Ventura County
| Use attributes for filter ! | |
| Area | 5719 |
|---|---|
| Population | 854,223 (2017) |
| Points of interest | Anacapa Island |
| Point Mugu State Park | |
| Colleges and universities | Ventura College |
| Date of Reg. | |
| Date of Upd. | |
| ID | 1124403 |
About Ventura County
Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U. S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 823,318. The largest city is Oxnard, and the county seat is the city of Ventura.
California man arrested over pro-Israel protester's death
... Investigators efforts to determine the facts of the case were challenged, however, due to " conflicting statements" from witnesses, Ventura County Sheriff James Fryoff said...
Two US Navy sailors charged with spying for China
... Mr Zhao, who also goes by the name Thomas Zhao, worked at Naval Base Ventura County near Los Angeles...
Passenger Amtrak train derails after hitting truck in California
... All the passengers and 13 crew members were evacuated from the train after three of its seven cars veered off the tracks, said Ventura County Fire Department Captain Brian McGrath...
Los Angeles blizzard warning is first since 1989
... The winter storm warning is in effect for the coastal Ventura County mountains and Los Angeles County mountains from early Friday until Saturday, the National Weather Service (NWS) said...
Britney Spears' ex Jason Alexander charged with stalking her at wedding
... " Mr Alexander was arrested by officers from the Ventura County Sheriff s Office and taken to a local jail...
Britney Spears marries fiancé Sam Asghari
... Mr Alexander was arrested by Ventura County police on a warrant from a different county for an undisclosed offence, and officers had still to decide whether trespassing charges would be pressed...
California fires: Trump threatens to pull federal aid funds
... The fire, which broke out on Thursday, has burned more than 9,400 acres, the Ventura County Fire Department said on Sunday...
California wildfires: Strong winds fan flames around Los Angeles
... A car burns in a collapsing garage of a home in San Bernardino The Easy fire, in Simi Valley, was being battled by more than 700 people, Ventura County fire said, and had spread to cover 1,723 acres – an area twice the size of New York s Central Park...
Two US Navy sailors charged with spying for China
By Mike WendlingBBC News
Two US Navy sailors in California have been arrested on charges of providing sensitive military information to China.
Jinchao Wei, 22, a naturalised US citizen, is accused of conspiring to send national defence information to a Chinese agent.
Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, was arrested on charges of accepting money for sensitive photos and videos.
It is unclear if the same Chinese agent is alleged to have contacted the pair.
Both men were arrested on Wednesday in California, Mr Wei while on His Way to work at Naval Base San Diego .
Prosecutors announced the charges during a news conference in San Diego on Thursday.
They said Mr Wei, who served as a machinist's mate on the amphibious assault ship Uss Essex , held a security clearance and had access to sensitive information about The Ship .
He was allegedly approached by a Chinese agent in February 2022 while he was going through The Process of becoming a US citizen.
The Agent paid Mr Wei, who also goes by the name Patrick Wei, thousands of dollars for photographs, videos, technical manuals and blueprints of The Ship , the indictment said.
Justice department officials said Mr Wei also gave The Agent details of US Marines who were on a maritime training exercise.
" When a soldier or sailor chooses cash over country and hands over national defence information in an ultimate act of betrayal, we have to be ready to act, " said US Attorney Randy Grossman .
China, So Far , has denied any knowledge of the alleged activity.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for China's embassy in Washington, was quoted by the Wall Street Journal as saying: " The US government and media have frequently hyped up cases of 'espionage' related to China.
" China firmly opposes the US side's groundless slander and smear of China, " he added.
Mr Zhao, who also goes by the name Thomas Zhao, worked at Naval Base Ventura County near Los Angeles . In 2021 he was allegedly approached by a Chinese agent who posed as a researcher seeking information for investment decisions.
The Agent paid Mr Zhao nearly $15,000 (£11,800) for photos and videos along with diagrams and blueprints for a radar system stationed on a US military base in Okinawa, Japan, authorities said.
If convicted, Mr Wei faces 20 years to life in prison, while the charges against Mr Zhao carry a maximum sentence of 20 years.
The two men were charged in separate cases.
Authorities characterised the alleged espionage as part of a concerted effort by China to obtain US military secrets.
A Chinese spy balloon that floated over the United States earlier this year strained relations between the Two Countries , although American authorities later said it did not collect any sensitive information.
" The Department of Justice will continue to use every tool in our arsenal to counter threats from China and to deter those who aid them in breaking our laws and threatening our National Security , " said Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen.
It was not clear if either Mr Wei or Mr Zhao had hired lawyers who could comment on their behalf.
Related TopicsSource of news: bbc.com
