Getting Game

NBA NATION FACES Nuggets defeat John McCain’s Paris Hilton touts her Lakers to avoid widow, Cindy, smarter side in new 3-0 hole in series endorses Biden YouTube documentary Back page Page 10 Page 15 US trains for attack in central Europe in Astral Knight drills » Page 4 stripes.com Volume 79, No. 114 ©SS 2020 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas VIRUS OUTBREAK Students to return to Navy base school in Bahrain BY JENNIFER H. SVAN Stars and Stripes U.S. military and school officials on Bahrain plan to resume classes Sunday for elementary and middle school students, de- spite teacher concerns that the health risk is still too high for in- person learning. Bahrain School has been closed since February, when the coronavirus pandemic first hit the small island kingdom, home to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and 5th Fleet headquarters. The school, which houses kin- dergarten through 12th grade, was one of a handful overseen by Department of Defense Educa- tion Activity-Europe to start the fall with remote learning. About one-third of students are enrolled in virtual school and aren’t expected to return to class until the second semester, at the IN earliest. High school students in grades 9 to 12 will continue remote learn- GETTING THE GAME ing for the time being, said Ste- phen Smith, a DODEA-Europe spokesman. Some high school teachers are still in the U.S. and some new hires have had their Air Force jumps into esports arena with new series on Twitch permanent-change-of-station moves delayed, he said. The decision to reopen “was BY STEVE BEYNON Command Clash, a six-part esports series Unlike the Army, the Air Force does made in direct consultation with Stars and Stripes on Twitch that pits 29 airmen, male and not have big recruiting goals with esports the installation and public health female, across multiple bases in competi- as a core component. They are also not in officials,” Smith said. WASHINGTON tion playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. a hurry to mold gaming into a high-profile The base recently eased its coronavirus risk level from Health he Air Force is the latest branch The series will also feature celebrities such recreation or sport, such as Navy football, jumping into esports, where service Protection Condition-Charlie to as NFL free agent Clay Matthews and for- Army Combatives or the Marine Corps members livestream themselves HPCON-Bravo. Charlie indicates mer NFL running back Ahman Green. Jeff Band. Richard Cooper, a civilian spokes- playing video games, as the Penta- Leach, the voice actor for the Call of Duty sustained community transmis- T man for the Command Clash series, said the gon increasingly looks to the gaming com- character Ghost, commentates on each sion while Bravo specifies a risk branch is putting its toes in the water. munity as an outreach and retention tool. match. In the final episode, one base will be of increased transmission. The change comes as Bahraini On Saturday, the service will launch declared the champion. SEE ESPORTS ON PAGE 4 authorities recently decided to postpone allowing indoor dining at restaurants until Oct. 24 and A competitor clicks his mouse during the Schriever Air Force Base League of Legends Championship Intramural Finals in Colorado delay in-person classes at public Springs, Colo., in 2018. The game requires constant input from the player in order to keep their character responsive. schools until Oct. 11, due to a rise WILLIAM TRACY/U.S. Air Force in cases. SEE BAHRAIN ON PAGE 8 PAGE 2 F3HIJKLM •STARS AND STRIPES• Thursday, September 24, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER EXCHANGE RATES Military rates Switzerland (Franc)............................0.9224 Tesla’s next big bet rides on better batteries Euro costs (Sept. 24) ............................$1.14 Thailand (Baht) ..................................... 31.52 Dollar buys (Sept. 24).......................€0.8341 Turkey (Lira) .........................................7.6981 British pound (Sept. 24) ...................... $1.24 (Military exchange rates are those BY MICHAEL LIEDTKE impress investors. They were battery technology might not be Japanese yen (Sept. 24) ....................102.00 available to customers at military banking South Korean won (Sept. 24) ........1,134.00 AND TOM KRISHER hoping Tesla’s technology would ready for high-volume production Commercial rates facilities in the country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Germany, the Bahrain (Dinar) ....................................0.3771 Associated Press mark an even bigger leap forward until 2022. Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For British pound .....................................