WASHINGTON (AP) — A huge, high-altitude Chinese balloon sailed across the U.S. on Friday, drawing severe Pentagon accusations of spying and sending excited or alarmed Americans outside with binoculars. Secretary of State Antony Blinken abruptly canceled a high-stakes Beijing trip aimed at easing U..S.-China tensions.

The cancelation came despite China’s claim that the balloon was a weather research “airship” that had blown off course. The Pentagon rejected that out of hand — and China's contention that the balloon, about the size of two school buses, was not being used for surveillance and had only limited navigational ability.

The balloon was detected earlier over sensitive military sites in Montana but had moved eastward over the heartland of the central United States by midday and was expected to remain in U.S. airspace for several days, officials said.

The development marked a new blow to already strained U.S.-Chinese relations that have been in a downward spiral for years over numerous issues. Still, U.S. officials maintained that diplomatic channels remain open and that Blinken was willing to travel to China at “an appropriate time.”

President Joe Biden declined to comment on the matter when questioned at an economic event. Two 2024 reelection challengers, former President Donald Trump, and Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador, said the U.S. should immediately shoot down the balloon.

Discovery of the balloon was announced by Pentagon officials who said one of the places it was spotted was over the state of Montana, which is home to one of America’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base.

A senior defense official said the U.S. prepared fighter jets, including F-22s, to shoot it down if ordered. The Pentagon ultimately recommended against that, noting that even as the balloon was over a sparsely populated area of Montana, its size would create a debris field large enough to put people at risk.

Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, refused to say on Friday whether there was any new consideration of shooting the balloon down.

Ryder said it was at an altitude of about 60,000 feet, was maneuverable and had changed course. He said it currently was posing no threat.

A number of GOP lawmakers have criticized the administration for not taking firmer action against China. And a decision for Blinken to proceed with his trip could have made Biden even more susceptible to their complaints at a time he’s starting to deal with the new Republican-led U.S. House.

Blinken had been prepared as late as Thursday to travel to Beijing this weekend, but the administration began to reconsider the trip following the detection of the balloon on Wednesday, even before its presence was made public, one official said.

The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the administration had “noted” China's expression of regret but concluded that the seriousness of the violation of U.S. airspace, sovereignty and international law was such that Blinken’s trip could not go forward as planned.

Weather experts said China's claim that the balloon had gone off course was not unfeasible. China’s account of wind patterns known as the Westerlies carrying a balloon to the western United States was “absolutely possible - not possible, likely,” said Dan Jaffe, a professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of Washington.

Still officials called the presence of the balloon “unacceptable” and one said that message had been delivered by Blinken to Chinese State Councilor Wang Yi on Friday.

However, the official also said that Blinken had told the Chinese he would be prepared to travel to China “at the earliest opportunity when conditions allow.”

Blinken’s long-anticipated meetings with senior Chinese officials had been seen in both countries as a possible way to find some areas of common ground at a time of major disagreements over Taiwan, human rights, China’s claims in the South China Sea, North Korea, Russia’s war in Ukraine, trade policy and climate change.

Although the trip, which was agreed to in November by Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit in Indonesia, had not been formally announced, officials in both Beijing and Washington had spoken in recent days about Blinken’s imminent arrival for meetings on Sunday and Monday.

China, which angrily denounces surveillance attempts by the U.S. and others over areas it considers to be its territory and once forced down an American spy plane and held its crew captive on Hainan Island, was relatively conciliatory in its response to the U.S. complaints.

In a statement that approached an apology, the Chinese foreign ministry said the balloon was a civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research. It said said the airship had limited “self-steering” capabilities and had “deviated far from its planned course” because of winds.

“The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into U.S. airspace due to force majeure,” the statement said, citing a legal term used to refer to events beyond one’s control.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A huge, high-altitude Chinese balloon sailed across the U.S. on Friday, drawing severe Pentagon accusations of spying and sending excited or alarmed Americans outside with binoculars. Secretary of State Antony Blinken abruptly canceled a high-stakes Beijing trip aimed at easing U..S.-China tensions.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PentagonPresSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PentagonPresSec</a>: &quot;We are aware of the PRC&#39;s statement. However, the fact is, we know that it&#39;s a surveillance balloon. I&#39;m not going to be able to be more specific than that. We do know that the balloon has violated U.S. airspace and international law, which is unacceptable.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/cZXNY4qUaN">pic.twitter.com/cZXNY4qUaN</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1621570719950700546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The cancelation came despite China’s claim that the balloon was a weather research “airship” that had blown off course. The Pentagon rejected that out of hand — and China's contention that the balloon, about the size of two school buses, was not being used for surveillance and had only limited navigational ability.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We have had several reports across northwest MO of a large balloon visible on the horizon. It is now visible from our office in Pleasant Hill and the KC Metro. We have confirmed that it is not an NWS weather balloon. <a href="https://t.co/CKQWOw7God">pic.twitter.com/CKQWOw7God</a>&mdash; NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSKansasCity/status/1621562137717141505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I can confirm the Chinese spy ballon is over NE KS. My staff is in contact with law enforcement officials. I condemn any attempts the Chinese make to spy on Americans. President Biden must protect the sovereignty of the U.S. whether it’s our airspace or the southern border.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1621572987802599426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The balloon was detected earlier over sensitive military sites in Montana but had moved eastward over the heartland of the central United States by midday and was expected to remain in U.S. airspace for several days, officials said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Photos taken by coworker, Paul Holzwarth. <a href="https://t.co/Ita7e32xWp">pic.twitter.com/Ita7e32xWp</a>&mdash; John Martin (@MartinInMontana) <a href="https://twitter.com/MartinInMontana/status/1621283053661483008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The development marked a new blow to already strained U.S.-Chinese relations that have been in a downward spiral for years over numerous issues. Still, U.S. officials maintained that diplomatic channels remain open and that Blinken was willing to travel to China at “an appropriate time.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675438997135.png" alt="-During a Friday morning press conference on jobs, President Biden refused to answer questions about the spy balloon -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>-During a Friday morning press conference on jobs, President Biden refused to answer questions about the spy balloon -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>President Joe Biden declined to comment on the matter when questioned at an economic event. Two 2024 reelection challengers, former President Donald Trump, and Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador, said the U.S. should immediately shoot down the balloon.Discovery of the balloon was announced by Pentagon officials who said one of the places it was spotted was over the state of Montana, which is home to one of America’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base.A senior defense official said the U.S. prepared fighter jets, including F-22s, to shoot it down if ordered. The Pentagon ultimately recommended against that, noting that even as the balloon was over a sparsely populated area of Montana, its size would create a debris field large enough to put people at risk.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PentagonPresSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PentagonPresSec</a>: &quot;It is big enough that, again, in reviewing our approach, we do recognize that any potential debris field would be significant and potentially cause civilian injuries or deaths or significant property damage.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0DXvmYsDXQ">pic.twitter.com/0DXvmYsDXQ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1621574455049822213?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, refused to say on Friday whether there was any new consideration of shooting the balloon down.Ryder said it was at an altitude of about 60,000 feet, was maneuverable and had changed course. He said it currently was posing no threat.A number of GOP lawmakers have criticized the administration for not taking firmer action against China. And a decision for Blinken to proceed with his trip could have made Biden even more susceptible to their complaints at a time he’s starting to deal with the new Republican-led U.S. House.Blinken had been prepared as late as Thursday to travel to Beijing this weekend, but the administration began to reconsider the trip following the detection of the balloon on Wednesday, even before its presence was made public, one official said.The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the administration had “noted” China's expression of regret but concluded that the seriousness of the violation of U.S. airspace, sovereignty and international law was such that Blinken’s trip could not go forward as planned.Weather experts said China's claim that the balloon had gone off course was not unfeasible. China’s account of wind patterns known as the Westerlies carrying a balloon to the western United States was “absolutely possible - not possible, likely,” said Dan Jaffe, a professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of Washington.Still officials called the presence of the balloon “unacceptable” and one said that message had been delivered by Blinken to Chinese State Councilor Wang Yi on Friday.However, the official also said that Blinken had told the Chinese he would be prepared to travel to China “at the earliest opportunity when conditions allow.”Blinken’s long-anticipated meetings with senior Chinese officials had been seen in both countries as a possible way to find some areas of common ground at a time of major disagreements over Taiwan, human rights, China’s claims in the South China Sea, North Korea, Russia’s war in Ukraine, trade policy and climate change.Although the trip, which was agreed to in November by Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit in Indonesia, had not been formally announced, officials in both Beijing and Washington had spoken in recent days about Blinken’s imminent arrival for meetings on Sunday and Monday.China, which angrily denounces surveillance attempts by the U.S. and others over areas it considers to be its territory and once forced down an American spy plane and held its crew captive on Hainan Island, was relatively conciliatory in its response to the U.S. complaints.In a statement that approached an apology, the Chinese foreign ministry said the balloon was a civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research. It said said the airship had limited “self-steering” capabilities and had “deviated far from its planned course” because of winds.“The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into U.S. airspace due to force majeure,” the statement said, citing a legal term used to refer to events beyond one’s control.

