US reveals more details on flying ‘objects’ as questions swirl

White House spokesman John Kirby says the objects were not a 'threat to people on the ground' but were shot down over concerns for civilian aviation [Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters]

The objects shot down over North America over the past several days were unmanned and did not appear to send communication signals, the United States has said, as questions persist about the nature and the origin of the aircraft.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Monday that while Washington has no “specific reason” to suspect that the objects were conducting surveillance, it is not able to rule out the possibility.