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Volume 80 Edition 30A ©SS 2021 CONTINGENCY EDITION SATURDAY,MAY 29, 2021 Free to Deployed Areas

Biden is pressured to protect Afghans who worked with American forces

BY CAROLINE SIMON CQ-Roll Call WASHINGTON — Pressure is building on the Biden administra- tion to secure the safety of Af- ghans who worked with the U.S. military and whose lives will like- ly be at risk when the U.S. with- draws in the coming weeks. “With only six to eight weeks left before potential full with- drawal, it’s really time for action,” Elizabeth Neumann, former as- sistant secretary for counterter- rorism and threat prevention at the Department of Homeland Se- curity, said in a media call Thurs- day. A day earlier, she and other for- mer national security officials urged the Biden administration in a letter to “swiftly devise an evac- uation strategy” for Afghan na- tionals and their families ahead of ‘NATO is ready’ the September withdrawal dead- line. Neumann noted that some es- timates have the withdrawal done by July. PHOTOS BY ANA BRIGIDA/AP Afghans employed by the U.S. A ship is seen off the deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth as it participates in the NATO Steadfast Defender 2021 exercise off the government can apply for protec- coast of Portugal on Thursday. The war games aim to simulate the 30-nation organization’s response to an attack on one of its members. tion in the U.S. through the Special Immigrant Visa program, but the processing for the program is no- As Russia tensions simmer, alliance conducts massive war games toriously slow and more than 18,000 Afghans are currently on BY LORNE COOK RELATED the wait list. Associated Press The law requires visa applica- ABOARD HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH — As US tells Russia it will not tions to be processed within nine tensions with Russia simmer, thousands of months, but current wait times NATO troops, several warships and dozens of rejoin arms control pact stretch for years. aircraft are taking part in military exercises Page 3 Lawmakers on both sides of the stretching across the Atlantic, through Europe aisle have been sounding the and into the Black Sea region. Russia that their partners will ride to the res- alarm for weeks. On Tuesday, 33 The war games, dubbed Steadfast Defender cue should they come under attack. SEE AFGHANS ON PAGE 4 21, are aimed at simulating the 30-nation mil- Russia’s decision last month to send thou- itary organization’s response to an attack on sands of troops to the border area with Ukraine RELATED any one of its members. It will test NATO’s has raised concern at the military alliance, ability to deploy troops from America and keep which launched one of its biggest ever defense Austin says Afghan supply lines open. spending initiatives after Russian troops an- Already in recent years, the United States nexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014. drawdown ‘slightly and its allies have deployed troops and equip- British crew members on the HMS Queen Top NATO brass insist that the military ex- ment in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland Elizabeth participate in Steadfast Defender ahead’ of schedule to try to reassure those members neighboring 2021 off the coast of Portugal on Thursday. SEE NATO ON PAGE 3 Page 4 PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Saturday, May 29, 2021 BUSINESS/WEATHER SolarWinds hackers target 150 orgs with phishing EXCHANGE RATES Military rates South Korea (Won) 1115.45 Associated Press ian and human rights work, Mi- ers to “target government agen- Switzerland (Franc) 0.9008 Euro costs (May 31) $1.19 Thailand (Baht) 31.26 BOSTON — The state-backed crosoft Vice President Tom Burt cies involved in foreign policy as Dollar buys (May 31) 0.8013 Turkey (NewLira) 8.5802 British pound (May 31) $1.38 Russian cyber spies behind the said in a blog post late Thursday. part of intelligence gathering ef- Japanese yen (May 31) 106.00 (Military exchange rates are those available SolarWinds hacking campaign The cybersecurity firm Volexi- forts.” South Korean won (May 31) 1089.00 to customers at military banking facilities in the Commercial rates country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Ger­ launched a spear-phishing assault ty, which also tracked the cam- The hackers gained access to many, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bahrain(Dinar) 0.3769 For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., pur­ on U.S. and foreign government paign but has less visibility into USAID’s account at Constant Con- Britain (Pound) 1.4153 chasing British pounds in Germany), check with Canada (Dollar) 1.2082 your local military banking facility. Commercial agencies and think tanks this week email systems than Microsoft, tact, an email marketing service, China(Yuan) 6.3714 rates are interbank rates provided for reference Denmark (Krone) 6.1134 using an email marketing account said in a post that relatively low Microsoft said. The authentic- Egypt (Pound) 15.6602 when buying currency. All figures are foreign of the U.S. Agency for Internation- detection rates of the phishing looking phishing emails dated Euro 0.8220 currencies to one dollar, except for the British Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7617 pound, which is represented in dollars­to­ al Development, Microsoft said. emails suggest the attacker was May 25 purport to contain new in- Hungary (Forint) 286.20 pound, and the euro, which is dollars­to­euro.) Israel (Shekel) 3.2507 The effort targeted about 3,000 “likely having some success in formation on 2020 election fraud Japan (Yen) 110.02 INTEREST RATES email accounts at more than 150 breaching targets.” claims and include a link to mal- Kuwait(Dinar) 0.3010 Norway (Krone) 8.3433 Prime rate 3.25 different organizations, at least a Burt said the campaign ap- ware that allows the hackers to Philippines (Peso) 47.80 Interest Rates Discount rate 0.75 Poland (Zloty) 3.69 Federal funds market rate 0.09 quarter of them involved in inter- peared to be a continuation of mul- “achieve persistent access to com- Saudi Arabia (Riyal) 3.7502 3­month bill 0.02 national development, humanitar- tiple efforts by the Russian hack- promised machines.” Singapore (Dollar) 1.3239 30­year bond 2.29 WEATHER OUTLOOK SATURDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST SATURDAY IN EUROPE SUNDAY IN THE PACIFIC

Misawa 58/55

Kabul Seoul 85/53 74/52 Baghdad 107/71 Tokyo Drawsko Osan Kandahar Mildenhall/ 74/52 71/61 98/62 Pomorskie Busan Lakenheath 59/47 67/61 65/48 Iwakuni Kuwait City Bahrain 67/61 Brussels Zagan Sasebo 106/84 95/88 Ramstein 56/44 73/60 Guam 66/50 62/41 83/81 Riyadh Lajes, Azores Stuttgart 108/80 Doha Pápa 111/82 63/60 63/46 Aviano/ 64/49 Vicenza 67/52

Naples 75/59 Okinawa Morón 78/74 91/59 Sigonella Rota 72/59 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 80/57 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 95/80 71/65 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ...... 11 Comics/Crossword ...... 17 Health & Fitness...... 15 Movies ...... 12-13 Opinion ...... 16 Sports ...... 19-24 Video Games ...... 14 Saturday, May 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 MILITARY US tells Russia it won’t rejoin key arms pact BY MATTHEW LEE As a presidential candidate, Biden Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei recent actions with respect to Uk- policy of going it alone and aban- Associated Press had criticized Trump’s withdraw- Ryabkov of the U.S. decision not to raine, is not that of a partner com- doning American leadership,” WASHINGTON— The Biden al as “short-sighted.” return to the 1992 Open Skies mitted to confidence-building.” then-candidate Biden said in May administration informed Russia Thursday’s decision means only Treaty. The officials were not au- The announcement precedes a 2020. on Thursday that it will not rejoin one major arms control treaty be- thorized to discuss the matter meeting between President Joe The Open Skies Treaty was in- a key arms control pact, even as tween the nuclear powers — the publicly and spoke on condition of Biden and Russian President Vla- tended to build trust between Rus- the two sides prepare for a summit New START treaty — will remain anonymity. The State Department dimir Putin on June 16 in Geneva. sia and the West by allowing the next month between their leaders, in place. Trump had done nothing later announced the move. They will seek common ground accord’s more than three dozen the State Department said. to extend New START, which “The United States regrets that amid a sharp deterioration in ties signatories to conduct reconnais- U.S. officials said Deputy Secre- would have expired earlier this the Treaty on Open Skies has been that have sunk relations to their sance flights over each other’s ter- tary of State Wendy Sherman told year, but after taking office, the undermined by Russia’s viola- lowest point in decades. Yet, Bi- ritories to collect information the Russians that the administra- Biden administration moved tions,” the department said. “In den, who had supported the treaty about military forces and activ- tion had decided not to reenter the quickly to extend it for five years concluding its review of the treaty, as a senator, had been highly crit- ities. More than 1,500 flights have Open Skies Treaty, which had al- and opened a review into Trump’s the United States therefore does ical of Trump’s pullout. been conducted under the treaty lowed surveillance flights over Open Skies Treaty withdrawal. not intend to seek to rejoin it, given “In announcing the intent to since it took effect in 2002, aimed military facilities in both coun- The officials said that the re- Russia’s failure to take any actions withdraw from the Open Skies at fostering transparency and al- tries before President Donald view had been completed and that to return to compliance. Further, Treaty, President Trump has dou- lowing for the monitoring of arms Trump withdrew from the pact. Sherman had informed Russian Russia’s behavior, including its bled down on his short-sighted control and other agreements.

An F­35 takes off Thursday from the ramped flight deck of the HMS Queen Elizabeth during Steadfast Defender 2021. The exercises are a test of NATO preparedness. NATO: Russia policy is based

PHOTOS BY ANA BRIGIDA/AP on military deterrence, dialogue Military personnel stand on the deck of the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth off the coast of Portugal on Thursday. The ship, making its maiden voyage, is carrying 18 F­35 jets. FROM PAGE 1 told The Associated Press aboard a British aircraft carrier off the strike force also stands as an im- first phase was to protect the un- NATO says its policy toward ercises, involving some 9,000 coast of Portugal. portant symbol of unity as the dersea cables that carry masses of Russia is based on two pillars: troops from 20 nations, are not The ship, the HMS Queen Eliza- world’s biggest security organiza- commercial and communications strong military deterrence and aimed at Russia specifically, but beth, is the pride of the British Na- tion tries to recover from four tu- data between the U.S. and Europe. dialogue. But high-level meetings they focus on the Black Sea region, vy. It’s making its maiden voyage multuous years under the Trump NATO says Russia is mapping between the two historic foes are where Russia stands accused of and carrying 18 F-35 jets: the first administration. the cables’ routing and might have rare, and European officials insist blocking the free navigation of ever deployment of so many of the Stoltenberg will chair a NATO darker intentions. that President Vladimir Putin is ships. 5th generation planes aboard an summit in Brussels on June 14 “We all lulled ourselves into turning increasingly authoritar- NATO Secretary-General Jens aircraft carrier. with current U.S. President Joe thinking that the Atlantic was a be- ian and distancing himself from Stoltenberg says the exercises The ship’s presence, part of a Biden and his counterparts keen nign region in which there was not the West. send an important message to any 6-7 month deployment that will to usher in a new era of trans-At- anything bad going on, and we “We’re ready to sit down with potential adversary: “NATO is take it south past India, through lantic cooperation, as troops leave could just use it as a free high- Russia, because we think it’s im- ready.” Southeast Asia to the Philippines its longest-ever mission in Af- way,” Norfolk’s commander, U.S. portant to talk, especially when “NATO is there to defend all our Sea, is aimed in part at restoring ghanistan while tensions with Navy Vice-Admiral Andrew Le- times are difficult,” Stoltenberg allies, and this exercise sends a Britain’s tarnished image as a ma- Russia, and increasingly China, wis said. said. “The main challenge now is message about our ability to trans- jor global power since it left the mount. “There are nations are out there that Russia has not responded port a large number of troops, European Union. The war games tie in two new mapping those cables. They may positively to our invitation, or our equipment across the Atlantic, Adorned with high-tech U.S. NATO command centers, one in be doing something else bad. We initiative, for a meeting of the NA- across Europe and also to project jets and flanked by warships from Norfolk, Va.; the other in Ulm, have to be aware of that and an- TO-Russia Council,” their top con- maritime power,” Stoltenberg other NATO countries, the carrier Germany. Part of the focus of its swer that,” he told reporters. sultative forum. PAGE 4 • STARS AND STRIPES • Saturday, May 29, 2021 WAR ON TERRORISM Austin: Afghan exit ahead of schedule

BY COREY DICKSTEIN the present [combat readiness] tween 16% and 25% complete Stars and Stripes slightly.” about one month into the oper- The U.S. drawdown from Af- Austin and Milley said Thurs- ation. Officials said the United ghanistan is ‘slightly ahead’ of day that the 2022 budget request States had turned over five bases schedule, Defense Secretary calls for the Pentagon’s largest re- to Afghan security forces, shipped Lloyd Austin told lawmakers search, development, testing and 160 “C-17 loads of material” from Thursday, as the military worked evaluation budget in its history, Afghanistan, and identified more to remove all its forces from the investing heavily in future weap- than 10,000 pieces of gear for de- country where it has fought for ons and cutting-edge programs in- struction. nearly two decades. cluding hypersonic weapons, arti- Defense officials have declined Austin provided no additional ficial intelligence, long-range to say how many troops remain in details about the drawdown effort fires, modernized nuclear weap- Afghanistan. More than 2,500 had in Afghanistan, where U.S. troops ons and missile defense capabili- been in the country when Biden have remained since first invad- ties. The defense leaders did not announced last month that he ing in October 2001 just weeks af- reveal precisely how much that would end the U.S. military’s role ter the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the budget would increase over the there. No lawmakers asked Austin United States. He offered the up- 2021 proposal, which last year was or Milley any Afghanistan-related date on the withdrawal that began billed as the Pentagon’s largest- questions on Thursday during the May 1 and are scheduled to be ever RDT&E request. more than two-hour hearing. complete by Sept. 11 during a SUSAN WALSH/AP Austin said the 2022 budget Only Calvert mentioned Amer- hearing Thursday before the Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, left, listens as Chairman of the Joint would also include a funding pro- ica’s longest-ever war, expressing House Appropriations Commit- Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley speaks during a briefing at the posal to aid the U.S. military in concern in his opening comments tee’s defense subpanel. Pentagon, on May 6. watching Afghanistan after its about Biden’s withdrawal deci- “We accomplished the mission troops have left the country. sion and planning efforts to move for which our troops were sent to News reports on Thursday, in- advantages over power rivals Chi- “Our budget will help us devel- Afghan interpreters and others Afghanistan,” Austin said in his cluding from The New York na and Russia. op the over-the-horizon capability who helped U.S. troops on the bat- opening remarks. “I am proud of Times and The Washington Post, Rep. Ken Calvert of California, we need to ensure that terrorist at- tlefield out of that country. that and of the brave men and revealed Biden’s federal budget the top Republican on the House tacks on our homeland can never The Pentagon’s chief spokes- women who made it possible, and request would call for a total of subpanel, said Thursday that he again emanate from that country,” man John Kirby said Wednesday those who gave their lives for that some $6 trillion, among the largest was “greatly concerned” a flat Austin said, adding the only that the Defense Department was mission.” White House budget requests budget would slow the U.S. mili- American troops who remain in working with other federal agen- Austin testified Thursday since World War II — accounting tary’s modernization efforts, Afghanistan will be confined to a cies on plans to remove those Af- alongside Army Gen. Mark Mil- for inflation — and dwarfing which Austin and Milley listed small contingent to guard U.S. ghans, but he gave no details about ley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Trump’s roughly $4.8 billion re- among the Pentagon’s top priori- diplomats in Kabul. that planning effort. Neither Aus- Staff, in the hearing called osten- quest last year. ties. U.S. officials have repeatedly tin nor Milley addressed the issue sibly to review the Pentagon’s fis- While Biden’s increases on do- The defense secretary defend- talked about the “over-the-hori- during the hearing. cal year 2022 budget request. But mestic discretionary spending ed his budget request as “ade- zon” capabilities that they intend “Many colleagues of mine are the hearing lacked specifics of will be welcomed by congression- quate” in preparing the U.S. mil- to keep near Afghanistan as they concerned specifically about the that forthcoming spending plan, al Democrats, some liberal law- itary for a future fight against a seek to ensure terrorist groups — Afghan interpreters, and I share which is set to be unveiled by the makers have encouraged the peer adversary, including China. such as al-Qaida and the Islamic that concern, but I’m also aware White House on Friday. president to significantly cut de- Austin has labeled China as the State — do not find safe harbor in there were many other individu- The Defense Department will fense spending. Republicans, Pentagon’s “pacing threat” as the country. But, to date, no one als at great risk,” Calvert said request some $715 billion in Presi- meanwhile, have called for in- Beijing works to modernize its has publicly detailed what specific Thursday. “I look forward to hear- dent Joe Biden’s first federal bud- creased Pentagon spending, own forces aimed at reaching par- capabilities they hope to retain ing the department’s plan to en- get proposal, which would keep based in part on a 2018 Congress- ity with American military power near Afghanistan after the draw- sure they’re safe.” Pentagon spending essentially at mandated study that called for in the coming decades. down is completed. the same levels as it was under for- yearly increases of 3% to 5% in de- Milley said the 2022 budget re- U.S. Central Command said this [email protected] mer President Donald Trump. fense spending to retrain military quest “would bias the future over week that the drawdown was be- Twitter: @CDicksteinDC NATO secretary-general says Afghans: Lawmakers urge Afghan forces can cope alone action on special visas from (President Joe Biden),” Ali Associated Press also realize that we have been country,” Stoltenberg said in an FROM PAGE 1 Noorani, president of the National ABOARD HMS QUEEN ELI- there now for 20 years and we interview. House lawmakers reintroduced Immigration Forum, said in a ZABETH — NATO has helped have invested heavily in blood and But as NATO troops leave, legislation to authorize 4,000 new statement on the bipartisan legis- provide security in Afghanistan treasure in Afghanistan,” NATO much of the country stands as con- Afghan Special Immigrant Visas, lation. for almost two decades but the Secretary-Gen- tested ground. The government in but they acknowledged the State With only weeks until the U.S. government and armed forces in eral Jens Stol- Kabul holds sway in towns and ci- Department must also take steps withdrawal deadline — and much the conflict-torn country are tenberg told The ties, but the Taliban dominate the to address current issues with the of the military presence in Af- strong enough to stand on their Associated countryside. program. ghanistan already reduced — own feet without international Press, aboard a Stoltenberg said that NATO “While our legislation will pro- more drastic actions are being troops to back them, the head of U.K. aircraft countries would continue to sup- vide additional life-saving visas, floated as well. the military organization said carrier involved port Afghanistan through civilian more needs to be done to clear the “We recognize that a very im- Thursday. in wargames off experts who will help to advise backlog at the State Department portant task is to ensure that we NATO took charge of security the coast of Por- government ministries, by fund- before the United States with- remain faithful to them, and that Stoltenberg efforts in Afghanistan in 2003, two tugal. ing the security forces and with draws,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R- we do what’s necessary to ensure years after a U.S.-led coalition “Afghanistan has come a long support for slow-moving peace Ill., the bill’s primary sponsor, their protection, and if necessary, ousted the Taliban for harboring way, both when it comes to build- talks between Kabul and the Tali- said in a statement. get them out of the country, if former al-Qaida leader Osama bin ing strong, capable security ban. Immigration advocates have that’s what they want to do,” Joint Laden. Fewer than 9,000 troops forces, but also when it comes to He said that NATO is also “look- pushed for the executive branch Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Mil- remain, including up to 3,500 US social and economic progress. At ing into the possibility of provid- to take a more active role in exped- ley said Wednesday, Defense One personnel, and they are scheduled some stage, it has to be the Af- ing some training out of country iting the visa application process. reported, speaking about a possi- to leave by Sept. 11 at the latest. ghans that take full responsibility for the Afghan security forces, but “This bill is a critical step, but it ble evacuation of Afghan nation- “I think that the Afghans, they for peace and stability in their own no final decision has been taken.” will not be enough without action als. Saturday, May 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 5 MILITARY Senate approves Army’s first female secretary

