View
2
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
Volume 79 Edition 170A ©SS 2020 CONTINGENCY EDITION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020 Free to Deployed Areas
stripes.com
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Army hosts Navy for1st time in 77 yearsdue to coronavirusPage 24
MILITARY
Airman honored forprotecting fallenGreen Beret in fightPage 3
VIDEO GAMES
Demon’s Souls isthe ideal title forlaunch of PS5Page 13
US government panel gives green light to use of Pfizer vaccine ›› Page 6
WASHINGTON — The troop
drawdowns in Afghanistan and
Iraq planned to be completed by
mid-January will restrict the re-
maining forces in both countries
and limit how the United States as-
sists with future operations there,
the top general for U.S. Central
Command said Thursday.
“We’re just going to have to be
very careful and focused when we
do it,” Marine Gen. Frank McKen-
zie said during a virtual event with
DefenseOne, a news organization.
On Nov. 17, acting Defense Sec-
retary Christopher Miller an-
nounced President Donald Trump
had decided to reduce the U.S.
forces in Iraq and Afghanistan by
Jan. 15, just five days before Presi-
dent-elect Joe Biden is sworn into
office.
The force reduction will leave
roughly 2,500 troops in Afghanis-
tan and 2,500 in Iraq as both coun-
tries continue to see violence
against government forces and ci-
vilians by terrorist groups such as
the Islamic State and the Taliban.
With less troops, the work of ad-
vising and assisting Afghan forces
with counter-terrorism oper-
ations will be done “at a higher
level,” McKenzie said.
“We will have to be very careful
and very smart how we pick and
choose where we go and where we
don’t go. And the margins will be
less, but we believe it still will en-
able us to carry out our core objec-
tive” of preventing ISIS and al-
Qaida from attacking the U.S. or
other partner countries from Af-
ghanistan, the general said.
The United States will not have
trouble getting down to less than
3,000 in Afghanistan by January,
McKenzie:Drawdownsto limit futureoperations
BY CAITLIN M. KENNEY
Stars and Stripes
SEE DRAWDOWNS ON PAGE 4
said Dan Goldenberg, the endow-
ment’s executive director.
Competitors include players
from the Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marine Corps and Space Force
and the United Kingdom’s British
Army, Royal Air Force and Royal
Navy.
The C.O.D.E Bowl kicked off at
10 a.m. Friday on the U.S. West
Coast; however, the virtual event
was to stream all day across time
zones on the Call of Duty Twitch
and YouTube channels.
The Call of Duty Endowment
Adaylong video gaming
event raised nearly $1
million to help veterans
find work and careers
before it even went live Friday, ac-
cording to a nonprofit affiliated
with the popular Call of Duty fran-
chise.
The Call of Duty Endowment is
hosting a livestream face-off of
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War,
the most recent version of the
first-person shooter game, to raise
awareness and money to place
veterans in long-term careers,
U.S. Space Force
The U.S. Space Force is one of eight teams participating in this year’s Call of Duty Endowment video gaming event to raise money for veterans.
Heeding the Call to helpMilitary gamers participate in event to assist veterans transitioning to long-term careers
BY ERICA EARL
Stars and Stripes
Activision
Modern warriors are returning to the Cold War for a video gametournament featuring the latest edition of the first-person shooter.SEE GAMERS ON PAGE 5
PAGE 2 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S •Saturday, December 12, 2020
BUSINESS/WEATHER
Airbnb proved its resilience in a
year that has upended global trav-
el. Now it needs to prove it can live
up to investors’ sky-high expecta-
tions.
The San Francisco-based home
sharing company made a trium-
phant debut on the public market
Thursday. Its shares closed at
$144.71 apiece, more than double
the $68 price that Airbnb had set.
The closing price gave the compa-
ny a valuation of just over $100 bil-
lion. The shares are trading on the
Nasdaq Stock Market under the
symbol “ABNB.”
Instead of the traditional ring-
ing of the bell prior to the trading
day, Airbnb presented a video of
Airbnb hosts from around the
world ringing their doorbells. In a
video message, CEO Brian Ches-
ky also thanked the millions of
guests who have stayed at its list-
ings. In 2019 alone, 54 million
guests stayed at an Airbnb.
“You gave us hope that the idea
of strangers staying together, in
each others’ homes, was not so
crazy after all,” Chesky said.
“Airbnb is rooted in the funda-
mental idea that people are good
and we’re in this together.”
Airbnb raised $3.7 billion in its
offering, making it the biggest
U.S. IPO this year, according to
Renaissance Capital, which tracks
IPOs. The company had initially
set a price range of $44 to $50 for it
shares, but raised that to a range of
$56 to $60 earlier this week indi-
cating rising investor demand.
Airbnb wants to add more hosts
and properties.
Airbnb shares more than doubleAssociated Press
Bahrain79/65
Baghdad66/49
Doha77/65
Kuwait City68/52
Riyadh69/45
Kandahar50/31
Kabul40/29
Djibouti84/76
SATURDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Mildenhall/Lakenheath
48/33
Ramstein45/40
Stuttgart44/38
Lajes,Azores64/59
Rota65/60
Morón66/58 Sigonella
57/48
Naples56/49
Aviano/Vicenza43/35
Pápa43/36
Souda Bay64/48
Brussels47/38
Zagan40/31
DrawskoPomorskie 34/30
SATURDAY IN EUROPE
Misawa46/36
Guam86/79
Tokyo61/41
Okinawa73/68
Sasebo59/45
Iwakuni57/43
Seoul49/30
Osan49/29
Busan51/33
The weather is provided by the American Forces Network Weather Center,
2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
SUNDAY IN THE PACIFIC
WEATHER OUTLOOK
TODAYIN STRIPES
American Roundup ...... 11Comics ........................ 19Crossword ....................19Video Games................ 13Movies ................... 14-15Opinion ........................ 18Sports ................... 20-24
Military rates
Euro costs (Dec. 14) $1.18Dollar buys (Dec. 14) 0.8047British pound (Dec. 14) $1.29Japanese yen (Dec. 14) 102.00South Korean won (Dec. 14) 1060.00
Commercial rates
Bahrain(Dinar) .3770Britain (Pound) .7573Canada (Dollar) 1.2775China(Yuan) 6.5470Denmark (Krone) 6.1414Egypt (Pound) 15.7103Euro .8252Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7513Hungary (Forint) 292.53Israel (Shekel) 3.2517Japan (Yen) 104.00Kuwait(Dinar) .3051
Norway (Krone) 8.8157
Philippines (Peso) 48.12Poland (Zloty) 3.66Saudi Arab (Riyal) 3.7509Singapore (Dollar) 1.3365
So. Korea (Won) 1094.09Switzerland (Franc) .8895Thailand (Baht) 28.18Turkey (NewLira) 7.8262
(Military exchange rates are those availableto customers at military banking facilities in thecountry 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 withyour local military banking facility. Commercialrates are interbank rates provided for referencewhen buying currency. All figures are foreigncurrencies to one dollar, except for the Britishpound, which is represented in dollarstopound, and the euro, which is dollarstoeuro.)
INTEREST RATES
Prime rate 3.25Interest Rates Discount �rate 0.75Federal funds market rate �0.253month bill 0.0830year bond 1.64
EXCHANGE RATES
Saturday, December 12, 2020 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 3
KABUL, Afghanistan — Staff
Sgt. Alaxey Germanovich dozed
off briefly during a break in a har-
rowing two-week fight to oust Is-
lamic State fighters from a re-
mote valley in eastern Afghanis-
tan, but he awoke to the sound of a
belt-fed machine gun.
The Air Force combat controll-
er rushed into the fight, calling in
Hellfire missiles to take out two
suicide bombers, then directed
bombing and strafing runs
against an overwhelming enemy
force that had pinned down an Ar-
my Special Forces team he was
accompanying.
He later used his body to pro-
tect one of the Americans, 7th Spe-
cial Forces Group (Airborne)
member Staff Sgt. Mark De Alen-
car, after he was cut down by a
PKM machine gun as the team of
U.S. troops closed on an enemy
sniper position.
For his bravery, Germanovich
was presented the Air Force
Cross, the service’s highest medal
for combat bravery, in a ceremo-
ny at Cannon Air Force Base in
New Mexico on Thursday. The
award is second only to the Medal
of Honor.
“You risked your life and
weathered blistering enemy fire
to save the lives of others,” Air
Force Secretary Barbara Barrett
said during the event, which was
streamed live on social media.
“This Air Force Cross is a tribute
to your persistence.”
What was supposed to be a
weeklong U.S. and Afghan oper-
ation to clear some 450 ISIS fight-
ers from the rugged terrain in
Nangarhar province turned into
17 days of continuous close com-
bat, Barrett said.
The actions Germanovich was
honored for came about a week
into the mission, on April 8, 2017,
when ambushed coalition forces
fought a grueling 8-hour gun bat-
tle under machine gun and sniper
fire from all sides, the award cita-
tion says.
Germanovich is the 12th mem-
ber of the Air Force’s Special Tac-
tics community to receive the
medal for extraordinary heroism
since the 9/11 attacks. Special
Tactics airmen are ground spe-
cial operations troops that direct
airstrikes, recover personnel and
conduct battlefield surgeries.
ISIS opposition had been heavy
from the get-go, with gunfights
and airstrikes “all day, every
day,” Germanovich said in an Air
Force video released after the
ceremony. It got worse as they
pushed the ISIS fighters toward
the Pakistan border.
“Near the end of the valley … it
became more violent,” said Ger-
manovich, who is assigned to the
26th Special Tactics Squadron, 24th
Special Operations Wing.
He and the Special Forces sol-
diers were pinned down “basical-
ly in the open,” he said in the vid-
eo. He was forced to call in heavy
strikes against a large enemy
force occupying a tree-line, with
some hitting less than a football
field away from him.
“That’s really where dropping
bombs really gets scary,” he said
in the video. “We started with like
some 500-pound bombs. That
wasn’t working, so we started
dropping 2,000-pound bombs.
That worked for a little bit.”
With ordnance falling, he called
for the team to dash for cover. As
they dove behind a rock, one
bomb burst in the air, throwing
deadly fragments across the area
they’d just run from, he said.
At one point, the leader of the
7th Special Forces Group (Air-
borne) A-team identified an ene-
my sniper position in a narrow
cave at the top of a rocky outcrop-
ping. The Americans assaulted
the cave, but De Alencar was shot
in the process and mortally
wounded.
Germanovich, then a senior air-
man on his first deployment, put
himself between nearby enemy
forces to protect his fellow Amer-
icans with his body, the citation
says.
As the battle dragged on, the
American and Afghan forces ex-
pended all of their ammunition
and grenades, but there were still
enemy fighters all around and the
AC-130W Stinger II gunship over-
head was low on fuel.
“As they (the AC-130) were
leaving, I said, ‘If you don’t come
back, we’re dead,” Germanovich
said.
It did return and began “doing
God’s work” firing on the enemy,
he said, giving him and the others
a chance to move De Alencar to
safety. Germanovich helped car-
ry his comrade nearly a half-mile
uphill to a helicopter landing zone
for evacuation.
“This battle was a case study in
toughness and extraordinary
competence,” Col. Matthew Al-
len, the special operations wing
commander, said at Thursday’s
ceremony. “But it was also a case
study in love. The type of love that
demands teammates fight for one
another and give everything they
have.”
Germanovich’s actions protect-
ed over 150 friendly forces, Bar-
rett said. “He was intrepid and re-
lentless,” she said.
But he was only doing the job
he trained for, he said.
“You reflexively just want to
protect your teammates, you
don’t care about anything else,”
he said. “Every single one of those
guys would have done everything
in their power to do anything they
could to help the next guy.”
Following the ceremony, Ger-
manovich led the ceremony’s at-
tendees in pushups, a Special
Tactics tradition, to honor De
Alencar, who he called “D.”
“D paid the ultimate price,” he
said in the video, his eyes tearing
up. “I got to walk away. … I got
lucky.”
wellman.phillip@stripes.comTwitter: @pwwellman
Airman honoredfor protectingfallen soldier
BY PHILLIP WALTER
WELLMAN AND CHAD
GARLAND
Stars and Stripes
PHOTOS BY MICHAEL WASHBURN/U.S. Air Force
The father of Staff Sgt. Alaxey Germanovich, 26th Special Tactics Squadron combat controller, pins theAir Force Cross medal on his son, Thursday at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
KABUL, Afghanistan — Opti-
mism among Afghans regarding
the country’s peace process has
decreased significantly in the
past few months amid a spike in
violence, according to a survey
released Friday.
The Institute of War and Peace
Studies found optimism had drop-
ped to 57% when the survey was
conducted from Sept. 29 to Oct.
18. That’s down from 86% of those
surveyed according to the previ-
ous assessment conducted over
the summer and released in Au-
gust.
Ongoing peace talks between
the Afghan government and the
Taliban in Qatar had been at an
impasse until last week, when in a
breakthrough, the two sides
agreed on rules and procedures
for the negotiations.
However, since the Afghan-Ta-
liban talks started in September,
violence has spiked significantly.
The Taliban have staged deadly
attacks on Afghan forces while
keeping their promise not to at-
tack U.S. and NATO troops. The
attacks have drawn a mighty re-
taliation by the Afghan air force,
backed by U.S. warplanes. Inter-
national rights groups have
warned both sides to avoid inflict-
ing civilian casualties.
The Kabul-based think tank
found the 75.9% of survey respon-
dents said a cease-fire should be
the top priority of the intra-Af-
ghan talks.
Additionally, 71% of those
polled did not want to dissolve the
country’s army and security
forces after a peace deal. Afghan
President Mohammad Ashraf
Ghani has denounced the idea.
Another 64% were also against
any fundamental reforms to the
structure of the country’s security
forces, something the Taliban
have insisted on, saying these
forces were created by foreign
powers.
The institute polled 8,627 peo-
ple across Afghanistan’s 34 prov-
inces — 58% men and 42% women
— and received funding to con-
duct the survey from the Europe-
an Union and the Swedish Inter-
national Development Coopera-
tion Agency. The survey had a 5%
margin of error.
A few districts in some prov-
inces were not surveyed due to
high levels of violence and insta-
bility, as well as issues related to
the coronavirus pandemic, the in-
stitute said.
The Taliban now control or
hold sway over half the country,
and are at their most powerful
since the U.S.-led invasion in
2001.
In a report earlier this year,
Washington’s Special Inspector
General for Afghan Reconstruct-
ion, which monitors billions of
dollars in U.S. aid to the country,
said Afghanistan may not be
ready for peace unless it finds a
way to reintegrate Taliban fight-
ers into society and combat “en-
demic corruption.”
Report: Afghans losing hope for peace process amid attacksAssociated Press
WAR ON TERRORISM
PAGE 4 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, December 12, 2020
WASHINGTON — A Senate
vote on a wide-ranging defense
policy bill was delayed after Ken-
tucky Republican Rand Paul ob-
jected to the measure, casting the
next steps in doubt and raising
the slim prospect of a government
shutdown if a short-term spend-
ing bill caught up in the dispute is
not approved by Friday.
Paul said on the Senate floor
that he opposes provisions in the
defense bill that would limit Pres-
ident Donald Trump's ability to
draw down U.S. troops from Af-
ghanistan and Germany. His ob-
jections on Thursday threatened
another must-pass bill, a one-
week spending measure that
would keep the government open
through Dec. 18. The House has
passed the stopgap measure, but
a government shutdown would
occur if the Senate does not act on
it by midnight Friday.
Paul said he would drop his ob-
jection if GOP leaders allowed a
final vote on the National Defense
Authorization Act on Monday.
Senators from both parties were
eager to finish work on the bill
this week.
South Dakota Sen. John Thune,
the No. 2 Senate Republican, said
he thought Paul — who has pro-
voked government shutdowns be-
fore — was using the time-crunch
for maximum leverage to remove
the provision on troop withdraw-
als.
“I think he’s just trying to fig-
ure out ways to derail the bill.
And … when you’re in the U.S
Senate that’s your prerogative.
But most of our people would like
to get it done" this week, Thune
said.
“His thing is just to delay this
and use all the time so it pushes
the vote on (the
defense bill) into
next week,
which pushes
the override
vote” on a possi-
ble Trump veto
into the follow-
ing week, Thune
said of his fellow
Republican,
Paul.
A procedural vote
on the defense bill was expected
Friday, setting the stage for final
votes on the defense bill and the
stopgap spending measure later
in the day.
Paul said he is concerned that
the measure on troop deployment
“creates 535 commanders-in-
chief in Congress” and hampers
the president's ability to deploy
troops as he sees fit. Democrats
support the measure because
they oppose Trump, Paul said, but
the amendment would also apply
to future presidents, including
President-elect Joe Biden.
One amendment, co-sponsored
by Reps. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., and
Jason Crow, D-Colo., would block
troop withdrawals in Afghanistan
unless the Pentagon submits in-
ter-agency reports certifying that
the drawdowns would not jeopar-
dize national security. A separate
provision pushed by Utah Repub-
lican Sen. Mitt Romney and other
lawmakers would limit planned
troop withdrawals in Germany.
Paul singled out Cheney by
name in a floor speech, saying she
and her father, former Vice Presi-
dent Dick Cheney, share a neo-
conservative belief in “perpetual
war."
“The philosophy of these peo-
ple is about war and substantiat-
ing war and making sure that it
becomes and is perpetual war,''
Paul said.
Cheney hit back on Twitter,
charging that Paul was "currently
holding up passage of the
#NDAA, blaming America, and
delaying hazardous duty pay to
hundreds of thousands of our ser-
vice members and their families.
Inexcusable.''
She added: "Rand and I do have
one thing in common, though.
We’re both 5’2” tall.''
The dispute over the defense
bill came after Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell, in a
rare break with Trump, urged
passage of the measure despite
Trump's threat to veto it.
McConnell, R-Ky., said Thurs-
day that it was important for Con-
gress to continue a nearly 60-year
streak of passing the National De-
fense Authorization Act, which af-
firms 3% pay raises for U.S.
troops and authorizes billions in
military programs and construc-
tion.
“This NDAA will unlock more
than $740 billion for the training,
tools and cutting-edge equipment
that our service members and ci-
vilian employees need to defend
American lives and American in-
terests,'' McConnell said in a Sen-
ate speech ahead of an expected
vote Thursday or Friday. ”It will
give our troops the 3% pay raise
they deserve. It’ll keep our forces
ready to deter China and stand
strong in the Indo-Pacific.''
The Democratic-controlled
House overwhelmingly approved
the defense bill on Tuesday, defy-
ing Trump’s veto threat and set-
ting up a possible showdown with
the Republican president in the
waning days of his administra-
tion.
A total of 140 Republicans
joined 195 Democrats in backing
the bill, which received support
from more than 80% of the House
— well above the two-thirds sup-
port required to override a poten-
tial veto.
Trump has vowed to veto the
bill unless lawmakers clamp
down on social media companies
he claims were biased against
him during the election. Trump
also wants Congress to strip out a
provision of the bill that allows re-
naming of military bases that now
honor Confederate leaders.
McConnell did not address
Trump’s veto threat, but said the
bill “will secure President
Trump’s major progress at mod-
ernizing our capabilities, our
technologies and our strategic nu-
clear deterrent.''
The bill "does not contain every
policy that either side would like
to pass. But a huge number of cru-
cial policies are included and a lot
of bad ideas were kept out,''
McConnell said.
Trump tweeted Tuesday that
he will veto “the very weak" de-
fense bill unless it repeals Section
230, a part of the communications
code that shields Twitter, Face-
book and other tech giants from
content liability.
The dispute over social media
content — a battle cry of conser-
vatives who say the social media
giants treat them unfairly — in-
terjects an unrelated but compli-
cated issue into a bill that Con-
gress takes pride in having
passed unfailingly for nearly 60
years. It follows Trump’s bid over
the summer to sabotage the pack-
age with a veto threat over Con-
federate base names.
If he does veto the defense bill,
Congress could cut short its
Christmas recess to hold override
votes, senior House members
said.
“I think we can override the ve-
to, if in fact he vetoes," House Ma-
jority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-
Md., said Tuesday. “I hope he
does not veto. I hope he reconsid-
ers. And I think he will get sub-
stantial pressure (from Republi-
cans) that, you know, you don’t
want to put the defense bill at risk.
The defense measure guides
Pentagon policy and cements de-
cisions about troop levels, new
weapons systems and military
readiness, military personnel pol-
icy and other military goals.
Many programs can only go into
effect if the bill is approved, in-
cluding military construction.
Rand Paul objection delays defense billAssociated Press
Paul
including the removal of excess
equipment, McKenzie said. Even
with the drawdown, they will still
work with allies and partners to
carry out their mission in Afghan-
istan and Iraq.
“One point I want to make is our
NATO and coalition partners are
going to be with us, even as we go
down. In fact, there will be more
coalition and NATO forces in Af-
ghanistan than U.S. forces when
we arrive at this number,” he said.
