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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 14 February 2023
China says more than 10 U.S. balloons flew in its airspace

BEIJING (AP) — China on celed a visit to Beijing that
Monday said more than 10 many had hoped would
U.S. high-altitude balloons put the brakes on the sharp
have flown in its airspace decline in relations over Tai-
during the past year with- wan, trade, human rights
out its permission, follow- and threatening Chinese
ing Washington’s accusa- actions in the disputed
tion that Beijing operates South China Sea.
a fleet of surveillance bal- Wang said a Philippine
loons around the world. The coast guard vessel had
United States denied that it trespassed into Chinese
operates any surveillance waters without permission
balloons over China. on Feb. 6 and that Chi-
The Chinese allegation nese coast guard vessels
came after the U.S. shot responded “professionally
down a suspected Chi- and with restraint.” China
nese spy balloon that had claims virtually all of the
crossed from Alaska to strategic waterway and
South Carolina, sparking has been steadily building
a new crisis in bilateral re- up its maritime forces and
lations that have spiraled island outposts.
to their lowest level in de- “China and the Philippines
cades. Foreign Ministry are maintaining communi-
spokesperson Wang Wen- In this image made from video, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin speaks cation through diplomatic
during a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Beijing, Monday, Feb. 13, 2023.
bin gave no details about Associated Press channels in this regard,”
the alleged U.S. balloons, Wang said.
how they had been dealt change course, rather than son Adrienne Watson said “This is the latest example China’s Defense Ministry
with or whether they had smear and instigate a con- Monday that any claim of China scrambling to do did not immediately re-
government or military links. frontation.” that the U.S. government damage control. spond to a question about
“It is also common for U.S. China says the balloon operates surveillance bal- It has repeatedly and the incident.
balloons to illegally enter shot down by the U.S. loons over China is false. wrongly claimed the sur- Adding to tensions, a U.S.
the airspace of other coun- was an unmanned airship “It is China that has a veillance balloon it sent fighter jet shot down an
tries,” Wang said at a daily made for meteorological high-altitude surveillance over the United States was “unidentified object” over
briefing. “Since last year, research that had been balloon program for intel- a weather balloon and to Lake Huron on Sunday on
U.S. high-altitude balloons blown off course. It has ac- ligence collection, con- this day has failed to offer orders from President Joe
have illegally flown over cused the U.S. of overre- nected to the People’s any credible explanations Biden. It was the fourth
China’s airspace more acting by shooting it down Liberation Army, that it for its intrusion into our air- such downing in eight days
than 10 times without the and threatened to take has used to violate the space and the airspace of in an extraordinary chain of
approval of Chinese au- unspecified action in re- sovereignty of the United others.” events over U.S. airspace
thorities.” sponse. States and over 40 coun- Following the balloon in- that Pentagon officials be-
Wang said the U.S. should In Washington, National Se- tries across five continents,” cident, U.S. Secretary of lieve has no peacetime
“first reflect on itself and curity Council spokesper- Watson said. State Antony Blinken can- precedent. q

Palestinian medics: Israeli army kills man in West Bank raid

JERUSALEM (AP) — A Pales- men suspected of killing months as Israel has con- youths protesting the incur- itant networks and thwart
tinian man was killed and an Israeli soldier in Octo- ducted nightly arrest raids sions and other people not future attacks while the

at least seven others were ber. The army said the two in the West Bank, which involved in confrontations Palestinians view them as
wounded Monday during a wanted men were injured were prompted by a spate have also been killed. further entrenchment of Is-
shootout with Israeli troops in the shootout and arrest- of Palestinian attacks on Israel says the military raids rael’s open-ended, 55-year
in the occupied West Bank ed. Israelis last spring. Some 30 are meant to dismantle mil- occupation.q
city of Nablus, Palestinian The Palestinian Health Min- people were killed in Israel
officials said. istry said Amir Bustami, by Palestinians in 2022, and
Late on Monday, Israeli po- 21, was killed in the Israeli at least 11 others in attacks
lice said an officer was criti- army raid. It was not clear so far in 2023.
cally wounded by friendly if he had been involved in Nearly 150 Palestinians
fire while trying to stop a the shootout. In east Jeru- were killed last year in the
Palestinian stabbing attack salem, meanwhile, Israeli West Bank and east Jerusa-
in east Jerusalem. police said a young teen- lem, making it the deadliest
The incidents were the lat- age Palestinian boy pulled year in those areas since
est violence in a surge of out a knife and stabbed 2004, according to figures
Israeli-Palestinian fighting an officer during a routine by the Israeli rights group
that began last spring and inspection at a military B’Tselem. At least 46 Pales-
shows no signs of slowing. checkpoint. Police said a tinians have been killed by
The Israeli military said it security guard opened fire, Israeli troops since the start
carried out raids across the inadvertently shooting the of this year. Israeli border police officers gather at the scene of an alleged
West Bank overnight, and officer and critically injuring Israel says that most of stabbing attack at Shuafat crossing in east Jerusalem, Monday,
that troops came under him. The boy was arrested. those killed have been mili- Feb. 13, 2023.
fire during the arrest of two Tensions have mounted for tants but others including Associated Press