BY SARAH CAMMARATA The Senate voted in favor of honor and integrity as the secreta- Stars and Stripes Wormuth for the position Thurs- ry of the Army,” he said. WASHINGTON — The Senate day after a procedural snafu late During her confirmation hear- voted Thursday to confirm Chris- Wednesday night caused her orig- ing, Wormuth fielded questions tine Wormuth to serve as the Ar- inal confirmation vote to be re- about the military’s largest my’s top civilian leader, making versed. branch, including hot-button is- her the first woman ever to hold A Senate Armed Services Com- sues such as sexual assault and the post. mittee aide said there was a “mix- prevention efforts, military hous- President Joe Biden nominated up” on the floor that forced Senate ing and pressures on the National Wormuth to serve as the Army Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Guard during the past year. secretary in mid-April only D-N.Y., to undo her confirmation, Wormuth said she would focus months after Kathleen Hicks was which occurred just hours before on prevention to combat sexual confirmed in February by the Sen- by unanimous consent. assault in the Army by prioritizing ate as the first woman to serve as Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, hands-on training and a positive deputy defense secretary. the ranking Republican of the command climate. Wormuth, a former Pentagon Senate Armed Services Commit- “We need to put quite a bit of fo- official, drew praise throughout tee, congratulated Wormuth in a cus on prevention. Prevention her confirmation hearing from tweet Thursday morning. programs, but also really pushing ANDREW HARNIK/AP Democratic and Republican law- “I look forward to working with a positive command climate down Christine Wormuth speaks during a Senate Armed Services makers for her long record of ser- her to support our soldiers in Ok- to the lowest possible level,” she Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on May 13. vice. lahoma, across the U.S. and told members of the Senate She previously worked as the around the world,” the senator Armed Services Committee. our soldiers and civilians have the Wormuth will replace acting undersecretary of defense for pol- wrote. Readiness and retention issues best quality of life possible, I will Army Secretary John Whitley, icy from 2014 to 2016 and before When she was first nominated, such as substandard military strive to continue improving our who has been in the position since that as the deputy undersecretary Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin housing, an increased reliance on Army housing, health care, child Jan. 20, at a busy time for the ser- of defense for strategy, plans and called Wormuth a “true patriot” the National Guard and the servic- care and spouse employment op- vice, which plans to release its forces. She is now the director of who has dedicated her career to e’s fitness test are also priorities portunity,” she said. budget request for fiscal year 2022 the international security and de- serving the country. that Wormuth said she wants to fo- The Senate Armed Services on Friday. fense policy center at the Rand “I have no doubt that, if con- cus on. Committee advanced Wormuth’s

Corp., a nonprofit research orga- firmed, she will lead our soldiers “I intend to prioritize the whole nomination by voice vote earlier [email protected] nization. and represent their families with range of people issues. To ensure this week. Twitter: @sarahjcamm VA may add illnesses Outside body to conditions linked to evaluate amphibious to toxic exposure operations BY NIKKI WENTLING said during a news conference Stars and Stripes Thursday. “This is an urgent, on- The Orange County Register WASHINGTON — The Depart- going process and we will stop at The Marine Corps’ top general ment of Veterans Affairs will initi- nothing to make sure the veterans on Wednesday spoke for the first ate the federal rulemaking proc- have the care and benefits they time publicly about the investiga- ess to consider creating a fast earned and which they deserve.” VINCE CRAWLEY/Stars and Stripes tions into a training accident last track to health care and disability Throughout the 1990s and the An American servicemember in the Saudi Arabian desert in 1991 summer in which eight Marines compensation for some veterans post-9/11 wars, the military used tends a burning trash pit. and a sailor died when their am- suffering from respiratory ill- open-air pits to burn garbage, jet phibious assault vehicle sank to nesses. fuel, paint, medical waste, plastics VA will provide public updates Committee advanced its bill the ocean floor, announcing he is The effort could result in health and more. Veterans diagnosed about the process every three Wednesday to the Senate floor. convening an outside board to look care and benefits for veterans with cancer, respiratory issues months, McDonough said. Leaders of the bills are expecting into the state of the Corps’ am- who were exposed to burn pits or and lung disease at young ages Earlier this week, House and pushback from other lawmakers phibious operations. other toxins while deployed to have blamed exposure to the toxic Senate lawmakers introduced two because of the cost. Cost estimates Since the deadly accident, all overseas conflicts in Southwest fumes. They have sought VA ben- sweeping bills aimed at helping for the bills were unknown Thurs- the ship-to-shore amphibious op- Asia, Afghanistan and Uzbekis- efits and health care, but the de- veterans who suffer from illness- day but are likely significant. erations remain suspended. tan. partment has contended that es because of toxic exposure. The McDonough refused Thursday The board will be led by retired In an announcement Thursday, there isn’t sufficient evidence to bills would grant VA health care to take a position on either bill. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser and the VA listed asthma, sinusitis and support their claims. and benefits to millions of veter- “We’re down here, really vigor- made up of retired amphibious op- rhinitis as conditions that could be Once confirmed as VA secreta- ans who served in overseas con- ously working to try to get in a po- eration experts. added to the VA’s presumptive ry, McDonough started a review flicts in the past 31 years. sition to get assistance to, and care “This is what we need to learn as list, which lowers the amount of of scientific evidence regarding The bills — which are similar for, our veterans who have been an institution to make sure that in evidence that veterans must pro- toxic exposure. The department but not identical — would auto- exposed, and I think the quickest the years to come, we know how to vide in order to receive benefits. chose to move forward with a ru- matically grant health care to way to get that care and those ben- do what is our core competency,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough lemaking process to make deci- about 3.5 million Iraq and Afghan- efits is through the process I’ve Berger said during a conversation said it was possible that more con- sions transparently and with input istan veterans and reform the talked about,” McDonough said, from the Pentagon with military ditions would be considered dur- from veterans, he said. VA’s handling of toxic exposure referring to the rulemaking proc- reporters where he discussed the ing the rulemaking process. The rulemaking process, which claims. The House bill adds 23 re- ess. “We are attacking this issue events of the deadly training acci- “This is just the beginning of can be lengthy, includes a public spiratory illnesses and cancers to with urgency.” dent and his thoughts on what hap- our effort to help veterans suffer- comment period and multiple re- the VA’s presumptive list, while pened. ing from toxic exposure, not the views by the White House’s Office the Senate bill adds 11. [email protected] Berger said he could not pro- end of that effort,” McDonough of Management and Budget. The The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Twitter: @nikkiwentling vide a timeline. PAGE 6 • STARS AND STRIPES • Saturday, May 29, 2021 NATION Senate Republicans block probe into Jan. 6 riot

BY MARY CLARE JALONICK al appeals from police who fought among Republicans, as some in the gation of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, porters. “We just can’t pretend that AND LISA MASCARO with the rioters and lawmakers who party have downplayed the violence Senate Republican leader Mitch nothing bad happened, or that peo- Associated Press fled Capitol chambers that day. and defended the rioters who sup- McConnell turned firmly against it ple just got too excitable. Something WASHINGTON — Senate Re- Six Republicans voted with Dem- ported Trump and his false insist- in recent days. He has said he be- bad happened. And it’s important to publicans on Friday blocked cre- ocrats to move forward. Eleven sen- ence that the election was stolen lieves the panel’s investigation lay that out.” ation of a bipartisan panel to study ators missed the rare Friday vote. from him. would be partisan despite the even Of her colleagues opposing the the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, turn- Though the Jan. 6 commission The attack was the worst on the split among party members. commission, Murkowski said some ing aside the independent investiga- bill passed the House earlier this Capitol in 200 years and interrupted McConnell, who once said are concerned that “we don’t want tion in a show of party loyalty to for- month with the support of almost the certification of Democrat Joe Trump was responsible for provok- to rock the boat.” mer President Donald Trump and three dozen Republicans, GOP sen- Biden’s win over Trump. Four peo- ing the mob attack on the Capitol, Republican Texas Sen. John Cor- an effort to shift the political focus ators said they believe the commis- ple died that day, and Capitol Police said of Democrats, “They’d like to nyn, who once supported the idea of away from the violent riot by his sion would eventually be used Officer Brian Sicknick collapsed continue to litigate the former presi- the commission, said he now be- GOP supporters. against them politically. And and died afterward of what author- dent, into the future.” lieves Democrats are trying to use it The Senate vote was 54-35 — Trump, who still has a firm hold on ities said were natural causes. Two Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said as a political tool. short of the 60 votes needed to take the party, has called it a “Democrat police officers took their own lives Thursday evening that she needs to “I don’t think this is the only way up a House-passed bill that would trap.” in the days after the riots. know more about what happened to get to the bottom of what hap- have formed a 10-member commis- The vote is emblematic of the pro- While initially saying he was open that day and why. pened,” Cornyn said, noting that sion evenly split between the two found mistrust between the two par- to the idea of the commission, which “Truth is hard stuff, but we’ve got Senate committees are also looking parties. It came a day after emotion- ties since the siege, especially would be modeled after an investi- a responsibility to it,” she told re- at the siege. Senate to vote on tech bill to counter China BY LISA MASCARO is to remain competitive. Associated Press “It’s not about beating China,” WASHINGTON — Despite op- Young said in a speech Thursday. position from a handful of Repub- He said it’s about rising to the licans, a sweeping Senate bill challenge posed by China “to be a aimed at making the United States better version of ourselves.” more competitive with China and Biden had included elements of shoring up domestic computer the legislation as part of his big in- chip manufacturing with $50 bil- frastructure plan, the American lion in emergency funding headed Jobs Act, making a similar case toward final votes Friday after a that the U.S. needs to increase its last-minute attempt to halt it. investments to stay competitive The American Innovation and with rivals, particularly China. Competition Act, an effort to boost The centerpiece of the bill is a scientific research and develop- $50 billion emergency allotment ment, is key to President Joe Bi- to the Commerce Department to den’s infrastructure plans. Its pas- stand up semiconductor develop- sage was still expected despite the ment and manufacturing through GOP efforts to impede it, but tim- research and development and in- ing was uncertain as the Senate centive programs previously au- SUSAN WALSH/AP reopened Friday morning after a thorized by Congress. They focus The Blue Angels fly over the graduation ceremony at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., Friday. nearly round-the clock session. on the military, automakers and “We have every intention of other critical industries reliant on sticking it out until the job is computer chips. done,” Senate Majority Leader The Endless Frontier provision Harris gives keynote Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said as would authorize funding for the he opened the chamber. National Science Foundation, in- speech to Navy grads The emerging final product has cluding the establishment of a Di- enjoyed broad, bipartisan support rectorate for Technology and In- Associated Press fuel supply, and one country’s car- and would be one of the more novation, as well as research and ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Vice Presi- bon emissions can threaten the sus- comprehensive investments in development funds and scholar- dent Kamala Harris focused on the tainability of the Earth, the vice U.S. research and development in ships for students focused on sci- challenges of the pandemic, cli- president said. recent years as the country tries to ence, technology, engineering and mate change and cybersecurity “This, midshipmen, is the era we bolster and rebuild home state in- math programs. threats during her keynote speech are in, and it is unlike any era that dustries that have shifted over- Other measures spell out na- to graduates at the U.S. Naval Acad- came before,” Harris said. “So, the seas during the era of globaliza- tional security concerns and tar- emy on Friday, the first by a woman challenge now, the challenge be- tion. get money laundering schemes or at the 175-year-old institution. fore us now is how to mount a mod- JULIO CORTEZ/AP It’s also a test of whether the cyberattacks by entities on behalf Harris, the nation’s first female ern defense to these modern Vice President Kamala Harris split 50-50 Senate can accomplish of the government of China. There vice president and the first Black threats.” speaks at the graduation and bipartisan achievements when are also “buy America” provi- woman and person of South Asian Harris described the cyberat- commissioning ceremony. there’s pressure on Democrats to sions for infrastructure projects in descent to hold the office, said the tack earlier this month that shut change the rules to push past ob- the U.S. pandemic “has accelerated our down the nation’s largest fuel pipe- will put our nation at a strategic ad- struction and gridlock. At the same time, senators world into a new era.” line as “a warning shot” in what the vantage,” Harris said. A top Republican author, Sen. agreed to tack on amendments “It has forever impacted our new Navy and Marine Corps offi- In her speech to more than 1,000 Todd Young of Indiana, charac- showing shifting attitudes over world,” she said. “It has forever in- cers will be facing. graduates, including ones who ma- terized his underlying proposal China’s handling of the COVID-19 fluenced our perspective, and if we “In fact, there have been many jored in mechanical, electrical and that anchors the bill — the End- outbreak. One would prevent fed- weren’t clear before, we know now: warning shots, so we must defend ocean engineering, Harris de- less Frontier Act he co-authored eral funds for the Wuhan Institute Our world is interconnected. Our our nation against these threats, scribed climate change as “a very with Schumer — as part of the of Virology amid fresh investiga- world is interdependent, and our and at the same time we must make real threat to our national security.” country’s history of innovation, tion into the origins of the virus world is fragile.” advances in things that you’ve been “I look at you, and I know you are like the moon landing or the and possible connections to the A pandemic can spread through- learning — things like quantum among the experts who will navi- launch of the internet, that Wash- lab’s research. The city registered out the world in a matter of months, computing and artificial intelli- gate and mitigate the threat,” Har- ington needs to foster if America some of the first virus cases. a gang of hackers can disrupt the gence and robotics and things that ris said. Saturday, May 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 7 VIRUS OUTBREAK Store traffic rebounding but not to 2019 numbers BY ANNE D’INNOCENZIO fewer shoppers ask for their mon- still recovering from the pandem- Associated Press ey back after making a purchase ic, which forced them to tempora- NEW YORK — Americans are at the store — 8% compared with rily close early last year, driving going back to one of their favorite 25% for online, according to For- more traffic to big box stores that pastimes: store shopping. rester Research. And store cus- were allowed to stay open. And With more people getting vacci- tomers tend to do more impulse overall store traffic, while re- nated and dropping their face buying. For clothing, for instance, bounding, is still not back to where masks, retailers from Walmart to 25% of purchases are done on a it was two years ago. Macy’s are seeing an eager return whim versus 16% online, says Customer counts at overall to their stores after more than a market research firm NPD Group stores surged 43.2% for the week year of their customers migrating Inc. starting May 10 compared to the online during the pandemic. “Retailers want you in the year-ago period, but that number Marcia Williams, who lives in a store,“ said Marshal Cohen, was still down 5.6% for that same Philadelphia suburb and who NPD’s chief industry advisor. period in 2019, says mobile-device stuck to online shopping only dur- “They need you to be in the store location data from foot-traffic ana- ing the height of COVID-19, went so you generate more traffic. lytics firm Placer.ai. In clothing, GENE J. PUSKAR/AP back to her local mall right after Crowds bring more crowds. customer counts soared more Shoppers walk past a giant LL Bean boot outside the Ross Park Mall she was fully vaccinated last (Shoppers) buy more product.” than two-fold for the same time- in Pittsburgh Sunday. Retailers are seeing an eager return to stores month. That was her first time in Still, retailers — particularly frame, but it was down 11.2% on a after watching customers focus on online buying during the pandemic. more than a year. mall-based stores and other spe- two-year basis. For big-box stores “I am definitely getting out,” cialty stores that were struggling like Target, customer counts were previous quarter. Ulta Beauty shops in more than said Williams, a hair and makeup even before the pandemic — face up 5.3% for the same period but That trend continued this week. 100 Target stores by mid-2021. artist who spent nearly $1,000 on plenty of challenges to keep cus- down 4.9% on a two-year basis. Best Buy, which had earlier said Kohl’s is getting ready to open clothing for herself and her three tomers coming back. They face Still, store executives are feel- that comparable store sales might Sephora beauty shops in 200 loca- children during several buying stepped-up competition online ing optimistic — for now. fall this year, revised their expec- tions this fall. And Macy’s is lean- trips. “I do feel more comfortable. and from discounters that thrived Walmart, based in Bentonville, tations Thursday, saying that ing into such areas as toys, health I like the experience of trying on in the last year. Experts also say Ark., said last week that transac- those sales, a critical gauge of a re- and wellness, pet care, food and clothes. I love grocery shopping. that post-pandemic shoppers will tions in its stores were up for the tailer’s health, will likely rise be- wine. It’s my outlet.” be even more demanding: After first time in a year. At Target, tween 3% and 6% in 2021. “Clearly, our customer is ready The return to store shopping, being forced to stay close to home, sales at stores opened at least a Many retail executives say that to get on with life,” Macy’s CEO highlighted in many retailers’ they’re looking for better and con- year jumped 18% in the three- they are adding fresh new mer- Jeff Gennette told analysts last earnings reports in recent days, venient services and experiences. month period that ended May 1. chandise to welcome back shop- week. “We don’t see this as a offers a big relief in part because Many retailers like Macy’s are That follows a 6.9% increase in the pers. Target is planning to open short-term pop.” Schools try pep-rally tactics to get students vaccinated BY JULIE WATSON can legally require a vaccine approved un- Associated Press der an emergency-use authorization to im- SAN DIEGO — A growing number of pub- mediately address the pandemic. lic schools are using mascots, food trucks Instead, public schools are trying to entice and prize giveaways to create a pep-rally at- students to get the shots by making the expe- mosphere aimed at encouraging students to rience festive while sending flyers home to get vaccinated against the coronavirus be- families to address the vaccine’s safety. fore summer vacation. In suburban Detroit, students in the Districts from California to Michigan are Southfield district who show proof of vacci- offering free prom tickets and deploying nation will get a free ticket to the senior mobile vaccination teams to schools to inoc- prom worth $80. The incentive drew protes- ulate students 12 and up so everyone can re- ters who said awarding the vaccinated could turn to classrooms in the fall. They are also lead to harassment of students who haven’t enlisting students who have gotten shots to gotten shots. press their friends to do the same. “We are not separating or segregating stu- Officials are concerned that once school dents who choose not to receive the vaccine lets out, it will be even tougher to get enough or do receive the vaccine,” Southfield Su- teens vaccinated in time to guarantee wide- DAMIAN DOVARGANES/AP perintendent Jennifer Green said. “We sim- spread immunity on campuses. San Pedro High School students hold vaccination signs at a school­based COVID­19 ply want to provide our students an opportu- The massive effort has just gotten under- vaccination event for students 12 and older in San Pedro, Calif., Monday. nity to celebrate this milestone in their life.” way because it was only two weeks ago that The Los Angeles Unified School District, federal regulators authorized the Pfizer vac- There are many challenges. vaccine clinic at the school. “It was devel- the largest in California with about 600,000 cine for children 12 to 15. Moderna said Depending on the state and even county, oped too fast and is kind of sketchy. And I students, plans to have a mobile vaccination Tuesday that its COVID-19 vaccine strongly minors may be required to have a parent feel like the number of COVID cases is dying team visit every middle and high school protects kids as young as 12, a step that could present to get the shot. Some parents may down so if everybody else has it, there may campus at least once before the school year put it on track to become the second option not be able to get away from work to do that. not be a need for me to have it.” ends June 11. The events will feature food for that age group in the U.S. Younger chil- Others are unsure about allowing their kids Her friend Brandon Cheeks, 15, said he trucks and music. dren are not yet eligible. to get a vaccine that only was approved for wants the vaccine, but his mother is unsure. Superintendent Austin Beutner recently So far, about 14% of the nation’s 15 million emergency use. In the meantime, another 15-year-old, Laura appeared with Wilson High School’s kids ages 12 to 15 have received their first Protests have popped up outside schools Pilger, said she feels safer being back in “Mighty Mule” mascot to encourage stu- shot, according to the Centers for Disease offering the vaccine, discouraging kids who school knowing that she and everyone she dents to roll up their sleeves. He said the dis- Control and Prevention. Among 7.5 million may already be nervous. knows is vaccinated. trict is offering paid leave for district em- teens ages 16 and 17, that number goes up to Mission Bay High School in San Diego While hundreds of colleges across the ployees to get their children inoculated. 34%, and about 22% have had both shots, ac- provides an example of the mixed reaction country are requiring students to have proof Schools where more than 30% of students cording to the latest figures released Mon- among students. of vaccination to return to campus, it’s un- are vaccinated will also each receive $5,000 day. The doses are scheduled about three “I’m not getting it,” said Tatum Merrill, likely that K-12 public schools will do the for projects, and students can decide how weeks apart. 14, standing with friends outside a mobile same this fall. It’s unclear whether schools the money is used. PAGE 8 • STARS AND STRIPES • Saturday, May 29, 2021 NATION Tax increase on rich, companies in $6T budget

