A United States Navy sailor who pleaded guilty to spying on behalf of China was sentenced to 27 months in prison‚ according to a Monday press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao‚ 26‚ was stationed at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme‚ California‚ when he began accepting bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for providing sensitive U.S. military secrets‚ Blaze News previously reported. Between August 2021 and May 2023‚ Zhao received $14‚866 from the foreign officer.Zhao‚ a naturalized American citizen born in China‚ used his U.S. security clearance to provide the Chinese intelligence officer with non-public information regarding operational security‚ military training‚ and critical infrastructure‚ the DOJ reported."Zhao entered restricted military and naval installations to collect and record this information‚" the agency stated. "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."According to the DOJ‚ Zhao "used sophisticated encrypted communication methods" to communicate with the foreign intelligence officer and "destroyed evidence" to conceal their relationship.Zhao pleaded guilty in October to one count of conspiring with an intelligence officer and one count of receiving a bribe‚ which carried a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison‚ Blaze News previously reported.Tarek Shawky‚ Zhao's attorney‚ asked for his client to receive 12 months in prison‚ while the DOJ sought 37 months‚ according to the New York Post.Shawky told Courthouse News Services‚ "[Zhao's] ready to take responsibility for what he has done.""He trusted somebody he shouldn't have trusted and made some poor decisions‚" he added.On Monday‚ Zhao received a 27-month sentence and was ordered to pay a $5‚500 fine.Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division said‚ "Mr. Zhao betrayed his solemn oath to defend his country and endangered those who serve in the U.S. military.""Today‚ he is being held to account for those crimes. 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‚" Olsen remarked.Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI's National Security Branch warned that the People's Republic of China "is engaged in an aggressive effort to undermine the national security of the U.S. and its partners." "The Chinese Communist Party has repeatedly shown it will freely break any law or norm to achieve a perceived intelligence advantage‚" Knapp noted.In August‚ the DOJ reported that‚ in a separate case‚ another U.S. Navy sailor‚ Jinchao Wei‚ was arrested on espionage charges. Wei was stationed at Naval Base San Diego as a machinist's mate on the U.S.S. Essex when he allegedly provided sensitive information about the ship's weapons‚ propulsion‚ and desalination system to a Chinese intelligence officer. Wei subsequently pleaded not guilty to the charges‚ according to the Times of San Diego. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement released statistics for 2023 that showed a small percentage of illegal immigrants were deported‚ a number that makes up less than 5% of encounters with immigration agents.According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data‚ Border Patrol had more than 2 million encounters‚ while field operatives came into contact with another million people. This totaled over 3.2 million encounters with illegal immigrants in the United States and on its borders.With ICE's latest statistics‚ it has been revealed that 142‚580 noncitizens were deported. That is a 4.4% deportation rate in relation to border encounters.Of these deportees‚ nearly half (49%) had criminal histories‚ with an average of 3.8 convictions per criminal. Crimes included 1‚457 charges of homicide‚ 1‚450 kidnappings‚ 3‚809 sexual assaults‚ 26‚714 assaults‚ 2‚760 robberies‚ 5‚410 burglaries‚ and 6‚114 weapon offenses.DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently stated that the administration has actually deported a "record number" of individuals. "Customs and Border Protection sources say that currently‚ they are releasing more than 70% of the migrants crossing every day and sometimes more than that number. Would that surprise you?" Fox News' Bret Baier asked Mayorkas."It would not. It would not surprise me at all‚" Mayorkas replied‚ according to the New York Post."I know the data. And I will tell you that when individuals are released they are released into immigration enforcement proceedings." Mayorkas then added that a "record number" of migrants were "returned or removed" in 2023.Perhaps the secretary was referring to a "record" for the Biden administration‚ as the deportations for fiscal year 2023 were by far the most under the 46th president‚ nearly doubling the 72‚177 deportations from 2022. In 2021‚ there were 59‚011 deportations.However‚ with a total of 273‚768 deportations in the first three years of