Breaking News: China says suspected spy balloon is a ‘civilian airship’ that strayed off course

View in browser | nytimes.com   BREAKING NEWS Beijing expressed regret over a Chinese balloon flying over the U.S., saying it was for civilian research and had gone off course. Friday, February 3, 2023 9:50 AM ET China sought to defuse tensions with the U.S. over spying claims ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Beijing. Read the latest   ADVERTISEMENT You received this email because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Breaking News Alerts. To stop receiving Breaking News Alerts, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from the Times, manage your email preferences. Subscribe to the Times Get the NYT app Change Your Email Privacy Policy Contact Advertise California Notice The New York Times Company, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018