🎥Chinese spy balloon reported over NE Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery, have made an arrest and are asking the public for help to locate a second suspect. During the investigation of the Jan. 30th weekend robbery, detectives gathered valuable information. The Sheriff’s Office’s Fugitive Warrant Unit located and arrested Michael-Don A. Vincent Sr., 32. Vincent Sr. was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated assault and theft. Another individual involved in this case is still outstanding. The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of 24-year-old Stephanie Santana Munoz, 24, to contact police or email Shawnee County Sheriff's office&nbsp;Stephanie.Dicken@snco.us

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675435728112.png" alt="Vincent photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Vincent photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery, have made an arrest and are asking the public for help to locate a second suspect. During the investigation of the Jan. 30th weekend robbery, detectives gathered valuable information. The Sheriff’s Office’s Fugitive Warrant Unit located and arrested Michael-Don A. Vincent Sr., 32. Vincent Sr. was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated assault and theft. Another individual involved in this case is still outstanding. The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of 24-year-old Stephanie Santana Munoz, 24, to contact police or email Shawnee County Sheriff's office&nbsp;Stephanie.Dicken@snco.us

Search underway for suspect in Kansas robbery investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed a planned high-stakes weekend diplomatic trip to China as the Biden administration weighs a broader response to the discovery of a high-altitude Chinese balloon flying over sensitive sites in the western United States, a U.S. official said Friday.

The abrupt decision came despite China’s claim that the balloon was a weather research satellite that had blown off course. The U.S. has described it as a surveillance satellite.

The decision came just hours before Blinken had been due to depart Washington for Beijing and marked a new blow to already strained U.S.-Chinese relations. The official said Blinken and President Joe Biden determined it was best not to proceed with the trip at this time.

Blinken’s long-anticipated meetings with senior Chinese officials had been seen in both countries as a way to find some areas of common ground amid major disagreements over Taiwan, human rights, China’s claims in the South China Sea, North Korea, Russia’s war in Ukraine, trade policy and climate change.

Although the trip, which was agreed to in November by President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit in Indonesia, had not been formally announced, officials in both Beijing and Washington had been talking in recent days about Blinken’s imminent arrival.

The meetings were to begin on Sunday and go through Monday.

The discovery of the balloon was announced on Thursday by Pentagon officials who said one of the places it was spotted was over the state of Montana, which is home to one of America’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base.

A senior defense official said the U.S. prepared fighter jets, including F-22s, to shoot down the balloon if ordered. The Pentagon ultimately recommended against it, noting that even as the balloon was over a sparsely populated area of Montana, its size would create a debris field large enough that it could have put people at risk.

The official said the spy balloon was trying to fly over the Montana missile fields, but the U.S. has assessed that it has “limited” value in terms of providing intelligence it couldn’t obtain by other technologies, such as spy satellites.

Nevertheless, the discovery alarmed many in Washington, leading to several protests lodged with Chinese officials and attracted strong criticism of the administration particularly from Republican members of Congress who have advocating taking a tougher stance with China.

China, which angrily denounces surveillance attempts by the U.S. and others over areas it considers to be its territory and once forced down an American spy plane, offered a generally muted reaction to the Pentagon announcement.

In a relatively conciliatory statement, the Chinese foreign ministry said late Friday that the balloon was a civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research. The ministry said the airship has limited “self-steering” capabilities and “deviated far from its planned course” because of winds.

BEIJING (AP) — China said Friday that a balloon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-surveillance-balloon-united-states-montana-47248b0ef2b085620fcd866c105054be">spotted over American airspace</a>&nbsp;was used for weather research and was blown off course, despite U.S. suspicion it was spying. The discovery further strained already tense relations between Beijing and Washington.

The Pentagon decided not to shoot down the balloon, which was potentially flying over sensitive sites, because of concerns of hurting people on the ground.

The U.S. had no immediate response to the Chinese explanation, which came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was expected to make his first trip to Beijing this weekend. The visit has not been formally announced, and it was unclear if the balloon's discovery would affect his travel plans.

Blinken would be the highest-ranking member of President Joe Biden’s administration to visit China, on a mission to mitigate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-taiwan-asia-united-states-china-90d436b5cddbb917a4ca3a4395bd6550">a sharp downturn in relations</a>&nbsp;between the countries amid trade disputes and concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-politics-china-government-germany-88cd9b9fcead9d5dba0e8ea364f4dac6">Beijing’s increasingly aggressive stance toward Taiwan</a>&nbsp;and in the South China Sea.

In a statement late Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the balloon was a civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research. The ministry said the airship has limited “self-steering" capabilities and “deviated far from its planned course” because of winds.

“The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into U.S. airspace due to force majeure,” the statement said, citing a legal term used to refer to events beyond one's control.

On Thursday, a senior American defense official told Pentagon reporters that the U.S. has “very high confidence” that the object spotted over U.S. airspace in recent days was a Chinese high-altitude balloon and that it was flying over sensitive sites to collect information. One of the places the balloon was spotted was Montana, which is home to one of the nation’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.

The defense official said the U.S. has assessed that the balloon has “limited” value in terms of providing intelligence that couldn’t be obtained by other technologies, such as spy satellites.

It was unclear what will happen with the balloon if it isn’t brought down.

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said Thursday that similar balloon activity has been seen in the past several years and the government has taken steps to ensure no sensitive information was stolen.

He said the balloon was traveling well above the height at which commercial aircraft fly and didn't present a threat to people on the ground.

Biden was briefed and asked the military to present options, according to a senior administration official, who was also not authorized to publicly discuss sensitive information. The senior defense official said the U.S. prepared fighter jets, including F-22s, to shoot down the balloon if ordered.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, advised against taking “kinetic action” because of risks to the safety of people on the ground. Biden, a Democrat, accepted that recommendation.

Even though the balloon was over a sparsely populated area of Montana, its size would create a debris field large enough that it could have put people at risk.

The defense official would not specify the size of the balloon but said commercial pilots could spot it from their cockpits.

The balloon was first reported by NBC News.

A photograph of a large white balloon lingering over the area was captured by The Billings Gazette. It could be seen drifting in and out of clouds and had what appeared to be a solar array hanging from the bottom, Gazette photographer Larry Mayer said.

The balloon's appearance adds to national security concerns among American lawmakers over China's influence in the U.S., ranging from the prevalence of the hugely popular&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-d33e58c76bb3c13297c72816ef4e6231">smartphone app TikTok</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-business-ap-top-news-us-news-china-ebf7a2646dda9371fe2762a5a3f1804f">purchases of American farmland</a>.

“China’s brazen disregard for U.S. sovereignty is a destabilizing action that must be addressed,” Republican Party House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted.

Tensions with China are particularly high on numerous issues, ranging from Taiwan and the South China Sea to human rights in China’s western Xinjiang region and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-hong-kong-beijing-democracy-national-security-9e3c405923c24b6889c1bcf171f6def4">the clampdown on democracy activists in Hong Kong</a>. Not least on that list of irritants are China’s tacit support for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion of Ukraine</a>, its refusal to rein in North Korea’s expanding ballistic missile program and ongoing disputes over trade and technology.

On Tuesday, Taiwan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-politics-government-china-3aa7802d440440aaf4544aca7f5463d2">scrambled fighter jets</a>, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing’s strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.

Twenty of those aircraft crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait that has long been an unofficial buffer zone between the two sides, which separated during a civil war in 1949.