$1.2745 nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., and propel the company’s soaring Musk reiterated that timetable Canada (Dollar) ...................................1.3356 purchasing British pounds in Germany), SAN RAMON, Calif. — Tesla stock to even greater heights. during Tuesday’s showcase and China (Yuan) ........................................6.8033 check with your local military banking Denmark (Krone) ................................6.3706 is working on new battery tech- Tesla’s shares dropped by more then added it might take up to facility. Commercial rates are interbank Egypt (Pound) ....................................15.7491 nology that CEO Elon Musk said than 6% in extended trading after three years before the battery Euro ........................................$1.1682/0.8560 rates provided for reference when buying will enable the company to make Hong Kong (Dollar) .............................7.7502 currency. All figures are foreign currencies Musk’s presentation. That deep- technology translates into a new to one dollar, except for the British pound, sleeker, more affordable cars Hungary (Forint) .................................312.55 ened a downturn which began Tesla model selling for $25,000. Israel (Shekel) .....................................3.4547 which is represented in dollars-to-pound, that can travel dramatically lon- during Tuesday’s regular trad- That would be a dramatic mark- Japan (Yen) ........................................... 105.19 and the euro, which is dollars-to-euro.) ger distances on a single charge ing session as investors began down from Tesla’s cheapest car Kuwait (Dinar) .....................................0.3062 INTEREST RATES Norway (Krone) ...................................9.3969 within the next three years. to brace for a potential letdown. now, the Model 3, a sedan that Philippines (Peso).................................48.59 Prime rate ................................................3.25 But the battery breakthroughs Musk further raised those wor- starts at $35,000 but usually ends Poland (Zloty) ..........................................3.85 Discount rate ..........................................0.25 Saudi Arabia (Riyal) ...........................3.7507 Federal funds market rate ...................0.09 that Musk unveiled Tuesday at ries with a series of tweets Mon- up costing buyers more than Singapore (Dollar) ..............................1.3695 3-month bill ............................................. 0.10 a highly anticipated event didn’t day warning that Tesla’s new $40,000. South Korea (Won) ..........................1,165.83 30-year bond ...........................................1.42 WEATHER OUTLOOK THURSDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST THURSDAY IN EUROPE FRIDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 62/59 Kabul 86/52 Seoul 80/58 Baghdad 101/74 Kandahar 87/52 Osan Tokyo Mildenhall/ Drawsko 73/60 67/62 Lakenheath Pomorskie Busan 65/52 68/59 76/62 Iwakuni 74/71 Kuwait Bahrain Zagan Sasebo City 93/90 Brussels 70/59 Guam 104/84 61/52 Ramstein 75/70 84/81 Lajes, 67/46 Riyadh Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 102/74 101/78 69/66 66/60 75/59 Aviano/ Vicenza 65/56 Naples 76/69 Okinawa Morón 81/78 84/66 Sigonella Rota 87/69 The weather is provided by the Djibouti Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 99/83 77/67 80/73 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ..... 14 Classified .................. 13 Comics ...................... 17 Crossword ................. 17 Faces ........................ 15 Opinion ..................... 16 Sports .................. 18-24 Thursday, September 24, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• F3HIJKLM PAGE 3 MILITARY 2 Marines accused in drug overdose case Associated Press Both Marines are from 3rd Battalion, obtain drugs, including oxycodone pills dicted on Aug. 11 on fentanyl and cocaine 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division containing fentanyl, cocaine and other distribution charges, and Solis was in- SAN DIEGO — Two U.S. Marines were and are accused of being part of a ring of substances from an unknown source. dicted on firearms-related charges. They arrested Tuesday on a federal grand jury drug dealers that included three civilians, Another civilian, Gutavo Jaciel Solis, have pleaded not guilty. Their trial date is indictment that alleges the lance corporals according to the indictment. supplied the drugs for Whisenant’s military scheduled for October 27. were involved in selling drugs to Marines, Whisenant and three civilians were customers, according to the indictment. Solis is in federal custody and Perez is including to a fellow Marine who died from charged with conspiring to distribute nar- On May 22, Whisenant ordered 10 oxy- free on $25,000 bond. McCormick is also in an overdose. cotics, including to the Marine who over- codone pills containing fentanyl from Solis federal custody. McCormick could not be Lance Cpls. Anthony Ruben Whisenant

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