McKenzie said the NATO mis-
sion in Iraq is expected to expand
as partner countries bring in more
people to the country to work with
the United States after their draw-
down.
While the Taliban has stopped
attacks on American or coalition
forces since the peace agreement
was signed in February, McKen-
zie said he is still concerned about
their attacks on Afghan forces,
which have also resulted in civil-
ian casualties. There is also still no
process for determining whether
the Taliban is not allowing ISIS or
al-Qaida from operating within its
territory, he said.
McKenzie said he hopes the on-
going peace negotiations between
the government of Afghanistan
and the Taliban will help reduce
the violence, however, the coali-
tion will still be there to help the
Afghan security forces defend
themselves.
“We believe that is a practical
way forward,” he said.
Drawdowns: NATO andcoalition forces to replaceUS units in AfghanistanFROM PAGE 1
KENNEY.CAITLIN@STRIPES.COM
@CAITLINMKENNEY
RODERICK JACQUOTE / U.S. Central Command Public Affa
Army Brig. Gen. Donn H. Hill, front right, the commander of Train Advise Assist Command – East, speakswith Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, middle, the commander of U.S. Central Command, duringMcKenzie’s visit in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Sept. 9, 2019.
MILITARY
Saturday, December 12, 2020 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 5
had already raised over $900,000
from its sponsors, financial ser-
vices company USAA, Ram
Trucks and Scuf Controllers,
Goldenberg said Thursday by
phone to Stars and Stripes.
Individuals may contribute on-
line on the “donate” tab at callof-
dutyendowment.org. Goldenberg
said the livestream gaming event
is not only about raising money
but also raising awareness about
the endowment as a resource for
veterans while giving service
members a fun event to look for-
ward to.
“There are more than 60,000
nonprofits with the word ‘veter-
an’ in them,” Goldenberg said.
“It can be like finding a needle in
a haystack.”
The coronavirus pandemic
sent unemployment rates soaring
in the U.S. this year, and veterans
were not spared. Their unem-
ployment rate in November reac-
hed 6.3%, nearly double the rate
last year, according to the U.S.
Department of Labor.
The endowment also saw a 31%
rise this year in veterans seeking
employment through its website,
Goldenberg said.
CEO Bobby Kotick of Activ-
ision Blizzard, the Call of Duty
parent company, founded the en-
dowment in 2009.
“The company has an affinity
to the military, especially since
the game Call of Duty was in-
spired by actions of service
members,” said Goldenberg, a
25-year Navy veteran.
Since its launch, the organiza-
tion has placed 77,000 veterans in
jobs and has raised over $44 mil-
lion in employment grants, Gold-
enberg said. Its goal is to place
100,000 veterans in careers by
2024. The average cost of job
placement per person is $499.
The endowment also raises
money each year by featuring an
in-game item available for pur-
chase. Last year’s item was a
gear pack designed by Medal of
Honor recipient Florent Groberg.
This is the second year for the
livestreaming charity event, and
the first year featuring teams
from branches other than the
U.S. Army.
Each of the eight teams partici-
pating will have four players
coached by a professional gamer
from the official Call of Duty
League.Goldenberg said each
service branch selects its players
from thousands of applicants.
Last year, the event was held in
Los Angeles with some participa-
nts joining remotely. This year,
all players will be participating
remotely because of the corona-
virus and because British forces
are taking part, Goldenberg said.
Airman 1st Class Austin Snyd-
er, an aircraft maintenance spe-
cialist with the Air Mobility Com-
mand at Scott Air Force Base
near St. Louis, said he has put in
several hours of online tourna-
ments and analyzing recordings
of matches to prepare to com-
pete.
“I'm honored and thrilled to be
able to enjoy my favorite pastime
with my brothers in other
branches as well as our allies,”
Snyder said in an email to Stars
and Stripes Thursday. “The ener-
gy and hype that comes when you
beat a good team is unmatched. It
really gets the blood going!”
Gamers: Organization hopes to place 100,000 veterans in jobs by 2024FROM PAGE 1
MILITARY
The U.S. Supreme Court has up-
held the rape convictions of three
Air Force airmen, reversing a rul-
ing from the military’s top court
dismissing their cases because
they fell outside the statute of limi-
tations.
Thursday’s 8-0 decision stated
that a five-year statute of limita-
tions does not apply to military
rape cases and that they can be
prosecuted at any time.
One case concerned the 2014
conviction of Lt. Col. Michael
Briggs for the 2005 rape of a sub-
ordinate after the woman report-
ed it in 2013.
The Court of Appeals for the
Armed Forces last year reversed
Briggs’ five-month jail sentence
and dismissal from the service.
The appeals court decided that
a 1977 Supreme Court decision
banning the death penalty for rape
meant that rape was not a military
capital offense — and thus was not
exempt from the five-year statuto-
ry limit for most military crimes.
Although Congress in a 2006
law had specifically said that rape
could be prosecuted “at any time
without limitation,” CAAF ruled
that the law wasn’t retroactive.
That decision led to the rape
convictions of Briggs and at least
three other service members be-
ing vacated and prevented the De-
fense Department from pursuing
new reports of rapes alleged to
have been committed from 1986 to
2006.
The justices found that the mil-
itary code weighed “heavily in fa-
vor of the government’s interpre-
tation” of the law to prosecute
rape claims going back to the
1980s.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett was
not on the bench when the case
was heard.
Harmony Allen, who was raped
and beaten by Master Sgt. Ri-
chard D. Collins in 2000 — a sep-
arate case which was prosecuted
in 2017 and also dismissed by the
CAAF ruling — said that the Su-
preme Court ruling had brought
her “peace.”
“For years, I had to live with the
fact that my rapist was set free
with nothing stopping him from
doing to another innocent woman
what he did to me,” she said in a
statement Thursday. “Today’s de-
cision changes that, and after all
these years, I can finally take a
deep breath knowing that justice
has been served.”
Court uphelds rapeconvictions for 3Air Force airmen BY NANCY MONTGOMERY
Stars and Stripes
montgomery.nancy@stripes.com �Twitter:@montgomerynance
Call of Duty Endowment
The Call of Duty Endowment hosted a livestream faceoff of Call ofDuty: Black Ops Cold War, to raise awareness and money to placeveterans in longterm careers.
STUTTGART, Germany — U.S.
airstrikes killed eight al-Shabab
bomb makers this week in Soma-
lia, marking the first such attack in
the country since the Pentagon di-
rected the military to withdraw its
forces from the country by early
next year.
On Friday, U.S. Africa Com-
mand posted a video of the strike,
which hit an area where a known
expert bomb maker resided, the
command said.
The attack, which occurred in
the vicinity of Jilib in southern So-
malia, showed a billow of smoke
after an initial blast.
“Al-Shabaab’s continuous at-
tacks demonstrate its willingness
to accept high numbers of civilian
casualties while advancing oper-
ations aimed at undermining se-
curity across Somalia,” Lt. Gen.
Kirk Smith, AFRICOM deputy
commander, said in a statement.
AFRICOM said the terrorists
killed were known to play impor-
tant roles in producing explosives
for al-Shabab, including car
bombs.
On Dec. 4, the Pentagon an-
nounced that it would pull its 700
troops out of Somalia in a move ex-
pected to be completed before
President-elect Joe Biden takes
office on Jan. 20. The plan is to re-
position those forces in other parts
of eastern Africa.
AFRICOM, however, has said
the departure of a ground force in
Somalia doesn’t mean an end to
operations in the country or their
efforts aimed at supporting Soma-
lia’s military.
For years, al-Shabab, an al-Qai-
da-aligned group, has been seek-
ing to overthrow the U.S.-backed
government of the country.
This year, AFRICOM conduct-
ed about 50 airstrikes in Somalia.
Even without troops on the
ground, a U.S. drone site in neigh-
boring Djibouti is capable of
launching attacks.
Maj. Gen. Dagvin Anderson ,
who leads Special Operations
Command Africa, said the latest
strike showcases the ability of the
U.S. to “defend both ourselves and
our partners.”
“We will continue to maintain
strong force protection and strike
those who seek to harm us or our
partners,” he said.
vandiver.john@stripes.com �Twitter: @john_vandiver
AFRICOM: Somalia strikekills 8 expert bomb makers
BY JOHN VANDIVER
Stars and Stripes
U.S. AFRICA COMMAND
A screen shot from a video shows the impact of the airstrikes conducted Dec. 10 that killed eightalShabab bomb makers in the vicinity of Jilib, Somalia.
Earl.erica@stripes.com twitter: @thisearlgirl
PAGE 6 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, December 12, 2020
WASHINGTON — A U.S. government
advisory panel endorsed widespread use of
Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine Thursday,
putting the country just one step away from
launching an epic vaccination campaign
against the outbreak that has killed close to
300,000 Americans.
On Friday the head of the FDA said his
agency had told Pfizer it “will rapidly work”
to grant emergency use of the vaccine fol-
lowing the positive recommendation. Many
FDA observers predicted action by Satur-
day ahead of a Sunday meeting by the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention.
Shots could begin within days, depending
on how quickly the Food and Drug Adminis-
tration signs off, as expected, on the expert
committee’s recommendation.
“This is a light at the end of the long tun-
nel of this pandemic,” declared Dr. Sally
Goza, president of the American Academy
of Pediatrics.
In a 17-4 vote with one abstention, the
government advisers concluded that the
vaccine from Pfizer and its German partner
BioNTech appears safe and effective for
emergency use in adults and teenagers 16
and over.
That endorsement came despite ques-
tions about allergic reactions in two people
who received the vaccine earlier this week
when Britain became the first country to
begin dispensing the Pfizer-BioNTech shot.
While there are a number of remaining
unknowns about the vaccine, in an emer-
gency, “the question is whether you know
enough” to press ahead, said panel member
Dr. Paul Offit of Children’s Hospital of Phi-
ladelphia. He concluded that the potential
benefits outweigh the risks.
The decision came as COVID-19 cases
surge to ever-higher levels across the U.S.,
with deaths setting an all-time, one-day re-
cord of more than 3,100 on Wednesday.
Pfizer has said it will have about 25 mil-
lion doses of the two-shot vaccine for the
U.S. by the end of December. But the initial
supplies will be reserved primarily for
health care workers and nursing home resi-
dents, with other vulnerable groups next in
line until ramped-up production enables
shots to become widely available on de-
mand — something that will probably not
happen until the spring.
Next week, the FDA will review a second
vaccine, from Moderna and the National In-
stitutes of Health, that appears about as
protective as Pfizer-BioNTech’s shot. A
third candidate, from Johnson & Johnson,
which would require just one dose, is work-
ing its way through the pipeline. Behind
that is a candidate from AstraZeneca and
Oxford University.
US panel endorses broad use of PfizerAssociated Press
“These are seasoned emergen-
cy and critical care personnel,”
she said. “We do not cry very of-
ten — and especially not a num-
ber of us all at once.”
In Illinois, where authorities re-
corded an additional 196 deaths
Thursday, Dr. Meeta Shah at
Rush University in Chicago said
medical workers are already be-
leaguered and waiting for the
“other shoe to drop” from holiday
gatherings.
“Every day you think, ‘Today is
going to be awful,’” Shah said.
In Virginia, Gov. Ralph North-
am, a doctor by training, an-
nounced a midnight curfew and
MISSION, Kan. — Just when
the U.S. appears on the verge of
rolling out a COVID-19 vaccine,
the numbers have become gloo-
mier than ever: Over 3,000 Amer-
ican deaths in a single day. One
million new cases in the span of
five days. More than 106,000 peo-
ple in the hospital.
The crisis across the country is
pushing medical centers to the
breaking point and leaving staff
members and public health offi-
cials burned out and plagued by
tears and nightmares.
All told, the crisis has left more
than 290,000 people dead nation-
wide, with more than 15.5 million
confirmed infections.
The U.S. recorded 3,124 deaths
Wednesday, the highest one-day
total yet, according to Johns Hop-
kins University. Up until last
week, the peak was 2,603 deaths
on April 15, when New York City
was the epicenter of the nation’s
outbreak. The latest number is
subject to revision up or down.
New cases per day are running
at all-time highs of over 209,000
on average. And the number of
people in the hospital with CO-
VID-19 is setting records nearly
every day.
A U.S. government advisory
panel on Thursday endorsed
widespread use of Pfizer’s CO-
VID-19 vaccine to help conquer
the outbreak. Depending on how
fast the FDA signs off on the pan-
el’s recommendation, shots could
begin within days, inaugurating
the biggest vaccination campaign
in U.S. history.
In St. Louis, respiratory ther-
apist Joe Kowalczyk said he has
seen entire floors of his hospital
fill up with COVID-19 patients,
some of them two to a room. He
said the supply of ventilators is
dwindling, and the inventory is so
thin that colleagues on one shift
had to ventilate one patient by us-
ing a BiPAP machine, similar to
the devices used to treat sleep ap-
nea.
When he goes home to sleep
during the day at the end of his
grueling overnight shifts, he
sometimes has nightmares.
“I would be sleeping and I
would be working in a unit and
things would go completely
wrong and I would shock myself
awake. They would be very vis-
ceral and very vivid,” he said. “It
would just really spook me.”
In South Dakota, Dr. Clay
Smith has treated hundreds of
COVID-19 patients while working
at Monument Health Spearfish
Hospital and at Sheridan Memo-
rial Hospital in neighboring
Wyoming.
He said patients are becoming
stranded in the emergency room
for hours while they await beds on
the main floor or transfers to
larger hospitals. And those trans-
fers are becoming more challeng-
ing, with some patients sent as far
away as Denver, 400 miles from
the two hospitals.
“That is a huge burden for fam-
ilies and EMS systems as well
when you take an ambulance and
send it 400 miles one way, that
ambulance is out of the communi-
ty for essentially a whole day,” he
said.
Smith added that some patients
have gone from thinking “I
thought this was a hoax” to “Wow,
this is real and I feel terrible.” But
he also has seen people with CO-
VID-19 who “continue to be dis-
believers. It is hard to see that.”
“At the end of the day the virus
doesn’t care whether you believe
in it or not,” he said.
New Orleans’ health director,
Dr. Jennifer Avegno, described a
recent visit to a hospital where
she watched doctors, nurses, re-
spiratory therapists and others
risk exposure to the disease in a
long, futile attempt to save a dying
COVID-19 patient. Some broke
down in tears afterward, she said.
expanded mask rules to require
face coverings be worn outdoors,
not just inside.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf
temporarily halted school sports
and other extracurricular activ-
ities, ordered gyms, theaters and
casinos to close and banned in-
door dining at restaurants.
In Idaho, Gov. Brad Little
didn’t order a statewide mask
mandate or enact additional re-
strictions despite the public
health agency announcing that
COVID-19 is now the leading
cause of death in the state. But the
Republican governor warned that
if hospitals continue to fill and the
state has to initiate “crisis stan-
dards of care” — when life-saving
treatment would be reserved for
patients most likely to survive —
car crash victims could be treated
in hospital conference rooms and
diabetics with infections could be
denied beds.
Little was among the first gov-
ernors to publicly wear a mask in
the spring and has encouraged
others to do so, but anti-mask sen-
timent is intense in the conserva-
tive state.
In New York City, which was
ravaged by the virus in the spring,
one doctor sounded a note of rela-
tive optimism, saying that at least
physicians are more capable of
managing the virus now.
“Early in the spring we did not
know enough,” said Dr. Jolion
McGreevy, who directs Mount Si-
nai Hospital’s emergency depart-
ment. “We really are operating
from a place of knowledge, now —
which is a big leap from where we
were in the spring.”
US has over 3,000one-day death toll
DAVID GOLDMAN / AP
Vanessa Castaneda, left, gets swabbed for COVID19 as her son, Joshua, 3, waits his turn on the lap of hisstepdad, Mario Araujo, at a drivethru testing site outside McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, R.I, Wednesday.
Associated Press
“At the end of the day the virusdoesn’t care whether you believe init or not.”
Clay Smith
South Dakota doctor
VIRUS OUTBREAK
Saturday, December 12, 2020 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 7
VIRUS OUTBREAK ROUNDUP
SEATTLE — The state Depart-
ment of Health has reported 2,550
new cases and reduced the num-
ber of COVID-19 deaths by 166.
The state removes deaths from
the statewide total when the pri-
mary cause of death is determined
not to have been COVID-19.
The Seattle Times reports the
update brings the state’s totals to
192,413 cases and 2,850 deaths,
meaning that 1.5% of people diag-
nosed in Washington have died,
according to the state. The data is
as of 11:59 p.m. Wednesday.
In Washington’s most populous
King County, 755 new cases were
reported, and the number of
deaths was reduced by 50, to 894.
The DOH also reported 88 new
hospitalizations as of Wednesday
because of the virus and said
12,084 people have been hospital-
ized in the state since the pandem-
ic began.
In Moses Lake, contact tracing
has connected additional CO-
VID-19 cases and possible deaths
to a 300-person wedding near the
Adams County-Grant County line
in November, KXLY-TV reported.
The Grant County Health Dis-
trict said Thursday evening it has
linked 47 cases in its county to
wedding attendees. Of those
cases, two people were staff mem-
bers at Lake Ridge Center, a nurs-
ing home in Moses Lake. Since the
wedding, 65 COVID-19 cases have
been reported at Lake Ridge and
15 residents have died.
The agency also found potential
links to health care workers in-
cluding one person who worked at
Samaritan Hospital and one nurs-
ing student. Contact tracing also
revealed 11 Moses Lake School
District staff members attended
the wedding and tested positive
for COVID-19, the county said.
Grant County found 14 addition-
al cases in people with a family
member who attended the wed-
ding or had a social gathering with
someone who went to the wed-
ding. One of those cases involved a
person employed by Moses Lake
School District, the county said.
ArkansasLITTLE ROCK — Gov. Asa
Hutchinson on Thursday evening
implored Arkansans to take pre-
cautions during the upcoming ho-
lidays as coronavirus cases surge
but declined to implement any ad-
ditional restrictions.
“More restrictions on business-
es would add a whole host of addi-
tional challenges, from increased
unemployment to closed business
and bankruptcies, all right during
the holiday season,” he said.
In the statewide address, he told
residents that the state is seeing a
surge in cases after Thanksgiving,
and reminded them that Christ-
mas is just two weeks away.
“Unless we take the right pre-
cautions, science tells us the cases
will continue to rapidly acceler-
ate,” he said.
He told Arkansans: “We must
do a few things differently this
year.”
Hutchinson suggested Arkan-
sans travel less for the holiday,
and if they do travel out of state to
take rapid tests before and after.
He noted he liked one family’s
idea to do their Christmas gather-
ing outside. He also suggested
businesses forgo a holiday party
this year, and if not have the state
health department approve their
social distancing gathering, as his
office is doing.
KentuckyLOUISVILLE — Kentucky
Gov. Andy Beshear announced
Thursday that the state’s restau-
rants, bars, gyms and other busi-
nesses will be able to return to
their previous capacity limits
starting Monday, Dec. 14.
“When we talk about COVID
being a fast moving train, it
doesn’t just immediately turn; you
have to slow it down, stop it and
turn it around. We still believe
that’s what we’re seeing,” Beshear
said.
The Democratic governor
pointed toward the state’s test pos-
itivity rate as a “leading not a lag-
ging” indicator that community
spread is slowing, and urged busi-
nesses to reopen with a commit-
ment to enforce social distancing
guidelines.
“We’ve got to enforce that mask
mandate, that’s the way we don’t
have to take steps like this again,”
he added.
Bars and restaurants will be
able to open indoor dining at 50%
capacity, and continue curbside
pickup, delivery, and outdoor din-
ing. They must stop serving food
at 11 p.m. and close by midnight.
Gyms, fitness centers, pools and
other indoor recreation facilities
will also be able to resume oper-
ations at 50% capacity.
MarylandMaryland Gov. Larry Hogan on
Thursday announced a series of
measures that he hopes will spur
job creation and help businesses
that have struggled financially as
a result of the coronavirus pan-
demic.
The new efforts include the for-
giveness of $75 million in emer-
gency loans provided to business-
es early in the pandemic and an
executive order to prevent small
businesses from seeing their un-
employment taxes skyrocket. In
addition, the state will spend $37
million for the construction of af-
fordable housing.
“While we continue to wait for
Congress to finally get its act to-
gether, today, we are taking a se-
ries of additional state actions to
help businesses struggling to hang
on to avoid the prospect of more
layoffs and to try to keep some
businesses from going out of busi-
ness,” Hogan said during a news
conference. “During this crisis,
our small businesses have had to
make very difficult decisions to
move ahead with layoffs and fur-
loughs despite their best efforts.”
