stripes.com Free to Deployed Areas Volume 79, No. 70A ©SS 2020 CONTINGENCY EDITION SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2020

BY TARA COPP

McClatchy Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — The Department of De-fense would be required to identify how many of its current or former aviators have been diag-nosed with cancer in bills passed by the House and Senate this week, a study long sought by mil-itary pilots who have questioned why there are so many serious illnesses in their community.

The legislation was included in both cham-bers’ versions of the $740 billion fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act following a series of stories by McClatchy on the alarming

clusters of cancer among current or former mili-tary aviators, including four commanding offi-cers at a premier Navy weapons testing base in California who have died of cancer since 2015.

The two versions of the 2021 spending bill will now go to House and Senate negotiators to iron out differences before being sent to President Donald Trump to be signed into law.

Betty Seaman, the wife of one of the four com-manding officers at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake who died of cancer, welcomed the important milestone.

“Since losing my husband, I have met too many other families on the same unwanted

journey. We all share a universal prayer, that no other family will have to go through a similar loss. Today brings us one step closer to that real-ization,” Seaman said in an email to McClatchy.

Trump has suggested he may veto the legisla-tion over a disagreement on renaming military bases that currently honor Confederate generals. While both versions of the NDAA were passed by veto-proof majorities, lawmakers in either the House or Senate could change their position when they vote on the final version of the bill.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., introduced the Military Aviators Cancer Incidence Study Act SEE CANCERS ON PAGE 4

House, Senate pass bills to study the number of cancers striking military pilots

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Dr. Fauci throws out first pitch of COVID-shortened baseball seasonSEE SPORTS, BACK PAGE

Nationals manager Dave Martinez (4) and shortstop Trea Turner (7) take a knee to honor Black Lives Matter before the game .

AUTO RACING Hamlin holds off Keselowski for 5th Cup victory of season Page 21

US fighter jet intercepts Iranian passenger plane over Syria » Page 3

RELATED Senate passes defense bill despite Trump veto threat over base names Page 3

Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci throws out the first pitch at Nationals Park in Washington on Thursday before the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals play an opening day baseball game.ALEX BRANDON/AP photos

Season starts FINALLY

VIDEO GAMESBuild cozy towns to your liking in pretty TownscraperPage 12

WAR ON TERRORISMTaliban say they’reready for talks withKabul after holidayPage 3

PAGE 2 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, July 25, 2020

T O D A YIN STRIPES

American Roundup ..... 10Comics/Crossword ...... 18Health & Fitness ........ 13Movies ...................... 11Opinion .................16-17 Sports .................. 19-24Video Games .............. 12

BUSINESS/WEATHERMilitary rates

Euro costs (July 27) .............................. $1.13Dollar buys (July 27) .........................€0.8403British pound (July 27) ........................ $1.24Japanese yen (July 27) ......................105.00South Korean won (July 27) ..........1,169.00

Commercial ratesBahrain (Dinar) ....................................0.3771British pound .....................................$1.2764Canada (Dollar) .................................. 1.3424China (Yuan) ........................................ 7.0184Denmark (Krone) ................................ 6.4101Egypt (Pound) ....................................15.9907Euro ........................................$1.1614 /0.8611 Hong Kong (Dollar) ............................. 7.7517 Hungary (Forint) .................................298.55Israel (Shekel) .................................... 3.4152Japan (Yen) ...........................................105.81Kuwait (Dinar) .....................................0.3064 Norway (Krone) .................................. 9.2106Philippines (Peso).................................49.37Poland (Zloty) ......................................... 3.80Saudi Arabia (Riyal) .......................... 3.7504 Singapore (Dollar) ..............................1.3850South Korea (Won) .......................... 1203.72 Switzerland (Franc)............................0.9237

Thailand (Baht) ..................................... 31.64Turkey (Lira) .........................................6.8493(Military exchange rates are those available to customers at military banking facilities in the country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., purchasing British pounds in Germany), check with your local military banking facility. Commercial rates are interbank rates provided for reference when buying currency. All figures are foreign currencies to one dollar, except for the British pound, which is represented in dollars-to-pound, and the euro, which is dollars-to-euro.)

EXCHANGE RATES

INTEREST RATESPrime rate ................................................ 3.25Discount rate .......................................... 0.25Federal funds market rate ................... 0.103-month bill ............................................. 0.1130-year bond ........................................... 1.25

WEATHER OUTLOOK

Bahrain105/92

Baghdad122/86

Doha102/93

KuwaitCity

106/89

Riyadh110/86

Djibouti99/85

Kandahar108/78

Kabul99/71

SATURDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST SUNDAY IN THE PACIFIC

Misawa70/66

Guam87/79

Tokyo91/72

Okinawa88/82

Sasebo84/77

Iwakuni81/73

Seoul85/71

Osan84/72 Busan

77/70

The weather is provided by the American Forces Network Weather Center,

2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

Mildenhall/Lakenheath

72/55

Ramstein83/60

Stuttgart82/63

Lajes,Azores78/68

Rota86/72

Morón102/71 Sigonella

95/71

Naples89/75

Aviano/Vicenza84/64

Pápa75/58

Souda Bay90/73

SATURDAY IN EUROPE

Brussels76/61

Zagan80/62

Drawsko Pomorskie

76/61

Ascena Retail files for Chapter 11 Associated Press

NEW YORK — The operator of Ann Taylor and Lane Bryant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Thursday, the lat-est retailer to do so during the pandemic.

Mahwah, N.J.-based Ascena Retail Group Inc., which oper-ates nearly 3,000 stores mostly at malls, had been dragged down by debt and weak sales for years.

As part of its bankruptcy plan,

the company said that it would close all of its Catherines stores, a “significant number“ of Justice stores and a select number of Ann Taylor, Loft, Lane Bryant and Lou & Grey stores.

The company said it has reached an agreement with its creditors to reduce its debt by $1 billion. It received $150 million in new financing to continue operat-ing during its reorganization.

Ascena joins a growing list of mostly clothing retailers that

have filed for Chapter 11 in recent weeks, including Brooks Broth-ers, Neiman Marcus, J.C. Penney, J.Crew and Stage Stores. These retailers were already struggling with weak sales, but the forced closure of non-essential stores in March to reduce the spread of the coronavirus put them further in peril.

Roughly 40 retailers have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy so far this year, according to S&P Glob-al Market Intelligence.

• S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 3Saturday, July 25, 2020

The Washington Post

BEIRUT — American fighter aircraft approached an Iranian passenger plane over Syria on Thursday, a U.S. military offi-cial said, an incident that Iranian media said prompted the pilot to abruptly drop altitude and trig-gered panic aboard.

Iran’s Fars News and the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency reported that the Iranian Mahan Air plane was flying above the Tanf area of eastern Syria, where a U.S. military base is located, when two jets approached, iden-tifying themselves by radio as American. The pilot responded by dropping the aircraft to avoid collision, the official Islamic Re-public of Iran Broadcasting news agency said.

Videos circulating on social media showed Arabic and Farsi speakers aboard the plane, some of them suffering injuries. One video showed the plane seeming-

ly suddenly dropping as women screamed in the background. An-other featured a Farsi-speaking man who suffered a head injury that marked his face with a thin line of blood.

Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said that an American F-15 jet was on a “routine air mission” near the Tanf garrison, an isolated outpost, when it “conducted a standard visual inspection of a Mahan Air passenger airliner at a safe distance of approximately 1,000 meters from the airliner.”

“Once the F-15 pilot identi-fied the aircraft as a Mahan Air passenger plane, the F-15 safely opened distance from the air-craft. The professional intercept was conducted in accordance with international standards,” Urban said in a statement.

A defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive incident, said a second U.S. aircraft was also

in the vicinity. The official said it was possible that the proximity of the U.S. jet, while far enough away for its pilot to freely maneu-ver around the slower commer-cial aircraft, may have triggered an audio collision alarm in the passenger plane’s cockpit.

The plane, bound from Tehran to the Lebanese capital of Beirut, landed at its destination. The Leb-anese Red Cross told The Wash-ington Post it had reported to the scene but had not yet evacuated anyone who was injured.

An Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reporter, who ap-peared to have been aboard the flight, said from Beirut that three passengers were injured dur-ing the fighter jets’ “intentional move.”

In another video that appears online, a woman filmed the plane aisle, the floor strewn with pa-pers and packaged items, with passengers sporting bright yel-low life vests. One child had gauze

wrapped around his head. “I’m filming what happened, yeah, in case we die,” she said in Arabic.

Fars News later reported that the plane was back in Iran, appar-ently without any more incidents.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran. The Trump administration has identi-fied Iran as its chief adversary in the Middle East, authorizing eco-nomic sanctions and taking steps designed to curb the country’s support for armed groups beyond Iran’s borders.

Early this year, the two coun-tries appeared to reach the brink of war after a U.S. drone killed a revered Iranian military leader, Qasem Soleimani, in Baghdad. Iran responded by firing missiles at a base housing U.S. troops in Iraq.

Around the same time, Irani-an air defenses mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian airliner taking off from Tehran’s international

airport, an incident that Iranian officials later said was due to anerror with an air defense radar asthe country prepared for a pos-sible American counterstrike.

The two countries are alsoat odds in Syria, where Iranianbacking is a lifeline for President Bashar Assad and where the Unit-ed States has carved out its ownarea of influence in other parts ofthe country as part of its missionagainst the Islamic State.

The U.S. military maintains a30-mile air and ground exclusionzone around the Tanf base, whichwas established to battle the Is-lamic State but which now formspart of the American strategy tolimit Iran’s expansion in Syria.The base sits along a highway connecting Damascus to Bagh-dad and Tehran to the east.

In the past, U.S. forces haveshot down several Iranian dronesand fired on Iranian-linked forc-es when they ventured within thezone around the base.

BY COREY DICKSTEIN

Stars and Stripes

WASHINGTON — The Sen-ate on Thursday overwhelmingly passed their version of the 2021 National Defense Authoriza-tion Act with a provision to strip 10 Army posts of Confederate-linked names, setting up a veto showdown with President Donald Trump who has objected to such name changes.

The 86-14 passage of the $740.5 billion bill that sets annual Pen-tagon spending and policy priori-ties comes just two days after the House easily passed its version of the NDAA, which also would force name changes of Army in-stallations named for Confederate generals from the Civil War. The White House on Tuesday, hours before the House passed the mea-sure, issued a 13-page statement objecting to several provisions within the bill, but primarily the issue of Confederate names.

Senate leaders praised the bill as a step forward for the U.S. mil-itary, providing it critical funding to modernize its force as it eyes potential conflict with near peer rivals, such as China and Russia.

“The [Senate’s] NDAA gives our military the personnel, equip-ment, training and organization needed to implement the National Defense Strategy and thwart any adversary who would try to do us harm,” said Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “By fully investing in our military growth and modernization, we’re restoring deterrence so no coun-try wants to challenge us. I don’t want a fair fight out there, I want to be superior — and this bill does that.”

The two chambers now must conference to reconcile differenc-es in their versions of the legisla-

tion, an effort that traditionally takes months. Lawmakers have said they do not expect the NDAA to be finalized ahead of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1.

Both chambers passed their versions of the NDAA with more than a two-thirds majority, which would be needed for each body to override a presidential veto and make the bill a law without Trump’s signature.

Among the chief differences within the two chambers’ ver-sions of the bill is the issue of the Confederate-named installa-tions. The House version forces the Army to remove such names within one year of the bill becom-ing law, while the Senate version would require the building of a

commission to study the issue with the goal of stripping Confed-erate names within three years.

Trump has repeatedly vowed to veto any legislation that forced the military to change the names of those 10 posts, which include major installations such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Benning in Georgia and Fort Hood in Texas. The posts, all in former Confederate states, were named during the Jim Crow era of the early 1900s during the lead up to World Wars I and II.

Trump has defended the names as historically significant.

“We won two world wars, beau-tiful world wars that were vicious and horrible, and we won them out of Fort Bragg,” Trump said in

a Fox News interview that aired Sunday. “We won them out of all of these forts and now they want to throw those names away.”

Not every senator who voted for the bill on Thursday agreed with the provision about Confed-erate-named installations. That includes Inhofe.

He has said he would prefer a process that includes local lead-ers to examine the names of the Army posts, and would not auto-matically force changes. Inhofe has also said he would bring up such issues as the two chambers worked to form a final NDAA.

Both bill versions include key provisions sought by the Penta-gon: A 3% pay hike for troops, an increase in the military’s end-

strength, and investments in up-graded ships, aircraft and otherweapons.

The House and Senate versionsalso have provisions aimed atidentifying and curbing ground-water contamination primar-ily via the use of firefightingfoam containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances,known as PFAS. And both ver-sions would establish a new ini-tiative aimed at checking China’s growing military power in theIndo-Pacific region.

Aside from the Confederate-named installations, there are other critical differences be-tween the bills. The House ver-sion limits the president’s abilityto remove troops from locationsacross the globe, including Ger-many, South Korea and Afghani-stan. The Senate did not vote onan amendment presented with similar limitations.

The White House in its veto threat said it “strongly objected”to such measures in the Houseversion, and it accused lawmak-ers of including them to “micro-manage” the president’s powers.

The House version also wouldprohibit the use of Pentagonmoney for live testing of nuclear weapons, which the Senate ver-sion does not address.

In a statement, Inhofe and theSenate Armed Services Com-mittee’s top Democrat, Sen. JackReed of Rhode Island, applaudedthe upper chamber’s passage of the bill for 60 consecutive years.

“I’m pleased the vast majority of my colleagues joined Sen. Reedand me in voting for this bill,” In-hofe said in the statement. “Andnow, I look forward to workingwith the House to get an NDAA enacted for the 60th straight yearin a row.”dickstein.corey@stripes.comTwitter: @CDicksteinDC

MILITARY

US fighter jet intercepts Iranian airliner

Senate’s 2021 defense bill passes easily amid veto threat

iStock

The Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed by an 86-14 vote Thursday, includes a 3% pay hike for troops.

PAGE 4 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, July 25, 2020

FROM FRONT PAGE

after McClatchy reported that military aviators may be at higher risk of develop-ing certain cancers, according to a state-ment Thursday on the Senate passage of the defense bill, which was co-sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

“Our service members deserve a full study on any possible link between their duties and an elevated risk of cancer. I look forward to working with my colleagues to make sure this bill is included in the final version of the NDAA,” Feinstein said in a news release on the bill’s passage.

The Senate version requires the Defense Department, within 60 days of passage, to enter into an agreement with the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute and the Department of Veterans Affairs to create what would be the most comprehensive database of cancers in the aviation community.

The database would include every ser-vice member since 1961 who served in an aviator role. The legislation defines avia-tors as members of the air crew, such as pilots and navigators, and members of the

ground crew who worked on the aircraft.Pilots who have been lobbying for the

legislation wanted to ensure that ground crew, such as enlisted personnel who work to launch jets on aircraft carriers, were in-cluded because they were exposed to many of the same radar emissions or fuels. The bill requires the database to be completed within a year.

The database would include any cancer diagnosis, the service member’s age at di-agnosis, the type of aircraft they flew and whether they had died of cancer. It would also report race and gender data so that a scientific comparison of military aviator cancer rates could be made against the general population.

The House version, introduced by Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., passed earlier this week. The House provision would require the Defense Department to contract with the National Academy of Sciences within six months of the bill’s passage to deter-mine the “incidence of cancer diagnosis mortality among members, and former members, of the Armed Forces who serve as pilots” based on gender, age, flying

hours and type of aircraft.The House version does not include

ground crew but does also require the De-fense Department to reconsider at what age pilots should be screened for cancer based

on their flying hours and type of aircraft.Pilots had previously told McClatchy that

their cancers, particularly prostate cancer,were surfacing at a much younger age andearlier screenings could be life-saving.

BY CAITLIN M. KENNEY Stars and Stripes

WASHINGTON — Firefight-ers combating the blaze aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard faced zero visibility and the threat of explosions as the fire spread through nearly all of the ship’s decks, Adm. Mike Gilday, the chief of naval operations, described in an email to senior naval leaders.

The fire, which began July 12 and burned for four days, caused extensive damage to the amphibi-ous assault ship now based at Naval Base San Diego, where it was nearing the end of a mainte-nance period.

Gilday visited the ship Friday and described his observations and discussions with firefighters in an email Wednesday addressed to admirals and master chiefs and obtained by Stars and Stripes.

The ship has sustained fire and water damage on 11 of its 14 decks, Gilday wrote. He was able to walk throughout sections of the ship five decks below the flight deck and examine the superstruc-ture, where the bridge is located. The superstructure “is nearly gutted,” he wrote, as are sections of some of the decks below. He also wrote the Naval Sea Systems Command’s assessment of the damage is still ongoing.

“Sections of the flight deck are warped/bulging,” Gilday wrote. “The fire started in the lower vehicle storage area — six decks below the flight deck and near the middle of the ship — spreading aft, forward, and up.”

Gilday also repeated his pub-lic statements from Friday that wind and explosions aboard the ship allowed the fire to spread and become intense. Wind fueled

the fire “as the vehicle storage area leads to the well deck, which opens to the air at the stern gate,” he wrote.

The intensity and uncertainty of the explosions aboard made it difficult to get the fire under control sooner. The fire was able to spread “quickly up elevator shafts, engine exhaust stacks, and through berthing and other compartments where combusti-ble material was present,” Gilday wrote.

It took more than 400 sailors

from 12 nearby ships and thou-sands of water bucket drops from helicopters to put out the blaze. During the effort to extinguish the multiple fires, 40 sailors and 23 civilians were treated for minor injuries.

Gilday praised the work of sail-ors to fight the fire, some of whom went aboard the ship eight times.

“They had experienced the intense, inferno-like heat, the dark smoke that obscured view of teammates by their side, and the explosions — the latter had to

be like a mine field … unknown when and where, and how severe, those blasts might be. Some had been knocked down by these blasts — some, more than once — but they got up, refocused, and reattacked.”

Gilday’s letter did not address the cases of the coronavirus that stemmed from the fire.

On Friday, two sailors who sup-ported the firefighting efforts tested positive for the coronavi-rus after having symptoms, Lt. Cmdr. Nicole Schwegman, a Navy

spokeswoman, said in a state-ment Thursday. The Navy thenconducted contact tracing andput 27 sailors on restriction ofmovement due to their close con-tact with the infected sailors. Noadditional sailors who supportedthe firefighting effort have tested positive as of Thursday, accord-ing to Schwegman.

But Gilday did write about his discussions with federal fire-fighters who described the con-ditioned they faced fighting theblaze throughout the ship.

“They described conditionsthey have never seen before (1,200 degree heat, zero visibility, multiple explosions) … providingunsolicited admiration for our sailors. Four descriptors were common: resiliency, fearlessness,confidence and competency,” he wrote.

The Navy’s effort to teach sail-ors to be resilient and comp etentstarting at basic training was evi-dent in how they meet the chal-lenge of the fire, Gilday wrote.

“As described by those fed-eral firefighters, the competency,fearlessness, resiliency, and con-fidence displayed by those sailorsmost definitely exhibits our Navy culture. It was tested on Bonhom-me Richard. My gut tells me oursailors met that challenge head-on,” he wrote.

The Navy is conducting threeinvestigations into the fire todetermine how it started, theresponse to fight it, and lessonslearned, Gilday said Friday. TheNavy is also assessing the ship’s future and whether it will returnto sea.

Gilday wrote the Navy is com-mitted to “thoroughly look intoand learn from the fire.”kenney.caitlin@stripes.comTwitter: @caitlinmkenney

MILITARY

Gilday: Sailors faced blasts, blinding smoke

Cancers: Pilots urge inclusion of ground crew, personnel in legislation

COSMO WALRATH/U.S. Navy

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Russel Smith, surveys damage to the flight deck and superstructure of USS Bonhomme Richard during a visit to the ship July 18 at Naval Base San Diego.

HAYDEN LEGG/U.S. Air Force

The Senate’s legislation calls for an extensive database of the different types of cancer afflicting the aviation community.

• S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 5Saturday, July 25, 2020

BY CAITLIN M. KENNEY

Stars and Stripes

WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps needs to improve its pa-rental leave options quickly if the service wants to retain its best Marines, as unexpected hurdles have delayed changes, the ser-vice’s top general said Thursday.

“We have to extend maternity leave, we have to be a lot more flexible than we are right now. But we have to stay within De-partment of Defense policy as well, so I’m working in a box,” Gen. David Berger, the comman-dant of the Marine Corps, said during an interview with Stars and Stripes.