BY ANDREW TAYLOR fresh ammunition for their criti- Associated Press cisms of the new Democratic ad- WASHINGTON — President ministration as bent on a “tax and Joe Biden’s $6 trillion budget pro- spend” agenda with resulting def- posal for next year would run a icits that would damage the econ- $1.8 trillion federal government omy and impose a crushing debt deficit despite a raft of new tax burden on younger Americans. increases on corporations and Huge deficits have yet to drive up high-income people designed to interest rates as many fiscal pay for his ambitious spending hawks have feared, however, and plans. anti-deficit sentiment among Biden had already announced Democrats has mostly vanished. AQUABOUNTY TECHNOLOGIES/AP his major budget initiatives, but “Now is the time to build (upon) Company CEO Sylvia Wulf, poses with processing associates Skyler Miller, back left, and Jacob Clawson during a rollout Friday he will re- the foundation that we’ve laid to with genetically modified salmon from the company’s indoor aquaculture farm, Wednesday, in Albany, Ind. lease them as a single proposal to make bold investments in our incorporate them into the govern- families and our communities ment’s existing budget frame- and our nation,” Biden said work, including Social Security Thursday in an appearance in Genetically modified salmon and Medicare. That provides a Cleveland to tout his economic fuller view of the administration’s plans. “We know from history fiscal posture. that these kinds of investments head to American dinner plates Democratic aides disclosed key raise both the floor and the ceiling Associated Press ter-growing salmon at an indoor similar ones by other major food elements of the Biden plan, over the economy for everybody.” Report for America aquaculture farm in Albany, Ind. service companies — Compass speaking on condition of anonym- The unusual timing of the bud- INDIANAPOLIS — The inau- The fish are genetically modified Group and Sodexo — and many ity because the document is not get rollout — the Friday afternoon gural harvest of genetically mod- to grow twice as fast as wild salm- large U.S. grocery retailers, sea- yet public. before Memorial Day weekend — ified salmon began this week after on, reaching market size — 8 to 12 food companies and restaurants. The whopping deficit projec- indicates that the White House the pandemic delayed the sale of pounds — in 18 months rather Costco, Kroger, Walmart and tions reflect a government whose isn’t eager to trumpet the bad def- the first such altered animal to be than 36. Whole Foods maintain that they steadily accumulating pile of debt icit news. Typically, lawmakers cleared for human consumption in The Massachusetts-based com- don’t sell genetically modified or has topped $28 trillion after well host an immediate round of hear- the United States, company offi- pany originally planned to harvest cloned salmon and would need to more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 ings on the budget, but those will cials said. the fish in late 2020. Wulf attribut- label them as such. relief. The government’s struc- have to wait until Congress re- Several tons of salmon, engi- ed delays to reduced demand and AquaBounty markets the salm- tural deficit remains unchecked, turns from a weeklong recess. neered by biotech company Aqua- market price for Atlantic salmon on as disease- and antibiotic-free, and Biden uses tax hikes on busi- Under Biden’s plan, the debt Bounty Technologies Inc., will spurred by the pandemic. saying its product comes with a re- nesses and the wealthy to power held by the public would exceed now head to restaurants and Although finally making its way duced carbon footprint and none huge new social programs like the size of the economy and soon away-from-home dining services to dinner plates, the genetically of the risk of polluting marine eco- universal prekindergarten and eclipse record levels of debt rela- — where labeling as genetically modified fish has been met by systems like traditional sea-cage large subsidies for child care. tive to gross domestic product engineered is not required — in pushback from environmental ad- farming carries. The budget incorporates the that have stood since World War the Midwest and along the East vocates for years. The FDA approved the AquAd- administration’s eight-year, $2.3 II. That’s despite more than $3 Coast, company CEO Sylvia Wulf The international food service vantage Salmon as “safe and ef- trillion infrastructure proposal trillion in proposed tax increases said. company Aramark in January an- fective” in 2015. It was the only ge- and its $1.8 trillion American over the decade, including an in- Thus far, the only customer to nounced its commitment to not netically modified animal ap- Families Plan and adds details on crease in the corporate tax rate announce it is selling the salmon is sell such salmon, citing environ- proved for human consumption his $1.5 trillion request for annual from 21% to 28%, increased cap- Samuels and Son Seafood, a Phila- mental concerns and potential im- until federal regulators approved operating appropriations for the ital gains rates on top earners, delphia-based seafood distribu- pacts on Indigenous communities a genetically modified pig for food Pentagon and domestic agencies. and returning the top personal in- tor. that harvest wild salmon. and medical products in Decem- It is sure to give Republicans come tax bracket to 39.6%. AquaBounty has raised its fas- The announcement followed ber. Disgruntled worker who killed 9 appeared to target victims Associated Press high-capacity magazines, Santa Smith said footage captured him out. He said Thursday that Cassi- Documents show he had worked SAN JOSE, Calif. — A gunman Clara County Sheriff Laurie moving from one location to the dy worked regularly with the vic- at the transit authority since at who killed nine people at a Cali- Smith said. next. It took deputies six minutes tims. He called them “a good least 2012. fornia rail yard where he worked “It appears to from the first 911 calls to find bunch of blue-collar people” but Bertolet, a signal maintenance appeared to target some of the us at this point Cassidy on the third floor of one said Cassidy stuck out as a loner worker who worked in a separate victims, a sheriff told The Asso- that he said to of the buildings, Smith said. and outsider. unit from Cassidy, said he is con- ciated Press on Thursday, while one of the peo- Cassidy, who fired a total of 39 “I know some of those guys, vinced Cassidy targeted his vic- a Biden administration official ple there: ‘I’m bullets, killed himself as depu- they’ll keep joking with you and tims because he didn’t hurt peo- said the shooter spoke of hating not going to ties closed in on the facility serv- they’ll keep hammering you ple he encountered on the way to his workplace when customs of- shoot you,’” ing the county of more than 1 mil- about stuff. And if you’re thin- the second building, where more ficers detained him after a 2016 Smith said. lion people in the heart of Silicon skinned and you can’t take it ... I shots were fired. trip to the Philippines. “And then he Valley. More than 100 people see that is the main cause of “Sam made sure he killed all Cassidy Samuel Cassidy, 57, arrived at shot other peo- were there at the time, and au- what’s going on,” Bertolet said. who he wanted. He made sure the light rail facility for the Val- ple. So I imagine there was some thorities found five victims in Sheriff’s officials described they were dead,” Bertolet said. ley Transportation Authority in kind of thought on who he wanted one building and two in another, Cassidy as “a highly disgruntled “I watched some of my cowork- San Jose around 6 a.m. Wednes- to shoot.” Smith said. VTA employee for many years,” ers breathe their last breaths, day with a duffel bag filled with While there are no cameras in- Kirk Bertolet, 64, was just saying that may have contribut- and they were all gone. Seven of semi-automatic handguns and side the rail yard’s two buildings, starting his shift when shots rang ed to him targeting the workers. them were just gone.” Saturday, May 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 9 SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY Earth’s temperatures may soon top Paris goal

BY SETH BORENSTEIN degrees warmer than in recent times. Last year, the same group Pennsylvania State University Associated Press “It’s a warning that decades and that the U.S. South- forecasted a 20% chance of it hap- climate scientist Michael Mann, There’s a 40% chance that the we need to take west’s drought will continue. pening. who wasn’t part of the report, said world will get so hot in the next The 2015 Paris climate accord The doubling of the odds is due he is “almost certain” the world five years that it will temporarily strong action.” set a goal of keeping warming to a to improvements in technology will exceed that Paris warming push past the temperature limit few tenths of a degree warmer that show it has “actually warmed threshold at least once in the next the Paris climate agreement is Leon Hermanson from now. more than we thought already,” few years. trying to prevent, meteorologists climate scientist The report said there is a 40% especially ovser the lightly-moni- But he said one or two years said. chance that at least one of the next tored polar regions, said Leon above 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit isn’t A new World Meteorological lantic will continue to brew more five years will be 2.7 degrees Fah- Hermanson, a climate scientist at as worrisome as when the overall Organization forecast for the next potentially dangerous hurricanes renheit higher than in pre-indus- the United Kingdom’s Met Center trend of temperatures stays above several years also predicts a 90% than it used to. trial times — the more stringent of who helped on the forecast. that level. chance that the world will set yet For this year, the meteorolo- two Paris goals. The world is al- “It’s a warning that we need to Mann said that won’t happen another record for the hottest year gists say large parts of land in the ready 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit take strong action,” Hermanson probably for decades and could by the end of 2025 and that the At- Northern Hemisphere will be 1.4 warmer than in pre-industrial said. still be prevented. GM, Lockheed to make self-driving rovers for moon BY MARCIA DUNN a time, according to company of- Associated Press ficials. A brief company video CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — showed a large, open rover General Motors is teaming up speeding over lunar slopes, with with Lockheed Martin to produce more headlights in the distance. the ultimate off-road, self-driv- This is “just a glimpse of how ing, electric vehicles — for the we see the opportunity playing moon. out,” said Jeff Ryder, a vice presi- The project announced dent for GM Defense. Wednesday is still in the early By operating autonomously stages and has yet to score any when needed, Shireman noted, NASA money. the rovers can keep astronauts But the goal is to design light safely away from dangerous spots yet rugged vehicles that will trav- like the permanently shadowed el farther and faster than the lu- craters at the moon’s South Pole. nar rovers that carried NASA’s Frozen water gathered from Apollo astronauts in the early these dark corners could be used 1970s, the companies said. for drinking, growing plants and “Mobility is really going to creating rocket fuel. open up the moon for us,” said Autonomy could also improve Kirk Shireman, a former NASA efficiency, with astronauts fo- manager who is now Lockheed cused on collecting rocks as a Martin’s vice president for lunar rover follows behind like a puppy, exploration. he said. The rovers used by the Apollo In a separate venture begun 15, 16 and 17 moonwalkers ven- two years ago, Toyota partnered tured no more than 4½ miles with the Japanese Space Agency from their landers. GM also to build a pressurized electric- helped design those vehicles. powered lunar rover for astro- NASA last year put out a call nauts. They’re calling it the Lunar for industry ideas on lunar rov- Cruiser. ers. The space agency aims to re- GM and Lockheed Martin’s ve- turn astronauts to the moon by hicle will be unpressurized, 2024, a deadline set by the previ- meaning that riders will need to NASA/AP ous White House. wear spacesuits at all times. Astronaut James Irwin stands next to a rover on the surface of the moon in 1971. On Wednesday, Their initial rovers will be de- There’s room for both models, ac- Lockheed and General Motors announced that they would combine their technological and manufacturing signed to carry two astronauts at cording to Shireman. expertise to build electric vehicles for NASA’s Artemis program. Navigation error sends NASA’s Mars helicopter on wild ride Associated Press The trouble cropped up about a minute consumption spikes, according to Havard with NASA’s rover Perseverance. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A naviga- into the helicopter’s sixth test flight last Grip, the helicopter’s chief pilot. The 4-pound helicopter aced its first five tion timing error sent NASA’s little Mars Saturday at an altitude of 33 feet . One of A built-in system to provide extra mar- flights, each one more challenging than be- helicopter on a wild, lurching ride, its first the numerous pictures taken by an on- gin for stability “came to the rescue,” he fore. NASA was so impressed by the $85 major problem since it took to the Martian board camera did not register in the navi- wrote in an online status update. The hel- million tech demo that it extended its mis- skies last month. gation system, throwing the entire timing icopter landed within 16 feet of its intended sion by at least a month. The experimental helicopter, named In- sequence off and confusing the craft about touchdown site. Saturday’s troubled flight was the first genuity, managed to land safely, officials at its location. Ingenuity became the first aircraft to for this bonus period. Engineers have spent the Jet Propulsion Laboratory reported Ingenuity began tilting back and forth as make a powered flight on another planet in the past several days addressing the prob- Thursday. much as 20 degrees and suffered power April, two months after landing on Mars lem. PAGE 10 • STARS AND STRIPES • Saturday, May 29, 2021 WORLD Belarus seeks Russia’s help amid EU clash

BY VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV meet Friday in the Black Sea re- Associated Press sort of Sochi for talks on closer MOSCOW — Belarus’ author- economic ties, according to the itarian leader will discuss closer Kremlin. Earlier in the day, the economic ties with Russia on Fri- countries’ prime ministers met in day, as he seeks support from his Minsk to pave the way for the main backer amid a bruising presidents’ talks. MUHIZI OLIVIER/AP showdown with the European “The events of the last days French President Emmanuel Macron lays a wreath at the genocide memorial site in the capital Kigali, Union over the forced diversion show a growing Western pres- Rwanda, on Thursday. of a passenger jet to arrest a dis- sure on Belarus,” Belarusian sident journalist. Prime Minister Roman Golov- Belarusian President Alexan- chenko said during the meeting. der Lukashenko has found him- “The EU has made a political de- France’s PM admits some self increasingly isolated after cision to introduce sectoral sanc- Belarusian flight controllers told tions in an apparent attempt to the crew of a Ryanair plane to ruin our economy and create guilt for Rwanda’s genocide land because there was a bomb conditions for the repeat of coup threat against it. No bomb was attempts. In this situation, we Associated Press history in the face and recognizing ment and support for businesses. found once the place was on the count on the support of our clos- KIGALI, Rwanda — In a key the suffering that it inflicted on the Macron said they were opening ground, but 26-year-old journal- est ally, the Russian Federation.” speech on his visit to Rwanda, Rwandan people by favoring si- “a new page” and rebuilding ties ist Raman Pratasevich was ar- The two ex-Soviet nations have French President Emmanuel Ma- lence over the examination of that are “strong and irreversible.” rested along with his Russian signed a union agreement that cron said he recognizes that truth for too long,” Macron said. Appearing to explain his lack of girlfriend. calls for close political, economic France bears a heavy responsibil- France’s failures contributed to apology, Macron said: “A geno- EU leaders denounced it as a and military ties, but that stops ity for the 1994 genocide in the “27 years of bitter distance” be- cide cannot be excused, one lives hijacking and piracy and respon- short of a full merger. Moscow central African country. tween the two countries, he said. with it.” ded by barring Belarusian carri- has helped buttress Belarus’ Macron solemnly detailed how Although Macron didn’t apol- “This recognition is what I can ers from the bloc’s airspace and economy with cheap energy sup- France had failed the 800,000 vic- ogize, he won praise from Rwan- give. A pardon is not mine to give,” airports and advising European plies and loans, but the ties have tims of the genocide but he stop- dan President Paul Kagame for Macron said, promising beefed- airlines to skirt Belarus. The often been strained with Lukash- ped short of an apology. his “powerful speech.” up efforts to bring genocide sus- bloc’s foreign ministers sketched enko scolding Moscow for trying France “was not an accom- “His words were something pects to justice. out tougher sanctions Thursday to force him to relinquish control plice” in the genocide but ended more valuable than an apology, Rwandans who had hoped for to target the country’s lucrative over prized economic assets and up siding with Rwanda’s “genoci- they were the truth,” Kagame an apology said they were disap- potash industry and other sectors eventually abandon Belarus’ in- dal regime” and bore an “over- said. “This was an act of tremen- pointed by Macron’s speech. that are the main cash-earners dependence. whelming responsibility” in the dous courage.” “We don’t want to hear him talk for Lukashenko’s government. On Friday, the EU’s executive slide toward the massacres, the Kagame and Macron both sig- about responsibility, about Franc- The dispute has pushed Lu- European Commission present- French leader said, speaking naled that a page had been turned e’s role in the genocide,” genocide kashenko, who has relentlessly ed a $3.7 billion aid plan to sup- Thursday at the genocide memo- in France-Rwanda ties. survivor Dan Karenzi told The As- stifled dissent during his rule of port “a future democratic Bela- rial in the capital, Kigali. “This visit is about the future, sociated Press. “We, the survi- more than a quarter-century, rus” that could be activated if the “France has a role, a history and not the past,” Kagame said, add- vors, wanted to hear Macron apol- even closer to Russian President country moves toward a “demo- a political responsibility in Rwan- ing that he and Macron discussed ogizing to us officially. I am really Vladimir Putin, and the two will cratic transition.” da. It has a duty: That of looking a range of issues, including invest- disappointed.” Spain criticized for unequally priced ‘equality stamps’ Associated Press Spanish hip-hop star and activist activists. While the national SOS MADRID — Spain’s postal ser- El Chojín. Racism Federation backed it, the vice is feeling a backlash from its But while the goal of Correos organization’s Madrid section attempt to highlight racial in- España was to “shine a light on ra- poured scorn on the effort. equality. cial inequality and promote diver- SOS Racismo Madrid said the State-owned Correos España sity, inclusion and equal rights,” campaign helps conceal the struc- this week issued a set of four critics are accusing the company tural nature of racism and perpet- stamps in different skin-colored of having a tin ear for racial issues uate the notion of Black inferior- tones. The darker the stamp, the and misreading the sentiment of ity. lower the price. The lightest color Black people in Spain. Any racially aware person costs $1.95. The darkest one costs Antumi Toasijé, a historian who would have identified what was $0.85. heads the government’s Council wrong with the campaign, it said, The postal service calls them for the Elimination of Racial or adding that the blunder proved “Equality Stamps” and intro- Ethnic Discrimination, urged the the need for more racially aware duced them on the anniversary of CORREOS/AP postal service to stop selling the people in decision-making posi- George Floyd being killed by a po- A set of four stamps to signify different skin­colored tones. stamps. tions at companies. lice officer in Minneapolis. It said “A campaign that outrages The campaign also received the stamps “reflect an unfair and “send a message against racial in- Month in collaboration with those it claims to defend is always criticism on social media. painful reality that shouldn’t be equality.” Spain’s national SOS Racism Fed- a mistake,” he tweeted. Correos España said Friday it allowed” and that every letter or The campaign was launched eration, a nonprofit group, and The postal service’s initiative would make no comment on the parcel sent with them would during European Diversity featured a 60-second video with has divided Spanish anti-racism controversy. Saturday, May 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 11 AMERICAN ROUNDUP

