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As winter approaches, the Jing-Jin-Ji region in northern China is gearing up for another round of cooling temperatures and potential snowfall. Weather forecasts indicate that a cold front will sweep across the region in the coming days, bringing chilly air and the possibility of snowflakes in certain areas.In a small village nestled at the foot of a mountain, a sense of unease spread among the residents as they stumbled upon a distressing scene one early morning. A cow, belonging to a local farmer, was found lying on the ground with deep claw marks across its hind legs and a look of pain in its eyes. The initial fear of a possible tiger attack struck a chord of worry and urgency among the villagers.
Tweet Facebook Mail Mysterious flying objects overhead. Concern and confusion. And calls for military intervention. This isn't the plot of "War of the Worlds," but rather the result of numerous unidentified possible drone sightings on the East Coast in recent weeks . The possible drones have been spotted over residential neighborhoods, restricted sites and critical infrastructure. The sightings have put intense pressure on federal agencies to provide more information about the aircraft, as officials have urged calm and emphasised there is no evidence suggesting the sightings pose a security threat. READ MORE: Remaining Bali Nine members 'relieved and happy' to be back in Australia This photo provided by Brian Glenn shows what appears to be multiple drones flying over Bernardsville, New Jersey, on Dec. 5. (CNN) "I want to assure the American public that we are on it," Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Sunday on ABC's "This Week." Reported drone activity prompted at least one airport – New York's Stewart International Airport – to temporarily close its runways for about an hour on Friday night. "This has gone too far," said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Saturday, adding last month she "directed the New York State Intelligence Center to actively investigate drone sightings and coordinate with federal law enforcement to address this issue." Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he's asking DHS to deploy special detection systems that use 360-degree technology to detect drones. "If the technology exists for a drone to make it up into the sky, there certainly is the technology that can track the craft with precision and determine what the heck is going on," Schumer said Sunday while discussing the technology. The FBI and DHS said in a joint statement Thursday there is "no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus." READ MORE: Four Australians hospitalised after suspected cocktail poisoning in Fiji Despite reassurances from federal officials, local politicians continue to press for more information and resources to investigate the sightings. In Morris County, New Jersey, officials have called for the "federal government to marshal all federal resources at its disposal, including the military, to end the unauthorized flight of drones over our county and other parts of New Jersey." Drones, a broad term for unmanned aerial vehicles, are widely owned across the United States. A total of 791,597 drones are registered with the FAA, nearly evenly divided between commercial and recreational use. They are used in various industries, including photography, agriculture and law enforcement. There remains significant confusion about the exact nature of the sightings and how many are cases of "mistaken identity," as suggested by Mayorkas and White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby. Here's more on what we know and don't know about the reported sightings. READ MORE: 'It will be a nasty day': Victoria braces for fires amid extreme heat In this image taken from video provided by MartyA45_, several drones appear to be flying over Randolph, N.J., on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (MartyA45_ /TMX via AP, File) (AP) Where have the drones been seen? Drone sightings have been reported in at least six states: New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Virginia. The sightings began on November 18 near Morris County, New Jersey, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Republican New Jersey Assemblyman Paul Kanitra told CNN's Sara Sidner Friday morning there had been drone sightings every night since then. Unnerved residents have frequently reported seeing drones hovering overhead, sometimes traveling in clusters. Concerns escalated after drones were spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a US military research facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump's golf course in Bedminster, according to military officials and state lawmakers. The sightings prompted the FAA to issue temporary flight restrictions over the properties. "Several instances of unidentified drones entering the airspace" were also reported above Naval Weapons Station Earle, a US Navy base south of Middletown, although no direct threats were identified. Democratic Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey posted videos to his X account showing what appeared to be a cluster of drones over the Round Valley Reservoir Thursday night. But on Saturday, he posted on X most of the aircraft he initially thought were drones, were "almost certainly planes." Representatives from the federal agencies investigating the drones have briefed local officials behind closed doors, stating the drones sometimes appear to fly in a coordinated pattern and can remain in flight for up to six hours, according to Montvale, New Jersey, Mayor Mike Ghassali. New York State Police said Friday afternoon in a post on X they had received "numerous reports of drone sightings over the past 24 hours" and they were investigating the reports. "We have no evidence at this time