Berger released guidance in July 2019 shortly after he became the commandant that stated the service should not ask Marines to choose between being the best parent or the best in their mili-tary career.

“Our parental/maternity leave policies are inadequate and have failed to keep pace with societal norms and modern talent man-agement practices. We fully sup-port the growth of our Marine families, and will do everything possible to provide parents with opportunities to remain with their newborns for extended periods of time,” the guidance stated.

The guidance also stated the Marine Corps would consider up

to one-year leaves of absence for mothers to be with their children before returning to finish their service obligations.

In the year since the guidance was issued, Berger said he has found updating the parental leave policy more complicated than he anticipated.

“It’s taken longer than I had hoped for. But I didn’t realize, I think to the extent I should have maybe last summer, that this would require coordination with the rest of the services and sec-retary of defense and all to make sure that we had a policy that was executable, supportable,” he said.

Like the other services, the Marine Corps adheres to the Defense Department’s Military Parental Leave Program. A birth parent can now take 42 days — 6 weeks — of maternity convales-cent leave to recover medically from the birth, starting the day after they are released from the hospital or facility where they gave birth.

The primary caregiver leave is also for 42 days and is given to the Marine designated as providing primary care to the child, which is usually assumed to be the birth parent. That leave can be taken consecutively with the mater-nity convalescent leave or taken any time within the first year of the child’s birth, foster care or adoption.

The Navy and Marine Corps provide only 14 days of leave to “secondary caregivers,” whereas the Army and Air Force allow up to 21 days of leave.

The Marine Corps needs to work towards parental leave that addresses two “time frames” re-lated to pregnancy and raising a family, Berger said. The first time frame is after the baby is delivered and the second is when the child is being raised and par-ents might need to make a deci-sion about their careers, he said.

“The parents are going to reach another kind of decision point at some time and where it’s clear to them under the current policies and all, either I can have a career or I can raise a family, but I don’t see how I can do both. So we got to attack both of those time frames,” Berger said.

One option is the Marine Corps’ career intermission pro-gram, which allows people to take time off for things such as educa-tion and could be used for both of those family time frames, accord-ing to Berger. The Marine Corps has not done enough to publicize this option or make it simple to apply, he said.

“The Marine Corps should make it easy for that to happen so that you can take two years, step out of the Marine Corps, stop you’re running clock with your contemporaries and then step

back in. And not lose anything regarding to your promotion, not lose anything regarding your competitiveness, anything like that,” Berger said.

The Marine Corps must find the right solution that can support not just mothers and fathers who are Marines, but also Marines who might be married to some-one in another military branch, he said.

“It’s not something that I can do, the Marine Corps can do, all on their own and just go their own direction. So it is something we have to coordinate with the other services,” Berger said.

The bigger issue related to the parental leave is one of retention and making certain Marines do not feel they have to choose be-tween continuing their careers

and raising their family.“We have to be able to keep

the talent that we spent 10 years training, all that experience, all that training is going to walk outthe door if we can’t be more flex-ible if we can’t figure out a wayfor them to stay, to have it both ways.”

The Marine Corps needs to get after the leave policy in the nextsix months, Berger said.

“If we can’t figure it out in the next six months, then I don’t know what’s possible,” he said. “If wecan’t find … some better, moreflexible programs in six months,then I don’t know — another sixmonths is not going to help us. Sowe need to get after it.”Kenney.Caitlin@stripes.com@caitlinmkenney

BY ROBERT BURNS

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The United States ac-cused Russia on Thursday of conducting a test of an anti-satellite weapon in space, asserting that it exposed Moscow’s intent to deploy weapons that threaten U.S. and allied satellites.

In Moscow, the Defense Ministry said the July 15 event involved “a small space vehicle” that “inspected one of the national satellites from a close distance using spe-cial equipment.” It added that the inspec-tion “provided valuable information about the object that was inspected, which was transmitted to the ground-based control facilities.”

The U.S., however, said the Russian ac-tions were inconsistent with the stated mission of an inspector satellite.

“The Russian satellite system used to conduct this on-orbit weapons test is the same satellite system that we raised con-cerns about earlier this year when Russia maneuvered near a U.S. government sat-ellite,” said Gen. John W. Raymond, com-mander of Space Command and the head of U.S. Space Force.

“This is further evidence of Russia’s continuing efforts to develop and test space-based systems, and consistent with the Kremlin’s published military doctrine to employ weapons that hold U.S. and al-lied space assets at risk.”

In a space strategy document published

last month, the Pentagon asserted that “China and Russia present the greatest strategic threat due to their development, testing, and deployment of counterspace capabilities and their associated military doctrine for employment in conflict ex-tending to space.”

It added, “China and Russia each have weaponized space as a means to reduce U.S. and allied military effectiveness and

challenge our freedom of operation in space.”

Private U.S. space analysts said U.S. concerns about the July 15 event appear justified in an era of rapidly improving space technologies that could pose threats to satellites that are integral to modern life in the U.S. and globally. Defense of these satellites was a key reason the Trump ad-ministration create U.S. Space Force last December.

In a separate statement, the head of the British government’s space directorate, Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Smyth, echoed the American assertion about the July 15 event. He wrote on Twitter that the Rus-sians had launched a projectile “with the characteristics of a weapon.”

“We call on Russia to avoid any further such testing,” Smyth wrote. “We also urge Russia to continue to work constructively with the U.K. and other partners to encour-age responsible behavior in space.”

The State Department’s top arms control official, Christopher Ford, said the event exposed Russia’s “hypocritical advocacy” of outer space arms control, “with which Moscow aims to restrict the capabilities of the United States while clearly having no intention of halting its own counterspace program — both ground-based anti-satel-lite capabilities and what would appear to be actual in-orbit anti-satellite weaponry.”

Space Command said that on July 15 a Russian satellite, designated Cosmos 2543, “operated in abnormally close proximity

to a U.S. government satellite in low-earth orbit before it maneuvered away and overto another Russian satellite, where it re-leased another object in proximity to theRussia target satellite. This test is inconsis-tent with the intended purpose of the satel-lite as an inspector system, as described byRussia.”

Brian Weeden, a space policy expert at the Secure World Foundation, which advo-cates for peaceful uses of outer space, saidin an interview that the U.S. and Britishconcerns are justified.

“I think they’re on to something,” he said.“I, too, found this event very suspicious.”

Weeden said an object separated from Cosmos 2543 at a speed of perhaps morethan 400 miles per hour.

“That is unusual — very unusual,”Weeden said. “And it is very similar to an incident back in 2017 where another Rus-sian satellite deployed a small object athigh speed as well.”

Henry Hertzfeld, director of the SpacePolicy Institute at George Washington Uni-versity, said the July 15 incident points upthe fact that rapid advances in space tech-nology require vigilance by U.S. defenseagencies, particularly in light of worseningU.S. relations with Russia and China.

“So should be we concerned? I thinkthat’s legitimate,” he said. “What the in-tent of the eventual use of those technolo-gies is, and whether they would be used as weapons against our assets in space, that’sspeculation.”

MILITARY

Berger: Marines parental leave needs improvement

US accuses Russia of testing anti-satellite weapon in space

SHAWN THEW, POOL/AP

Chief of Space Operations at U.S. Space Force Gen. John Raymond testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on May 6.

ALEX BRANDON/AP

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger testifies during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee last year .

PAGE 6 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, July 25, 2020

BY KATHY GANNON

Associated Press

ISLAMABAD — The Taliban say they are ready for talks with Afghanistan’s political leadership after the Muslim holiday of Eid ul Adha at the end of July, offering to hand over the last of the govern-ment prisoners in a week’s time, providing the government frees the last of its Taliban prisoners.

The offer made by Taliban’s po-litical spokesman Suhail Shaheen in a tweet late Thursday follows one of the most significant shake-ups in the Taliban in years. The group appointed the son of the movement’s fearsome founder to head its military wing and power-ful leadership council members to its negotiation team.

In Kabul on Friday, the High Council for National Reconcili-

ation, which was created in May to manage peace efforts with the Taliban, said it was still working through the Taliban’s prisoner list.

Javed Faisal, spokesman for the Afghan national security adviser’s office, previously said nearly 600 Taliban prisoners whose release is being sought have been convicted of serious crimes. The government is reluc-tant to set them free, he said.

It seemed unlikely the gov-ernment would free the remain-ing Taliban prisoners before the Muslim holiday.

The release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners held by the government and 1,000 government personnel and security officials in Taliban custody is laid out in a U.S. deal with the Taliban aimed at ending Afghanistan’s relentless wars.

According to the deal, the pris-oner exchange is to take place ahead of talks between Kabul and the Taliban, seen as perhaps the most critical part of the deal.

Shaheen’s tweet was the first offer at a timeline for the negotia-tions, however he demanded the prisoner release be completed first and refused any substitutes to the list of prisoners submitted by the Taliban.

Kabul has offered to free al-ternative Taliban members they have in custody and who they say have not been convicted of serious crimes. The Taliban have refused.

The government’s national rec-onciliation council membership has yet to be decided. It is being led by Abdullah Abdullah, a can-didate in last year’s presidential election who disputed the results

and had for a time declared him-self president. He was appointed to head reconciliation efforts to break the political deadlock over the election, which had frustrat-ed Washington’s efforts to get intra-Afghan negotiations off the ground.

Meanwhile, in the Qatar capi-tal of Doha, where the Taliban maintain a political office, the religious movement has finalized its 20-member negotiating team, which includes 13 members of the Taliban’s leadership council.

Taliban officials who spoke previously said the strength of the team means it can make deci-sions on behalf of the movement.

The Taliban team is also led by one of the founders of the move-ment, Mullah Abdul Ghani Bara-dar, who spent eight years in a jail in Pakistan after he attempted

to open peace talks in 2010 withPresident Hamid Karzai.

Baradar’s independent peaceovertures were apparently made without either Pakistan’s or theUnited States’ prior approval, according to Karzai. Karzai hassaid he twice asked Islamabadand Washington to free Baradar.He was rejected both times, he said.

Now, however, Baradar speakson the phone with U.S. Secretaryof State Mike Pompeo and wasthe leading negotiator in talkswith U.S. peace envoy ZalmayKhalilzad, which resulted in a peace deal between the Talibanand the U.S. It was touted as Af-ghanistan’s best chance at peacein decades when it was signedFeb. 29. However, it has beenbogged down over the release ofprisoners.

BY CHAD GARLAND

Stars and Stripes

The U.S.-led coalition in Iraq is due Saturday to hand over to Iraq some $5 million in facilities and equipment and a base south of Baghdad, where some 50,000 Iraqis have been trained as part of the global fight against the Is-lamic State.

The formal handover of the Besmaya Range Complex follows the coalition’s relinquishment this spring of several smaller bases in the country, where offi-cials now deem ISIS a “low-level insurgency.”

Iraq will take over millions of dollars’ worth of enhanced weapons, ranges and mock urban villages at Besmaya, Maj. Gen. Kenneth P. Ekman, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation In-herent Resolve deputy command-er, said in a videoconference from Baghdad with Pentagon reporters earlier this week.

Spain has led training at the complex since 2015, provid-ing instruction in skills such as marksmanship, urban combat, and fighting in tunnels and caves. ISIS built tunnels throughout urban areas to hide its move-ments and equipment from aerial surveillance and bombardment, after seizing control of swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014.

The group’s fighters continue to hide out in caves in mountain ranges in Iraq, but ISIS no longer controls any territory and is less able to “wage full-scale war,” the U.K. Defense Ministry said in a statement last week. It is still capable, however, of launching guerilla-style attacks and contin-ues to inspire attacks elsewhere, it said.

The ministry said its forces would depart Camp Taji, a base north of Baghdad where Austra-lia and New Zealand concluded their training missions in recent months, too. But more than 100

British troops will remain in the country, and Royal Air Force jets from the Greek island of Crete will continue to patrol the skies over Iraq and Syria.

The withdrawals from Taji fol-low the coalition’s turnover in March and April of five bases, including Qayarah Airfield West near Mosul, K-1 near Kirkuk and Taqaddum Air Base west of Baghdad.

Part of a long-planned consoli-dation of forces, the handovers were sped up after tensions be-tween the U.S. and Iran flared in late December, leading to back-and-forth strikes and other esca-lations that left three Americans

and a British soldier dead and many others wounded.

Spain’s forces will return home from Besmaya as the coalition continues to reduce its troop pres-ence. Though U.S. forces are like-ly to remain in Iraq for a while, their numbers are expected to shrink from the current level of 5,200, officials said.

“There will be some degree of a reduction in force in Iraq,” Ekman said. “That’s what suc-cess looks like.”

The troop drawdowns reflect a shift this month from direct training or accompanying troops on operational raids, to more “high-end advice and support to

the operational command level,”the Air Force general said.

Overall, the coalition hastrained more than 250,000 Iraqi troops. The Iraqis now lead theinstruction programs and conductoperations mostly on their own throughout the country, he said,but they still need the coalition’s help in planning, intelligence and surveillance, and airpower.

“The Iraqi Security Forces are already stronger than ISIS,” hesaid. “Our high-level advising ap-proach is moving our Iraqi part-ners to improve self-reliance.”

garland.chad@stripes.comTwitter: @chadgarland

U.S. Army

A Portuguese soldier teaches Iraqi Federal Police weapon safety at the Besmaya Range Complex in Iraq last year.

U.S. Army

Iraqi soldiers from the 40th Brigade conduct a night live-fire exercise at the Besmaya Range Complex in 2018.

Taliban ready to begin talks after holiday

Coalition to givebase, equipment to Iraqi military

WAR ON TERRORISM

• S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 7Saturday, July 25, 2020

BY COREY DICKSTEIN

Stars and Stripes

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force Academy will return its en-tire 4,000-cadet student body to its Colorado Springs, Colo., cam-pus by July 31 in preparation to begin fall classes in mid-August amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, academy officials an-nounced Thursday.

Some 3,000 sophomore, junior and senior cadets will join the 1,145 freshmen who arrived on campus June 25 to begin basic cadet training, academy officials said in a statement. It will mark the first time that returning ca-dets come to the campus after they were sent home in mid-March over concerns about the fast-spreading virus.

“The safety of cadets, staff and the entire [U.S. Air Force Acad-emy] community, as well as the Colorado Springs community, remains our number one prior-ity,” according to the statement, which boasted the recall of stu-dents would make the academy among the first American uni-versities with its full student body on campus.

The Air Force Academy will take a variety of precautions aimed at ensuring safety and mitigating any potential spread of the coronavirus among its student

body, including social distancing on campus, the use of online and in-person classes, and a testing program aimed at rooting out as-ymptomatic carriers of the virus. It will also house 400 of its cadets in off-campus hotels to ensure it has enough space to isolate and quarantine individuals who con-tract or are exposed to the coro-navirus, officials said.

“The select group of healthy cadets living off-base will be sub-ject to the same stringent military training and academic standards, and safety protocols as the cadets remaining on base,” according to the academy statement.

The decision to recall the ca-dets to school comes as univer-sities and other schools wrestle with the prospects of returning students to classrooms amid the pandemic that is surging in some areas of the country, especially in several southeastern states, Texas, and California, according to Johns Hopkins University sta-tistics. The United States report-ed more than 3.9 million cases of the virus and more than 143,000 deaths as of Thursday, according to the university.

Officials said the Air Force Academy worked with local, state and federal public health officials to formulate a plan to re-turn students to the school safely. They said ensuring the cadets

continued their studies and were on a course toward commission-ing into the Air Force and Space Force was a national security priority, labeled “mission essen-tial” by Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

Cadets returning to campus will be tested for the coronavirus four times in their first two weeks — when they first arrive and on their seventh, 10th and 14th day at the academy. They will then be randomly tested throughout the fall semester “to identify any po-tential asymptomatic cases in the earliest stages possible,” accord-ing to the academy.

Officials described the plan-ning to return cadets to school as “a daunting challenge,” which relied heavily on the input of a Pandemic Math Team made up

of academy experts in statistics, mathematical modeling, biology, virology, and public health. The team used real time data to model a coronavirus testing program to ensure cadets could safely return to the academy without trigger-ing a major outbreak, according to the statement.

Within the freshman class already on campus, less than 2% tested positive for the virus, within the range predicted by the team, officials said. Those offi-cials declined to provide specific numbers of positive cases, but they said there had been no large spread of the virus among its in-coming students. Those fresh-men cadets are conducting basic cadet training while following public health guidelines, includ-ing social distancing, wearing

face coverings, and limiting theirinteractions to small groups ofabout 30 cadets. The Air Force Academy on March 13 dismissedits freshmen, sophomore and ju-nior cadets to return home and finish their spring semestercoursework from their homes.School leaders chose to keep se-nior cadets slated to graduate on campus to complete their studiesprimarily via virtual classes.

On April 18, the academy grad-uated 967 officers into the mili-tary during an unprecedented graduation ceremony in whichfamily and friends watched the commencement online and the cadets commissioned into themilitary while separated by atleast 6 feet from one another.dickstein.corey@stripes.comTwitter: @CDicksteinDC

BY MATTHEW M. BURKE Stars and Stripes

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The Marine Corps on Okina-wa reported 41 new coronavirus cases Friday, bringing to 196 the total from two clusters discovered after Fourth of July weekend.

The latest infections were dis-covered “within the last 24 hours” through the Marine Corps’ trace-and-test process and involve per-sonnel attached to Marine Corps Installations Pacific and III Ma-rine Expeditionary Force on Oki-nawa, spokesman Maj. Ken Kunze wrote Friday in an emailed state-ment to Stars and Stripes.

He did not specify whether the individuals were Marines, civil-ian employees, contractors or family members.

Twenty-seven of the 41 cases stem from a cluster outbreak at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma; the remaining 14 are at Camp Hansen, the site of another outbreak.

The 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base also announced a new posi-tive case Friday afternoon, ac-cording to a post on the base

Facebook page. The individual tested positive before leaving the 14-day quarantine period man-dated upon arrival on Okinawa and had no contact with anyone on or off base, the message said.

The Kadena case was identified through a “recently implement-ed” mandate to test all service

members, civilian employees, contractors and family members before they are permitted to exit quarantine, according to the wing statement on Facebook. The wing also completed contact tracing for that individual.

On Friday, U.S. Forces Japan announced a new policy requir-

ing anyone in the mandated quar-antine period to test negative for the coronavirus before they’re permitted to leave quarantine. That policy applies to all U.S. bases in Japan.

Of the 41 Marines, some have been in quarantine since July 12, but most have been restricted since July 18, the Marine Corps statement said. They have been moved into isolation.

“All of those individuals were from batch testing that has been pending, one as far back as 12 July,” Kunze wrote. “With the high volume of test results that have been pending since last week, this wasn’t a surprise.”

Kunze said restrictions under Health Protection Condition-Charlie will remain in place through the weekend as part of the service’s “aggressive contain-ment effort.” Charlie represents a substantial risk of coronavirus transmission.

Another five Marines infected during the outbreak were re-leased from isolation, according to the Marines on Friday. They join 27 others released earlier in the week.

To date, the Marines have re-ported 109 cases at MCAS Futen-ma and 87 at Camp Hansen.

The Marine statement Fridayfrom Kunze implored membersof the service to “diligently ad-here to strict hygiene recommen-dations,” maintain social distanceand always wear a mask.

“Our focus remains on stopping the spread as we continue to con-duct mission essential training insupport of regional security andstability,” it said.

Prefectural officials were not available to comment Thursday and Friday due to a Japanese hol-iday. Ten new cases were report-ed in the Okinawa community Friday, according to the RyukyuShimpo newspaper, raising to 172the number of coronavirus casesin the local community since the pandemic was declared.

Since July, the prefecture has reported 29 infections, the major-ity of which were traced to visitsto Japan’s main islands. Stars and Stripes reporter Hana Kusumoto contributed to this report.burke.matt@stripes.comTwitter: @MatthewMBurke1

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Air Force Academy cadets to return to campus by Friday

Marines on Okinawa report 41 new coronavirus cases

JUAN CARPANZANO/U.S. Marine Corps

A Marine from Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division conducts a temperature check at Camp Courtney, Okinawa, on July 13 .

JOSHUA ARMSTRONG/U.S. Air Force

The class of 2024 Basic Cadets prepare for the march out to Jack’s Valley for basic cadet training at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Monday .

PAGE 8 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S •

BY DEVLIN BARRETT

The Washington Post

WASHINGTON — Two federal inspectors general announced Thursday that they will investi-gate how Justice Department and Homeland Security agents used force, detained people and con-ducted themselves at high-profile clashes with protesters in Port-land, Ore., and Washington.

Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz will investigate how U.S. marshals have used force in Portland, and how other parts of the Justice Department — such as the FBI; Drug Enforcement Administra-tion; and Bureau of Alcohol, To-bacco, Firearms and Explosives — were used to quell unrest in the nation’s capital.

The Department of Homeland Security inspector general, Jo-seph Cuffari, said in a letter to lawmakers that he opened an in-vestigation into allegations that Customs and Border Protection agents “improperly detained and transported protesters” in Port-land and that he would review the deployment there of DHS person-nel in recent weeks.

The inspector general inves-tigations add to a growing list of inquiries into events in Portland and Washington, where local offi-cials have criticized federal agen-cies for what they have called heavy-handed aggression toward peaceful protesters.

The Democratic leaders of

three congressional panels —Reps. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., of the Judiciary Committee; Caro-lyn Maloney, D-N.Y., of the Over-sight and Reform Committee; and Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., of the Homeland Security Committee — said in a joint statement that the investigations are “critically im-portant” because the Trump ad-ministration has pledged to send federal agents to more cities .

Lawmakers had pressed Horowitz in recent weeks to in-vestigate whether the Trump administration was misusing fed-eral law enforcement resources, particularly when it came to rules

of engagement, and the use of tear gas and less-lethal munitions.

As part of those reviews, the inspector general will examine what federal law enforcement did in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 1, when protesters were forcibly cleared from the area just before Presi-dent Donald Trump walked to a nearby church and held up a Bible in front of photographers.

That inquiry will be coordinat-ed with the inspector general for the Department of Interior, which includes the U.S. Park Police, an agency that played a large role in the events of that day.

BY GILLIAN FLACCUS

Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. — A fed-eral judge specifically blocked U.S. agents from arresting or using physical force against journalists and legal observers at protests in Oregon’s largest city where President Donald Trump is testing the limits of federal power.

Federal agents appeared to deploy tear gas early Friday to force thousands of demonstra-tors from crowding around the federal courthouse.

Protesters had projected lasers on the building and at-tempted to take down a security fence that had been reinforced to keep demonstrators at a dis-tance. The protesters moved away as clouds of gas rose from the area and flash gre-nades could be heard.

U.S. Judge Michael Simon made his ruling late Thursday, a day after Portland’s mayor was tear-gassed by federal agents while making an ap-pearance outside a federal courthouse during raucous demonstrations.

Simon had previously ruled that journalists and legal ob-servers are exempt from police orders requiring protesters to disperse once an unlawful assembly has been declared. Federal lawyers intervened, saying journalists should have to leave when ordered.

“This order is a victory for the rule of law,” Jann Carson, ACLU of Oregon’s interim executive director, said in a statement.

The judge said objections by law enforcement were out-weighed by First Amendment concerns.

“None of the government’s proffered interests outweigh the public’s interest in accu-rate and timely information about how law enforcement is treating” protesters, he wrote.

Simon’s order is in effect for 14 days. Journalists and ob-servers must wear clear iden-tification, he said. A freelance photographer covering the protests for The Associated Press submitted an affidavit that he was beaten with batons and hit with chemical irritants and rubber bullets this week.

Saturday, July 25, 2020

NATION

China tells US to close consulate as tensions rise

Watchdogs to examine law enforcement actions in protests

Judge blocks US agents from arresting journalists

BY JOE MCDONALD

Associated Press

BEIJING — China ordered the United States on Friday to close its consulate in the western city of Chengdu, ratcheting up a diplo-matic conflict at a time when re-lations have sunk to their lowest level in decades.

The move was a response to the Trump administration’s order this week for Beijing to close its consulate in Houston after Wash-ington accused Chinese agents of trying to steal medical and other research in Texas.

The Chinese foreign ministry appealed to Washington to re-verse its “wrong decision.”

Chinese-U.S. relations have soured amid a mounting array of conflicts including trade, the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, technology, spying accusations, Hong Kong and alle-gations of abuses against Chinese Muslims.

“The measure taken by China

is a legitimate and necessary re-sponse to the unjustified act by the United States,” said a foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin.

“The current situation in Chi-nese-U.S. relations is not what China desires to see. The United States is responsible for all this,” Wang said. “We once again urge the United States to immediately retract its wrong decision and create necessary conditions for bringing the bilateral relation-ship back on track.”

Wang said some consulate personnel “interfered in China’s internal affairs and harmed Chi-na’s security interests” but gave no details. He said Beijing com-plained “many times” to Wash-ington about that.

Also Friday, the U.S. State Department sent out a notice warning Americans in China of a “heightened risk of arbitrary detention.”

“U.S. citizens may be subjected

to prolonged interrogations and extended detention for reasons related to ‘state security,’ ” the no-tice said.

Americans may be detained or deported for “sending private electronic messages critical” of the Chinese government, it said. The notice gave no indication of what prompted the warning.

On Tuesday, the Trump ad-ministration ordered the Houston

consulate closed within 72 hours. It alleged Chinese agents tried to steal data from facilities including the Texas A&M medical system.

The ministry on Thursday rejected the allegations as “ma-licious slander.” It warned the Houston consulate’s closure was “breaking down the bridge of friendship” between the two countries.

The United States has an em-

bassy in Beijing and consulatesin five other mainland cities —Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu,Shenyang and Wuhan. It also hasa consulate in Hong Kong, a Chi-nese territory.

The consulate in Chengdu is responsible for monitoring Tibetand other areas in the southwestinhabited by non-ethnic Chineseminorities that are considered es-pecially sensitive by Beijing.

DAVID J. PHILLIP/AP

A FedEx employee removes a box from the Chinese Consulate Thursday, in Houston.

NOAH BERGER/AP

A Black Lives Matter protester lobs a projectile back at federal officers guarding the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse on Friday, in Portland, Ore.

• S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 9Saturday, July 25, 2020

Associated Press

CHICAGO — Two statues of Christopher Columbus that stood in Chicago parks were taken down early Friday at the direc-tion of Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a week after protesters trying to topple one of the monuments to the Italian explorer clashed with police.

Crews used a large crane to remove the statue in downtown Chicago’s Grant Park from its pedestal. A small crowd cheered and passing cars honked as the statue came down about 3 a.m. The second statue was removed about 5:30 a.m. Friday from Ar-rigo Park in Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhood.

In a statement issued after the statues were taken down, the Democratic mayor’s office said they were being “temporarily removed ... until further notice.” It said the removals were “in re-sponse to demonstrations that be-came unsafe for both protesters and police, as well as efforts by individuals to independently pull the Grant Park statue down in an extremely dangerous manner.”

“This step is about an effort to protect public safety and to preserve a safe space for an in-clusive and democratic public dialogue about our city’s sym-bols,” the mayor’s office said in the statement, which also noted the statues were removed follow-

ing “consultation with various stakeholders.”

“This statue coming down is because of the effort of Black and Indigenous activists who know the true history of Columbus and what he represents,” Stefan Cuevas-Caizaguano, a resident watching the removal, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Both the Grant Park and Arri-go Park statues were vandalized last month. Statues of Columbus have also been toppled or vandal-ized in other U.S. cities as protest-ers have called for the removal of statues of Columbus, saying that he is responsible for the genocide and exploitation of native peoples in the Americas.

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Bowing to the coronavirus threat, Presi-dent Donald Trump has scrapped plans for a four-night Republican National Convention celebration in Florida that had been set to draw more than 10,000 people to a pandemic hot spot to mark his renomination.

Trump had already moved the convention’s public events out of North Carolina because of virus concerns. But the spiking virus shifted to the South, too, and the planned gathering in Jacksonville increasingly appeared to be both a health and political risk. Trump and his advisers feared that going forward with big parties and “in-fomercial” programming in Flor-ida would ultimately backfire on the president.

“It’s a different world, and it will be for a little while,” Trump said, explaining his decision at a Thursday White House coronavi-rus briefing. “To have a big con-vention is not the right time.”

A small subset of GOP delegates will still formally renominate Trump on Aug. 24 in Charlotte, N.C., at an event scheduled to last just four hours.

Trump had decided last month to shift the ceremonial portions of the GOP convention to Florida because of a dispute with North Carolina’s Democratic leaders over holding an indoor gathering with throngs of supporters taking

a pass on face masks.But his plans for a grand gath-

ering in Florida started shrinkingalmost as quickly as the move was announced, as virus cases spikedin the state and other parts of thecountry.

Trump said he plans to de-liver his nomination acceptancespeech in an alternate form still to be determined — perhaps on-line. Trump campaign managerBill Stepien said the campaign will still “provide exciting, in-formative, and enthusiastic pro-gramming so Republicans cancelebrate the re-nomination of President Trump and Vice Presi-dent Pence.”

Trump said thousands of his supporters and delegates wantedto attend the events in Florida but“I just felt it was wrong” to gather them in a virus hot spot. Some ofthem would have faced quaran-tine requirements when they re-turned to their home states fromthe convention.

“We didn’t want to take any chances,” he added. “We have tobe vigilant. We have to be careful,and we have to set an example.”

Democrats will hold an almost entirely virtual convention Aug.17-20 in Milwaukee using livebroadcasts and online streaming,according to party officials. Joe Biden plans to accept the presi-dential nomination in person,but it remains to be seen whether there will be a significant in-per-son audience.

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Chi-nese consulate in San Francisco is harboring a Chinese researcher who lied about her military back-ground, the Justice Department said Thursday as it announced charges against that scientist and three others accused of conceal-ing their government ties.

The four researchers are ac-cused of lying on applications to work in the United States about their status as members of Chi-na’s People’s Liberation Army. All are charged with visa fraud.

The FBI, meanwhile, has in-terviewed visa holders in more than 25 American cities who are suspected of concealing their ties to the Chinese military. The DOJ believes that the deception is part of an ongoing, government-spon-sored effort to steal research and innovation from American uni-versities for Beijing’s economic gain.

“This is another part of theChinese Communist Party’s plan to take advantage of our open so-ciety and exploit academic insti-tutions,” John Demers, the DOJ’s top national security official, said in a statement.

Trump administration officialshave escalated their public con-demnations of China in the lastseveral weeks, with speeches byFBI Director Chris Wray, Attor-ney General William Barr andSecretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Three of the four defendantshave been arrested. The FBI be-lieves that the fourth, Tang Juan,has been harbored for weeks in the Chinese consulate in SanFrancisco. The DOJ says thescientist, who is listed in somecourt filings as Juan Tang, liedabout her military affiliation in avisa application in October as she made plans to work at the Uni-versity of California, Davis andagain in an FBI interview months later.

Associated Press

NEW YORK — A judge on Thursday ordered the release of President Donald Trump’s for-mer personal lawyer from prison, saying the government retali-ated against him for planning to release a book critical of Trump before November’s election.

Michael Cohen’s First Amend-ment rights were violated when he was ordered back to prison on July 9 after probation authori-ties said he refused to sign a form banning him from publishing the book or communicating publicly in other manners, U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein said during a telephone conference.

Hellerstein ordered Michael Cohen released from prison to home confinement by 2 p.m. on Friday.

“How can I take any other in-ference than that it’s retaliatory?” Hellerstein asked prosecutors,

who insisted in court papers and again Thursday that Probation Department officers did not know about the book when they wrote a provision of home confinement that severely restricted Cohen’s public communications.

“I’ve never seen such a clause in 21 years of being a judge and sentencing people and looking at terms of supervised release,” the judge said. “Why would the Bu-reau of Prisons ask for something like this ... unless there was a re-taliatory purpose?“

In his ruling, Hellerstein said he made the “finding that the purpose of transferring Mr. Cohen from furlough and home confinement to jail is retaliatory.” He added: “And it’s retaliatory for his desire to exercise his First Amendment rights to publish the book.”

Cohen, 53, sued federal prison officials and Attorney General

William Barr on Monday, saying he was ordered back to prison be-cause he was writing his book.

The Bureau of Prisons issued a spirited defense of its intentions after the ruling Thursday, calling any assertion that the reimpris-onment of Cohen “was a retalia-tory action is patently false.”

It said the terms of his home confinement were determined by the U.S. Probation Office, which is run by the courts, rather than the bureau.

“During this process, Mr. Cohen refused to agree to the terms of the program, specifical-ly electronic monitoring. In addi-tion, he was argumentative, was attempting to dictate the condi-tions of his monitoring, including conditions relating to self-em-ployment, access to media, use of social media and other account-ability measures,” the statement said.

NATION

ARMANDO L. SANCHEZ, CHICAGO TRIBUNE/AP

A work crew removes the Columbus statue in Grant Park in the early hours of Friday in Chicago.

Trump scraps GOPconvention amid Florida virus spike

Columbus statues removed

Judge orders Cohen’s release, calls his return to prison ‘retaliatory’

DOJ: Consulate has scientist who hid military background

PAGE 10 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S •

Wednesday some 15 miles off Florida’s Gulf Coast.

The agency said in a news re-lease that the boaters called at 2:09 p.m., saying their flat bottom fishing boat was taking on water and they needed assistance.

A Jayhawk helicopter crew lo-cated the men wearing life jackets and clinging to the capsized boat. They rescued Karim Odeh, Mark LaRoche and Kevin LaRoche, all of Cookeville, Tenn.

The crew hoisted them into the helicopter and took them to Tampa General Hospital for fur-ther evaluation. They had been in the water for about an hour. There was no additional update on their conditions.

Zoo searching for missing red panda

OH POWELL — Staff at the Columbus Zoo and

Aquarium were searching dense vegetation within the complex for a red panda that disappeared from its habitat.

The small nocturnal mam-mal, which is about the size of a raccoon, was last seen in her Asia Quest habitat on Tuesday evening.

“Red pandas are excellent climbers and live in trees,” the zoo said in a statement on Face-book. Following strong overnight storms, the search had centered on bent or broken tree branches leading to public pathways.

The zoo said the red panda does not pose a threat to the public, but other animals living nearby were brought indoors as a precaution to aid in the search.

Zebra foal dies at zoo; spinal injury suspected

AZ TUCSON — A Grevy’s zebra that was born on

July 4 at a Tucson zoo has died from a possible spinal injury, au-thorities said.

Reid Park Zoo officials said the foal was found lying next to his mother on Monday.

Initial radiographs show a fracture in the cervical spine, but zoo officials are uncertain of the nature of the injury or how the zebra sustained it.

A full necropsy will be per-formed to get a better under-standing of the circumstances surrounding the injury.

Authorities investigate collection box thefts

DE DOVER — Authorities in Delaware are inves-

tigating several thefts from U.S. Postal Service mail collection boxes.

Dover Police on Thursday re-ported at least eight cases in the past three weeks in which thieves

have removed mail from mail-boxes and stolen checks and other valuables from inside envelopes. Investigators said the suspects have altered checks to receive the money themselves, including one case for $40,000.

Collection boxes on Buckson Drive and on South Bradford Street have been targeted in the thefts, according to police.

Chase involving stolen SUV ends in crash

PA LIGONIER — A man driving a stolen SUV

led police on a high-speed chase through two counties in western Pennsylvania before crashing into cars parked at a restaurant, authorities said.

Gary Austin Blough, 18, of Johnstown, faces numerous counts including unlawful re-straint, reckless endangerment and drug possession.

The chase began around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, when state po-lice were notified that the stolen SUV was on Route 30 in Jenner. Troopers soon stopped the ve-hicle, but authorities say Blough

sped away, spurring a chase that saw the SUV reach speeds of up to 120 mph.

The chase ended about 10 minutes later, when the SUV hita guardrail and crashed into atleast two cars parked at the res-taurant in Ligonier. Blough ranaway from the crash scene butwas soon captured, authorities said.

Two people, including a ju-venile, were in the SUV withBlough, but it wasn’t clear if theywould face any charges.

Special hikes to discuss diversity and racism

TN GATLINBURG — Great Smoky

Mountains National Park Super-intendent Cassius Cash has devel-oped a new program that seeks to unite conversations about diver-sity and racism with the beauty ofthe mountains.

The goal of Smokies Hikesfor Healing is to provide “a safe space for individuals of all back-grounds and ethnicities to begindifficult conversations that canlead to change,” according to a news release from the park.Eight guided hikes with Cash will be held August through Decem-ber in different locations acrossthe park on the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

During the hikes, a facilitatorwill lead each group in a thought-provoking discussion aroundrace, according to the release.

Hikers can also coordinatetheir own groups using Smokies Hikes for Healing materials.

The dollar amount a La Pine, Ore., woman is ac-cused of embezzling from her former employer over six years. The Oregon Pride Nursery filed a report in February involving suspected fraud, ac-cording to the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office. The

business noted suspicious transactions and conducted an extensive audit, finding suspicious transactions dating back to 2013, KTVZ-TV reported. It was determined that about $4.4 million had been embezzled by a former employee identified as Jeanna Buxton, the sheriff’s office said. She has been arrested.

Saturday, July 25, 2020

From wire reports

AMERICAN ROUNDUPWoman attacked by rabid fox on her bed

NC GREENSBORO — A North Carolina woman

said she was attacked on her bed by a rabid fox who entered her home through a dog door.

The animal came into Julie Loflin’s bedroom in Greensboro, jumped on her bed, bit her fin-ger, and grabbed her ankle by its mouth, she told WGHP-TV. “I was praying that I would live,” she said.

Loflin grabbed the animal, holding it down by its neck for more than 12 minutes as she wait-ed for police to arrive. “I don’t know what else you could do,” she said.

Once authorities arrived, they pulled the fox away from her, the news outlet reported.

She was injured on her finger and ankle, and has since been given a rabies vaccine. The fox that attacked her tested positive for the virus Wednesday, the news outlet reported.

Gender-neutral driver license option available

PA HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania as of

Thursday is offering driver li-censes and identification cards with a gender-neutral designa-tion for people who do not want to be identified as either male or female.

The state Department of Transportation said that people can now choose that option in ad-dition to the “male” or “female“ designation. It will let motorists and those needing a state-issued identification card to use “X” as a third option to indicate gender.

In a statement, PennDOT Sec-retary Yassmin Gramian said it is critical to have an accurate identification card for access to employment, health care, hous-ing and more.

People who wish to change a current license or ID card can fill out Form DL-32 and bring it to any PennDOT driver license cen-ter to complete the process.

Historic church getting renovation for birthday

AK KENAI — The Holy Assumption of the

Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church in Kenai, Alaska, will un-dergo a major renovation for its 125th birthday.

The church, which was erected in 1896, will get a new roof, cu-polas and crosses. Construction began Monday and is estimated to last until September, the Pen-insula Clarion reported Tuesday.

The Russian Orthodox Sacred Sites in Alaska group dedicated to preserving the state’s Russian Orthodox monuments is donating $170,000 for the renovations in conjunction with other individu-als and organizations.

Coast Guard rescues 3 boaters off coast

FL CLEARWATER — The U.S. Coast Guard res-

cued three people from Ten-nessee after their boat capsized

THE CENSUS

Feeding time

4.4M

A zoo patron feeds a giraffe at the Oklahoma City Zoo on Thursday in Oklahoma City.

SUE OGROCKI/AP

• S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 11Saturday, July 25, 2020

MOVIES

Netfl ix documentary ‘Father Soldier Son’ questions human cost of military service

BY KEVIN CRUST

Los Angeles Times

There’s a scene in the devastat-ing new Netfl ix documentary “Father Soldier Son” where the Eisch family goes to the local

Regal cinema in upstate New York to see “American Sniper,” Clint Eastwood’s 2014 action-drama about Navy SEAL sharpshooter Chris Kyle. Beyond its non-

fi ction status, “Father” is a very different type of war movie, viewing military

service on a more human scale and ques-tioning the ultimate costs.

The Eisches are fi rst introduced in 2010. Brian Eisch, then 36, is a U.S. Army Ranger platoon sergeant based at Fort Drum, N.Y., serving in Afghanistan for a year. A single father following a divorce, his two sons, 12-year-old Isaac and 7-year-old Joey, stay with family in Wautoma, Wis., while he is away.

An emotional reunion during a two-week mid-deployment visit home is an early sign of the toll these separations

take on troops and the families they leave behind. Even under the best of circum-stances, this is not an easy life.

A third-generation military man, Eisch is a strong believer in the meritocracy of the military: If you work hard and do well, you will be promoted. He instilled pride and patriotism in his boys and de-spite the long absences, there is a strong bond. However, just two months after the tearful reunion, Eisch suffered serious wounds to both legs and returned home, forever changing the family’s dynamic.

Produced by the New York Times and directed by journalists Leslye Davis and Catrin Einhorn, “Father Soldier Son” follows the Eisches over a very diffi cult decade. Einhorn fi rst encountered Brian while covering his Army battalion as part of the multimedia project “A Year at War,” and the charismatic soldier became the focus of an article.

