US staff screened over mystery health issue

CHINA: A US medical team was screening more Americans who work in a southern Chinese city as the State Department confirmed evacuating a number of government workers who experienced unexplained health issues like those that have hurt US personnel in Cuba and China.

The evacuations of the workers in Guangzhou followed medical testing that revealed they might have been affected.

State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said a number of individuals had been brought to the US but didn’t say how many were affected or evacuated.

She said tests were being offered to “any personnel who have noted concerning symptoms or wanted baseline screening”.

Security guards outside the consulate checked journalists’ IDs yesterday and told them to leave the area and not attempt to talk to staff.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the US had not formally raised the matter with Beijing. “If the US makes formal contact with us, China will continue investigations in an earnest and responsible manner and maintain close communication and co-operation,” Hua said.

China had earlier said it had no information about the cause of the symptoms.

The New York Times identified the latest American employee evacuated as Mark A Lenzi, a security engineering officer who left on Wednesday night with his wife and two children.

Lenzi resided in the same flat tower as the officer evacuated in April and suffered in recent months from “neurological symptoms”. Lenzi’s flat was in one of several high-rise buildings in The Canton Place featuring restaurants and galleries spaced around a central plaza. Another diplomat who reported symptoms was at a different upmarket building near the consulate.

A US official, who wasn’t authorised to discuss the situation publicly said the evacuated Americans were being taken for testing at the University of Pennsylvania.

The China incidents have raised fears the unexplained issues that started in Cuba in 2016 have expanded. The US government has deemed those incidents “specific attacks” on American workers but hasn’t publicly identified a cause or culprit. Most of the incidents were accompanied by bizarre, unexplained sounds that initially led US investigators to suspect a sonic attack.

The preliminary findings of the medical reports on the 24 US embassy personnel affected in Cuba showed they had sensory and memory problems similar to the brain dysfunction seen with concussions.

The Pennsylvania team said the patients experienced persistent disability though rehabilitation therapy customised for them seemed to help.

Canada in April also ordered families of diplomatic staff in Cuba to return home after mysterious health symptoms were detected in 10 Canadians stationed on the island.

Canada said the 10 continued to show unexplained brain symptoms and that “medical information raised concerns for a new type of a possible acquired brain injury”.

Symptoms included dizziness, headaches and an inability to concentrate. The American government worker who was removed from China earlier reported “subtle and vague, but abnormal, sensations of sound and pressure”. In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China had “said all the right things and demonstrated its willingness to help us identify the vector which led to this medical incident.”

The China incidents affect one of the most important of the seven US diplomatic outposts in the country. The Guangzhou consulate opened months after the establishment of diplomatic relations between Beijing and Washington in 1979 and moved to its purpose-built facility in 2013. – AP/African News Agency (ANA) KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has announced a ceasefire with Taliban insurgents until June 20, coinciding with the end of the Islamic fasting season, but said fighting against other militant groups such as Islamic State will continue.

“This ceasefire is an opportunity for the Taliban to introspect (sic) that their violent campaign is not winning them hearts and minds but further alienating,” he said on Twitter.

“With the ceasefire announcement, we epitomise the strength of the Afghan government and the will of the people for a peaceful resolution to the Afghan conflict.”

The Taliban is seeking to reimpose strict Islamic law after it was ousted in 2001 by US-led troops. – Reuters LONDON: A facility in Iran’s Natanz nuclear plant to build advanced centrifuges is set to be completed in a month, Iran’s nuclear chief says, as Tehran prepares to increase its uraniumenrichment capacity if the nuclear deal collapses after the US’s exit.

“After the supreme leader’s order, we prepared this centre within 48 hours,” Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation head, said on Wednesday. “We hope it will be completed in a month.”

On Monday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he had ordered preparations to increase capacity if the agreement with world powers collapsed. – Reuters