U.S. military downs Chinese balloon over Atlantic Ocean

The airship, which Pentagon officials characterized as an attempt by Beijing to collect intelligence on the U.S. military, was shot down off the South Carolina coast A U.S. fighter jet, acting on an order from President Biden, downed a Chinese surveillance balloon off the South Carolina coast on Saturday, the Pentagon said, ending what senior administration officials contend was an audacious attempt by Beijing to collect intelligence on sensitive American military sites.