Beijing has also increased preparations for a potential blockade or military action against Taiwan, which has stirred increasing concern among military leaders, diplomats and elected officials in the U.S., Taiwan’s key ally.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed a planned high-stakes weekend diplomatic trip to China as the Biden administration weighs a broader response to the discovery of a high-altitude Chinese balloon flying over sensitive sites in the western United States, a U.S. official said Friday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Photos taken by coworker, Paul Holzwarth. <a href="https://t.co/Ita7e32xWp">pic.twitter.com/Ita7e32xWp</a>&mdash; John Martin (@MartinInMontana) <a href="https://twitter.com/MartinInMontana/status/1621283053661483008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The abrupt decision came despite China’s claim that the balloon was a weather research satellite that had blown off course. The U.S. has described it as a surveillance satellite.The decision came just hours before Blinken had been due to depart Washington for Beijing and marked a new blow to already strained U.S.-Chinese relations. The official said Blinken and President Joe Biden determined it was best not to proceed with the trip at this time.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675438997135.png" alt="During a Friday morning press conference on jobs, President Biden refused to answer questions about the spy balloon." />
 <figcaption>During a Friday morning press conference on jobs, President Biden refused to answer questions about the spy balloon.</figcaption>
 </figure>Blinken’s long-anticipated meetings with senior Chinese officials had been seen in both countries as a way to find some areas of common ground amid major disagreements over Taiwan, human rights, China’s claims in the South China Sea, North Korea, Russia’s war in Ukraine, trade policy and climate change.Although the trip, which was agreed to in November by President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit in Indonesia, had not been formally announced, officials in both Beijing and Washington had been talking in recent days about Blinken’s imminent arrival.The meetings were to begin on Sunday and go through Monday.The discovery of the balloon was announced on Thursday by Pentagon officials who said one of the places it was spotted was over the state of Montana, which is home to one of America’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base.A senior defense official said the U.S. prepared fighter jets, including F-22s, to shoot down the balloon if ordered. The Pentagon ultimately recommended against it, noting that even as the balloon was over a sparsely populated area of Montana, its size would create a debris field large enough that it could have put people at risk.The official said the spy balloon was trying to fly over the Montana missile fields, but the U.S. has assessed that it has “limited” value in terms of providing intelligence it couldn’t obtain by other technologies, such as spy satellites.Nevertheless, the discovery alarmed many in Washington, leading to several protests lodged with Chinese officials and attracted strong criticism of the administration particularly from Republican members of Congress who have advocating taking a tougher stance with China.China, which angrily denounces surveillance attempts by the U.S. and others over areas it considers to be its territory and once forced down an American spy plane, offered a generally muted reaction to the Pentagon announcement.In a relatively conciliatory statement, the Chinese foreign ministry said late Friday that the balloon was a civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research. The ministry said the airship has limited “self-steering” capabilities and “deviated far from its planned course” because of winds.“The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into U.S. airspace due to force majeure,” the statement said, citing a legal term used to refer to events beyond one’s control.--------------BEIJING (AP) — China said Friday that a balloon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-surveillance-balloon-united-states-montana-47248b0ef2b085620fcd866c105054be">spotted over American airspace</a>&nbsp;was used for weather research and was blown off course, despite U.S. suspicion it was spying. The discovery further strained already tense relations between Beijing and Washington.The Pentagon decided not to shoot down the balloon, which was potentially flying over sensitive sites, because of concerns of hurting people on the ground.The U.S. had no immediate response to the Chinese explanation, which came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was expected to make his first trip to Beijing this weekend. The visit has not been formally announced, and it was unclear if the balloon's discovery would affect his travel plans.Blinken would be the highest-ranking member of President Joe Biden’s administration to visit China, on a mission to mitigate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-taiwan-asia-united-states-china-90d436b5cddbb917a4ca3a4395bd6550">a sharp downturn in relations</a>&nbsp;between the countries amid trade disputes and concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-politics-china-government-germany-88cd9b9fcead9d5dba0e8ea364f4dac6">Beijing’s increasingly aggressive stance toward Taiwan</a>&nbsp;and in the South China Sea.In a statement late Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the balloon was a civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research. The ministry said the airship has limited “self-steering" capabilities and “deviated far from its planned course” because of winds.“The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into U.S. airspace due to force majeure,” the statement said, citing a legal term used to refer to events beyond one's control.On Thursday, a senior American defense official told Pentagon reporters that the U.S. has “very high confidence” that the object spotted over U.S. airspace in recent days was a Chinese high-altitude balloon and that it was flying over sensitive sites to collect information. One of the places the balloon was spotted was Montana, which is home to one of the nation’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.The defense official said the U.S. has assessed that the balloon has “limited” value in terms of providing intelligence that couldn’t be obtained by other technologies, such as spy satellites.It was unclear what will happen with the balloon if it isn’t brought down.Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said Thursday that similar balloon activity has been seen in the past several years and the government has taken steps to ensure no sensitive information was stolen.He said the balloon was traveling well above the height at which commercial aircraft fly and didn't present a threat to people on the ground.Biden was briefed and asked the military to present options, according to a senior administration official, who was also not authorized to publicly discuss sensitive information. The senior defense official said the U.S. prepared fighter jets, including F-22s, to shoot down the balloon if ordered.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, advised against taking “kinetic action” because of risks to the safety of people on the ground. Biden, a Democrat, accepted that recommendation.Even though the balloon was over a sparsely populated area of Montana, its size would create a debris field large enough that it could have put people at risk.The defense official would not specify the size of the balloon but said commercial pilots could spot it from their cockpits.The balloon was first reported by NBC News.A photograph of a large white balloon lingering over the area was captured by The Billings Gazette. It could be seen drifting in and out of clouds and had what appeared to be a solar array hanging from the bottom, Gazette photographer Larry Mayer said.The balloon's appearance adds to national security concerns among American lawmakers over China's influence in the U.S., ranging from the prevalence of the hugely popular&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-d33e58c76bb3c13297c72816ef4e6231">smartphone app TikTok</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-business-ap-top-news-us-news-china-ebf7a2646dda9371fe2762a5a3f1804f">purchases of American farmland</a>.“China’s brazen disregard for U.S. sovereignty is a destabilizing action that must be addressed,” Republican Party House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted.Tensions with China are particularly high on numerous issues, ranging from Taiwan and the South China Sea to human rights in China’s western Xinjiang region and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-hong-kong-beijing-democracy-national-security-9e3c405923c24b6889c1bcf171f6def4">the clampdown on democracy activists in Hong Kong</a>. Not least on that list of irritants are China’s tacit support for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion of Ukraine</a>, its refusal to rein in North Korea’s expanding ballistic missile program and ongoing disputes over trade and technology.On Tuesday, Taiwan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-politics-government-china-3aa7802d440440aaf4544aca7f5463d2">scrambled fighter jets</a>, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing’s strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.Twenty of those aircraft crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait that has long been an unofficial buffer zone between the two sides, which separated during a civil war in 1949.Beijing has also increased preparations for a potential blockade or military action against Taiwan, which has stirred increasing concern among military leaders, diplomats and elected officials in the U.S., Taiwan’s key ally.

U.S. Sec. of State postpones China trip due to spy balloon 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and are asking for help to identify suspects.

Security camera show three individuals who over the past few days have stolen $1,500.00 in merchandise from Boot Barn at 6501 W. Kellogg Drive in Wichita.

If you recognize these thieves please contact investigators at 316-268-4407.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675424968648.png" alt="Photos Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photos Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and are asking for help to identify suspects.Security camera show three individuals who over the past few days have stolen $1,500.00 in merchandise from Boot Barn at 6501 W. Kellogg Drive in Wichita.If you recognize these thieves please contact investigators at 316-268-4407.

Police: Suspects took $1500 in merchandise from Kan. Boot store 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas plans to give $304 million in taxpayer-funded incentives to a semiconductor company in its largest city to build a huge new factory, but the project won't go forward without funds the U.S. government has promised for rebuilding the nation's chip-making capacity.

Gov. Laura Kelly announced Thursday that Kansas has an agreement with Integra Technologies, based in Wichita, for a 10-year package of tax breaks and reimbursement of expenses. State officials said the new, $1.8 billion plant would cover 1 million square feet, have 2,000 employees and create 3,000 additional jobs among suppliers and other local businesses.

The announcement comes with the U.S. trying to reverse a loss of capacity for making the chips that are vital to smartphones, laptops and other modern-day conveniences, as well as automobiles and life-saving medical devices.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-science-technology-united-states-economy-2fa651c540c9869890dfe670bcdcb7ea">Congress last year approved</a>&nbsp;a measure that provides more than $52 billion in grants and other incentives for the semiconductor industry.

Kelly told reporters during a Statehouse news conference that the state's incentives are crucial to attracting the federal funds and "making Kansas an essential part of our country's national security efforts.”

“This advanced manufacturing facility is part of a national push to restore our semiconductor industry so that U.S. workers and businesses can compete and win in the race for the 21st Century," Kelly said.

Integra CEO Brett Robinson would not say how much federal funding the company needs, only that there is “no commercially viable way” to do the project without it. He and state officials said other states were trying to attract the project, though they did not disclose the competitors.

“It's not just critical to the United States and to security, but it's critical to the supply chain,” said Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican.

President Joe Biden pushed Congress last year to boost the U.S. semiconductor industry, because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-congress-asia-economy-2868a5c494e99a2050a3f9495ba2b544">a shortage of chips</a>&nbsp;made worse by the global coronavirus pandemic and concerns about competing with international rivals, particularly China. There’s been a decades-long shift to cheaper-to-operate Asian chip plants, and the industry is now dependent on Taiwan, which China has long claimed as its own.

“If we were ever to lose, for a sustainable amount of time, access to the southeast Asian supply chain, what we just went through would pale in comparison,” Robinson said.

Integra, founded in 1983, has about 500 employees in Wichita and Silicon Valley and describes itself as the largest U.S. provider of the last two major assembly and testing steps in the chip manufacturing process. The new factory is expected to pay an average annual wage of $51,000, about 46% higher than the state's average of roughly $35,000.

For Integra to receive its incentives, it must invest at least $1.5 billion in the new factory in the next five years and consistently provide the equivalent of 1,600 full-time jobs for 10 consecutive years.

The incentives are part of a program Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-legislature-kansas-topeka-037f833f5cd40ee94dcfe5003e955eeb">created last year</a>&nbsp;to ramp up its efforts to compete with other states for new, large factories. Under that program, the state was allowed to offer up to $1 billion in incentives to a single company each in 2022 and 2023.

In July 2022, Kelly and other state officials announced that Panasonic Corp.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-legislature-oklahoma-kansas-topeka-a6a50dea941774e9a1f3bdba6c49df06">plans to build a mega-factory to produce electric vehicle batteries</a>&nbsp;for Tesla and other carmakers. The state lured the Japanese electronics giant's project to the edge of the Kansas City area with incentives worth $829 million over 10 years, the most the state has ever offered.

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2022/b2021_22/measures/documents/summary_sb_347_2022">The law</a>&nbsp;allowing the incentives required top leaders of the Republican-controlled Legislature to sign off any deal between a company and the state Department of Commerce, which is led by Lt. Gov. David Toland, a Democrat like Kelly. The legislative leaders gave their approval just minutes ahead of the announcement, after meeting in private with Kelly for half an hour to review the agreement, with no opportunity for public review or input.

The law also requires Kansas to drop its corporate income tax rates by half a percentage point for each mega-deal. If the Integra project goes forward, the top rate would decline to 6% from 7%, saving all corporations roughly $100 million a year.

While both mega-projects have had bipartisan support, some lawmakers are critical of promising such big taxpayer-funded incentives to a single firm.