OhioCOLUMBUS — Ohio’s over-
night curfew will be extended into
the new year, Gov. Mike DeWine
announced Thursday as he urged
residents to do everything possi-
ble to protect themselves and oth-
ers from the coronavirus during
the Christmas season.
The curfew first enacted last
month will continue to run from 10
p.m. until 5 a.m. until Jan. 2, the
governor said. The curfew re-
stricts movement outside homes
but allows multiple exceptions for
work, grocery shopping, medical
emergencies and other trips.
Some epidemiologists have ques-
tioned its effectiveness.
“We simply cannot afford — on
the very eve of a safe and effective
vaccination — to further over-
whelm our hospitals and health-
care providers with a holiday tsu-
nami,” DeWine said, calling these
next few weeks “an inherently
dangerous time.”
Ohio is set to receive its first
supplies of vaccination on Tues-
day.
Holiday religious services such
as Roman Catholic midnight Mass
would not be affected by the cur-
few, the governor said. Upcoming
late games by the Cincinnati Ben-
gals, Cleveland Browns, Colum-
bus Crew and the Cincinnati Bear-
cats football team are also ex-
empted, but DeWine asked fans to
limit watch parties to their own
households.
OregonREDMOND — Some Central
Oregon schools that were offering
in-person instruction this week
canceled those plans for the rest of
the year, as more staffers and stu-
dents quarantined because of ex-
posure to the coronavirus.
Redmond school officials in
Deschutes County halted class-
room learning after 91 students
and staffers were told to isolate,
The Bulletin reported. In neigh-
boring Crook County, School Su-
perintendent Sara Johnson sent a
letter Monday, telling parents the
rural district of about 3,000 stu-
dents would resume comprehen-
sive distance learning next week
through at least Jan. 4.
“The impact of quarantines due
to potential exposures has severe-
ly impacted our staffing levels,”
the letter reads.
Some 22 Crook County staff and
12 students have been told to quar-
antine, with at least three staffers
testing positive so far for the virus,
district spokesman Jason Carr
told Oregon Public Broadcasting.
TexasFORT WORTH — A North Tex-
as medical examiner’s office has
brought in two refrigerated trucks
to store dead bodies in response to
low capacity amid a surge in coro-
navirus cases.
Many of the hospitals and larger
funeral homes in the Fort Worth
area have reached their storage
capacity or will soon, said Nizam
Peerwani, Tarrant County’s chief
medical examiner.
The Tarrant County Medical
Examiner’s Office, which has a
capacity normally of 100 bodies,
said each truck can store 50 bod-
ies.
Officials expect to start using
the trucks in the next few days.
Also Thursday, a South Texas
county that has been hit especially
hard by the pandemic announced
that its county judge, the county’s
highest elected official, tested pos-
itive for COVID-19.
VirginiaRICHMOND — Gov. Ralph
Northam announced new mea-
sures to combat the coronavirus
Thursday that include a stricter
mask mandate and a curfew that
will requires most Virginians to
stay at home between midnight
and 5 a.m.
The executive order is set to
take effect on Monday and will al-
so reduce the state’s cap on public
gatherings from 25 people to 10.
Northam is expanding the state’s
longstanding mask requirements
to include outdoor areas where so-
cial distancing isn’t possible and
all indoor areas shared with oth-
ers, except for households. The
current mask mandate requires
only that masks be worn in indoor
public settings.
The modified stay-at-home or-
der will have some exceptions, in-
cluding for Virginians traveling to
work and seeking medical atten-
tion. The mask mandate does not
apply to children under five. The
executive order will be in place
through the end of January.
Wash. reduces deathtoll as wedding leadsto rise in virus cases
ELLIOT SPAGAT / AP
A pedestrian walks past Pacers Showgirls International in San Diego, on Thursday. While California's newstayathome order has shut down restaurant dining, shuttered salons and kept church services outside,two strip clubs in San Diego are still welcoming patrons nightly, protected by a court order. San DiegoCounty officials on Wednesday, voted 32 to appeal the judge's ruling that has allowed Pacer ShowgirlsInternational and Cheetahs Gentleman's Club to stay open after the establishments sued the county andstate over being ordered to close their doors.
Associated Press
PAGE 8 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, December 12, 2020
WASHINGTON — President-
elect Joe Biden is getting the old
gang back together.
Increasingly deep into the proc-
ess of selecting Cabinet members
and other senior staff, the incom-
ing Biden administration has a
distinctly Obama feel.
There’s Denis
McDonough,
former Presi-
dent Barack
Obama’s chief of
staff who Biden
announced on
Thursday would
be nominated as
the secretary of
veterans affairs. Susan Rice, Oba-
ma’s former national security ad-
viser, was named the director of
Biden’s White House Domestic
Policy Council.
That’s on top of Biden already
tapping Obama’s agriculture sec-
retary, Tom Vilsack, to head the
department once again, former
Secretary of State John Kerry to
serve as special envoy on climate
and Kerry’s Obama-era deputy
Antony Blinken to lead the State
Department. Jeff Zients, who did
stints as acting Office of Manage-
ment and Budget director and a
top economic adviser in the Oba-
ma White House, will return as Bi-
den’s coronavirus response coor-
dinator.
With the exception of President
Donald Trump, a political out-
sider when he was elected in 2016,
recent new presidents have relied
heavily on pools of talent that had
cut their teeth in their parties’ pre-
vious administrations to fill out
their own government. But Biden,
who is assuming the presidency in
the midst of the worst public
health crisis in a century and a
flagging economy, is putting a
greater premium on past experi-
ence and, as a result, has gone fre-
quently back to the Obama well as
he fills out his government.
“Many of the folks who are re-
turning are returning because
they believe in public service and
know that after four turbulent and
destructive years and a brutal
pandemic, this is a particularly
important time to serve,” said Da-
vid Axelrod, who served as a se-
nior adviser to Obama. “Their ex-
perience is valuable. Their values
and outlooks are consonant with
(Biden’s). The challenge is to look
forward and not back and inno-
vate beyond what’s simply been
broken.”
The swelling ranks of Obama of-
ficials in Biden’s orbit seem to
have some limits.
Former Chicago Mayor Rahm
Emanuel, a three-term former
congressman who served as Oba-
ma’s first White House chief of
staff, seems increasingly unlikely
to win a Cabinet post. He had lob-
bied for the yet-to-be-filled trans-
portation secretary slot but has
faced criticism for his handling as
mayor of the 2014 deadly police
shooting of Laquan McDonald, a
Black teen shot 16 times by a white
officer.
Still, the reliance on Obama vet-
erans carries risks. For one, some
of the nominees represent the
Washington establishment that
Trump dubbed the “swamp” dur-
ing his 2016 campaign and are still
distrusted by some Republicans.
Progressive Democrats, mean-
while, view the Obama era with
frustration, believing that those in
power acted too cautiously at a
time that called for bold change.
They’re pressing Biden to focus in
particular on the diversity of his
Cabinet after several early picks
were white men.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,
aNew York Democrat, questioned
earlier this week “the overall
message” that Biden is aiming to
send with his Cabinet picks. And
the left-leaning climate group
Sunrise Movement on Thursday
called the pick of Vilsack for agri-
culture secretary over Rep. Mar-
cia Fudge, an Ohio Democrat who
was looking to become the agen-
cy’s first Black secretary, as a
“slap in the face to Black Ameri-
cans.”
Biden did nominate Fudge to
serve as housing and urban devel-
opment secretary and retired
four-star Army general Lloyd
Austin to serve as defense secre-
tary. If confirmed, he would be the
first Black Pentagon chief.
The president-elect’s allies say
he’s making good on his pledge to
fill out a Cabinet that reflects the
diversity of the nation.
Biden filling his Cabinet with an Obama feelAssociated Press
MARK HUMPHREY/AP
Former national security adviser Susan Rice takes part in a discussion on global leadership at VanderbiltUniversity in Nashville, Tenn., in February.
McDonough
HOUSTON — The Texas law-
suit asking the U.S. Supreme
Court to invalidate President-
elect Joe Biden’s victory has
quickly become a conservative lit-
mus test, as 106 members of Con-
gress and multiple state attorneys
general signed onto the case even
as some have predicted it will fail.
The last-gasp bid to subvert the
results of the Nov. 3 election is
demonstrating President Donald
Trump’s enduring political power
even as his term is set to end. And
even though most of the signato-
ries are far-right conservatives
who come from deep red districts,
the filing meant that roughly one-
quarter of the U.S. House believes
the Supreme Court should set
aside election results.
Supreme Court to hear the case
have acknowledged that the effort
is a long shot and are seeking to
distance themselves from
Trump’s baseless allegations of
fraud. North Dakota’s Wayne Ste-
nehjem, among the 17 attorneys
general supporting the case, said
North Dakota is not alleging voter
fraud in the four states at issue.
“We’re careful on that,” said
Stenehjem, who noted that his of-
fice has received thousands of
calls and emails from constituents
asking the state to support the suit.
“But it’s worth it for the Supreme
Court to weigh in and settle it once
and for all,” he said.
Montana Attorney General Tim
Fox called the lawsuit “belated”
and said its chances “are slim at
best.”
millions of people, under the base-
less claim the Republican incum-
bent lost a chance at a second term
due to widespread fraud.
Two days after Paxton sued, 17
states filed a motion supporting
the lawsuit, and on Thursday six of
those states asked to join the case
themselves. Trump has acted to
join the case, tweeting Thursday
that “the Supreme Court has a
chance to save our Country from
the greatest Election abuse in the
history of the United States.”
Hours later, Trump held a meet-
ing at the White House, scheduled
before the suit was filed, with a
dozen Republican attorneys gen-
eral, including Paxton and several
others who are backing the effort.
Still, some of the top state Re-
publican prosecutors urging the
ing to overturn the election in the
Texas case, as the President has
told them to do,” tweeted Rick Ha-
sen, a law professor at the Univer-
sity of California, Irvine. “But we
are in bad shape as a country that
17 states could support this
shameful, anti-American filing”
by Texas and its attorney general,
Ken Paxton, he said.
The lawsuit filed against Michi-
gan, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and
Wisconsin repeats false, dispro-
ven, and unsubstantiated accusa-
tions about the voting in four
states that went for Trump’s Dem-
ocratic challenger. The case de-
mands that the high court invali-
date the states’ 62 total Electoral
College votes. That’s an unprece-
dented remedy in American histo-
ry: setting aside the votes of tens of
Seventeen Republican attor-
neys general are backing the un-
precedented case that Trump is
calling “the big one” despite the
fact that the president and his al-
lies have lost dozens of times in
courts across the country and
have no evidence of widespread
fraud. And in a filing Thursday,
the Congressional Republicans
claimed “unconstitutional irregu-
larities” have “cast doubt” on the
2020 outcome and “the integrity of
the American system of elec-
tions.”
To be clear, there has been no
evidence of widespread fraud and
Trump has been seeking to sub-
vert the will of the voters. Election
law experts think the lawsuit will
never last.
“The Supreme Court is not go-
Hundreds of GOP members sign onto Texas-led election lawsuitAssociated Press
NATION
WASHINGTON — Time maga-
zine has named President-elect
Joe Biden and Vice President-
elect Kamala Harris its “Person of
the Year.”
Time’s editor-in-chief Edward
Felsenthal says Biden and Harris
won the honor for “changing the
American story, for showing that
the forces of empathy are greater
than the furies of division, for
sharing a vision of healing in a
grieving world.”
Felsenthal notes, “Every elect-
ed President since FDR has at
some point during his term been a
Person of the Year, nearly a dozen
of those in a presidential election
year. This is the first time we have
included a Vice President.”
Time’s other Person of the Year
candidates were President Do-
nald Trump; frontline health care
workers and Dr. Anthony Fauci;
and the movement for racial jus-
tice.
Also Thursday, Time named the
Korean boy band BTS its Enter-
tainer of the Year and named Los
Angeles Lakers star LeBron
James its Athlete of the Year.
Biden and Harris namedTime’s ‘Person of the Year’
Associated Press
Saturday, December 12, 2020 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 9
WASHINGTON — Rep. Mark
Takano on Thursday called on
Veterans Affairs Secretary Rob-
ert Wilkie and his senior staff to
resign immediately after a federal
watchdog’s report found they
campaigned to discredit a Navy
officer who said she was sexually
assaulted at a VA hospital.
“As I have said before, VA re-
quires cultural
change to put an
end to sexual ha-
rassment and as-
sault at VA facil-
ities— that
change starts at
the top,” said Ta-
kano, D-Calif.,
chairman of
House Veterans’ Affairs Commit-
tee. “It is clear to me that Secre-
tary Wilkie is not up to that task.
He has lost the trust and confi-
dence of all those he is charged to
serve.”
In September 2019, Andrea
Goldstein, an adviser on female
veterans’ issues for the House VA
committee and a Navy Reserve of-
ficer, said she was assaulted in the
cafeteria of the VA hospital in
Washington, D.C. A male contrac-
tor for the VA slammed his body
against hers and made sexually
suggestive comments, she said.
The contractor is still employed at
the Washington DC VA Medical
Center, according to an IG spokes-
man.
On Thursday, the VA inspector
general released a report that
found Wilkie and his staff ques-
tioned Goldstein’s credibility and
tried to portray her as a serial ac-
cuser of dubious claims and as-
cribing her motives to a Demo-
cratic conspiracy to smear the VA.
The tone of Wilkie and the VA
senior staff set the stage for a fail-
ure to address issues with the
safety of women at VA hospitals,
investigators found. The secreta-
ry and his top officials also re-
fused to fully cooperate with the
investigation, refusing a second
round of interviews.
“In early 2019, VA’s own re-
search found that at least 1 in 4
women veterans experience sex-
ual or gender harassment at VA.
Instead of working with me to ad-
dress an underlying problem at
the DC VAMC from the start, Sec-
retary Wilkie and the senior-most
officials at VA went out of their
way to raise suspicions and cast
speculation and doubt about An-
drea and the legitimacy of the
whole incident,” Takano said in a
prepared statement.
The White House did not re-
spond Thursday to a request for
comment.
At the time, Wilkie had said
Goldstein’s claims were “unsub-
stantiated,” which an initial IG re-
port determined wasn’t true.
Charges were not filed against the
alleged assailant, partly because
there were no working security
cameras. The incident spurred a
public squabble between Wilkie
against House Democrats.
Jim Byrne, the former VA dep-
uty secretary, said Wilkie became
obsessed with the idea that the
sexual assault was a ploy by Dem-
ocrats to make him look bad.
The IG’s report follows the
damning report about Fort Hood
that showed systemic issues of
failed leadership at the base that
contributed to a pattern of vio-
lence, including sexual harass-
ment, assault and death.
“Never before has our nation’s
military or veteran community
shied away from the hard battles
that must be fought to mold our
country into a more perfect
union,” Takano said. “The trage-
dies like the murder of SPC Va-
nessa Guillen and the toxic envi-
ronment created at bases like Fort
Hood are a call to action and proof
that we have much work to do to
dismantle a culture where sexual
harassment and assault are toler-
ated.”
Takano calls on Wilkie,senior VA staff to resign
BY STEVE BEYNON
Stars and Stripes
Wilkie
ing by a bipartisan group of law-
makers to strike compromise.
Other legislative pile-ups
threatened Friday’s related busi-
ness — a must-pass government
funding bill. If it didn't clear Con-
gress, that would trigger a federal
government shutdown on Satur-
day.
McConnell’s staff conveyed to
other negotiators it’s “unlikely”
the trade-off proposed by the bi-
partisan group would be accept-
able, as COVID aid talks continue,
according to a person granted
anonymity to discuss the talks. A
WASHINGTON — An emerg-
ing $900 billion COVID-19 aid
package from a bipartisan group
of lawmakers has all but collapsed
after Senate Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell said Republican
senators won’t support $160 bil-
lion in state and local funds as part
of a potential trade-off in the deal.
McConnell’s staff conveyed to
top negotiators Thursday that the
GOP leader sees no path to an
agreement on a key aspect of the
lawmakers’ existing proposal — a
slimmed-down version of the lia-
bility shield he is seeking for com-
panies and organizations facing
potential COVID-19 lawsuits — in
exchange for the state and local
funds that Democrats want.
The GOP leader criticized “con-
troversial state bailouts” during a
speech in the Senate, as he insists
on a more targeted aid package.
The hardened stance from
McConnell, who does not appear
to have enough votes from his Re-
publican majority for a far-reac-
hing compromise, creates a new
stalemate over the $900-billion-
plus package, despite days of toil-
senior Democrat first shared the
Republican leader’s views after
being granted anonymity to dis-
cuss the private conversations,
which were first reported by Poli-
tico.
Deadlines, real and perceived,
haven’t been sufficient to drive
Washington’s factions to an agree-
ment, despite the U.S. breaking a
record-high 3,000 daily COVID
fatalities, and hospitals straining
at capacity from soaring case-
loads nationwide.
The House recessed for a few
days, with leaders warning mem-
bers to be prepared to return to
Washington to vote on the year-
end deals, while the Senate was
planning a rare Friday session.
The breakdown over the CO-
VID aid package, after days of be-
hind-the-scenes talks by a group
of lawmakers fed up with inaction,
comes as President Donald
Trump has taken the talks in an-
other direction — insisting on a
fresh round of $600 stimulus
checks for Americans.
Sending direct cash payments
to households was not included in
the bipartisan proposal.
Congress snagged on state aid in virus dealAssociated Press
NATION
PORTLAND, Ore. — A gentrifi-
cation protest in Oregon’s largest
city that has blockaded several
city blocks in Portland entered its
third day Thursday as demonstra-
tors dressed in black and wearing
ski masks shored up their ma-
keshift barriers aimed at keeping
police out.
The fencing, lumber and other
roadblocking material first went
up on Tuesday after officers ar-
rested about a dozen people in a
clash over the eviction of a Black
and Indigenous family from a
house.
The street behind the blockade
in the neighborhood of homes,
coffee shops and restaurants was
laced with booby traps aimed at
keeping officers out — including
homemade spike strips, piles of
rocks and thick bands of plastic
wrap stretched at neck-height
across the roadway. It’s unclear
exactly how many people were
camped out at the site, and police
didn’t say.
The standoff recalled more
than four months of confronta-
tions between police and protes-
ters decrying racial injustice and
police brutality that only abated
weeks ago.
Mayor Ted Wheeler said the
city would not tolerate an “auton-
omous zone,” a reference to a
weekslong protest in Seattle
where protesters essentially took
over a several-block area near
downtown during racial injustice
protests.
Supporters of the Kinney fam-
ily, the Black and Indigenous fam-
ily that faced foreclosure, have
said the home was unjustly taken
through predatory lending prac-
tices that target people of color.
The property sold at auction for
$260,000 in 2018, the family said,
while private land next door is
valued at more than $10 million.
The small, maroon-painted prop-
erty is known as the Red House on
Mississippi for its location on
North Mississippi Avenue.
On Thursday, the family’s sup-
porters said in a statement that
Wheeler’s office had reached out
to the Kinney family late Wednes-
day and promised to “keep it Kin-
ney” in an initial conversation.
The statement implored the
mayor to ”call off” the police and
sheriff’s deputies who secured the
home and made arrests on Tues-
day.
“We look forward to continuing
that conversation as we move
more towards our goal of securing
the Red House for the Kinney
family and their generations to
come,” the family’s statement
said.
Wheeler’s office said in a state-
ment that the city was “actively
working across bureaus and with
partners” to resolve the standoff,
but did not confirm having had
contact with the family.
GILLIAN FLACCUS / AP
Protesters stand behind barricades at their encampment outside a home in Portland, Ore., on Wednesday.
Large gentrification protest inPortland stretches into 3rd day
Associated Press
PAGE 10 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, December 12, 2020
WORLD
NAIROBI, Kenya — Thousands
of refugees fled camps in Ethio-
pia’s Tigray region as war swept
through, food ran out and col-
leagues were reportedly attacked.
But Ethiopia’s government said
Friday it’s returning the “misin-
formed” refugees back to their
camps near Eritrea, the country
they originally fled.
In a statement asserting that
the fighting in Tigray is over, Eth-
iopia’s government said its mili-
tary offensive against the now-fu-
gitive regional government “was
not a direct threat” to the 96,000
refugees — even as international
aid groups said four of their staff-
ers had been killed, at least one in
a refugee camp there.
Ethiopia’s announcement
comes days after the United Na-
tions refugee chief said the re-
ported targeting of Eritrean refu-
gees, if confirmed, “would be ma-
jor violations of international
norms.” Ethiopia has denied the
involvement of Eritrean troops in
the conflict, but Tigray residents
who fled into Sudan have asserted
that gunfire came from the direc-
tion of Eritrea as the conflict be-
gan.
Aid groups say thousands of the
Eritrean refugees have fled to
Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa,
and the Tigray capital, Mekele.
Ethiopia’s government said
their “unregulated movement”
makes it difficult to ensure their
security and provide them with
aid.
