NFL DRAFT WAR ON TERRORISM MILITARY 49ers weighing US orders drawdown Marine fighter jets Fields, other QBs at Kabul Embassy as set for deployment with No. 3 pick troops prepare to leave on British carrier Page 24 Page 3 Page 4

Nigeria’s leader says he wants AFRICOM relocated to Africa ›› Page 8

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Volume 80 Edition 9 ©SS 2021 THURSDAY,APRIL 29, 2021 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas SEALs SHIFT Teams turn from counterterrorism to global threats

BY LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press WASHINGTON — Ten years after they found and killed Osama bin Laden, U.S. Navy SEALs are undergoing a major transition to improve leadership and expand their commando capabilities to better battle threats from global powers like China and Russia. The new plan cuts the number of SEAL platoons by as much as 30% and increases their size to make the teams more lethal and able to counter sophisticated mar- itime and undersea adversaries. And there will be a new, intensive screening process for the Navy’s elite warriors, to get higher-qual- ity leaders after scandals that rocked the force and involved charges of murder, sexual assault and drug use. Rear Adm. Hugh Howard, top commander for the SEALs, laid out his plans in an exclusive inter- ANTHONY W. WALKER/U.S. Navy view with The Associated Press. Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL candidates attempt to pass the surf zone in an inflatable boat during training at Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado, Calif., in May. SEE SHIFT ON PAGE 5 US Navy fires warning shots in new tense encounter with Iran BY JON GAMBRELL The Navy released black-and- Iran did not immediately ac- warnings via bridge-to-bridge ra- to a safe distance from the U.S. Associated Press white footage of the encounter knowledge the incident. dio and loud-hailer devices, but vessels.” DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Monday night in international wa- The Navy said the USS Firebolt the (Guard) vessels continued She called on the Guard to “op- — An American warship fired ters of the northern reaches of the fired the warning shots after three their close range maneuvers,” erate with due regard for the safe- warning shots when vessels of Persian Gulf. In it, lights can be fast-attack Guard vessels came said Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich, a ty of all vessels as required by in- Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary seen in the distance and what ap- within 68 yards of it and the U.S. spokeswoman for the Mideast- ternational law.” Guard came too close to a patrol in pears to be a single gunshot can be Coast Guard patrol boat USCGC based 5th Fleet. “The crew of Fire- “U.S. naval forces continue to the Persian Gulf, the U.S. Navy heard, with a tracer round racing Baranoff. bolt then fired warning shots, and said Wednesday. across the top of the water. “The U.S. crews issued multiple the (Guard) vessels moved away SEE IRAN ON PAGE 5 PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 29, 2021 BUSINESS/WEATHER Google’s ad sales surge, Alphabet profit doubles EXCHANGE RATES Military rates South Korea (Won) 1,114.83 Associated Press and burst out of their pandemic Ruth Porat, chief financial officer Switzerland (Franc) .9146 Euro costs (April 29) $1.18 Thailand (Baht) 31.38 SAN RAMON, Calif. — Google’s cocoons. for Google’s parent company, Al- Dollar buys (April 29) 0.8079 Turkey (New Lira) 8.2067 British pound (April 29) $1.35 digital advertising network has Google vast digital ad empire is phabet Inc. Japanese yen (April 29) 106.00 (Military exchange rates are those available shifted back into high gear, with now benefiting from that recov- Google’s sales surged 32% from South Korean won (April 29) 1,085.00 to customers at military banking facilities in the Commercial rates country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Ger­ its corporate parent reporting ery, although company executives the same time last year to nearly many, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bahrain (Dinar) .3770 For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., pur­ profit that more than doubled af- warned in a conference call that $45 billion during the January- Britain (Pound) 1.3895 chasing British pounds in Germany), check with Canada (Dollar) 1.2389 your local military banking facility. Commercial ter an unprecedented setback another wrong turn in the pan- March period. It’s the third con- China (Yuan) 6.4839 rates are interbank rates provided for reference Denmark (Krone) 6.1594 during the early stages of the pan- demic could discourage recent secutive quarter of accelerating Egypt (Pound) 15.6804 when buying currency. All figures are foreign demic. consumer splurging that’s also ad growth for Google following an Euro .8284 currencies to one dollar, except for the British Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7631 pound, which is represented in dollars­to­ The robust first-quarter adver- spurring advertisers to spend 8% decline during last year’s Hungary (Forint) 299.99 pound, and the euro, which is dollars­to­euro.) Israel (Shekel) 3.2551 tising growth announced Tuesday more. April-June period. That marked Japan (Yen) 108.90 INTEREST RATES provides the latest sign that adver- “It’s too early to say how dura- the first time Google’s quarterly Kuwait (Dinar) .3013 Norway (Krone) 8.2490 Prime rate 3.25 tisers are expecting the economy ble this consumer behavior will be ad revenue had fallen from the Philippines (Peso) 48.47 Interest Rates Discount rate 0.75 Poland (Zloty) 3.80 Federal funds market rate 0.09 to roar back to life as more people as economies recover and restric- previous year since the company Saudi Arabia (Riyal) 3.7502 3­month bill 0.02 get vaccinated against COVID-19 tions on mobility are lifted,” said went public in 2004. Singapore (Dollar) 1.3261 30­year bond 2.29 WEATHER OUTLOOK THURSDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST THURSDAY IN EUROPE FRIDAY IN THE PACIFIC

Misawa 50/45

Kabul Seoul 86/53 51/48 Baghdad 96/65 Drawsko Osan Tokyo Kandahar Mildenhall/ 51/48 70/54 Pomorskie Busan 94/59 Lakenheath 51/43 49/41 64/57 Iwakuni Kuwait City 65/56 Bahrain Brussels Zagan Sasebo Guam 93/74 83/79 Ramstein 62/43 66/58 51/44 56/41 84/81 Riyadh Lajes, Stuttgart 95/74 Doha Azores Pápa 59/56 58/51 99/77 Aviano/ 69/50 Vicenza 61/49

Naples 67/57 Okinawa Morón 72/69 67/51 Sigonella Rota 75/53 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 62/55 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 82/79 68/64 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ...... 15 Comics ...... 17 Crossword ...... 17 Opinion ...... 16 Sports ...... 