For the documentary, Davis and Einhorn repeatedly visited the family in Lacona, N.Y., 40 miles from Ft. Drum, documenting Brian’s rehabilitation process and eventual retirement from

the Army. He gets a girlfriend, Maria, and they are joined by her youngest son, Jordan, creating a blended family.

Brian struggles with a loss of identity, being “not mission capable” as he puts it, and despite being home all the time, his relationships with his sons suffer. Seeing their father in a different way has a pro-found effect on both boys, setting them on different courses. The exuberant Joey loves Army life and can’t wait to grow up and enlist. The more introspective Isaac plans for college and a career in law enforcement.

The generous access given and the verite approach used by the fi lmmakers allow them to create an intimate portrait not only of a family in crisis, but a deep

examination of the underlying issues related to patriotism, fatherhood, family and masculinity.

“Father Soldier Son” is a demanding fi lm, a sometimes brutal story told with immense empathy. There is sorrow and joy; success and failure; marriage, birth and death. The Eisches are a tough crew, absorbing the challenges and even trag-edy with a fragile resilience.

“Is it worth the sacrifi ce?” may be the fi lm’s key question and the response seems to be an evolving one. Even the Eisches may not know the real answer for another generation. “Father Soldier Son” is rated R for language. Running time: 99 minutes.

REVIEW

THE NEW YORK TIMES/Netflix photos

After single father Brian Eisch is severely wounded in Afghanistan, he and his sons embark on a journey of sacrifice and a search for redemption in “Father Soldier Son,” a documentary 10 years in the making. Eisch is seen at top with his sons, Isaac, left, and Joey, and above with his now-wife, Maria.

PAGE 12 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, July 25, 2020

VIDEO GAMES

Built on imaginationTownscaper, a game about making cozy towns, shines in its simplicity

Oskar Stalberg photos

In Townscaper, players plop down building blocks and watch the game’s underlying algorithm automatically turn those blocks into houses, stairways, arches, bridges and lush backyards.

BY ELISE FAVIS

The Washington Post

Most games revolving around user-generated content require patiently mastering a learning curve. In Dreams, players are

guided through a series of tutorials before building. In Roblox, making worlds from scratch often requires scripting knowledge. In Townscaper, though, everything comes easily.

Townscaper, an early access game on Steam from Swedish game developer Oskar Stalberg, lets you instantly build cozy, coastal towns. You start with a blank canvas: just a blue sky and empty sea. Controls are limited

to placing one block at a time. Blocks placed on water become harbors, and blocks placed atop other blocks make rising towers, apart-ments and houses. You can undo and redo the placement of said blocks, and change their color as well. And that’s about it. It is not as complex as those other creative games, but Townscaper provides a joyful and easy creative outlet.

As someone who enjoys making virtual things but isn’t particularly skilled at it, I found its instantaneous nature gratifying. You feel like an excellent artist without any train-ing. I love clumping blocks together to form unusual architecture, like a cityscape held in the air by many small metal rods that extend into the sea below, or mixing and matching colors to make a single building with many different colorful compartments. You learn as you tinker. I enjoyed the small discoveries I made, like realizing that deleting blocks can make arches or terraces, and how enclosed spaces generate gardens within.

Townscaper has a hidden algorithm that in-stantly adds little fl ourishes to your creation. Many of these are small and randomized, but they bring life to your sleepy town. These in-clude coin-operated binoculars appearing on paths, seagulls perched on rooftops (they fl y off if you change the structure under them), and a string of paper fl ags strewn between buildings in alleyways. Much of the fun is rooted in the magical unknown. It’s amusing to see what pops up next.

Minimalist sound design, like the bub-bling of water or the “pop” when you layer blocks, is inconsequential to the gameplay but adds an additional sense of satisfaction. Townscaper is visually impressive; players might recognize the art style as similar to Bad North, an indie strategy game Stalberg

worked on prior to this title. Most design decisions look beautiful with little effort, and the clever audio elements only heighten the feeling of accomplishment.

As simple as Townscaper is to use, it doesn’t mean your creations have to be simple too. Despite only releasing a week ago, players have made grandiose creations, some building replicas of architecture found in pop culture like “The Lord of The Rings” or Tetris. Others have drawn on their own imagination. Townscaper is gaining traction on social media: A quick search of #Town-scaper on Twitter yields hundreds of results.

The game is still in early stages of develop-ment, so what’s out now is merely a glimpse of the possible fi nal product. As much as I love building villages, I couldn’t help but dream of more customization: eye-catching bridges, modes of transportation like trains, moving platforms or differently shaped blocks. It can be diffi cult to carve triangular paths, and it’s impossible to make circular buildings. These lapses never frustrated me, though, because the game features so many other avenues for creativity. Still, I’m hoping for more options in a future release.

Described by Stalberg as an “experimen-tal game” and “more of a toy” than a game, Townscaper could change based on user feedback. “I want to see how people interact with ‘Townscaper’ to help me fi gure out what direction to take it and what features to add,” he wrote.

Just like the unexpected creations the game can bestow, Townscaper’s future and what it blossoms into remains unknown. I, for one, can’t wait to see what comes next.

Platform: PCOnline: store.steampowered.com/

app/1291340/Townscaper

• S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 13Saturday, July 25, 2020

BY ALYSSA LUKPAT

The News & Observer(Raleigh, N.C.)

As the coronavirus pan-demic stretches into the year, more adults are drinking to cope, and

alcohol sales have surged across the country, a new study says.

Parents, women, unemployed people, Black people and adults with mental health concerns increased their alcohol con-sumption between February and April, according to a study released from RTI International, a nonprofi t research institute in Research Triangle Park.

“After the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 and also Hurricane Katrina, there was sustained increases in alcohol assump-tion,” said Carolina Barbosa, a health economist at RTI. “The weeks of isolation imposed by stay-at-home policies and the scale of the current pandemic are unmatched by these recent disasters.”

RTI surveyed nearly 1,000 people online in the United States last month to see how their alcohol consumption changed between February and April.

States across the country implemented different shelter-in-place measures beginning in March to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Gov. Roy Cooper or-dered North Carolinians to stay at home beginning March 25.

The respondents on average upped their daily alcohol intake from 0.74 drinks in February to 0.94 in April, RTI said.

About 35% reported excessive drinking in April, compared to 29% in February, and 27% re-ported binge drinking. The sur-vey did not differentiate between different types of alcohol.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends women do not consume more than three drinks per day and seven drinks per week and men no more than four drinks per day and 14 drinks per week. RTI defi ned exces-sive drinking as anyone who drank more than this total. Binge drinking, RTI said, is when a man consumes more than four drinks in two hours and a woman consumes over three in the same time frame.

Around 10% of respondents don’t drink at all, the study said.

“We also saw large increases in consumption among those who were not drinking in excess of recommended guidelines in Feb-ruary,” Barbosa said. “And this is especially concerning, because this is not people who always drank a lot suddenly drinking more, this is people who drank within the guidelines drinking a lot more.”

Nationwide alcohol sales climbed 26% between March and June this year compared to last year, according to the Nielsen Corp.

Liquor sales in North Carolina surged 21% last month compared to June of last year, the N.C. ABC Commission reported. Sales also jumped 21% in March.

Alcohol consumption weakens immune systems and makes people more susceptible to COVID-19, RTI said.

Inside the numbersThe study breaks down the

respondents’ answers by race. White people reported consum-ing about one drink per day, which is more than any other racial group, but Black people reported the most excessive drinking, the study said. RTI said 66% of survey respondents were white, 19% were Hispanic, 9% were Black and 7% were “other.”

“As we saw with females, non-white respondents increased more in relative terms because those groups drank less than white respondents did in Feb-ruary,” said William Dowd, a research economist at RTI.

Women reported more binge

and excessive drinking than men between February and April. Unemployed people drank twice as much as people with jobs in the last few months. About 30% of respondents said they drank seven more days per month than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“About a quarter of the sample reported having kids in the household, and three quarters did not. Respondents with kids reported an increase in drinks per day that was more than four times as large on average than the subgroup without kids,” Dowd said.

People who live in the West drank 0.35 more drinks in April than February, the highest increase of any region. People

who live in the South reported consuming 0.16 more drinks than usual during this period.

Why are people drinking more?

RTI believes people drank more in April than February because people had more leisure time and were stressed about the coronavirus pandemic. Lax alcohol policies made it easier for these people to buy alcohol, Barbosa said.

“After the enactment of stay-at-home orders in many states and the relaxation of several state alcohol regulations, alcohol consumption, including drink-ing above the recommended guidelines and binge drinking,

increased,” Barbosa said.State offi cials in Maryland,

New Jersey and New York deemed liquor stores essential, and restaurants in New York, Vermont, Nebraska, Colorado and California can sell drinks for takeout and delivery.

North Carolina, however, has not relaxed alcohol restrictions, said Jeff Strickland, a spokes-person for the N.C. ABC Com-mission. But the state is allowing stores to sell alcohol for curbside pickup as these businesses strug-gle because of the pandemic.

“North Carolina ... in fact tightened (alcohol regulations),” Strickland said. “For example, no onsite consumption of alcohol was allowed at any ABC-permit-ted business during Phase 1, and some businesses are still unable to have onsite consumption dur-ing Phase 2.”

North Carolina is still in Phase 2 of the state’s coronavirus reopening plan. Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday that he would extend the time frame for this phase another three weeks for the second time.

Bars are still shut down under Phase 2, but restaurants can open at half-capacity.

Beer and wine delivery is legal in North Carolina, according to the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association.

Orange County last week limit-ed dining-room sales and banned restaurants from selling bever-ages, including alcohol, after 10 p.m., the N&O reported. Offi cials from Durham and Wake counties do not have plans to implement similar restrictions.

Coronavirus cases continue to climb in North Carolina. Over 87,000 people have tested posi-tive for COVID-19 in North Caro-lina and 1,510 people have died, the state reported Monday.

Long-term effects of alcohol consumption

Alcohol consumption is the third-leading preventable cause of death in the U.S. behind tobacco and poor diets, accord-ing to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Almost 6% of deaths world-wide in 2012 were connected to alcohol consumption, the World Health Organization said.

“(A) big question is whether relaxed rules on alcohol sales can become permanent after the pandemic,” Barbosa said. “If these measures are not reversed post-pandemic, they have the potential to increase population-level alcohol consumption and corresponding harms for the long term.”

Kurtis Taylor, the executive director of the Alcohol/Drug Council of North Carolina, said the coronavirus pandemic is causing stress and anxiety that makes some people want to drink more.

“I think that the shelter-in-place aspect has had devastating and long-term effects — many that we haven’t seen the full results from yet,” Taylor said in a statement to the N&O. “People are developing issues that will not be easily shaken.”

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Stress, isolation and free time: People consuming more alcohol amid pandemic, according to study

iStock

PAGE 14 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, July 25, 2020

In the era of social distancing, robots are here to lend a hand

BY SIMON DENYER, AKIKO KASHIWAGI AND MIN JOO KIM

The Washington Post

As the coronavirus pandemic rewrites the rules of human interaction, it also has inspired new thinking about how robots and other machines might step in.

The stuff of the bot world — early factory-line automation up to today’s artifi cial intelligence — has been a growing fact of life for decades. The worldwide health crisis has added urgency to the question of how to bring robotics into the public health equation.

Nowhere is that truer than in Japan, a country with a long fascination with robots, from android assistants to robot receptionists. Since the virus arrived, robots have offered their services as bartenders, security guards and deliverymen.

They don’t necessarily need to supplant humans, researchers say. They also can bridge the gap between people mindful of social distance — now or when the next major contagion hits.

Want to drop in on your elderly parents but are afraid of passing on a coronavirus infection? Maybe you’re missing your grandchildren, and fi nding Zoom chats a little limiting?

Ideas are brewing.

TECH

Hugging the botThe “newme” robot developed

by Japanese company Avatarin is basically a tablet computer on a stand, with wheels. The user controls the avatar from a laptop or tablet, and his or her face shows on the avatar’s screen.

“It’s really like teleport-ing your consciousness,” said founder and CEO Akira Fuka-bori. “You are really present.”

Already available commercial-ly, Avatarin’s robots have been used by doctors to interact with patients in a Japanese coronavi-rus ward; by university students in Tokyo to “attend” a graduation ceremony; and by fans of the Yomiuri Giants baseball team to remotely interview their favor-ite players after games held in empty stadiums.

There are even avatar robots that have just arrived in the International Space Station.

But it’s the way the robot is already being used by families separated by the coronavirus that really underscores the heart of the technology — starting with the family of the company’s chief operating offi cer, Kevin Kajitani, whose parents live in Seattle.

“His parents can’t always come and visit their grandson,” Fukabori said. “But they always access the avatar, and can even chase their grandson. And the grandson really hugs the robot.”

Avatarin is part of Japan’s ANA airline group, and the company has joined with the X Prize Foundation to launch a $10 million, four-year contest for companies to create more com-plex robots that could further develop the avatar concept.

“You need to move,” Fukabori said. “This is really important, because we forget the freedom of this mobility. You can just walk around, and people will talk to you about really, really natural things. That creates human trust. That isn’t as easy in WebEx or Zoom, where if you don’t know each other it’s really hard to keep talking.”

Work is underway on proto-

types that allow users to control a remote robot through virtual reality headsets and gloves that allow the wearer to pick up, hold, touch and feel an object with a distant robotic hand, with po-tential uses ranging from space

exploration to disaster relief or elderly care.

But Fukabori said the cheaper, lightweight avatars offer more immediate and affordable uses. What sets this project apart from existing avatar robots, the com-pany says, is the ability for users to access the robots easily from a laptop, by renting them out rather than having to buy them.

Avatarin hopes to install the avatars in more hospitals and in elderly-care centers, shops, mu-seums, zoos and aquariums. The company also aims to have 1,000 in place for next year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Cleaning patrolIn Tokyo, robotics lab ZMP

has been developing three small

bots to help compensate for Japan’s shrinking labor force, employing the same technology as self-driving cars.

A delivery robot aims to transport goods ordered on-line from local warehouses to customers’ doors; a patrol robot, with six cameras, does the job of a security guard; a self-driving wheelchair can be programed to take users to specifi c destina-tions. The wheelchair is already available and approved for use on Tokyo streets. The others still await offi cial permission to venture out alone in public.

Now, the patrol robot has been adapted so it can also disinfect surfaces as it patrols, and is attracting interest from Tokyo’s Metro stations as well as other businesses.

In May, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe noted surging demand for unmanned deliveries and pledged to carry out tests to see if delivery robots were safe to use on roads and sidewalks by the end of the year.

Even the self-driving wheel-chair can come into its own amid a coronavirus-fi lled world, the company said, potentially help-ing elderly people move around more independently without a helper who might be a vector for the virus.

“Before corona, most custom-ers wanted to reduce workers,” said ZMP’s chief executive, Hisashi Taniguchi. “But after corona, our customers changed drastically. Now, they want to ac-celerate unmanned systems.”

Bot bartenderQbit Robotics, also in Tokyo,

has programmed a robotic arm and hand to interact with cus-tomers and serve them coffee, mix cocktails or even serve a simple cup of instant pasta.

President and chief executive Hiroya Nakano said he aims not to replace human interaction but to supply robots that can communicate and entertain in a “friendly” way.

While robots can sometimes

MIN JOO KIM/The Washington Post

Students practice dance moves with a robot at Wooam Elementary School in Seoul, South Korea.

SIMON DENYER/The Washington Post

Akira Fukabori, founder and chief executive of Japanese company Avatarin, demonstrates the “newme” robot avatar by chatting to a colleague June 18 in Tokyo.

‘ Until now, expectations have been high for what robots can do in the future, but they haven’t been able to do what humans do. But now we are living with the coronavirus, the idea of no contact or automation has become especially important. And I feel there is an extremely high expectation for robots to meet that demand. ’

Hiroya NakanoPresident Qbit Robotics

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

Their time has come

• S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 15Saturday, July 25, 2020

BY GREGG ELLMAN

Tribune News Service

Often I read about new security cameras and they seem to have one or two really cool

features. Recently, I saw that Hoop had rolled out the Hoop Cam and Hoop Cam Plus, and they seemed to have everything I wanted.

Specifi cally, high quality video, face recognition, a companion application for both iOS and Android, custom profi les, Geo-Fencing (my personal favorite security feature) and storage options for cloud or your own microSD memory cards. And it comes at a really fair price.

Not long ago, set-ting up any home security system was complex, but not any-more. Hoop makes it

as easy as it can get.My setup with the Hoop Cam

Plus began by downloading their app , which included a security code sent to confi rm that you are you.

It then walks you through setting up a profi le with simple step-by-step instructions in the app for when you are home, away or in high alert. Different settings can be used for day or night, both with notifi cations.

Every step within the app was easy, which keeps the average user’s frustration levels down and in turn keeps the product from being returned. Setting up

the profi les and rules was as easy as any camera I’ve setup.

The clips are in a scrollable list for that day or you can go to a prior day.

The Hoop Cam Plus ($79.99) and Hoop Cam ($59.99) both feature 1080p wireless video streaming, night vision, motion-sensing technol-ogy, two-way audio

from the camera to the app and integration with Google Home and Alexa. For the Plus they added motorized 350-degree motion panning and 45-degree tilting.

As mentioned, storage can be done in the bottom side built-in microSD memory card slot with your own card or cloud subscrip-tions, which start at $12.99 per month for the fi rst three cameras and $1.99 more for each addi-tional camera.

One funny note, when the camera is plugged in for power with the included tangle free microSD cord, the camera looks like it goes through a stretching exercise. It’s really a self-check, but you’ll see.

Now I understand why Hoop is called “your clever little helper” on the Hoop site and boxes. Plus, they look cool — true it’s a home security camera but with a fun, edgy, modern appearance, so it doesn’t make your house look like a bank lobby.

Online: hoophome.com. Both cameras are available in red, grey and white

If you’re not a Photoshop wiz or just don’t have the time, Vivid-Pix Restore is a great one-click software for image restoration of

digital images.It’s really straight forward:

select your digital image and the software then gives you nine choices, each with a slightly dif-ferent correction of your original image. From there choose what looks best and save it. Batch-editing is also a choice for large quantities of images.

You can do further adjust-ments, which I didn’t because I liked the choices the software (Mac and Windows) gave me. But you can adjust the contrast, brightness, color and rotate/tilt.

Obviously pictures needing to be brought back to life with the software have to be digital fi les, but once you scan in your

prints or slides, color or black and white, the results are almost magical.

Within the preferences you choose the JPG quality, sharp-ening and other features, which are all done with a single click. Images can be saved as JPGs or in TIFF format.

Each image takes seconds, and what I liked on the dozen or so images I tried on Vivid-Pix Restore’s patented AI image restoration was that it didn’t blow out the colors and whites like auto settings on other photo software I’ve tried. Metadata can also be added to the images.

Online: vivid-pix.com; $49.99, a free trial is also available

FROM PAGE 14

seem disturbing and alien to Westerners, they tend to be seen in a more welcoming light by many Japanese people, Nakano said.

“Until now, expectations have been high for what robots can do in the future, but they haven’t been able to do what humans do,” he said. “But now we are living with the coronavirus, the idea of no contact or automa-tion has become especially important. And I feel there is an extremely high expectation for robots to meet that demand.”

And one can dance, tooIn South Korea, a Chinese-made robot is already greet-

ing children in Seoul’s schools as they reopen.The Cruzr, with eyes that beam a neon-blue light and

a video screen on its chest, takes kids’ temperatures and reminds them to follow anti-virus rules.

“Please wear your mask properly,” the robot told a stu-dent last week at Wooam Elementary School whose mask wasn’t covering his nose.

Chinese robotmaker UBTech launched Cruzr in 2017 as a humanoid service robot for businesses, but the pandemic has given it added value as a personal assistant free from infection risks.

It is also being used by medical institutions for mass temperature screening, patient monitoring and medical record keeping, helping overwhelmed medical workers.

In June, Seoul’s Seocho district government deployed Cruzr robots to the district’s 51 public schools, helping reduce the burden on overworked teachers.

Before the robot came to school, teachers had taken kids’ temperatures as they arrived, creating long lines and raising infection risks from human contact. Now, the robot checks the temperature of multiple students as they walk by and immediately sounds an alarm if anyone has a fever.

“At fi rst, students were ill at ease with the robot greet-ing them at the school gate, but in a matter of weeks, stu-dents have embraced it as part of the school community,” said Yoo Jung-ho, head of Wooam’s science department.

At the school, students waved toward the robot at the gate as they walked into the school, and nodded in agree-ment when it reminded them about the mask rules.