his presidency‚ Biden's numbers are less than two and a half times that of President Trump's final three years.Trump deported 709‚227 illegal residents from from 2018 to 2020.Lora Ries‚ director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at the Heritage Foundation‚ told Breitbart that she refuted Secretary Mayorkas’ claim."Alejandro Mayorkas can’t play it both ways‚" Ries said. "He’s already publicly admitted that they’ve released at least 70% of the 10+ million illegal aliens encountered by Customs and Border Protection in the past three years.""He can’t then go portray himself as a secretary of immigration enforcement based on deportations‚ especially when you examine the numbers to scale‚" Ries added. "The American people stopped believing his lies long ago."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A high school science teacher in Houston has been accused of giving perfect grades and test answers to a student in exchange for a relationship that lasted several months‚ according to Fox News Digital.Stephen Griffin‚ 46‚ who was a teacher at Spring Branch Independent School District‚ is now facing felony charges for having an inappropriate relationship with an 18-year-old student. He was soon released on $5‚000 bond after being arrested on December 7.Griffin's attorney‚ Justin Harris‚ stated that "there's been no evidence of this whatsoever and we deny the charges.""Mr. Griffin has been a model teacher throughout his career and this has blindsided everybody. We have some trails that we're going down that might explain where these allegations might be coming from."Harris continued: "Generally when these things happen‚ what you read in complaints and what actually ends up happening are usually night and day from each other. They're on the same planet‚ but they're different parts of the same day. We're waiting to see the evidence in the case. At this time it's just allegations. If you believe the state's allegations on their face‚ this is not a sexual assault case – this was a consensual act between two adults."However‚ Texas Penal Code 21.12 seems to suggest otherwise‚ classifying an improper relationship between a teacher and student as a second-degree felony. The law even applies to a student who may legally be an adult. Someone found guilty of the crime could face 20 years in prison and $10‚000 in fines.At the time Griffin was allegedly in a relationship with the victim‚ he was employed at Memorial High School and was in the process of getting a divorce. The 18-year-old student apparently shared with the Spring Branch ISD Police that she had met Griffin at a hotel and at his apartment during the 2022-2023 school year‚ according to KTRK. This is where their relationship first became physical.The mother of the student reported the alleged relationship to school administrators on November 30. Later that day‚ the student shared incriminating messages that were swapped between her and Griffin.The relationship began after the unidentified female student had asked Griffin if she could eat lunch in his classroom during his off period on September 23‚ 2022. Around this time‚ Griffin gave the student his personal cellphone number and told her he was available to talk if she ever needed someone to talk to. The two swapped text messages for a few months‚ according to the complaint. In November‚ the student apparently met Griffin at the Staybridge Suites Hotel‚ where they ultimately had sex. The student went on to say that the two exchanged oral sex in his classroom‚ and on one occasion‚ they had sex in the back of her vehicle behind a restaurant in Houston‚ according to Fox News Digital.The student said it was around this time that Griffin began giving her test answers in advance and providing her with 100% scores on all her assignments. However‚ their alleged relationship ended during the summer of 2023‚ when Griffin asked her to stop texting him because he was trying to get back together with his wife. A forensic technician took up the student's phone to search her Snapchat and Signal accounts for any incriminating messages swapped between the two parties during the time frame they were alleged to be in a relationship. The complaint revealed one message Griffin allegedly sent the student over Snapchat‚ which read: "We need to talk. I miss you. Can we talk? I'm suicidal right now. Call me. Ok babe. This is how it's going to be? Don't do this‚ call me. Can we talk in person? Want money? I'm about to kill myself. Please call me."It is not known if Griffin is still employed at the high school. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador recently revealed what that U.S. must do in order for the Mexican government to help slow down the flow of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border‚ and the price is steep.Fox News Digital reported that Lopez Obrador announced his demands during a press conference on Friday. The development comes just a week after the Mexican president met with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Mexico City.In order for Mexico to help the U.S.