NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nevada, Feb 8 (Reuters) – The USA, Britain and Australia carried out joint air drills on Wednesday over the Nevada desert and past as a part of an effort to simulate high-end fight operations in opposition to Chinese language fighter plane and air defenses.
Reuters accompanied British forces for a number of hours in the course of the U.S.-hosted, three-week-long Purple Flag workouts aboard Britain’s KC-2 Voyager refueling tanker plane, which on Wednesday provided gas for U.S. and British fighter jets.
U.S. Air Drive Colonel Jared J. Hutchinson, commander of the 414th Fight Coaching Squadron that runs Purple Flag, mentioned the annual drills weren’t tied to any current occasions. On Saturday, a U.S. fighter jet shot down a suspected Chinese language spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina, climbing tensions.
“(China is) simply the pacing problem that we practice to in order that we’re prepared … We expect that if we’re prepared for China, we’re prepared for anyone,” Hutchinson mentioned, citing U.S coverage.
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On the coronary heart of the drills was addressing the huge distances that america, Britain and Australia would take care of when working throughout the Pacific, and enhancing inter-operability of the three nations’ air forces.
For the crew aboard the Royal Air Drive’s Voyager, which means serving as a form of gasoline station within the skies – offering air-to-air refueling of fighter plane finishing up the simulated mission.
Air Commodore John Lyle, commander of the RAF’s Air Mobility Drive, informed Reuters the mission in the course of the Purple Flag drills would simulate bringing the air forces into “an space the place there was an invasion by a hostile nation.”
“So our function might be to assist the power to successfully proceed into the world that is been occupied and to undertake focusing on of key property to permit us to degrade the enemy’s capabilities,” Lyle mentioned, with out mentioning China by identify, or figuring out what simulated space had been invaded.
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The Pentagon has voiced rising concern in recent times about strain by Beijing on self-ruled Taiwan, an island China sees as a breakaway province.
Past the tanker plane, Britain additionally flew Eurofighter Hurricane fighter jets within the workouts. Australia contributed EA-18G Growler plane, in line with knowledge offered by Purple Flag organizers.
The U.S. authorities has recognized China because the U.S. army’s high strategic precedence, even because it devotes billions of {dollars} to assist Kyiv in repelling invading Russian forces.
Talking final week in Washington, U.S. Central Intelligence Company Director William Burns additionally cautioned america knew “as a matter of intelligence” that Xi had ordered his army to be able to conduct an invasion of self-governed Taiwan by 2027.
“Now, that doesn’t imply that he is determined to conduct an invasion in 2027, or every other 12 months, nevertheless it’s a reminder of the seriousness of his focus and his ambition,” Burns informed an occasion at Georgetown College in Washington.
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Reporting by Phil Stewart; Modifying by Raju Gopalakrishnan
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Grass Valley, CA – January 8, 2025 – Nevada County fire agencies have mobilized to assist in combating the Palisades Fire, a fast-moving wildfire in Southern California that has prompted widespread evacuations and significant firefighting efforts.
In a coordinated response, the following Nevada County resources have been deployed to the incident:
Higgins Fire – Brush 23
Ophir Hill Fire – Engine 523
Penn Valley Fire – Brush 44
Nevada County Consolidated Fire – Brush 89
North San Juan Fire – Engine 6168
Grass Valley Fire – OES Engine 4609
These engines and their crews are part of a regional mutual aid system designed to provide critical support during large-scale emergencies. The Palisades Fire has already consumed thousands of acres, challenging firefighters with steep terrain and unpredictable winds. Nevada County’s highly trained personnel are working tirelessly alongside other fire agencies from across the state to protect lives, property, and natural resources.
“We are proud to contribute our skilled crews and equipment to assist in this critical situation,” said Sam Goodspeed, Division Chief of Nevada City Fire Department. “This is what mutual aid is all about—neighbors helping neighbors, even across great distances, when the need arises.”
While Nevada County fire resources are committed to the Palisades Fire, the agencies remain fully staffed to address any local emergencies. Additional personnel and resources have been made ready to ensure the safety of Nevada County residents.
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Editor’s note: Real-time updates on the Palisades Fire are posted here.
A 1-inch butterfly that can only be found beside hot springs near the Nevada-Oregon border will soon be awarded federal protections under the Endangered Species Act, the law meant to protect plants and animals at risk of extinction.
The bleached sandhill skipper’s largest population is found at the Baltazor Hot Spring — a spring that’s located next to what is planned to become a geothermal energy plant.
Some environmentalists worry that the 84-acre plant operated by Ormat, which has received all required permits from the Bureau of Land Management, could alter the flow of nearby groundwater. Ormat’s media representative did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
The final environmental assessment for the project does mention the bleached sandhill skipper, with some facilities moved to accommodate the habitat. The BLM ultimately declared that any impacts to the species would be “unlikely and minor,” and Ormat committed to doing assessments of the species every year for the first five years of the project.
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“The wetlands these butterflies need to survive will dry up and blow away unless we can protect the water that sustains them,” Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. “Endangered species protections can help ensure this rare butterfly is still here for future generations.”
Only about 1,000 of the butterflies were found in recent annual surveys, according to the nonprofit conservation organization. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declined to list the species in 2012.
With the proposal for protections on Tuesday, the Fish and Wildlife Service began a 60-day public comment period. Within a year, a final rule awarding protections will be issued.
In Southern Nevada, the Mount Charleston blue butterfly is another species that has similar federal protections.
The new proposed protections are paramount for the longstanding fight to protect rural Nevada’s water, according to Donnelly.
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“The bleached sandhill skipper needs the same thing to survive that we do: water,” Donnelly said. “With these endangered species protections, we aren’t just protecting charming little butterflies and their wetland habitat. We’re protecting the water that sustains all life in the desert, including our own.”
Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.
(KTNV) — Baby’s Bounty is once again hosting multiple diaper banks statewide for families in need of these supplies for their children.
Families will be able to receive a week’s worth of diapers and wipes for up to three children.
You must provide a photo ID and proof of parental paperwork (birth certificate, Medicaid card, crib card, social security card, foster or adoption paperwork) to utilize these services.
Henderson: 📍Location: Morell Park – 500 Harris St, Henderson 🗓️ Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8 ⏰ Time: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. 🚙 Drive-thru bank Registration is required and can be found here.
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Las Vegas: 📍Location: Baby’s Bounty Center for Families – 4495 W Reno Ave, Las Vegas 🗓️ Date: Wednesday, Jan. 22 ⏰ Time: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. 🚙 Drive-thru bank Registration is required and can be found here.
📍Location: Las Vegas Indian Center – 2300 W Bonanza Rd, Las Vegas 🗓️ Date: Thursday, Jan. 30 ⏰ Time: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. 🚚 Mobile bank
North Las Vegas: 📍Location: Martin Luther King Jr. Senior Center – 2420 N MLK Blvd, North Las Vegas 🗓️ Date: Wednesday, Jan. 15 ⏰ Time: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. 🚙 Drive-thru bank Registration is required and can be found here.
Reno/Sparks: 📍Location: Baby’s Bounty Northern Nevada – 1410 Greg St, #409, Sparks 🗓️ Date: Wednesday, Jan. 29 ⏰ Time: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. 🚙 Drive-thru bank Registration is required and can be found here.
Mesquite: 📍Location: Salvation Army Mesquite – 742 W Pioneer Blvd, Mesquite 🗓️ Date: Friday, Jan. 31 ⏰ Time: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 🚚 Mobile bank
/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/INJU7MMXXFPZ5HEHHHDJ2UFSGY.jpg "U.S., UK and Australia carry out China-focused air drills")