Their camps are now stable and
under Ethiopia’s “full control,”
the statement said, adding that
“transportation of food to the
camps is under way.”
But communications and trans-
port links to the Tigray region re-
main so challenging that the In-
ternational Rescue Committee
said Friday it was still trying to
confirm the details around the
killing of an employee in the Hit-
sats refugee camp in Shire town,
the base of humanitarian oper-
ations for the refugee camps.
Separately, the Danish Refugee
Council said three staffers who
worked as guards at a project site
were killed last month.
“Sadly, due to the lack of com-
munications and ongoing insecu-
rity in the region, it has not yet
been possible to reach their fam-
ilies,” it said. It was not clear
where they were killed, but the
aid group also supports the Eri-
trean refugees.
The refugee camps “have had
no access to services and supplies
for more than a month,” the U.N.
refugee agency told reporters on
Friday.
“Now, more than ever, it is a
matter of urgency to cease all hos-
tilities,” the European Union’s
commissioner for crisis manage-
ment, Janez Lenarcic, said while
condemning the killings.
Frustration remains among the
United Nations and other human-
itarian organizations as the Ti-
gray region remains largely
sealed off from the outside world
five weeks after fighting erupted
between Ethiopia’s government
and the Tigray one following a
monthslong power struggle.
Ethiopia’s government has
made clear it intends to manage
the process of delivering aid to Ti-
gray, and it has rejected “interfe-
rence” as fighting is reported to
be continuing despite its declara-
tion of victory. On Friday, Ethio-
pia it said it had begun delivering
aid to areas in Tigray under its
control, including Shire and the
Tigray capital, a city of a half-mil-
lion people.
“Suggestions that humanitarian
assistance is impeded due to ac-
tive military combat in several ci-
ties and surrounding areas within
the Tigray region is untrue and
undermines the critical work un-
dertaken by the National Defense
Forces to stabilize the region,”
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy
Ahmed’s office said, adding that
sporadic gunfire should “not be
misconstrued as active conflict.”
Ethiopia to return refugees to Eritrean campsBY CARA ANNA
Associated Press
BRUSSELS — European Union
leaders reached a hard-fought
deal Friday to cut the bloc’s net
greenhouse gas emissions by at
least 55% by the end of the decade
compared with 1990 levels, avoid-
ing a hugely embarrassing dead-
lock ahead of a U.N. climate meet-
ing this weekend.
Following night-long discus-
sions at their two-day summit in
Brussels, the 27 member states
approved the EU executive com-
mission’s proposal to toughen the
bloc’s intermediate target on the
way to climate neutrality by mid-
century, after a group of reluctant,
coal-reliant countries finally
agreed to support the improved
goal.
“Europe is the leader in the
fight against climate change,”
tweeted EU Council president
Charles Michel as daylight broke
over the EU capital city. “We de-
cided to cut our greenhouse gas
emissions of at least 55% by 2030.”
German Chancellor Angela
Merkel said the 21-hour summit
during which the climate debate
was a constant worry, had much to
show for it.
“It was worth having a sleepless
night," she said.
Five years after the Paris agree-
ment, the EU wants to be a leader
in the fight against global warm-
ing. Yet the bloc’s leaders were
unable to agree on the new target
the last time they met in October,
mainly because of financial con-
cerns by eastern nations seeking
more clarity about how to fund
and handle the green transition.
But the long-awaited deal on a
massive long-term budget and
coronavirus recovery clinched
Thursday by EU leaders swung
the momentum.
Large swaths of the record-high
1.82 trillion-euro package are set
to pour into programs and invest-
ments designed to help the mem-
ber states, regions and sectors
particularly affected by the green
transition, which are in need of a
deep economic and social trans-
formation.
EU leaders have agreed that
30% of the package — some 550
billion euros — should be used to
support the transition.
Still, agreeing on common lan-
guage was not an easy task. Nego-
tiations were punctuated through-
out the night by intense discus-
sions in the plenary session and
multiple chats in smaller groups
on the sidelines.
Another delay in revising the
EU’s current 40% emission cuts
objective for 2030 would have
been particularly embarrassing
before the virtual Climate Ambi-
tion Summit marking five years
since the Paris deal, and leaders
worked to the wire to seal a deal.
Greenpeace and other environ-
mental groups have said the im-
proved EU target is insufficient to
properly tackle climate change.
“To increase the chances of lim-
iting global heating to 1.5°C and
avoid the worst effects of climate
breakdown, Greenpeace is calling
for at least a 65% cut in EU emis-
sions from polluting sectors by
2030,” the NGO said.
OLIVIER MATTHYS/AP
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen greetsDenmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen during a round tablemeeting at an EU summit at the European Council building inBrussels, Thursday.
EU agreesto raiseemissioncuts goal
BY SAMUEL PETREQUIN
Associated Press
HONG KONG — Hong Kong
pro-democracy activist and media
tycoon Jimmy Lai has been
charged under the city’s national
security law, amid a widening
crackdown on dissent, according
to local media reports.
Lai, who founded the Apple Dai-
ly tabloid, was charged on suspi-
cion of colluding with foreign
forces and endangering national
security, local broadcaster TVB
reported Friday. He is the most
high-profile person out of more
than two dozen charged under the
law since it was implemented in
June.
He is scheduled to appear in
court on Dec. 12, and could face a
maximum punishment of life im-
prisonment.
Police said in a statement that
they arrested a 73-year-old man
under the national security law,
but did not name him.
Lai was arrested under the na-
tional security law in August. He
and two executives of Next Digi-
tal, the company that operates the
Apple Daily newspaper, were lat-
er charged with fraud over accu-
sations that they violated lease
terms on office space for compa-
ny. He was denied bail earlier this
month.
Beijing imposed the national se-
curity law in response to protests
in Hong Kong that began in June
2019 over a proposed extradition
law and expanded to include de-
mands for greater democracy in
the former British colony.
The legislation outlaws seces-
sion, subversion, terrorism, and
collusion with foreign forces to in-
tervene in Hong Kong’s internal
affairs. In certain cases, those
charged under the national secu-
rity law could also face trial in
mainland China, where the legal
system is highly opaque.
The sweeping legislation
prompted more public protests
and led to complaints that Beijing
is violating the autonomy prom-
ised to Hong Kong when it was
handed over to China from Britain
in 1997. Critics have said the law is
also damaging Hong Kong’s status
as a business center.
Apple Daily criticized the law
on its front page on July 1, calling it
the “final nail in the coffin” of the
territory’s autonomy.
Lai has advocated for other
countries to take a harsher stance
on China, and last year he traveled
to the U.S. to meet with Vice Presi-
dent Mike Pence and Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo to discuss the
proposed extradition bill.
Hong Kong media tycoon,pro-democracy activistcharged under security law
KIN CHEUNG/AP
Prodemocracy media tycoonJimmy Lai arrives at a policestation in Hong Kong Sept. 1.
Associated Press
Saturday, December 12, 2020 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 11
AMERICAN ROUNDUP
Ex-teacher sentenced forkicking kindergartener
KS BELLE PLAINE — A
former Kansas teacher
who was caught on security cam-
era kicking a kindergarten stu-
dent in the school library has been
sentenced to 30 days in jail and a
year of probation.
Crystal Smith, 55, was also or-
dered to attend anger manage-
ment classes after pleading guilty
in Johnson County District Court,
online court records show.
A security camera at the Blue-
jacket-Flint Elementary School in
Shawnee, Kan., captured footage
of the incident. The girl had craw-
led into a bookshelf opening.
Smith yanked her out, then kicked
the girl as she lay huddled.
When the mother confronted
the teacher, Smith denied harm-
ing the girl and told her the girl
was not being truthful. The moth-
er demanded school officials to in-
vestigate.
Flower Show to be heldoutdoors for first time
PA PHILADELPHIA —
The Philadelphia Flow-
er Show, which bills itself as “the
nation’s largest and longest-run-
ning horticultural event,” will
move outside next year for the
first time in its nearly 200-year
history because of the coronavirus
pandemic.
The 2021 event will take place in
FDR Park in south Philadelphia,
the Pennsylvania Horticultural
Society announced.
“We are working closely with
our colleagues at Philadelphia
Parks and Recreation and a host of
planning experts including the
Department of Public Health in
Philadelphia to develop the Flow-
er Show into a safe, beautiful, and
extraordinary outdoor experience
for everyone,” the society said.
Holiday messages beingsent to care facilities
KY FRANKFORT — Em-
ployees of the Legisla-
tive Research Commission have
launched a campaign to send
hand-written holiday cards to ev-
ery long-term care facility around
the state.
The goal was to send at least one
card to each facility, but some
have asked for cards for each resi-
dent. There are around 250 facil-
ities in the state.
“If your family is anything like
mine, curtailing holiday traditions
because of social distancing has
been hard on the soul,” Commis-
sion Director Jay Hartz said. “My
hope is this card-writing initiative
fosters some of that human con-
nection lost with the restrictions.”
Police find cocaine stashin trailer hauling garlic
IN VALPARAISO — A stash
of cocaine worth up to $2
million was discovered inside a
trailer hauling garlic from Califor-
nia after staff at a northwest Indi-
ana highway weigh station grew
suspicious, police said.
State troopers were called to the
weigh station along Interstate 94
in Porter County by staff who had
been inspecting a commercial
truck's trailer loaded with 18,000
pounds of minced garlic.
State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield
said a staff member became sus-
picious after spotting a black case
in the trailer that seemed inconsis-
tent with the rest of its load, The
(Northwest Indiana) Times re-
ported.
Fifield said that case contained
packages of a white substance,
which later tested positive as co-
caine.
2 kids jump from 3rdfloor to escape fire
WA SPOKANE — Two
children had to jump
from a third-floor window of a
Spokane apartment building to es-
cape a fire that was caused after
the family's Christmas tree burst
into flames.
A 9-year-old boy who jumped as
people gathered below had to be
taken to the hospital to be checked
out but fire officials said his inju-
ries were not life threatening.
The boy's 5-year-old sister, who
also jumped, was not injured.
The third-story window was
about 25 feet above the ground,
said Julie O’Berg of the Spokane
Fire Department.
The father, Kevin Hulme, was
not in the apartment when the tree
caught fire.
His wife ran to get help but
could not re-enter the apartment
because of smoke.
Deputies confront, arrestman pointing AK-47
NC EDEN — A North Car-
olina man dressed in
body armor pointed an assault ri-
fle at deputies after they went to a
home to serve him with a warrant,
a sheriff’s office said.
The Rockingham County Sher-
iff’s Office said in a news release
that deputies went to a home in
Pelham to arrest Patrick James
Donovan, 46, on an misdemeanor
simple assault charge stemming
from an incident earlier in the day
in Caswell County.
Deputies said Donovan
emerged from a carport carrying
an AK-47 rifle, wearing body ar-
mor and demanding that the depu-
ties leave the property. The depu-
ties then took cover behind their
patrol cars and told Donovan they
had a warrant for his arrest, au-
thorities said.
According to the news release,
Donovan fled into nearby woods
before he negotiated with depu-
ties, put down his rifle and surren-
dered.
Man pleads guilty tofraud at ABC stores
VA NEWPORT NEWS — A
Virginia man has plead-
ed guilty to participating in a
scheme to buy alcohol for resale
from state-run liquor stores by us-
ing stolen debit and credit card
numbers, according to the U.S. At-
torney’s Office.
Tyrell Jackson, 44, of Norfolk
pleaded guilty to conspiracy to
commit wire fraud and aggravat-
ed identity theft, a news release
from Virginia U.S. Attorney G. Za-
chary Terwilliger said.
Prosecutors said Jackson and
three other men defrauded Vir-
ginia Alcoholic Beverage Control
stores by using debit and credit
cards re-encoded with the stolen
information. The news release
said investigators identified 20 di-
rect victims of identity theft from
Jackson’s role in the conspiracy,
and at least 82 victims of the big-
ger conspiracy.
Woman arrested atairport with hidden knife
AZ PHOENIX — A woman
was arrested at Phoe-
nix Sky Harbor Airport after al-
legedly trying to pass through se-
curity and board a flight to San
Francisco recently with a folding
knife concealed in her bra., au-
thorities said.
FBI officials in Phoenix said
Erine Aisha Robertson, 36, was
charged with the federal crime of
attempting to carry a weapon on
an aircraft.
Court documents show an
alarm went off as Robertson
passed through the sensor at the
Transportation Security Adminis-
tration checkpoint.
Authorities said Robertson was
taken to a private screening room
where she reached into her bra
and pulled out a small knife.
JIM SLOSIAREK, THE (CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA) GAZETTE/AP
Keith Snoop of Marion, Iowa, takes a curve as he pedals down the 4,000foot Trashmore Trail during an outofseason twoday access specialat the Mount Trashmore Trails and Overlook in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Wednesday. Favorable weather made it possible for the Linn CountySolid Waste Agency to open two trails at the site for walking and mountain biking. At least 360 people walked or biked on the first day.
A spoketacular day
THE CENSUS
22 The number of black bears killed on the first day of New Jer-sey's annual black bear hunt. The second segment of the hunt
resumed with hunters in parts of eight counties using firearms. However, theseason will be extended by four days if the bear harvest “does not meet a mini-mum of 20% of bears tagged.” Hunters used archery to bag 62 bruins on thefirst day of the hunt's first segment in October. They killed 336 bears witharchery and muzzleloaders during the first segment between Oct. 12 and Oct.17. Most of the bruins were bagged in Sussex County.
From The Associated Press
PAGE 12 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, December 12, 2020
TRAVEL
It’s not often that Phil Paoletta receives disgruntled
emails about his and Ali Nialy’s project, but when he
does, it’s because someone thinks their West Africa-
based company is a scam.
The duo started Postcards From Timbuktu in 2016 with
a mission to help unemployed tour guides gain an income
by sending cards from a city that’s become shorthand for a
far-flung, if not imaginary, place.
“They think Timbuktu isn’t a real place and we’re print-
ing fake postcards and stamps to make it seem like some-
thing’s coming from a place in a joke,” Paoletta said.
It then falls to Paoletta to explain that Timbuktu is, in
fact, a real city, that the person who wrote the message is
not a grifter a la a fictitious “Nigerian prince,” and that one
of their friends or family members ordered a postcard for
them thinking they would enjoy receiving correspondence
from Mali.
More often than not, though, the recipients of the post-
cards are delighted, especially this year, when internation-
al tourism has largely come to a halt. In fact, the armchair-
travel nature of the postcards has led to the project’s most
successful year yet.
“We had a lot of postcards for people that were stuck in
quarantine and wished they could be traveling,” Paoletta
said. “This way, at least, they have a postcard that traveled
all the way from Timbuktu.”
The idea for the project came the same day Paoletta, an
American hotel and restaurant owner in Bamako, the
capital city, received mail from a friend in the United
States — his first parcel in six years. He was thinking
about how delightful it was to receive the letter when Nialy
came to visit him.
The latter had been a guide in the UNESCO World Heri-
tage city since elementary school and had previously made
a comfortable living walking tourists through his home-
town, bringing the fabled city to life with visits to mud
brick, earthen mosques and museums that show the histo-
ry of the once-important trading post. But after Islamist
militant occupation and attacks in 2012, tourism went into
a free fall. The next year, the French military intervened
and conditions improved, but numbers dwindled further
after a series of suicide bombings in 2015 and lingering
insecurity. Now the top half of Mali is all but divorced from
the southernmost half, at least for foreigners. Even if Pao-
letta, who has lived in Mali for a decade, wanted to go visit
Nialy, he’d be turned around by officials before he got to
Timbuktu.
As Nialy explained how dire the guide industry in Tim-
buktu had become, the idea for their venture clicked for
Paoletta.
After a successful test run to determine whether a post-
card from Timbuktu would get to its destination in other
countries, they assembled a team of ghostwriters and set
up a website. The process for ordering a card written and
postmarked in Timbuktu is fairly simple: pay $10, dictate
the verbiage and choose a design.
Some of the images on the cards Paoletta shot himself,
others were gifted by professional photographers, and
some are public-domain historical pictures of Timbuktu.
Alternatively, the sender can opt to have a design colored
by kids at the elementary school. There’s no telling what
will be drawn on the card, but the proceeds will help the
students get new school supplies (which more recently
have included hand sanitizer).
From there, one of the unemployed guides hand-writes
the message (usually in English, German or French, but
they’ll try their best with any language or alphabet sub-
mitted), and off it’s sent.
While the concept is straightforward, Paoletta said the
execution in Mali often follows a more meandering path.
On average, the cards take two or three weeks to arrive,
but there have been exceptions. The biggest problems
Paoletta and Nialy have encountered is an inability to
track the postcards. Once they’ve been dropped off at the
post office, they have no way of knowing where in the
world they are. Still, they’ve had very few complaints,
which Paoletta finds refreshing.
“We’ve become so accustomed to ordering something
and being able to track it down to the meter,” Paoletta said.
“But these cards go on long, unpredictable journeys. It’s
surprising and nice that people seem to accept this time-
line.”
The wording for the myriad dispatches have spanned
the substance spectrum. Some people write love letters,
some try to fool others into thinking they’re actually trav-
eling, and some send cryptic messages anonymously.
Paoletta said they have even witnessed family mediations
via the team’s handwritten letters. Passive-aggressive
notes, presumably, hit differently when they’ve come from
a city on the edge of the Sahara desert.
Of the $10 fee for the card, the guides usually make a
little more than $3 on average, though it varies depending
on how much it costs to ship the card. Some of the funds
also go toward printing and website fees.
“We have grown up in [tourism], so this alternative
income is very important for us in such a way that we can
fulfill our daily needs and help our families,” Nialy ex-
plained.
When there are big orders, the guides do fairly well — at
least compared with other workers in Timbuktu. The aver-
age salary in Mali is just under $80 a month, a sum they
can reach penning roughly two dozen postcards. While it’s
not as much as they were making as guides (when it was
safer for tourists to visit Timbuktu, they earned about $40
a day during peak season), it is consistent. Without this
project, the guides probably wouldn’t have any income at
all — jobs are scarce, and many have been guides since
they were 7 or 8 years old, so they lack formal education.
“I don’t want to say it’s a long-term solution, but it is
critical for them, especially since 2015,” Paoletta said.
Writing the cards also allows them to continue sharing
their city with others.
“I have the feeling that I’m doing what I like the most,
which is tourism, even though the context is different,”
Nialy said.
Paoletta echoed that sentiment, saying the guides know
there’s a whiff of the mystical around their city, and “they
enjoy showing people that it’s a real place, with real peo-
ple, with interesting things happening there.”
Postcards from the edgeA love letter from Timbuktu? A project in Mali deliversdelight — and a lifeline for tour guides in the ancient city
BY BAILEY BERG
Special to The Washington Post
PHIL PAOLETTA/The Washington Post
Calligrapher Boubacar Sadeck works on a PostcardsFrom Timbuktu order in July 2018. Customers pick theimage and dictate what they want the postcards to say.
PHIL PAOLETTA/The Washington Post
Above and top: collection of postcards dispatched by Postcards From Timbuktu. The West African business began as a way to employ outofwork tour guides in the ancient city.
Saturday, December 12, 2020 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 13
VIDEO GAMES
The Valley of Defile-
ment. The Tower of
Latria. Every time I
revisit a Souls game,
trepidation bubbles in my gut
before I realize I’m only worry-
ing about Demon’s Souls. Every
pang of fear I get when playing a
Souls game stems from my first
steps through this game in 2009.
Yes, Dark Souls is the game
that popularized the Souls-like
genre. But it was Demon’s Souls,
with its level design and atmo-
sphere, that embedded itself into
my memory. The PlayStation 3
cult hit was nothing like I’d ever
played before. Fellow games
critic Brad Gallaway, who rec-
ommended it to me, then called it
“the fruition of a dream three
generations old.”
I was, and still am, inclined to
agree. This PlayStation 5 remake
is a blessing for those of us who
traveled through Boletaria 11
years ago. And what nasty sur-
prises await everyone who
skipped ahead and cut their teeth
on Dark Souls and its ilk. This is
where the real Souls genre be-
gins.
To reduce this launch title as a
mere remake of a PlayStation 3
game is to sell short this astound-
ing achievement by Bluepoint
Games. This is easily the best-
looking game on any console
today. More importantly, it clar-
ifies that virgin voyage into this
genre in ways I never thought
we’d experience.
In 2009, the ambition of the
level design here was hampered
by technology. Old-school video
game “fog” and darkness would
obscure the darkest regions of
the game, most notably the afore-
mentioned Valley of Defilement,
which set the bog standard for
similar levels, like the infamous
Blighttown of Dark Souls. Here, I
can actually see what the entire
valley looks like, far more vast
and cavernous than even my
imagination allowed.