18-24 Thursday, April 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 WAR ON TERRORISM US orders big drawdown at Kabul Embassy BY MATTHEW LEE yond the usual curtailment of ly dependent on the U.S. military employees, and there would be essary to defend the embassy,” Associated Press staffers for security and safety for security, and staff drawdowns no reduction in services offered. he said in remarks to the Amer- WASHINGTON — The State reasons. Such orders normally had been been underway since Charge d'affaires Ross Wilson ican Enterprise Institute. Department on Tuesday ordered apply only to nonessential per- the Trump administration had said it “ensures that American di- The State Department order a significant number of its re- sonnel. announced last year that Ameri- plomacy and support for Afghan- came just two days after Gen. maining staff at the U.S. Embassy In an updated travel advisory can troops would be withdrawn istan will be sustainable, robust, Austin Miller, America’s top gen- in Kabul to leave Afghanistan as for Afghanistan, the department from Afghanistan by May 1. and effective.” eral in Afghanistan, said the U.S. the military steps up the pullout said it had ordered the departure The Biden administration ex- Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head military had begun closing down of American troops from the of all U.S. government employees tended that deadline until Sept. of the U.S. Central Command, operations in the country and that country. “whose functions can be per- 11, the 20th anniversary of the said Tuesday the administration Afghanistan’s security forces had The State Department said it formed elsewhere.” It also said 2001 terrorist attacks, but has ac- remains committed to keeping a to be ready to take over. had instructed all personnel to American citizens should not celerated the pullout. functioning embassy in Kabul. While the official start to the depart unless their jobs require travel to Afghanistan and those The top U.S. diplomat in Kabul “It is our intention to maintain an withdrawal of Washington’s them to be physically located in there who want to depart “should said the departure order was is- embassy in Afghanistan going 2,500 to 3,500 troops and NATO’s Afghanistan. The order was not leave as soon as possible on avail- sued “due to increasing violence forward. But we’ll have a very, 7,000 allied forces is May 1, Mill- specific as to the number of peo- able commercial flights.” and threat reports," would affect very minimal military presence er said the pullout had already ple affected, but it went well be- The embassy in Kabul is heavi- only a relatively small number of there — that which is strictly nec- begun. US envoy expresses hope for Afghanistan BY KAREN DEYOUNG people who work in this space The Washington Post think that’s the direction it is head- WASHINGTON — The U.S. ed. ... Our departure from Afghan- government’s point person for ne- istan will not improve conditions gotiations with the Taliban, Zal- on the ground.” may Khalilzad, said Tuesday that “The messaging from the ad- he is not as pessimistic as many ministration has been limited,” that the departure of U.S. and coa- said Sen. Robert Menendez, D- lition troops from Afghanistan will N.J., the committee’s chairman. lead to the rapid collapse of the Af- “Our troops are leaving at some ghan government and a Taliban point before Sept. 11. I got that. But takeover. what is the plan for the path for- “I don’t personally believe there ward? Can we effectively conduct will be an imminent collapse,” counterterrorism operations Khalilzad told members of the without a presence inside Afghan- Senate Foreign Relations Com- istan?” mittee. “I believe the choice that “Do we have leverage to ensure the Afghans face is between a ne- that a power-sharing arrange- AP photos gotiated political settlement or a ment” between the Taliban and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D­N.H., talks about women in Afghanistan, including the seven women seen behind long war.” the government “broadly reflects her who were killed in Afghanistan, as she questions Zalmay Khalilzad, below, special envoy for “I hope they will come together the will of all the Afghan people?” Afghanistan Reconciliation, during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday. and cooperate,” he said of the mil- he asked. itants, the Afghan government Repeatedly, Khalilzad respon- of the Taliban embracing the mod- and political forces, saying that ded that much will depend on the ern world,” said Sen. Ron John- continued war was “senseless” for Taliban, which has expanded its son, R-Wis., or indications that it all concerned. “The opportunity is territorial reach and increased the wants to “move forward.” there. Our support is there. The level of violence since signing an “We will have to see whether in support of the international com- agreement 14 months ago with the practice they will,” Khalilzad said. munity is largely there as well.” Trump administration that set a “They say they do. Obviously they Committee members were May 1 deadline for the U.S. with- have their own values.… But those broadly bipartisan in their nega- drawal. values that they speak about, Is- tive predictions about Afghanis- The militants have a choice “be- lam, that is present in many coun- tan’s future, and few had anything tween two futures,” he said. They tries in the world. … We see those positive to say about President Joe can “embrace a negotiated path to values practiced differently from Biden’s withdrawal decision. peace, make the transition from place to place.” But while many warned of a violent insurgency to a political “The Talibs say they are inter- growing terrorist threat, the likeli- movement” and earn “respect in ested in not being a pariah,” he hood that gains for women, chil- the global community.” said. “All I can say is we have dren and minorities would be re- “But if they obstruct a negotiat- made it clear that if they do” move versed under inevitable Taliban ed settlement, and instead pursue forward, “there can be progress in rule, and the difficulty of Biden’s a military takeover, they will be attack coalition forces. ... That has “There are other areas in which our relationship.” If they do not, decision, none said it would be bet- opposed not only by the Afghan been honored,” he said, noting we are less satisfied,” Khalilzad isolation will be “inevitable.” ter to stay. Republic, but by the United States that although there have been said. “The level of violence has Khalilzad repeated the admin- Instead, both Republican and and allies and partners in the re- some casualties, there have been been too high compared to what istration’s promise to continue Democratic senators appealed to gion,” including isolation and no U.S. military fatalities since the we expected to happen.” funding the Afghan security Khalilzad to explain how the Unit- sanctions. agreement. In his own conversations with forces and government, and he ad- ed States, with no presence in Af- Asked whether the Taliban had The United States has been the militants, he said, they have vised that their capabilities, after ghanistan, would prevent any of complied with its side of the deal “less satisfied,” he said, with the made clear they do not want to re- nearly two decades of allied and the dire predictions from happen- he negotiated under the Trump Taliban’s compliance with a turn to the international pariah Afghan training, should not be un- ing. administration, Khalilzad pointed pledge to sever ties with terrorist status they held when they last ran derestimated. The withdrawal “may result in a to the start of negotiations last fall groups, principally al-Qaida, and the government in Kabul, during “I hope that your optimism is re- Taliban offensive that topples the between the militants and the gov- not permit them to plot, plan, the late 1990s until the U.S. inva- warded,” Menendez said. But “I government,” said Sen. James ernment, although little progress recruit or carry out attacks sion after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror- fear that at some point in the fu- Risch of Idaho, the top Republican has been made. against the United States and its ist attacks. ture, we may be having a hearing on the committee. “Most of the The Taliban also “agreed not to allies. “I’ve never seen much evidence that that isn’t the ultimate reality.” PAGE 4 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 29, 2021 MILITARY Marine fighter jets ready to deploy to Indo-Pacific region