The robot can also provide basic academic help and entertain students by teaching them simple dance moves.

“Of course, robots can’t replace teachers at classrooms yet, but there is signifi cant and rising potential for ‘con-

tactless’ teaching with the pandemic,” Yoo said.Nine-year-old Lee Hye-rin says she “befriended” the

robot after they danced together.“When I fi rst saw the robot standing in place of our

teachers greeting us at the entrance, I found it cold and disorienting,” Lee said. “But this robot is actually the same height as I am and also displays goofy dance moves,

and I realized I can befriend him and share a fun time.”But Lee feels the robot is not so friendly when it orders

her to wear her mask properly.“If I fail to follow the mask rule, my teacher’s warning

will be followed with a smile telling me to behave better in the future, but the robot doesn’t smile when it warns me about the mask,” she said.

GADGETS & TECH

GADGET WATCHSecurity camera has everything you need

SIMON DENYER/The Washington Post

Three robots developed by Japan’s ZMP are seen June 18 in the company’s office lobby in Tokyo; a self-driving wheelchair, from left, a patrol robot and a delivery robot.

VIVID-PIX/TNS

Vivid-Pix Restore is a great one-click software for image restoration of digital images.

The Hoop Cam Plus and Hoop Cam feature 1080p wireless video streaming, night vision, motion-sensing technology and two-way audio.

HOOP/TNS

Saturday, July 25, 2020PAGE 16 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S •

OPINIONMax D. Lederer Jr., Publisher

Lt. Col. Marci Hoffman, Europe commanderLt. Col. Richard McClintic, Pacific commander Caroline E. Miller, Europe Business Operations Joshua M. Lashbrook, Pacific Chief of Staff

EDITORIALTerry Leonard, Editor

leonard.terry@stripes.com

Robert H. Reid, Senior Managing Editorreid.robert@stripes.com

Tina Croley, Managing Editor for Contentcroley.tina@stripes.com

Sean Moores, Managing Editor for Presentationmoores.sean@stripes.com

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BY KATHY ROTH-DOUQUET

Special to Stars and Stripes

Kudos to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who this month ef-fectively banned display of the Confederate battle flag on U.S.

military installations, saying the “flags we fly must accord with the military impera-tives of good order and discipline, treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive symbols.” Ooh Rah! At Blue Star Families, we think this a great step toward improving military families’ sense of belonging.

The next step: rename the 10 Army bases named after Confederate generals (Fort Bragg, Fort Benning, Fort Lee, etc.). I love the Army, but one can’t help notic-ing that none of the other services have installations named after individuals who violated their oath to “support and defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” This is a problem the Army can solve.

The mission of my organization, Blue Star Families, is to support military fami-lies in ways that strengthen communities. We care deeply about having a strong mili-tary. When my colleagues and I started this work in 2009, we conducted surveys identifying challenges faced by modern military families. Our findings showed higher rates of depression, anxiety and other adverse outcomes in service mem-bers and spouses.

I found myself wondering, “Why?” After all, military families have many advan-tages: education, support systems, and programs (including subsidized housing, universal healthcare, etc.), as well as at least one steady source of income. With so many needs met, why were they expe-riencing such distress? The military mis-sion, while challenging, also gives many

people a strong sense of purpose and posi-tive morale.

The answer, I learned, has to do in part with the importance of social bonds, a net-work of connections, and a defining ele-ment of the military lifestyle — repeated PCS moves that break those bonds.

Blue Star Families works to build com-munity for our military families through social programming and advocacy. Our research, and the research of others, has shown that in order to thrive, people need to feel a sense of belonging. Improving military families’ sense of belonging not only benefits the individuals involved, but also the military writ large — by improv-ing mission readiness.

Recently, we polled military families on their reaction to protests against racial in-justice. We received nearly 1,500 respons-es. Our findings revealed many Black military families feel vulnerable within the communities in which they live. As one military spouse told us: “I work full time. I am a Black mother of two Black boys, and my husband is an active duty officer. We will move again in less than a month to a new neighborhood, and I am more fearful now than ever about whether the neighbor-hood will accept my boys and my family.”

The spouse’s fear is understandable. Af-rican American Blue Star Family members have shared that they feel a diminished sense of belonging to installation commu-nities named after Confederate generals who fought to preserve their enslavement and oppression.

As a Jewish mother and military spouse, I would feel anxious about relocating to an installation named “Fort Himmler” — after someone who fought for the en-slavement and extermination of families like mine. I would feel frightened, misun-derstood and disrespected.

We, as a military community, cannot

build belonging if Black military familiesdon’t feel seen, heard or respected.

Ultimately, the diminished sense of be-longing of our Black military families hasdire implications for mission readiness.In our surveys, limited belonging to one’s local community is associated with great-er stress and mental health diagnoses in military and veteran spouses. African Americans make up 16% of the active-dutymilitary. If nearly a fifth of the active-dutyforce feels a lack of belonging, the ADF’s readiness is being actively harmed.

I understand some individuals feel re-naming installations is an attempt to “erase history.” History should be taught — andwe should differentiate between markinghistory and misplacing honor. I get thatmany military families have positive asso-ciations with the names of installations onwhich they’ve served — associations with missions and units for which they have jus-tifiable pride. I’m confident we can holdon to the pride of the 82nd Airborne evenwhile Fort Bragg takes a new name. Evenmore important than familiarity for the health of the force is the effect that thesenames have on Black military families’sense of belonging.

To cultivate minority military families’ sense of belonging and safety in their com-munities — and thereby support mission readiness — the military will eventuallyneed to go beyond symbolic changes. For now, the least we can do as a military com-munity is to continue to affirm that AfricanAmerican military families belong, and re-name installations in favor of generals whoupheld their oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution. In the end, this movewill make our country stronger by makingour military stronger.Kathy Roth-Douquet is CEO and co-founder of Blue Star Families.

BY DAVID IGNATIUS

Washington Post Writers Group

WASHINGTON

What can American citizens do to help protect the integrity of our November presiden-tial election, after President

Donald Trump’s refusal last Sunday to pledge he’ll accept the outcome and his un-founded claims that the election could be “rigged”?

Be prepared, is the obvious first require-ment. Knowing there’s likely to be a chal-lenge to November’s results, state election officials should work diligently to provide safe and secure ways to count the votes, in-person and absentee. The coronavirus pandemic makes this planning harder — and more essential.

Be patient, is the second obligation. It may take a week after the Nov. 3 vote to confirm a reliable national tally. Partisans on both sides will be tempted to mount raucous demonstrations while the tense vote count continues. But that would play into Trump’s hands. As the country moves toward a possible political transition, law and order — and their essential compan-ion, justice — will be the people’s friend.

America isn’t Russia or China, whatever fantasies of lifetime rule Trump may en-tertain. Our top military leaders — from Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on down — have stated em-phatically that their oath is to the Constitu-tion, not to Trump. And the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts this year reaffirmed the independence and the in-tegrity of our judicial system.

These are safeguards against the dark scenarios that some analysts are spinning.

The worst could happen, to be sure, but there are strong counter-pressures to pre-vent a post-election crackup. And a caution to Trump nightmare scenarists on the left: Conspiracy theorizing by one side seems to encourage similar feverish thinking and mobilization by the other.

The good news is that election-secu-rity experts have been working hard for months to prepare for November. Richard Hasen, a law professor at the University of California at Irvine, chairs an ad hoc com-mittee that published a report in April that included 14 practical recommendations for legal, political, media and technology preparations to foster election security. Hasen published a book on the problem earlier this year: “Election Meltdown: Dirty Tricks, Distrust and the Threat to Democracy.”

Hasen said in an email Thursday that since the group’s report, “Lots of states have ramped up capacity to handle absen-tee ballots … and many are working on plans to run safe in-person polling places in the fall.” At least 76% of American vot-ers will be able to cast mail-in ballots , The Washington Post reported Thursday. Fif-teen states and the District of Columbia have made recent changes to make voting by mail easier, according to The Post.

More states should adopt contingency plans in case of disruptions on Election Day, Hasen urged. “What if there’s a cyber-attack that cuts the power in a city? What if the machines malfunction? States need to have back-up systems ready in case of elec-tion emergencies.” And the media should educate the public about the likelihood of delayed counting, with so many absentee ballots. “There need to be people speaking out if anyone tries to claim victory early,”

he said in the email.State and local election supervisors take

their jobs seriously, but voters need tomake sure their state authorities are readyfor an avalanche of absentee ballots in No-vember. Ballot places and counting centers need enough money, people and equipment to operate smoothly. The time to monitorthis — and fix any problems — is now.

Because Trump has already signaledthat he’ll raise vote-fraud issues, indepen-dent monitors and factcheckers should getready now to weigh unsubstantiated claimsthat results have been manipulated. And state election officials should plan how tocounter misinformation that might spreadon social media, advises Hasen.

What else can citizens do to get ready? More practical advice comes from Joshua Douglas, a law professor at the Univer-sity of Kentucky and author of “Vote forUS: How to Take Back Our Elections andChange the Future of Voting,” published last year. He urges that voters double-check their own voter registration statusto avoid last-minute problems; requestmail-in ballots (in states where a request is needed) as early as possible; and avoid sharing election news without checkingthe source first.

Lagging far behind former Vice Presi-dent Joe Biden in the polls, Trump has been working overtime to sow doubt aboutthe November balloting. “The Democrats are trying to Rig the 2020 Election, plain and simple!” he tweeted in May. “Becauseof MAIL-IN BALLOTS, 2020 will be themost RIGGED Election in our nation’s his-tory — unless this stupidity is ended,” hetweeted last month.

Four words for November: Be prepared;be patient.

Black military families’ sense of belonging

Election Day won’t be normal, but we can make it work

• S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 17

OPINIONSaturday, July 25, 2020

Honor Lewis’ ‘sacrifice in the name of the larger principles’

The Dallas Morning NewsRight now, America needs heroes. And

we have one for the ages in John Lewis.His life of sacrifice in the name of the

larger principles of freedom and equal-ity and his career of service to his coun-try are emblems of the better America we hope to be and the better America we can become.

In remembering him, we should remem-ber that the struggle for equality is an enduring human struggle, that it will not come cheaply nor easily, that the path can be dangerous and the pain very real, and that it will almost certainly never be over.

We can remember too, though, that it can be rewarded — that things can get bet-ter — and that Lewis’ sacrifice, along with those of the Freedom Riders and so many advocates for reform, bequeathed to us a better nation, where we more fully, if still imperfectly, embrace the individual digni-ty of each American and extend in law the protection of their basic human rights.

Lewis, who died at 80 on July 17 , had his skull cracked with a billy club as a young man to help bring us to this place where we are. And even as violence was done upon him, he rejected violence in return. The undeniable moral authority that he carried on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., in 1965 was the authority that finally mattered.

In considering his legacy, we must also consider the work that remains. Poverty, imprisonment and other legacies of slavery and codified racism still track our country. Lewis supported the marches in opposition of police violence against Black Americans and considered them an extension of his work as a young man.

We also hope, as we memorialize his life and all he did as a protester, organizer and congressman, that we don’t fail to recognize the truth that his work mattered because it made a real difference in our country and in improving the lives of Black Americans. The America that John Lewis died in is not the same America he was born into as the child of sharecroppers. It is not the same America that disenfranchised Black Americans as a matter of law and denied them basic human rights.

It is an America that took his search for justice and equality seriously, that cared his body was beaten and his skull frac-tured, that rejected the forces of inequal-ity, segregation and racism.

That better America is an America we must work toward every day. The struggle is renewed over and over in each of us as individuals and in all of us as a society.

John Lewis has died. But in a good and ever better America, John Lewis will live forever.

Charges unjust for couple who displayed guns at protesters

The Wall Street JournalBy now all America knows Mark and Pa-

tricia McCloskey from the video showing the St. Louis couple holding legal firearms as they defended themselves and their home from a crowd of protesters trespass-ing on their property. A politically moti-vated prosecutor on Monday charged the couple with unlawful use of a weapon.

The felony count is because they pointed their weapons at protesters. Mark McClos-key said he did so because he was “scared for my life,” and that of his wife. No shots

were fired. Yet now prosecutor Kim Gard-ner is charging them on grounds they made the trespassers fear for their safety.

The good news is that there’s been plenty of official blowback. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson tweeted that “We will not allow law-abiding citizens to be targeted for ex-ercising their constitutional rights.” He has promised a pardon if they’re convicted.

Attorney General Eric Schmitt is work-ing to get the case dismissed, noting that, in addition to the U.S. and Missouri consti-tutions, Missouri law recognizes the “cas-tle doctrine.” This allows residents to use force against intruders, including deadly force, based on self-defense and the notion that your home is your castle.

Gardner contends that those who sur-rounded the McCloskeys were “peaceful, unarmed protesters,” and the couple were therefore interfering in the crowd’s First Amendment rights. It doesn’t seem to have occurred to Gardner that the guns they carried may be a reason events didn’t turn violent. “I really thought it was Storming the Bastille, that we would be dead and the house would be burned and there was nothing we could do about it,” Mark Mc-Closkey told KSDK in an interview.

Even if the charges are dismissed, or the McCloskeys are pardoned after being convicted, again we have a public official responsible for upholding law and order wink at a mob while treating law-abid-ing citizens as criminals. If police cannot be counted on to deal with mobs, it’s even more vital that law-abiding Americans are free to exercise their Second Amendment right to protect themselves.

Trump sending federal officers to protests escalates tensions

Los Angeles TimesThe deployment of federal agents in

Portland, Ore., over the objection of state and local officials, to shoot and gas protest-ers and to snatch people from the street to stuff them into unmarked vans is an un-conscionable assault on democracy and a dangerous and needless ratcheting up of tension.

President Donald Trump’s action in de-fiance of Oregon’s governor and Portland’s mayor has predictably given new life to nonstop protests that began after the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapo-lis police custody but at last had begun to peter out. The president has thus employed his wretched talent for exacerbating divi-sion and inflaming discord at precisely the time the nation needs a leader to calm overheated passions and fears.

Presidents have broad power to deploy troops to quell lawlessness, but they gen-erally exercise that power only when gov-ernors request assistance, or when the commander in chief himself determines that state authorities are failing to deal with the problem.

They send in federal forces to protect

people or to enforce the Constitution, as when President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent troops to Little Rock, Ark., in 1957 to enforce the right of Black students to enroll in a previously all-white high school and to make clear that the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education would be enforced, that the doctrine of “separate but equal” had been overturned, and that state segregationists could not defy the basic American principle that all people are equal under law.

Trump, by contrast, directed federal agencies to use their muscle to protect stat-ues, monuments and other federal proper-ties, not people or the Constitution. And he said Monday that he plans to do this in more cities — evidently, because he thinks displaying force against the citizenry is going to help him in November.

This has become part of his pattern. In the weeks before overreacting to the Port-land protests, Trump used troops to clear his path for a photo op near the White House. He set forth his doctrine that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” He articulated his principle that states should “dominate the streets,” and if they didn’t, that he would override their authority.

It is a fact that some individuals have used the protests in Portland as an oppor-tunity to destroy property and inject chaos into the demonstrations. It fell to Portland leaders to strike the proper balance. They could respond with force, and thus play into protesters’ hands by presenting police en-gaged in precisely the kind of actions that were being protested; or they could moni-tor the situation, give protesters the room to make their case, tolerate some property losses and allow the demonstrations to die down on their own.

They made their choices, and they may well have made some bad ones. Portland has been on edge for weeks. But Mayor Ted Wheeler is the person answerable to the city’s people. He did not need, and did not seek, federal backup.

Trump’s insistence on federalizing the situation on his own undermines Port-landers’ control of their own city, and ex-acerbates the violence far more than the protesters’ actions did.

The president has in effect equated peo-ple protesting police brutality with terror-ists, and is treating them as such.

In October, before Trump’s impeach-ment, before the COVID-19 pandemic, before the death of Floyd and before the nationwide protests, the president signed an order creating a Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice. As with so many steps Trump takes, this one appeared to be geared di-rectly toward undoing an action of the Obama administration, in this case the creation of the 2015 President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.

The Obama task force delved into po-lice brutality, racial disparities in arrests and prosecutions, and other challenges

facing modern-day policing in the U.S. Its recommendations included enhancing ci-vilian oversight, improving training andbuilding trust and legitimacy. Many ofits efforts were rolled back by the Trumpadministration.

In launching Trump’s commission, At-torney General William Barr included as a central question something that appar-ently baffles him as well as the president:Why is there a “continued lack of trustand respect for law enforcement” in manycommunities?

The answer is right under their noses.It is spread out on the street with GeorgeFloyd, it is shoved alongside protesters into unmarked federal police vans, it stands agog, with many of us, at actions to protectstatues but shoot projectiles at people. Thepresident won’t look. He sees what he sees,with eyes that won’t open.

Why are high-profile Twitter accounts, or any, vulnerable?

The Washington Post“Tough day for us at Twitter,” company

chief executive Jack Dorsey tweeted July15 , after several high-profile accountson his site were hacked. This was an understatement.

The security breach the social media network experienced last week was alarm-ing not only for what happened but also forwhat could have happened. Accounts from Warren Buffett to Kanye West to Joe Biden promised to double money sent to a Bitcoin address. “I am giving back to my commu-nity due to covid -19!” former PresidentBarack Obama, another victim, appearedto declare.

The perpetrator made off with about$118,000. But imagine trusted accounts hi-jacked to share false news of a massive ter-ror attack and unleash financial meltdown— or imagine them taken over on ElectionDay to give voters false information about polling places. These worse-case scenari-os point to the risks when public and even government figures carry out essential functions on a single private platform. The mishap should teach elected officials notto rely exclusively on Twitter or Facebookor anything else to communicate with con-stituents. But it should also teach platforms to adopt smarter cybersecurity practices.

Twitter hasn’t yet provided a full post-mortem, but a blog post from the company combined with reporting from multiple outlets offers a peek: A hacker lurking on a forum generally used for stealing and thenselling credentials to accounts with cov-eted short-character screen names (oftenan individual letter or number such as @6or @y) boasted that he had access to Twit-ter’s internal controls.

He gained these through “social engi-neering” — which could mean phishing of employees or bribery or even an insider-initiated attack. Once he had done so, hecould bypass all the safeguards people are always being told are essential to respon-sible security.

Of course, these safeguards are still es-sential. But companies such as Twittermust also take steps to ensure the integrityof their platforms, primarily when it comesto administrative tools employees use totouch the most sensitive information. Sitesshould require more sources of authentica-tion for getting into those systems; a pass-word alone shouldn’t be enough.

They should also scale back the numberof workers who can use the systems, and institute robust monitoring programs thatalert them when something suspicious ishappening behind the scenes. And theyought to consider implementing specialprotection programs for sensitive accountsof the precise type that were compromisedlast week.

The FBI is investigating what happened, and lawmakers have asked for information.Twitter has promised a fuller explanationto the public of what went wrong. It shoulddeliver that — along with an explanation of how it means to ensure things don’t gowrong again.

What newspapers

are saying at homeThe following editorial excerpts are se-

lected from a cross section of newspapers throughout the United States. The editori-als are provided by The Associated Press and other stateside syndicates.

PAGE 18 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, July 25, 2020

• S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 19Saturday, July 25, 2020

SCOREBOARD

Go to the American Forces Network website for the most up-to-date TV schedules.myafn.net

Sports on AFN

Deals

Thursday’s transactionsBASEBALL

Major League BaseballAmerican League

BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Optioned C Austin Wynns to alternate training site. Placed RHP Dillon Tate on the 10-day IL retroactive to July 20. Activated OF Dwight Smith Jr. from the 10-day IL. Placed RHP Hunter Harvey and LHP John Means on the 10-day IL. Recalled RHP David Hess and CF Cedric Mullins from alternate training site. Selected the con-tract of 3B Pat Valaika from alternate training site.

BOSTON RED SOX — Selected the con-tract of RHP Dylan Covey and C Jonathan Lucroy from alternate training site. Re-called RHP’s Colten Brewer and Phillips Valdez and LHP’s Matt Hall, Josh Osich and Jeffrey Springs from alternate train-ing site.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Activated INF Yoan Moncada from the IL. Recalled C Zack Collins and RHP Jimmy Lambert from Charlotte (IL). Selected the con-tracts of INF Cheslor Cuthbert, OF Nicky Delmonico, LHP Ross Detwiler and RHP Codi Heuer from Charlotte (IL). Designat-ed RHP Carson Fulmer for assignment. Optioned RHP Ian Hamilton to Charlotte (IL). Released INF Andrew Romine. Reas-signed RHP’s Drew Anderson, Dane Dun-ning, Tayron Guerrero and Tyler Johnson, OF’s Luis Basabe and Luis Gonzalez, INF’s Nick Madrigal and Andrew Vaughn and C Yermin Mercedes to the Schaum-burg training facility. Signed INF Ryan Goins as a free agent and assigned him to the Schaumburg training facility.