“We have not written the checks for this first project and they’re starting the second one without even knowing that it works,” state Senate tax committee Chair Caryn Tyson, a conservative Republican from eastern Kansas, said before Thursday's announcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675382569101.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas plans to give $304 million in taxpayer-funded incentives to a semiconductor company in its largest city to build a huge new factory, but the project won't go forward without funds the U.S. government has promised for rebuilding the nation's chip-making capacity.Gov. Laura Kelly announced Thursday that Kansas has an agreement with Integra Technologies, based in Wichita, for a 10-year package of tax breaks and reimbursement of expenses. State officials said the new, $1.8 billion plant would cover 1 million square feet, have 2,000 employees and create 3,000 additional jobs among suppliers and other local businesses.The announcement comes with the U.S. trying to reverse a loss of capacity for making the chips that are vital to smartphones, laptops and other modern-day conveniences, as well as automobiles and life-saving medical devices.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-science-technology-united-states-economy-2fa651c540c9869890dfe670bcdcb7ea">Congress last year approved</a>&nbsp;a measure that provides more than $52 billion in grants and other incentives for the semiconductor industry.Kelly told reporters during a Statehouse news conference that the state's incentives are crucial to attracting the federal funds and "making Kansas an essential part of our country's national security efforts.”“This advanced manufacturing facility is part of a national push to restore our semiconductor industry so that U.S. workers and businesses can compete and win in the race for the 21st Century," Kelly said.Integra CEO Brett Robinson would not say how much federal funding the company needs, only that there is “no commercially viable way” to do the project without it. He and state officials said other states were trying to attract the project, though they did not disclose the competitors.“It's not just critical to the United States and to security, but it's critical to the supply chain,” said Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican.President Joe Biden pushed Congress last year to boost the U.S. semiconductor industry, because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-congress-asia-economy-2868a5c494e99a2050a3f9495ba2b544">a shortage of chips</a>&nbsp;made worse by the global coronavirus pandemic and concerns about competing with international rivals, particularly China. There’s been a decades-long shift to cheaper-to-operate Asian chip plants, and the industry is now dependent on Taiwan, which China has long claimed as its own.“If we were ever to lose, for a sustainable amount of time, access to the southeast Asian supply chain, what we just went through would pale in comparison,” Robinson said.Integra, founded in 1983, has about 500 employees in Wichita and Silicon Valley and describes itself as the largest U.S. provider of the last two major assembly and testing steps in the chip manufacturing process. The new factory is expected to pay an average annual wage of $51,000, about 46% higher than the state's average of roughly $35,000.For Integra to receive its incentives, it must invest at least $1.5 billion in the new factory in the next five years and consistently provide the equivalent of 1,600 full-time jobs for 10 consecutive years.The incentives are part of a program Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-legislature-kansas-topeka-037f833f5cd40ee94dcfe5003e955eeb">created last year</a>&nbsp;to ramp up its efforts to compete with other states for new, large factories. Under that program, the state was allowed to offer up to $1 billion in incentives to a single company each in 2022 and 2023.In July 2022, Kelly and other state officials announced that Panasonic Corp.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-legislature-oklahoma-kansas-topeka-a6a50dea941774e9a1f3bdba6c49df06">plans to build a mega-factory to produce electric vehicle batteries</a>&nbsp;for Tesla and other carmakers. The state lured the Japanese electronics giant's project to the edge of the Kansas City area with incentives worth $829 million over 10 years, the most the state has ever offered.<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2022/b2021_22/measures/documents/summary_sb_347_2022">The law</a>&nbsp;allowing the incentives required top leaders of the Republican-controlled Legislature to sign off any deal between a company and the state Department of Commerce, which is led by Lt. Gov. David Toland, a Democrat like Kelly. The legislative leaders gave their approval just minutes ahead of the announcement, after meeting in private with Kelly for half an hour to review the agreement, with no opportunity for public review or input.The law also requires Kansas to drop its corporate income tax rates by half a percentage point for each mega-deal. If the Integra project goes forward, the top rate would decline to 6% from 7%, saving all corporations roughly $100 million a year.While both mega-projects have had bipartisan support, some lawmakers are critical of promising such big taxpayer-funded incentives to a single firm.“We have not written the checks for this first project and they’re starting the second one without even knowing that it works,” state Senate tax committee Chair Caryn Tyson, a conservative Republican from eastern Kansas, said before Thursday's announcement.

Kansas commits $304M to chip plant to lure federal funds

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.

On Wednesday, a family contacted the Garden City Police Department and reported their 15-year-old child was involved in a relationship with a 22-year-old man from South Carolina, according to a media release.

Officers were told that the individuals had shared explicit photographs with each other. During the investigation, it was learned that the man, identified as Justin Raines, had traveled to Garden City and was staying at&nbsp; the AmericInn, 3020 E. Kansas Avenue in Garden City. 

Raines had barricaded himself in his room and was making suicidal comments while he was in possession of a knife.

Officers responded to the hotel and attempted to negotiate with Raines.&nbsp; He refused to exit the room and surrender to police. 

After a search warrant was obtained, Raines was arrested and taken into custody. He is being held on requested charges that include 9 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child (Possession)&nbsp; and 9 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child (Transmission).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675394221837.png" alt="Raines-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Raines-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.On Wednesday, a family contacted the Garden City Police Department and reported their 15-year-old child was involved in a relationship with a 22-year-old man from South Carolina, according to a media release.Officers were told that the individuals had shared explicit photographs with each other. During the investigation, it was learned that the man, identified as Justin Raines, had traveled to Garden City and was staying at&nbsp; the AmericInn, 3020 E. Kansas Avenue in Garden City. Raines had barricaded himself in his room and was making suicidal comments while he was in possession of a knife.Officers responded to the hotel and attempted to negotiate with Raines.&nbsp; He refused to exit the room and surrender to police. After a search warrant was obtained, Raines was arrested and taken into custody. He is being held on requested charges that include 9 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child (Possession)&nbsp; and 9 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child (Transmission).

Man from So. Carolina jailed after trip to meet 15-year-old in SW Kan.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Rape reports doubled in 2021 to a 10-year high in Ellis County.

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler attributed the increase to an increase in women's willingness to report rape.

“Our rape numbers were up in 2021," Scheibler said, "I don’t think that is because more sexual assaults are happening but more people are willing to report those.

“More people are willing to say 'I’m uncomfortable with what happened last night' and make that report."

However, advocates say many barriers to reporting sex crimes still exist and rapes largely remain unreported.

The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network estimates for every 1,000 rapes, 384&nbsp;are reported to the police, 57 result in an arrest, 11 are referred for prosecution, seven result in a felony conviction, and six result in incarceration. The network correlated data from multiple sources to compile this data on a national basis.

Jennifer Hecker, executive director of Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, said both societal views on sex crimes and their victims as well as issues within the justice system are barriers to reporting.

“At each point when trust is broken," Hecker said, "that erodes a victim's ability to [help themselves]. They desire help, but they don’t take that step. They give up. They feel hopeless.”

Scheibler and Hecker both said they believed the RAINN statics are likely reflected in Ellis County.

Data on rape reports and arrests are collected by the Kansas Bureau of investigation and can be searched by county.

In 2021, Ellis County had a 22 percent arrest rate. That's lower than the national average, which is about 30 percent.

Scheibler said the police department, whose jurisdiction the majority of the rape cases in Ellis County fall, can't count people who don't come forward. However, Options service numbers are telling.

Options provided 350 sexual assault services in Ellis County in 2020, the most recent date for which complete information is available.

Options tracks the number of services provided, but not individuals. Options estimates each sexual violence survivor will access about 10 services, which would mean about 35 survivors in Ellis County worked with Options in 2020. That compares to nine reports and three arrests in the same year.

Hecker noted a number of counties in northwest Kansas have individuals who are receiving sexual violence recovery services, but the counties are getting no reports and have reported no arrests.

In 2020, Sheridan County reported no incidents and no arrests, but Options provided 51 services in the county.&nbsp;

In the same year, Sherman County had no reported incidents and no arrests, but Options provided 82 services.

Options provided 121 services to individuals in Thomas County. Law enforcement recorded two reports and no arrests.

Hecker said sex crime survivors have many reasons they don't report the crimes against them. However, a lack of accountability for perpetrators and the complexity of the judicial system are factors, she said.

She said they ask themselves if reporting is worth the trauma of carrying the case through the judicial system.

“ 'I’m going to put my family through all of this, and I don’t know if anything is going to come of it. Do I even have it in me? This horrible thing already happened. Do I want to set myself up for another disappointment?' ” Hecker said of victims' questions to themselves.

Hecker said another significant barrier to reporting is shame.

“The perpetrators are very, very good at making the victim feel like this is their fault, particularly in alcohol and drug-facilitated sexual assaults,” Hecker said.

“When people feel shame, they stop acting in their own self-defense."

Joyce Grover,&nbsp;executive director of the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, said greater societal forces discourage women from reporting.

“I think what deters is the broader, what we call ‘rape culture.’ The question a victim might first get is ‘What were you doing there?’ or ‘Why were you wearing that?’ " she said.

“That kind of stuff immediately sets the tone of victim blaming. That is still very prevalent,” she said.

Options developed an art exhibit in an attempt to break the myth that what a victim was wearing contributed to her attack. Survivors from across northwest Kansas provided descriptions of what they were wearing when they were sexually assaulted, and volunteers gathered donated clothing to recreate the outfits.

The #Metoo movement brought forth a flood of women who said they had been sexually assaulted or sexually harassed — but never said anything because they didn’t want to be blamed, Grover said.

“I think we see the tip of the iceberg on sexual assault and sexual crimes,” she said.