BY SETH ROBSON 242, which became the second Stars and Stripes Marine squadron overseas to Ten Arizona-based F-35B field the F-35B. Lightning II stealth fighters are The first was Marine Fighter preparing to travel to the Indo- Attack Squadron 121, which ar- Pacific region on a Royal Navy rived at Iwakuni in January 2017. DANIEL BETANCOURT/Stars and Stripes aircraft carrier, the Marines an- Japan already operates con- Members of 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division prepare to fire an M777 A2 ho­ nounced Tuesday. ventional takeoff-and-landing witzer during artillery relocation training at Camp Fuji, Japan, on Friday. Britain’s newest carrier, the F-35As from Misawa Air Base in HMS Queen Elizabeth, and its northeastern Japan. The country strike group will set sail from plans to acquire 105 F-35As and Portsmouth, England, next 42 F-35Bs to operate from the Okinawa Marines hone logistics, month for a deployment that will helicopter carriers Izumo and visit 40 countries, including In- Kaga, which are being upgraded artillery skills with drills at Fuji dia, Japan, South Korea and Sin- to support the fighters. gapore, the Royal Navy said in a The Yuma-based F-35Bs are BY DANIEL BETANCOURT new location. The advanced base cations and maintain everything statement Monday. already in the United Kingdom to Stars and Stripes concept is tailored to fit potential in working order. The Marines al- The F-35Bs embarked on the conduct final training for the car- CAMP FUJI, Japan — Marines conflict in the Western Pacific and so brought along an M142 High carrier include jets from Marine rier deployment, according to a recently put their island-fighting parallels the great power competi- Mobility Artillery Rocket System, Corps Air Station Yuma-based Marine Corps statement. doctrine to the test by coordinat- tion outlined in the 2020 National or HIMARS, and positioned it un- Marine Fighter Attack Squadron The U.S. and UK squadrons ing live fire from M777 A2 howitz- Defense Strategy. der camouflage netting for an ex- 211, “the Wake Island Avengers,” will form the largest fifth-gener- ers with distant orders from Oki- “Receiving fire missions from ercise in survivability. as well as planes from the Royal ation carrier air wing in the nawa. Okinawa to Fuji, Japan, that is a The artillery units taking part in Air Force’s 617 Squadron, “the world, the statement said. Two Marine batteries from Oki- success, a huge win for us to proof the exercise are deployed to Oki- Dambusters,” the statement The U.S. aviators are focused nawa are wrapping up 10 days in the expeditionary advanced base nawa from U.S. bases. Charlie said. on providing “ready, combat-ca- an artillery relocation training operations concept of distributed Battery, call sign Cutthroat, is per- Japan’s Defense Ministry on pable, 5th-generation aircraft,” program that ends Thursday near lethality across an island chain manently stationed at Marine Tuesday welcomed the announ- Lt. Col. Andrew D’Ambrogi, the Mount Fuji. and, yes, we can do that right Corps Base Hawaii, and India Bat- cement. U.S. Forces Japan didn’t commanding officer of Their training focuses on hon- now,” Capt. Steven Standbury, the tery, call sign Ironman, is from immediately provide details of VMFA-211, said in the statement. ing the expeditionary advanced commander of Charlie Battery, Camp Lejeune, N.C. On Okinawa, what the short-takeoff, vertical- The Queen Elizabeth displaces base operations concept put for- told Stars and Stripes on Friday. they belong to 3rd Battalion, 12th landing jets will do when they ar- 65,000 tons, a bit more than half ward by the Marine Corps in 2018. Sending the Marine units to Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Di- rive in the country. the size of the aircraft carrier It calls for Marines to seize island Camp Fuji demonstrated their lo- vision. They will, however, join a USS Ronald Reagan, stationed at bases within range of an adver- gistical capabilities, Standbury growing fleet of fifth-generation Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan. sary’s weaponry, call in precision said. The units move all their vehi- [email protected] fighters in Japan. The U.S. Navy destroyer USS long-range fires, then move to a cles and equipment to different lo- Twitter: @Beta_Stripes The Marine Corps on Oct. 16 The Sullivans is also part of the redesignated an existing unit at strike group. Marine Corps Air Station Iwaku- ni, in the country’s south, as Ma- [email protected] Biden nominates former Pentagon chief rine Fighter Attack Squadron Twitter: @SethRobson1 weapons buyer for Air Force secretary BY COREY DICKSTEIN uation from the U.S. Military A- Air Force’s future nuclear-capa- Stars and Stripes cademy at West Point, N.Y. An Ar- ble bomber, the B-21 Raider. President Joe Biden will nomi- my veteran, Kendall served about Kendall has been, at times, crit- nate the Pentagon’s former chief a decade on active-duty and even- ical of the F-35 Joint Strike Fight- weapons buyer to serve as his Air tually retired from the Army Re- er program, the most expensive Force secretary, the White House serve as a lieutenant colonel, ac- U.S. weapons system, which de- announced Tuesday. cording to the biography. fense officials and lawmakers said Biden will nominate longtime If confirmed, Kendall would re- last week has continued to face Defense Department official place acting Air Force Secretary ballooning costs and production Frank Kendall as the top civilian John P. Roth, a holdover from for- delays. In 2012, Kendall said the in charge of the Air Force and mer President Donald Trump’s F-35 program, which put jets into Space Force, the White House administration who agreed to fill production several years before said in a statement announcing the job until Biden’s choice for Air they were thoroughly tested, “was the president’s “intent to nomi- Force secretary could be con- acquisition malpractice.” nate” 11 individuals for top nation- firmed. If confirmed by the Senate, his al security positions. Kendall Kendall, 72, had worked on Bi- new position would put him in must be confirmed by the Senate den’s Pentagon transition team charge of the Air Force’s F-35 pro- and a hearing date had yet to be set and had been expected to take a gram. The Navy and Marine Tuesday, according to the Senate. top position in the Defense De- Corps also fly versions of the F-35. Kendall served as former Presi- partment. During his time as the Since leaving the Pentagon, dent Barack Obama’s undersecre- department’s acquisition chief, he Kendall has worked as a consult- tary of defense for acquisition, led efforts to streamline the Pen- ant for defense organizations and technology and logistics from 2012 tagon’s massive acquisition pro- as a human rights lawyer, accord- until January 2017, among numer- gram. He signed off on key mod- ing to a biography provided by the ZACHARY BODNER/U.S. Marine Corps ous roles within the Defense De- ernization programs, including White House. An F­35B Lightning II stealth fighter from Arizona­based Marine partment, think tanks, human the Navy’s future fleet of nuclear Fighter Attack Squadron 211 parks on the flight deck of the HMS rights organizations and the de- ballistic-missile submarines, and [email protected] Queen Elizabeth on Sept. 28, 2020. fense industry since his 1971 grad- oversaw initial production of the Twitter: @CDicksteinDC Thursday, April 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 5 MILITARY Shift: Move reflects DOD’s closer focus on Russia, China FROM PAGE 1 He said the Navy’s special oper- “We are putting ations forces have been focused on pressure on counterterrorism operations but now must