Gator swaps swamp life for a beach getaway PADRE ISLAND NA- TX TIONAL SEASHORE — A young alligator traced to the Louisiana bayous traded swamp scum for a sandy Padre Island beach in South Texas. In an unusual spin from “Jaws,” the gator showed up on Malaquite Beach, about 25 miles southeast of Corpus Christi, Padre Island Na- tional Seashore officials said in a Facebook post. National Park Service rangers found it and checked its tail notch and tags on its rear feet to deter- mine it had come from Louisiana. How it got to South Texas re- mains a mystery, but its spring break ended abruptly as rangers took it to a rehabilitation center to recover from its journey. Large quartz cluster stolen from gem mine HENDERSONVILLE NC — A large quartz crys- tal cluster was stolen from a gem mine in western North Carolina, authorities said. The Henderson County Sher- iff’s Office wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday that the rock was taken from the Elijah Gem Mine in Hendersonville sometime be- MIGUEL ROBERTS, THE BROWNSVILLE (TEXAS) HERALD/AP tween May 21 and May 22. An accompanying photo shows the crystal in a wooden box that Free cuts for kids has “94.80 KGS” carved on the lid, Chino’s Barbershop of Brownsville, Texas, offers free haircuts to Harmony Science Academy students Wednesday. which equals more than 200 pounds. William Page, 59, of Morgan- THE CENSUS Organizers of Fair St. Louis an- WLOS-TV reported that the town, was charged in a criminal nounced Wednesday that the mine planned to display the clus- complaint with the misdemeanor, The height in feet of what will be tallest building in the state of Fourth of July Fireworks Spectac- ter at its new peacock habitat. news outlets reported. 190 Maine, an 18-story apartment building in downtown Portland. ular will begin around 9:40 p.m. Such quartz pieces can sell for The complaint said church The Planning Board this week approved construction of the building that’ll sur- July 4. The fireworks will be thousands of dollars, according to members told Monongalia County pass Portland’s Franklin Towers by 15 feet, the Portland Press Herald reported. launched from barges on the Mis- the station. sheriff’s deputies that a smart- The project needed a zoning change by the City Council because the existing sissippi River. Organizers also phone had been placed on a ledge rules didn’t allow housing units above 14 floors, or 150 feet. plan a parade that will begin at 10 Deputy demoted after above a men’s restroom urinal on a.m. on July 3. police dog’s death in car April 28. Deputies said the phone around the development, police dead yearling and set a trap near- But Fair St. Louis won’t return belonged to Page and contained said. by. The trap caught an angry 411- to the Gateway Arch National FORSYTH — A sher- videos of two males using the res- Haynes stopped in front of his pound grizzly bear that was taken Park until 2022. The event is tradi- GA iff’s deputy in Georgia troom along with several short home along Harvest Grove Trail to Missoula where it was euthan- tionally one of the nation’s largest has been demoted after the death videos of Page setting up the de- and ran inside. Troopers pursued ized, said Jamie Jonkel, bear spe- Fourth of July festivals, drawing of a police dog he was handling. vice. Haynes into the home and arrest- cialist for Montana Fish, Wildlife tens of thousands of people. Monroe County Sheriff Brad Deputies said in the complaint ed him. & Parks. Freeman said Sgt. Willie Barkley, that the videos “were captured Haynes is charged with fourth Officials believed the euthan- Volcano stops erupting now a deputy, was working over- without the victims’ consent in a offense driving under the influen- ized bear was possibly responsib- after months of lava night May 13 when he left K-9 offi- place where privacy would be as- ce of alcohol, aggressive driving le for four attacks, including two cer Khan asleep in the car while sumed.” and other offenses. He is being yearlings killed over the weekend, HONOLULU — Hawai- he was working on reports. Bar- held on $9,450 cash bond. Jonkel said. HI i’s Kilauea Volcano has kley then went home and left Police: Man faces 4th “Usually when we get adult stopped erupting. Khan in the car. When he awoke DUI charge after chase Wildlife officials trap, males that kill multiple livestock The U.S. Geological Survey’s the next day, he found Khan dead euthanize grizzly bear on the first incident that’s fairly Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in the car, WMAZ-TV reported. DOVER — A Dover common,” Jonkel said. “If we updated the status of the Big Is- Freeman called the dog’s death DE man is facing a fourth HELENA — Author- don’t know, a lot of times they’re land volcano Wednesday. “an avoidable accident.” offense drunken driving charge MT ities in Montana have relocated. And if they come back Kilauea, which had been erupt- Freeman said Barkley was de- after police said he led Delaware trapped and killed a grizzly bear and kill another sheep or kill an- ing at its summit crater since De- moted to deputy and moved from state troopers on a chase around after it was accused of killing other calf, then that’s a no-brainer. cember, has “paused” producing field operations to working at the his neighborhood. yearlings on a ranch near Avon. But the evidence was quite clear new lava, the USGS said. The lat- jail. He was also suspended for Troopers responded around 4 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks that he had killed these two last est eruption had produced a new five days without pay. a.m. Tuesday to a complaint that grizzly specialist Rory Trimbo yearlings.” lava lake at the summit. loud music was playing in a Chev- said ranchers riding horseback Officials said the lava could be- Preacher charged after rolet sedan parked along Harvest were checking cattle on Saturday Fireworks planned, but gin erupting again soon or it could bathroom videos found Grove Trail in Dover, Delaware when they came across the bear fair won’t return until ‘22 move into a phase of quiescence State Police said in a news release. on a horse carcass, the Independ- before its next eruption. MORGANTOWN — A When troopers made contact ent Record reported. ST. LOUIS — After a Kilauea, one of the world’s most WV preacher at a West with the driver, Hilary Haynes, U.S. Department of Agriculture MO year off due to the active volcanoes, had been erupt- Virginia church has been charged police said they detected an odor personnel responded to the inci- coronavirus pandemic, fireworks ing for 157 days and produced with invasion of privacy after he of alcoholic beverages. Haynes, dent on the ranch, west of Helena. will return to the St. Louis river- over 11 billion gallons of lava in allegedly placed a smartphone in 44, took off a high rate of speed, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks of- front on Independence Day, but that time. a men’s bathroom, recording vid- committing several traffic viola- ficials inspected the area the fol- Fair St. Louis will have to wait an- eos of two victims. tions in his flight from troopers lowing day, discovered another other year. From The Associated Press PAGE 12 • STARS AND STRIPES • Saturday, May 29, 2021 MOVIES

AP This combination photo shows poster art for upcoming summer films, top row from left, “A Quiet Place Part II,” “Candyman,” “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,” “Cruella,” “F9,” “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” and “In the Heights”; bottom row from left, “Jungle Cruise,” “Old,” “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” “Stillwater,” “The Suicide Squad” and “Zola.” A backlog of blockbusters After more than a year on the sidelines, theatrical releases are primed for a comeback

BY LINDSEY BAHR bodega owner, Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), Those looking for a more R-rated expe- big action flicks, “The Hitman’s Wife’s Associated Press and his friends in Washington Heights out rience can thank James Gunn, who made Bodyguard” and “Free Guy.” There’s even fter more than a year of bench- to people immediately. But Chu knows movie stars out of the once obscure an epic Dev Patel-led take on a classic ing its biggest spectacles, Holly- how important a global release is for films “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and now is out Arthurian legend, “The Green Knight.” wood is ready to dazzle again. with underrepresented casts. Like “Crazy to do the same for the “misfit, Z-grade For moviegoers, it’s also become hard to A From “F9” and “In the Rich Asians,” “In the Heights” features supervillains” of “The Suicide Squad.” He keep tabs on ever-shifting dates, delays Heights” to “The Suicide Squad” and unknowns in key roles who are poised for had his pick of DC characters and turned and multi-platform releases. Some sum- “Black Widow,” there will be a steady a breakout given the right platform. down Superman for Margot Robbie’s mer-ready titles, like “Top Gun: Maver- stream of blockbusters populating mul- “We had big dreams for this,” Chu said. Harley Quinn, Idris Elba’s Bloodsport and ick” and the new James Bond, “No Time tiplexes for the first time since March “To be able to do it on the biggest scale John Cena’s Peacemaker. to Die,” are waiting until later in the year 2020. For streaming-weary audiences, the possible meant so much.” Gunn looked to one of his favorite to debut. “Jurassic World: Dominion” promise of air conditioning, popcorn, soda It’s not the only blue-sky blockbuster in genres for inspiration: The 1960s war pushed to 2022. Some titles are being fountains, 60-foot screens and state-of-the- the bunch. The “Fast & Furious” series caper. Think, “The Dirty Dozen” and offloaded to streamers. Sony sold its Ca- art sound could be a welcome respite from has always been about creating a fun the- “Where Eagles Dare.” milla Cabello-Billy Porter-led “Cinderel- the living room and virtual watch parties. atrical experience, and “F9” not only “To reinvigorate that genre just using la” to Amazon Prime and its Kevin Hart as Not to mention the ever-romantic concept brings back a fan favorite — Sung Kang’s these crappy supervillains as the protago- a single dad pic “Fatherhood” to Netflix. of the shared experience. Han — but also literally sends cars into nists was very appealing to me,” Gunn Even films with theatrical debuts will For beleaguered movie theaters, it’s not space. It’s expected to be one of the sea- said. have unique hybrid release plans or short- a moment too soon. ened theatrical windows. All Warner Bros. The modern summer movie season, titles including “In the Heights,” “The which runs from May through Labor Day, Suicide Squad” and “Space Jam” will be regularly accounts for over $4 billion in For theaters and studios, the unknowns are available free for HBO Max subscribers revenue and makes up around 40% of the for 31 days as well as in theaters. Most year’s grosses. Last year, summer earn- many. Are movie theaters even on people’s Disney movies, including “Cruella,” ings were $176 million, down 96% from “Black Widow” and “Jungle Cruise,” are 2019. Although theaters have been ramp- re-opening priority lists? Will there be a opening in theaters and on Disney+ as a ing up operations for a while, this summer premium $29.99 rental. Their Pixar title will prove to be the biggest litmus test so $100 million opening weekend any time “Luca” is going straight to Disney+, free far about whether habits have changed for subscribers, on June 17. The Sundance irrevocably during the pandemic. soon? Will there ever be a $250 million breakout “CODA” is getting a simultane- In some ways, the calendar looks like a ous release in theaters and on Apple TV+. do-over of last summer. Many of the most opening weekend again? For theaters and studios, the unknowns anticipated releases were supposed to are many. Are movie theaters even on come out in 2020, including John Krasin- son’s biggest hits. There are many other options too, in- people’s re-opening priority lists? Will ski’s “A Quiet Place Part II”; the big Pre-pandemic, going to the movies in cluding a host of big-name documentary there be a $100 million opening weekend screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miran- the summer was a ritual. Audiences made titles, from Morgan Neville’s “Roadrun- any time soon? Will there ever be a $250 da’s Tony-winning “In the Heights”; the up for last year by seeing retro summer ner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain” to million opening weekend again? The film- ninth installment of the “Fast & Furious” hits at drive-ins. Now it’s a wild-card Peter Jackson’s “The Beatles: Get Back.” makers aren’t trying to concern them- series, “F9”; Marvel’s “Black Widow,” whether the promise of an “event film” There are family films, like “Peter Rabbit selves with that. But everyone is feeling starring Scarlett Johansson; the Emily will lure them back to theaters, especially 2: The Runaway” and “Hotel Transylva- emotional over the thought that moviego- Blunt and Dwayne Johnson action adven- if something is available to watch at home. nia: Transformania” and horrors like “The ing might finally become normal again. ture “Jungle Cruise”; and Nia DaCosta’s “Space Jam: A New Legacy” director Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” and “I think about it all the time,” Gunn “Candyman” reboot. Malcolm D. Lee called his film, “The epi- “Don’t Breathe 2.” You can see Matt Da- said. “I can’t wait to sit in a theater with a “In the Heights” director Jon M. Chu tome of a popcorn movie.” The sequel to mon try to save his daughter in the drama group of people and watch films again. It had to convince Miranda that it was worth the 1996 Michael Jordan pic finds LeBron “Stillwater” or watch as Gael García Ber- is a true joy in life. It’s a magical space for it to wait for a theatrical release. Miranda James now sharing the screen with classic nal starts to age rapidly in M. Night Shy- me and has been since I was a very little wanted to get his joyous musical about a Looney Toons characters. amalan’s “Old.” Ryan Reynolds is in two boy.” Saturday, May 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 13 MOVIES The season’s calendar, from ‘Cruella’ to ‘The Suicide Squad’ May 28 an Oklahoma oil worker whose daughter (Abi- gail Breslin) gets arrested in France for murder “A Quiet Place Part II” (Theaters): In this in this crime drama from “Spotlight” director sequel to John Krasinski’s 2018 hit, the Abbott Tom McCarthy. “Call My Agent” fans will be family (Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah excited to know that Camille Cottin (aka An- Jupe) ventures away from their home while dréa Martel) co-stars as a French woman who trying to survive the creatures that hunt by helps Damon’s character. sound. “Cruella” (Theaters, Disney+ Premier): A Aug. 6 live-action origin story for the “101 Dalmatians” “Annette” (Theaters): French auteur Leos villain Cruella de Vil, starring Emma Stone. Carax makes his English-language debut with “Moby Doc” (Theaters and on-demand): the musical “Annette,” starring Adam Driver as Moby narrates his own documentary, a surreal- a stand-up comic and Marion Cotillard as his ist biography in which he reflects on his life and singer wife. The script and music comes from career. Ron and Russell Mael, who are also the subject “Plan B” (Hulu): Natalie Morales makes her of Edgar Wright’s documentary “The Sparks directorial debut in this teen comedy about a Brothers.” South Dakota high-schooler (Kuhoo Verma) “The Suicide Squad” (Theaters and HBO who has 24 hours to hunt down a Plan B pill Max): Director James Gunn turned the obscure with her best friend (Vitoria Moroles) after a “Guardians of the Galaxy” characters into some regrettable sexual encounter. of the most beloved in the Marvel Cinematic June 4 Universe, and now the hope is he’ll reenergize DC’s Suicide Squad after their less-than-stellar “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” 2016 film. Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman and (Theaters, HBO Max): Paranormal investiga- Viola Davis reprise their roles alongside a tors Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren whole new batch of stars like Idris Elba, John (Vera Farmiga) are back at it in another case, Cena and Sylvester Stallone (his voice, that is). this time a fight for the soul of a young boy. June 11 DISNEY­MARVEL/AP Aug. 13 Scarlett Johansson’s Avengers standalone film “Black Widow” finally makes its way to “CODA” (Theaters and Apple TV+): This “In the Heights” (Theaters, HBO Max): theaters July 9. The movie also will premiere on Disney+ as a premium rental. Sundance charmer from director Siân Heder Lin-Manuel Miranda’s other Tony-winning stars Emilia Jones in a breakout role as a hear- show, “In the Heights,” about life in New York’s played by Chris Pratt. ing child of deaf adults trying to find her own Washington Heights, gets a big-screen adapta- “Zola” (Theaters June 30): Janicza Bravo’s voice and path. Marlee Matlin is especially tion in John M. Chu’s exuberant musical star- film is based an infamous tweetstorm turned amusing as the mother. ring Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Melissa into a film by Brazo and co-writer Jeremy O. Ryan Reynolds Barrera and others. “Free Guy” (Theaters): Harris. Taylour Paige and Riley Keough star as discovers he’s a nonplayer character living in June 18 strippers who take a surreal road trip. an open-world video game in the sci-fi action “Summer of Soul” (Theaters, Hulu): Amir “Luca” (Disney+): Enrico Casarosa, director comedy “Free Guy,” from director Shawn Levy “Questlove” Thompson makes his directorial of the Pixar short “La Luna,” helms this Pixar (“Night at the Museum”) and co-writer Zak debut in this documentary of a landmark 1969 feature about a boy’s unforgettable summer on Penn (“Ready Player One”). “Killing Eve’s” Harlem concert series known as “Black Wood- the Italian Riviera with his best friend, a sea Jodie Comer co-stars along with Lil Rel How- stock.” Includes performances by Stevie Won- monster in disguise. ery and Taika Waititi. der, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone and “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” (Thea- “Respect” (Theaters): Jennifer Hudson plays the Staple Singers. ters, June 16): In this sequel to the 2017 buddy Aretha Franklin in this longtime coming biopic, “America the Motion Picture” (Netflix): Phil comedy, Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson which Franklin herself was even involved in Lord and Chris Miller are executive producers are back in R-rated action, but this time Salma before her death in 2018. Tony nominee Liesl of this animated absurdity, with Channing Hayek takes a more prominent role. Also star- Tommy directs. Tatum voicing George Washington, Jason ring Morgan Freeman and Antonio Banderas. Mantzoukas as Sam Adams and other cast Aug. 20 “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway” (Theaters): members including Simon Pegg, Judy Greer, Will Gluck’s sequel to 2018’s “Peter Rabbit” “Reminiscence” (Theaters and HBO Max): Bobby Moynihan and Raoul Trujillo. returns James Corden as the voice of Peter, “Westworld” co-creator Lisa Joy makes her Margot Robbie as Flopsy and Elizabeth Debicki July 9 directorial debut with the appropriately cere- as Mopsy. Joining the CGI bunnies are live- bral “Reminiscence,” set in a flooded, near- A24/AP action actors Domhnall Gleeson, David Oyelo- “Black Widow” (Theaters, Disney+ Pre- future Miami and starring Hugh Jackman as an wo and Rose Byrne. mier): Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) gets Dev Patel is pictured in a scene from “The investigator of the mind who takes on a myste- “Fatherhood” (Netflix): Kevin Hart stars as a her long-awaited solo movie in this Marvel Green Knight.” The Arthurian epic, also rious new client played by Rebecca Hall. widower raising his baby daughter on his own. movie set between the events of 2016’s “Captain starring Alicia Vikander and Joel Edgerton, “Cryptozoo” (Theaters): Dash Shaw’s trippy, Directed by Paul Weitz, the film is based on America: Civil War” and 2018’s “Avengers: is coming to theaters July 30. animated fantasy features the voices of Lake Matthew Logelin’s memoir “Two Kisses for Infinity War.” Bell, Michael Cera and “Twin Peaks’” Grace Zabriskie. Maddy.” which was inspired by the graphic novel “Sand- July 16 “The Night House” (Theaters): Rebecca Hall castle,” and follows a family who realizes June 25 “Space Jam: A New Legacy” (Theaters and plays a recently widowed woman living in her they’re aging rapidly in their idyllic vacation HBO Max): Twenty-five years after Michael husband’s lakeside home when disturbing “F9” (Theaters): The “Fast & Furious” fran- spot. Gael García Bernal and Vicky Krieps Jordan shared the big screen with Bugs Bunny, visions start coming to her in this psychological chise rides on, undaunted by physics or the (“Phantom Thread”) star. a new generation is hitting the courts in this horror from director David Bruckner. normal lifespan of film series. Justin Lin’s film, “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins” (Theaters): Malcolm D. Lee-directed sequel, starring Le- “Demonic” (Theaters and On Demand): the ninth in the franchise not counting the “Crazy Rich Asians” heartthrob Henry Golding Bron James as himself, Don Cheadle and a “District 9” director Neill Blomkamp crafts a spinoff “Hobbs & Shaw,” is the first to detour stars as the titular warrior. more than a few NBA cameos. mother-daughter horror. into space. “The Last Letter From Your Lover” (Net- “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bour- “The Ice Road” (Netflix): Liam Neeson, star flix): Felicity Jones stars as a journalist who dain” (Theaters): Documentary director Mor- Aug. 27 of 2011’s “The Grey,” returns to the cold in this uncovers a star-crossed affair from the 1960s in gan Neville (“Won’t You Be My Neighbor”) “The Beatles: Get Back” (Theaters and thriller as an ice driver on a rescue mission. a newspaper’s archives in this Jojo Moyes explores the globetrotting life of celebrity chef Disney+): There was a lot left on the cutting- “False Positive” (Hulu): About the trials of adaptation. fertility and the horrors of patriarchy, “False and author Anthony Bourdain, who died by room floor of Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s seminal Positive” has been called a contemporary spin suicide in 2018 at the age of 61. Beatles documentary “Let It Be” (60 hours of on Roman Polanski’s “Rosemary’s Baby.” “Ailey” (Theaters): A documentary look at July 30 video and 150 hours of audio). Filmmaker Peter Starring Ilana Glazer, Justin Theroux and the life of dancer Alvin Ailey. “Jungle Cruise” (Theaters and Disney+ Jackson has sifted through and restored much Pierce Brosnan, it’s co-written by Glazer “Cinderella” (Amazon Prime Video): Pop premier access): Emily Blunt and Dwayne of the unused footage to create a new film “The (“Broad City”). star Camila Cabello takes a spin as Cinderella Johnson take a swing at turning a Disney theme Beatles: Get Back,” which will show the group’s in her acting debut alongside Billy Porter, as a park attraction into a throwback action-adven- last live performance together on that London July 2 genderless fairy godparent. ture, and odds are this will be one of the better rooftop in its entirety for the first time ever. “The Forever Purge” (Theaters): The fifth ones. Johnson said Blunt is essentially a female “Candyman” (Theaters): Director Nia Da- and supposedly final film in the “Purge” series July 23 Indiana Jones in the film. Costa sets this “Candyman” sequel in a now is set after the abolition of the annual rite. But “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania” (Thea- “The Green Knight” (Theaters): Dev Patel gentrified Cabrini-Green, overrun by upwardly some keep the tradition alive. ters): The fourth and final chapter of the ani- plays King Arthur’s nephew Sir Gawain in this mobile types and luxury condominiums where “The Tomorrow War” (Amazon Prime Vid- mated series features the voices of Selena epic fantasy film from writer-director David housing projects used to be. Jordan Peele co- eo): To fight a future war against an alien spe- Gomez, Andy Samberg and Fran Drescher. Lowery (“Pete’s Dragon”). Alicia Vikander, wrote and produced the modern spin on the cies, soldiers from 30 years earlier are recruit- “OLD” (Theaters): Naturally, details are Joel Edgerton and Barry Keoghan co-star. Candyman myth starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen ed for the battle — including a schoolteacher scarce about M. Night Shyamalan’s new film, “Stillwater” (Theaters): Matt Damon stars as II and Teyonah Parris. PAGE 14 • STARS AND STRIPES • Saturday, May 29, 2021 VIDEO GAMES

