New evidence of China’s spy balloon programme – including flights over Japan and Taiwan – has been uncovered by BBC Panorama.

Japan has confirmed balloons have flown over its territory and said it’s prepared to shoot them down in future. …

John Culver – a former East Asia analyst for the CIA – told Panorama that this “had been not just a one-off, but a continuing effort dating back at least five years.” He said the Chinese balloons were “specially designed for these long-range missions” and some had “apparently circumnavigated the globe”.

[Oh, it’s just an accident, Biden says! — Ed]