begin to evolve beyond ourselves to evolve those missions. For the past two decades, many have been fighting and understand in the deserts of Iraq and moun- tains of Afghanistan. Now they are our gaps in focused on going back to sea. That decision reflects the capability and broader Pentagon strategy to pri- oritize China and Russia, which what our true are rapidly growing their militar- survivability is ANTHONY W. WALKER/Naval Special Warfare Center ies and trying to expand their in- Special Warfare Combatant­Craft Crewman candidates crawl under an obstacle during training in fluence around the globe. U.S. de- against these Coronado, Calif., last year. fense leaders believe that two dec- ades of war against militants and threats.” In recent years, SEALs have ng-related death of an Army ther side is influenced by actually extremists have drained re- been involved in a number of high- Green Beret in Africa. seeing the other. sources, causing America to lose Rear Adm. Hugh Howard profile scandals. One of the most Navy leaders also chafed as Na- In addition, he is intensifying ground against Moscow and Beij- SEALs commander well-known was the arrest of Navy vy SEALs broke away from their the screening process with more ing. Special Operations Chief Edward “quiet professional” ethos, publi- psychological assessments to The counterterrorism fight had global competitors, he said. Gallagher on war crimes charges cizing their participation in the evaluate personality traits. And he its benefits, allowing the SEALs to Adm. Mike Gilday, the chief of that included murder of an Islam- raid into Pakistan that killed bin is expanding other assessments sharpen their skills in developing naval operations, said the goal is to ic State militant captive and at- Laden, the al-Qaida leader re- done by the subordinates and intelligence networks and finding better integrate the SEALs into tempted murder in the shootings sponsible for plotting the 9/11 at- peers of candidates up for review. and hitting targets, said Howard, the Navy’s missions at sea. of civilians during a 2017 deploy- tacks. The increased scrutiny, said who heads Naval Special Warfare “As the Navy Special Warfare ment to Iraq. Two SEALs wrote books about Howard, will extend through all Command, which includes the community returns more and Gallagher was acquitted of all the mission, prompting a rebuke the ranks and will help leaders get SEALs and the special warfare more to its maritime roots, their charges except one, posing in pho- from the Naval Special Warfare a better understanding of each combatant-craft crewmen. “Many increased integration across the tos with the dead captive. A jury commander at the time, Rear service member’s character. The of these things are transferable, Fleet — above, under, and on the recommended his rank be re- Adm. Brian Losey. process, he said, will provide more but now we need to put pressure sea — will unequivocally enhance duced, cutting his pension and “A critical tenant of our ethos is feedback for individuals so they on ourselves to operate against our unique maritime capabilities benefits as he was about to retire. ‘I do not advertise the nature of my can improve and will also help top peer threats.” to help us compete and win But President Donald Trump in- work, nor seek recognition for my leaders pair commanders with the As a result, Howard is adding against any adversary,” Gilday tervened and ordered that Gal- actions,’ ” he said. right teams. personnel to the SEAL platoons to said in a statement to the AP. lagher be allowed to retire without Since taking over last Septem- In some cases, Howard said, beef up capabilities in cyber and Increasing the size of the SEAL losing his SEAL status. ber, Howard reached out to the sailors who already had gone electronic warfare and unmanned platoons will add high-tech capa- More recently, a SEAL team Army and the Marine Corps for through the initial SEAL screen- systems, honing their skills to col- bilities. And decreasing the num- platoon was pulled out of Iraq in ideas on how to better screen his ing had to do it again under the lect intelligence and deceive and ber of units will allow Howard to 2019 amid allegations of sexual as- commando forces and assess new process. Not all did as well the defeat the enemy. rid the force of toxic leaders and sault. Members of SEAL Team 10 them as they move through the second time. “We are putting pressure on be more selective in choosing were involved in cocaine use and ranks. “We learned that some of the of- ourselves to evolve and under- commanders. That decision is a tampering with drug tests. And Almost immediately, he insti- ficers that scored in the midrange stand our gaps in capability and direct result of the erosion in char- Navy SEAL Adam Matthews was tuted a “double blind” process for are officers that I thought would what our true survivability is acter that Navy officials have seen sentenced to a year in military candidate interviews that was be- have scored much higher,” he against these threats” posed by within the force. prison for his role in the 2017 hazi- ing used by the Army, so that nei- said. Iran: Close encounter is 2nd this month FROM PAGE 1 with another Coast Guard vessel, preme Leader Ayatollah Ali Kha- remain vigilant and are trained to the USCGC Wrangell, Rebarich menei. Typically, they involve Ira- act in a professional manner, said. Such close passes risk colli- nian speedboats armed with deck- while our commanding officers sions. mounted machine guns and rock- retain the inherent right to act in The interaction marked the first et launchers test-firing weapons self-defense,” she said. “unsafe and unprofessional” inci- or shadowing American aircraft The incident Monday marked dent involving the Iranians since carriers passing through the Strait the second time the Navy accused April 15, 2020, Rebarich said. of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Guard of operating in an “un- However, Iran had largely stop- the Persian Gulf through which safe and unprofessional” manner ped such incidents in 2018 and 20% of all oil passes. this month alone after tense en- nearly in the entirety of 2019, she Some analysts believe the inci- counters between the forces had said. dents are meant in part to squeeze CODY RICH/U.S. Army via AP dropped in recent years. In 2017, the Navy recorded 14 President Hassan Rouhani’s ad- The USS Firebolt — seen in Manama, Bahrain, last year — fired Footage released Tuesday by instances of what it describes as ministration after the 2015 nucle- warning shots when vessels of Iran's Revolutionary Guard came too the Navy showed a ship com- “unsafe and or unprofessional” in- ar deal. close to a recent patrol in the Persian Gulf. manded by the Guard cut in front teractions with Iranian forces. It They include a 2016 incident in of the USCGC Monomoy, causing recorded 35 in 2016, and 23 in which Iranian forces captured gotiates with world powers in buted to a shadow war between the Coast Guard vessel to come to 2015. and held overnight 10 U.S. sailors Vienna over Tehran and Washing- Iran and Israel, which includes at- an abrupt stop with its engine The incidents at sea almost al- who strayed into the Islamic Re- ton returning to the 2015 nuclear tacks on regional shipping and smoking on April 2. ways involve the Revolutionary public’s territorial waters. deal. It also follows a series of in- sabotage at Iran’s Natanz nuclear The Guard also did the same Guard, which reports only to Su- The incident comes as Iran ne- cidents across the Mideast attri- facility. PAGE 6 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 29, 2021 MILITARY Military virus cases dwindle in Pacific region