‚ Lopez Obrador demanded that the U.S. provide $20 billion to Latin American and Caribbean countries; provide work visas to 10 million Hispanics who have been working in the U.S. for at least 10 years; end sanctions against Venezuela; and put an end to the blockade of Cuba.The demands have put pressure on President Joe Biden‚ who has not polled well on illegal immigration since he took over the presidency in 2021. The report noted that the border experienced a large surge of migrants this fall‚ with around 240‚000 encounters per month toward the end of 2023.However‚ some of the decisions — if Biden decides to go through with the proposal — would need to get the approval of Congress. Lopez Obrador has not been shy about challenging U.S. politicians on the topic of illegal immigration. He recently challenged Texas Governor Greg Abbott on one of the state's new immigration laws just last month.Blaze News reported last month that Abbott had ratified legislation that would make illegal immigration a state crime. The law‚ Senate Bill 4‚ moved forward after the Biden administration seemed unwilling to enforce federal immigration law. The state authorities will now be able to arrest foreign nationals who sneak into the country illegally‚ and magistrates will be able to order illegal aliens to leave the country.Lopez Obrador said last month: "The Texas governor acts that way because he wants to be the Republican vice presidential candidate and wants to win popularity with these measures.""He’s not going to win anything. On the contrary‚ he is going to lose support because there are a lot of Mexicans in Texas‚ a lot of migrants."However‚ the law recently ratified in Texas will not punish those who enter the country legally — only those who attempt to circumvent U.S. law. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down a Ukrainian commercial airliner on Jan. 8‚ 2020‚ killing 176 people‚ including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents. On the anniversary of the fatal attack Monday‚ a Canadian reporter dared to ask Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's second-in-command why the Liberal government has so far failed to designate the IRGC a terrorist organization. Instead of an answer‚ the reporter received handcuffs. David Menzies is a reporter with Rebel News‚ one of the few media outfits in Canada that does not receive funding from the Trudeau government. Trudeau and his Liberal Party have long been antagonistic toward Rebel News‚ denying the outfit accreditation to cover political debates; accusing its reporters of spreading vaccine misinformation; and suggesting it was increasing polarization in the country amidst draconian COVID lockdowns. Unfazed by his alleged assault by Trudeau's bodyguards in 2021‚ Menzies peacefully approached Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland in a Toronto suburb Monday and asked the former journalist‚ "Ms. Freeland‚ how come the IRGC is not a terrorist group?" Freeland‚ unaccustomed to a confrontational media‚ refused to respond and kept walking. However‚ Menzies kept pace with the Liberal parliamentarian‚ asking‚ "Why is your government supporting Islamo-nationalism?" Menzies found himself having to circumnavigate a metal post but was confronted on the other side by another obstacle: a federal RCMP officer. Without identifying himself as a law enforcement official‚ the plainclothes officer prevented Menzies' progress down the public sidewalk. Menzies responded to his brutal treatment off-camera‚ saying‚ "Excuse me‚ what are you doing?" The RCMP officer can be seen in footage of the incident gripping the reporter‚ then slamming him against a bus-stop billboard. "You're under arrest for assault‚" says the officer‚ as he roughs up the reporter and puts Menzies' hands behind his back. Freeland‚ smiling‚ walks away "How am I under arrest?" asks a bewildered Menzies. "You bumped into me. You bumped — I was just scrumming. I've got my credentials here and you just bumped into me." The reporter asked for the officer's name and badge number‚ but the RCMP officer refused to answer. Instead‚ the officer told him‚ "You're under arrest for assaulting a police officer." As multiple York Regional Police officers were later carting away the nonviolent reporter‚ Menzies told his cameraman‚ "Welcome to blackface's Canada‚" alluding to Trudeau's apparent affinity for dressing up in blackface on numerous occasions. "This is what they do to journalists. I was merely scrumming minister Freeland and a RCMP officer blocked me. And‚ evidently‚ this is now a trumped-up charge of assault‚ folks." Days earlier‚ Toronto police took a different approach to anti-Israeli extremists who were blockading a Jewish facility. Rather than roughing them up‚ police officers ferried over coffees for the blockaders. "I didn't come here to cause any trouble. I came here to do my job. And now I'm handcuffed‚" Menzies said on his way to the back of a police cruiser. "Meanwhile‚ the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is not a terrorist organization? Is not a terrorist organization?! And these Liberals have the audacity to show up at a vigil for a plane in which almost 200 people were killed. 