On social media, there are
flashes of disagreement with
Bluepoint’s design decisions,
particularly with certain enemies
like the Fat Minister and the
Maneater boss; the increase in
graphical fidelity has led to them
losing that chimerical quality
which came from the haunting
simplicity of the PS3 polygons.
But there are really only a few
examples that might seem dis-
agreeable, all dwarfed by how
each of the five worlds have been
lovingly reimagined. And after
all, Demon’s Souls is FromSoft-
ware’s take on Western fantasy.
It’s not a huge leap to see these
creatures reconceived by a West-
ern developer.
Bluepoint Games has created
what I believe is the ideal Play-
Station 5 launch game. First of
all, it was Sony’s Japan studio
that suggested to FromSoftware
to conceive this game in the first
place. The Souls-like genre is
essentially a Sony first-party
creation, before FromSoftware
decided to branch out with Dark
Souls two years later.
PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan
says that the PS5 is all about
sensory engagement. And De-
mon’s Souls is a game that de-
mands attention to its details, its
movements, how every weapon
feels, as well as its sights and
sounds. It was one of the first
games that asked players to be-
have as if they were actually
creeping through the dark halls
of the Tower of Latria, hearing
bells jingle down the hallway as
some Eldritch horror awaits.
Running through strange, unlit
hallways would be ill advice in
real life, and it’s a quick way to
die in Demon’s Souls. Every level
must be approached with caution
and keen situational awareness.
The “game feel” is enhanced
with 3D audio and the DualSense
haptic feedback. The controller
now mimics what your charac-
ter’s hands might be feeling. If
your sword hits a wooden shield,
your controller will vibrate softer
than against brassy, grinding
steel shields and walls. When the
sword in your right hand trem-
bles with magical energy, so too
will the right side of your con-
troller. Every squish of flesh
when you turn your blade will be
heard from the controller’s
speakers, all timed perfectly to
your on-screen action. With
headphones on, it’s true that you
can almost feel arrows whiz by
ware created in 2009 have the
complexity of real places, which
is why the game played so vividly
to fans of role-playing games.
And now Bluepoint has given
Demon’s Souls all the details and
polish needed to fully realize this
game’s idealized concept of
“role-playing immersion.” It was
a game of boundless creativity,
and to have it reimagined so
vividly by Bluepoint Games is
nothing short of a minor miracle.
Platforms: PlayStation 5
Online: playstation.com/en-us/
games/demons-souls
up among five different regions,
instead of one universal map.
This gave the game a classic
structure, like World 1-1 in Super
Mario Bros. But loading between
the hub and between each region
in five seconds or less ties the
game together in ways older
hardware simply couldn’t. Lev-
eling up, grinding, dying and
trying again are all the more
pleasurable and easier to do with
this friction largely removed
from the process.
The game itself is an all-time
classic. The settings FromSoft-
your left ear, while a torch crack-
les to the right of your head. It’s a
Souls experience like we’ve nev-
er felt, heard or seen.
Demon’s Souls now looks like
what I imagined console games
might look like late in the PS5’s
generational cycle, yet here it is
for the PS5’s launch. The new
engine adds clarity to the context
of each world. The castle walls of
Boletaria look more like a place
of recent unrest and chaos, while
the Tower of Latria’s upper and
lower levels now make geograph-
ical sense. Latria is split between
two planes, one above the fog in
the highest floors of the tower,
and another way below the fog,
knee deep in mud and blood. My
2009 brain never was able to
make sense of the architecture
until now, when I’m finally able
to see the pillars and foundations
that hold the whole region togeth-
er.
The facial animations are an-
other controversial addition, but
in my eyes, they only add to the
game’s otherworldly ghastliness.
PlayStation-exclusive titles like
Uncharted and The Last of Us
have pioneered facial animation
technology to express convincing
emotion. Bluepoint Games seems
to flip that convention on its
head. The faces convey emotion,
but not in any subtle way like
we’d see in Ellie or Joel, but
mimicking Kabuki-style exagger-
ations that belie a deeper, un-
spoken pain. And the new or-
chestral remixes now take cues
from your action, adding rare
moments of cinematic flair to
boss battles in an otherwise
deadly quiet journey.
The biggest game-changing
feature of this console generation
is also this game’s biggest reason
for celebration: fast loading
times. Unlike later Souls-like
titles, Demon’s Souls is divided
Demon’s Souls:The ideal PS5launch gameCutting-edge technology transforms 2009title into a stunningly immersive experience
BY GENE PARK
The Washington Post
Bluepoint Games photos
The new, revitalized version of Demon’s Souls for PlayStation 5, a revelation 11 years ago on the PlayStation 3, is now easily the bestlooking game on any console, anywhere.
The “game feel” of Demon’s Souls is enhanced on the PlayStation 5with 3D audio and the DualSense haptic feedback.
The settings in Demon’s Souls have the complexity of real locations.
PAGE 14 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, December 12, 2020
MOVIES
As a documentary film-
maker, Hao Wu has
focused throughout his
career on smaller,
character-driven stories that
bridge the divide between his
native China, where he grew up,
and his adoptive home in Amer-
ica. In 2013’s “People’s Republic
of Desire,” for example, Wu
followed three young Chinese
people as they pursued internet
fame through live-streaming,
while his 2019 Netflix film “All in
My Family” chronicled his tradi-
tion-minded parents’ road to
accepting his homosexuality.
When he was first approached
in February about making a film
about the growing COVID-19
pandemic, Wu wasn’t sure how to
approach such an enormous,
headline-dominating subject.
“Normally I tend to shy away
from newsy topics,” he says. “As
a filmmaker, I don’t know what
more I could add to a topic that’s
being well covered by the news
media already.”
Based in New York, where he
lives with his partner and their
two children, Wu began reaching
out to reporters and filmmakers
on the ground in Wuhan to find
out what they’d been seeing.
Poring through footage from
overrun hospitals where health
care workers heroically strug-
gled to save as many lives as they
could, and reflecting on his own
family back in China — including
a dying grandfather he was un-
able to visit due to travel re-
strictions — Wu quickly realized
that even this massive, globe-
shaking story ultimately boiled
down to the sort of intimate hu-
man drama that had always fas-
cinated him.
The resulting film, “76 Days,”
offers an alternately harrowing
and inspiring look inside four
hospitals in Wuhan during the
country’s 2 1/2-month lockdown
as it became the world’s first
COVID-19 epicenter. Co-directed
by Wu and two Chinese film-
makers — Weixi Chen and a
state-run-media reporter who is
remaining anonymous so as not
to run afoul of the government —
the film premiered in September
at the Toronto International Film
Festival and is now playing in
virtual cinemas in the U.S.
Dispensing with interviews
with experts and commentators,
“76 Days” instead zeroes in on a
handful of individuals as they
navigate the crisis, including a
health care worker comforting an
old woman who is dying alone, a
young couple who have been
separated from their newborn
baby and a weary nurse return-
ing the cellphones of deceased
patients to their grieving fam-
ilies.
The LA Times spoke with Wu
about how the film came togeth-
er, what it reveals about China’s
handling of the pandemic and the
messages he hopes viewers take
away from it.
Los Angeles Times: Through
out the making of this film you
were in the U.S. while your co
directors were shooting footage
in Wuhan. To this day, you’ve
never met them in person. How
did that collaboration work?
Wu: I’d been following the
news, but by mid-February, very
little video footage had come out
of Wuhan. So when I started
talking to reporters and film-
makers to see whether they
would share what they’d been
filming, my co-directors’ footage
really jumped out at me. It was
so striking to me that they were
able to be so close to the action,
to the human drama, the fear, the
panic, as well as the patience of
the medical workers and their
efforts to comfort the sick. I talk-
ed to them and they were very
gracious and started uploading
their rushes.
Every day after their shoot,
they would back up their footage
onto the cloud and I was able to
download it in New York. But
because of the Great Firewall
(regulating internet access in
China), there was always a few
days’ delay. Once I watched the
rushes, I would try to talk to
them at least every other day to
discuss where they were at with
certain characters. I tried to give
them some advice about charac-
ter focus and about coverage, but
in general they made most of the
decisions on the ground them-
selves because the situation was
changing really fast. Whatever
character we think is interesting
might be transferred the next
day to a different hospital or
might refuse to participate. It
was very chaotic.
This movie is entirely free of
politics. There are no talking
heads commenting on the Chi
nese government’s handling of
the crisis, just footage from the
front lines. Was that a conscious
decision early on?
As I started editing, my view
about the politics shifted. At the
beginning, I think the entire
country of China was angry at
the government. There were a lot
of questions about how much did
the government know, how much
did it try to cover up, why was
the situation so bad in Wuhan?
But as soon as the virus traveled
to other countries, especially the
U.S., and as the U.S. fumbled its
response to the pandemic, every-
one in China was shocked.
Once China decided to take
this super seriously, it quickly
got it under control. Right now in
China, their lives have gone back
to normal. Movie theaters, res-
taurants, bars — everything has
reopened. But here, we just
struggle with no ending in sight.
‘76 Days’ of COVID
AP
Hao Wu is a codirector of the documentary “76 Days.” The film wasshot in four Wuhan hospitals. Wu said at first he was reluctant to takeon a newsy topic such as COVID, but he realized that the event boileddown to the sorts of intimate human dramas that interested him.
Director Hao Wu manages to get an insidelook at the start of the outbreak in Wuhan
MTV DOCUMENTARY FILMS/AP
A man holds his newborn baby in a hospital during the peak of the COVID19 outbreak in Wuhan, China, in a scene from “76 Days.” Given theconstraints at the time on footage and information from Wuhan, it’s a rare window into the infancy of the pandemic.
BY JOSH ROTTENBERG
Los Angeles Times
SEE WU ON PAGE 15
Saturday, December 12, 2020 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 15
The first minutes of the experiential COVID-19
documentary “76 Days” are claustrophobic and
disorienting — a feeling not unlike your first trip to
the grocery store while wearing a mask. But it gets
better.
In the controlled chaos of a hospital’s corridors,
everyone is sheathed head to toe in PPE. We see a
woman screaming to say goodbye to her father and
having to be restrained. A crowd bangs on a door
pleading to be let in as the hospital staff reassures
them that they will all be admitted if they only
remain patient.
The date is Jan. 23, 2020, and it’s the first day of
Wuhan, China’s lockdown, which will stretch the
length of the film’s title. Wuhan has a population of
11 million — think New York City plus Chicago —
and as the epicenter of the virus that rapidly spread
around the world, officials acted quickly and deci-
sively to try to contain it.
The documentary, however, is largely concerned
with the patients and frontline medical workers in
the four hospitals where it was shot. If Alex Gib-
ney’s “Totally Under Control” (now on Hulu) is a
macro-report of what went wrong with the U.S.
response to the outbreak, “76 Days” is an apolitical,
microbial view of what happens to the people at its
point of impact.
About 30 minutes in, the initial daze begins to lift
and individual stories emerge — though it’s not
always clear who is who due to the PPE or even
that we are actually in different hospitals. But the
connection between caregivers and their patients is
powerful, even when regional dialects makes com-
munication challenging. There is a universal tone of
tough love that initially seems brusque but becomes
more endearing the more we hear it.
Older patients are respectfully addressed as
“Grandma,” “Grandpa,” “Auntie” and “Uncle,” told
to stay strong and encouraged to keep in touch with
their families via their omnipresent mobile phones.
One hospital worker tells a grandma that she can’t
be with her family but “we are your family now.”
Memorable personalities surface even though we
don’t always know their names — patients are usu-
ally referred to as No. 40 or No. 98. A cranky grand-
pa who spends the nights wandering the halls com-
plaining and the days in bed crying is revealed to
be suffering from dementia, a discovery that allows
the staff to better care for him. An infant nick-
named “Little Penguin,” whose mother tested posi-
tive for the virus, charms the nurses with her appe-
tite and sleep habits as her parents wait to be re-
united with her. A head nurse named Yang Li is
determined to return phones and death certificates
to the families of patients who did not survive.
For a film that opens in a rather grim environ-
ment, “76 Days” is ultimately (and surprisingly)
uplifting as it moves through February and March
to Wuhan’s reopening in April, thanks to the emo-
tionally-driven verite approach taken by directors
Hao Wu, Weixi Chen and a third credited as “Anon-
ymous” (the latter two are video reporters who shot
the footage while Wu edited in the U.S.). Consid-
ering China’s lack of artistic freedom, it’s some-
thing of a miracle the film exists.
Like Gibney’s “Totally Under Control,” this is not
the ultimate COVID-19 documentary, simply one of
the first. We are likely to be watching films on this
subject for years to come, but for it’s sheer in-the-
moment rawness, “76 Days” is one that will stick in
your consciousness for some time.
MTV Documentary Films photos
In Wuhan, China, a doctor comforts a COVID19 patient in a scene from the documentary “76 Days.”
‘76 Days’ an inside look atthe first outbreak of COVID
BY KEVIN CRUST
Los Angeles Times
An elderly woman with COVID19, center, isescorted by two nurses after being admitted to ahospital in Wuhan, China, in “76 Days.”
“76 Days” is unrated. Running time: 99 minutes. Available on streamingservices.
That made me think more about
my earlier intentions.
We did interview some whis-
tleblower doctors who told the
public about the early cases of
the coronavirus. But by the time
we approached them, their sto-
ries were not that fresh anymore
and on camera, they were not
compelling. When we put them
next to the other footage, it was
jarring. So in the end, I removed
all these other characters. I
found that less is more; the less I
tell about what is happening and
just let people observe, the more
emotional power the film has.
As someone who grew up in
China and has lived in the U.S.
for many years now, do you see
cultural differences between the
two countries that help explain
how differently the pandemic
has played out in each place?
First of all, the reason I made
the film this way is I saw more
similarities than differences in
many places. At least during the
Wuhan lockdown, everyone
treated the virus as a common
enemy almost like in a war, and
people rise to the occasion in a
time of war. I think that’s some-
thing we’ve seen everywhere:
how health care workers have
had so much courage to stay on
the job, how volunteers are help-
ing each other out, how we all
cheer our medical workers like
we did every day in New York
back in March and April.
In terms of differences, I don’t
like to try to generalize, but I’ve
been thinking about this issue a
lot. I’m not a historian or a politi-
cal commentator, but I feel like
the relationship in China be-
tween the people and the state
has always been different. In
Chinese Confucian history, the
state has always been acting sort
of as a patriarch, so in times of
crisis when the state asks you to
do certain things people follow
orders. That’s not limited to Chi-
na; if you look at all the East
Asian countries which have been
under Confucian influence —
Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong,
Singapore, Taiwan — they’re all
like that. Here in America, there
is a strong belief in individual-
ism.
In World War I and World War
II, the American government
was able to mobilize the entire
population to combat a common
enemy. But this time, I feel like
it’s both the culture and a failure
of leadership at the very top. I do
feel like if we had a different
administration and that adminis-
tration was using consistent
messaging and reminding the
population we’re at war with the
virus, maybe we would have had
a completely different outcome.
From early on, we’ve seen
President Trump and many of
his supporters blame China for
this pandemic and call it the
“China virus.” Is part of your aim
with the film to push back on
that and get viewers to see the
Chinese people in a different
light?
Any message like that is sec-
ondary because as a storyteller,
as I was putting the film together,
the motivation was emotional. It’s
really about highlighting the
common humanities. If anything,
I feel like especially in the last
couple of years with the increas-
ingly toxic China-U.S. relation-
ship, both sides tend to view the
other side as just a monolith. We
take away the individuality and
agency of the individuals.
When we’re talking about
“China virus” and “they started
this,” we put that on the entire
population of China as a whole.
But on the ground there are so
many individuals making deci-
sions on a day-to-day basis
whether they want to be part of
the effort to combat the virus,
whether they can be nice to each
other — those are tiny, tiny deci-
sions. So with this film I wanted
to restore the human agency for
these Chinese people who were
trying to survive this. Otherwise
they become like statistics and
news headlines.
Secondly, I just want people to
watch this and see that COVID is
still really bad. I cannot believe
there is still discussion going on
even after the election about
whether COVID is a hoax or not.
... People’s willingness to dis-
regard science baffles me.
There are a number of scenes
in “76 Days,” like sick people
banging on the door to be ad
mitted to a hospital that is being
strained to its limits, that play
like something from a horror
movie. With the pandemic now
entering its most dangerous
phase, do you think this film may
feel too raw for some viewers?
The reactions so far overall
have been the same: Most people
would say, “I have no interest in
watching a film about COVID.”
But after they watched it, they
were either shocked or incred-
ibly moved.
For me, to be able to finish this
film given all the hiccups and
obstacles in making it, whatever
comes I’m happy. I feel like I
want to save this for posterity.
This is such a great front-line,
firsthand document about what
it’s like leading to a pandemic. So
maybe more people will watch it
after the pandemic is over. ... I’ll
be very pleased if a year or two
years or 10 years from now, peo-
ple seek this film out to try to
understand COVID-19.
Wu: Happy just to beable to finish the filmFROM PAGE 14
MOVIES
PAGE 16 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, December 12, 2020
It took a global pandemic and a badly
timed breakup for Manny Argueta to
realize just how far he had grown
apart from his guy friends.
In the spring, after the 35-year-old had
left the home he shared with his former
girl-friend and moved into a studio in sub-
urban Falls Church, Va., on his own, he
would go an entire week without saying a
word. There were no more game days with
the guys, no more Friday nights in down-
town bars, and Argueta was starved for
social interaction. He returned to his Play-
Station 4, jumping on the microphone with
a stranger while playing “Overwatch” just
to hear someone’s voice. He discovered the
messaging app Discord and started chat-
ting with his old gamer friends and watch-
ing them play “Mortal Kombat 11” — even
when he didn’t have the game set up him-
self.
He started recognizing how dependent
his friendships had become on those Sun-
day football games and nights at 14th
Street lounges, on venting about Repub-
licans or why the Washington Capitals
didn’t make the playoffs. They hardly ever
talked about relationships or family, or just
how they were doing. He had never met
many of their family members.
For more than a decade, psychologists
have written about the “friendship crisis”
facing many men. A 2006 analysis publish-
ed in the American Sociological Review
found that while Americans in general
have fewer friends outside the family than
they used to, young, white, educated men
have lost more friends than other groups.
Male friendships are often rooted in
“shoulder-to-shoulder” interactions, such
as watching a football game or playing
video games, while women’s interactions
are more face-to-face, such as grabbing a
coffee or getting together for a glass of
wine, said Geoffrey Greif, a professor at
the University of Maryland School of So-
cial Work who wrote a book about male
friendship. When Greif surveyed hundreds
of men about how they most often social-
ized with friends, 80% of men said “sports”
— either watching or participating in them
together.
Because of this, many men have prob-
ably had a harder time than women figur-
ing out how to adapt their friendships in a
pandemic that is keeping them apart.
“The rules for guys pursuing other guys
for friendships are not clear,” Greif said.
“Guys don’t want to seem too needy.”
But the pandemic might be forcing this
dynamic to change.
In emails and interviews with The Wash-
ington Post, dozens of men shared stories
about Zoom poker games, backyard cigar
nights, neighborhood-dad WhatsApp
chains, Dungeons & Dragons groups and
Fantasy Football leagues where casual
chats about sports and politics have sud-
denly led to deep conversations — about
the struggles of virtual schooling, family
illness, breakups, births, wedding post-
ponements and job losses.
The moment feels heavier and so do the
conversations. Some men said their friend-
ships have begun to look more like those of
their wives and girl-friends. For the first
time in their lives, they’re going on walks
with male friends just to catch up. They’re
FaceTiming old college friends and check-
ing in on neighbors — not only to talk about
the NBA draft picks or their children’s
soccer schedule, but to ask how they’re
doing.
serious topics. The group of four men, who
met on their freshman floor at the Uni-
versity of Virginia and are now in their 30s,
have been groomsmen in each other’s
weddings. They have gone on international
trips together. They consider the other
men in the group their closest friends.
So why don’t they ever actually talk
about their feelings?
“I’ve always thought it’s funny that we
talk about things that are completely in-
consequential 80 to 90% of the time,” said
his friend, Alex Hyde, 32, over a recent
joint Zoom call.
When the friends get together in person,
for a beer or dinner, the deeper details
“sneak in by accident,” Hyde said. Now
that they can’t, the more serious topics
don’t come as naturally over text.
It feels more raw, Hyde said. “In general
with other guys, there’s a certain amount of
harassment that goes with anything you
say... you got to be ready for that.”
It feels impossible not to revert to mak-
ing fun of one another, Gordon said. “We
have no self restraint ...I can’t not crack up.
We set each other off,” he said. “In an ideal
world, we wouldn’t do that.”
These are the kinds of conversations
Argueta, in Falls Church, had come to
expect from his friendships with men.
