Latest news with #governmentemployee
Al Jazeera
22-07-2025
- Business
- Al Jazeera
US government employee barred from leaving China, Washington says
A United States government employee has been prevented from leaving China after visiting the country for personal reasons, Washington has said. The employee of the US Patent and Trademark Office, an agency within the US Department of Commerce, was subject to an 'exit ban' while travelling in China in a 'personal capacity', the US Department of State said on Monday. 'The Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens,' a State Department spokesperson said in a statement. 'We are tracking this case very closely and are engaged with Chinese officials to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.' The statement comes after The Washington Post on Sunday reported that a Chinese-American man employed by the US Commerce Department was barred from leaving China after failing to disclose his work for the government on a visa application. The report, which cited four unnamed people familiar with the matter, said the employee had travelled to China several months ago to visit family. The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post on Sunday reported that the man, a naturalised US citizen, was detained in Chengdu, Sichuan, in April over 'actions Beijing deemed harmful to national security'. The Post's report cited an unnamed 'source familiar with the matter'. The Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, referred Al Jazeera to remarks made by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, on Monday, in which he said he had 'no details to share' on the case. 'China upholds the rule of law and handles entry and exit affairs in accordance with the law,' Guo said at a regular media briefing. Washington's confirmation of the exit ban comes after Beijing on Monday said it had blocked the departure of a US citizen employed by the banking giant Wells Fargo. China's Foreign Ministry said that Chenyue Mao, an Atlanta-based managing director, was subject to an exit ban due to her involvement in an unspecified criminal case. Washington and Beijing have long traded accusations of espionage and meddling in each other's domestic affairs. On Monday, the US Department of Justice said that a Chinese-born US researcher had pleaded guilty to stealing trade secrets, including blueprints for infrared sensors designed to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic missiles. Prosecutors said Chenguang Gong, a dual US-Chinese citizen, transferred more than 3,600 company files to his personal storage devices during his employment with a Los Angeles-based research and development firm. Before taking up work with the company, Gong had travelled to China several times to seek funding to develop technology with military applications, prosecutors said.
Fast Company
30-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Elon Musk leaves his official role in Trump's White House—but not really
Elon Musk wrapped up his time with President Trump's administration on Friday with a lengthy press conference during which both men heaped praise on one other in what seemed like an attempt to shut down any suggestions of friction between them. Trump said that despite his status of special government employee ending Friday, Musk is 'really not leaving.' 'He's going to be back and forth, I think,' Trump told reporters in the ornately embellished Oval Office. He added that DOGE (the Department of Government Efficiency) was Musk's 'baby.' Musk stood by Trump, sporting a bruise near his eye he said was from 'horsing around' with his 5-year-old son. When asked about his future role in government, Musk deferred to the president. 'I expect to continue to provide advice whenever the president would like advice,' he said. 'I expect to remain a friend and an advisor and certainly if there's anything the president wants me to do, I'm at the president's service.' A 130-day experiment in government disruption The conference marked the end of one of the most turbulent governmental periods in history. For the past 130 days, Musk took a spot as one of Trump's most visible employees after spending hundreds of millions of dollars on his campaign. In that role, he powered an efficiency drive that he said was meant to cut $1 trillion from the federal budget by October 1. During that process, the agency cut wide swaths of important government agencies, amassed a number of lawsuits on the legality of its actions, and is still far short of its budget-cutting goal. At the same time, Musk's public perception dropped for not only him but his handful of companies. Investors voiced concerns that Musk was spending too much time in Washington, D.C., rather than focusing on running his businesses. Tesla, for example, has struggled with lagging sales in Europe and China, as well as consumer protests at its showrooms. 'This ends a dark chapter for Musk and Tesla,' Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in an email. Tesla stock is set to end the month up more than 24%.
News.com.au
07-05-2025
- News.com.au
Government worker allegedly stole $49,000 to pay for multiple overseas trips
A government employee allegedly spent $49,000 in public funds to pay for multiple personal trips over 14 months. The AFP began investigating the Sydney woman in June 2024 after receiving a report regarding the government worker. Police allege the woman used public funds to pay for flights and accommodation in connection to four overseas trips costing almost $50,000. It was also alleged she used a fake visa letter to support her claim she was travelling for work and arranged a fake document for a foreign national to obtain a visa for entry into Australia. AFP officers executed a search warrant at the woman's home in December last year. She was charged with dishonestly gaining money from a Commonwealth entity, abusing public office and delivering a false document in connection with the proposed entry of a non-citizen into Australia with a visa application. The woman fronted the Downing Centre Local Court Tuesday charged to face the offences and was granted conditional bail. She is due to appear before the same court on July 2.