CLEVELAND INDIANS — Selected the contracts of INF Mike Freeman and RHP’s Cam Hill and Dominic Leone from alternate training site. Recalled INF Yu Chang, OF Bradley Zimmer and RHP’s Aaron Civale and James Karinchak from alternate training site. Designated LHP Hunter Wood for assignment. Optioned RHP Jefry Rodriguez and OF Jake Bauers to alternate training site.

DETROIT TIGERS — Activated RHP Mi-chael Fulmer from the 60-day IL. Selected the contracts of RHP Dario Agrazal and SS Jordy Mercer from alternate training site. Recalled RHP’s Beau Burrows, Kyle Funkhouser and John Schreiber from To-ledo Mud Hens.

HOUSTON ASTROS — Selected the contracts of RHP Brandon Bailey from alternate training site. Recalled RHP’s Cristian Javier and Enoli Paredes, C Gar-rett Stubbs, 2B Jack Mayfield and LHP Blake Taylor from Round Rock Express. Placed RHP Brad Peacock on the 10-day IL. Placed RHP’s Rogelio Armenteros and Austin Pruitt on the IL.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Placed RHP Chance Adams and LHP Randy Rosario on the 10-day IL retroactive to July 20. Placed RHP Jesse Hahn on the Bereave-ment/Family Medical Emergency list. Reinstated C Meibrys Viloria from the IL and recalled. Recalled RHP’s Ronald Bolanos and Kyle Zimmer, OF Franchy Cordero and LHP’s Foster Griffin and Gabe Speier from alternate training site. Selected the contracts of OF Erick Mejia, C Oscar Hernandez and RHP’s Greg Hol-land and Tyler Zuber from alternate site.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Selected the contracts of RHP Jacob Barnes and LHP Hoby Milner from alternate training site. Recalled LHP Ryan Buchter, OF Michael Hermosillo and 1B Jared Walsh from al-ternate training site. Placed RHP Justin Anderson on the 45-day IL.

MINNESOTA TWINS — Placed RHP Jake Odorizzi on the 10-day IL retroactive to July 20. Activated 3B Miguel Sano from the 10-day IL. Selected the contract of OF Aaron Whitefield from alternate training site. Recalled OF LaMonte Wade Jr. and LHP Lewis Thorpe from alternate train-ing site.

NEW YORK YANKEES — Recalled INF Thairo Estrada and RHP’s Ben Heller and Michael King from alternate training site. Activated INF DJ LeMahieu from IL.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS — Activated RHP Daniel Mengden from the 60-day IL. Placed LHP A.J. Puk on the 10-day IL retroactive to July 20. Optioned C Jonah Heim to alternate training site. Designat-ed RHP Daniel Gossett for assignment.

SEATTLE MARINERS — Signed RHP Bryan Shaw. Selected the contracts of LHP Anthony Misiewicz, C Joe Hudson

and INF Jose Marmolejos from alternate training site. Recalled RHP’s Zac Grotz and Taylor Williams and LHP Nick Mar-gevicius from Tacoma (PCL). Placed RHP Gerson Bautista on the 60-day IL. Placed C Tom Murphy on the 10-day IL retroac-tive to July 20. Optioned RHP Erik Swan-son, LHP Taylor Guilbeau, OF Jake Fraley and INF Sam Haggerty to alternate train-ing site. Reassigned RHP’s Isaiah Camp-bell, Sam Delaplane, Emerson Hancock, Joey Gerber, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Ljay Newsome and Juan Then, LHP’s Aaron Fletcher and Brandon Williamson, C’s Brian O’Keefe and Cal Raleigh, INF’s Tyler Keenan, Noelvi Marte, Kaden Plolv-ich and Austin Shenton and OF’s Zach DeLoach, Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodri-guez to alternate training site.

TAMPA BAY RAYS — Optioned INF Dan-iel Robertson to alternate training site. Assigned OF Randy Arozarena to alter-nate training site and placed him on the IL. Assigned LHP’s Anthony Banda and Brendan McKay and 1B/3B Nate Lowe to alternate training site. Recalled INF Mike Brossiar and RHP Trevor Richards from Durham Bulls. Selected the contracts of RHP Ryan Thompson and C Kevan Smith from alternate training site. Placed LHP Colin Poche on the 60-day IL.

TEXAS RANGERS — Selected the con-tracts of RHP’s Ian Gibaut and Edinson Volquez and OF Rob Refsyder from alter-nate training site. Recalled LHP’s Kolby Allard and Joe Palumbo, OF’s Scott Heine-man and Leody Taveras from alternate training site. Sent LHP Yohander Mendez outright to Nashville Sounds. Placed RHP Rafael Montero and LHP Joely Rodriguez on the 10-day IL retroactive to July 20. As-signed LHP Taylor Hearn and OF Adolis Garcia, already on option, to alternate training site.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Placed RHP Chase Anderson on the 10-day IL ret-roactive to July 20. Optioned LHP Ryan Borucki to alternate training site. Se-lected the contracts of RHP A.J. Cole and LHP Brian Moran from alternate training site. Recalled SS Santiago Espinal, RHP’s Thomas Hatch and Jason Waguespack and LHP Anthony Kay from alternate training site.

National LeagueARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Placed

RHP Corbin Martin on the 10-day IL ret-roactive to July 20. Recalled RHP’s Taylor Widener and Taylor Clarke and 1B Kevin Cron from alternate training site.

ATLANTA BRAVES — Selected the con-tracts of 1B Matt Adams and LHP Tyler Matzek from alternate training site. Sent 1B Yonder Alonso outright to alternate training site. Recalled RHP Touki Tous-saint and LHP A.J. Minter from alternate training site. Activated 1B Freddie Free-man from the 10-day IL. Placed LHP Cole Hamels and 2B Daniel Descalso on the 60-day IL.

CHICAGO CUBS — Placed LHP Jose Quintana on the 10-day IL retroactive to July 20. Placed INF Daniel Descalso on the 45-day IL. Recalled RHP’s James Norwood and Dillon Maples from Iowa (PCL). Optioned RHP’s Ryan Tepera and Jharel Cotton to the club’s South Bend Summer Camp roster. Assigned RHP Co-lin Rea to the South Bend roster. Selected the contracts of C Josh Phegley and LHP Rex Brothers from alternate training site. Designated INF/OF Robel Garcia for as-signment. Placed RF Mark Zagunis on the restricted list.

CINCINNATI REDS — Optioned 2B Alex Blandino to alternate training site. Se-lected the contract of RHP Nate Jones from alternate training site. Placed RHP Anthony DeSclafani on the 10-day IL ret-roactive to July 20.

COLORADO ROCKIES — Selected the contracts of C’s Drew Butera and Elias Diaz from alternate training site. Re-called RHP Ashton Goudeau from alter-nate training site. Reinstated OF Char-lie Blackmon from IL. Optioned C Dom Nunez and INF Brendan Rodgers to al-ternate training site. Placed RHP Scott Oberg on the 10-day IL retroactive to July 20. Placed RHP Peter Lambert on the 45-day IL.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS — Placed RHP Jimmy Nelson on the 45-day IL. Selected the contract of OF Terrance Gore from alternate training site. Optioned RHP Dustin May to alternate training site and recalled May. Placed LHP Clayton Ker-shaw on IL.

MIAMI MARLINS — Selected the con-tracts of RHP Brad Boxberger and LHP Alex Vesia from alternate training site. Recalled RHP Nick Neidert from Wichita(PCL) and RHP Jordan Holloway from Jupiter (FSL). Placed RHP Drew Steck-enrider on the 60-day IL. ReassignedINF’s Eddy Alvarez, Jazz Chisholm, JoseDevers, Lewin Diaz and Sean Rodriguez, RHP’s Jorge Guzman and Aaron North-craft, OF’s Monte Harrison and JesusSanchez and C Ryan Lavarnway to alter-nate training site.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Selected the contract of RHP Mike Morin from alter-nate training site. Recalled RHP’s BobbyWahl and Eric Yardley from San Antonio(PCL). Recalled RHP J.P. Feyereisen fromBiloxi (SL).

NEW YORK METS — Recalled INF An-dres Gimenez, RHP’s Corey Oswalt andPaul Sewald from alternate trainingsite. Selected the contracts of INF Edu-ardo Nunez, LHP Chasen Shreve and RHP Hunter Strickland from alternate trainingsite. Designated LHP Stephen Gonsalves for assignment.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES — ActivatedLHP Austin Davis, RHP’s Tommy Hunter and Hector Neris and INF Scott Kingery from the IL. Selected the contracts ofRHP’s Trevor Kelley and Ramon Rossoand INF Neil Wlaker from alternate train-ing site. Designated RHP Robert Stock for assignment. Recalled RF Kyle Garlick,LHP Cole Irvin and RHP Reggie McClain from Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES — Placed CLuke Maile on the 60-day IL. Placed SS J.T. Riddle on the 10-day IL. Selected the contracts of LHP’s Derek Holland and Nik Turley and 3B Phillip Evans from al-ternate training site. Recalled RHP J.T. Brubaker, SS Cole Tucker and OF Jason Martin from alternate training site.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — Released LHP Brett Cecil. Placed 2B Brad Miller on the10-day IL retroactive to July 20.

SAN DIEGO PADRES — Optioned RHP Michel Baez to alternate training site.Recalled OF Edward Olivares from al-ternate training site. Placed LHP JoseCastillo and RHP Trey Wingenter on the 10-day IL retroactive to July 20. Placed SS Jorge Mateo on the 10-day IL.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — OptionedRHP Dereck Rodriguez and LHP AndrewSuarez to alternate training site. RecalledRHP Shaun Anderson, OF Joe McCarthy and LHP Conner Menez from alternate training site. Placed INF’s Brandon Beltand Evan Longoria on the 10-day IL retro-active to July 20. Selected the contracts of LHP Caleb Barager, RHP Rico Garcia,C’s Rob Brantly and Tyler Heineman and INF’s Darin Ruf and Pablo Sandoval fromalternate training site. Designated OFJose Siri and 2B Kean Wong for assign-ment.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Selectedthe contracts of OF Emilio Bonifacio, RHP Javy Guerra and LHP Sam Freeman fromalternate training site. Recalled RHP’sJames Bourque, Kyle Finnegan and LF Andrew Stevenson from HarrisburgSenators. Recalled RHP Erick Fedde and C Raudy Read from the Fresno Grizzles.Placed LF Juan Soto on the 10-day IL.

BASKETBALLNational Basketball Association

NBA — Named Oris Stuart Chief Peo-ple and Inclusion Officer.Women’s National Basketball Association

NEW YORK LIBERTY — Named KeiaClarke Chief Executive Officer.

FOOTBALLNational Football League

CHICAGO BEARS — Released TE Ben Braunecker.

CLEVELAND BROWNS — Hired KevinRogers as senior offensive assistant.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Signed WR’s Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn, CB’s Jeff Gladney, Cameron Dantzler and Har-rison Hand, T’s Ezra Cleveland and BlakeBrandel, DE’s D.J. Wonnum and KennyWillekes, S’s Josh Metellus and BrianCole II, DT James Lynch, LB Troy Dye, and G Kyle Hinton.

SOCCERMajor League Soccer

MLS — Suspended D.C. United M Fe-lipe Martins for one match and issuedan undisclosed fine for serious foul playagainst Montreal Impact D Victor Wan-yama in match on July 21.

Golf

3M OpenPGA TourThursday

At TPC Twin CitiesBlaine, Minn.

Purse: $6.6 millionYardage: 7,431; Par: 71

First RoundRichy Werenski 31-32—63 -8Michael Thompson 32-32—64 -7Tony Finau 31-34—65 -6Ryan Moore 33-32—65 -6Xinjun Zhang 34-31—65 -6Nick Watney 32-33—65 -6Matthew Wolff 33-32—65 -6Max Homa 33-32—65 -6Bo Hoag 34-31—65 -6Kyle Stanley 36-30—66 -5Brendon de Jonge 31-35—66 -5Talor Gooch 35-31—66 -5Patrick Rodgers 32-34—66 -5Bo Van Pelt 30-36—66 -5Bronson Burgoon 32-34—66 -5Robert Garrigus 33-33—66 -5Charl Schwartzel 34-32—66 -5Aaron Baddeley 31-35—66 -5

Chris Kirk 33-33—66 -5Cameron Davis 34-33—67 -4Alex Noren 32-35—67 -4Kramer Hickok 33-34—67 -4Adam Schenk 33-34—67 -4Austin Cook 33-34—67 -4Bubba Watson 35-32—67 -4Danny Lee 34-33—67 -4Seamus Power 34-34—68 -3Adam Long 35-33—68 -3Jason Dufner 36-32—68 -3Chad Campbell 33-35—68 -3Ryan Brehm 34-34—68 -3Dylan Frittelli 35-33—68 -3Denny McCarthy 34-34—68 -3Chris Baker 32-36—68 -3Tommy Gainey 32-36—68 -3D.J. Trahan 35-33—68 -3Luke List 34-34—68 -3Wyndham Clark 33-35—68 -3Robby Shelton 35-33—68 -3Tom Lewis 34-34—68 -3Roger Sloan 34-35—69 -2Chase Seiffert 32-37—69 -2Aaron Wise 34-35—69 -2Keith Mitchell 34-35—69 -2Will Gordon 34-35—69 -2

Hank Lebioda 33-36—69 -2Cameron Tringale 34-35—69 -2Tom Hoge 33-36—69 -2Vaughn Taylor 34-35—69 -2Patton Kizzire 35-34—69 -2Stewart Cink 34-35—69 -2David Hearn 34-35—69 -2J.J. Spaun 33-36—69 -2Zack Sucher 34-35—69 -2Dominic Bozzelli 35-34—69 -2Aaron Crawford 32-37—69 -2Henrik Norlander 36-34—70 -1Bill Haas 35-35—70 -1George McNeill 36-34—70 -1Alex Cejka 35-35—70 -1Brooks Koepka 34-36—70 -1Michael Kim 35-35—70 -1Fabian Gomez 37-33—70 -1Doc Redman 35-35—70 -1Josh Teater 39-31—70 -1Peter Uihlein 35-35—70 -1Matthias Schwab 36-34—70 -1Brandon Hagy 37-33—70 -1Harris English 35-35—70 -1Matt Every 37-33—70 -1Sepp Straka 32-38—70 -1Pat Perez 34-36—70 -1

Auto racing

Super Start Batteries 400Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

ThursdayAt Kansas Speedway

Kansas City, Kan.Lap length: 1.50 miles

(Start position in parentheses)1. (10) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 267 laps,

56 points.2. (7) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 267, 51.3. (5) Martin Truex Jr, Toyota, 267, 45.4. (1) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 267, 42.5. (21) Erik Jones, Toyota, 267, 37.6. (3) Aric Almirola, Ford, 267, 42.7. (24) Cole Custer, Ford, 267, 30.8. (6) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 267,

31.9. (9) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 267, 28.10. (15) William Byron, Chevrolet, 267,

27.11. (8) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 267, 42.12. (11) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 267,

26.13. (23) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 267,

29.14. (19) Clint Bowyer, Ford, 267, 23.15. (36) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 267, 22.16. (27) Michael McDowell, Ford, 267,

21.17. (14) Matt Kenseth, Chevrolet, 267,

20.18. (37) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 267, 19.19. (30) John H. Nemechek, Ford, 266,

18.20. (4) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 266, 33.21. (31) Corey Lajoie, Ford, 266, 16.22. (28) JJ Yeley, Ford, 265, 0.23. (22) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 264,

14.24. (32) Quin Houff, Chevrolet, 260, 13.25. (33) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 260, 0.26. (26) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet,

260, 0.27. (16) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 251,

10.28. (18) Ryan Newman, Ford, 251, 9.29. (34) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 251, 0.30. (29) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 219,

7.31. (39) Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet,

electrical, 216, 6.32. (20) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet,

garage, 200, 7.33. (13) Chris Buescher, Ford, accident,

182, 4.34. (35) Ryan Preece, Chevrolet, acci-

dent, 181, 3.35. (2) Joey Logano, Ford, accident,

176, 2.36. (12) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, acci-

dent, 175, 1.37. (17) Bubba Wallace, Chevrolet, ac-

cident, 170, 1.38. (38) Timmy Hill, Toyota, electrical,

116, 0.39. (40) BJ McLeod, Ford, reargear, 66,

0.40. (25) Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Chevrolet,

electrical, 58, 1.Race statistics

Average speed of race winner: 121.832 mph.

Time of race: 3 hours, 17 minutes, 14 seconds.

Margin of victory: .510 seconds.Caution flags: 11 for 47 laps.Lead changes: 21 among 9 drivers.Lap leaders: K.Harvick 0; J.Logano 1-27;

M.Truex 28-30; Ky.Busch 31-82; D.Hamlin 83-96; M.Truex 97-101; B.Keselowski 102-104; M.Truex 105-106; B.Keselowski 107-114; M.Truex 115-144; R.Blaney 145-158; B.Keselowski 159-162; R.Blaney 163; D.Hamlin 164-192; M.Truex 193-196; W.Byron 197-199; D.Hamlin 200; W.Byron 201-205; B.Keselowski 206-220; W.Byron 221-239; A.Bowman 240-245; K.Harvick 246-254; D.Hamlin 255-267

Leaders summary (driver, times led, laps led): D.Hamlin, 4 times for 57 laps; Ky.Busch, 1 time for 52 laps; M.Truex, 5 times for 44 laps; B.Keselowski, 4 times for 30 laps; W.Byron, 3 times for 27 laps; J.Logano, 1 time for 27 laps; R.Blaney, 2 times for 15 laps; K.Harvick, 1 time for 9 laps; A.Bowman, 1 time for 6 laps.

Wins: D.Hamlin, 5; K.Harvick, 4; B.Keselowski, 2; J.Logano, 2; R.Blaney, 1; C.Elliott, 1; M.Truex, 1; A.Bowman, 1; A.Dillon, 1; C.Custer, 1.

Top 16 in points: 1. K.Harvick, 763; 2. B.Keselowski, 666; 3. R.Blaney, 663; 4. D.Hamlin, 634; 5. C.Elliott, 630; 6. J.Logano, 609; 7. M.Truex, 602; 8. A.Almirola, 576; 9. Ky.Busch, 562; 10. Ku.Busch, 561; 11. A.Bowman, 539; 12. C.Bowyer, 484; 13. M.DiBenedetto, 477; 14. W.Byron, 452; 15. T.Reddick, 442; 16. E.Jones, 440.

NASCAR driver rating formulaA maximum of 150 points can be at-

tained in a race.The formula combines the following

categories: Wins, Finishes, Top-15 Fin-ishes, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish.