When a couple of friends came over to
help him set up his PC, Argueta expected
them to roast him for looking like a “broke
college student” in his new studio, where
he has barely put anything on the walls and
he has cords all over his desk. Instead, the
two friends asked him to talk about what
led up to his breakup, and how he was
handling the past few months. Argueta
opened up to them — about his past rela-
tionship, the move, the pandemic, every-
thing. He was more personal with them
than he had ever been before.
One of his friends reminded him he
could call the group on Discord anytime.
“Just talk, just say anything,” the friend
said. “Somebody’s going to answer.”
Argueta planned to send them a group
text message soon, thanking his friends for
coming over and for “bailing me out in
more ways than you think.” He wanted to
keep being honest about what he was going
through.
“I’m going to be real,” he said. He won-
dered if they would do the same.
iStock photos
BONDINGBEYOND THE BAR The pandemic is forcing some men to realize they need deeper friendships
BY SAMANTHA SCHMIDT
The Washington Post
Argueta was used to avoiding talking
about personal details in his conversations
with male friends. But after struggling
with his mental health and going through
therapy this year, he said, he wants to start
finding ways to tell his friends what’s ac-
tually going on.
Niobe Way, a professor of developmental
psychology who interviewed hundreds of
boys for her 2013 book “Deep Secrets:
Boys’ Friendships and the Crisis of Con-
nection,” argues the lack of vulnerability in
male friendships is rooted in a misogy-
nistic, homophobic culture that discourag-
es emotional intimacy between men. But
it’s also part of a culture that does not value
adult friendship in general.
“The goal of adulthood is to find a part-
ner, not to find a best friend,” Way said.
“There’s nothing in our definition of suc-
cess or maturity ... that includes friend-
ships.”
But research shows that close friend-
ships and social networks are essential. A
Brigham Young University study found
that social connections — with friends,
family, neighbors or colleagues — improve
a person’s odds of survival by 50%.
In 2018, the suicide rate among men was
3.7 times higher than among women, ac-
cording to statistics from the National
Institute of Mental Health. But some sur-
veys show men are less likely than women
to admit they are lonely, while other re-
search suggests men derive more of their
emotional intimacy from the women in
their lives. In one study, married men were
more likely than married women to list
their spouse as their best friend.
In this time of unprecedented isolation,
Way said, many men may be forced to
change the way they think about their
friendships and to connect in new, deeper
ways: “I think they’re being forced to for
survival.”
A few years ago, Stephen Davis, 33, a tax
manager in suburban Alexandria, Va.,
joined a group text with one of his best
friends and some other guys he vaguely
knew from college. The conversation was,
at first, solely focused on the world of pro-
fessional wrestling. They called it “Five
MB,” short for Five Man Band.
But recently, the group has evolved into
a space to vent about so much more. It’s
gotten them through multiple job changes,
home moves and the births of four of their
children — including two during the pan-
demic. When Davis was struggling with
ideas for how to keep his son occupied
when playgrounds were closed, one of the
other dads in the group suggested an obsta-
cle course of pillows for his son to run
through. When Davis’ wife’s water broke,
he texted the Five Man Band before any-
one else — even before his parents.
The group has become closer than ever
during the pandemic. They now send near-
ly 100 text messages a day, a constant
stream of consciousness about what’s
going on in their lives. The conversations
feel more vulnerable, more honest than
others Davis has ever had with friends in
the past. They’re the kind of conversations
he would have never been able to have
while sitting at a bar and watching a game.
“There’s always too much noise to get to
that next level,” he said.
Jonathan Gordon sometimes wishes his
college buddies would talk about more
HEALTH & FITNESS
Saturday, December 12, 2020 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 17
PAGE 18 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, December 12, 2020
Max D. Lederer Jr., Publisher
Lt. Col. Marci Hoffman, Europe commander
Lt. Col. Richard McClintic, Pacific commander
Caroline E. Miller, Europe Business Operations
EDITORIAL
Terry Leonard, Editorleonard.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
Joe Gromelski, Managing Editor for Digitalgromelski.joe@stripes.com
BUREAU STAFF
Europe/MideastErik Slavin, Europe & Mideast Bureau Chiefslavin.erik@stripes.com +49(0)631.3615.9350; DSN (314)583.9350
PacificAaron Kidd, Pacific Bureau Chiefkidd.aaron@stripes.com+81.42.552.2511 ext. 88380; DSN (315)227.7380
WashingtonJoseph Cacchioli, Washington Bureau Chiefcacchioli.joseph@stripes.com (+1)(202)886-0033Brian Bowers, Assistant Managing Editor, Newsbowers.brian@stripes.com
CIRCULATION
MideastRobert Reismann, Mideast Circulation Managerrobert.w.reismann.naf@mail.milxsscirculation@stripes.comDSN (314)583-9111
EuropeKaren Lewis, Community Engagement Managerlewis.karen@stripes.commemberservices@stripes.com+49(0)631.3615.9090; DSN (314)583.9090
PacificMari Mori, customerhelp@stripes.com +81-3 6385.3171; DSN (315)227.7333
CONTACT US
Washingtontel: (+1)202.886.0003633 3rd St. NW, Suite 116, Washington, DC 20001-3050
Reader lettersletters@stripes.com
Additional contactsstripes.com/contactus
OMBUDSMAN
Ernie GatesThe Stars and Stripes ombudsman protects the free flowof news and information, reporting any attempts by the
military or other authorities to undermine the newspaper’sindependence. The ombudsman also responds to concerns
and questions from readers, and monitors coverage forfairness, accuracy, timeliness and balance. The ombudsmanwelcomes comments from readers, and can be contacted by
email at ombudsman@stripes.com, or by phone at202.886.0003.
Stars and Stripes (USPS 0417900) is published week-days (except Dec. 25 and Jan. 1) for 50 cents Mondaythrough Thursday and for $1 on Friday by Pacific Stars andStripes, Unit 45002, APO AP 96301-5002. Periodicalspostage paid at San Francisco, CA, Postmaster: Sendaddress changes to Pacific Stars and Stripes, Unit 45002,APO AP 96301-5002. This newspaper is authorized by theDepartment of Defense for members of the military servicesoverseas. However, the contents of Stars and Stripes areunofficial, and are not to be considered as the official viewsof, or endorsed by, the U.S. government. As a DOD newspa-per, Stars and Stripes may be distributed through officialchannels and use appropriated funds for distribution toremote locations where overseas DOD personnel are located.
The appearance of advertising in this publication doesnot constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense orStars and Stripes of the products or services advertised.Products or services advertised shall be made available forpurchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color,religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physicalhandicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor ofthe purchaser, user or patron.
© Stars and Stripes 2020
stripes.com
OPINION
Lloyd Austin knows the military top
to bottom, and that’s good. After
graduating West Point in 1975, the
retired general served the Army
and his nation for four decades, rising to
lead the 10th Mountain Division in Afghan-
istan, then to command troops in Iraq, then
to run U.S. Central Command.
Even as the prospect of his becoming the
first Black defense secretary inspires a di-
verse nation and military, Austin’s success-
es and failures on these many tours of duty
warrant serious scrutiny from the Senate,
as does his consulting work and service on
various corporate boards since retiring.
What need not reflexively trip up his
nomination as Joe Biden’s choice to oversee
the Defense Department is that he hung up
the uniform in 2016, which means he’ll need
a waiver from Congress to run the Penta-
gon.
Federal law requires a military officer
wait an arbitrary seven years, down from
10, before taking over the DOD. The sound
reason: Ever since George Washington
went from politician to general to politician
again, America has prided itself on ironclad
civilian control of the armed forces. Here,
in stark contrast to lesser nations, men with
chests full of medals take orders from offi-
cials elected by the people, and the latter
never reflexively defer to the former.
It is well and good to test Austin on his in-
dependence from what Gen.-President
Dwight Eisenhower in 1961 dubbed the mil-
itary-industrial complex, but there’s no
magic to the particular seven-year cooling-
off period.
If most senators thought retired Gen. Jim
Mattis — who’d been in civilian clothes four
years when Donald Trump tapped him —
deserved a chance, they should also extend
one to Austin.
After voting no on a waiver, New York’s
Kirsten Gillibrand was the sole senator op-
posing Mattis’ confirmation. Will she stand
on principle now against Austin?
Grant Austin waiver to lead DODNew York Daily News
Israelis learned this week that a mem-
ber of the Dubai royal family had pur-
chased a 50% share of the Beitar Je-
rusalem Football Club. At first glance
it looked like fake news. No Arab billionaire
has ever bought a business in Israel, much
less a high-profile, National League football
club. And no team was a less likely candi-
date for Arab ownership. Beitar Jerusalem
is a Likud-linked club with an infamously
nationalistic fan base and a longstanding
policy of barring Arab players from its ros-
ter.
But the deal turned out to be real. The
club, which Israeli owner Moshe Hogeg
bought for about $7 million in 2018, has a
history of financial trouble and chronic
debt. But it’s more than just a sports invest-
ment. It’s a harbinger of major cultural and
economic change for Israel.
Hogeg declared it “the first real fruit” of
the Israel-United Arab Emirates relation-
ship. It’s also a startling social experiment.
Hogeg’s new partner, Sheikh Hamed bin
Khalifa Al Nahyan, has made clear he’s
coming to Israel not just for profit but to
change minds and hearts. The Sheikh is un-
daunted by the threats of La Familia — the
openly racist soccer thugs who’ve vowed to
wreck the deal. Instead, he has openly chal-
lenged them, telling journalists that he will
reach out to their “misled and brain-
washed” hooligans.
La Familia is a small but vocal part of the
Beitar fan base (the majority of which is
comprised of mainstream Likudniks who
seem happy that their team will be getting a
$92 million injection of cash over 10 years).
But the group is active in extremist politics
and has taken part in the harassment of an-
ti-Netanyahu protestors. So far, Israel’s
prime minister has avoided condemning
them by name. But this week he sent them a
signal. “It is instructive,” he explained to a
visiting foreign minister, “that an Emeriti
has bought Beitar Jerusalem. It tells you
how fast things are changing.”
Change is indeed everywhere. On the day
the football deal was announced, Israel’s
ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dormer, sent a
similar signal to congressional Democrats,
some of whom are expressing concern for
Israel’s safety over the Trump administra-
tion’s sale of F-35 war planes to the UAE.
Dormer took the air out of that argument
by telling an MSNBC interviewer that Is-
rael is “very comfortable” with the sale.
“We strongly believe that this agreement,
this arms package, will not violate the U.S.
commitment to maintain Israel’s Qualita-
tive Military Edge,” he said, adding that Je-
rusalem regards the UAE “as an ally in con-
fronting Iran.” The American Israel Public
Affairs Committee and other major pro-Is-
rael U.S. advocacy groups are echoing that
position. Essentially the government of Is-
rael is now lobbying on behalf of the UAE
air force.
That same day, in Dubai, hundreds of Is-
rael’s top business leaders gathered for the
first UAE-Israel Future Digital Technology
Summit. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chair-
man of DP World, told them his company is
in talks with an Israeli firm, DoverTower, to
jointly run the port of Haifa — in its own
way, an institution as historic and iconic as
Beitar Jerusalem. “The port facilities will
allow us to link our ports in Europe to the
Middle East,” he said.
The two companies are also exploring a
direct shipping link between Israel’s Red
Sea port of Eilat and Jebel Ali, Dubai’s main
seaport in the Persian Gulf. Sultan bin Su-
layem estimated initial bilateral trade be-
tween Israel and the UAE at $5 billion.
Israel has signed peace treaties with
Arab governments before: Egypt in 1979
and Jordan in 1994. But trade, tourism and
joint economic projects have been negligi-
ble, largely because Cairo and Amman, for
domestic reasons, have discouraged such
contacts. Israel now has concluded multi-
billion-dollar sales of natural gas to both
countries, but these are essentially govern-
ment-to-government transactions.
The warm Emerati embrace is a new ex-
perience for Israelis. Several weeks ago, a
group of Arabs from a town near Tel Aviv
disguised themselves as tourists from Du-
bai and were mobbed by citizens offering
handshakes and seeking selfies.
When the pandemic allows, Israel is ex-
pecting a bonanza of bona fide Gulf Arab
tourists. Tel Aviv is promoting itself as the
new Beirut with all the open hospitality that
implies. Jerusalem is preparing for Muslim
pilgrims. Traffic will be reciprocal. Dubai
will be both a major destination for Israeli
visitors and a hub for business people short-
ening flights to the Far East.
Not everyone is happy with the new rela-
tionship. There has been an uptick of cyber-
attacks on UAE sites, presumably by Iran.
And the soccer thugs of La Familia will fight
to keep Arab players off the field. But from
now on, nobody will assume that even the
most improbable news about progress in
the Israel-UAE relationship is too good to
be true.
Israeli club’s Arab owner signals game onZEV CHAFETS
Bloomberg Opinion
Chafets is a journalist and author of 14 books. He was a senioraide to Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin.
MAYA ALLERUZZO/AP
Beitar Jerusalem FC soccer supporters watch the team practice Tuesday, a day after theclub announced that Emirati Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, a member of the AbuDhabi ruling family, had purchased a 50% stake in the team.
Saturday, December 12, 2020 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 19
ACROSS
1 Boom times
4 Recedes
8 “Downton
Abbey” countess
12 Menlo Park
monogram
13 Talk up
14 Some deer
15 In the style of
16 Celestial bear
17 Actor Omar
18 Late November
through January,
in general
21 Dog doc
22 That fellow
23 Roman robes
26 Lair
27 Passing craze
30 Golf bag item
31 Math ratios
32 Kid’s plea
33 “Blue Bloods”
extra
34 Predetermine
35 Peculiar
36 Chest muscle
37 Male swan
38 Customizable
recipe direction
45 General
assembly?
46 Teeny
47 Joke
48 Computer
debut of 1998
49 Arrive
50 — -la-la
51 Wood strip
52 Espy
53 Melancholy
DOWN
1 Six-sided state
2 — Alto, Calif.
3 Barking mammal
4 Chopin pieces
5 Sacha Baron
Cohen role
6 Booked solid
7 Squirrels (away)
8 Coffee add-in
9 “I’m a klutz!”
10 Seized vehicle
11 Org.
19 Tennis great
Lendl
20 Aachen article
23 Spasm
24 Spanish gold
25 Republicans
26 Use a shovel
27 Corpulent
28 Picnic crasher
29 Hobbyist’s abbr.
31 Park outings
32 Castro’s land
34 Classic car
35 Answer to “Are
we there?”
36 Intimidate,
with “out”
37 Vodka cocktail
38 Go yachting
39 Witty Bombeck
40 Latin 101 word
41 Sporty car roof
42 Pvt.’s superiors
43 Skater Lipinski
44 “Zounds!”
Answer to Previous Puzzle
Eugene Sheffer CrosswordFra
zz
Dilbert
Pearls B
efo
re S
win
eN
on S
equitur
Candorv
ille
Beetle B
ailey
Biz
arr
oCarp
e D
iem
PAGE 20 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, December 12, 2020
SCOREBOARD
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Thursday’s scores
SOUTH
Pittsburgh 34, Georgia Tech 20 Southern Miss. 45, FAU 31
Schedule
Saturday’s games
Rutgers (25) at Maryland (22) Louisville (37) at Boston College (65)
, �ppd. Akron (14) at Buffalo (40). Navy (36) at Army (72)Michigan St. (24) at Penn St. (25)
SOUTH
Wake Forest (43) at Louisville (37) Texas A&M (71) at Tennessee (26)
, �ppd. Troy (55) at South Alabama (47), �ppd. Coastal Carolina (100) at Troy (55) Houston (33) at Memphis (63)North Carolina (73) at Miami (81)Duke (28) at Florida St. (26) Tennessee (26) at Vanderbilt (08)Appalachian St. (73) at Georgia South
ern (74)LSU (35) at Florida (81)Auburn (54) at Mississippi St. (26)Virginia (54) at Virginia Tech (46)
MIDWEST
�Georgia (62) at Missouri (53) N. Illinois (05) at E. Michigan (14) Minnesota (23) at Nebraska (24) Illinois (24) at Northwestern (51) W. Michigan (41) at Ball St. (41) Vanderbilt (08) at Missouri (53), �ppd. Cent. Michigan (32) at Toledo (32). Wisconsin (22) at Iowa (52) Texas (63) at Kansas (09)
SOUTHWEST
Alabama (90) at Arkansas (36) UAB (43) at Rice (22) LouisianaMonroe (010) at Arkansas St.
(47), �ppd. Oklahoma St. (63) at Baylor (26)Louisiana Tech (53) at TCU (54)Mississippi (44) at Texas A&M (71)
, �ppd.
FAR WEST
Utah (12) at Colorado (40) Washington (31) at Oregon (32)Boise St. (41) at Wyoming (23)Southern Cal (40) at UCLA (32)Utah St. (15) at Colorado St. (13) San Diego St. (43) at BYU (91)California (13) at Washington St. (12)Fresno St. (32) at New Mexico (15)Stanford (22) at Oregon St. (23)UNLV (05) at Hawaii (34)
NFL injury reportNEW YORK — The National Football
League injury report, as provided by theleague (DNP: did not practice; LIMITED:limited participation; FULL: Full participa
tion):
SUNDAYARIZONA CARDINALS at NEW YORK GI-
ANTS — CARDINALS: DNP: B De'VondreCampbell (ankle), WR DeAndre Hopkins(not injury related, neck, back), CB Johnathan Joseph (neck), LB Isaiah Simmons(neck, back), S Jalen Thompson (ankle).LIMITED: RB Kenyan Drake (hip), DT Rashard Lawrence (calf), S Charles Washington (groin). FULL: DT Leki Fotu (hip, ankle),DT Domata Peko (knee). GIANTS: DNP: CBMadre Harper (knee). LIMITED: CB DarnayHolmes (knee), QB Daniel Jones (hamstring), LB Blake Martinez (back), T MattPeart (ankle).
ATLANTA FALCONS at LOS ANGELESCHARGERS — FALCONS: DNP: CB RicardoAllen (concussion), G James Carpenter(groin), WR Julio Jones (hamstring), T Kaleb McGary (not injury related). LIMITED:DE Dante Fowler (hamstring), RB ToddGurley (knee), P Sterling Hofrichter (righthamstring), TE Hayden Hurst (ankle), DTGrady Jarrett (groin), S Keanu Neal (ankle), LB Foyesade Oluokun (neck), RB ItoSmith (neck), DE Jacob TuiotiMariner(neck). FULL: RB Keith Smith (neck). CHAR-GERS: No Data Reported.
DALLAS COWBOYS at CINCINNATI BEN-GALS — COWBOYS: DNP: T Cameron Erving(knee), S Donovan Wilson (groin). LIMITED: CB Anthony Brown (ribs), RB Ezekiel Elliott (calf), DE Aldon Smith (foot). BEN-GALS: DNP: TE Drew Sample (not injury related), S Brandon Wilson (hamstring).LIMITED: CB Mackensie Alexander (knee),LS Clark Harris (groin), WR Tee Higgins(hamstring), DT Xavier Williams (back).FULL: QB Brandon Allen (chest), DT GenoAtkins (not injury related), DT Mike Daniels (not injury related), WR A.J. Green(not injury related), G Alex Redmond (concussion).
DENVER BRONCOS at CAROLINA PAN-THERS — BRONCOS: No Data Reported.PANTHERS: No Data Reported.
GREEN BAY PACKERS at DETROIT LIONS— PACKERS: DNP: TE Marcedes Lewis(knee), TE Jace Sternberger (concussion).LIMITED: CB Kevin King (achilles, groin),WR Allen Lazard (core), G Lucas Patrick(toe), P J.K. Scott (right quadricep), S Vernon Scott (quadricep), WR EquanimeousSt. Brown (knee, concussion), G SimonStepaniak (knee), WR Malik Taylor(hamstring), T Rick Wagner (knee). FULL:CB Jaire Alexander (knee, hand), LB KrysBarnes (calf), LB Za'Darius Smith (ankle).LIONS: DNP: T Tyrell Crosby (ankle), WRKenny Golladay (hip), CB Jeff Okudah(groin). LIMITED: DE Austin Bryant (thigh),DE Da'Shawn Hand (groin), S C.J. Moore(ankle), QB Matthew Stafford (rightthumb), RB D'Andre Swift (illness). FULL:RB Kerryon Johnson (knee).