Scheibler said his officers are being trained in a trauma-informed approach to deal with sex crime victims and he hoped that will make reporting easier for victims.

“I am hard-pressed to think of a personal [event] that causes more trauma,” Scheibler said. "A lot of times that is a very traumatic event and to share that with someone is very difficult."

Eighty percent of sex crimes are perpetrated by individuals the victims know, which can make reporting all that more difficult, Scheibler said.

"They are acquaintances. They are someone they know. It is a person who lives in the same dorm or goes to the same school or they work at their place of employment," Scheibler said.

Scheibler said the system is being improved.

Early in his career, sexual assault victims had to tell the story of their assaults over and over, first to the initial officer, then to a detective, and then to a nurse. Now officials try to limit that to one telling.

Officers receive some training at the academy on dealing with sex crime victims, but stressing compassion and empathy, Scheibler said, is part of a culture of an organization.

Many victims delay reporting sexual crimes, and Scheibler said those delays can mean physical evidence can be lost. However, he said any sexual crime that is reported will be investigated. He encouraged victims to report.

“I think sometimes it’s easier for people to say I’ll keep this inside of me and not make the report and deal with that trauma that way instead," Scheibler said. ...

“It takes a lot of courage to go down there and report that these things have happened,” he said.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sex crime, you can reach an advocate through Options through its&nbsp;text, chat or phone hotlines. Text the word "Hope" to 847411.

The 24-hour phone helpline is 800-794-4624. The chat and other information can be accessed on the Options website at&nbsp;<a href="https://help4abuse.org/">https://help4abuse.org/</a>&nbsp;All of the helplines and chats are manned 24/7, 365 days a year. All services are free and confidential.

The agency also has a mobile unit that travels throughout its 18-county catchment area in northwest Kansas. Contact Options through one of the means above to learn more.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostRape reports doubled in 2021 to a 10-year high in Ellis County.Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler attributed the increase to an increase in women's willingness to report rape.“Our rape numbers were up in 2021," Scheibler said, "I don’t think that is because more sexual assaults are happening but more people are willing to report those.“More people are willing to say 'I’m uncomfortable with what happened last night' and make that report."First in a series<div><iframe title="Reported incidents of rape in Ellis County" aria-label="Grouped Column Chart" id="datawrapper-chart-TFGyB" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/TFGyB/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="421" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data["datawrapper-height"]){var t=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var a in e.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<t.length;r++){if(t[r].contentWindow===e.source)t[r].style.height=e.data["datawrapper-height"][a]+"px"}}}))}();</script></div>However, advocates say many barriers to reporting sex crimes still exist and rapes largely remain unreported.The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network estimates for every 1,000 rapes, 384&nbsp;are reported to the police, 57 result in an arrest, 11 are referred for prosecution, seven result in a felony conviction, and six result in incarceration. The network correlated data from multiple sources to compile this data on a national basis.Jennifer Hecker, executive director of Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, said both societal views on sex crimes and their victims as well as issues within the justice system are barriers to reporting.“At each point when trust is broken," Hecker said, "that erodes a victim's ability to [help themselves]. They desire help, but they don’t take that step. They give up. They feel hopeless.”Scheibler and Hecker both said they believed the RAINN statics are likely reflected in Ellis County.Data on rape reports and arrests are collected by the Kansas Bureau of investigation and can be searched by county.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674254963823.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In 2021, Ellis County had a 22 percent arrest rate. That's lower than the national average, which is about 30 percent.Scheibler said the police department, whose jurisdiction the majority of the rape cases in Ellis County fall, can't count people who don't come forward. However, Options service numbers are telling.Options provided 350 sexual assault services in Ellis County in 2020, the most recent date for which complete information is available.Options tracks the number of services provided, but not individuals. Options estimates each sexual violence survivor will access about 10 services, which would mean about 35 survivors in Ellis County worked with Options in 2020. That compares to nine reports and three arrests in the same year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674255214144.png" alt="Nationally, about 30 percent of rape cases are cleared by law enforcement. This means the cases have resulted in arrest, charges or cleared by other exceptional means, such as the suspect's death." />
 <figcaption>Nationally, about 30 percent of rape cases are cleared by law enforcement. This means the cases have resulted in arrest, charges or cleared by other exceptional means, such as the suspect's death.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hecker noted a number of counties in northwest Kansas have individuals who are receiving sexual violence recovery services, but the counties are getting no reports and have reported no arrests.In 2020, Sheridan County reported no incidents and no arrests, but Options provided 51 services in the county.&nbsp;In the same year, Sherman County had no reported incidents and no arrests, but Options provided 82 services.Options provided 121 services to individuals in Thomas County. Law enforcement recorded two reports and no arrests.Hecker said sex crime survivors have many reasons they don't report the crimes against them. However, a lack of accountability for perpetrators and the complexity of the judicial system are factors, she said.She said they ask themselves if reporting is worth the trauma of carrying the case through the judicial system.“ 'I’m going to put my family through all of this, and I don’t know if anything is going to come of it. Do I even have it in me? This horrible thing already happened. Do I want to set myself up for another disappointment?' ” Hecker said of victims' questions to themselves.<h2>Shame, blame and the rape culture</h2>Hecker said another significant barrier to reporting is shame.“The perpetrators are very, very good at making the victim feel like this is their fault, particularly in alcohol and drug-facilitated sexual assaults,” Hecker said.“When people feel shame, they stop acting in their own self-defense."Joyce Grover,&nbsp;executive director of the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, said greater societal forces discourage women from reporting.“I think what deters is the broader, what we call ‘rape culture.’ The question a victim might first get is ‘What were you doing there?’ or ‘Why were you wearing that?’ " she said.“That kind of stuff immediately sets the tone of victim blaming. That is still very prevalent,” she said.Options developed an art exhibit in an attempt to break the myth that what a victim was wearing contributed to her attack. Survivors from across northwest Kansas provided descriptions of what they were wearing when they were sexually assaulted, and volunteers gathered donated clothing to recreate the outfits.The #Metoo movement brought forth a flood of women who said they had been sexually assaulted or sexually harassed — but never said anything because they didn’t want to be blamed, Grover said.“I think we see the tip of the iceberg on sexual assault and sexual crimes,” she said.Scheibler said his officers are being trained in a trauma-informed approach to deal with sex crime victims and he hoped that will make reporting easier for victims.“I am hard-pressed to think of a personal [event] that causes more trauma,” Scheibler said. "A lot of times that is a very traumatic event and to share that with someone is very difficult."Eighty percent of sex crimes are perpetrated by individuals the victims know, which can make reporting all that more difficult, Scheibler said."They are acquaintances. They are someone they know. It is a person who lives in the same dorm or goes to the same school or they work at their place of employment," Scheibler said.Scheibler said the system is being improved.Early in his career, sexual assault victims had to tell the story of their assaults over and over, first to the initial officer, then to a detective, and then to a nurse. Now officials try to limit that to one telling.Officers receive some training at the academy on dealing with sex crime victims, but stressing compassion and empathy, Scheibler said, is part of a culture of an organization.Many victims delay reporting sexual crimes, and Scheibler said those delays can mean physical evidence can be lost. However, he said any sexual crime that is reported will be investigated. He encouraged victims to report.“I think sometimes it’s easier for people to say I’ll keep this inside of me and not make the report and deal with that trauma that way instead," Scheibler said. ...“It takes a lot of courage to go down there and report that these things have happened,” he said.If you or someone you know has been a victim of sex crime, you can reach an advocate through Options through its&nbsp;text, chat or phone hotlines. Text the word "Hope" to 847411.The 24-hour phone helpline is 800-794-4624. The chat and other information can be accessed on the Options website at&nbsp;<a href="https://help4abuse.org/">https://help4abuse.org/</a>&nbsp;All of the helplines and chats are manned 24/7, 365 days a year. All services are free and confidential.The agency also has a mobile unit that travels throughout its 18-county catchment area in northwest Kansas. Contact Options through one of the means above to learn more.Cover photo courtesy of Pixabay.

Rape reports increase in Ellis Co.; majority of victims remain in shadows

WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of agonizing, the U.S has agreed to send longer-range bombs to Ukraine as it prepares to launch a spring offensive to retake territory Russia captured last year, U.S. officials said Thursday, confirming that the new weapons will have roughly double the range of any other offensive weapon provided by America.

The U.S. will provide ground-launched small diameter bombs as part of a $2.17 billion aid package it is expected to announce Friday, several U.S. officials said. The package also for the first time includes equipment to connect all the different air defense systems Western allies have rushed to the battlefield and integrate them into Ukraine's own air defenses, to help it better defend against Russia's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-politics-government-european-union-30925e2a28638d1fb971b64d10acd6f8">missile attacks.</a>

For months, U.S. officials have hesitated to send longer-range systems to Ukraine out of concern that they would be used to target inside Russia, escalating the conflict and drawing the U.S. deeper in. The longer-range bombs are the latest advanced system, such as Abrams tanks and the Patriot missile defense system, that the U.S. has eventually agreed to provide Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-technology-germany-7b63726a3935da3f03424e98e52a85b2">after initially saying no.</a>&nbsp;U.S. officials, though, have continued to reject Ukraine’s requests for fighter jets.

Ukrainian leaders have urgently pressed for longer-range munitions, and on Thursday officials said the U.S. will send an undisclosed number of the ground-launched, small diameter bombs, which have a range of about 95 miles (150 kilometers). The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the aid package not yet made public.