f you can believe it, biodiversity and mutation are at you’ve played any of the games previously mentioned, it’s the core of the narrative and mechanics of Biom- incredibly hard not to notice it. However, I am impressed utant. That’s not always a strength. The game’s that Experiment 101, a studio that seemingly has fewer Iweird, Frankenstein design cobbles together so BIOMUTANT than 30 employees, created such an expansive world. many elements owed to its contemporaries that the game Biomutant offers many types of weapons, including often feels like less than the sum of its parts. melee varieties like one-handed and two-handed swords, Right off the bat, Biomutant provides a huge swath of and crushing hammer weapons, as well as ranged ones customization options. For your player character, you can A cool world such as pistols and rifles. You’ll also come across differ- select different breeds that have advantages in certain ent parts that you can combine together to create new stats, and that establishes your baseline look. The Hyla, weapons. The loot you find can almost be overwhelming for example, is a hyena-based species that focuses more at times. It’s great that Biomutant offers so much choice on defense; it has a slight advantage in the Armor stat. in how you customize your character, gear and approach. The Fip breed is nerdy-looking with buck teeth, and is that could use The biggest problem with Biomutant is the minute-to- more naturally inclined toward Psionic powers; it can minute combat. Most attacks feel absolutely weightless. recover energy faster for its mind-based attacks. There’s no impact behind the swing of the sword. Ene- On top of that, you can also select better stats that in mies can feel like damage sponges, especially the bigger turn mutate your character. Putting more focus into Vital- ones. When you hit them, they don’t seem to stagger; in ity causes your player character to have a much bigger better combat fact, they usually end up knocking you off your feet any- head, whereas specializing in Agility gives you longer way. You can parry attacks by blocking at the right mo- legs. The customization here is pretty impressive and BY GEORGE YANG ment, but the window of opportunity isn’t very forgiving. I truly lives up to the game’s title. The Washington Post was left wishing the combat mechanics were closer to The world is a post-apocalyptic one, the result of corpo- Ghost of Tsushima, which were very well refined. rate greed by a toxic chemical company in the “old You can level up to earn upgrade points and unlock world.” Anthropomorphic animals — such as your char- special combo attacks and abilities to perform during acter — roam the Earth. It’s a truly beautiful world that battle, such as spewing toxic waste that forces your ene- attempts to world-build by calling old contraptions, like my to fight against their own comrades, or leaving a trail washing machines and toilets, silly names like “clothes- of fire when you dash toward an enemy. soakers” and “flush-stools,” respectively. These naming The gameplay attempts to be flashy. But without any of conventions that the world’s inhabitants come up with the “oomph” behind your attacks, it feels shallow, and it’s add charm to the world and its overall cartoonish tone. just not fun to engage in combat encounters. Additionally, Biomutant borrows many mechanics from its contem- there doesn’t seem to be any sort of manual targeting poraries. Scavenging a once-populated city’s ruins re- mechanic as far I could tell. So fighting multiple enemies minds me of looking for materials in The Last of Us Part at a time, which you will often do, feels like a chore if II. The open-world exploration is very reminiscent of you’re trying to focus on taking out enemies one by one. Days Gone and modern Assassin’s Creed games. It’s such a shame that the combat feels so undercooked Of course, the biggest elephant in the room is how because the rest of the game is decent, or sometimes much it reminds of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. great, such as with the environmental design. I really do The overall goal of Biomutant is to take down four giant enjoy exploring what the open world has to offer and monsters called the World Eaters and restore the Tree of listening to the soft soundtrack while learning more about Life. Sound familiar? You even get a glider. the characters through their side quests. Biomutant even has a morality system of Light and Biomutant is a weird amalgamation of many standard Dark, incredibly similar to the Paragon and Renegade video game mechanics, almost like an actual mutant. dynamic in Mass Effect. The choices you make through- There are so many borrowed ideas that you’re bound to out the game can change how other characters interact find something you like about this game. There’s a lot of with you. If you choose to execute an NPC rather than customization, and it’s got a lot of charm and personality work with them, that could have ripple effects. too. If only the combat had just been fine tuned to feel It may seem unfair to judge Biomutant by the stan- more impactful, the overall experience could have been dards of games that have garnered “Game of the Year” Experiment 101 photos that much better. praise and accolades, but the way the mechanics are Biomutant is a third­person, open­world game in which Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, implemented are so obvious, they stick out. It’s not a bad the player controls a mammalian warrior to scavenge, Xbox Series X/S, PC thing and these mechanics are competent enough, but if scrap and survive in a world filled with mutated animals. Online: biomutant.com/en Saturday, May 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 15 HEALTH & FITNESS ‘As music evolves, Zumba evolves’ Zumba co-founder and CEO ponders first 20 years of the ‘forever brand,’ its next 20

BY ROB WILE Miami Herald t started with VHS tapes. And now it’s taken over the world. Twenty years since its founding, IZumba has helped millions dance their way to fitter, happier lives, says co- founder and CEO Alberto Perlman. Officially launched in Aventura, Fla., by Colombian dancer Alberto “Beto” Perez, Zumba reached $20 million in Q&A video sales via TV infomercials by 2003. By 2012, the New York Times reported Zumba was val- ued at $500 million. It now has 250 employ- ees at its Hallandale Beach, Fla., head- quarters. “The stories you hear are amazing — it’s not what you hear in a normal fitness class,” Perlman said. “It’s people who have survived an illness, or stories of people who moved to a new city and didn’t know any- one and Zumba created a community for them, or someone who was able to leave an abusive relationship.” Today, Zumba, the business, works via licensing its material to instructors who pay a monthly fee to teach classes. Perlman says the company’s biggest growth market is in Asia, which he attributed to the re- gion’s rising middle class. Zumba’s Japa- nese Instagram page has nearly 15,000 GETTY IMAGES/TNS followers. First Lady Michelle Obama (right) dances in a Zumba class along with children and actor Mario Lopez (center) during a visit to the “It’s nonstop in those markets — I don’t Gwen Cherry Park NFL/YET Center Feb. 25, 2014, in Miami. The visit was part of a celebration around the fourth anniversary of think you’ll find a gym there that doesn’t “Let’s Move!,” Obama’s initiative to ensure that all children grow up healthy and reach their full potential. have Zumba,” Perlman said. The Miami Herald spoke with Perlman successful. We believe people don’t need to learn about the evolution of the dance- “In Zumba, we call it F.E.J.: freeing another screen in their life. We want them fitness craze 20 years later, how it survived to get together in person, and we don’t want the pandemic, and what the next 20 years electrifying joy. You get lost in the music: humanity to lose that. Mental health has might look like. His remarks have been also come up as a big topic in how Zumba edited for clarity and brevity. You’re having so much fun that all other helps — we want to create more moments Miami Herald: How has Zumba changed to help people through any mental health over the past two decades? thoughts are gone; you’re just there, present issues. Perlman: The original Zumba class We’ve also created a new brand, hasn’t changed that much, but what chang- in the moment.” STRONG Nation. It’s a high-intensity train- es is the the type of music we use. When we Alberto Perlman ing program — but we created a program came on the scene, reggaeton did not exist, where the music is scored to the workout. and as soon as we started hearing these Zumba co-founder and CEO talks about the fitness activity’s emotional aspect So we create these routines, then create sounds coming out of Puerto Rico, we said, music that completely matches the rou- ‘These are perfect for Zumba.’ We were the And the other piece is the community. In over 50 developers — we said in 60 days we tines. We want to have an epic feeling, first ones to bring reggaeton into the main- yoga, it’s similar as well — there’s a pil- need a solution for instructors to teach really feeling like a bad-ass. So you’re go- stream. As music evolves, Zumba evolves grimage to India, or some sort of yoga digitally, take payments digitally, and ing to see more STRONG Nation in the — you’re dancing to popular music, and shrine. In Zumba, there’s a convention manage students, and they did it in 60 days. years to come. that always keeps you coming back. every year, and it’s a magical place. Phys- It was incredible and amazing to see our We also created the Zumba music lab. How does Zumba compete with new ical plus emotional plus community is why instructors and the community migrate to It’s a production house where we create exercise trends on the scene? Zumba is a forever brand. online. You can see what people were say- our own music. We’re working with some Most fitness programs usually live in the How did the COVID­19 pandemic affect ing about the classes — it was a very pow- of the best writers and producers in the space of, ‘We’re better from a calorie-burn Zumba? erful moment to emerge as a virtual brand. world, and now record labels are coming perspective, or from a fitness perspective.’ We had some pretty dark moments at the But now we’re trying to get them back into and saying they want to launch our songs. But if you only live in that physical space, beginning. In February 2020, since we classes, so after the virtual moment, we What is the best way to convince someone is going to come along and will have an operation in China, we started started seeing outdoor classes. So we had someone to try Zumba? build a better mousetrap. Think about the getting some real reports of things happen- instructors teaching in parking lots and Go with them. Say, ‘I’ll do it with you. I’ll Thighmaster in the ’90s, or 8 Minute Abs — ing, and instructors calling in and saying parks — and they still are. Now we’re final- go to the gym with you and if you don’t someone is going to come up with seven- this is serious. So we started preparing for ly going back into the exercise rooms, and laugh the whole time and never do it again’ minute abs. it by saying, ‘If you want to become an seeing the classes come back is an emotion- — you know, it’s hard not to smile when Zumba is similar to yoga in that there is instructor, you can train online,’ and we al thing. To be physically back in the Zum- you’re in a Zumba class. And a good in- emotion — in yoga, you think of zen or flow created a livestream version of our course. ba class, sometimes you see everyone cry- structor will notice people who are shy — state. In Zumba, we call it F.E.J.: freeing Then in March, when lockdowns started, ing to be back — it’s very powerful. they might be going there and not be sure electrifying joy. You get lost in the music: we told instructors that we were going to What will the next 20 years of Zumba what they’re getting into. And the instruc- You’re having so much fun that all other create something so you can teach from look like? tor will make them feel warm and special. thoughts are gone; you’re just there, pre- home to people at home. And we chal- We’re constantly enhancing our tech- And when that happens, that’s when they sent in the moment. lenged our technology team — we have nologies to make our instructors more get hooked and their life starts to change. PAGE 16 • STARS AND STRIPES • Saturday, May 29, 2021 OPINION

Max D. Lederer Jr., Publisher Lt. Col. Marci Hoffman, Europe commander Lt. Col. Richard McClintic, Pacific commander Put voters before party on election reform BY EDWARD B. FOLEY standard of adequate access to a ballot, that seat. Ten reasonable Republicans Special to The Washington Post then it would be appropriate for federal should realize that the current system, EDITORIAL t’s become increasingly clear that judges — conservative as well as liberal — which permits a candidate to win a partisan Terry Leonard, Editor Democrats lack the votes in the Sen- to enforce this elementary standard. primary and then prevail in the general [email protected] ate to pass their dream elections bill, Second, all legally valid ballots should be election with only a plurality of votes, pro- the behemoth known as S. 1. Before counted in a transparent and bipartisan duces results contrary to what the majority Robert H. Reid, Senior Managing Editor I time runs out, they would be wise to come procedure so that there is no basis to repu- of voters want — and threatens the Repub- [email protected] up with a backup plan that would not do as diate the result. The greatest danger to de- lican Party as well as the Republic itself. Tina Croley, Managing Editor for Content much but could still achieve significant mocracy right now, as illustrated by the er- The fix is simple: Require majority win- [email protected] progress in protecting the right to vote. satz Arizona audit, is a one-sided manip- ners in November. Sean Moores, Managing Editor for Presentation Is it possible for a measure to attract the ulation of the counting process contrary to These four pillars would provide a solid [email protected] support of 10 Republicans? That’s a tall or- what the valid ballots actually show. Feder- basis for fair electoral competition. It der in the current environment. But the al law can insist that, at least in congres- wouldn’t guarantee that the Democrats Joe Gromelski, Managing Editor for Digital universe includes the five who are retiring sional elections, the states count ballots hold onto control of either the House or [email protected] — Roy Blunt, of Missouri; Richard Burr, of properly, which means both sides get to Senate in the 2022 midterms. But that North Carolina; Rob Portman, of Ohio; Ri- participate and observe, so that there’s no should not be the point of any electoral re- BUREAU STAFF chard Shelby, of Alabama; and Pat Too- reasonable doubt about the content of the form law passed by Congress. Republicans, mey, of Pennsylvania — plus Bill Cassidy, ballots. Just as important — the actual like Democrats, are entitled to win a fair Europe/Mideast of Louisiana; Susan Collins, of Maine; Lisa count controls; neither side is entitled to fight. Erik Slavin, Europe & Mideast Bureau Chief [email protected] Murkowski, of Alaska; Mitt Romney, of disown the result simply because their can- If Senate Democrats waste any more +49(0)631.3615.9350; DSN (314)583.9350 Utah; and Ben Sasse, of Nebraska. didate didn’t win. time over their futile effort to enact S. 1, Pacific I’d strive for agreement on these four pil- Third, gerrymandering is the purposeful however, it will be too late to enact legisla- Aaron Kidd, Pacific Bureau Chief lars of a workable democracy: distortion of district boundaries in order to tion that guarantees a fair fight for the mid- [email protected] First, all eligible voters should have an deprive voters of the legislative represen- terms. District maps soon must be drawn. +81.42.552.2511 ext. 88380; DSN (315)227.7380 adequate opportunity to cast a ballot that tation they prefer, and thus no congression- Partisan primaries must be held under ex- Washington counts. This point doesn’t mean that Con- al district should be distorted to the same isting rules if Congress fails to enact a ma- Joseph Cacchioli, Washington Bureau Chief gress should mandate vote-by-mail for all, degree as the original gerrymander. Con- jority-winner provision that would require [email protected] or that Congress should insist upon a spe- gress doesn’t need to force states to adopt states to rethink the relationship of primar- (+1)(202)886-0033 Brian Bowers, Assistant Managing Editor, News cific number of days for early in-person redistricting commissions. Instead, Con- ies and the general election. [email protected] voting. But Congress should create the gress should outlaw maps more misshapen Senate Democrats are at risk of blowing baseline that every state must give all their than the Massachusetts district that, look- their chance at meaningful electoral re- CIRCULATION eligible citizens a reasonable chance to par- ing like a salamander, provoked the initial form. Rather than ending up with nothing, ticipate in each congressional election. outcry against this abuse of power. While because they spent too long trying to shoot Mideast Let Congress write that simple principle Democrats would prefer a standard based the moon with S. 1, they should compro- Robert Reismann, Mideast Circulation Manager [email protected] into federal law, and make it judicially en- on factors other than a district’s shape, it mise with 10 reasonable Republicans on a [email protected] forceable. As shown by their track record would be better for Congress to adopt some set of simple measures to ensure that con- DSN (314)583-9111 in 2020, the current federal courts won’t constraint on partisan manipulation of dis- gressional elections genuinely implement Europe run amok in demanding that states give tricts rather than none. voter preferences. Karen Lewis, Community Engagement Manager Democratic plaintiffs every electoral re- Fourth, to win a seat in Congress, a can- [email protected] form they are unable to achieve legislative- didate should receive a majority of votes [email protected] Edward B. Foley writes on matters relating to election law and +49(0)631.3615.9090; DSN (314)583.9090 ly. But if states fall below even this minimal cast in the November general election for administration. Pacific Mari Mori, [email protected] +81-3 6385.3171; DSN (315)227.7333 COVID-19 crosses borders. So should efforts to stop it.