BY JOSEPH DITZLER parks and restaurants that serve Stars and Stripes alcohol. Trains and buses in Tokyo TOKYO — Another six people are running on reduced sched- AKIFUMI ISHIKAWA/Stars and Stripes with the U.S. military in Japan and ules. Employees are urged to tele- Pedestrians in central Tokyo wear face masks to prevent the spread of COVID­19 earlier this month. South Korea have contracted the work. coronavirus since April 22, ac- U.S. military personnel, includ- immediately quarantined, ac- according to the World Health Or- ter reviewing those cases. cording to reports as of 6 p.m. ing civilian employees and family cording to the Army. ganization. Five percent of the na- “We will strictly follow FDA, Wednesday. members, are generally prohibit- Marine Corps Air Station Iwa- tion’s population has received one CDC and DOD guidance to in- In Japan, the spring coronavi- ed from off-duty travel to Osaka kuni, 26 miles southwest of Hi- dose of a vaccine, according to the clude information on the rare rus surge continued in the nation’s and Tokyo, with some exceptions. roshima, had one new COVID-19 Korean Disease Control and Pre- risks of blood clots and low levels two largest metropolitan areas. Yokota Air Base allows its popula- patient, according to a base Face- vention Agency. of platelets associated with this Tokyo reported that 925 people tion to travel throughout Japan book post Wednesday. The indi- USFK, like its counterpart in Ja- vaccine,” Peters said. “USFK has had tested positive for the corona- but requires a squadron com- vidual, a recent arrival to the air pan, is standing by to resume in- currently vaccinated 60% of our virus Wednesday, according to mander or equivalent’s permis- station, came up positive on the oculating its population with the eligible population, and the re- public broadcaster NHK. That’s sion to travel to Osaka and the test required to exit quarantine. Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a sumption of issuing the J&J vac- the highest one-day tally since neighboring Hyogo and Kyoto U.S. Forces Korea reported that command spokesman said by cine will increase our vaccinated 1,025 on Jan. 28, according to met- prefectures. a soldier at Camp Humphreys, the email Wednesday. population and protect our affiliat- ro government data. U.S. commands in Japan report- largest U.S. installation in the The Defense Health Agency ed community, both USFK and Osaka prefecture, the second- ed five new COVID-19 patients country, tested positive for CO- and Defense Department ap- [South Korea].” largest metro area in Japan, re- Wednesday, and U.S. Forces Ko- VID-19 on Monday. The soldier proved the one-shot J&J vaccine ported 1,260 newly infected peo- rea reported one. was screened ahead of traveling again Wednesday after a two- Stars and Stripes reporter Yoo Kyong Chang contributed to this report. ple and confirmed 14 deaths U.S. Army Japan, headquar- outside South Korea and is now week pause prompted by a hand- [email protected] Wednesday, according to NHK. tered at Camp Zama 26 miles quarantined on base, according to ful of rare but severe blood clots, Twitter: @JosephDitzler That’s a new one-day high in the southeast of Tokyo, reported in a a USFK news release. USFK spokesman Col. Lee Peters prefecture where the previous news release that four people test- South Korea, like Japan, is ex- said in email to Stars and Stripes. high was set at 1,242 on April 21, ed positive for COVID-19, the cor- periencing its highest new case USFK commander Gen. Robert according to prefectural data. onavirus respiratory disease, be- numbers since January. Abrams must also sign off, Peters Both metro areas are under tween April 22 and Wednesday. The Central Disease Control said. emergency measures authorized Two were already quarantined Headquarters reported 775 newly The Centers for Disease Control by the national government until after recently arriving in Japan, infected people Wednesday. One- and Prevention and Food and May 11 that include closure of and the remaining two fell ill with day new case totals have exceeded Drug Administration on Friday malls, movie theaters, amusement COVID-19 symptoms and were 700 on five of the past seven days, recommended lifting the pause af- Army investigating soldier’s noncombat death in Kuwait

BY COREY DICKSTEIN been notified. across the Middle East and cen- base, among other Army person- Stars and Stripes “We send our heartfelt condo- tral Asia, including Afghanistan. nel stationed there. An American soldier deployed lences to the family of the de- In December, the Army acknowl- to Kuwait to support military op- ceased,” according to the Army edged that it had deployed a Patri- [email protected] erations in the Middle East died statement. ot missile air defense unit to the Twitter: @CDicksteinDC Monday, Army officials said. The death was at least the sec- The soldier was found dead in ond of an American service mem- his living quarters at Ali Al Salem ber in Kuwait this year. A soldier, Air Base, the Army said Tuesday Staff Sgt. Anthony Bermudez, was in a statement. Officials did not killed in a noncombat vehicle provide information about the crash in January near Kuwait's cause of death, stating that it was Camp Buehring, according to the under investigation. The incident Army. was not related to combat, accord- Ali Al Salem Air Base is in cen- ing to the statement. tral Kuwait and hosts several The Army declined to name the thousand U.S. troops, primarily deceased soldier, citing Pentagon from the Air Force. U.S. forces policy to withhold names until at there largely support operations least 24 hours after the family has in Iraq, Syria and other locations Thursday, April 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 7 PAGE 8 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 29, 2021 MILITARY Nigeria latest to seek to host AFRICOM HQ

BY JOHN VANDIVER In Stuttgart, also home to U.S. European Com- Stars and Stripes mand, government officials raised concerns about STUTTGART, Germany — Nigeria’s president Trump’s plan, which would have effectively ended wants U.S. Africa Command to relocate to his region, the U.S. military presence there. making him the latest public official from three dif- While the plan is officially on hold, the Pentagon MATTHEW M. BURKE/Stars and Stripes ferent continents to make a case for the Stuttgart- hasn’t formally canceled the decision. James Strait, principal of Kubasaki High School at Camp Foster, based military headquarters. In September, Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham Okinawa, has been named 2021 Principal of the Year by Department President Muhammadu Buhari raised the idea and Tim Scott from South Carolina made a pitch for of Defense Education Activity. Tuesday during a virtual meeting with U.S. Secretary AFRICOM, touting Charleston as an ideal location if of State Antony Blinken. a spot in Africa isn’t an option. “I asked the US to consider re-locating the AFRI- Questions about whether Stuttgart is the right loca- COM HQ from Germany to Africa — near the Theat- tion for AFRICOM have lingered ever since the com- Principal of Year re of Operation; against the backdrop of growing se- mand was formed in 2007. curity challenges in West & Central Africa, Gulf of Over the years, political leaders from numerous Guinea, Lake Chad region & the Sahel,” Buhari said U.S. states have offered up bases in their home dis- builds community, in a Twitter post after the meeting. tricts in the hopes of gaining jobs and the economic Buhari said that while Nigerian forces are focused ripple effect of hosting a major command. on containing the