The downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon just off South Carolina’s coast created a spectacle over one of the state’s tourism hubs that drew reactions ranging from bewilderment to cheers. The balloon was struck by a missile from an F-22 fighter just off Myrtle Beach, fascinating sky-watchers across a populous area known as the Grand Strand for its miles of beaches that draw retirees and vacationers. Crowds gathered in neighborhoods, hotel parking lots and beaches to watch the balloon hover, with some cheering just after it went down. The festive mood belied the seriousness of the situation, with law enforcement around the county of 366,000 warning people not to touch any debris and to instead call dispatchers.

Eyes remained on the skies as a suspected Chinese spy balloon slowly drifted toward the U.S. Atlantic Coast Saturday and remained in clear view over the Carolinas, where local authorities warned against taking potshots at the floating orb. Software engineer and storm chaser Brian Branch captured photographs of what he believes was the balloon just after daybreak high above western North Carolina. Branch could see a payload hanging from the round, white balloon, which officials have said is about the size of three school buses. China says it's a weather balloon. Reported sightings came in from throughout upstate South Carolina, including suburban Charlotte in North Carolina.

Fierce battles in eastern Ukraine have thrown a new spotlight on a private Russian military group led by a rogue millionaire with longtime links to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. The Wagner Group is spearheading the push to jump-start Russia’s offensive in Donetsk province. The ferocious house-to house fighting has produced some of the bloodiest encounters since Russia invaded Ukraine more than 11 months ago. The company first was spotted in action in eastern Ukraine after a separatist conflict erupted there in April 2014. In the years since, they have deployed to Syria, Libya, Central African Republic and Mali. The U.S. has expanded sanctions against Wagner for its role in Ukraine and mercenary activities in Africa.

The nominations to the 95th Academy Awards are now out. But where can you watch the heavy hitters? Replete with spellbinding multiverses, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” topped the list with 11 nods and is available as a digital rental. Elsewhere, stories of friendship and family permeated 2022 cinema and the nominations this year, as did big-budget blockbusters. Nine of the 10 best picture nominees had theatrical releases. Some of the films nominated across categories are still in theaters, only in limited release. But many are also available online to stream or procure as a digital rental now.

An Afghan soldier seeking asylum in the U.S. has been jailed at an immigrant detention center in Texas since he was arrested trying to cross the Mexico border. Abdul Wasi Safi worked alongside U.S. troops as a member of the Afghan National Security Forces. But last year he fled Afghanistan because the Taliban, who took over following the 2021 U.S. withdrawal, were targeting those who had helped American forces. He traveled to Brazil before making the treacherous journey to the U.S. His brother, lawyers, a bipartisan group of lawmakers and military organizations are working to free him. They say his case highlights how America’s chaotic military withdrawal continues to harm Afghan citizens who helped the U.S. but were left behind.

Social media users shared a range of false claims this week. Here are the facts: A graph from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration doesn't disprove global climate change. A class at Harvard Medical School doesn't train students to treat transgender infants. CNN didn’t publish a story linking the collapse of Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin to a COVID-19 vaccine. A video of an Austrian news presenter collapsing live on-air isn't due to side effects from the vaccine. And a video shows a 2018 plane crash in Russia, not the recent fatal crash of a passenger plane in Nepal.

The once-controversial idea of relocating an imperiled species to another island, country or continent for conservation is gaining increasing acceptance among scientists as a measure of last resort. Yet the potential danger — and scientific debate — lies in what humans can’t predict. Recently scientists have moved Tristram's storm petrel chicks from beaches being submerged by rising sea levels to shores they've never bred on, 500 miles away on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Such relocations are still rare, but wildlife officials in the U.S. have drafted a proposal to guide scientists in deciding when it’s appropriate to deliberately move a threatened species outside its historical range.