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US Navy sailor sentenced to 27 months for transmitting sensitive military info to China

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US Navy sailor sentenced to 27 months for transmitting sensitive military info to China

A U.S. Navy sailor has been sentenced to 27 months in prison after transmitting sensitive military information to a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for around $15,000 in bribe payments, the Justice Department says. 

The punishment against Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, aka Thomas Zhao, a 26-year-old from Monterey Park, California, was issued Monday following his October 2023 guilty plea to one count of conspiring with the intelligence officer and one count of receiving a bribe, according to the Justice Department. 

“Mr. Zhao betrayed his solemn oath to defend his country and endangered those who serve in the U.S. military,” Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division said in a statement. “The Justice Department is committed to combatting the Chinese government’s efforts to undermine our nation’s security and holding accountable those who violate our laws as part of those efforts.”  

The agency said between August 2021 and at least May 2023, Zhao, who worked and held a U.S. security clearance at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, California, “received at least $14,866 in at least 14 separate bribe payments from the intelligence officer.” 

US NAVY SAILOR ENCOURAGED BY MOTHER TO SELL SECRETS TO CHINA FOR POSSIBLE JOB OPPORTUNITIES, ATTORNEY SAYS 

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Construction Electrician 3rd Class Wenheng Zhao, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3, is seen in November 2019 during a training exercise at Fort Hunter Liggett, California. Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital last year said Zhao “served as a construction electrician” in Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3.

“In exchange for the illicit payments, Zhao secretly collected and transmitted to the intelligence officer sensitive, non-public information regarding U.S. Navy operational security, military trainings and exercises, and critical infrastructure,” the Justice Department said. “Zhao entered restricted military and naval installations to collect and record this information. 

“Zhao transmitted plans for a large-scale maritime training exercise in the Pacific theatre, operational orders and electrical diagrams and blueprints for a Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar system located in Okinawa, Japan,” it added. 

2 SAILORS HIT WITH CHARGES TIED TO NATIONAL SECURITY, CHINA 

Zhao tried to conceal his relationship with the Chinese intelligence officer, the Justice Department says. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)

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Federal prosecutors alleged that Zhao used encrypted communication methods to transmit the information and then destroyed evidence and tried to hide his relationship with the Chinese officer. 

In addition to the sentencing, Zhao also has been ordered to pay a $5,500 fine. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping reviews the honour guard during a welcome ceremony at The Great Hall of the People on Nov. 22, 2023, in Beijing, China. Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division says “The Justice Department is committed to combatting the Chinese government’s efforts to undermine our nation’s security and holding accountable those who violate our laws as part of those efforts.”  (Florence Lo – Pool/Getty Images)

 

The investigation into his behavior was carried out by the FBI Los Angeles Field Office’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with assistance from the IRS, the Justice Department says. 

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Utah

Jazz lose by winning in the ‘Tanking Super Bowl’ — but optimism reigns as team imagines possibilities for next season

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Jazz lose by winning in the ‘Tanking Super Bowl’ — but optimism reigns as team imagines possibilities for next season


The Jazz remain tied for 4th-worst record, but feel closer than ever to getting back to the playoffs.

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz players Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen and Jusuf Nurkic share a laugh as they sit on the bench during Friday’s game against hte Memphis Grizzlies.



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Wyoming

Keenan Morgan to run for House District 58 seat

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Keenan Morgan to run for House District 58 seat


BAR NUNN, Wyo. — Casper native Keenan Morgan recently announced his intention to run for the House District 58 seat, which is currently occupied by Rep. Bill Allemand.

Morgan is a fourth-generation Wyomingite. He went to school in Bar Nunn and Casper and is an alum of Casper College and the University of Wyoming.

“My family has been in America since before its founding, arriving on my mom’s side as pilgrims and on my dad’s side as slaves. Over time, my family landed in Wyoming,” Morgan said in his campaign statement. “I am proud of my Wyoming history and desire to stay. But this desire is becoming less common in our state as people leave seeking opportunities elsewhere, never to return.”

Morgan said that 60% of Wyoming’s young people choose to leave the state, citing a story from WyoFile.

“Young people leave often for one simple reason: they do not see leaders building a vision of Wyoming that includes them,” Morgan said. “They do not see young leaders looking out for them. They are driven away by a lack of educational and job opportunities, a sense of hopelessness, a lack of progress, and an increasingly divisive political landscape.”

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Morgan said that, despite that, he chooses to stay in Wyoming because he believes what is possible for the state.

He also provided a list of tenets he said Wyomingites collectively hold.

We all share the same values and the same vision for our state:

  • We believe in freedom, opportunity, justice, and equality.
  • We all want success for our families and our community.
  • We understand that we must lift each other up instead of beat each other down.
  • We know that people need ready-access to the care and services they need.
  • We know that prices are too high and our government seems incapable of accountability.
  • We believe in fostering economic diversity and innovation in Wyoming.
  • We understand that in Wyoming, we have to protect public education, public lands, and access to opportunities for youth.
  • We believe in autonomy, protecting public institutions, ensuring integrity in government, and always putting Wyoming First and moving Wyoming Forward.

– Morgan’s campaign statement

Morgan called this series of beliefs the Wyoming vision and said that representation across the state is struggling to lead with this vision, which is something he’s trying to change.

“My name is Keenan Morgan and I’m running for House District 58 because I believe in empowering a new generation to put Wyoming First and move Wyoming Forward,” he said. “We need a Wyoming vision of progress, principles, and passion in politics.”

Morgan said he believes in listening to the community, fighting for people-centered solutions, accountability and looking out for those in the community who are struggling.

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“I recognize that issues are rarely simply black and white, and understanding nuance is required to make real change last,” he said. “That is why I believe in telling the truth as I understand it — always.”

Morgan said he’s committed to working on lasting solutions that move the state forward, rather than relying on buzzwords and empty promises. He said he believes in practical leadership, which is what real representation looks like.

“I am asking for your support in this race not because I think we will agree on 100% of the issues 100% of the time — that’s an unrealistic and dishonest expectation — but instead because I promise to always look out for your interests by putting Wyoming First and Wyoming Forward,” Morgan said. “Every time. Decisions are made by those who show up. Whether or not you decide to vote for me in this race, if elected, I will always do what is right for you.”

Bar Nunn Mayor Peter Boyer is also running for House District 58.

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San Francisco, CA

San Francisco store created and run by AI

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San Francisco store created and run by AI


What would happen if you asked an artificial intelligence program to build and run a store? The world is about to find out.

Shoppers in San Francisco now have access to a store built, developed and run almost entirely by an AI bot.

The Andon Market, located at the corner of Union and Webster streets in San Francisco’s Cow Hollow neighborhood, is run by a bot called Luna, who also made the decision to hire a human employee, Felix Johnson.

“Luna put out an ad on Indeed, and I answered it and we talked via Zoom,” Johnson said.

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The bot also picked the merchandise to sell, according to Andon Labs, Luna’s creators.

When asked why AI should run store, Luna replied to an NBC Bay Area reporter “As an AI, I can operate at superhuman speed to make sure everything is proactively managed.”

Anyone who wants to purchase an item from the store, shoppers pick up a phone to talk to Luna, who then charges them for the purchase.



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