To date, the longest-range missile provided by the U.S. is about 50 miles (80 kilometers). The funding in the aid package is for longer-term purchases, so it wasn't clear Thursday how long it will take to get the bomb to the battlefield in Ukraine.

Ukraine's defense minister, Oleksii Reznikov, said Thursday the country is prepared to offer guarantees to its Western partners that their weapons won’t be used to strike inside Russian territory, adding that Kyiv needs weapons with a range of up to 300 kilometers ( about 185 miles) to expel the Russian forces.

“If we could strike at a distance of up to 300 kilometers, the Russian army wouldn’t be able to mount a defense and will have to withdraw,” Reznikov said at a meeting with EU officials. “Ukraine is ready to provide any guarantees that your weapons will not be involved in attacks on the Russian territory. We have enough targets in the occupied areas of Ukraine, and we’re prepared to coordinate on (these) targets with our partners."

The U.S. aid package includes $425 million in ammunition and support equipment that will be pulled from existing Pentagon stockpiles and $1.75 billion in new funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to purchase new weapons from industry.

The assistance initiative, which will pay for the longer-range bombs and the air defense system integration, also funds two HAWK air defense systems, anti-aircraft guns and ammunition, and counter-drone systems.

Since Russia's invasion last February, Western allies have pledged a myriad of air defense systems to Ukraine to bolster its own Soviet-made S-300 surface-to-air missile defense systems, and the latest aid package aims to provide the capability to integrate them all, which could improve Ukraine's ability to protect itself against incoming Russian attacks.

The U.S. has pledged medium- to long-range National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, or NASAMS, and truck-launched short-range Avenger air defense systems; the Netherlands, Germany and the U.S. are sending Patriot missile defense systems; Germany is sending medium-range IRIS-T air defense systems; and Spain is sending Aspide anti-aircraft air defense systems.

The addition of longer-range bombs to the latest aid package was first reported by Reuters.

Ukraine is still seeking F-16 fighter jets, which U.S. President Joe Biden has opposed sending since the beginning of the war. Asked Monday if his administration was considering sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, Biden responded, “No.”

On Tuesday, the Ukrainian defense minister was asked if Biden’s ’’no” to F-16s was the final word.

“All types of help first passed through the ‘no’ stage,” Reznikov said. “Which only means ‘no’ at today’s given moment. The second stage is, ‘Let’s talk and study technical possibilities.’ The third stage is, ‘Let’s get your personnel trained.’ And the fourth stage is the transfer (of equipment).”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671662635298.png" alt="-The U.S. aid package includes $425 million in ammunition and support equipment that will be pulled from existing Pentagon stockpiles and $1.75 billion in new funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to purchase new weapons from industry.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>-The U.S. aid package includes $425 million in ammunition and support equipment that will be pulled from existing Pentagon stockpiles and $1.75 billion in new funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to purchase new weapons from industry.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of agonizing, the U.S has agreed to send longer-range bombs to Ukraine as it prepares to launch a spring offensive to retake territory Russia captured last year, U.S. officials said Thursday, confirming that the new weapons will have roughly double the range of any other offensive weapon provided by America.The U.S. will provide ground-launched small diameter bombs as part of a $2.17 billion aid package it is expected to announce Friday, several U.S. officials said. The package also for the first time includes equipment to connect all the different air defense systems Western allies have rushed to the battlefield and integrate them into Ukraine's own air defenses, to help it better defend against Russia's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-politics-government-european-union-30925e2a28638d1fb971b64d10acd6f8">missile attacks.</a>For months, U.S. officials have hesitated to send longer-range systems to Ukraine out of concern that they would be used to target inside Russia, escalating the conflict and drawing the U.S. deeper in. The longer-range bombs are the latest advanced system, such as Abrams tanks and the Patriot missile defense system, that the U.S. has eventually agreed to provide Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-military-technology-germany-7b63726a3935da3f03424e98e52a85b2">after initially saying no.</a>&nbsp;U.S. officials, though, have continued to reject Ukraine’s requests for fighter jets.Ukrainian leaders have urgently pressed for longer-range munitions, and on Thursday officials said the U.S. will send an undisclosed number of the ground-launched, small diameter bombs, which have a range of about 95 miles (150 kilometers). The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the aid package not yet made public.To date, the longest-range missile provided by the U.S. is about 50 miles (80 kilometers). The funding in the aid package is for longer-term purchases, so it wasn't clear Thursday how long it will take to get the bomb to the battlefield in Ukraine.Ukraine's defense minister, Oleksii Reznikov, said Thursday the country is prepared to offer guarantees to its Western partners that their weapons won’t be used to strike inside Russian territory, adding that Kyiv needs weapons with a range of up to 300 kilometers ( about 185 miles) to expel the Russian forces.“If we could strike at a distance of up to 300 kilometers, the Russian army wouldn’t be able to mount a defense and will have to withdraw,” Reznikov said at a meeting with EU officials. “Ukraine is ready to provide any guarantees that your weapons will not be involved in attacks on the Russian territory. We have enough targets in the occupied areas of Ukraine, and we’re prepared to coordinate on (these) targets with our partners."The U.S. aid package includes $425 million in ammunition and support equipment that will be pulled from existing Pentagon stockpiles and $1.75 billion in new funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to purchase new weapons from industry.The assistance initiative, which will pay for the longer-range bombs and the air defense system integration, also funds two HAWK air defense systems, anti-aircraft guns and ammunition, and counter-drone systems.Since Russia's invasion last February, Western allies have pledged a myriad of air defense systems to Ukraine to bolster its own Soviet-made S-300 surface-to-air missile defense systems, and the latest aid package aims to provide the capability to integrate them all, which could improve Ukraine's ability to protect itself against incoming Russian attacks.The U.S. has pledged medium- to long-range National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, or NASAMS, and truck-launched short-range Avenger air defense systems; the Netherlands, Germany and the U.S. are sending Patriot missile defense systems; Germany is sending medium-range IRIS-T air defense systems; and Spain is sending Aspide anti-aircraft air defense systems.The addition of longer-range bombs to the latest aid package was first reported by Reuters.Ukraine is still seeking F-16 fighter jets, which U.S. President Joe Biden has opposed sending since the beginning of the war. Asked Monday if his administration was considering sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, Biden responded, “No.”On Tuesday, the Ukrainian defense minister was asked if Biden’s ’’no” to F-16s was the final word.“All types of help first passed through the ‘no’ stage,” Reznikov said. “Which only means ‘no’ at today’s given moment. The second stage is, ‘Let’s talk and study technical possibilities.’ The third stage is, ‘Let’s get your personnel trained.’ And the fourth stage is the transfer (of equipment).”—-

US to send Ukraine longer-range bombs in new $2 billion package

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senators Jerry Moran, Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) – members on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) –&nbsp; introduced the&nbsp;Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act, according to a statement Moran's office.&nbsp;

This legislation would expand community-based services for aging veterans as well as improve VA support for veterans and caregivers of all ages.

The&nbsp;Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act&nbsp;exemplifies Sen. Elizabeth Dole’s passion for supporting veterans and their caregivers by expanding access to home and community-based care programs for veterans, increasing support for noninstitutional care, assessing VA’s caregiver and long-term care programs and more.

“Senator Elizabeth Dole represents the millions of caregivers who have worked behind the scenes to care for our nation’s veterans who are impacted by advanced age or catastrophic injuries,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran, ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “Caregivers help veterans maintain their independence and stay in their own homes in their own communities for as long as possible as they age. The Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act expands access to home and community-based services. It is fitting we name this legislation after an honorary Kansan – Elizabeth Dole – who has worked as an advocate to honor and recognize our veterans and their caregivers.”

“Caregivers provide invaluable support to veterans – helping to ensure that they can maintain their independence and stay active in our communities,”&nbsp;said Sen. Hassan. “The Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act helps recognize the vital work of caregivers, while also expanding home and community-based services for our country’s veterans. This bipartisan bill is an important way to support veterans so that they can live healthy and dignified lives and recognizes the extraordinary sacrifices that they and their families have made to keep us safe, secure, and free.”

“Senators Moran and Tester are longstanding champions of military caregivers and have brought caregiver issues to the forefront as leaders of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee over the last decade,”&nbsp;said Steve Schwab, CEO, Elizabeth Dole Foundation. “We are heartened by the 118th&nbsp;Congress's dedication to this critical population and continue to urge Congress to provide caregivers with the support and relief they deserve.”

Sens. Moran, Tester and Hassan also introduced this legislation in the 117th Congress.