HOUSTON TEXANS at CHICAGO BEARS —TEXANS: No Data Reported. BEARS: No Data Reported.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS at LAS VEGASRAIDERS — COLTS: DNP: TE Jack Doyle (notinjury related), P Rigoberto Sanchez (illness). LIMITED: T Anthony Castonzo(knee), DT Tyquan Lewis (hip), LB BobbyOkereke (ankle), DE Kemoko Turay (ankle), S Khari Willis (back, quadricep). FULL:DT Denico Autry (not injury related), TETrey Burton (not injury related), DE JustinHouston (not injury related), QB Philip Rivers (toe), T Braden Smith (groin), LB Anthony Walker (ribs). RAIDERS: No Data Reported.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS at MIAMI DOL-PHINS — CHIEFS: DNP: LB Damien Wilson(knee). FULL: CB Bashaud Breeland (shoulder), T Yasir Durant (illness), RB Clyde EdwardsHelaire (illness), LB Willie Gay(groin), CB Antonio Hamilton (ankle), WRTyreek Hill (illness), DE Tanoh Kpassagnon (hip), DT Derrick Nnadi (ankle), T Martinas Rankin (knee), C Austin Reiter(knee), T Mike Remmers (neck, rib). DOL-
PHINS: DNP: RB Salvon Ahmed (shoulder),G Ereck Flowers (ankle), LB Elandon Roberts (chest), LB Kyle Van Noy (hip). LIMITED: S Kavon Frazier (shoulder, ankle), RBMyles Gaskin (knee), WR Jakeem Grant(back), CB Xavien Howard (shoulder), GSolomon Kindley (foot), RB Malcolm Perry(chest), TE Adam Shaheen (foot), QB TuaTagovailoa (left thumb), LB Andrew VanGinkel (wrist, ankle), RB DeAndre Washington (hamstring). FULL: DE Shaq Lawson(shoulder).
MINNESOTA VIKINGS at TAMPA BAYBUCCANEERS — VIKINGS: DNP: LB Eric Kendricks (calf), RB Alexander Mattison (illness), TE Kyle Rudolph (foot). LIMITED: CGarrett Bradbury (abdomen), G Ezra Cleveland (ankle), CB Jeff Gladney (calf), T Riley Reiff (ankle), TE Irv Smith (back), DED.J. Wonnum (ankle, back). FULL: C BrettJones (neck). BUCCANEERS: DNP: CB JamelDean (groin), WR Mike Evans (hamstring),TE Rob Gronkowski (not injury related).LIMITED: DT Steve McLendon (elbow), LBJason PierrePaul (knee), T Donovan Smith(ankle). FULL: LB Lavonte David (not injuryrelated), WR Chris Godwin (finger).
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS at PHILADELPHIAEAGLES — SAINTS: DNP: DT David Onyemata (illness), CB Patrick Robinson (hamstring). LIMITED: DT Malcom Brown (shoulder), WR Deonte Harris (neck), CB JanorisJenkins (knee), RB Latavius Murray(knee), T Ryan Ramczyk (elbow), WR Michael Thomas (ankle), DT Shy Tuttle(wrist). FULL: DE Marcus Davenport (concussion), RB Ty Montgomery (hamstring).EAGLES: DNP: LB T.J. Edwards (hamstring),S Rudy Ford (hamstring), CB Michael Jacquet (hamstring), T Jason Peters (toe).LIMITED: DE Derek Barnett (pelvis), CB Darius Slay (knee). FULL: DT Fletcher Cox(neck), WR Alshon Jeffery (calf).
NEW YORK JETS at SEATTLE SEAHAWKS— JETS: DNP: S Ashtyn Davis (foot), RBFrank Gore (concussion, not injury related), S Bennett Jackson (hamstring), LBJordan Jenkins (shoulder), WR DenzelMims (not injury related), G Greg Van Roten (toe). LIMITED: WR Jamison Crowder(calf), G Pat Elflein (shoulder, ankle), WRBreshad Perriman (shoulder). FULL: RBJosh Adams (calf), T George Fant (knee), PBraden Mann (left foot), S Marcus Maye(rib), C Connor McGovern (back, hamstring). SEAHAWKS: No Data Reported.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS at BUFFALOBILLS — STEELERS: DNP: WR Chase Claypool (illness), CB Joe Haden (concussion),LB Robert Spillane (knee). FULL: K ChrisBoswell (right hip), G David DeCastro (notinjury related), CB Steven Nelson (knee),QB Ben Roethlisberger (not injury related), T Alejandro Villanueva (not injury related), DE Chris Wormley (illness). BILLS:DNP: S Jaquan Johnson (ankle). LIMITED: GJon Feliciano (knee, foot), QB Jake Fromm(not injury related), DT Quinton Jefferson(hip), WR Andre Roberts (Achilles). FULL:QB Josh Allen (knee, ankle).
TENNESSEE TITANS at JACKSONVILLEJAGUARS — TITANS: DNP: CB Breon Borders (hip), WR A.J. Brown (ankle), T DennisKelly (knee). LIMITED: CB Adoree' Jackson(knee), LB Derick Roberson (hip). FULL: RBDarrynton Evans (hamstring), C Ben Jones(knee), G Rodger Saffold (ankle), TE JonnuSmith (knee). JAGUARS: DNP: C BrandonLinder (ankle). LIMITED: LB Dakota Allen(hamstring), LB Kamalei Correa (hamstring), RB Nathan Cottrell (knee), TE TylerEifert (not injury related, shoulder), CBSidney Jones (Achilles), CB Greg Mabin(hamstring), RB James Robinson (knee),WR Laviska Shenault (thumb).
WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM at SANFRANCISCO 49ERS — WASHINGTON: DNP:RB Antonio Gibson (toe), T David Sharpe(knee). LIMITED: T Morgan Moses (groin),G Brandon Scherff (calf). FULL: DE RyanAnderson (knee), WR Terry McLaurin (ankle). 49ERS: No Data Reported.
MONDAYBALTIMORE RAVENS at CLEVELAND
BROWNS — RAVENS: No Data Reporte.BROWNS: DNP: WR Khadarel Hodge(hamstring), CB Denzel Ward (calf). LIMITED: T Jack Conklin (knee), C J.C. Tretter(knee). FULL: WR Jarvis Landry (hip).
PRO FOOTBALL COLLEGE HOCKEY
Thursday's scoresMIDWEST
Denver 5, Miami 1North Dakota 2, MinnesotaDuluth 2, OT
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Thursday’s men’s scores
EAST
Buffalo 81, Mercyhurst 64 Coppin St. 85, UNCGreensboro 80
SOUTH
Campbell 122, Florida National 92 East Carolina 73, North Florida 67 Jacksonville 77, New Orleans 70 Mississippi 80, Jackson St. 45 Morehead St. 81, Transylvania 55 Troy 62, North Alabama 57 W. Kentucky 86, GardnerWebb 84
MIDWEST
Minnesota 90, UMKC 61 North Dakota 75, South Dakota 71 Ohio 92, PurdueNorthwest 72 S. Dakota St. 77, N. Dakota St. 75 W. Illinois 80, Mount St. Joseph 55
SOUTHWEST
Sam Houston St. 107, LeTourneau 65 Texas Rio Grande Valley 68, Texas A&M
CC 64
FAR WEST
Portland 87, Oregon St. 86, OT San Diego St. 80, Arizona St. 68 San Francisco 107, Long Beach St. 62 UC Riverside 74, N. Arizona 50
Thursday’s women’s scores
EAST
Baylor 65, West Virginia 45 Delaware 93, St. John’s 88 Maine 62, Providence 48 UMass 74, New Hampshire 55
SOUTH
Belmont 83, Tennessee St. 35 Clemson 71, Virginia 55 Coastal Carolina 67, UNCPembroke 59 Grambling St. 66, LouisianaMonroe 42 Syracuse 69, Miami 58 Tennessee 90, Furman 53 Virginia Tech 88, Pittsburgh 71 Wake Forest 57, North Carolina 54
MIDWEST
Drake 82, Northwest Missouri State 30 Kansas 74, Oklahoma 64 Kansas St. 62, S. Dakota St. 53 Marquette 86, Cincinnati 75 Nebraska 78, Illinois 72 Northwestern 93, E. Illinois 57 Ohio St. 104, Miami (Ohio) 65 South Dakota 62, Wichita St. 54 Toledo 82, N. Illinois 79
SOUTHWEST
Abilene Christian 95, Mary HardinBaylor 49
Oral Roberts 66, Tarleton State 56 Texas A&M 79, UALR 56
FAR WEST
Arizona 65, Arizona St. 37 BYU 72, Montana St. 58 Boise St. 84, E. Washington 64 Cal Poly 70, New Mexico St. 60 Colorado St. 84, San Diego St. 77, 2OT San Francisco 67, California 62 Seattle 105, Northwest University 39
DEALS
Thursday's transactionsBASEBALL
Major League BaseballAmerican League
CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Signed RF AdamEaton.
LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Traded SS Leonardo Rivas to Cincinnati as player to benamed later when they acquired RHP NoeRamirez on Monday.
TAMPA BAY RAYS — Acquired minorleague C/OF Heriberto Hernandez, INF Osleivis Basabe and OF Alexander Ovallesfrom Texas Rangers in exchange for 1B/3BNate Lowe, minor league 1B Jake Guentherand a player to be named.
National LeagueARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — An
nounced the trade of RHP Zach Pop to Miami for a player to be named later.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS — Announcedthe promotion of Janet Marie Smith to executive vice president of planning and development.
NEW YORK METS — Announced thetrade of RHP Luis Oviedo, received in Rule5 draft, to Pittsburgh in exchange for cashconsiderations.
SAN DIEGO PADRES — Named RafaelFreitas head athletic trainer, TerenceBrannic head strength & conditioningcoach, Adam Vish a strength & conditioning coach, Seth Steinhauer physical therapist, Josh Hopper coordinator of pitchingdevelopment, A.J. Patrick director ofsports performance, Ted Tomczyk director of sports medicine and Bryan Stroh senior vice president of baseball development.
BASKETBALLNational Basketball Association
NBA — Announced that the BrooklynNets organization and G Kyrie Irving haveeach been fined $25,000 for violatingleague rules governing media interviewaccess.
FOOTBALLNational Football League
BALTIMORE RAVENS — Activated WRWillie Snead from reserve/COVID19 list.Place WR Dez Bryant on the reserve/COVID19 list. Activated TE Eli Wolf from thepractice squad injured reserve.
BUFFALO BILLS — Signed general manager Brandon Beane to a multiyear contract extension.
CAROLINA PANTHERS — Activated DEYetur GrossMatos from the reserve/COVID19 list.
CHICAGO BEARS — Placed WR DeAndreCarter on the reserve/COVID19 list.
CINCINNATI BENGALS — Placed S ShawnWilliams on the reserve/suspended list.
DALLAS COWBOYS — Placed DB ChidobeAwuzin on the reserve/COVID19 list. Designated C Tyler Biadasz to return from injured reserve. Activated WR Aaron Parkerfrom the practice squad injured reservelist.
DENVER BRONCOS — Designated TE JakeButt to return from injured reserve. Activated WR Diontae Spencer for the reserve/COVID19 list.
GREEN BAY PACKERS — Activated RB A.J.Dillon from the reserve/COVID19 list.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Signed T WillHolden to the active roster from the Baltimore practice squad.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS — Signed DT Lee Autry to the practice squad. Released WRMarcell Ateman.
LOS ANGELES RAMS — Promoted K Austin MacGinnis to the active roster.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Signed TE HaleHentges to the active roster from Indianapolis practice squad.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — ActivatedWR Julian Edelman from the reserve/COVID19 list. Activated TE Devin Asiasi frominjured reserve. Placed TE Ryan Izzo on injured reserve.
NEW YORK GIANTS — Signed LB TrentHarris to the practice squad.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Placed LBVince Williams on reserve/COVID19 list.
TENNESSEE TITANS — Activated DBChris Jackson from the reserve/COVID19list.
WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM — Designated WR Antonio GandyGolden to return from injured reserve.
HOCKEYNational Hockey League
NASHVILLE PREDATORS — Announcedsending F Tommy Novak to ECHL's FloridaEverblades until the start of the 202021training camps for Nashville or Milwaukee.
ORLANDO CITY SC — Signed eSports athlete Douglas Bendeck to represent theclub in eMLS and the FIFA 21 Global Series.Resigned former eMLS representativeAbe Valbuena as a content creator andconsultant.
WASHINGTON CAPITALS — Announcedthe loan of G Zach Fucale to South CarolinaSting Rays (ECHL).
SOCCERMajor League Soccer
NEW YORK RED BULLS — ResignedeMLS cup champion, George Adamou, to acontract extension to represent the clubin the 2021 eMLS season and other FIFAGlobal Series events in 2021. Announcedthe loan of F Mathias Jorgensen to Denmark's (Aartus Gymnastikforening) forsixmonths with an option to purchase.
National Women's Soccer LeagueSKY BLUE FC — Signed MF Nicole Baxter
to a oneyear 2021 contract with a 2022 option.
COLLEGEARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY — An
nounced Blake Anderson resigned ashead football coach.
PRO SOCCER
MLS playoffsPlay-in
Eastern ConferenceFriday, Nov. 20
New England 2, Montreal 1Nashville 3, Inter Miami 0
First RoundEastern Conference
Saturday, Nov. 21Orlando City 1, New York City FC 1, Orlan
do advanced 65 on penalty kicksColumbus 3, New York 2
Tuesday, Nov. 24Nashville 1, Toronto 0, OTNew England 2, Philadelphia 0
Western ConferenceSunday, Nov. 22
Sporting Kansas City 3, San Jose 3,Sporting KC advanced 30 on penalty kicks
Minnesota United 3, Colorado 0Portland 3, Dallas 3, Dallas advanced 87
on penalty kicks
Tuesday, Nov. 24Seattle 3, Los Angeles FC 1
Conference SemifinalsEastern Conference
Sunday, Nov. 29New England 3, Orlando City 1Columbus 2, Nashville 0
Western ConferenceTuesday, Dec. 1
Seattle 1, Dallas 0
Thursday, Dec. 3Minnesota United 3 Sporting Kansas
City 0
Conference ChampionshipsSunday, Dec. 6
Eastern ConferenceColumbus 1, New England 0
Monday, Dec. 7Western Conference
Seattle 3, Minnesota 2
MLS CupSaturday, Dec. 12
Seattle at Columbus
GOLF
Women's Open ChampionshipLPGA TourThursday
At Champions Golf CourseHouston, TexasCypress Creek
Yardage: 6,731; Par: 71Jackrabbit
Yardage: 6,558; Par 71Purse: $1.3 million
(a) amateurFirst Round
Amy Olson 34-33—67 -4Hinako Shibuno 33-35—68 -3Moriya Jutanugarn 34-34—68 -3A Lim Kim 34-34—68 -3Linnea Strom 34-35—69 -2Linn Grant (a) 33-36—69 -2Patty Tavatanakit 34-35—69 -2Gerina Piller 33-36—69 -2Charley Hull 35-34—69 -2Sophia Popov 35-34—69 -2Yuka Saso 32-37—69 -2Jodi Ewart Shadoff 35-35—70 -1P. Roussin-Bouchard (a) 35-35—70 -1Lindsey Weaver 36-34—70 -1Mina Harigae 35-35—70 -1Amelia Garvey (a) 37-33—70 -1Megan Khang 32-38—70 -1Maja Stark (a) 35-35—70 -1Brittany Lincicome 33-37—70 -1Hyejin Choi 36-34—70 -1Sung Hyun Park 37-33—70 -1Jennifer Kupcho 36-34—70 -1Ariya Jutanugarn 35-35—70 -1Kaitlyn Papp (a) 34-37—71 ECaroline Masson 35-36—71 EAzahara Munoz 37-34—71 ESarah Schmelzel 37-34—71 EAshleigh Buhai 38-33—71 ECristie Kerr 36-35—71 ENasa Hataoka 36-35—71 EGabriela Ruffels (a) 35-36—71 ECarlota Ciganda 39-32—71 ELydia Ko 36-35—71 EBrittany Altomare 34-37—71 EInbee Park 35-36—71 ENuria Iturrioz 36-35—71 EPerrine Delacour 38-34—72 +1Lauren Stephenson 37-35—72 +1Mi Hyang Lee 38-34—72 +1Mi-Jeong Jeon 39-33—72 +1Yealimi Noh 38-34—72 +1Jenny Shin 37-35—72 +1Danielle Kang 36-36—72 +1Hae Ran Ryu 35-37—72 +1Brooke Henderson 37-35—72 +1Lizette Salas 36-36—72 +1Stacy Lewis 37-35—72 +1Hannah Green 37-35—72 +1
Dec. 12
1937 — Rookie Sammy Baugh throwssecondhalf touchdown passes of 55, 78and 33 yards to overcome a 147 Chicagolead and give the Washington Redskins a2821 victory over the Chicago Bears forthe NFL championship.
1953 — Maurice Richard of the MontrealCanadiens becomes the NHL’s alltimeleading scorer with a goal and two assistsin a 72 victory against the New York Rangers at Montreal’s Forum. Richard finishesthe game with 611 points, one more thaninjured linemate Elmer Lach, who has heldthe record since February 1952.
1965 — Chicago’s Gale Sayers scores sixtouchdowns with 336 combined yards tolead the Bears to a 6120 rout of the SanFrancisco 49ers. The six TDs give Sayersan NFLrecord 21 for the season. Sayers’first touchdown is a reception, the nextfour rushing and the final, an 85yard puntreturn.
1971 — Bobby Hull of the Chicago BlackHawks scores his 1,000th point with an assist in the first period of a 53 victory overthe Minnesota North Stars.
1977 — NBA Commissioner Larry O’Brienfines Kermit Washington $10,000 and suspends the Los Angeles Lakers forward forat least 60 days (26 games) for punchingHouston’s Rudy Tomjanovich during agame on Dec. 9. The suspension is thelongest ever in NBA history and the fine isthe maximum permissible under leaguerules. Tomjanovich suffered Tomjanovich
fractures to face, upper jaw and nose.1982 — New England beats Miami 30
with the help of a snowplow. Heavy rainsthe night before soaks the AstroTurf surface at Schaefer Stadium in Foxborough,Massachusetts. A snowstorm hits duringthe game and an emergency ground ruleallows the ground crew to use a snowplowto clear the yard markers. With 4:45 left togo in the game, Patriots coach Ron Meyermotions to snowplow operator Mark Henderson to clear a spot on the field specifically for placekicker John Smith. Insteadof going straight across along the yardmarker, Henderson veers left, directly infront of the goal post, giving Smith a cleanspot from which to kick. Smith hits 33yardgamewinning fieldgoal.
1986 — James “Bonecrusher” Smithknocks out Tim Witherspoon in the firstround to win the WBA heavyweight title inNew York.
1987 — Guard Mookie Blaylock leads Oklahoma to an NCAArecord 33 steals with13 in a 15284 victory over Centenary.
1990 — Connecticut uses a stifling pressand quickness to jump to a 320 lead enroute to an 8532 victory over New Hampshire. New Hampshire plays 11 minutesand 48 seconds before scoring its firstpoint.
1992 — Miami quarterback Gino Torretta, 261 as a starter for the topranked Hurricanes, wins the Heisman Trophy. Torretta, with 1,400 points, edges San DiegoState running back Marshall Faulk, whoreceives 1,080 points.
AP SPORTLIGHT
Saturday, December 12, 2020 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 21
COLLEGE BASKETBALL/SPORTS BRIEFS
TEMPE, Ariz. — San Diego
State was so worried about Arizo-
na State's fast break, it sent three
players back on defense after ev-
ery miss, leaving its two big men to
work the offensive glass.
Two against five turned out to
be pretty good odds for the hard-
working Aztecs.
Jordan Schakel scored 25
points, Nathan Mensah had 17
points and 15 rebounds, and No. 24
San Diego State dominated inside
to beat No. 23 Arizona State 80-68
Thursday night.
“We sent the center and the
power forward to the offensive
glass and those guys did a great
job on their own,” Aztecs coach
Brian Dutcher said. “It was a real
key to the game.”
The Sun Devils (3-2) got vol-
ume-scoring guard Alonzo Verge
Jr. back after he missed two
games due to COVID-19 contact
tracing but were without forward
Marcus Bagley due to a lower left
leg injury suffered Saturday
against Cal.
San Diego State (5-0) already
had a size advantage inside, and
Bagley's absence turned it into an
even bigger strength.
The Aztecs outscored Arizona
State 36-9 in the paint and had 17
second-chance points on 11 offen-
sive rebounds against the smaller
Sun Devils. San Diego State pulled
away with an 18-2 run in the sec-
ond half to stretch the nation's
longest road winning streak to 13
straight games.
“It was probably our closest to a
complete game,” said Schakel,
who shot 5-for-9 from three-point
range. “We still have a long way to
go, but it was nice to put that kind
of game together this early in the
season.”
The Sun Devils were pushed to
the perimeter most of the night by
the bigger Aztecs and, despite a
couple of nice runs, didn't make
enough outside shots. Arizona
State shot 34% and missed 11
straight shots during a key stretch
in the second half.
Verge led the Sun Devils with 25
points.
“Do we really care about how
hard we’ve got to play? Do we
know how hard we’ve got to play to
beat a team like that?” Arizona
State coach Bobby Hurley said.
“There were a lot of examples of
that tonight.”
The Aztecs were without three
players due to contact tracing,
though only Keshad Johnson was
expected to be part of the rotation.
