WHO investigator fired for sexual misconduct amid COVID origins investigation.

Peter Ben Embarek, a top World Health Organization scientist who led an investigative team that dismissed the COVID lab-leak theory, was fired last year over sexual misconduct allegations. The cases that led to his ouster were from 2015 and 2017, and the WHO became aware of the accusations in 2018. Ben Embarek contested the accusations of harassment and was fighting the sanctions. He can appeal his dismissal through the UN internal justice system. Another allegation of sexual harassment was lodged against Ben Embarek involving a younger colleague. WHO was formally alerted to the allegation in 2018, but no action was taken.