security challenges the country The Pentagon looked to put a headquarters for pride at Kubasaki faces, the “support of important and strategic part- AFRICOM in Africa when it stood up, but that idea ners like the United States of course cannot be over- was nixed amid a political backlash from some Afri- BY MATTHEW M. BURKE Fort Campbell High School in Clar- stated.” can officials. Stars and Stripes ksville, Tenn., and then Ramey Unit In Nigeria and other parts of West Africa, Boko Ha- Buhari’s suggestion that AFRICOM set up in Afri- CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — School at Fort Buchanan, Puerto ram and Islamic State-linked militants have attacked ca is a sign that some of that previous resistance has Principal James Strait has led De- Rico, in 2015. government forces and killed civilians. faded. fense Department schools through Strait was in Puerto Rico for Hur- It’s unclear how Blinken responded to Buhari’s Still, moving the command of roughly 3,000 per- a hurricane and a global pandemic, ricane Maria and its aftermath in idea, but the odds of such a move are likely slim. sonnel, along with their families, would present the and his nine years of academic lead- September 2017. Maria killed ap- The request, the latest in a long line of pitches over military with a major logistical undertaking compli- ership have not gone unnoticed. proximately 3,000 people, directly the years to move AFRICOM, comes as the Pentagon cated by security concerns. Strait, 51, a soldier-turned-edu- and indirectly, according to NBC reviews how overseas forces are positioned around In 2012, AFRICOM conducted a review of its head- cator in charge of Kubasaki High News. It inflicted about $90 billion the world. quarters location but decided it would be more affor- School at Camp Foster, a Marine in damage in Puerto Rico and the As part of that review, the military is assessing a dable to stay put. Corps base on Okinawa, was named U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the plan by the former Trump administration to move the 2021 Principal of the Year by the National Hurricane Center. AFRICOM out of Germany along with thousands of [email protected] Department of Defense Education “It was pretty brutal,” he said. other troops. Twitter: @john_vandiver Activity, according to a DODEA When Strait took over as princi- statement on April 20. pal at Kubasaki in October 2019, the Strait was lauded for bringing the first thing he did was open a can of community together to support Ku- paint and take a brush to the 75- Contractor gets prison for theft, fraud basaki’s students and excellence in year-old school. Strait said his lead- education. He’ll compete with mid- ership style is to tackle problems in BY PHILLIP WALTER WELLMAN generators and a refrigerator, among other dle and high school principals from a hands-on way to get buy-in from Stars and Stripes items. the civilian world for the National the community. It may be years be- KABUL, Afghanistan — A U.S. contractor has Her co-conspirator, Larry Green, selected the Association of Secondary School fore they get a new school, so beauti- been sentenced to more than four years in prison property and negotiated sales off base. Principals’ Principal of the Year fying it to make the student experi- for her part in stealing and selling over $150,000 He split the money with Quincy, according to award, DODEA-Pacific spokeswo- ence better was the first step. in military property from Kandahar Airfield, the the documents. Green received a 41-month pris- man Miranda Ferguson told Stars Strait said he keeps an open-door Justice Department said in a statement. on sentence and was ordered to pay nearly and Stripes on Monday. The winner policy with parents and teachers Varita Quincy, 35, of Snellville, Ga., must pay $180,000 in restitution in a November ruling. will be announced in October. and has overseen early interven- about $180,000 in restitution, in addition to the Quincy and Green “compromised the security “Mr. Strait’s leadership has tions when kids’ grades take a 51-month sentence, a federal court in Norfolk, of U.S. military and civilian personnel” at Kan- helped to revitalize and reinvigor- downturn. He also meets regularly Va., ruled Tuesday. dahar Airfield by allowing their local conspir- ate Kubasaki High School,” DO- with Marine commanders to listen Quincy pleaded guilty in October to charges of ators to enter the base, the statement said. DEA Pacific South District Super- to their concerns so he can solve federal fraud and theft, along with making false The Special Inspector General for Afghanis- intendent Jim Journey said in the problems and take as much pres- statements. tan Reconstruction investigated the case with statement. “He has worked tireless- sure off deployed service members Quincy used her position as a security super- help from the Army Criminal Investigation ly with students, staff, and stake- as possible. Their focus should be visor at Kandahar Airfield to make fake badges Command and the 939th Military Police Detach- holders to increase the sense of on the mission, he said. that allowed unvetted Afghans to enter the base ment of the Indiana Army National Guard. community, pride, and belonging at Experience prepared him for the between April and July 2015 and remove mili-

Kubasaki High School.” wrinkle posed by the coronavirus. tary property, the court documents said. [email protected] Strait credits his students and “I just think it’s another opportu- The theft ring stole a truck, a van, at least three Twitter: @pwwellman staff for the honor, he told Stars and nity,” he said. “I try not to panic and Stripes on Monday at the school. just trust in the system and trust Strait said he grew up in a tough that DODEA will do their best to get inner-city community in San Anto- the kids back on track.” Unmanned helicopter crashes into LCS nio. He attended Bethel University Going forward, Strait wants to in Minnesota, joined the Army his start an academy for ninth-graders Associated Press Ship about 3:40 p.m. Monday. junior year and after graduating in so they can learn the importance of SAN DIEGO — An unmanned helicopter The ship’s safety net was damaged as was an 1994 served six years on active duty education and what is expected of crashed into the side of a U.S. Navy ship during area above the waterline but it was able to con- followed by 16 in the Reserve. He them and to increase minority par- routine operations in the western Pacific tinue its operations, the Navy said in a state- retired as a chief warrant officer ticipation in Advanced Placement Ocean, officials said Tuesday. ment. four. classes. No one was injured when the 31-foot-long The cause of the crash is under investigation. Strait got his first job as a princi- MQ-8B Fire Scout struck the hull of the USS The Navy declined to give further details or pal in Minnesota. He joined DO- [email protected] Charleston shortly after the helicopter took off specify where the incident occurred or how DEA in 2012 and was assigned to Twitter: @MatthewMBurke1 from the San Diego-based Littoral Combat long the deployment will be. Thursday, April 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 9 VIRUS OUTBREAK India tops 200K deaths as surge breaks health system BY SHEIKH SAALIQ 362,757 new infections, a new state. It took five months to reach hospitals’ oxygen supplies have oxygen supplies. The U.S. will also Associated Press global record, which raised the the first 50,000 dead. The toll hit run out. Desperate family mem- send raw materials for vaccine NEW DELHI — India crossed a overall total past 17.9 million. The 100,000 deaths in the next two