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and newly introduced Permit to Work (PTW) performa by the Nepra. Health, Safety & Environment (HSE), firefighting and emergency preparedness sessions were also conducted by Rescue 1122 at some of the grid stations. The seminars saw active participation from NGC staff across the Maintenance, Operations, P&I, Security and Admin departments. Managing Director NGC, Engr Muhammad Shahid Nazir appreciated the Safety Awareness Campaign and stated that safety is fundamental to our operations. He commended all those involved for their dedication to fostering a culture that safeguards our workforce and infrastructure. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