Bagley's loss was a bigger one
for the Sun Devils, leaving them
without their top rebounder.
San Diego State took advantage,
scoring 12 points off six offensive
rebounds midway through the
first half. The 6-10 Mensah had his
way inside with 10 points and 10
rebounds in the first half to give
the Aztecs a 35-33 lead.
Arizona State missed 11 of its
first 15 shots before finding a bet-
ter offensive rhythm and cleaned
up the defensive glass better to
rally from an early 12-point defi-
cit.
The Sun Devils struggled
against San Diego State's defen-
sive pressure early in the second
half and began turning the ball
over, leading to a series of transi-
tion baskets during a 13-0 Aztecs
run.
Arizona State had a stretch of
eight minutes without a field goal
as San Diego State extended the
lead to 59-45.
“It was a combination of poor
shot selection, careless turnovers,
bad transition defense after mis-
takes,” Hurley said. “We were still
up two, 43-41, with 15 minutes left
with all the things that I witnessed
and we found a way to do worse
than that, which is scary.”
ROSS D. FRANKLIN / AP
San Diego State forward Joshua Tomaic, left, tips away a shot attempt by Arizona State guard RemyMartin, but is called for a foul during the second half of Thursday's game in Tempe, Ariz.
Aztecs use sizeto upend DevilsBig men power San Diego State
Associated Press
For generations, the IOC knew exactly
where to look for key support of its ban
against protests at the Olympics.
In 1968, it was the U.S. Olympic Commit-
tee that sent home its own athletes, Tommie
Smith and John Carlos, when they raised
their fists while on the medals stand at the
Mexico City Games.
In 2019, it was the same organization that
placed its own athlete, Gwen Berry, on pro-
bation for doing the same after her win at the
Pan-Am Games.
This week, the American federation put
the IOC on notice: It is no longer the IOC’s
partner when it comes to enforcing the con-
tentious Rule 50. The USOPC is now heeding
the calls from many of its own athletes and
will no longer punish them for kneeling or
raising fists or any other kind of acceptable
demonstration at the Olympics.
“When you sit in my seat, you have to make
decisions that you think are on the right side
of history,” said CEO Sarah Hirshland. “And
I believe we’re on the right side of history.”
But there are details to iron out, and they
strike to the heart of how much change is tru-
ly possible between now and next July, when
the Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to take
place.
High on the list: What can athletes demon-
strate about, and what will an acceptable
demonstration look like?
Phillies hire Dombrowski PHILADELPHIA — Whether rebuilding
or reloading, small market or large, Dave
Dombrowski has been a big success at every
major league stop.
His next challenging project: a Philadel-
phia Phillies team that’s gone nine years
without a winning record.
Dombrowski joined the Phillies as presi-
dent of baseball operations on Friday.
Andy MacPhail is the Phillies’ current
president and has planned to retire after the
2021 season. He said in October he would be
willing to step aside sooner to make way for a
new baseball operations boss.
The 64-year-old Dombrowski has led
baseball operations for four teams over
more than three decades in the majors, tak-
ing a trio of franchises to the World Series.
His clubs have won four pennants and two
Series titles.
Clippers’ George signs extensionLOS ANGELES — Paul George wants to
retire with the Los Angeles Clippers, and he
took a step in that direction by signing a mul-
tiyear contract extension Thursday.
The six-time All-Star could have become a
free agent after the upcoming season. In-
stead, the team locked down his services, en-
suring George will remain not far from
where he grew up in Palmdale.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but
ESPN reported George’s contract was ex-
tended for an additional four years at $190
million, in addition to the $35.4 million guar-
anteed him for the 2020-21 season.
Garrett wins Payton Award One regrettable, violent moment nearly
changed everything for Myles Garrett.
He wouldn’t let it.
Suspended, disgraced and branded a vil-
lain for his helmet-swinging attack on Steel-
ers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the clos-
ing seconds of a nationally televised game
last year, Garrett found his playing career at
a crossroads. He considered quitting.
However, he pushed on and persevered.
Garrett turned his story around.
The Browns’ star defensive end on Thurs-
day was named the team’s Walter Payton
Man of the Year, which annually recognizes
the NFL’s best players for their excellence
on the field and dedication to community
service.
In addition to being one of the game’s best
defenders, Garrett is also a high-profile am-
bassador for several charitable causes,
serving as the active player captain for Wa-
terboys, an organization focused on bring-
ing clean water to communities in East Afri-
ca.
BC opts out of bowl gameBOSTON — Boston College, which man-
aged to escape the worst of the coronavirus
outbreak and the schedule and roster shuf-
fling that has affected so many other college
football teams, is passing on the opportunity
to play in a bowl so players can spend Christ-
mas with their families.
BC is the first school to forego the postsea-
son because of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, four more major college foot-
ball games scheduled for Saturday — in-
cluding two with ranked Big 12 teams —
were canceled, bringing the total to 10 for
this week. No. 13 Oklahoma will not play at
West Virginia because of COVID-19 issues
with the Mountaineers. No. 23 Texas paused
its football activities, calling off the season fi-
nale at Kansas.
And the 10th-ranked Duke men's basket-
ball team said it will not play any more non-
conference games this season.
BRIEFLY
USOPC will no longer punish athletes for protestsAssociated Press
PAGE 22 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, December 12, 2020
gade of Midshipmen and Corps of
Cadets (about 9,000 total) will be
there, and President Trump is
scheduled to fly in.
Navy (3-6) leads Army (7-2) 61-
52-7 in the series, which started in
1890 when West Point cadet Den-
nis Michie ac-
cepted a chal-
lenge from Navy
to play a football
game. The Mid-
shipmen arrived
at West Point by
ferry, and with
one year of foot-
ball experience
to none for Army
they easily prevailed 24-0 on The
Plain before about 2,000 specta-
tors.
The Black Knights returned the
favor the next year at Annapolis,
winning 32-16 and a football rival-
ry like no other was beginning to
blossom.
According to Gene Schorr’s,
“The Army-Navy Game,” players
on both teams personally congrat-
ulated one another during an eve-
ning celebration in the Navy
boathouse after that initial Army
victory and cadet Michie and Na-
vy quarterback Worth Bagley, the
stars of those teams, shook hands,
looking forward to the next meet-
ing. Seven years later both men
were killed in the Spanish-Amer-
ican War.
“There’s so much history in
both of these schools, so we’re
playing for so much more than just
football,” Army senior offensive
lineman J.B. Hunter said. “We’re
stoked for this opportunity. For us,
it’s very important. We don’t want
anyone coming in our back yard
(and winning). We’re just going to
hope that what we do is going to
work.”
Navy is unbeaten in three
games at West Point and won the
previous encounter 13-0 in 1943,
when the great Glenn Davis was a
plebe at West Point. The Midship-
men won last year’s game 31-7 be-
hind the stellar play of senior
quarterback Malcolm Perry, who
rushed for 304 yards and two
touchdowns.
QB questionsBoth teams have had quarter-
back issues. Injuries have forced
Monken to use six players at the
position. Niumatalolo started
freshman Xavier Arline in last
week’s 19-6 loss to Tulsa, the
team’s fourth straight setback,
and he could get the nod.
“He did some good things last
week, but he was also a freshman
last week,” Niumatalolo said. “But
what better stage to prepare you
for the biggest game of the year
than playing the 22nd-ranked
team in the country?”
Junior Christian Anderson was
the starter for Army when the sea-
son began. Monken is keeping his
choice a secret. Army’s triple op-
tion is averaging just under 300
yards rushing per game to 185.3
for the Midshipmen.
No. 68Navy senior tri-captain Billy
Honaker will wear No. 68 in honor
of former offensive lineman Da-
vid Forney, who died on campus at
age 22 in February 2019. The num-
ber was not issued this season, but
the team honored Forney by wear-
ing a sticker on the backs of their
helmets that pictures him running
out of the tunnel at the 2019 Army-
Navy game carrying the Ameri-
can flag with the word “Brother-
hood” underneath.
Tough roadIf Navy wins and Army defeats
Air Force next week, the Midship-
men will retain the Commander-
in-Chief’s Trophy, emblematic of
supremacy among the academies.
Navy is the first team in service a-
cademy football history to play
both of its rivals on the road in a
season. The Midshipmen lost 40-7
at Air Force in early October.
Michie: Navy unbeatenin 3 games at West PointFROM PAGE 24
Monken
A weekend devoid of drama appears to be setting
up in college football unless you're Colorado.
Southern California (4-0, 4-0) can lock up a spot in
the Pac-12 championship game if it beats crosstown
rival UCLA on Saturday even if Colorado beats Utah
to remain undefeated in the Pac-12 South.
Colorado (4-0, 3-0) has had two games canceled by
COVID-19; the Trojans lost one game to the virus, the
one against the Buffaloes.
If CU and USC win this weekend, the Trojans
would go to the title game based on the tiebreaker
that gives the nod to the team with the higher College
Football Playoff ranking. The Trojans are No. 15 and
the Buffs are No. 21.
So if you're a Colorado fan, you're cheering hard for
the Buffs in the morning and, if they win, for the
Bruins at night.
Top-ranked Alabama is the only team among the
top four in the CFP rankings playing this week, and
the Crimson Tide are 31-point favorites at Arkansas.
Notre Dame and Clemson are idle until they meet
next Saturday in the Atlantic Coast Championship
game.
Ohio State had its game against Michigan canceled
because of COVID-19 issues in the Wolverines pro-
gram. The No. 5 team in the CFP rankings, Texas
A&M, also will be off after having its game against
Mississippi called off.
Best game No. 25 Wisconsin at No. 19 Iowa: The Hawkeyes
(5-2, 5-2 Big Ten) are averaging better than 37 points
during their five-game winning streak, their longest
since the magical 2015 season that saw them go 12-0
in the regular season.
Wisconsin (2-2, 2-2) has had a bumpy ride. Graham
Mertz had one of the best starting debuts in FBS his-
tory against Illinois but hasn't come close to duplicat-
ing that 20-for-21 performance.
The Badgers, ranked as high as No. 9 before having
three games in five weeks canceled due to COVID-19,
have scored a combined 13 points in losing their last
two.
Heisman watchAlabama's Mac Jones overtook Florida's Kyle
Trask as the favorite with a stellar performance
against LSU. That's according to oddsmakers.
Jones closes the regular season at Arkansas after
throwing for 385 yards and four touchdowns in the
Crimson Tide's 55-17 win.
Trask gets his turn against LSU on Saturday. Don't
discount the possibility Trask totals over 400 yards
passing for the fourth time this season against defen-
sive coordinator Bo Pelini’s unit.
Two other Heisman contenders, Clemson's Trevor
Lawrence and Notre Dame's Ian Book, are idle until
they square off in the ACC championship game next
week.
Numbers to know0 — Second-half points allowed by Colorado in
back-to-back games against San Diego State and Ari-
zona, the first time in 18 years the Buffaloes have
blanked opponents after the half in consecutive
games.
7 — Consecutive weeks Indiana has been ranked
in the Top 25, matching the school regular-season re-
cord set by the 1945 team.
10 — Miami scoring drives of 80 yards or longer
the last four games. The Hurricanes had two such
drives in their first five games.
Under the radarSan Jose State vs. Nevada, at Las Vegas:The win-
ner clinches a spot in the Mountain West champion-
ship game, with the loser advancing depending on the
outcome of the Wyoming-Boise State game.
The Spartans (5-0) can become the first San Jose
State team to go 6-0 since the 13-0 campaign in 1939.
Nevada (6-1) is led by sophomore Carson Strong, who
has thrown for 330 yards per game with 21 touch-
downs against four interceptions.
DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/AP
Colorado running back Jarek Broussard picks up yardage during the second half against San Diego Stateon Nov. 28 in Boulder, Colo. Colorado won 2010.
Week 15: Buffs need win, USCloss to reach Pac-12 title game
BY GREG OLSON
Associated Press
WEEKEND PREVIEW
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
NICK WASS/AP
Navy defensive tackle Jackson Perkins carries an American flagbefore last Saturday's game against Tulsa in Annapolis, Md. Navy willface Army on Sunday at West Point’s venerable Michie Stadium.
Saturday, December 12, 2020 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • PAGE 23
NFL
American Conference
East
W L T Pct PF PA
Buffalo 9 3 0 .750 333 306
Miami 8 4 0 .667 303 212
New England 6 7 0 .462 277 279
N.Y. Jets 0 12 0 .000 180 353
South
W L T Pct PF PA
Indianapolis 8 4 0 .667 328 273
Tennessee 8 4 0 .667 359 326
Houston 4 8 0 .333 288 323
Jacksonville 1 11 0 .083 251 352
North
W L T Pct PF PA
Pittsburgh 11 1 0 .917 334 211
Cleveland 9 3 0 .750 306 321
Baltimore 7 5 0 .583 316 231
Cincinnati 2 9 1 .208 237 308
West
W L T Pct PF PA
x-Kansas City 11 1 0 .917 370 254
Las Vegas 7 5 0 .583 323 347
Denver 4 8 0 .333 225 320
L.A. Chargers 3 9 0 .250 277 345
National Conference
East
W L T Pct PF PA
N.Y. Giants 5 7 0 .417 231 265
Washington 5 7 0 .417 264 260
Philadelphia 3 8 1 .292 253 307
Dallas 3 9 0 .250 268 393
South
W L T Pct PF PA
x-New Orleans 10 2 0 .833 347 241
Tampa Bay 7 5 0 .583 344 280
Atlanta 4 8 0 .333 311 302
Carolina 4 8 0 .333 280 300
North
W L T Pct PF PA
Green Bay 9 3 0 .750 379 299
Minnesota 6 6 0 .500 319 329
Chicago 5 7 0 .417 246 284
Detroit 5 7 0 .417 286 358
West
W L T Pct PF PA
L.A. Rams 9 4 0 .692 325 246
Seattle 8 4 0 .667 353 321
Arizona 6 6 0 .500 332 296
San Francisco 5 7 0 .417 285 288
x-clinched playoff spot
Thursday’s game
L.A. Rams 24, New England 3
Sunday’s games
Arizona at N.Y. GiantsDallas at CincinnatiDenver at CarolinaHouston at ChicagoKansas City at MiamiMinnesota at Tampa BayTennessee at JacksonvilleIndianapolis at Las VegasN.Y. Jets at SeattleAtlanta at L.A. ChargersGreen Bay at DetroitNew Orleans at PhiladelphiaWashington at San FranciscoPittsburgh at Buffalo
Monday’s game
Baltimore at Cleveland
Scoreboard
ASHLEY LANDIS / AP
Rams rookie running back CamAkers rushed for 171 yards.
Rams 24, Patriots 3
New England 0 3 0 0 — 3
L.A. Rams 10 7 7 0 — 24
First quarter
LAR—Goff 1 run (Gay kick), 11:21.LAR—FG Gay 35, 5:16.
Second quarter
LAR—Young 79 interception return (Gaykick), 14:46.
NE—FG Folk 29, 1:04.
Third quarter
LAR—Kupp 2 pass from Goff (Gay kick),1:33.
A—0.
NE LAR
First downs 10 17
Total Net Yards 220 318
Rushes-yards 29-107 36-186
Passing 113 132
Punt Returns 5-47 1-8
Kickoff Returns 0-0 1-13
Interceptions Ret. 1-0 1-79
Comp-Att-Int 14-23-1 16-25-1
Sacked-Yards Lost 6-33 1-5
Punts 6-51.7 6-41.3
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards 5-27 5-35
Time of Possession 28:14 31:46
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—New England, Harris 11-50,Michel 7-22, White 3-16, Newton 7-16, Stid-ham 1-3. L.A. Rams, Akers 29-171, Goff 4-11,Henderson 2-5, Woods 1-(minus 1).
PASSING—New England, Newton 9-16-1-119, Stidham 5-7-0-27. L.A. Rams, Goff 16-25-1-137.
RECEIVING—New England, Byrd 5-48,Meyers 4-47, Harry 3-49, White 1-2, Harris1-0. L.A. Rams, Kupp 5-33, Woods 5-32, Hig-bee 2-34, Akers 2-23, Everett 1-9, Reynolds1-6.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — With rookie Cam Akers
running wild for the Rams and his defensive team-
mates thoroughly stifling the Patriots, Los Angeles got
a tiny measure of payback for its Super Bowl embar-
rassment two years ago.
These Rams even looked good enough to contend
for a chance at some actual Super Bowl redemption
later this season.
Akers rushed for 171 yards in a breakout perform-
ance, Kenny Young returned an interception 79 yards
for a touchdown and the Rams clinched their fourth
straight winning season with a 24-3 victory over the
New England Patriots on Thursday night.
Jared Goff rushed for a touchdown and threw a TD
pass to Cooper Kupp as the NFC West-leading Rams
(9-4) rolled to a one-sided victory in a rematch of their
13-3 Super Bowl loss in February 2019.
“We’ve got a lot of respect for them, but it’s a totally
different year,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “It
doesn’t have anything to do with what occurred a cou-
ple of years ago.”
While the Rams’ offense looked sharp, their defense
pushed the Patriots (6-7) perilously close to disarray.
New England managed only 220 total yards — just 62
in the second half with a series of misbegotten drives.
Cam Newton went 9-for-16 for 119 yards and got
sacked four times before the 2015 NFL MVP was re-
placed by Jarrett Stidham for the final three series in
the fourth quarter.
“We knew exactly what they were going to do,”
Newton said. “We have to be better, and it starts with
me personally. I have to make more plays.”
Five days after the Patriots scored 45 points at SoFi
Stadium against the Chargers, New England endan-
gered its push for a 12th straight playoff berth with on-
ly its second loss in six games.
When asked if he expected to start next week, New-
ton replied: “That’s not my call.”
Bill Belichick doused the understandable specula-
tion moments later: “Cam is our quarterback.”
The Rams got a superb game from Akers, the sec-
ond-round draft pick out of Florida State who has
seized a major role in their offense over the last three
weeks. Akers’ yards mostly came in big chunks during
the biggest rushing game by an NFL rookie this season
and just the ninth 150-yard game against a Belichick-
coached defense since 2000.
“It’s just (great) watching that guy really assert
himself as a big-time player for us,” McVay said. “You
can just see this guy is going to be a really special play-
er for us, and this was a great night for him.”
Aaron Donald had 1 ½ sacks to move into the overall
NFL lead with 12 ½ this season while leading another
strong game from Los Angeles’ elite defense, which
recorded six sacks and also scored a touchdown in its
third consecutive game.
JAE C. HONG / AP
New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton, left, is sacked by Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald during the second half ofThursday's game in Inglewood, Calif. Newton was sacked four times before being replaced by Jarrett Stidham for the final three series.
Akers, Rams run over PatsLA clinches 4th straight winning season
BY GREG BEACHAM
Associated Press
PAGE 24 • S T A R S A N D S T R I P E S • Saturday, December 12, 2020
SPORTSPac-12 drama
Colorado needs win, USC lossto reach title game ›› Page 22
Rams rout Pats, secure 4th straight winning season ›› NFL, Page 23
Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo never
tires of the feeling that permeates
the locker room in the moments
before the opening kickoff of the
annual matchup against Army.
“There’s a chill that goes through you
unlike any other game,” Niumatalolo
said. “It’s the craziest thing because
you’re in the locker room and it’s quiet, a
little bit serene, and then you step out-
side and there’s this rush and you know
it’s different.”
The 121st meeting between the
service academy rivals is Saturday,
and this one will be very different.
Because of the COVID-19 pandem-
ic, for the first time in 77 years the
game will be played at West Point’s
venerable Michie Stadium. Both
schools agreed to move it from its
customary site in Philadelphia af-
ter attendance limits were placed
on outdoor events in Pennsylva-
nia because of concerns over the
new coronavirus and it was Ar-
my’s turn to be the home team.
This show must go on just as it did
for two years during World War II at
the urging of President Franklin D. Roo-
sevelt, with games played at both academies.
“We are excited we are able to play this
game here for only the fourth time in history,”
Army coach Jeff Monken said. “The state of
our world right now has forced the game away
from Philadelphia. It will be special to play it
here. It will be very nostalgic and really a great
piece in the history of this rivalry.”
No fans will be allowed at Michie Stadium —
capacity 38,000 instead of nearly 70,000 at Lin-
coln Financial Field. But at least the entire Bri-
Returning totheir roots
Navy linebacker Ian Blake carries an American flagbefore a game against Tulsa last Saturday in Annapolis,Md. The Midshipmen will face off with Army on Sunday,and because of the COVID19 pandemic the game willbe played at West Point’s Michie Stadium for the firsttime in 77 years.
NICK WASS/AP
Army, Navy set to face off atWest Point’s Michie Stadiumfor first time in 77 years
BY JOHN KEKIS
Associated Press
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
SEE MICHIE ON PAGE 22
Recommended