that any of the reported sightings pose a public safety threat." READ MORE: What the weather on Christmas Day is forecast to be in your city This photo provided by Trisha Bushey shows the evening sky and points of light near in Lebanon Township, N.J., on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Trisha Bushey via AP) (AP) Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said the drones, often seen flying at night, have been spotted hovering over critical infrastructure, including Port Liberty New York near the Goethals Bridge, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and Fort Wadsworth, one of the oldest military installations in the country. Hochul announced Sunday that federal authorities are deploying a new "state-of-the-art drone detection system" to the state. She continued to call for the passing of the federal Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorisation Act, which she said would "give New York and our peers the authority and resources required to respond to circumstances like we face today." Hochul spoke with Mayorkas twice on Saturday regarding the ongoing drone activity in her state, according to a source familiar with the conversations. Connecticut State Police announced Friday they have deployed a drone detection system to assist in the investigation of unauthorised drone sightings reported over Fairfield County. READ MORE: Nine Australians flew to Bali in 2005. Today three are dead and the final five have returned home "It's very unsettling to public safety and security, both here in Fairfield and elsewhere," Republican state Senator Tony Hwang said in a statement Friday. Pennsylvania Govenor Josh Shapiro said his administration is "aware of" reported drone sightings and is taking them seriously. The Democratic governor said Friday evening he directed the Pennsylvania State Police to further investigate the sightings, and police will be flying helicopters to try to "determine where these drones are originating from and what the purpose of these drones are." In Massachusetts, Govenor Maura Healey posted on X Saturday about the "growing number of drone sightings" in her state. She said state police were working alongside "local and federal partners" and urged drone operators to adhere to regulations. Two men were arrested Saturday night on trespassing charges after a drone came "dangerously close" to Logan International Airport in Boston, police said in a statement. And in Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a Saturday statement state police and the Department of Emergency Management were coordinating closely with "numerous federal partners" to respond to drone reports. He emphasised the "significant number of national security and critical infrastructure sites" in Virginia. "There's no question that people are seeing drones," Mayorkas told ABC's George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. "And I want to assure the American public that we, in the federal government, have deployed additional resources, personnel, technology to assist the New Jersey State Police in addressing the drone sightings." READ MORE: 'Build to rent' properties promising longer tenancies and more security The FBI and DHS have said they believe most of the drone sightings are cases of "mistaken identity". (AP) What are the aircraft? The FBI and DHS have said they believe most of the drone sightings are cases of "mistaken identity," with members of the public misidentifying small, legally operating manned aircraft as drones. Some of the sightings may also be commercial drones, Mayorkas told CNN's Wolf Blitzer Friday. "We know of no threat or nefarious activity," Mayorkas said. "If we learn of any cause for concern, we will be transparent in our communication of it." Some of the more recent sightings might be due to copycats flying their drones as the phenomena get more news coverage, former FBI supervisory special agent Tom Adams told CNN Friday. He said there are often innocent explanations for the sightings as well. "I can tell you from my firsthand experience conducting operations for the FBI, as well as investigations into the suspected sighting of drones at critical infrastructure, it was fairly common for planets, crewed aircraft and even low Earth orbit satellites to be misidentified as drones at night," Adams said. At a news briefing on Saturday, an FBI official reiterated the sightings were largely manned aircraft mistaken for drones. The official noted similar flight approach patterns from nearby airports matched the visual sightings reported to tip lines. The FBI official said the tip line has received 5000 tips, but fewer than 100 have led to leads "deemed worthy of further investigative activity." No evidence supporting "large-scale UAS activity" has been found, the official said, using the acronym for "unmanned aircraft system." READ MORE: Officer who shot Lindt Cafe terrorist says he was haunted by harrowing day There's been a "slight overreaction" to the reports, the FBI official said. Still, "we can't ignore the sightings that have been there, and we are concerned about those just as much as anybody else is," the official added. An official with the Department of Defense, however, was less confident about the nature of the sightings. "We don't know if it's malicious, if it is criminal. But I will tell you that it is – it is irresponsible," the official said. "Here on the military side, we are just as frustrated with the irresponsible nature of this activity." The official added highly trained security personnel have reported sightings of drones at Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle, both in New Jersey. The points of origin and operators have not been identified, the official said. The Pentagon shut down speculation the drones may originate from a foreign entity or adversary on Wednesday, hours after US Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a New Jersey Republican, told Fox News the drones were from "a mothership" from Iran that is "off the East Coast of the United States of America." "There is not any truth to that," deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said Wednesday. "There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, and there's no so-called mothership launching drones towards the United States." The FBI is leading the investigation into the sightings alongside the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, while the US Coast Guard is assessing jurisdictional responses. On Sunday, US Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said the US government needs to be more transparent about the reported sightings. "One, we need a briefing for the members of the Senate to figure out what's going on here," the Minnesota Democrat said during an appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation." "Two, we need more transparency." Despite federal officials' assurances the drones don't pose a public safety threat, Belleville, New Jersey, Mayor Michael Melham has said he has received guidance police should call the county bomb squad and local fire departments should wear hazmat suits if they encounter a downed drone. "We just don't know what these things are, so we are being cautious," Melham said. READ MORE: Protesters flood Sydney's CBD after antisemitic attacks Declassified spy satellite images reveal centuries-old battle site View Gallery Why shooting at drones may not be the answer In contrast to federal officials' pleas for calm regarding the sightings, Trump has urged the Biden administration to either release any information it has about the mysterious sightings or shoot the drones out of the sky. "Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country. Can this really be happening without our government's knowledge. I don't think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!" Trump posted on Truth Social. US Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who sits on the Senate's Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, similarly said Thursday the aircraft "should be shot down, if necessary, because they're flying over sensitive areas." But shooting down unidentified aircraft poses its own problems. Speaking to CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Mayorkas said, "It's not as though anyone can just take down a drone in the sky. That in and of itself would be dangerous." Similarly, a source familiar with the national investigation into the aircraft told CNN shooting them out of the sky would be "beyond risky," posing an unnecessary risk to people on the ground and legal challenges. The source noted the government has various strategies that can be deployed if a drone poses an imminent threat, but so far, the mysterious flights have not been deemed threatening. "Blowing it out of the sky is the last resort," the source said. READ MORE: US city gets first ever tornado warning Who regulates drones? Part of the challenge in monitoring drone activity stems from the fact regulation of the skies is almost entirely under federal jurisdiction, according to the chief executive of a company tracking unauthorised drone flights. "The laws that regulate aircraft are not built to empower police to deal with the drones," Axon CEO Rick Smith told CNN News Central Friday, "so if your local state fair has a drone coming towards it that police believe might be dangerous, right now there's nothing they can do about it." FAA regulations allow operators of recreational drones to fly up to 400 feet above the ground in airspace not controlled by FAA air traffic controllers. The FAA does grant waivers on a case-by-case basis to those wanting to operate drones in more congested airspace or at higher altitudes. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .The comments were met with swift backlash from supporters of Zelensky, who defended the president's right to dress as he pleases and criticized the advisor for focusing on superficial matters rather than substantive issues. Many pointed out that Zelensky's down-to-earth style of dressing resonates with the Ukrainian people and sets him apart from more traditional politicians.
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Another key signal from the meeting was the call for targeted measures to support key sectors and industries. By identifying specific areas that are facing challenges, such as the manufacturing sector and small and medium-sized enterprises, the government can tailor its policies to address the unique needs of these sectors. This targeted approach is crucial for promoting balanced and inclusive growth across different segments of the economy.
In the aftermath of Tom's unexpected foray into horror storytelling, the audience left the comedy club with a newfound appreciation for the complexities of women's safety. What had started as a routine stand-up comedy set had morphed into a thought-provoking exploration of fear, vulnerability, and the importance of staying vigilant in a world that can often be more terrifying than we realize.None
In the final minutes of the game, the tension was palpable as both teams fought tooth and nail for every possession. The crowd was on their feet, cheering on their respective teams as the lead changed hands multiple times. With the game tied in the closing moments, Shanxi managed to pull ahead with clutch free throws and a crucial defensive stop, sealing the victory and ending Beijing's winning streak.
In exciting news for Bayern Munich fans, star forward Mathis Tetze has made a triumphant return to team training after recovering from his injury. The news comes as a welcome relief for both the player and the club, as Tetze has been sidelined for several weeks with a persistent knee issue.