NBA FACES PACIFIC Williamson’s debut lives AP critics predict China locks down up to hype, bodes well largely unpredictable 3 more cities as for Pelicans’ prospects Grammy Awards virus spreads Back page Page 20 Page 3 Dems focus on abuse-of-power charge in impeachment trial » Page 8 Volume 78, No. 200 ©SS 2020 CONTINGENCY EDITION FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2020 stripes.com Free to Deployed Areas IRAQ Iran looks to cash in on anti-US sentiment BY DAVID RISING Associated Press BEIRUT — Iran has long sought the withdrawal of Ameri- can forces from neighboring Iraq, but the U.S. killing of an Iranian general and an Iraqi militia com- mander in Baghdad has added new impetus to the effort, stoking anti-American feelings that Teh- ran hopes to exploit to help real- ize the goal. The Jan. 3 killing led Iraq’s parliament to call for the ouster of U.S. troops, but there are lin- gering questions over whether Iran will be able to capitalize on the sentiment. An early test will be a “million- man” demonstration against the American presence, called for by influential Shiite cleric Moqtada ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREA VILLARI/Stars and Stripes al-Sadr and scheduled for Friday. It is not clear whether the pro- testers will try to re-create a SEE IRAN ON PAGE 7 Tightening the reins New rules could bump emotional-support animals from planes BY DAVID KOENIG Airlines say the number of support animals Associated Press ‘ The days has grown dramatically in recent years. They lobbied the Transportation Department to crack The days of passengers bringing their pets on of Noah’s Ark down on what they consider a scam — passengers airplanes as emotional-support animals could be in the air are who call their pets emotional-support animals to ending. avoid pet fees that generally run more than $100 The U.S. Department of Transportation on hopefully coming each way. Wednesday proposed that only specially trained “This is a wonderful step in the right direction KHALID MOHAMMED/AP to an end. dogs qualify as service animals, which must be ’ for people like myself who are dependent on and Sara Nelson Protesters damage property at allowed in the cabin at no charge. reliant on legitimate service animals,” said Al- the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Airlines could ban emotional-support animals president, Association of Flight Attendants bert Rizzi, founder of My Blind Spot, an advocacy Dec. 31. The killing of an Iranian including untrained dogs, cats and more exotic group for people with disabilities. general stoked anti-American companions such as pigs, pheasants, rabbits and sentiment that Iran hopes to use snakes. SEE REINS ON PAGE 12 to get U.S. troops out of Iraq. PAGE 2 •STARS AND STRIPES• Friday, January 24, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER EXCHANGE RATES Military rates Switzerland (Franc)............................0.9677 Boeing: 737 Max production resuming in spring Euro costs (Jan. 24) ............................$1.137 Thailand (Baht) .....................................30.57 Dollar buys (Jan. 24) .........................€0.8795 Turkey (Lira) .........................................5.9357 British pound (Jan. 24) ........................ $1.35 (Military exchange rates are those BY DAVID KOENIG that Boeing’s best-selling jet may for finishing that review. Japanese yen (Jan. 24) ...................... 107.00 available to customers at military banking South Korean won (Jan. 24) ..........1,137.00 Associated Press never fly again or that it should Calhoun’s comments came one Commercial rates facilities in the country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Germany, the Bahrain (Dinar) ....................................0.3769 change the plane’s name. day after Boeing announced that Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For British pound .....................................$1.3118 Boeing’s new CEO said on “I’m all in on it, the company is it doesn’t expect the FAA to cer- nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., Canada (Dollar) ...................................1.3145 purchasing British pounds in Germany), Wednesday that production of the all in on it and I believe the FAA tify the Max until this summer China (Yuan) ........................................6.9339 check with your local military banking Denmark (Krone) ................................ 6.7510 737 Max will resume this spring, is all in on it,” he said, referring to — Calhoun repeatedly referred facility. Commercial rates are interbank Egypt (Pound) ....................................15.7994 months before the company ex- rates provided for reference when buying the Federal Aviation Administra- to June. Euro ........................................ $1.1069/0.9034 pects federal regulators to certify Hong Kong (Dollar) .............................7.7727 currency. All figures are foreign currencies tion, which is reviewing changes Boeing forecasts about the to one dollar, except for the British pound, the grounded plane to fly again. Hungary (Forint) .................................304.23 to the Max after two crashes that plane’s return have proven too Israel (Shekel) .....................................3.4562 which is represented in dollars-to-pound, David Calhoun also said that killed 346 people. optimistic several times since the Japan (Yen) ...........................................109.39 and the euro, which is dollars-to-euro.) he believes passengers will fly on An FAA spokesman said that plane was grounded last March. Kuwait (Dinar) .....................................0.3037 INTEREST RATES Norway (Krone) ...................................9.0022 the Max when federal regulators the agency is being thorough and The president of United Airlines, Philippines (Peso).................................50.97 Prime rate ................................................4.75 say it is safe and they see airline deliberate as it checks Boeing’s Scott Kirby, said on Wednesday Poland (Zloty) ..........................................3.84 Discount rate ..........................................2.25 Saudi Arabia (Riyal) ...........................3.7511 Federal funds market rate ...................1.55 pilots getting on the plane. proposed changes to the Max, that his airline doesn’t expect to Singapore (Dollar) ..............................1.3506 3-month bill .............................................1.53 Calhoun dismissed the idea and the agency has no timetable use the Max this summer. South Korea (Won) ..........................1,168.87 30-year bond ...........................................2.22 WEATHER OUTLOOK FRIDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST FRIDAY IN EUROPE SATURDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 35/31 Kabul 33/19 Seoul 40/31 Baghdad 59/45 Kandahar 46/32 Osan Tokyo Mildenhall/ Drawsko 51/32 53/35 Lakenheath Pomorskie Busan 43/39 37/33 51/38 Iwakuni 55/51 Kuwait Bahrain Zagan Sasebo City 62/58 Brussels 36/27 Guam 58/47 36/32 Ramstein 58/54 80/75 Lajes, 36/28 Riyadh Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 60/36 62/55 59/55 39/26 32/28 Aviano/ Vicenza 42/29 Naples 55/43 Okinawa Morón 71/60 57/50 Sigonella Rota 52/37 The weather is provided by the Djibouti Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 82/74 57/50 52/48 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ...19 Comics ....................21 Crossword ...............21 Faces ......................20 Opinion ..............22-23 Sports ............... 25-32 Friday, January 24, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 3 PACIFIC China shuts down more cities amid virus BY KEN MORITSUGU Sierra Leone imposed a national AND YANAN WANG three-day quarantine as health Associated Press teams went door-to-door search- ing for hidden cases. Frustrated BEIJING — Chinese authori- residents complained of food ties Thursday moved to lock down shortages amid deserted streets. three cities with a combined Burial teams collecting Ebola population of more than 18 mil- corpses and people transporting lion people in an unprecedented the sick to Ebola centers were the effort to contain the deadly new only ones allowed to move freely. virus that has sickened hundreds In China, the illnesses from the and spread to other parts of the newly identified coronavirus first world during the busy lunar new appeared last month in Wuhan, year travel period. an industrial and transportation The train station and airport hub in central China’s Hubei in Wuhan, the epicenter of the province. Other cases have been outbreak, were shut down, and reported in the U.S., Japan, South ferry, subway and bus service Korea and Thailand. Singapore, was halted. Normally bustling Vietnam and Hong Kong report- streets, shopping malls, restau- ed their first cases Thursday. rants and other public spaces in Most of the illnesses outside the city of 11 million were eerily China involve people who were quiet. Police checked all incom- from Wuhan or had recently trav- ing vehicles but did not close off eled there. the roads. Images from Wuhan showed Authorities announced similar long lines and empty shelves at su- measures would take effect Fri- permarkets, as residents stocked day in the nearby cities of Huang- up for what could be weeks of gang and Ezhou. In Huanggang, isolation. That appeared to be an theaters, internet cafes and other CHINATOPIX/AP over-reaction, since no restric- entertainment centers were also Chinese paramilitary police stand guard outside the closed Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan in central tions were placed on trucks car- ordered closed. China’s Hubei Province on Thursday . rying supplies into the city . In the capital, Beijing, offi- Local authorities in Wuhan de- cials canceled “major