Washington

Blinken postpones China trip as suspected spy balloon detected over U.S.

Published

2 years ago

February 3, 2023

Blinken postpones China trip as suspected spy balloon detected over U.S.

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President Biden postponed his prime diplomat’s first official journey to China on Friday in response to the Pentagon’s discovery of an alleged Chinese language spy balloon flying over the continental United States, mentioned a U.S. official aware of the matter.

The choice got here simply hours earlier than Secretary of State Antony Blinken was scheduled to depart for Beijing — in a dramatic indication of how severely the Biden administration takes the incident and desires to keep away from showing tender on China.

A senior State Division official mentioned the presence of the balloon was “unacceptable” and a “clear violation of our sovereignty in addition to worldwide regulation.”

“After inner deliberations and discussions with Congress, the administration concluded that “the circumstances should not proper at this second for Secretary Blinken to journey to China,” the official mentioned.

When pressed why the administration known as off the journey, given the view of U.S. protection officers that the Chinese language balloon was not in a position to gather important intelligence, the State Division official mentioned the incident “would have important narrowed the agenda” of the journey.

The secretary was ready to depart from Beijing tonight to tackle a large ranging agenda that will have encompassed all parts of the connection,” the official mentioned.

Nonetheless, the official famous that Blinken knowledgeable China’s prime international affairs official Wang Yi on Friday that he would plan to journey to China “on the earliest alternative when circumstances permit.” State Division officers declined to say when the timing could also be extra ripe for a go to.

Beijing on Friday acknowledged the balloon originated in China, however mentioned it was a meteorological plane that was blown off target, claims which have been met with skepticism within the U.S.

Because the outset of his presidency, Biden has been delicate to Republican criticisms that he’s insufficiently robust on China, though on the difficulty of canceling the journey, Republicans had been divided on the matter.

Sen. Tom Cotton (Ark.) known as on the administration to cancel the journey whereas Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy demanded a “Gang of Eight” intelligence briefing from the president on the balloon. The “gang” is a panel of lawmakers together with the highest Republican and Democratic management within the Home and Senate, plus the heads of every chamber’s intelligence committee.

Republicans on the Home International Affairs Committee inspired Blinken to make use of the journey to ship a troublesome message to China relating to the suspected spy balloon. However U.S. officers seemed to be involved in regards to the optics of the go to within the wake of the incursion, regardless that consultants mentioned the incident, even when it had been an act of espionage, was not outstanding.

“All international locations, particularly opponents like the USA and China, spy on one another. It’s a reality of worldwide relations, and has been without end,” mentioned Jacob Stokes, an knowledgeable on the Heart for a New American Safety and a former Obama administration official. “And we all know [Chinese] intelligence extensively targets America.”

On the identical time, U.S. officers have mentioned they don’t suppose the balloon was in a position to collect info that couldn’t be acquired in different methods, particularly by spy satellites. So whereas the presence of a balloon floating over Montana would possibly seem sensational, the intelligence possible collected and the very fact of Chinese language spying are mundane.

The Pentagon on Thursday mentioned in a shock announcement that the balloon was drifting over high-altitude U.S. airspace, and is being tracked however will not be at the moment thought-about a risk to folks on the bottom.

The North American Aerospace Protection Command (NORAD) continues to trace the balloon’s course, however officers wouldn’t specify its current whereabouts. U.S. officers briefly thought-about taking pictures the balloon down however determined in opposition to it because of the risk of falling particles to folks on the bottom.

U.S. officers mentioned they’ve been monitoring the balloon for a while and that it entered U.S. airspace a few days in the past. They haven’t shared particulars about its precise dimension however mentioned it’s “massive sufficient to trigger injury from the particles area if we downed it over an space.”

China’s International Ministry known as for “cool-heads” over the incident, whereas state media in a single day criticized U.S. media for “hyping” the incident in relation to the Blinken journey.

“It’s a civilian airship used for analysis, primarily meteorological, functions. Affected by the Westerlies and with restricted self-steering functionality, the airship deviated removed from its deliberate course,” learn the International Ministry’s assertion.

Analysts say the postponement of the journey is an indication of how tense the U.S.-China relationship has change into.

“There’s all this hopeful completely happy speak exterior of presidency in regards to the U.S. and China restoring guardrails,” he mentioned. “However there’s clearly deep pessimism inside the federal government about how far they will get in the event that they’re keen to drag down this go to over a balloon,” mentioned Christopher B. Johnstone, a former Biden White Home aide dealing with East Asia points and a former CIA officer

Laurence Pfeiffer, a former CIA chief of workers, mentioned the administration can be rewarding Chinese language unhealthy conduct if Blinken went forward with the journey. “The Republicans would eat them alive.”

There may be precedent for Beijing claiming that navy tasks are civilian analysis, together with a 2021 hypersonic missile check, which the International Ministry mentioned on the time was a routine check of reusable area automobiles.

This can be a growing story and will probably be up to date.

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Washington

Crews fighting fire at scrap yard in Washington County

Published

1 hour ago

January 17, 2025

Press Room

Crews fighting fire at scrap yard in Washington County

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ohio (WTAP) – First responders are on the scene of a fire at a scrap yard in Washington County.

Not much information is known at this time, but what we do know is the fire is at Guernsey Scrap Recycling.

According to the Reno Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Jon Bradford, departments from Reno, Williamstown, Devola, Salem, Little Muskingum, and Marietta are on the scene. All of those departments are shuttling water to the scene.

Scrap yard fire(none)

The fire is contained in one area of the facility. Reno VFD is using the MOV Drone Works drone to help fight the fire. The owner of the scrap yard is in a crane helping to move items to assist firefighters.