Pro soccer

MLS is Back TournamentAt Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

x-advanced to Knockout StageGROUP A (EASTERN CONFERENCE)

W D L GF GA Ptsx-Orlando City 2 1 0 6 3 7x-Philadelphia 2 1 0 4 2 7New York City FC 1 0 2 2 4 3Inter Miami 0 0 3 2 5 0

Wednesday, July 8Orlando City 2, Inter Miami 1

Thursday, July 9Philadelphia 1, New York City FC 0

Tuesday, July 14Orlando City 3, New York City FC 1Philadelphia 2, Inter Miami 1

Monday, July 20New York City FC 1, Inter Miami 0Orlando City 1, Philadelphia 1, tieGROUP B (WESTERN CONFERENCE)

W D L GF GA Ptsx-San Jose 2 1 0 6 3 7x-Seattle 1 1 1 4 2 4x-Vancouver 1 0 2 5 7 3Chicago 1 0 2 2 5 3

Friday, July 10San Jose 0, Seattle 0, tie

Tuesday, July 14Chicago 2, Seattle 1

Wednesday, July 15San Jose 4, Vancouver 3

Sunday, July 19San Jose 2, Chicago 0Seattle 3, Vancouver 0

Thursday, July 23Vancouver 2, Chicago 0GROUP C (EASTERN CONFERENCE)

W D L GF GA Ptsx-Toronto FC 1 2 0 6 5 5x-New England 1 2 0 2 1 5x-Montreal 1 0 2 4 5 3D.C. United 0 2 1 3 4 2

Thursday, July 9New England 1, Montreal 0

Monday, July 13D.C. United 2, Toronto FC 2, tie

Thursday, July 16Toronto FC 4, Montreal 3

Friday, July 17New England 1, D.C. United 1, tie

Tuesday, July 21New England 0, Toronto FC 0, tieMontreal 1, D.C. United 0GROUP D (WESTERN CONFERENCE)

W D L GF GA Ptsx-Sporting KC 2 0 1 6 4 6x-Minnesota 1 2 0 4 3 5x-Real Salt Lake 1 1 1 2 2 4Colorado 0 1 2 4 7 1

Sunday, July 12Minnesota 2, Sporting Kansas City 1Real Salt Lake 2, Colorado 0

Friday, July 17Sporting Kansas City 3, Colorado 2Minnesota 0, Real Salt Lake 0, tie

Wednesday, July 22Sporting Kansas City 2, Real Salt Lake 0Minnesota 2, Colorado 2, tieGROUP E (EASTERN CONFERENCE)

W D L GF GA`Ptsx-Columbus 3 0 0 7 0 9x-Cincinnati 2 0 1 3 4 6New York 1 0 2 1 4 3Atlanta 0 0 3 0 3 0

Saturday, July 11New York 1, Atlanta 0Columbus 4, Cincinnati 0

Thursday, July 16Cincinnati 1, Atlanta 0Columbus 2, New York 0

Tuesday, July 21Columbus 1, Atlanta 0

Wednesday, July 22Cincinnati 2, New York 0GROUP F (WESTERN CONFERENCE)

W D L GF GA`Ptsx-Portland 2 1 0 6 4 7x-Los Angeles FC 1 2 0 11 7 5Houston 0 2 1 5 6 2LA Galaxy 0 1 2 4 9 1

Monday, July 13Houston 3, Los Angeles FC 3, tiePortland 2, LA Galaxy 1

Saturday, July 18Portland 2, Houston 1Los Angeles FC 6, LA Galaxy 2

Thursday, July 23Houston 1, LA Galaxy 1, tiePortland 2, Los Angeles FC 2, tie

Knockout StageSaturday, July 25

Orlando City vs. MontrealPhiladelphia vs. New England

Sunday, July 26Toronto FC vs. New York City FCSporting Kansas City vs. Vancouver

Monday, July 27San Jose vs. Real Salt LakeSeattle vs. Los Angeles FC

Tuesday, July 28Columbus vs. Minnesota UnitedPortland vs. Cincinnati

QuarterfinalsThursday, July 30

Teams TBDFriday, July 31

Teams TBDSaturday, Aug. 1

Teams TBDSemifinals

Wednesday, Aug. 5Quarterfinal winners

Thursday, Aug. 6Quarterfinal winners

FinalTuesday, Aug. 11

Semifinal winners

NWSL Challenge CupAt Herriman, Utah

SemifinalsWednesday, July 22

Houston 1, Portland 0Chicago 3, Sky Blue 2

ChampionshipSunday, July 26

Houston vs. Chicago

PAGE 20 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S •

BY RALPH D. RUSSO

Associated Press

College football leaders are in the process of piecing together plans for a regular season during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If it is possible to play, everyone anticipates there will be disrup-tions, added expenses and loads of stress just to get through it.

So how motivated will schools be to tack on a postseason game after all that? Especially one that doesn’t determine a national title?

“You’ve got to think there’ll be such a heightened sensitivity to adding another opportunity that doesn’t contribute to something else,” Notre Dame athletic direc-tor Jack Swarbrick said. “I imag-ine the top bowls will want to try and still do it. But you’ve got to wonder if the schools will be will-ing to play. You made it through the regular season and now you’re going to add another event that adds complexity and cost.”

There are more bowl games scheduled for the coming season than ever before in major college football: 42, not including the Col-lege Football Playoff champion-ship. Less than five months away from bowl season, most of them don’t even have a date locked in yet. If the regular season can be saved, can the postseason be sal-vaged, too?

“I have yet to hear one thought on the part of any of the confer-ences that they would have a regular season and not have a postseason,” said Nick Carparelli, the new executive director of the Football Bowl Association.

At the top of the postseason hi-erarchy is the playoff. The semifi-nals are scheduled to to be played Jan. 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasade-na, Calif., and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The championship game is set for Jan. 11 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.

As of now, none of that has changed, CFP executive director Bill Hancock said.

“This is an event you can’t just pick up and easily move to a dif-ferent time window,” Hancock said.

Then there are the other New Year’s Six games. The Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, is scheduled for Dec. 30. The Peach Bowl in Atlanta is set for early af-ternoon New Year’s Day, leading into the semifinal games. The Fi-esta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., and Orange Bowl in South Florida are scheduled for Jan. 2.

Those games, along with the semifinals, are part of 12-year, $5.6 billion media rights deal with ESPN that pays about $470 mil-lion annually. Most of the money ends up with the Power Five con-ferences, though some trickles down to FCS.

“We’re going to be as flexible as they need us to be,” Peach Bowl chief executive officer Gary Sto-kan said. “If they need us to move back two weeks, we’ll move back two weeks.”

Fiesta Bowl CEO Mike Nealy said bowls of all shapes and sizes will need to be flexible this year.

“From our standpoint, we know that dates could change,” said Nealy, whose organizing group also runs the Cactus Bowl played at Chase Field in Phoenix.

According to the website FB-Schedules.com, dates and times have not been locked in yet for 31 major-college bowl games.

Those could start falling into place soon with conferences ex-pected to roll out new regular-season schedules as soon as next week. The Big Ten and Pac-12 have already said they will play only conference games.

The other Power Five confer-ences appear to be moving toward playing mostly conference games. That causes issues with the bowl selection process from the CFP down to the Cure Bowl, which matches Group of Five teams in Orlando, Fla.

Fewer nonconference games will make it more challenging for the playoff selection committee to pick a four-team field and rank teams to create the other New Year’s Six bowl matchups.

“The committee’s job funda-mentally hasn’t changed,” Han-cock said.

As for the rest of the bowls, if teams are mostly playing within their conferences, with fewer op-portunities to pad records against lesser competition, it will make it more difficult for 84 teams to fin-ish the season with at least a .500 record, the minimum for bowl eligibility.

The NCAA already has contin-gencies to allow teams with losing records to play in bowl games. That might need to be re-assessed if the number of games played fluctuates from conference to conference and team to team.

“Is there something else we define as a deserving team?” said West Virginia athletic di-rector Shane Lyons, who leads the NCAA’s football oversight committee.

Everything from when the reg-ular season will start to when it will end is up in the air.

Commissioners across all con-ferences have indicated league championship games, scheduled for Dec. 5, could be bumped back a week (Dec. 12) or even two (Dec. 19) if there is a need. The bowl season is scheduled to start Dec. 19, a day that would usually feature five or six games.

Lyons wondered if some bowls might decide not to hold their games if restrictions are placed on how many fans can attend.

Carparelli, a former Big East executive who oversaw football before the conference’s break-up, said none of the 42 bowls, includ-ing new games to be played in Los Angeles, Boston’s Fenway Park and Myrtle Beach, S.C., have given any indication they will not put on a game if there is a season.

“And they’re prepared to be very, very flexible when the time comes,” he said. “In terms of the dates of the game, what the bowl week would look like and how it would be different than in a nor-mal year.”

BY STEPHEN WHYNO

Associated Press

Alex Pietrangelo and his wife had ongoing discussions about whether he should return when the NHL season resumes.

In addition to wanting to keep the couple’s infant triplets safe during the pandemic, the 30-year-old captain of the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues is heading into free agency while in his prime. He decided to play.

“The focus right now is just kind of getting through this healthy and playing and we’ll see where things end up,” Pietrangelo said.

Staying healthy has added importance for Pietrangelo, Boston’s Torey Krug, Arizona’s Taylor Hall, Washington’s Braden Holtby and more than 100 other pending unrestricted free agents taking part in the 24-team play-offs. Instead of cashing in July 1 had this been a normal year, they face the risk of injury after sev-eral months off that could put big paydays in jeopardy.

“Being a free agent that goes into this situation, it’s definitely risky,” Krug said. “I’d be lying to you if I said it’s not. Having three or four months off, and then going right into the most intense hockey you could possibly play at any level, there’s always risk for injury no matter when you play. ”

The risks weren’t severe enough for most to opt out. Calgary’s Tra-vis Hamonic and Edmonton’s Mike Green are pending free agents who decided not to play, but they cited family health con-cerns as the reason.

The thought of not playing never crossed Holtby’s mind. Two years removed from back-stopping the Capitals to their first title, the 30-year-old goaltender is

more focused on trying to win the Cup again than endangering his future earnings by doing so.

“My job right now is to win achampionship with the Caps,”Holtby said. “Everything elseafter that is completely irrele-vant. I don’t think I’ve ever wor-ried about injuries or anythinglike that. Any game that you getto play, you are pretty fortunate to get to play in this league.”

Florida teammates EvgeniiDadonov and Mark Pysyk areon that same page, too. Pysyksaid he gave little to no thoughtabout opting out, figuring this was no different from competingin the playoffs any other season.Dadonov said he’s “not scared” about risking injury.

Washington defenseman Bren-den Dillon doesn’t think he hasit worse as a pending free agent than others around the league.

“There’s always a risk whenyou have a big layoff like this,” Dillon said. “I think it just goesto the preparation for us as play-ers in general, whether you are (afree agent) or a guy on a six-yeardeal.”

Nicklas Backstrom signed a newfive-year deal with the Capitalsin January, and had more than afew people tell him he’s lucky forgetting that done. Under the col-lective bargaining extension theleague and players’ union agreedto, the salary cap will remain flat at the current $81.5 million for atleast next season and possibly be-yond because of revenue lost dur-ing the pandemic.

“I don’t really know what’sgoing to happen,” Krug said.“I’m just trying to take it day byday and worry about the playoffsright now and then I’ll probably prepare for free agency and seewhat happens from there.”

Saturday, July 25, 2020

NHL scoreboard

Stanley Cup qualifiers(Best-of-five)x-if necessary

EASTERN CONFERENCE At Toronto

N.Y. Rangers vs. CarolinaSaturday, Aug. 1: Game 1Monday, Aug. 3: Game 2Tuesday, Aug. 4: Game 3x-Thursday, Aug. 6: Game 4x-Saturday, Aug. 8: Game 5

Florida vs. N.Y. IslandersSaturday, Aug. 1: Game 1Tuesday, Aug. 4: Game 2Wednesday, Aug. 5: Game 3x-Friday, Aug. 7: Game 4x-Sunday, Aug. 9: Game 5

Montreal vs. PittsburghSaturday, Aug. 1: Game 1Monday, Aug. 3: Game 2Wednesday, Aug. 5: Game 3x-Friday, Aug. 7: Game 4x-Saturday, Aug. 8: Game 5

Columbus vs. TorontoSunday, Aug. 2: Game 1 (AFN-Sports2,

3 a.m. Monday CET; 10 a.m. Monday JKT)Tuesday, Aug. 4: Game 2Thursday, Aug. 6: Game 3x-Friday, Aug. 7: Game 4x-Sunday, Aug. 9: Game 5

WESTERN CONFERENCEAt Edmonton, AlbertaChicago vs. Edmonton

Saturday, Aug. 1: Game 1Monday, Aug. 3: Game 2Wednesday, Aug. 5: Game 3x-Friday, Aug. 7: Game 4x-Saturday, Aug. 8: Game 5

Winnipeg vs. CalgarySaturday, Aug. 1: Game 1Monday, Aug. 3: Game 2Tuesday, Aug. 4: Game 3x-Thursday, Aug. 6: Game 4Saturday, Aug. 8: Game 5

Arizona vs. NashvilleSunday, Aug. 2: Game 1Tuesday, Aug. 4: Game 2Wednesday, Aug. 5: Game 3x-Friday, Aug. 7: Game 4x-Sunday, Aug. 9: Game 5

Minnesota vs. VancouverSunday, Aug. 2: Game 1 (AFN-Sports2,

4:30 a.m. Monday CET; 11:30 a.m. JKT)Tuesday, Aug. 4: Game 2Thursday, Aug. 6: Game 3x-Friday, Aug. 7: Game 4x-Sunday, Aug. 9: Game 5

Round robin(Determines playoff seedings)

x-if necessaryEASTERN CONFERENCE

Sunday, Aug. 2: Boston vs. Philadel-phia

Monday, Aug. 3: Tampa Bay vs. Wash-ington

Wednesday, Aug. 5: Boston vs. Tampa Bay

Thursday, Aug. 6: Philadelphia vs. Washington

Saturday, Aug. 8: Washington vs. Bos-ton

Sunday, Aug. 9: Tampa Bay vs. Phila-delphia

WESTERN CONFERENCESunday, Aug. 2: Colorado vs. St. Louis

(AFN-Sports2, 12:30 a.m. Monday CET; 7:30 a.m. JKT)

Monday, Aug. 3: Las Vegas vs. DallasWednesday, Aug. 5: Dallas vs. Colo-

radoThursday, Aug. 6: St. Louis vs. Las Ve-

gasSaturday, Aug. 8: Colorado vs. Las Ve-

gasx-Sunday, Aug. 9: St. Louis vs. Dallas

COLLEGE FOOTBALL/NHL

Pending free agents confront injury risk

If season is salvaged, will bowls follow?

DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/AP

St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and many other pending free agents would have already cashed in at this point in the summer in a regular year. Instead, returning to compete in the NHL playoffs after time away represents a significant injury risk with free agency looming in October.

• S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 21Saturday, July 25, 2020

BY DAVE SKRETTA

Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Three straight finishes outside the top 10 for Denny Ham-lin these days counts as a rough patch.

He was once again smooth as they get Thursday night.

Hamlin hung around the front of the pack all night, avoiding trouble that cost several playoff contenders in the final stage, then breezed past Kevin Harvick for the lead in the closing laps. Hamlin then held off charging Brad Keselowski for his NASCAR Cup Series-leading fifth victory of the season and 42nd overall. He also won for the second straight time at Kansas Speedway.

“I don’t know we had the best car. We def-initely had a top-three car all day,” Hamlin said after his burnout in front of the empty grandstands. “We just went for it there at the end. The pit crew did an amazing job getting us out there in front.”

Hamlin had struggled the past three weeks, failing to finish better than 12th. But after showing good speed early, his Joe Gibbs Racing team made all the right calls during a crash-filled final stage. Kes-elowski finished second and Martin Truex Jr. came across third. Harvick wound up sliding to fourth and Erik Jones capped a big day for the Gibbs boys in fifth.

William Byron led the race as he chased his first career race, but he slid backward after a late caution and wound up finishing 10th. Alex Bowman also made a charge to the lead but finished behind Aric Almirola and Cole Custer in eighth.

The youngsters wound up leaving it to

the veterans to battle it out over the final laps.

“We got to the lead but we just went dead sideways after about four or five laps,” said Harvick, who had been tied with Hamlin with four wins. “We were just holding on hoping for another restart, because we could hang for a couple laps.”

Truex may have had the fastest car on

the track by the end of the night, which began with temperatures in the mid-90s and a heat index approaching triple digits. But he ran out of time trying chase down his teammate.

“It would have been difficult to pass him,” Truex said about Hamlin. “It was a battle all night just to get track position. These things are so difficult in traffic. You

lose a few more spots than you hope on arestart and you just have to dig.”

It would have been an exciting show forfans if there was any. After about 20,000 wore masks and braved stifling heat inTexas, the grandstands were again empty at Kansas. Soaring numbers of positiveCOVID-19 tests forced speedway officials to run this weekend — including upcomingraces in the Xfinity, Truck and ARCA se-ries — without any fans.

The next race at New Hampshire canhave about 19,000 fans. The following dou-bleheader at Michigan will not have any.

Kyle Busch finally had something go right during his frustrating season. Thedefending series champ, whose only win inhis last 41 starts in the Cup Series camein last year’s finale, held off Hamlin and Truex to win his first stage this year.

It was another race between teammateson Stage 2. This time, it was Keselowskigetting around Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney — who was dominant at Texas but failed to win — on the penultimate lap to take the stage.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s challenging yearcontinued when he went to the garage early with a mechanical problem. It also was arough night for Bubba Wallace, who spunearly in the race coming out of Turn 4 andthen plowed into Matt Kenseth when hespun in the middle of the same turn earlyin the final stage.

“We’ve had some really bad weeks,”Stenhouse said. “Lost the balance a littlebit but felt like we were pretty close. ButI don’t know, a fire started in the cockpit. Something electrical in the dash.”

Hamlin holds off Keselowski for fifth Cup victoryAUTO RACING/SPORTS BRIEFS

CHARLIE RIEDEL/AP

Denny Hamlin celebrates after winning his fifth NASCAR Cup Series race this season in Kansas City, Kan., on Thursday.

Sports briefs

Source: Displaced Blue Jays to play home games in Buffalo Associated Press

TORONTO — The displaced Toronto Blue Jays will play in Buffalo, N.Y., this year amid the pandemic.

An official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Friday that the Blue Jays will play at Sahlen Field. The official spoke on condition of anonym-ity as they were not authorized to speak publicly ahead of an announcement.

The park is where the team’s Triple-A affiliate plays.

Toronto begins the season at Tampa Bay on Friday. The Blue Jays are scheduled to play their first home game July 29 against the defending champion Wash-ington Nationals.

Seattle’s NHL franchise to be dubbed ‘Kraken’

SEATTLE — The name Seattle Kraken seems to have had an air of inevitability around it even during the earliest days of the NHL expansion franchise.

“The first time in our office, there’s only 10 of us in our office, and we put up our NHL Seattle sign on the front door. And the very next morning there was a Post-it on the door that said, ‘Re-lease the Kraken,’” Heidi Dett-mer, the franchise’s vice president of marketing, said. “So it’s defi-

nitely something that we’ve heard almost as a rallying cry.”

The franchise revealed Thurs-day the team would, indeed, be called the Kraken.

“The Kraken is a name born of the fans. It was suggested and championed by the fans,” Seattle CEO Tod Leiweke said.

Washington putting off decision on new name

The NFL team formerly known as the Redskins will go by the Washington Football Team for at least the 2020 season, giving

the organization time to choose a new, full-time name.

With training camp opening next week, the process begins Friday of scrubbing the old name and logo from everything at the team’s headquarters in Ashburn, Va., to FedEx Field in Landover, Md.

Executive vice president and chief marketing officer Terry Bateman, hired Monday, expects that process to be completed by the start of the season.

AP sources: Notre Damecould join ACC for 2020

The Atlantic Coast Conference and Notre Dame are considering whether the Fighting Irish will give up their treasured football independence to play as a mem-ber of the league for the 2020 season that has been thrown into question by the coronavirus pandemic.

Two people involved in the ACC’s discussions about schedul-ing for the upcoming season told The Associated Press on Friday the ACC is looking at an 11-game schedule that would include 10 conference games and start Sept. 12.

Under the proposed plan, Notre Dame would play a full 10-game ACC schedule .

Former Oklahoma coach John Blake dies at 59

John Blake, the former Oklaho-ma football player and coach who was the school’s first Black head coach in any sport, died Thurs-day. He was 59.

Blake’s wife, Freda, said he had a “heart-related emergency” at his home in Dallas.

“We are stunned and saddened by the news of coach Blake’s pass-ing,” Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione said. “ He was a Sooner through and through.”

Blake, a two-time Super Bowl champion as a defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys, won the second under Barry Switzer, who coached him at Oklahoma.

Johnson withdraws from 3M Open after 78

BLAINE, Minn. — Richy We-renski made a short birdie putt on the par-5 18th for an 8-under 63 and the first-round lead Thurs-day in the 3M Open, while Dustin Johnson withdrew because of a back injury after a 78.

The 24-year-old Werenski is winless on the PGA Tour and ranked 248th in the world. He broke a tie with Michael Thomp-son with his ninth and last birdie on the warm, windy afternoon at

the TPC Twin Cities. Tony Finau and Nick Watney were tied forthird at 65.

Tyson, 54, to return for fight against Jones Jr.

CARSON, Calif. — Formerheavyweight champion MikeTyson is coming back to boxing at age 54 to meet four-divisionchampion Roy Jones Jr. in aneight-round exhibition match onSept. 12.

Jones, 51, won titles in the mid-dleweight, super middleweightand light heavyweight beforemoving up to win the heavyweighttitle in 2003, becoming the first former middleweight championto do so in 106 years.

Zanardi in intensive care, condition unstable

MILAN — Italian auto racing champion-turned-Paralympic gold medalist Alex Zanardi was moved back into intensive care on Friday, three days after being transferred to a neurological re-habilitation center.

Zanardi was seriously injuredin a handbike crash on June 19.