CONTACT US BY SEAN CALLAHAN nuary, “The world is on the brink of a cata- thing to do. We need to have the same bold- Washington Special to The Baltimore Sun strophic moral failure — and the price of this ness now. tel: (+1)202.886.0003 he mood in the U.S. feels hopeful, failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods Pope Francis encourages “political lead- 633 3rd St. NW, Suite 116, Washington, DC 20001-3050 but for tens of millions of others in the world’s poorest countries.” ers to work actively for the common good, to Reader letters across the world the darkest days Yet there is reason to be optimistic. Presi- provide the means and resources needed to [email protected] Tof the pandemic are just begin- dent Joe Biden recently announced that the enable everyone to lead a dignified life and, ning. As the head of the Baltimore-based in- U.S. will share an additional 20 million vac- when circumstances allow, to assist them in Additional contacts ternational humanitarian organization Ca- cine doses with other countries, totaling 80 resuming their normal daily activities.” It is stripes.com/contactus tholic Relief Services (CRS) — and a man million surplus doses shared by the USA by concerning to see the virulence of the virus OMBUDSMAN who recently lost family in India to the coro- July 4. While this additional commitment is in India, and it is even more concerning to navirus — I can attest to the COVID-19 tsu- a welcome step forward in our fight for vac- hear how those who have received vaccina- Ernie Gates nami unfurling elsewhere. cine equity, more can be done if we want to tions are still falling ill. Providing vaccines The Stars and Stripes ombudsman protects the free flow In Nepal, COVID cases have overtaken a stop the pandemic in its tracks. and stopping the pandemic is not only a hu- of news and information, reporting any attempts by the struggling health care system. In Brazil, The U.S. needs to provide more funding manitarian issue, but it is also the only way to military or other authorities to undermine the newspaper’s independence. The ombudsman also responds to concerns children are dying at alarmingly high rates. for local health care systems. Vaccines don’t prevent a new rise in the USA of cases and a and questions from readers, and monitors coverage for And in certain parts of India, the air is thick save lives, vaccinations do. COVID-19 vac- continuing cycle of deaths. fairness, accuracy, timeliness and balance. The ombudsman welcomes comments from readers, and can be contacted by with crematorium smoke. As an Indian col- cines in the USA are so plentiful that we’re To be sure, if we’ve learned anything from email at [email protected], or by phone at league remarked, “People are gripped by bribing people to get shots. In fact, in Mary- this pandemic, it’s that we’re all intercon- 202.886.0003. fear, as they hear news of lost relatives and land you can win up to $400,000 for getting nected. The virus knows no borders, and we friends, wondering, ‘Will my family be vaccinated; $1 million in Ohio. must be bold, yet humble to eradicate it. As Stars and Stripes (USPS 0417900) is published week- days (except Dec. 25 and Jan. 1) for 50 cents Monday next?’ ” For most countries, scaling up a national we come together with our families in the through Thursday and for $1 on Friday by Pacific Stars and Stripes, Unit 45002, APO AP 96301-5002. Periodicals I lost my mother-in-law in Kolkata on vaccine rollout is a massive endeavor. Few U.S. in the next few months, it’s my hope that postage paid at San Francisco, CA, Postmaster: Send Mother’s Day, and my father-in-law there countries can do it alone. It’s unacceptable our sisters and brothers overseas —those address changes to Pacific Stars and Stripes, Unit 45002, APO AP 96301-5002. This newspaper is authorized by the less than two weeks later. Meanwhile, here that countries like the Congo have had to re- who remain in isolation — will not be forgot- Department of Defense for members of the military services in the U.S., I am now able to visit my own turn over a million doses of vaccine because ten. Too many families are searching for overseas. However, the contents of Stars and Stripes are unofficial, and are not to be considered as the official views mother, who is 87, and five siblings after they don’t have the resources to distribute medical services, too many are searching of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government. As a DOD newspa- more than a year, just by driving up the them. for hospital beds, and too many are search- per, Stars and Stripes may be distributed through official channels and use appropriated funds for distribution to Northeast corridor from Ellicott City, Md., We don’t have to look too far into the past ing for the oxygen to keep their family mem- remote locations where overseas DOD personnel are located. to Boston. to see an example of the type of global public bers alive. My family has felt the conse- The appearance of advertising in this publication does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense or It’s surreal to think that these disparate health leadership the U.S. is capable of. In quences of the pandemic, and I know many Stars and Stripes of the products or services advertised. realities can co-exist. But for those of us who response to the AIDS pandemic of the early other families have suffered around the Products or services advertised shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, work on issues related to global poverty, 2000s, the U.S. launched The President’s world. Let’s ensure no one else has to suffer religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical we’ve seen how a lack of vaccine supply and Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief, arguably the same fate. handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. inequitable distribution have created two one of the most successful public health ini-

© Stars and Stripes 2021 very different worlds. As the World Health tiatives in history. American leadership at Sean Callahan is CEO and president of Baltimore-based Catholic Organization’s director-general said in Ja- the time took the risk because it was the right Relief Services. stripes.com Saturday, May 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 17 Eugene Sheffer Crossword Frazz Dilbert

ACROSS 50 Co. that created 26 Jazz combo 1 Society Watson instrument newcomer 51 Soho residence 27 Mahal preceder 4 Roster 52 Beget 28 “Strange 8 Amorphous mass 53 Mao — -tung Magic” gp. Pearls Before Swine Pearls Before 12 Medit. nation 29 Mafia boss 13 Words to a DOWN 31 Parking places backstabber 1 Quick swims 32 Hawaiian city 14 Entice 2 Jacob’s brother 34 Road rescue 15 Standard 3 “I’m f-f-freezing!” 35 Cheapen 16 Complain 4 Crummy cars 36 Banquet 17 “The Good 5 “Check —!” 37 Mystery writer’s Earth” heroine (“Look at this!”) award 18 Enhanced audio 6 Jazz great Getz 38 Move, as freight technique 7 Arctic plains 39 Rice-shaped

Non Sequitur 21 Busy insect 8 Melancholy pasta 22 Mojito ingredient 9 Humdinger 40 “Catch — 23 Hen pens 10 Algerian port You Can” 26 Muppet eagle 11 Flex (DiCaprio film) 27 Media mogul 19 Knocks 41 Sitarist Shankar Turner 20 Bottom line 42 One 30 Rara — 23 Upper limit 43 Pen tips 31 Helium, for one 24 Lab eggs 44 Title for Judi 32 Angelic light 25 Squeak stopper Dench 33 Bud Answer to Previous Puzzle

Candorville 34 Levy 35 Mustard city 36 In favor of 37 Sushi choice 38 Simon & Garfunkel hit song 45 Geometric calculation 46 Lady — (singer) 47 Actress Vardalos Carpe Diem 48 Submachine guns 49 Peron and Longoria Beetle Bailey Bizarro PAGE 18 • STARS AND STRIPES • Saturday, May 29, 2021 Saturday, May 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 19 SCOREBOARD/SPORTS BRIEFS

PRO BASKETBALL GOLF BRIEFLY WNBA Charles Schwab Challenge Abraham Ancer 33-37—70 E Tom Hoge 35-40—75 +5 Carlos Ortiz 36-34—70 E Tom Lewis 36-39—75 +5 PGA Tour Eastern Conference Nate Lashley 33-37—70 E Will Gordon 38-37—75 +5 Chiefs: Mahomes is full-go Thursday WLPct GB At Colonial Country Club Wyndham Clark 36-34—70 E Cameron Champ 38-37—75 +5 at voluntary workouts Fort Worth, Texas Chris Kirk 32-39—71 +1 Anirban Lahiri 37-40—77 +7 New York 5 1 .833 — Yardage: 7,209; Par: 70 Xinjun Zhang 37-34—71 +1 Brandon Hagy 39-38—77 +7 Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Connecticut 5 1 .833 — Purse: $7.5 Million C.T. Pan 35-36—71 +1 Michael Gligic 37-40—77 +7 Atlanta 3 2 .600 1½ First Round Patrick Mahomes has been “full- Jordan Spieth 31-32—63 -7 Matt Jones 35-36—71 +1 Michael Visacki 39-38—77 +7 Chicago 2 2 .500 2 go” during the first week of volun- Sergio Garcia 32-31—63 -7 Sungjae Im 35-36—71 +1 Keith Clearwater 40-40—80 +10 Washington 2 3 .400 2½ Erik Compton 33-32—65 -5 Nick Taylor 36-35—71 +1 KitchenAid Championship tary workouts, three months after Indiana 1 5 .167 4 Jason Kokrak 32-33—65 -5 Matt Wallace 36-35—71 +1 PGA Champions Tour surgery for turf toe and a full month Billy Horschel 31-40—71 +1 Thursday Western Conference Adam Hadwin 32-34—66 -4 ahead of the original schedule. Brandt Snedeker 31-35—66 -4 Hudson Swafford 37-34—71 +1 Southern Hills Country Club WLPct GB Andrew Landry 36-35—71 +1 Tulsa, Okla. Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Kramer Hickok 32-34—66 -4 Purse: $3.5 million Charley Hoffman 36-35—71 +1 Seattle 4 1 .800 — Patton Kizzire 34-33—67 -3 Yardage: 6,968; Par: 70 Thursday that Mahomes has been Scott Brown 34-37—71 +1 Las Vegas 3 2 .600 1 Cameron Tringale 33-34—67 -3 First Round Suspended (78 golfers DNF) “doing everything” while players Patrick Rodgers 34-38—72 +2 Alex Cejka 34-33—67 -3 Phoenix 2 3 .400 2 Talor Gooch 32-35—67 -3 worked out in shorts at the team’s Jason Dufner 33-39—72 +2 Miguel Angel Jiménez 33-35—68 -2 Dallas 1 3 .250 2½ Robert Streb 35-32—67 -3 Si Woo Kim 33-39—72 +2 Mike Weir 32-36—68 -2 facility near Arrowhead Stadium. Minnesota 0 3 .000 3 Sebastián Muñoz 36-31—67 -3 Dylan Frittelli 36-36—72 +2 John Riegger 34-34—68 -2 Los Angeles 0 2 .000 2½ Byeong Hun An 35-32—67 -3 Players aren’t allowed to wear pads Brian Stuard 33-35—68 -2 Scott Piercy 35-37—72 +2 Gene Sauers 34-35—69 -1 or hit, but the very fact that Ma- Wednesday’s games Ian Poulter 33-35—68 -2 Brendon Todd 35-37—72 +2 Brett Quigley 35-34—69 -1 homes is back on the practice field Las Vegas 85, Phoenix 79 Patrick Reed 35-33—68 -2 Zach Johnson 37-35—72 +2 John Huston 32-37—69 -1 Chase Seiffert 33-39—72 +2 Shaun Micheel 36-33—69 -1 bodes well for his availability for Thursday’s games Justin Rose 35-33—68 -2 James Hahn 35-37—72 +2 Larry Mize 34-35—69 -1 next month’s mandatory minicamp. Atlanta 101, Dallas 95 Daniel Berger 34-34—68 -2 Richy Werenski 35-33—68 -2 Scott Stallings 35-37—72 +2 Markus Brier 37-33—70 E “He’s still working with (team Friday’s games Sepp Straka 35-33—68 -2 Danny Lee 36-36—72 +2 Wes Short, Jr. 34-36—70 E trainer) Rick Burkholder and that Washington at Connecticut Doug Ghim 34-34—68 -2 Henrik Stenson 36-36—72 +2 Joakim Haeggman 35-35—70 E Los Angeles at Chicago Justin Thomas 38-34—72 +2 Lee Janzen 34-36—70 E toe, so we’ll utilize this more as Minnesota at Seattle Doc Redman 35-33—68 -2 Indiana at Las Vegas Troy Merritt 32-36—68 -2 Jimmy Walker 36-36—72 +2 Kirk Triplett 33-38—71 +1 more of a passing camp,” Reid said. Michael Thompson 37-35—72 +2 Brandt Jobe 36-35—71 +1 “We don’t run the ball much in Saturday’s games Camilo Villegas 33-36—69 -1 Tyler McCumber 35-34—69 -1 Mackenzie Hughes 37-35—72 +2 Gus Ulrich 36-35—71 +1 this thing, so he’s been good in that Atlanta at New York Sam Ryder 39-33—72 +2 Robert Karlsson 32-39—71 +1 Phoenix at Dallas J.J. Henry 34-35—69 -1 way and his toe is doing well.” Henrik Norlander 33-36—69 -1 Cameron Percy 35-37—72 +2 Steve Flesch 35-36—71 +1 Sunday’s games Kevin Streelman 37-32—69 -1 Kevin Na 37-36—73 +3 Scott McCarron 35-36—71 +1 Indiana at Las Vegas Brian Gay 35-38—73 +3 Tom Pernice Jr. 37-34—71 +1 Osaka shuns media, cites Los Angeles at Chicago Joaquin Niemann 34-35—69 -1 Connecticut at Minnesota Kyle Stanley 33-36—69 -1 Phil Mickelson 36-37—73 +3 Fred Funk 38-33—71 +1 ‘mental health’ Will Zalatoris 35-34—69 -1 Keith Mitchell 34-39—73 +3 Vijay Singh 35-36—71 +1 Vincent Whaley 33-36—69 -1 Adam Schenk 38-35—73 +3 Tom Lehman 38-33—71 +1 Tennis star Naomi Osaka says SOCCER Brian Harman 34-35—69 -1 Jhonattan Vegas 38-35—73 +3 Duffy Waldorf 35-36—71 +1 she is not going to speak to the Denny McCarthy 37-36—73 +3 Mark Brooks 36-35—71 +1 MLS Rory Sabbatini 35-34—69 -1 media during the upcoming French Tony Finau 35-34—69 -1 Rafa Cabrera Bello 37-36—73 +3 Paul Stankowski 36-36—72 +2 Matthew NeSmith 38-35—73 +3 Doug Barron 34-38—72 +2 Open. Eastern Conference Andrew Putnam 35-34—69 -1 Kevin Kisner 32-37—69 -1 Russell Knox 37-36—73 +3 Tim Petrovic 37-35—72 +2 The world’s highest-earning fe- WLTPts GF GA Collin Morikawa 33-36—69 -1 Sahith Theegala 37-36—73 +3 Barry Lane 37-35—72 +2 male athlete wrote in a Twitter post Lucas Glover 36-38—74 +4 Scott Verplank 38-34—72 +2 New England 4 1 2 14 10 7 Joseph Bramlett 34-35—69 -1 Harold Varner III 37-37—74 +4 Peter Fowler 38-34—72 +2 Wednesday that she hopes the “con- Orlando City 3 0 3 12 7 2 John Augenstein 34-35—69 -1 D.A. Points 38-36—74 +4 Paul Claxton 34-38—72 +2 siderable amount that I get fined for Philadelphia 3 2 2 11 6 5 Robby Shelton 35-35—70 E Sung Kang 36-38—74 +4 Woody Austin 37-36—73 +3 Nashville 2 0 4 10 7 4 Scottie Scheffler 33-37—70 E this will go towards a mental health Joel Dahmen 35-39—74 +4 Olin Browne 36-37—73 +3 Atlanta 2 1 3 9 7 5 Peter Uihlein 36-34—70 E charity.” Peter Malnati 36-38—74 +4 David Toms 38-35—73 +3 NYC FC 2 2 2 8 11 6 Corey Conners 34-36—70 E Luke List 37-37—74 +4 José Manuel Carriles 35-38—73 +3 The French Open is scheduled to CF Montréal 2 3 2 8 9 9 Pat Perez 35-35—70 E Mark Hubbard 40-34—74 +4 Omar Uresti 37-36—73 +3 begin Sunday in Paris. Osaka heads Columbus 2 2 2 8 5 5 Harry Higgs 35-35—70 E Matt Kuchar 36-38—74 +4 Chad Proehl 37-36—73 +3 Inter Miami CF 2 3 2 8 8 10 Cam Davis 35-35—70 E into the clay-court tournament Ryan Palmer 37-37—74 +4 David Morland IV 36-37—73 +3 New York 2 4 0 6 8 9 Emiliano Grillo 36-34—70 E ranked No. 2 in the world. Graeme McDowell 40-34—74 +4 Dudley Hart 39-35—74 +4 D.C. United 2 5 0 6 5 11 Maverick McNealy 37-33—70 E J.T. Poston 35-39—74 +4 Shane Bertsch 37-37—74 +4 The 23-year-old Osaka, who was Toronto FC 1 3 2 5 7 10 Gary Woodland 35-35—70 E Austin Cook 35-40—75 +5 Dave McNabb 38-36—74 +4 born in Japan and now is based in Chicago 1 4 1 4 4 10 Adam Long 35-35—70 E Lee Westwood 37-38—75 +5 Esteban Toledo 36-38—74 +4 Cincinnati 1 3 1 4 6 14 Brice Garnett 33-37—70 E the United States, has won four Grand Slam titles. That includes Western Conference DEALS last year’s U.S. Open and the Aus- WLTPts GF GA tralian Open this February. Seattle 5 0 2 17 14 3 Thursday’s Transactions my Beasley from Buffalo (Triple-A East). BUFFALO BILLS — Signed WR Lance Le- National League noir. Waived WR Tre Walker. In other French Open news: Sporting KC 4 2 1 13 12 8 BASEBALL ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Trans- CINCINNATI BENGALS — Signed S Kavon ■ LA Galaxy 4 2 0 12 10 11 Major League Baseball ferred RHP Luke Weaver from the 10-day IL Fazier. Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal American League Houston 3 2 2 11 9 9 to the 60-day IL. Selected the contract of DETROIT LIONS — Placed DL Joel Heath and Roger Federer all ended up in BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Sent RHP Mac LHP Ryan Butchter from Reno(Triple-A on injured reserve. Colorado 3 2 1 10 9 8 Sceroler to Norfolk (Triple-A East) for a re- West). Optioned RHP Corbin Martin to Re- GREEN BAY PACKERS — Promoted Chad the same half of the French Open Portland 3 3 0 9 9 8 hab assignment. Activated RHP Dillon no. Brinker to personnel/football administra- men’s field in the draw Thursday, San Jose 3 4 0 9 11 11 Tate from IL. CINCINNATI REDS — Placed RHP Jeff tive executive and Patrick Moore to assist- BOSTON RED SOX — Optioned OF Fran- Hoffman on the 10-day IL. Recalled LHP ant director of college scouting. Re-signed Real Salt Lake 2 1 2 8 8 6 meaning no more than one of them chy Cordero to Worcester (Triple-A East). Cionel Perez and RHP Art Warren from TE Robert Tonyan to a remainder of the Los Angeles 2 2 2 8 7 7 CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Sent LHP Jace Louisville (Triple-A East). season contract. can reach the final. The Big Three Vancouver 2 4 1 7 6 9 Fry to Charlotte (Triple-A East) for a rehab COLORADO ROCKIES — Recalled LHP Lu- HOUSTON TEXANS — Released QB Ryan assignment. Placed RHP Michael Kopech cas Gilbreath from Albuquerque (Triple-A top the leaderboard for Grand Slam Austin FC 2 4 0 6 5 8 Finley. on the bereavement list. Transferred OF West). NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — Released RB men’s singles titles: Federer and Minnesota 2 4 0 6 5 10 Luis Robert to the 60-day IL. Purchased the LOS ANGELES DODGERS — Recalled RHP Fan Vitale and LB LaRoy Reynolds. Signed FC Dallas 1 2 3 6 8 8 contract of RHP Ryan Burr from Charlotte. Mitch White from Oklahoma City (Triple-A TE Troy Fumagili. Nadal head to Roland Garros, CLEVELAND INDIANS — Optioned RHP West). Optioned RHP Dennis Santana to NEW YORK GIANTS — Signed CB Aaron Note: Three points for victory, one point Triston McKenzie to Columbus (Triple-A Oklahoma City. where play begins Sunday, tied for tie. Robinson to a four-year contract. East). Recalled CF Bradley Zimmer from MIAMI MARLINS — Placed RHP Nick PHILADELPHIA EAGLES — Named Phil with 20, while Djokovic has 18. Saturday’s games Columbus. Neidert on the 10-day IL. Recalled 1B Lewin Baya college scout Southeast, Brandon CF Montréal at Chicago MINNESOTA TWINS — Purchased the Diaz from Jacksonville (Triple-A East). Brown director of player personnel, Dave Orlando City at New York contract of LHP Ryan Horstman from Long NEW YORK METS — Recalled LHP Tho- Caldwell personnel executive, Ian Cun- Nike: Neymar deal nixed by mas Szapucki from Syracuse (Triple-A New England at Cincinnati Island (Atlantic League). ningham director of player personnel, Placed RHP Co- East). Toronto FC at Columbus NEW YORK YANKEES — Matt Holland college scout Northeast, rey Kluber and INF Luke Volt on the 10-day SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Sent RHP assault allegations Nashville at Atlanta Bryce Johnson senior director of football New York City FC at Los Angeles FC IL, retroactive to May 26. Recalled OF Este- John Brebbia to Sacramento (Triple-A van Florial and RHP Albert Abreau from West) for a rehab assignment. Placed IN- transactions, Evan Pritt scouting assist- says it Nike has confirmed it end- San Jose at LA Galaxy ant, Catherine Raiche vice president of D.C. United at Miami Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A East). F?OF Darin Ruf on 10-day IL. Recalled INF/ ed its sponsorship agreement with Recalled RHP Rick Nelson. Optioned OF Es- OF LaMonte Wade Jr. from Sacramento football operations, Jeff Scott senior pro Houston at Sporting Kansas City scout and Ameena Soliman pro scout. FC Dallas at Colorado tevan Florial to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. (Triple-A West). Reinstated RHP Matt Wis- Neymar after he refused to collab- Reverted DE Mar- Minnesota at Real Salt Lake Returned RHP Rick Nelson to Scranton/ ler from Bereavement list. Optioned LHP SEATTLE SEHAWKS — orate in an investigation into an ac- Wilkes-Barre. Sam Selman to Sacramento. cus to injured reserve. Sunday’s games HOCKEY OAKLAND ATHLETICS — Activated DH ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — Activated OF cusation that he sexually assaulted Portland at Philadelphia Mitch Moreland from the 10-day IL. Op- Tyler O’Neill from 10-day IL. Optioned 1B National Hockey League Austin FC at Seattle tioned OF Luis Barrera to Las Vegas (Tri- John Nogowski to Memphis (Triple-A ARIZONA COYOTES — Signed F Ben a female employee from the compa- ple-A West). Sent LHP Jesus Luzardo to Las East). McCartney to a three-year contract. ny years ago. Vegas (Triple-A West) for a rehab assign- WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Activated VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS — Reassigned TENNIS ment. RHP Tanner Rainey from the IL. Optioned F Cody Glass to Henderson (AHL). The soccer superstar has denied SEATTLE MARINERS — Selected LHP RHP Kyle McGowan to Rochester (Triple-A SOCCER Hector Santiago from Tacoma (Triple-A East). United Soccer League the accusation and criticized the Strasbourg Open West). Recalled Daniel Zamora from Taco- BASKETBALL MINNESOTA UNITED FC — Announced company on Instagram while train- ma. Optioned RHP Wyatt Mills and RHP Yo- Womens National Basketball Association that they will loan D Nabilai Kibunguchy to Friday han Ramirez to Tacoma. Designated RHP PHOENIX MERCURY — Signed G Haley Sacramento Republic FC for the remain- ing with Brazil outside Rio de Janei- At Strasbourg Tennis Club Sam Delaplane for assignment. Gorecki to a remainder of the season con- der of the season. ro. Strasbourg, France TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Placed LHP Tra- tract. COLLEGE Purse: Euro 189,708 vis Bergen on the 10-day IL, retroactive to FOOTBALL KANSAS ST. — Promoted Ebony Gilliam Neymar called Nike’s claims “an Surface: Red clay May 24. Transferred LHP Tommy Milone to National Football League to women’s basketball head coach, Sadie Women’s Singles the 60-day IL. Selected the contract of RHP ARIZONA CARDINALS — Signed QB Cole Thramer to coordinator of recruiting oper- absurd lie.” Quarterfinals Alek Manoah from Buffalo (Triple-A East). McDonald. ations and Staci Gregorio to director of Sorana Cirstea, Romania, def. Bianca Placed LHP Anthony Kay on the 10-day IL, ATLANTA FALCONS — Signed WR Tajae student-athlete development/video coor- Andreescu (1), Canada, walkover. retroactive to May 22. Recalled RHP Jere- Sharpe. dinator. Associated Press PAGE 20 • STARS AND STRIPES • Saturday, May 29, 2021 AUTO RACING/NFL Career: Tebow starting over as Jags tight end