The&nbsp;Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act:

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senators Jerry Moran, Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) – members on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) –&nbsp; introduced the&nbsp;Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act, according to a statement Moran's office.&nbsp;This legislation would expand community-based services for aging veterans as well as improve VA support for veterans and caregivers of all ages.The&nbsp;Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act&nbsp;exemplifies Sen. Elizabeth Dole’s passion for supporting veterans and their caregivers by expanding access to home and community-based care programs for veterans, increasing support for noninstitutional care, assessing VA’s caregiver and long-term care programs and more.“Senator Elizabeth Dole represents the millions of caregivers who have worked behind the scenes to care for our nation’s veterans who are impacted by advanced age or catastrophic injuries,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran, ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “Caregivers help veterans maintain their independence and stay in their own homes in their own communities for as long as possible as they age. The Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act expands access to home and community-based services. It is fitting we name this legislation after an honorary Kansan – Elizabeth Dole – who has worked as an advocate to honor and recognize our veterans and their caregivers.”“Caregivers provide invaluable support to veterans – helping to ensure that they can maintain their independence and stay active in our communities,”&nbsp;said Sen. Hassan. “The Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act helps recognize the vital work of caregivers, while also expanding home and community-based services for our country’s veterans. This bipartisan bill is an important way to support veterans so that they can live healthy and dignified lives and recognizes the extraordinary sacrifices that they and their families have made to keep us safe, secure, and free.”“Senators Moran and Tester are longstanding champions of military caregivers and have brought caregiver issues to the forefront as leaders of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee over the last decade,”&nbsp;said Steve Schwab, CEO, Elizabeth Dole Foundation. “We are heartened by the 118th&nbsp;Congress's dedication to this critical population and continue to urge Congress to provide caregivers with the support and relief they deserve.”Sens. Moran, Tester and Hassan also introduced this legislation in the 117th Congress.The&nbsp;Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act:<ul>
 <li>Increases the expenditure cap for noninstitutional care alternative programs from 65 percent to 100 percent of nursing home care costs;</li><li>Expands access to home and community-based alternative care programs to veterans at all VA medical facilities, as well as to veterans living in U.S. territories and Native veterans enrolled in IHS or tribal health programs;</li><li>Requires the creation of a centralized website to disseminate information and resources related to home and community-based programs and help veterans and caregivers determine their eligibility;</li><li>Requires VA to review staffing and resource needs, accessibility, and other aspects of the Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care and Caregiver Support Program Office to make certain they are appropriately serving veterans and caregivers;</li><li>Creates a pilot program to provide home health aide services for veterans that reside in communities with a shortage of home health aides; and</li><li>Requires VA to establish a warm handoff process for veterans and caregivers who are discharged from or ineligible for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.</li>
 </ul>

Moran introduce Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act

The news came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was expected to make his first trip to Beijing this weekend. The visit has not been formally announced, and it was not immediately clear if the balloon's discovery would affect his travel plans. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said she had no information on the trip.

Blinken would be the highest-ranking member of President Joe Biden’s administration to visit China, on a mission to mitigate a sharp downturn in relations between the countries amid trade disputes and concerns about Beijing’s increasingly aggressive stance toward Taiwan and in the South China Sea.

In a statement late Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the balloon a was civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research. The ministry said the airship has limited steering capabilities and “deviated far from its planned course” because of winds.

On Thursday, a senior American defense official told Pentagon reporters that the U.S. has “very high confidence” that the object spotted over U.S. airspace in recent days was a Chinese high-altitude balloon and that it was flying over sensitive sites to collect information. One of the places the balloon was spotted was Montana, which is home to one of the nation’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.

It was not clear what will happen with the balloon if it isn’t brought down.

He said the balloon was traveling well above the height commercial aircraft fly at and didn't present a threat to people on the ground.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, advised against taking “kinetic action” because of risks to the safety of people on the ground. Biden accepted that recommendation.

A photograph of a large white balloon lingering over the area was captured by The Billings Gazette. It could be seen drifting in and out of clouds and had what appeared to be a solar array hanging from the bottom, said Gazette photographer Larry Mayer.

The balloon's appearance adds to national security concerns among American lawmakers over China's influence in the U.S., ranging from the prevalence of the hugely popular smartphone app TikTok to purchases of American farmland.

Tensions with China are particularly high on numerous issues, ranging from Taiwan and the South China Sea to human rights in China’s western Xinjiang region and the clampdown on democracy activists in Hong Kong. Not least on that list of irritants are China’s tacit support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, its refusal to rein in North Korea’s expanding ballistic missile program and ongoing disputes over trade and technology.

BEIJING (AP) — China said Friday it is looking into reports that a Chinese spy balloon has been flying in U.S. airspace and urged calm, adding that it has “no intention of violating the territory and airspace of any sovereign country."

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning also said she had no information about whether a trip to China by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken planned for next week will proceed as scheduled.

At a daily briefing, Mao said that politicians and the public should withhold judgment “before we have a clear understanding of the facts” about the spy balloon reports.

Blinken would be the highest-ranking member of President Joe Biden’s administration to visit China, arriving amid efforts to mitigate a sharp downturn in relations between Beijing and Washington over trade, Taiwan, human rights and China’s claims in the South China Sea.

“China is a responsible country and has always strictly abided by international laws, and China has no intention of violating the territory and airspace of any sovereign country. As for the balloon, as I’ve mentioned just now, we are looking into and verifying the situation and hope that both sides can handle this together calmly and carefully," Mao said.

“As for Blinken’s visit to China, I have no information," she said.

A senior defense official told Pentagon reporters that the U.S. has “very high confidence” that the object was a Chinese high-altitude balloon and was flying over sensitive sites to collect information.

One of the places the balloon was spotted was over the state of Montana, which is home to one of America's three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said the balloon is “currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground.”

Ryder said similar balloon activity has been seen in the past several years and the government has taken steps to ensure no sensitive information was stolen.

President Biden was briefed and asked the military to present options, according to a senior administration official, who was also not authorized to publicly discuss sensitive information.

The defense official said the U.S. has “engaged” Chinese officials through multiple channels and communicated the seriousness of the matter.

Blinken's visit was expected to start this Sunday in an effort to try to find common ground on issues from trade policy to climate change. Although the trip has not been formally announced, both Beijing and Washington have been talking about his imminent arrival.

The senior defense official said the U.S. prepared fighter jets, including F-22s, to shoot down the balloon if ordered. The Pentagon ultimately recommended against it, noting that even as the balloon was over a sparsely populated area of Montana, its size would create a debris field large enough that it could have put people at risk.

The defense official said the spy balloon was trying to fly over the Montana missile fields, but the U.S. has assessed that it has “limited” value in terms of providing intelligence it couldn’t obtain by other technologies, such as spy satellites.

The official would not specify the size of the balloon but said commercial pilots could spot it from their cockpits. All air traffic was halted at Montana’s Billings Logan International Airport from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, as the military provided options to the White House.

A photograph of a large white balloon lingering over the area was captured by The Billings Gazette. The balloon could be seen drifting in and out of clouds and had what appeared to be a solar array hanging from the bottom, said Gazette photographer Larry Mayer.

The balloon's appearance adds to national security concerns among lawmakers over China's influence in the U.S., ranging from the prevalence of the hugely popular smartphone app TikTok to purchases of American farmland.

On Tuesday, Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing’s strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.

The surveillance balloon was first reported by NBC News.

From an office window in Billings, Montana, Chase Doak said he saw a “big white circle in the sky” that he said was too small to be the moon.

“I thought maybe it was a legitimate UFO,” Doak said. “So I wanted to make sure I documented it and took as many photos as I could.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is tracking a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that has been spotted over U.S. airspace for a couple days, but the Pentagon decided not to shoot it down due to risks of harm for people on the ground, officials said Thursday. The discovery of the balloon puts a further strain on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-antony-blinken-beijing-north-korea-china-9f9432c118f297fc27a9be01c460316e">U.S.-China relations</a>&nbsp;at a time of heightened tensions.