bers are sending SOS messages on production, strengthening India’s grim milestone Wednesday of previous high of 350,000 on Mon- months in October 2020 and social media, hoping someone capacity to manufacture more As- 200,000 people lost to the coronavi- day had capped a five-day streak of 150,000 three months later in Ja- would help them find oxygen cyl- traZeneca doses. rus, as a devastating surge of new recording the largest single-day nuary this year. Deaths slowed un- inders, empty hospital beds and Health experts say huge gather- infections tears through dense ci- increases in any country through- til mid-March, only to sharply rise critical drugs for their loved ones. ings during Hindu festivals and ties and rural areas alike and over- out the pandemic. again. Crematoriums have spilled over mammoth election rallies in some whelms health care systems on the India, a country of nearly 1.4 bil- For the past week, more than into parking lots, lighting up night states have accelerated the un- brink of collapse. lion people, is the fourth to cross 2,000 Indians have died every day. skies in some cities. precedented surge India is seeing The health ministry reported a 200,000 deaths, behind the United India thought it had weathered With its health care system sink- now. single-day record 3,293 COVID-19 States, Brazil and Mexico. And as the worst of the pandemic last ing fast, India is now looking at oth- They also say the government’s deaths in the last 24 hours, bring- in many nations, experts believe year, but the virus is now racing er nations to pull it out of the record mixed messaging and its prema- ing India’s total fatalities to the coronavirus infections and fa- through its population and sys- surge that is barreling through one ture declarations of victory over 201,187, as the world’s second- talities in India are severe under- tems are beginning to collapse. state and then another. the virus encouraged people to re- most populous country endures its counts. Hospitalizations and deaths Many countries have offered as- lax when they should have contin- darkest chapter of the pandemic The first known COVID-19 have reached record highs, over- sistance, including the U.S., which ued strict adherence to physical yet. death in India happened on March whelming health care workers. has promised to help with personal distancing, wearing masks and The country also reported 12, 2020, in southern Karnataka Patients are suffocating because protective equipment, tests and avoiding large crowds. Expected pandemic baby boom seems to be a baby bust Associated Press Associated Press analysis of pre- er families. after the spring 2020 lockdowns — reproduction,” said Dr. John San- NEW YORK — When most of liminary data from half the coun- But data from 25 states suggests were down 6.5%, 9.3% and 10% re- telli, a Columbia University pro- the United States went into lock- try. a much steeper decline in 2020 spectively, compared with the fessor of population and family down over a year ago, some spec- The COVID-19 baby boom ap- and into 2021, as the virus upend- same months a year earlier. health . ulated that confining couples to pears to be a baby bust. ed society and killed over a half- December, January and Febru- The analysis included 24 states their homes would lead to a lot of Nationally, even before the epi- million Americans. ary together had about 41,000 few- that provided data on births to res- baby-making. But the statistics demic, the number of babies born Births for all of 2020 were down er births than the same three- idents. Joining them in the analy- suggest the opposite happened. in the U.S. was falling, dropping 4.3% from 2019, the data indicates. month span a year earlier. That’s sis was California, the most pop- Births have fallen dramatically by less than 1% a year over the past More tellingly, births in Decem- an 8% decline. ulous state, which provided data in many states during the corona- decade as many women post- ber 2020 and in January and Feb- “When there’s a crisis, I don’t on all births that happened in the virus outbreak, according to an poned motherhood and had small- ruary 2021 — nine months or more think people are thinking about state, including among visitors. PAGE 10 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 29, 2021 NATION Prosecutor: Man killed by deputies hit them with car

Associated Press contact with law enforcement of- ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — A ficers,” he said, adding that the Black man killed by North Car- car stops again. “The next move- olina deputies hit law enforce- ment of the car is forward. It is in ment officers with his car before the direction of law enforcement they opened fire, a prosecutor and makes contact with law en- said Wednesday. forcement. It is then and only District Attorney Andrew then that you hear shots.” Womble told a judge at a hearing Womble said that officers that he viewed body camera vid- shouted commands and tried to eo and disagreed with a charac- open the car before any shots terization by attorneys for the were fired. family of Andrew Brown Jr. The Pasquotank County sher- They said he did not try to drive iff, Tommy Wooten II, has previ- away until deputies opened fire. ously indicated that none of the A family attorney who viewed deputies were injured. At a news the video also said Brown did not conference hours after the shoot- drive toward officers or pose any ing, he said, “They’re fine,” when SAM DEAN, WING LLC/AP threat to them. asked about the deputies. Girl Scouts Alice Goerlich, right, and Gracie Walker pose with a Wing delivery drone in Christiansburg, Va. Calling the family attorney’s Womble argued that body description “patently false,” camera video from the shooting, Womble said the video shows a portion of which was shown to that Brown’s car made contact the family on Monday, should be Girl Scout cookies take flight with law enforcement twice be- kept from the public for another fore shots could be heard on the month so that state investigators video. can make progress on their in Virginia drone deliveries “As it backs up, it does make probe of the shooting. Associated Press and about. as a revolutionary innovation or a Missing out on Thin Mints in the It’s also the latest attempt to utopian flop remains to be seen. pandemic? A Google affiliate is us- build public enthusiasm for futur- Amazon has also been working ing drones to deliver Girl Scout istic drone delivery as Wing com- on drone delivery for years. In US Catholic bishops cookies to people’s doorsteps in a petes against Amazon, Walmart, 2013, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos Virginia community. UPS and others to overcome the said in a TV interview that drones The town of Christiansburg has many technical and regulatory would be flying to customer’s may press Biden not been a testing ground for com- challenges of flying packages over homes within five years, but that mercial delivery drones operated neighborhoods. deadline has long since passed. by Wing, a subsidiary of Google’s Federal officials starting rolling The company did win government to take Communion corporate parent Alphabet. out new rules in early April that approval to deliver packages by Associated Press to publicly rebuke Biden on the Now the company is adding the will allow operators to fly small drones last August, but Amazon When U.S. Catholic bishops issue. iconic boxed cookies to the more drones over people and at night, said it was still testing them and hold their next national meet- “Because President Biden is mundane drugstore offerings, Fe- potentially giving a boost to com- hasn’t started