FROM PAGE 24 nus or guaranteed money. He’s re- all new for him. … That position’s turning to the NFL after five years trending upward; they’re doing a (2016-20) in the New York Mets’ nice job.” organization and he’s reuniting Meyer declined to provide with Meyer, his college coach, for much insight into how he plans to the first time since his senior year potentially use Tebow. There has in 2009. been speculation that Tebow His comeback is unpreceden- could be a goal-line and short-yar- ted because of his age, his new po- dage quarterback or even line up sition and the fact that he last in the backfield alongside Law- played in a regular-season game rence. in 2012, with the New York Jets. “I think it’s one step at a time “We don’t get caught up in any and see what happens,” Meyer of that,” Jenkins said. “You can’t said. “Before you start having get star struck around here. It’s those conversations, you’ve got to the business. I played with numer- feel where he’s at on the depth ous superstars. I can name a list chart, etc. Obviously, it’s only full, but we’re all friends at the end MICHAEL CONROY/AP been a couple of days. We have not of the day, we’re all co-workers at Tony Kanaan drives through the first turn during qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 last weekend. had that conversation as an offen- the end of the day.” sive staff yet.” Tebow was the main attraction For now, tight ends coach Tyler Thursday, and that may have been Bowen — whose nickname, coin- a good thing for Lawrence. The cidentally, is “T-Bow” — is trying No. 1 overall pick had four over- IndyCar veterans still going to get the much more popular Te- throws and two passes broken up bow comfortable at his new posi- in goal-line drills. tion. Bowen urged Tebow for “a “That’s obviously a very hard little more tempo off the ball” area of the field,” Meyer said. strong as careers wind down early in the two-hour workout. “The field changes, especially Later, Bowen jokingly asked an against NFL talent all over the BY MICHAEL MAROT intern “you need the trainers” af- field and defense had the upper Associated Press ter the equipment guy was tasked hand today. It wasn’t just him. ... INDIANAPOLIS — Tony Ka- with trying to block Tebow using a We all struggled, not just him, of- naan sat in Chip Ganassi Racing’s dummy pad. fensively.” suite one day this May, savoring a Tebow had his most success in Tebow was on the receiving end rare second IndyCar farewell tour. seven-on-seven drills near the of one of Lawrence’s few high- At age 46, running a part-time goal line, catching two short pas- lights, looking like, well, a 255- schedule with no future guaran- ses for scores. pound tight end with good hands. tees and a talented crop of young “He’s just another guy,” Jag- Meyer raved about Tebow’s drivers chasing them, Kanaan and uars safety Rayshawn Jenkins workouts, saying assistants were his fellow veterans can see the sun- said. “I met him briefly in the lock- surprised to see him in shape. Ulti- set approaching for one of Indy- er room, so a really good guy from mately, Tebow’s ability to pick up Car’s greatest generations. what I can tell. But I don’t look at it a new position — a number of col- Four of the 33 starters in Sun- as ‘Tebow’ or anybody who’s just lege QBs have made the transition day’s Indianapolis 500 are listed right there. I just look at it (as) look seamless — will determine among the top 12 in career wins. what do I need to do this play? whether he makes the team. Ryan Hunter-Reay is tied for 24th. What are my keys? What am I “I’m kind of mad because I was Kanaan needs one win to tie Hun- DARRON CUMMINGS/AP looking at? It doesn’t matter what the oldest guy on the team,” said ter-Reay with 18 and Juan Pablo Scott Dixon, left, is congratulated by Alex Palou after Dixon won the number the jersey is or whoever’s 31-year-old receiver Marvin Montoya is just two behind Ka- pole for the Indianapolis 500, Sunday, in Indianapolis. right there in front of me.” Jones. “Now, he has me by two naan despite spending 13 seasons Tebow signed a one-year, years, so I have to talk to him about in Formula One and NASCAR. ican; and beloved British driver run Father Time. $920,000 deal with Jacksonville that. But it’s been great. Obvious- These magnificent seven, all in Dan Wheldon. Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi last week, getting the veteran min- ly, everybody knows the type of their 40s, have combined for 207 On the track, they were a power- Racing is a six-time series champ, imum for a player with his experi- worker that he is and it’s no differ- victories, 14 series championships house. the points leader and Sunday’s ence. He received no signing bo- ent.” and nine Indianapolis 500s since Franchitti won 31 races and pole-sitter. Should he win a second emerging as the series’ most re- three 500s before a horrific crash 500 this weekend, Dixon would tie vered stars over the last two dec- forced him into retirement in No- Mario Andretti (52) for second all- ades. And their passions and per- vember 2014. The beloved Whel- time in wins and stay in position to sonalities from around the globe don won 16 times, twice at Indy, but join A.J. Foyt as only the seven- have changed the sport. died at age 33 from injuries suf- time IndyCar champion. If he “Every year that goes by, I real- fered in a 2011 crash at Las Vegas. leads 82 laps, Dixon would break ize how special those years were,” Herta, whose son Colton qualified Al Unser’s career mark for most Kanaan said Thursday, referring second for Sunday’s race, had four 500 laps led (644). to the four drivers who suited up in series wins. And Kanaan captured Hunter-Reay, age 40, hopes to Michael Andretti’s garage in the the 2004 series title and the 500 in claim his second 500 crown after 2000s. “What we had, what we did 2013. qualifying seventh last weekend. is we showed that you could race Off the track, they goofed He’s one spot ahead of Castro- against each other and still have a around, became close friends and neves, the exuberant 46-year-old lot of fun with your teammates.” played pranks like hiding all of Brazilian with Michael Shank It became a blueprint for repair- Wheldon’s drivers shoes or sawing Racing who again is chasing a re- ing the damage from the yearslong Kanaan’s mountain bike in half cord-tying fourth race win. split of American open-wheel rac- while he was doing a television in- “It’s a great group of guys and I ing series. terview, changing Gasoline Alley learned a lot from them,” Castro- Andretti’s team featured Ka- forever. neves said. “That’s what makes naan, the bubbly Brazilian; Dario With budding young stars start- you better and I probably wouldn’t JOHN RAOUX/AP Franchitti, the resolute Scotsman; ing to catch up to IndyCar’s elder have been as successful without Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Tim Tebow, left, performs a drill during Bryan Herta, the laid-back Amer- statesmen, many continue to out- them pushing me.” practice, Thursday, in Jacksonville, Fla. Saturday, May 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 21 MLB

