Toxic fungus smuggling case highlights safety issues facing research labs
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Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Trump Admin Responds to US Government Worker Banned from Leaving China
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The U.S. State Department said Tuesday it is "tracking very closely" the case of a U.S. government employee barred from leaving China, signaling growing concern over Beijing's continued use of exit bans to restrict foreign nationals. The individual, who works for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office under the Commerce Department, was traveling in a personal capacity when Chinese authorities blocked their departure. Without naming the employee, the State Department emphasized that officials are actively engaged with their Chinese counterparts to resolve the situation swiftly. "The Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens," a spokesperson said in a statement. US President Donald Trump (L) speaks as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on during a meeting with Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (not pictured) in the Oval Office of the White House in... US President Donald Trump (L) speaks as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on during a meeting with Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (not pictured) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 22, has long employed exit bans for individuals involved in legal or business disputes, but U.S. officials and human rights advocates have criticized the practice as opaque and arbitrary. In response to these risks, the U.S. government had previously advised Americans to reconsider travel to China—an advisory only eased late last year after the release of three long-detained U.S. citizens. This latest incident comes amid renewed scrutiny of China's exit ban policies, including the high-profile case of Chenyue Mao, a U.S.-based Wells Fargo banker recently barred from leaving the country. While the State Department declined to comment on Mao's case, citing privacy concerns, Wells Fargo said it is working through appropriate channels to secure her return. A spokesperson for China's foreign ministry claimed Mao is involved in a criminal case and is under "exit restrictions in accordance with the law," adding that China "welcomes" foreign visitors and respects their rights. On the case involving the U.S. government employee, the spokesperson offered no further details but said China handles entry and exit matters "according to law." China's use of travel restrictions has previously stranded Americans for extended periods. In one case, two American siblings were unable to leave the country for three years before they were allowed to return to the U.S. in 2021. This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Los Angeles Times
7 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
He was ‘trying to stay alive.' Family memorializes man who died in Camarillo immigration raid
Oxnard — In a ceremony that ended in tears and hugs, the family of Jaime Alanís Garcia said goodbye to the father of one who died after trying to escape from federal agents during an immigration raid at the Glass House Farms in Camarillo. Dozens of Alanís Garcia's family members, friends and community members attended the wake at the Camino del Sol Funeral Home in Oxnard. Family members remembered him as a joyful, hardworking man whose death came too soon. 'He was hiding, trying to stay alive,' said his niece, Yesenia Duran. 'He was loved by the community.' On July 10, federal immigration agents raided two cannabis greenhouse operations owned by Glass House Farms, setting off an intense, hours-long standoff between federal agents and protesters outside of the company's Camarillo site. More than 300 undocumented workers were detained, federal officials said, and protesters were injured after agents outside the property shot off tear gas canisters and less-lethal bullets. Alanís Garcia, 56, was fatally injured when he climbed atop a greenhouse and accidentally fell 30 feet while fleeing immigration agents at Glass House, his family said. He was taken to the Ventura County Medical Center, where he was put on life support. Duran announced his death on July 12. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has weighed in, saying that the government would consider legal action against the U.S. after his death. 'This is unacceptable,' she said. The Department of Homeland Security has said that Alanís Garcia was not among those being pursued and that federal agents called in a medevac for him. Duran pushed back on that narrative, saying that they were waiting for more answers and witnesses into her uncle's death. 'It was a reckless raid,' she said, one that cost her uncle his life. On Monday, the body of Alanís Garcia rested in a brown casket with white trim, his head covered by a black beanie. His casket was surrounded by dozens of red roses, a hand drawn photo of him surrounded by monarch butterflies and a large arrangement of white flowers in the shape of a cross, a gift from his wife and daughter in Mexico. They are scheduled to soon receive his body, when he is returned to his native country. Isaac Alanis, 28, grew up living near Alanís Garcia, who was his mother's cousin, and came to see him as an uncle. Alanís Garcia would come over for dinner after work nearly every night, around 6 p.m., and he loved all kinds of foods, from menudo and pozole to Chinese food, which he would eat with a fork, because he didn't know how to use chopsticks, Alanis said. Before arriving at Glass House, Alanís Garcia spent 10 years working at a flower nursery, Alanis said. Sometimes, he said, he would join Alanís Garcia at the Oxnard Sunday flea market to walk around and pass the time. His uncle, he said, was an extrovert and was always laughing. 'He was joyful,' Alanis said as he fought back tears. On his phone, he had saved a 2020 video of his uncle dancing at a family gathering. On Monday, Alanis said he felt encouraged by the Mexican president's message, and it strengthened the family's resolve to get answers about the circumstances of his death, he said. He wore a shirt that depicted a photo of his uncle, and on the back, it read, 'justice for Jaime.' The mood was somber at the funeral home. Outside, a hand drawn photo of Alanís Garcia with wings sat among a box of pan dulces. Representatives from the Mexican government arrived and offered words of support and condolences to the family. The Mexican consular staff in Oxnard has said it would provide assistance to Alanis Garcia's family, offering to accompany them both in California and in his home state of Michoacán in central Mexico. A priest led the audience in a rosary service, calling out Hail Marys in Spanish as they prayed for Alanís Garcia and his relatives. The room was full, with many left standing, as they recited the prayer. Many wiped away tears. When it came time to bid a final farewell, family members held each other tightly as they cried into each other's arms. A guitarist serenaded the audience with songs, including one titled, Caminos de Michoacán, Roads of Michoacán, a ranchera song that pays homage to Alanis Garcia's homeland.
Bloomberg
8 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Bangladesh Jet Crash Triggers Student-Police Clashes
Protests erupted in Bangladesh's capital a day after a Chinese-made F-7 jet crashed into a school, killing over 30 people, mostly children. Hundreds of students clashed with security forces in Dhaka on Tuesday as they attempted to storm the Bangladesh Secretariat, the country's main government administrative complex, according to private broadcaster Jamuna TV. Live footage showed protesters hurling bricks at police and army personnel, who responded with tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd.