A senior defense official told Pentagon reporters that the U.S. has “very high confidence” it is a Chinese high-altitude balloon and it was flying over sensitive sites to collect information. One of the places the balloon was spotted was Montana, which is home to one of the nation’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666293855614.png" alt="Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, provided a brief statement on the issue, saying the government continues to track the balloon-photo U.S. Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, provided a brief statement on the issue, saying the government continues to track the balloon-photo U.S. Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>BEIJING (AP) — China said Friday that a balloon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chinese-surveillance-balloon-united-states-montana-47248b0ef2b085620fcd866c105054be">spotted over American airspace</a>&nbsp;was used for weather research and was blown off course, despite U.S. suspicion it was spying. The discovery further strained already tense relations between Beijing and Washington.The Pentagon decided not to shoot down the balloon, which was potentially flying over sensitive sites, because of concerns of hurting people on the ground.The news came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was expected to make his first trip to Beijing this weekend. The visit has not been formally announced, and it was not immediately clear if the balloon's discovery would affect his travel plans. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said she had no information on the trip.Blinken would be the highest-ranking member of President Joe Biden’s administration to visit China, on a mission to mitigate a sharp downturn in relations between the countries amid trade disputes and concerns about Beijing’s increasingly aggressive stance toward Taiwan and in the South China Sea.In a statement late Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the balloon a was civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research. The ministry said the airship has limited steering capabilities and “deviated far from its planned course” because of winds.“The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into U.S. airspace due to force majeure,” the statement said, citing a legal term used to refer to events beyond one's control.On Thursday, a senior American defense official told Pentagon reporters that the U.S. has “very high confidence” that the object spotted over U.S. airspace in recent days was a Chinese high-altitude balloon and that it was flying over sensitive sites to collect information. One of the places the balloon was spotted was Montana, which is home to one of the nation’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.The defense official said the U.S. has assessed that the balloon has “limited” value in terms of providing intelligence that couldn’t be obtained by other technologies, such as spy satellites.It was not clear what will happen with the balloon if it isn’t brought down.Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said Thursday that similar balloon activity has been seen in the past several years and the government has taken steps to ensure no sensitive information was stolen.He said the balloon was traveling well above the height commercial aircraft fly at and didn't present a threat to people on the ground.Biden was briefed and asked the military to present options, according to a senior administration official, who was also not authorized to publicly discuss sensitive information. The senior defense official said the U.S. prepared fighter jets, including F-22s, to shoot down the balloon if ordered.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, advised against taking “kinetic action” because of risks to the safety of people on the ground. Biden accepted that recommendation.Even though the balloon was over a sparsely populated area of Montana, its size would create a debris field large enough that it could have put people at risk.The defense official would not specify the size of the balloon but said commercial pilots could spot it from their cockpits.The balloon was first reported by NBC News.A photograph of a large white balloon lingering over the area was captured by The Billings Gazette. It could be seen drifting in and out of clouds and had what appeared to be a solar array hanging from the bottom, said Gazette photographer Larry Mayer.The balloon's appearance adds to national security concerns among American lawmakers over China's influence in the U.S., ranging from the prevalence of the hugely popular smartphone app TikTok to purchases of American farmland.“China’s brazen disregard for U.S. sovereignty is a destabilizing action that must be addressed,” Republican Party House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted.Tensions with China are particularly high on numerous issues, ranging from Taiwan and the South China Sea to human rights in China’s western Xinjiang region and the clampdown on democracy activists in Hong Kong. Not least on that list of irritants are China’s tacit support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, its refusal to rein in North Korea’s expanding ballistic missile program and ongoing disputes over trade and technology.On Tuesday, Taiwan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-politics-government-china-3aa7802d440440aaf4544aca7f5463d2">scrambled fighter jets</a>, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing’s strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.Twenty of those aircraft crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait that has long been an unofficial buffer zone between the two sides, which separated during a civil war in 1949.Beijing has also increased preparations for a potential blockade or military action against Taiwan, which has stirred increasing concern among military leaders, diplomats and elected officials in the U.S., Taiwan’s key ally.----------BEIJING (AP) — China said Friday it is looking into reports that a Chinese spy balloon has been flying in U.S. airspace and urged calm, adding that it has “no intention of violating the territory and airspace of any sovereign country."Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning also said she had no information about whether a trip to China by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken planned for next week will proceed as scheduled.At a daily briefing, Mao said that politicians and the public should withhold judgment “before we have a clear understanding of the facts” about the spy balloon reports.Blinken would be the highest-ranking member of President Joe Biden’s administration to visit China, arriving amid efforts to mitigate a sharp downturn in relations between Beijing and Washington over trade, Taiwan, human rights and China’s claims in the South China Sea.“China is a responsible country and has always strictly abided by international laws, and China has no intention of violating the territory and airspace of any sovereign country. As for the balloon, as I’ve mentioned just now, we are looking into and verifying the situation and hope that both sides can handle this together calmly and carefully," Mao said.“As for Blinken’s visit to China, I have no information," she said.A senior defense official told Pentagon reporters that the U.S. has “very high confidence” that the object was a Chinese high-altitude balloon and was flying over sensitive sites to collect information.One of the places the balloon was spotted was over the state of Montana, which is home to one of America's three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said the balloon is “currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground.”Ryder said similar balloon activity has been seen in the past several years and the government has taken steps to ensure no sensitive information was stolen.President Biden was briefed and asked the military to present options, according to a senior administration official, who was also not authorized to publicly discuss sensitive information.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, advised against taking “kinetic action” because of risks to the safety of people on the ground. Biden accepted that recommendation.The defense official said the U.S. has “engaged” Chinese officials through multiple channels and communicated the seriousness of the matter.Blinken's visit was expected to start this Sunday in an effort to try to find common ground on issues from trade policy to climate change. Although the trip has not been formally announced, both Beijing and Washington have been talking about his imminent arrival.The senior defense official said the U.S. prepared fighter jets, including F-22s, to shoot down the balloon if ordered. The Pentagon ultimately recommended against it, noting that even as the balloon was over a sparsely populated area of Montana, its size would create a debris field large enough that it could have put people at risk.It was not clear what will happen with the balloon if it isn’t brought down.The defense official said the spy balloon was trying to fly over the Montana missile fields, but the U.S. has assessed that it has “limited” value in terms of providing intelligence it couldn’t obtain by other technologies, such as spy satellites.The official would not specify the size of the balloon but said commercial pilots could spot it from their cockpits. All air traffic was halted at Montana’s Billings Logan International Airport from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, as the military provided options to the White House.A photograph of a large white balloon lingering over the area was captured by The Billings Gazette. The balloon could be seen drifting in and out of clouds and had what appeared to be a solar array hanging from the bottom, said Gazette photographer Larry Mayer.The balloon's appearance adds to national security concerns among lawmakers over China's influence in the U.S., ranging from the prevalence of the hugely popular smartphone app TikTok to purchases of American farmland.“China’s brazen disregard for U.S. sovereignty is a destabilizing action that must be addressed,” Republican Party House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted.Tensions with China are particularly high on numerous issues, ranging from Taiwan and the South China Sea to human rights in China’s western Xinjiang region and the clampdown on democracy activists in Hong Kong. Not least on that list of irritants are China’s tacit support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, its refusal to rein in North Korea’s expanding ballistic missile program and ongoing disputes over trade and technology.On Tuesday, Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing’s strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.Twenty of those aircraft crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait that has long been an unofficial buffer zone between the two sides, which separated during a civil war in 1949.Beijing has also increased preparations for a potential blockade or military action against Taiwan, which has stirred increasing concern among military leaders, diplomats and elected officials in the U.S., Taiwan’s key ally.The surveillance balloon was first reported by NBC News.From an office window in Billings, Montana, Chase Doak said he saw a “big white circle in the sky” that he said was too small to be the moon.“I thought maybe it was a legitimate UFO,” Doak said. “So I wanted to make sure I documented it and took as many photos as I could.”--------------WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is tracking a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that has been spotted over U.S. airspace for a couple days, but the Pentagon decided not to shoot it down due to risks of harm for people on the ground, officials said Thursday. The discovery of the balloon puts a further strain on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-antony-blinken-beijing-north-korea-china-9f9432c118f297fc27a9be01c460316e">U.S.-China relations</a>&nbsp;at a time of heightened tensions.A senior defense official told Pentagon reporters that the U.S. has “very high confidence” it is a Chinese high-altitude balloon and it was flying over sensitive sites to collect information. One of the places the balloon was spotted was Montana, which is home to one of the nation’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, provided a brief statement on the issue, saying the government continues to track the balloon. He said it is “currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground.”He said similar balloon activity has been seen in the past several years. He added that the U.S. took steps to ensure it did not collect sensitive information.The defense official said the U.S. has “engaged” Chinese officials through multiple channels and communicated the seriousness of the matter.The incident comes as Secretary of State Antony Blinken was supposed to make his first trip to Beijing, expected this weekend, to try to find some common ground. Although the trip has not been formally announced, both Beijing and Washington have been talking about his imminent arrival.It was not immediately clear if the discovery of the balloon would impact Blinken’s travel plans.The senior defense official said the U.S. did get fighter jets, including F-22s, ready to shoot down the balloon if ordered to by the White House. The Pentagon ultimately recommended against it, noting that even as the balloon was over a sparsely populated area of Montana, its size would create a debris field large enough that it could have put people at risk.It was not clear what the military was doing to prevent it from collecting sensitive information or what will happen with the balloon if it isn’t shot down.The defense official said the spy balloon was trying to fly over the Montana missile fields, but the U.S. has assessed that the balloon has “limited” value in terms of providing China intelligence it couldn’t already collect by other means, such through spy satellites.The official would not specify the size of the balloon, but said it was large enough that despite its high altitude, commercial pilots could see it. All air traffic was halted at Montana's Billings Logan International Airport from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, as the military provided options to the White House. A photograph of a large white balloon lingering over the area was captured by the Billings Gazette, but the Pentagon would not confirm if that was the surveillance balloon.The defense official said what concerned them about this launch was the altitude the balloon was flying at and the length of time it lingered over a location, without providing specifics.Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte said he was briefed Wednesday about the situation after the Montana National Guard was notified of an ongoing military operation taking place in Montana airspace, according to a statement from the Republican governor and spokesperson Brooke Stroyke.“From the spy balloon to the Chinese Communist Party spying on Americans through TikTok to CCP-linked companies buying American farmland, I’m deeply troubled by the constant stream of alarming developments for our national security,” Gianforte said in a statement.Tensions with China are particularly high on numerous issues, ranging from Taiwan and the South China Sea to human rights in China’s western Xinjiang region and the clampdown on democracy activists in Hong Kong. Not least on that list of irritants are China’s tacit support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, its refusal to rein in North Korea’s expanding ballistic missile program and ongoing disputes over trade and technology.On Tuesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-politics-government-china-3aa7802d440440aaf4544aca7f5463d2">Taiwan scrambled fighter jets,</a>&nbsp;put its navy on alert and activated missile systems in response to nearby operations by 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine warships that are part Beijing’s strategy to unsettle and intimidate the self-governing island democracy.Twenty of those aircraft crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait that has long been an unofficial buffer zone between the two sides, which separated during a civil war in 1949.Beijing has also increased preparations for a potential blockade or military action against Taiwan, which has stirred increasing concern among military leaders, diplomats and elected officials in the U.S., Taiwan’s key ally.The surveillance balloon was first reported by NBC News.Some Montana residents reported seeing an unusual object in the sky during the airport shutdown Wednesday, but it’s not clear that what they were seeing was the balloon.From an office window in Billings, Chase Doak said he saw a “big white circle in the sky” that he said was too small to be the moon.He took some photos, then ran home to get a camera with a stronger lens and took more photos and video. He could see it for about 45 minutes and it appeared stationary, but Doak said the video suggested it was slowly moving.“I thought maybe it was a legitimate UFO,” he said. “So I wanted to make sure I documented it and took as many photos as I could."---------