The 53-year-old Zanardi, wholost both of his legs in an auto rac-ing crash nearly 20 years ago, hadbeen on a ventilator in a medical-ly induced coma since the crash.

SEATTLE KRAKEN/AP

This artist’s rendering released Thursday by the Seattle Kraken shows the NHL team’s new logo.

PAGE 22 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, July 25, 2020

BY RONALD BLUM

Associated Press

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball and the players’ union agreed Thursday to expand the playoffs from 10 teams to 16 for the pandemic-delayed season, a decision that makes it likely teams with losing records will reach the postseason.

The agreement was reached hours before the season opener between the New York Yankees and World Series champion Wash-ington Nationals. The deal ap-plied only for 2020 and included a surprise benefiting the Yankees the most: Collection of baseball’s luxury tax will be suspended this year, a person familiar with the details told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because no announce-ment was made.

Sixteen of the 30 teams will

advance to a best-of-three first round: the first- and second-place teams in every division and the next two clubs by winning per-centage in each league. Those winners move on to the best-of-five Division Series, where the usual format resumes. The final four teams are in best-of-seven League Championship Series, and the pennant winners meet in the best-of-seven World Series.

“It’s such a unique season, why not try a little something differ-ent and make it as exciting as possible?” said Colorado short-stop Trevor Story, whose team has never won a World Series

title. “I know it’s going to be such a sprint with the 60-game season; adding more playoff teams will just add to the fire and the excite-ment and the fandom around the game. Anything can happen in a 60-game season. I’m all for it.”

In each league, the division winners will be seeded 1-3, the second-place teams 4-6 and the teams with the next two-best re-cords 7-8, which means up to four teams in one division could be in the postseason. The first-round pairings will be 1 vs. 8, 2-7, 3-6 and 4-5.

“This season will be a sprint to a new format that will allow

more fans to experience playoff baseball,” baseball Commis-sioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.

The higher seed in the first round will host all games from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2.

“For me personally, a little less than ideal that there’s not more weight given to the division win-ners,” Gerrit Cole said after win-ning his Yankees debut, 4-1 at Nationals Park in a game called in the sixth inning because of rain.

Tiebreaker games, which have produced famous home runs by Bobby Thomson and Bucky Dent, are eliminated. Ties would be broken by head-to-head record, followed by better record within a team’s division and record in the last 20 games within the di-vision. If still tied, the standard would be last 21 games within a division, then 22, etc.

Teams could finish the regu-lar season with differing gamesplayed; regular-season postpone-ments would be made up at thediscretion of Manfred.

As part of the deal, MLB agreed to guarantee a postseason pool that would be $50 million: $20 million if the first round isplayed and $10 million for eachadditional round. The postsea-son pool usually comprises ticket money from the postseason, butbaseball anticipates playing the entire year in empty ballparksdue to the coronavirus.

“The opportunity to add play-off games in this already-abbre-viated season makes sense forfans, the league and players,” union head Tony Clark said in astatement. “We hope it will resultin highly competitive pennantraces as well as exciting addition-al playoff games to the benefit ofthe industry.”

BY BEN WALKER

Associated Press

Herb Vincent closes his eyes and drifts back a half-century, to his boyhood bed-room in North Little Rock, Ark.

He’s 9, trying to stay awake deep into the night, the transistor radio tuned to distant KMOX in St. Louis, listening to Cardinals baseball.

Bob Gibson’s shutouts, Lou Brock’s sto-len bases and Joe Torre’s slugging made for sweet dreams. What he heard in-be-tween pitches sounded even better.

“The muffled murmur of the crowd,” said Vincent, the associate commissioner of the Southeastern Conference. “It was like the soundtrack of the summer.”

“I can hear it right now. You can make out a voice sometimes, maybe a peanut vendor or a yell,” he said. “It’s soothing, it’s reassuring.”

Probably speaking for fans all over these days, he added: “I don’t know what it’s going to sound like this year.”

No one does, really.Major League Baseball began its most

bizarre season ever Thursday night, a 60-game sprint rather than the traditional 162-game marathon, a skewed schedule cut and carved around a coronavirus pan-demic that threatened to silence the bats and balls all year.

With COVID-19 cases trending higher in every state with an MLB team except Ari-zona, a most fitting person threw out the ceremonial first ball in Washington: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert.

“I used to play baseball as a young boy,” the 79-year-old Fauci told CNN. “I hope I don’t bounce it too much.”

He did, and way wide, not that anyone heckled him. Moments later, Yankees slug-ger Giancarlo Stanton hit the first home run of the season, a quiet shot off Washing-ton ace Max Scherzer.

Fans weren’t permitted at Nationals Park, where the Yankees won 4-1 in a game halted because of rain, or at Dodger Stadium, where Los Angeles topped San Francisco 8-1.

Or at any field, in fact. While some teams expressed hope of allowing spectators at some point, Miami Marlins CEO Derek

Jeter said skip that idea.“I think it would be irresponsible to even

think about that right now when you look at the numbers in South Florida,” the Yankees great said. “At this particular time we’re not thinking about bringing fans back.”

Leaving them to their own devices.Whether you’re a two-screen fan track-

ing every four-seam fastball on your iPhone while instantly updating VORP and WAR stats on your tablet, or merely check-ing the next-day boxscore of your local team in the newspaper, make no mistake: This will look, sound and be odd from the start.

“Going to be 2020 coronavirus baseball,” Yankees star pitcher Gerrit Cole said.

Instead of actual fans, cardboard cutouts of their heads will fill many seats — Fox will fill stadiums with virtual fans for their national broadcasts. Players must stay so-cially distanced in the dugout, scattering

into the stands, if necessary. Some stars, like San Francisco catcher Buster Posey, aren’t playing at all because of health risks to themselves and their families.

When every team swings into action, all sides were hoping for something resem-bling normalcy.

As much as the action, it’s the timeless rhythm of the game that attracts many. Without getting too James Earl Jones-ish from the “Field of Dreams” cornfield, the game’s soundtrack is a key piece of the sport’s fabric.

Which is why baseball is providing stadi-um sound engineers with about 75 effects from its official video game — MLB The Show — to amplify the atmosphere, both at the ballpark and for broadcasts.

A mixed bag, so far.All fine with “Take Me Out to the Ball

Game” during the seventh-inning stretch at empty Yankee Stadium during a recent

exhibition game. But the familiar rustle of fans at Oracle Park in San Francisco cameacross more like a bunch of bees buzzing and scared off seagulls that often perch in the upper deck.

Patrick Corbin said it sounded a littlemore realistic at Nationals Park. Sort of.

“But then you look in the stands and noone’s there, so that’s always a little strange,” the Washington pitcher said.

Broadcasters are dealing with the samescenario.

“We are not looking to fool anybody. Werealize there’s no fans there,” ESPN pro-ducer Mark Gross said.

But adding a little artificial crowd noise“below the announcers just seems to makeit work and doesn’t sound quite so hollowwhen we are doing the games.”

Added former star-turned-ESPN an-nouncer Alex Rodriguez: “The abnormalhas become the normal.”

MLB

Baseball’s back – sort of

Batter up!

MARK J. TERRILL/AP

A TV cameraman walks among cutout pictures of fans during the seventh inning of an opening day game between the Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants on Thursday in Los Angeles.

Owners, union agree to expand playoffs to 16 teams‘ Anything can happen in a 60-game season. I’m all for it. ’

Trevor StoryColorado shortstop

• S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 23Saturday, July 25, 2020

MLBScoreboard

American LeagueEast Division

W L Pct GBNew York 1 0 1.000 —Baltimore 0 0 .000 ½Boston 0 0 .000 ½Tampa Bay 0 0 .000 ½Toronto 0 0 .000 ½

Central DivisionChicago 0 0 .000 —Cleveland 0 0 .000 —Detroit 0 0 .000 —Kansas City 0 0 .000 —Minnesota 0 0 .000 —

West DivisionHouston 0 0 .000 —Los Angeles 0 0 .000 —Oakland 0 0 .000 —Seattle 0 0 .000 —Texas 0 0 .000 —

National LeagueEast Division

W L Pct GBAtlanta 0 0 .000 —Miami 0 0 .000 —New York 0 0 .000 —Philadelphia 0 0 .000 —Washington 0 1 .000 ½

Central DivisionChicago 0 0 .000 —Cincinnati 0 0 .000 —Milwaukee 0 0 .000 —Pittsburgh 0 0 .000 —St. Louis 0 0 .000 —

West DivisionArizona 0 0 .000 —Colorado 0 0 .000 —Los Angeles 0 0 .000 —San Diego 0 0 .000 —San Francisco 0 0 .000 —

Thursday’s gamesN.Y. Yankees 4, Washington 1, 6 inningsSan Francisco at L.A. Dodgers

Friday’s gamesToronto (Ryu 0-0) at Tampa Bay (Mor-

ton 0-0)Kansas City (Duffy 0-0) at Cleveland

(Bieber 0-0)Baltimore (Milone 0-0) at Boston (Eo-

valdi 0-0)Minnesota (Berrios 0-0) at Chicago

White Sox (Giolito 0-0)Seattle (Gonzales 0-0) at Houston

(Verlander 0-0)L.A. Angels (Heaney 0-0) at Oakland

(Montas 0-0)Atlanta (Soroka 0-0) at N.Y. Mets (de-

Grom 0-0)Detroit (Boyd 0-0) at Cincinnati (Gray

0-0)Miami (Alcantara 0-0) at Philadelphia

(Nola 0-0)Milwaukee (Woodruff 0-0) at Chicago

Cubs (Hendricks 0-0)Colorado (Marquez 0-0) at Texas (Lynn

0-0)Pittsburgh (Musgrove 0-0) at St. Louis

(Flaherty 0-0)Arizona (Bumgarner 0-0) at San Diego

(Paddack 0-0)San Francisco (Samardzija 0-0) at L.A.

Dodgers (Stripling 0-0)Saturday’s games

Baltimore at BostonMinnesota at Chicago White SoxToronto at Tampa BayL.A. Angels at OaklandSeattle at HoustonKansas City at ClevelandMilwaukee at Chicago CubsPittsburgh at St. LouisColorado at TexasMiami at PhiladelphiaAtlanta at N.Y. MetsSan Francisco at L.A. DodgersDetroit at CincinnatiN.Y. Yankees at WashingtonArizona at San Diego

ThursdayYankees 4, Nationals 1 (6)

New York Washington ab r h bi ab r h biHicks cf 3 0 0 0 Turner ss 2 0 0 0Judge rf 3 1 2 1 Eaton rf 2 1 1 1Torres ss 2 0 0 0 Castro 2b 2 0 0 0Stanton dh 3 1 2 3 Kendrick dh 2 0 0 0Gardner lf 3 0 0 0 Thames 1b 1 0 0 0G.Sanchez c 3 0 0 0 Suzuki c 2 0 0 0Voit 1b 2 0 0 0 Cabrera 3b 1 0 0 0Urshela 3b 2 1 1 0 Stevnson lf 2 0 0 0Wade 2b 1 1 1 0 Robles cf 2 0 0 0Totals 22 4 6 4 Totals 16 1 1 1New York 201 010—4Washington 100 00x—1

LOB—New York 6, Washington 2. 2B—Judge (1). HR—Stanton (1), Eaton (1). IP H R ER BB SONew YorkCole W,1-0 5 1 1 1 1 5WashingtonScherzer L,0-1 51⁄3 6 4 4 4 11

HBP—Cole (Thames). T—1:43.

Dodgers 8, Giants 1San Francisco Los Angeles ab r h bi ab r h biYstrzmski cf 4 0 2 0 Muncy 1b 4 0 1 1Flores 3b 4 0 1 0 Betts rf 5 1 1 0Sandoval 1b 3 0 1 1 Bellinger cf 4 0 1 0Dickerson lf 4 0 2 0 Turner 3b 4 2 1 1Pence dh 4 0 0 0 Seager ss 5 2 1 0McCarthy rf 4 0 0 0 Hrnandz 2b 5 2 4 5Dubon 2b-ss 3 0 0 0 Pederson lf 3 1 1 0Crawford ss 2 0 0 0 Taylor ph-lf 1 0 0 0Solano ph-2b 1 0 0 0 Pollock dh 2 0 1 0Heineman c 3 1 2 0 Barnes c 4 0 1 1Totals 32 1 8 1 Totals 37 8 12 8San Francisco 001 000 000—1Los Angeles 000 100 52x—8

E—Flores (1), Seager (1). DP—San Francisco 1, Los Angeles 2. LOB—San Francisco 5, Los Angeles 11. 2B—Muncy (1), Seager (1), Bellinger (1), Turner (1). HR—Hernandez (1). SF—Sandoval (1). IP H R ER BB SOSan FranciscoCueto 4 5 1 1 1 3Smyly 1 0 0 0 1 2Garcia 1 1 0 0 0 0Rogers L,0-1 2⁄3 3 4 4 0 0Jimenez 1⁄3 1 1 1 3 1Menez 1 2 2 2 0 0Los AngelesMay 41⁄3 7 1 1 0 4Ferguson 2⁄3 0 0 0 0 0Baez 11⁄3 0 0 0 0 2Kolarek W,1-0 12⁄3 0 0 0 0 2Graterol 1 1 0 0 0 0

HBP—Cueto (Turner). T—2:56.

CalendarAug. 1 — Deadline for drafted players

to sign, except for players who have ex-hausted college eligibility.

Aug. 6 — Active rosters reduced to 28 players.

Aug. 13 — St. Louis vs. Chicago White Sox at Dyersville, Iowa

Aug. 20 — Active rosters reduced to 26 players.

Aug. 31 — Last day during the season to trade a player.

Sept. 15 — Last day to be contracted to an organization and be eligible for postseason roster.

Sept. 29-30 — Wild-card games.Oct. 15 — International amateur sign-

ing period closes, 5 p.m. EDTOct. 20 — World Series starts.October TBA — Trading resumes, day

after World Series.November TBA — Deadline for teams

to make qualifying offers to their eligible former players who became free agents, fifth day after World Series.

Roundup

Cole, Stanton lift Yanksover Nats in six innings

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The coro-navirus-shortened Major League Baseball season finally started amid the pandemic Thursday night with plenty of unusual el-ements — zero fans, umpires wearing masks, Washington star Juan Soto sidelined by COVID-19, all Nationals and Yankees kneel-ing together before the national anthem.

“It’s hard to describe. That’s 2020 in a nutshell,” said Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle, who was supposed to catch Dr. Anthony Fauci’s way-off-the-mark cer-emonial first pitch. “Very emo-tional day. Very, very emotional day.”

And there was plenty that actu-ally made it all seem something resembling normal: Gerrit Cole’s five terrific innings, big hits from Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge and a 4-1 storm-halted vic-tory for the big-name Yankees over the defending champion Nationals.

“It was a lot of fun. No one could have envisioned the type of year we’re having this year, but within those parameters, it exceeded every mark,” said Cole, who al-lowed only Adam Eaton’s first-inning homer and joked about recording a complete game. “I just had a blast.”

Max Scherzer, who struck out 11 but gave up all of New York’s runs, chose to look at the bright side, saying: “I’d rather be play-ing baseball than not. That’s the way I look at it. All the things we can get negative about and cry about, I’m just not going to do it.”

What began as a muggy eve-ning turned into a dark, windy

downpour, replete with rumbles of thunder and flashes of light-ning, prompting a delay in the top of the sixth inning.

After waiting 1 hour, 58 min-utes — 15 minutes more than were played — the game was called off and goes into the books as a win for New York.

Dodgers 8, Giants 1: Kike Hernandez homered and drove in five runs as host Los Angeles beat the rival San Francisco in a fan-less ballpark.

Mookie Betts, who took a knee during the national anthem, went 1-for-5 in his Dodgers debut. Betts struck out swinging in his first at-bat a day after signing a $365 million deal over 12 years.

Justin Turner grounded into a fielder’s choice and Betts beat a throw to the plate to give theDodgers a 2-1 lead in the seventh.The Giants lost their appeal of thecall after Betts slid head-first.

Betts struck out with the basesloaded to end a five-run inning that made it 6-1.

Adam Kolarek (1-0) got the vic-tory with 1 2⁄3 innings of relief.

Dustin May became the first Dodgers rookie to start on open-ing day since Fernando Valenzue-la in 1981 when Clayton Kershawcouldn’t go because of a back issue. It was similar to when Va-lenzuela was a late replacement for the injured Jerry Reuss back then.

Cloud: It’s back, but it’s just not the sameFROM BACK PAGE

magic mark of 20 this year. Gerrit Cole looked like he was worth every bit of the huge new contract that lured him to the Bronx, and at this rate might lead the league with eight or nine wins.

In Los Angeles, all the cardboard cutout fans had smiles on their faces, and with good reason. It doesn’t rain in Southern California, so none of them were going to get soggy.

And, check the math on this, but the Yankees and Dodgers might have both just clinched a spot in the expanded playoffs that were hastily added just be-fore the opening pitch.

No, it’s not baseball as we know it. It can’t be, as long as the virus is ravaging the country and short-sighted people remain in charge of what is left of America’s pastime.

“You dream your whole life about coming and playing in a big stadium with all the fans and then there’s none,” Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler said from the dugout. “It’s going to be an interesting one for sure.”

Real noise is from another time, which right now seems so far away. A virus that knows no boundaries

drastically changed the complexion of the season, and may yet end it before scheduled.

Even if the games go into October, the season may not end well. The expanded playoffs announced just before first pitch in Washington means 16 of 30 teams will be in the postseason. The plan was her-alded by commissioner Rob Manfred as something that will add excitement to the season, but the entire season will be one to quickly forget if a team with a losing record wins the World Series.

It’s hard to fault baseball for making the effort, even if it can do only so much.

In both Washington and LA there were tributes to the Black Lives Matter movement. Several Giants took a knee during the national anthem as did Dodg-ers superstar Mookie Betts, with Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy placing a hand on each shoulder of their new teammate.

There was a lot to take in on this, the most un-usual of opening days. Baseball was in the spotlight, a luxury it won’t have once the NBA and NHL begin play for real.

It worked for the most part, at least for one night.But even a short season can get awfully long in a

hurry.

MARK J. TERRILL/AP

The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, center takes a knee during the national anthem as teammates Cody Bellinger, left, and Max Muncy put their hands on his shoulders before Thursday’s game against the San Francisco Giants in Los Angeles. The Dodgers won 8-1.

ALEX BRANDON/AP

Gerrit Cole pitched five innings in his Yankees debut Thursday in Washington, giving up one run on one hit and striking out five.

Inside: Shortly before fi rst pitch, owners, union agree to expand playoffs to 16 teams, Page 22

S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S Saturday, July 25, 2020

SPORTS Riding highHamlin earns fi fth Cup Series

victory of season » NASCAR, Page 21

Storm clouds move in during the fourth inning of Thursday’s season opener between the Nationals and the New York Yankees at

Nationals Park in Washington. The game was called after six innings.

PHOTOS BY ALEX BRANDON / AP

COMMENTARY

Opening under a cloud

Washington’s Adam Eaton celebrates his solo home run during the first inning.

Baseball finally gets underway;season looms during pandemic

BY TIM DAHLBERG

Associated Press

The fans behind home plate at Dodger Stadium were fake, and so were the cheers in the nation’s capital.

The games themselves seemed real enough, assum-ing you weren’t looking too

closely. And Nationals star Juan Soto’s positive test for coronavirus was all too real.

Baseball got the opening day many thought might never come this year,

though it wasn’t exactly time to cele-brate. Soto’s last-minute absence Thurs-day as the defending champions opened play at home was a grim reminder — as if any were needed — that the virus will overshadow anything that happens on the field this season.

Watching from a distance, you might wonder why they were even trying. While the baseball was decent enough it’s hard to imagine anyone missing the game so much that they’ll find this ver-sion of it compelling over a 60-game season.

If there was a feel, it was artificial, like the Xbox had been accidentally ac-tivated and a video game was on the big

screen at home. Even the intense storm that ended play in the sixth inning in Washington seemed like it had beenprogrammed on a Hollywood back lot toensure a Yankee win.

And, really, how interesting can card-board people be after a few games evenif that was a likeness of Tommy Lasorda behind home plate watching his belovedDodgers beat the hated Giants?

Still, there was cause for die-hard fans everywhere to celebrate.

Giancarlo Stanton’s first-inning homerun was thrilling to Yankees fans, whohave to be dreaming he might hit the

SEE CLOUD ON PAGE 23

Source: Blue Jays to play homes games in BuffaloSports briefs, Page 21

If there’s a season, will there be bowl games?College football, Page 20