US fighter jet shoots down unidentified, cylindrical object over Canada
Washington/Toronto (PTI): A US F-22 fighter jet has shot down an unidentified cylindrical object over Canada, a day after another similar object was downed near Alaskan waters and a week after the American military brought down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon off the South Carolina coast.
The object was shot down on Saturday over Yukon territory in north-west Canada, according to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The Pentagon said that the object was first observed in Alaska the night before, and military officials closely tracked it.
The decision to shoot down the object was taken following a phone call between US President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, the White House said.
"I ordered the takedown of an unidentified object that violated Canadian airspace. @NORADCommand shot down the object over the Yukon. Canadian and US aircraft were scrambled, and a US F-22 successfully fired at the object," Trudeau said on Twitter.
The object was "cylindrical" and smaller than the suspected Chinese balloon shot down last weekend, Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand said.
Saturday's incident follows the downing of another unidentified object on Friday over Alaska and the shooting down of a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon on February 4 by a US F-22 fighter jet.
According to Pentagon Press Secretary Brig Gen Pat Ryder, North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), detected the object over Alaska late on Friday evening.
The White House said the object was closely tracked and monitored by NORAD over the last 24 hours and the President has been continually briefed by his national security team since it was first spotted.
"Out of an abundance of caution and at the recommendation of their militaries, President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau authorised it to be taken down," the White House said, adding that Biden authorised US fighter aircraft assigned to NORAD to conduct the operation and a US F-22 shot down the object in Canadian territory in close coordination with Canadian authorities.
"The leaders discussed the importance of recovering the object to determine more details on its purpose or origin. President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau commended NORAD's and US Northern Command's strong and effective partnership and agreed to continue their close coordination to detect, track, and defend our airspace," the White House said.
Following the Biden-Trudeau phone call, two F-22 aircraft from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, monitored the object over the US airspace with the assistance of Alaska Air National Guard refuelling aircraft, tracking it closely and taking time to characterise the nature of the object, Ryder said.
Monitoring continued Saturday as the object crossed into Canadian airspace, with Canadian CF-18 and CP-140 aircraft joining the formation to further assess the object.
"A US F-22 shot down the object in Canadian territory using an AIM 9X missile following close coordination between US and Canadian authorities, to include a call today between Secretary of Defence Lloyd J Austin III and Minister of Defence Anita Anand," Ryder said.
"As Canadian authorities conduct recovery operations to help our countries learn more about the object, the Federal Bureau of Investigation will be working closely with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police," he said.
Anand tweeted on Saturday that she had discussed the incident with US Defence Secretary Austin "and reaffirmed that we'll always defend our sovereignty together."
"The object was flying at an altitude of approximately 40,000 feet, had unlawfully entered Canadian airspace and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight. The object was shot down approximately 100 miles from the Canada-United States border over Canadian territory in central Yukon," Anand said in a news conference.
"We will make sure that we leave no stone unturned in the analysis of the data," Anand said.
Anand characterised the mission as the essence of how NORAD is supposed to work and said a decision was made to have Canadian and US planes in the air to ensure there were "sufficient assets" to ensure it could be taken down.
Gen Wayne Eyre, chief of the defence staff, said specific instructions were given to the pilots of both countries operating under the command of a Canadian general that "whoever had the first best shot" would shoot first.
Last weekend, defence officials told US media that debris from the Chinese balloon landed in 47ft (14m) of water - shallower than they had expected - near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
China has denied the balloon - which first entered US airspace on 28 January - was used for spying purposes, saying it was a weather device gone astray.
The US, however, said the balloon is part of a fleet of surveillance balloons that have flown over five continents.
After the balloon incident, Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled a planned trip to Beijing.
Chinese officials on Friday accused the US of "political manipulation and hype".
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Goa readies to ring in New Year with massive tourist turnout
Panaji (PTI): Goa is bracing for an influx of tourists in the run-up to New Year's Eve, as at least five lakh visitors are expected to throng the beaches and party hotspots of the coastal state to usher in the festivities, an official said on Sunday.
The state tourism department claimed that the December 6 nightclub fire that killed 25 people in Arpora village in North Goa didn't seem to have impacted the activities.
Talking to PTI Videos, State Tourism Director Kedar Naik said Goa is a safe destination, and people will continue to enjoy their New Year celebrations here.
Popular beaches are gearing up for grand firework displays, while shacks are transforming into high-energy party zones that will keep buzzing late into the night.
The state was fully geared up to receive visitors from India and abroad, Naik said.
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"Goa is all set to welcome tourists for the New Year's Eve celebrations. We have seen a large number of tourists coming into the state this entire year," he said.
While the number of tourists was considerably low due to flight cancellations in the first week of December, things have picked up, and now visitors are crowding the beaches and the hinterland, Naik said.
"Regular chartered flights are coming in from Russia and the UK. Apart from these, new chartered services have been started to new destinations and will continue to come till March," he said.
Tourists were seen soaking in the festive atmosphere at restaurants, flea markets and promenades in Calangute and Baga in North Goa and South Goa's beaches, including Benauli, Majorda, Colva and Palolem.
For domestic tourists, the New Year celebrations make Goa the destination of choice this time of the year.
Vaibhav, a tourist from Kolhapur, said, "We came to Goa during the Christmas season to celebrate the holidays. As you can see, the beaches are very crowded, and it feels really nice to be here in Goa."
Social media influencers and content creators are using the vibrant atmosphere as a backdrop for their work, mixed with leisure.
"I have been coming to Goa for many years, and we love Goa. I love the seafood and everything about the place," said Vrushali Jawale, a content creator from Mumbai.
Fireworks are slated to light up the skies along the shoreline at midnight on December 31, while cruise vessels plan special sailings, and music festivals and club events are expected to continue till dawn.
The state, long known for its easygoing vibe, beach shacks and nightlife, is once again set to transform into a massive open-air party venue for revellers from across the world.