It is not known what started the fire. And Chief Bradford says nobody was injured, and nobody is at risk.

WTAP has a reporter on the scene and will have more information as it becomes available.

See an error in our reporting? Send us an email by clicking here!

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Washington

Jayden Daniels Will Keep Commanders Competitive vs. Lions

Published

9 hours ago

January 17, 2025

Press Room

Jayden Daniels Will Keep Commanders Competitive vs. Lions

The Washington Commanders have made many changes to go from a four-win team to three wins away from winning the Super Bowl, but none have been more impactful than drafting quarterback Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick.

Daniels may be a rookie, but he plays like an established veteran. That’s why Bleacher Report writer Maurice Moton believes that the Commanders will be competitive this weekend against the 15-2 Detroit Lions in the Divisional Round.

“The Commanders slowed down the Buccaneers’ third-ranked offense in a road victory last week, and Daniels helped position them to kick the game-winning field,” Moton writes.

“Head coach Dan Quinn and coordinator Joe Whitt have molded the team’s defense into a respectable unit throughout the season. In clutch moments, Daniels is far beyond his years.

“Washington won’t shut down the Lions offense, but along with Daniels, it can do enough to keep the score margin in the single digits.”

The Commanders are still underdogs since the Lions have arguably been the best team in the NFL this season, but Daniels won’t allow Washington to fold. He hasn’t done so yet, so there’s no reason why it would happen now.

Kickoff between the Commanders and Lions is scheduled for tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

• Commanders Preparing for Lions OC Ben Johnson Who Will ‘Test Your Discipline’

• Dan Quinn Details Commanders Rookie’s Performance in Playoff Game, He Was Impressed

• What Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown Said About Commanders WR, It’s Come Full Circle

• Analyst Predicts Commanders Upset vs. Lions

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Washington

George Washington stays unbeaten with 68-41 victory at Capital – WV MetroNews

Published

17 hours ago

January 17, 2025

Press Room

George Washington stays unbeaten with 68-41 victory at Capital – WV MetroNews

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Capital team short on experience and playing for the first time since New Year’s Eve faced quite a challenge Thursday night as it welcomed one of the state’s most polished teams in nearby rival George Washington.

The Patriots showed no sign of letting a nearby rival hang around and continued their stellar start to the season by never trailing in a resounding 68-41 victory.

“Shooting takes pressure off how we have to defend, but our defense has been the key to everything we’ve done to this point,” veteran GW head coach Rick Greene said.

The result prolongs GW’s unbeaten start to the season through at least its first eight games.

This one was never in doubt as the Patriots’ combination of efficient offense and lockdown defense left the Cougars playing catch-up throughout.

GW’s Chuck Kelley accounted for the game’s first two field goals and scored his team’s first six points, before Gale Lamb got in on the action and went on a personal 7-0 run that upped the Patriot lead to 14-4.

David Robinson, who led Capital with 17 points, scored five in the opening frame to keep his team within striking distance as it faced a 14-7 deficit entering the second.

After Capital’s Grant Barclay provided a bucket to start the second quarter, it was all GW the remainder of the opening half.

Lamb hit a pair of three-pointers around a Kelley transition layup, forcing the Cougars to call timeout 5:05 before halftime as they trailed 22-9.

At that point, Lamb was 5 for 5 with 14 points.

“He didn’t take a shot he couldn’t hit,” Greene said. “He is a really good shooter and he’s shooting with a lot of confidence. The kids want him to shoot the ball, so if you’re a shooter and you know your teammates want you to shoot it, it gives you that little bit of freedom and relaxation.”

Out of the break in the action, GW’s Noah Lewis scored inside twice, with teammate Sai’Vyon Brown knocking down a three in between. It was 29-9 at that point, and Kelley accounted for the final points of the half on a follow-up basket to send the visitors to the locker room with a commanding 33-11 advantage.

While Lamb and Kelley were both 5 for 5 with 24 combined points through two quarters, the Cougars were shooting 5 for 16 and being out-rebounded, 15-5.

“The guys coming off the bench are trying to match the defensive intensity of the first five, and that’s making us really good,” Greene said.

Kelley picked up where he left off to start the second half, scoring five points over the first 1:03.

Capital (2-4) upped the pace itself and Trevaun Tyson was the main beneficiary, scoring all nine of his points in the third quarter.

The Cougars doubled the first-half field goal total in the third period alone, making 10-of-15 shots to keep pace with the Patriots for that 8-minute stretch.

“It was a nice conversation at halftime,” Capital head coach Cookie Miller said. “We got them going a little bit and we have to come out like that at the beginning. It was a rough 18 days, but that’s not excuse. We had great practices for us to give that showing, but at the end of the day, hats off to them for knowing their plays and getting into things. They’ve been together for a long time.”

Unfortunately for Miller’s team, Lamb maintained his efficient play and scored nine points in the frame to spark GW’s 22-point quarter.

That allowed the Patriots to lead 55-32 entering the fourth, and they cruised from there.

GW made 25-of-44 shots to shoot better than 56 percent. Lamb led all players with 24 points and made 7-of-8 shots. Kelley was also 7 for 8 and scored 15.

Noah Lewis chipped in with seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds, while Jeff Harris added five points and eight boards. That duo was instrumental in allowing GW to finish with a convincing 36-16 rebounding edge.

Tyson had half of his team’s boards.

The Cougars made 18-of-45 shots, but only one three-pointer to the Patriots’ five.

“Those guys have been together for a long time. Kudos to them,” Miller said. “Greene has them moving and doing what they’re supposed to doing. We’re trying to get on their level and soon we will be on their level.”

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