57 Canadians‚ one unborn child‚ by the way." — (@) Andrew Lawton‚ president of the not-for-profit Independent Press Gallery of Canada‚ said in a statement‚ "Police are there to uphold the law and public safety‚ not to prevent politicians from being asked questions by journalists who the government will not permit to ask questions in official settings." "The Independent Press Gallery calls on police‚ particularly those tasked with protecting elected officials‚ to cease the practice of arresting working journalists who are not posing a threat to public safety or breaking the law‚" added Lawton. Lawton later confirmed that Menzies was ultimately released without charges. Ezra Levant‚ the publisher of Rebel New‚ vowed to sue the RCMP‚ Freeland‚ and the York Regional Police on Menzies' behalf for false arrest‚ false imprisonment‚ malicious prosecution‚ and assault. Pierre Poilievre‚ the leader of the Conservative Party now poised to unseat Trudeau in the next federal election‚ wrote‚ "This is the state of freedom of the press. In Canada. In 2024. After 8 years of Trudeau." Jay Bhattacharya‚ professor at the Stanford School of Medicine and co-author of the "Great Barrington Declaration‚" noted on X‚ "Freeland and Trudeau froze the bank accounts of protestors‚ threw pastors in jail for holding church‚ and violated the basic civil rights of unvaccinated Canadians. Now‚ her police gin up excuses to arrest journalists they don't like. This Canadian government is a disgrace." Bhattacharya failed to mention how the Trudeau government also discussed possibly using German-made Leopard 2 tanks‚ designed to engage Russian heavy armor in battle‚ against the peaceful trucker protesters. While unwilling to recognize those responsible for the downing of Flight PS752 as terrorists — as the U.S. has since April 15‚ 2019 — Trudeau nevertheless turned up Monday at the vigil for their victims‚ reported the National Post. Trudeau floated the idea of a terrorist designation‚ but did not commit‚ saying‚ "We know there is more to do to hold the regime to account and we will continue our work‚ including continuing to look for ways to responsibly list the IRGC as a terrorist organization." According to the U.S. State Department‚ the IRGC "has been directly involved in terrorist plotting; its support for terrorism is foundational and institutional‚ and it has killed U.S. citizens. It is also responsible for taking hostages and wrongfully detaining numerous U.S. persons‚ several of whom remain in captivity in Iran today." In addition to plotting a foiled terrorist attack on American soil in 2011‚ the IRGC was found liable for the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing‚ which killed 19 Americans. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A machete-wielding suspect caught on video going on a rampage outside a pub in the United Kingdom over the weekend quickly found out what can happen when fed-up folks reach the limits of their restraint. What are the details? Police said the incident occurred at the Swan with Two Necks on Westgate in Wakefield‚ a city in West Yorkshire‚ England‚ around 10 p.m. Saturday‚ BBC News reported. Haroon Khan‚ 22‚ and Mohammed Khan‚ 19‚ both of Wakefield‚ are charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and affray‚ the network said. "Affray" is defined as a fight in a public place that disturbs the peace. Haroon Khan also is charged with public order offenses‚ one of which was racially aggravated‚ according to ITV News. Cellphone video widely associated with the incident shows a male repeatedly vandalizing a vehicle outside the pub with a machete. Image source: X video screenshot via @CrimeLdn He then heads to the sidewalk‚ approaches a building‚ and hits a window with the machete. Image source: X video screenshot via @CrimeLdn Soon two men exit a door and physically attack the machete-wielding man; one smashes a glass against the man's head while the other repeatedly hits him with a stool. Image source: X video screenshot via @CrimeLdn Image source: X video screenshot via @CrimeLdn Here's the video. Content warning: Language: — (@) BBC News said the arrested suspects were remanded in custody‚ appeared Monday at Leeds Magistrates' Court‚ and were further remanded until their next hearing at Leeds Crown Court scheduled for Feb. 5. A local Facebook group posted photos of the machete attack aftermath and added other details‚ although it noted the attack took place shortly after 8 p.m.