Suspected Chinese spy balloon found over northern U.S..

The U.S. military has been monitoring a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that has been hovering over the northern U.S. for the past few days, and military and defense leaders have discussed shooting it out of the sky, according to two U.S. officials and a senior defense official.

“The United States government has detected and is tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now,” Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told NBC News. “We continue to track and monitor it closely.”

“Once the balloon was detected, the U.S. government acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information,” Ryder said.

The high-altitude balloon was spotted over Billings, Montana, on Wednesday. It flew over the Aleutian Islands, through Canada, and into Montana. A senior defense official said the balloon is still over the U.S. but declined to say where it is now....

China’s bizarre excuse for ‘spy balloon’ hovering over America.

China has bizarrely claimed that an alleged spy balloon spotted over the US is actually a Chinese “civilian airship” which had deviated from its planned route due to unexpected winds.

The Pentagon earlier confirmed it was tracking a Chinese spy balloon that appeared to be surveilling highly sensitive nuclear weapons sites.

“We know it’s a surveillance balloon,” Department of Defence press secretary, General Pat Ryder, told reporters on Friday.

“We did a very close assessment in terms of what it’s doing.

“It’s manoeuverable. It’s violating US airspace. It does not pose a risk to civilians on the ground.”

The object flew over Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and through Canada before appearing over the city of Billings in Montana then travelling to the middle of the country, according to officials...

The U.S. strikes back.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postpones China trip over 'unacceptable' Chinese spy balloon violation.

The latest I have seen says, the Chinese say it is a weather balloon that has flown off course.

The latest I have seen says, the Chinese say it is a weather balloon that has flown off course.

Note:

There are oversized solar panels that are powering a surprisingly large equipment enclosure... Suggesting that ain't any sort of weather balloon instrument package...

It has also remained aloft far longer than any weather balloon normally would...

And the altitude is being controlled...

... All not the sort of thing you see for merely a weather balloon...

(And the Chinese authorities are well known for their lies and deceit...)


Keep searchin'?
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

The latest I have seen says, the Chinese say it is a weather balloon that has flown off course.

We'll certainly have to see just what footage was gleaned from those U.S. fighter jets that were flying around it blocking signals coming from and going to it won't we. ;-)

The latest I have seen says, the Chinese say it is a weather balloon that has flown off course.

We'll certainly have to see just what footage was gleaned from those U.S. fighter jets that were flying around it blocking signals coming from and going to it won't we. ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV0VvbPSU-I

---

Yep, NPR just said the balloon was just shot down over the Atlantic.

---

And the Chinese arn't happy about it.

China reacts to US shooting down alleged spy balloon.

As we wait for the report on what was recovered the Pentagon says it had 'an awareness gap' that led to failure to detect 3 Chinese balloons under Trump while it's being reported that U-2 Spy Planes Snooped On Chinese Surveillance Balloon.

I can't wait for the screams.

Chinese-made security cameras to be removed from Australian War Memorial due to spyware concerns.

Considering how hard the right were onto Chinese technology while in government you have to wonder why they let those be installed in the fist place.

I can't wait for the screams.

Chinese-made security cameras to be removed from Australian War Memorial due to spyware concerns.

Considering how hard the right were onto Chinese technology while in government you have to wonder why they let those be installed in the fist place.

$$$

It seems that our ex anti-Chinese right wing government bought a lot of Chinese anti-security surveillance cameras while they were at the helm.

Commonwealth offices 'riddled' with security cameras linked to Chinese government.

An audit has uncovered more than 900 units of surveillance equipment built by companies linked to the Chinese government within Commonwealth government buildings.

The government has been urged to rip out cameras and security gear made by Hikvision and Dahua in the wake of them being banned in the United States and United Kingdom due to fears they may contain spyware.

Shadow Cyber Security Minister James Paterson issued questions over six months to each federal agency, after the Home Affairs Department was unable to say how many of the cameras, access control systems or intercoms were installed in Commonwealth buildings.

He said the audit found the Commonwealth was "riddled" with the units, and some departments were unsure how many may were present on their sites.

"We urgently need a plan from the Albanese government to rip every one of these devices out of Australian government departments and agencies," Senator Paterson said.

The Australian War Memorial and National Disability Insurance Agency have both already promised to remove cameras found at their sites....

"riddled" with the units

Same goes for any/all cloud connected cameras/devices...

... And do we know the full extent of what Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, IBM, others, do with your life data and where that goes?

Head in the clouds 'n' all that?


Stay safe folks!
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Caught out.

Chinese spy balloon sought secret US communications signals, State Department says.

As Chinese officials scramble for lame excuses.

Why the Chinese Spy Balloon is a Huge Embarrassment for Beijing.

US shoots down another ‘high-altitude object’ over Alaska
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3852988-us-shoots-down-another-high-altitude-object-over-alaskan-airspace/

---

Chinese balloon reconnaissance platform located.

China says it rejected U.S. call over balloon because ‘atmosphere’ wasn’t right.

US shoots down another ‘high-altitude object’ over Alaska
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3852988-us-shoots-down-another-high-altitude-object-over-alaskan-airspace/

NBC news featured an image of the object shot down over Alaska. It looks nothing like a balloon or a drone aircraft. It appears as a very long , thin, dark rectangle. There is a right-angled gap at the upper end, and another, much shorter, thicker rectangle near this.

The object looks almost like a cylindrical rocket casing, seen in a side view, but it was not in orbit, nor reentering the atmosphere. It was observed to float at around 40,000 feet, for at least 24 hours, moving very slowly.

Below, please find a link to the NBC news video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5gpVHfqARk

They've had enough of China's South Sea B.S..

Asian countries push back on China’s wild demand.

Jakarta is calling Beijing’s bluff.

Indonesia has moved to revive regional talks on China’s long demanded “code of conduct” for the South China Sea. Will it force the new, “loveable” Xi Jinping to reveal his true colours?

Beijing is demanding that Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan surrender their territorial rights to the South China Sea. But all have rejected its claim of “historical” ownership of the 3.5 million square kilometre waterway.

Now escalating military pressure from China is forcing the traditionally non-aligned South East Asian states to seek mutual and international support.

“The situation in the South China Sea is far from stable,” Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) analyst Greg Poling says.

“Chinese vessels engaged in dangerous and escalatory encounters with those of other states regularly throughout 2022.”

Now Jakarta has put Beijing in a position where it must either put up, or shut up....

And they're not alone.