Scoreboard

American League East Division WLPct GB Tampa Bay 32 20 .615 _ Boston 30 20 .600 1 New York 29 21 .580 2 Toronto 25 24 .510 5½ Baltimore 17 33 .340 14 Central Division WLPct GB Chicago 29 20 .592 _ Cleveland 27 21 .563 1½ Kansas City 23 25 .479 5½ Minnesota 20 29 .408 9 Detroit 19 31 .380 10½ West Division WLPct GB Oakland 30 22 .577 _ Houston 27 22 .551 1½ Seattle 24 27 .471 5½ Los Angeles 22 28 .440 7 Texas 22 30 .423 8 National League East Division WLPct GB New York 24 20 .545 _ Philadelphia 25 26 .490 2½ Atlanta 24 25 .490 2½ Miami 24 26 .480 3 Washington 21 25 .457 4 Central Division WLPct GB St. Louis 28 22 .560 _ FRANK FRANKLIN II/AP Chicago 27 22 .551 ½ Toronto’s Alek Manoah delivers a pitch during the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader against the Yankees in New York. Manoah tossed six Milwaukee 25 25 .500 3 innings of two­hit ball in his major league debut, a 2­0 Blue Jays victory. The Yankees rebounded to win the second game 5­3. Cincinnati 22 26 .458 5 Pittsburgh 18 31 .367 9½ West Division ROUNDUP WLPct GB San Diego 32 19 .627 _ Los Angeles 31 19 .620 ½ San Francisco 30 20 .600 1½ Colorado 19 32 .373 13 Jays’ Manoah dominates Yanks in debut Arizona 18 33 .353 14 Thursday’s games Associated Press Cleveland 5, Detroit 2 Tampa Bay 7, Kansas City 2 NEW YORK — Alek Manoah (1-0), the No. 11 Toronto 2, N.Y. Yankees 0, 7 innings, 1st game overall pick in the 2019 amateur draft, dom- N.Y. Yankees 5, Toronto 3, 7 innings, 2nd game inated with six innings of two-hit ball to win his Chicago White Sox 5, Baltimore 1 major league debut and lead the Toronto Blue Oakland 5, L.A. Angels 0 Seattle 5, Texas 0 Jays over the New York Yankees 2-0 Thursday N.Y. Mets 1, Colorado 0, 7 innings, 1st game in a doubleheader opener. N.Y. Mets 4, Colorado 2, 7 innings, 2nd New York rebounded to win the second game  Philadelphia 3, Miami 2 game 5-3 behind Aaron Judge’s tying, two-run Chicago Cubs 5, Pittsburgh 3 Milwaukee 6, San Diego 5, 10 innings homer in the third inning off Robbie Ray (2-2) Washington 5, Cincinnati 3, 1st game and Gary Sánchez’s go-ahead solo drive in the Cincinnati 3, Washington 0, 7 innings, 2nd game fourth. L.A. Dodgers 4, San Francisco 3 St. Louis 5, Arizona 4, 10 innings Cubs 5, Pirates 3: At Pittsburgh, Javier Friday’s games Báez ran the first baseline backward while be- Miami at Boston N.Y. Yankees at Detroit ing chased by first baseman Will Craig during Toronto at Cleveland a two-run third. Baltimore at Chicago White Sox Kansas City at Minnesota Cardinals 5, Diamondbacks 4 (10):Yadier San Diego at Houston L.A. Angels at Oakland Molina had an RBI double in the 10th inning Texas at Seattle that led St. Louis past host Arizona, which has Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs Colorado at Pittsburgh lost 11 straight games. Milwaukee at Washington Atlanta at N.Y. Mets Indians 5, Tigers 2:At Detroit, Shane Bieb- St. Louis at Arizona er (5-3) took a no-hit bid into the seventh before San Francisco at L.A. Dodgers GENE J. PUSKAR/AP Saturday’s games Jonathan Schoop led off with a home run and Pirates first baseman Will Craig, right, tosses the ball to catcher Michael Perez, left, after the Philadelphia (Wheeler 4­2) at Tampa struck out 12 in seven one-hit innings. Bay (Yarbrough 2­3) Cubs’ Javier Baez (9) hit a fielder’s choice third to first and was caught in a rundown between Baltimore (Means 4­0) at Chicago White Mets 1­4, Rockies 0­2: José Peraza home- Sox (Lynn 5­1) home and first during the third inning Thursday in Pittsburgh. Chicago’s Willson Contreras, top Kansas City (TBD) at Minnesota (Happ red off Germán Márquez (3-5) starting the center, scores on the play and Báez reached second on an errant throw by Perez. 2­2) third inning of the opener in New York and sin- L.A. Angels (Cobb 2­2) at Oakland (Mon­ tas 5­4) gled off Antonio Senzatela (1-5) to break a 1-1 and connected on a third-inning two-run ahead solo shot leading off the sixth — one of Miami (Rogers 6­2) at Boston (Eovaldi 5­2) tie in the fourth inning of the second game. homer. five home runs in the game — and Los Angeles N.Y. Yankees (García 0­1) at Detroit Phillies 3, Marlins 2:At Miami, Odubel Her- Nationals 5­0, Reds 3­3: Trea Turner and beat visiting San Francisco. (Turnbull 3­2) San Diego (Darvish 5­1) at Houston rera tripled leading off the ninth and broke a Josh Bell hit run-scoring singles in the sixth in- Athletics 5, Angels 0: At Oakland, Calif., (Odorizzi 0­2) Toronto (Stripling 0­3) at Cleveland 2-2 tie on Ronald Torreyes’ comebacker as Yi- ning in the completion of a suspended game, Chris Bassitt pitched a two-hitter for his first (Hentges 1­1) Texas (Foltynewicz 1­4) at Seattle (Dunn mi García (3-3) threw to second in a failed at- and Sonny Gray (1-3) pitched six innings of career complete game, Sean Murphy hit a two- 1­2) tempt for an inning-ending double play. two-hit ball to win the nightcap as Cincinnati run single in the decisive sixth inning and the Cincinnati (Castillo 1­7) at Chicago Cubs (Davies 2­2) Brewers 6, Padres 5:At Milwaukee, Jackie completed its first series win in Washington A’s took advantage after Bay Area traffic kept Colorado (Gomber 3­4) at Pittsburgh (Brubaker 3­4) Bradley Jr.’s two-out hit off the right-field wall since 2015. Shohei Ohtani off the mound for a win over the Atlanta (Fried 2­2) at N.Y. Mets (Peter­ against Miguel Diaz (2-1) brought home Omar White Sox 5, Orioles 1:Dylan Cease struck Angels. son 1­4) Milwaukee (Peralta 4­1) at Washington Narváez in the 10th inning. out 10, Yermín Mercedes homered and drove Mariners 5, Rangers 0:Chris Flexen threw (Corbin 3­3) San Francisco (Webb 3­3) at L.A. Dodg­ Rays 7, Royals 2: Tampa Bay’s Austin in three, and host Chicago handed Baltimore seven shutdown innings and was backed by ers (Urías 7­1) Meadows hit a two-run triple in the first off vis- its 10th straight loss. home runs from Tom Murphy and Jacob Not- St. Louis (Wainwright 2­4) at Arizona (TBD) iting Kansas City starter Brady Singer (2-4) Dodgers 4, Giants 3: Max Muncy hit a go- tingham, and host Seattle defeated Texas. PAGE 22 • STARS AND STRIPES • Saturday, May 29, 2021 NHL PLAYOFFS Canadiens top Leafs in OT, force Game 6 Associated Press Toronto. Zach Hyman had a goal TORONTO — Nick Suzuki and Campbell stopped 26 shots. scored 59 seconds into overtime “Any time your back’s against and the Montreal Canadiens beat the wall, you push back,” Hyman the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on said. “You saw that from them. Thursday night, rebounding after We’ve been in that situation be- blowing a three-goal lead to force fore and you always respond.” Game 6 in the Original Six first- The Quebec government will al- round matchup. low 2,500 fans into the Bell Centre Cole Caufield intercepted Alex on Saturday for Game 6, the first Galchenyuk’s pass in Montreal’s NHL crowd in Canada since the zone and moved in with Suzuki on start of the COVID-19 pandemic in a 2-on-0. Suzuki made a pass to March 2020. Caufield after crossing into To- “They will deserve that game ronto’s zone, got the puck back big time,” Montreal center Phillip from his rookie teammate and Danault said. “It’s going to be cra- beat Jack Campbell to the blocker zy there. It’s going to be awesome. side. I can’t wait to be in front of our “Sometimes those 2-on-0s are a fans. Been waiting for that all little bit more difficult,” Suzuki year. And here we are, Game 6 said. “We’re both capable of scor- against Toronto, Saturday night at ing and making plays. It was a home. Can’t get any better than great play by him to touch it right that.” back.” The Maple Leafs missed an op- Joel Armia scored twice, Jesp- portunity to win a playoff series eri Kotkaniemi added a goal and for the first time since 2004, but Carey Price made 32 saves to help still have two more cracks at ad- the Canadiens cut the Maple vancing. Leafs’ series lead to 3-2. The Winnipeg Jets await the “Resiliency,” Price said. “It’s winner following their sweep of not easy to have the right mental- Edmonton in the North Division’s ity going into an overtime like that other first-round series. after giving up a two-goal lead in Kotkaniemi gave the Canadiens FRANK GUNN/AP the third.” a 3-0 lead at 4:52 of the second pe- Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki, left, celebrates his overtime goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs Jake Muzzin scored twice for riod. with Cole Caufield. The Canadiens won 4­3 Thursday in Toronto to force a Game 6. Canes win again in OT to advance Scoreboard First round Carolina rallies to knock off Nashville in fourth consecutive overtime game of series (Best-of-seven; x-if necessary) Carolina 4, Nashville 2 BY AARON BEARD Rod Brind’Amour would use a rotation, as he did Carolina 5, Nashville 2 Associated Press Carolina 3, Nashville 0 in last year’s playoffs with Petr Mrazek and Nashville 5, Carolina 4, 2OT The Carolina Hurricanes spent their first- James Reimer. But Brind’Amour stuck with the Nashville 4, Carolina 3, 2OT Carolina 3, Nashville 2, OT round playoff series falling behind early and 25-year-old Nedeljkovic, who had ranked among Thursday: Carolina 4, Nashville 3, OT grinding through tough overtime games. the league leaders with a 1.90 goals-against aver- Tampa Bay 4, Florida 2 Tampa Bay 5, Florida 4 Yet the Hurricanes showed enough resilience age and a .932 save percentage in the regular Tampa Bay 3, Florida 1 Florida 6, Tampa Bay 5, OT to push through and advance anyway, earning a season. Tampa Bay 6, Florida 2 second round matchup with reigning Stanley He was strong throughout the Nashville se- Florida 4, Tampa Bay 1 Tampa Bay 4, Florida 0 Cup champion Tampa Bay. ries, even turning away a 2-on-0 rush by the Boston 4, Washington 1 The Hurricanes beat the Nashville Predators Predators in Game 4, while providing a lift with Washington 3, Boston 2, OT Boston 4, Washington 3, OT 4-3 in overtime on Thursday night to close the his puck-handling ability. Boston 3, Washington 2, 2OT best-of-seven series in six games. That came af- The other positive developments were on the Boston 4, Washington 1 Boston 3, Washington 1 ter they rallied from a two-goal deficit while health front. McGinn returned to the lineup after N.Y. Islanders 4, Pittsburgh 2 playing a fourth consecutive game that extended missing 19 games to end the regular season, scor- Islanders 4, Pittsburgh 3, OT Pittsburgh 2, islanders 1 past regulation time. ing twice in Game 4 and working alongside Aho Pittsburgh 5, islanders 4 “I think we’re a resilient group,” said Hurri- on Carolina’s reshuffled lines for Game 6. Islanders 4, Pittsburgh 1 Islanders 3, Pittsburgh 2, 2OT canes defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who Then there was Slavin, who suffered a lower- Islanders 5, Pittsburgh 3 forced overtime by scoring at 13:59 of the third body injury in the second-to-last game of the reg- Toronto 3, Montreal 2 Montreal 2, Toronto 1 period. “We just keep playing no matter what ular season at Nashville. Brind’Amour had said Toronto 5, Montreal 1 Toronto 2, Montreal 1 happens. We just keep going, keep going, keep that injury would likely make Carolina’s top de- Toronto 4, Montreal 0 going. And it’s been like that for a couple years fenseman a game-time decision for the foresee- Thursday: Montreal 4, Toronto 3, OT Saturday: Toronto at Montreal now.” MARK ZALESKI/AP able future. x-Monday: Montreal at Toronto Nothing came easily for the Hurricanes, who Carolina Hurricanes left wing Brock McGinn Slavin logged more than 21 minutes in Game 1, Winnipeg 4, Edmonton 0 Winnipeg 4, Edmonton 1 won the Central Division — their first division celebrates after scoring a goal against the then missed the next three games before return- Winnipeg 1, Edmonton 0, OT crown since their Cup-winning season in 2006 — Nashville Predators during Hurricanes’ 4­3 ing in Game 5. He assisted on Carolina’s tying Winnipeg 5, Edmonton 4, OT Winnipeg 4, Edmonton 3, 3OT and were in the Presidents’ Trophy race to the overtime win Thursday in Nashville, Tenn. and winning goals on Thursday night, feeding a Vegas 3, Minnesota 3 regular season’s final week. cutting Hamilton with a perfect pass off a faceoff Minnesota 1, Vegas 0, OT Vegas 3, Minnesota 1 The Hurricanes jumped out to a 2-0 series lead dered the game’s first goal five times. win by Aho, before firing the Aho-tipped winner Vegas 5, Minnesota 2 against Nashville. But they lost Game 3 in double “We kind of got behind the 8-ball in most of the off another faceoff win by Aho. Vegas 4, Minnesota 0 Minnesota 4, Vegas 2 overtime, followed by Game 4 the same way, games,” said Brock McGinn, who scored all “As much as I hated sitting out those games, I Minnesota 3, Vegas 0 Friday: Minnesota at Vegas then had to rally in the third period of Game 5 to three of his series goals on the road. think it was the right move,” Slavin said. “The Colorado 4, St. Louis 0 win it on Jordan Staal’s rebound chance in OT. One of the reasons the Hurricanes overcame past two games, I felt good out there, I felt confi- Colorado 4, St. Louis 1 This time, they got star center Sebastian Aho’s those issues was the play of rookie goaltender dent in my skating abilities and just being able to Colorado 6, St. Louis 3 Colorado 5, St. Louis 1 deflection on Jaccob Slavin’s shot to beat Juuse Alex Nedeljkovic as the every-game starter, a help the team out and not hinder them in any Colorado 5, St. Louis 2 Saros just 66 seconds into overtime, clinching a position he doesn’t look likely to relinquish ways.” Second Round 4-2 series win. against the Lightning. The Hurricanes will have home-ice advan- (Best-of-) Boston vs. N.Y. Islanders In those six games, the Hurricanes surren- There was some question as to whether coach tage against the Lightning. Saturday: N.Y. Islanders at Boston Saturday, May 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 23 NBA PLAYOFFS

Scoreboard Bucks push Playoffs Play­in Play­in First Round Heat to 3-0 Eastern Conference Tuesday, May 18 Indiana 144, Charlotte 117 Boston 118, Washington 100 series brink Western Conference Wednesday, May 19 BY TIM REYNOLDS Memphis 100, San Antonio 96 Associated Press L.A. Lakers 103, Golden State 100 Play­in Second Round Eastern Conference MIAMI — Another game. An- Thursday, May 20 other blowout. Washington 142, Indiana 115 Western Conference The Milwaukee Bucks have a Friday, May 21 chance to sweep the Miami Heat Memphis 117, Golden State 112 (OT) First Round out of the playoffs, and they’re (Best­of­seven) making the task of dispatching the x­if necessary Eastern Conference reigning Eastern Conference Philadelphia 2,Washington 0 champions look very simple. Philadelphia 125, Washington 118 Philadelphia 120, Washington 95 Khris Middleton scored 22 Saturday: at Washington points, Jrue Holiday added 19 Monday: at Washington x­Wednesday, June 2: at Philadelphia points and 12 assists and the Bucks x­Friday, June 4: at Washington took a 3-0 lead in their East first- x­Sunday, June 6: at Philadelphia Brooklyn 2, Boston 0 round series with a 113-84 victory Brooklyn 104, Boston 93 in Miami on Thursday night. Brooklyn 130, Boston 108 Giannis Antetokounmpo fin- Friday: at Boston Sunday: at Boston ished with 17 points and 17 re- x­Tuesday, June 1: at Brooklyn MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ/AP bounds for Milwaukee, which can x­Thursday, June 3: at Boston x­Saturday, June 5: at Brooklyn Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3), who had 34 points and 11 rebounds, shoots over Phoenix finish the sweep and move into the Milwaukee 3, Miami 0 Suns guard Devin Booker (1) during the Lakers’ 109­95 Game 3 win Thursday in Los Angeles. East semifinals with a win Satur- Milwaukee 109, Miami 107 (OT) Milwaukee 132, Miami 98 day afternoon. Thursday: Milwaukee 113, Miami 84 “The last two games haven’t Saturday: at Miami x­Tuesday, June 1: at Milwaukee been easy,” Antetokounmpo said. x­Thursday, June 3: at Miami “Obviously, we were up 3-0, but it’s x­Saturday, June 5: at Milwaukee not easy. ... I’ll say this: I’ll say by us Atlanta 1, New York 1 Key Staples: Lakers enjoy Atlanta 107, New York 105 doing our job, I’m not surprised New York 101, Atlanta 92 that we’re able to win a game be- Friday: at Atlanta Sunday: at Atlanta cause once we focus on ourselves, Wednesday, June 2: at New York play together, have fun and be x­Friday, June 4: at Atlanta x­Sunday, June 6: at New York playoff homecoming win tough, good things are going to Western Conference happen. And in these three games, Memphis 1, Utah 1 Memphis 112, Utah 109 Victory over Suns is team’s first home postseason game before fans in 8 years good things have happened for us.” Utah 141, Memphis 129 Miami has lost three games by at Memphis Saturday: BY GREG BEACHAM Monday: at Memphis years with a 109-95 victory over Davis’ second straight stellar 29 points or more this season — all x­Wednesday, June 2: at Utah Associated Press Phoenix on Thursday night. game, the Lakers pulled away against Milwaukee, two of them in x­Friday, June 4: at Memphis LOS ANGELES — Each time Dennis Schröder added 20 from the erratic Suns in the sec- the last two games of this series. x­Sunday, June 6: at Utah L.A. Lakers 2, Phoenix 1 Anthony Davis sprawled to the points and the seventh-seeded de- ond half again, much to their fans’ The Bucks held leads of 51 and 36 Phoenix 99, L.A. Lakers 90 ground after a tough foul or a diffi- fending NBA champs took a 2-1 enjoyment. points against the Heat in games L.A. Lakers 109, Phoenix 102 Thursday: L.A. Lakers 109, Phoenix 95 cult finish, he felt the cheers of lead with their second straight vic- “It’s a beautiful thing,” James earlier this season; the margin got Sunday: at L.A. Lakers about 7,000 frenzied Los Angeles tory in the first-round series — said. “It was a special night, and to 32 on Thursday night. Tuesday, June 1: at Phoenix x­Thursday, June 3: at L.A. Lakers Lakers fans lifting him back up. and the first postseason game for we just tried to reward our fans for And as if Milwaukee needed an- x­Saturday, June 5: at Phoenix The big man can’t wait until a this championship core in front of the loyalty they have for us, and other edge, there’s this: No team in Portland 2, Denver 1 Portland 123, Denver 109 full Staples Center has got his its home crowd. just try to play the game the right NBA history has ever squandered Denver 128, Portland 109 back. In the meantime, his Lakers “It was good for us, good for our way.” a 3-0 series lead. Thursday: Denver 120, Portland 115 Saturday: at Portland intend to keep pushing their way team,” Davis said of the cheers. A fierce late rally by Phoenix “We’re not worried about that. Tuesday, June 1: at Denver past the Phoenix Suns, who “We just can only imagine how it came up short — and when it did, We control what we can control, x­Thursday, June 3: at Portland pushed back too late — and a bit will be when it’s 20,000 in here. It the Suns came unglued. Devin and that’s how we play, that’s how x­Saturday, June 5: at Denver Dallas 2, L.A. Clippers 0 too zealously — in Game 3. was still loud, still electric. When Booker and Jae Crowder both we prepare, how we compete,” Dallas 113, L.A. Clippers 103 Davis had 34 points and 11 re- we’re able to get the whole stadi- were sent to the locker room early, Miami forward Jimmy Butler Dallas 127, L.A. Clippers 121 Friday: at Dallas bounds, LeBron James added 21 um in here, the whole fans with Booker tossed for a flagrant said. “Not too worried about what Sunday: at Dallas points and nine assist and Los An- screaming and yelling, I know it’s foul on a two-handed push to an history says and all of that good x­Wednesday, June 2: at L.A. Clippers x­Friday, June 4: at Dallas geles celebrated its first home going to be even better.” airborne Schröder that Davis stuff, but we’ve got our work cut x­Sunday, June 6: at L.A. Clippers playoff game in more than eight Buoyed by both their fans and called “a dirty play.” out for us.” Rivers leads Denver past Portland for 2-1 lead

BY ANNE M. PETERSON can elaborate on that, this feels really Denver up 102-94 with 3:49 left and his Associated Press good,” Rivers said. “This game can bring teammates rushed over to celebrate with PORTLAND, Ore. — Denver newcomer you the lowest feeling in the world. I swear, him as a timeout was called. Austin Rivers stole the spotlight from Niko- some of these nights you feel so low. And Portland was hurt when Jusuf Nurkic la Jokic with a fourth-quarter outburst this game can make you feel so good about fouled out with 5:15 left. Nurkic finished against Portland. yourself too.” with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Jokic dominated as usual, with 36 points Portland struggled from three-point The Trail Blazers pulled within 108-103 and 11 rebounds in the Nuggets’ 120-115 vic- range and got poor shooting from their after Lillard’s dunk with 1:38 left, but Rivers tory Thursday night over the Trail Blazers. bench players despite cheers from the big- answered with another three-pointer that But Rivers propelled Denver to a 2-1 lead in gest home crowd allowed at the Moda Cen- all but sealed it. the first-round playoff series. ter this season. Damian Lillard led all score- “The guy was sitting at home for two and Signed late last month when the Nuggets rs with 37 points. a half months waiting for the phone to ring were struggling with injuries, Rivers hit Game 4 is Saturday at the Moda Center. and it wasn’t ringing. That’s crazy to even four three-pointers during a crucial stretch The Nuggets led 84-79 heading into the fi- think about. Austin Rivers is a good player. in the final quarter and finished with 21 nal period, but the Blazers tied it at 91 on He’s played in 45 playoff games prior to this CRAIG MITCHELLDYER/AP points. Third-seeded Denver had 20 threes Carmelo Anthony’s three-pointer with just 2021 playoffs. It just worked out that he’s Denver Nuggets guard Austin Rivers reacts overall. under seven minutes to play. here,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. after scoring a three­point basket against “It feels good. I don’t know how much I Rivers’ third straight three-pointer put Rivers had five three-pointers overall. the Portland Trail Blazers Thursday. PAGE 24 • STARS AND STRIPES • Saturday, May 29, 2021 Loyalty rewards SPORTS Lakers win postseason game at home for first time in eight years ›› NBA playoffs, Page 23

NFL Resurrecting his career Former Heisman-winning QB Tebow making strides in shift to tight end with Jaguars

BY MARK LONG Associated Press im Tebow caught touchdown passes from Trevor Lawrence and Gardner Minshew on Thursday in Jackson- Tville, Fla., showing signs that reviv- ing his NFL career as a tight end is far from a publicity stunt or personal favor. Tebow essentially looked the part on a sunbaked afternoon that capped his first week of organized team activities with the Jacksonville Jaguars. With team owner Shad Khan in at- tendance along with a media throng eager to see how the 33-year-old Te- bow was adjusting to his new po- sition, the 2007 Heisman Trophy-winning quar- terback didn’t drop a pass and even made a couple of plays that surely got more attention than they de- served. Tebow is hardly a pol- ished route- runner and doesn’t ap- pear to be a down-the-field threat. But anyone who thought he would embarrass himself by changing positions nine years after last playing a meaningful snap in the league probably would have been surprised to see him hold his own in a No. 85 jersey. “It’s 1 in 90 trying to make the team,” Jaguars coach Urban Meyer said. “He has improved. It’s

SEE CAREER ON PAGE 20 UNPRECEDENTED COMEBACK?

Tim Tebow signed a one-year, $920,000 deal with Jacksonville last week, returning to the NFL after five years (2016-20) playing minor league baseball in the New York Mets’ organization. Tebow is reuniting with Urban Meyer, his college coach, for the first time since his senior year in 2009 and Jacksonville Jaguars attempting to resume his professional football tight end Tim Tebow carrer playing a new position at age 33. Tebow last catches a pass during played in a regular-season game in 2012, as practice, Thursday quarterback with the New York Jets. in Jacksonville, Fla. SOURCE: Associated Press JOHN RAOUX/AP

Veteran drivers not slowing down ahead of Indy 500 ›› Auto racing, Page 20