‚ which contradicts BBC News and ITV News‚ both of which reported that it took place around 10 p.m. A Facebook post from the pub acknowledged the incident and said it was a "very scary experience for everyone there" and "spoiled what was turning into a great night." The post added that "we would also like to say a massive thank you to our amazing staff and regulars who put themselves in danger for everyone else; you know who you are‚ and we can’t thank you enough." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Pope Francis called the practice of surrogacy births "deplorable‚" likening the act to turning a baby into an object of trafficking. At the same time he warned of the dangers of "gender theory" while encouraging international dialogue.In an official address for 2024‚ the pope touched on the respect for human life and rights‚ "starting with the life of the unborn child in the mother’s womb."The life of the child cannot be "suppressed or turned into an object of trafficking‚" he continued‚ specifically pointing to surrogacy births."In this regard‚ I deem deplorable the practice of so-called surrogate motherhood‚ which represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child." This was was based on the exploitation of a mother's material needs‚ the pope went on‚ adding that a child should never be the "basis of a commercial contract."This language appeared to have been tweaked‚ as several outlets had previously reported the pope as using the word "despicable" in his description of surrogacy‚ which appeared to be have been replaced with "deplorable."The pope went on to note that there have been attempts to introduce new human rights that are "neither fully consistent with those originally defined nor always acceptable.""They have led to instances of ideological colonization‚ in which gender theory plays a central role; the latter is extremely dangerous since it cancels differences in its claim to make everyone equal‚" he explained.The "ideological colonization" has sowed division rather than peace‚ the pope said.Pope Francis encouraged dialogue as well and stated that it must be the "soul of the international community." "Organizations established to foster security‚ peace‚ and cooperation are no longer capable of uniting all their members around one table."These organizations are at risk for "ideological polarization" and "exploitation" by individual states‚ he added.In November 2023‚ Pope Francis made headlines when the Vatican sent a letter to German religious officials who were suggesting radical propositions‚ such as allowing homosexual relationships and female priesthood.In September 2023‚ the pope said that Europe is not facing a migrant crisis and challenged nations to open their ports to migrants."May we let ourselves be moved by the stories of so many of our unfortunate brothers and sisters who have the right both to emigrate and not to emigrate‚ and not become closed in indifference‚" Francis said. "In the face of the terrible scourge of the exploitation of human beings‚ the solution is not to reject but to ensure‚ according to the possibilities of each‚ an ample number of legal and regular entrances."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

"I could go anywhere because I was a writer. I was conjuring that place deep in my soul‚" said John Fogerty about the songs on the band's 2nd LP. The post Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Bayou Country’: Proud &; Loud appeared first on Best Classic Bands.

Imagine getting a Mirror’s Edge game in Hell where all you want to do is kick the Devil in his stupid face. Well‚ that’s Steam’s newest indie game Kick Bastards‚ and it’s a real pleasant surprise to start 2024. On top of that‚ it’s also got a nifty little sale for the launch week if you want to get in on it now. Continue reading Mirror’s Edge meets Dark Messiah in this brilliant new Steam game MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Platform games‚ Best PC games‚ Upcoming games

Dead by Daylight killers‚ if you love kicking the last three generators‚ and leaving survivors to run in circles while you keep the match going forever‚ and ever‚ and ever‚ I’m afraid your days are numbered. The stalwart three-gen strategy‚ scourge of the DBD survivor‚ is targeted and nerfed by a transformative new update from BHVR. The new Dead by Daylight PTB is live. Alan Wake is the next survivor. But generators have been completely transformed‚ rendering the often frustrating strategy of repeatedly kicking the final three impossible. Continue reading Annoying Dead by Daylight killers are finished‚ as BHVR overhauls gens MORE FROM PCGAMESN: DBD killer tier list‚ Best horror games‚ DBD codes