delivering goods to ing in June, they’ll be deciding Catholic, it presents a unique dEx packages and locally-made mercial use of the machines. Most shoppers yet. whether to send a tougher-than- problem for us,” Naumann told pastries, tacos and cold brew cof- drones will need to be equipped so David Vos, an aerospace engi- ever message to President Joe The Associated Press. “It can fees it’s been hauling to a thinly they can be identified remotely by neer who led Google’s Wing pro- Biden and other Catholic poli- create confusion ... How can he populated area of residential sub- law enforcement officials. ject until 2016, said he has been ticians: Don’t receive Commu- say he’s a devout Catholic and divisions since 2019. The 10-pound Wing drone that surprised that drone delivery pro- nion if you persist in public ad- he’s doing these things that are Wing said it began talking to lo- made the first deliveries in Chris- jects haven’t taken off more quick- vocacy of abortion rights. contrary to the church’s teach- cal Girl Scout troops because tiansburg in fall 2019 is already an ly. At issue is a document that ing?” they’ve been having a harder time artifact held at the Smithsonian “I thought it was completely will be prepared for the U.S. The document, if approved, selling cookies during the pan- National Air and Space Museum. doable to be up and going by Conference of Catholic Bishops would make clear the USCCB’s demic, when fewer people are out Whether it will go down in history 2021,” Vos said. by its Committee on Doctrine, view that Biden and other Ca- with the aim of clarifying the tholic public figures with simi- church’s stance on an issue that lar viewpoints should not pre- has repeatedly vexed the bish- sent themselves for Communi- Walker dies after suicidal man jumps ops in recent decades. It’s taken on, Naumann said. on new urgency now, in the eyes In accordance with existing of many bishops, because Biden USCCB policy, it would still from parking garage, lands on her — only the second Catholic leave decisions on withholding Cleveland.com injuries” when she was hit by the The medical examiner ruled president — is the first to hold Communion up to individual SAN DIEGO — A woman walk- unidentified male. Police officers his death a suicide. that office while espousing bishops. In Biden’s case, the top ing on a sidewalk was killed Mon- tried to give Kahle medical help A woman who was Kahle’s boss clear-cut support for abortion prelates of the jurisdictions day night when she was struck by but she died at the scene. says Kahle was on a second date rights. where he frequently worships a man who had jumped from the The unidentified male who with a man she had met online Such a stance, by a public fig- — Bishop W. Francis Malooly of ninth floor of a parking garage in jumped, who was between 20 and and was walking with him when ure, is “a grave moral evil,” ac- Wilmington, Del., and Cardinal a suicide, San Diego County au- 30 years old, was taken to a hospi- she was killed, CBS 8 reported. cording to Archbishop Joseph Wilton Gregory of Washington, thorities say. tal but died of his injuries. A wit- “I just want people to know she Naumann of Kansas City, Kan- D.C. — have made clear that Bi- A news release from the San ness says the man was seen dan- is an incredible person,” Laurel sas, who chairs the USCCB’s den is welcome to receive Com- Diego County Medical Examin- gling from a railing on a balcony McFarlane of McFarlane Promo- Committee on Pro-Life Activ- munion at churches they over- er’s Office says Taylor Kahle, 29, of the parking garage before he tions told CBS 8. “This tragedy ities and believes it’s necessary see. of San Diego, suffered “massive fell. does not define her.” Thursday, April 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 11 PAGE 12 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 29, 2021 Thursday, April 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 13 PAGE 14 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 29, 2021 Thursday, April 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 15 AMERICAN ROUNDUP

Students make bell stand for USS Vermont RUTLAND — Some VT students at Vermont technical center are building a bell stand for Vermont’s name- sake submarine. The students at Stafford Tech- nical Center in Rutland have been working to construct the mobile metal pole that holds the bell used to signal the crew when a com- manding officer is about to board the USS Vermont, the Rutland Herald reported. The bell stand is also used to display the sub’s ban- ners. The Virginia-class Block IV nu- clear-powered submarine started active service last April and is the third Navy ship to have Vermont’s name since 1816. The USS Vermont Support Group, an organization that pro- vides support to the submarine’s officers, crew and families, com- missioned the project. 2 men accused of robbing 13 banks since January PHOENIX — Two men AZ who allegedly robbed more than a dozen banks in the Phoenix metro area since January were arrested, the FBI an- nounced. They said Richard Pratt, 36, was taken into custody in Phoenix for his alleged involvement in 11 bank robberies, while Francisco ALEXANDRA WIMLEY, PITTSBURGH POST­GAZETTE/AP Bejarano, 32, was arrested in Goodyear in connection with two bank heists — one in Glendale on Making art in the park Jan. 22 and the other in Phoenix Bria Rodgers, center, 9, of Knoxville, Pa., paints a piece of pottery during Art in the Park, hosted by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy at the four days later. Warrington Recreation Center in Pittsburgh’s Warrington neighborhood. The event, open to participants ages 8­12 years old, runs through the FBI officials said Pratt alleged- end of May. ly robbed five banks in Phoenix, two in Apache Junction, two in Ca- copter and crew in Bethel as part THE CENSUS inaugural program June 5-6 on sa Grande, one in Goodyear and of the state’s response to potential the city’s Belle Isle. one in Glendale between Jan. 21 spring flooding. The approximate number of gallons of hydrochloric acid that NXG Youth Motorsports is to and April 4. The helicopter and crew are ex- 100 were spilled at a Rhode Island manufacturing facility. A tanker hold classroom and on-track ac- Federal prosecutors said Pratt, pected to remain until the risk for truck was delivering the acid to ChemArt in a Lincoln industrial park when a tivities in the paddock area of the who is a member of the Gila River flooding along the Yukon and Kus- pump valve malfunctioned and the acid spilled into a containment area, police Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix pre- Indian Community, was indicted kokwim rivers subsides, the guard said. The building was evacuated and a hazardous materials team responded sented by Lear. on 12 counts in connection with the said in a statement. to the site, police said. There were no reports of injuries. NXG (Nexgeneracers) and its robberies while Bejarano was in- The helicopter crew could re- programs feature science, tech- dicted on three counts. spond quickly to a fast-moving swim between the two spots is run nology, engineering and math. event that could require evacua- in large part by the local fire com- Tourist wins $2.1M slot They create opportunities and ex- Police investigating tions, the guard said. pany. Foals are auctioned to help machine jackpot periences for youth through mo- mosque vandalism The guard has previously said keep the herd from overexpand- torsports and focuses on minority its armory in Bethel could serve as ing. Hundreds of thousands of dol- LAS VEGAS — A tour- students from underrepresented MOORHEAD — Po- a regional evacuation site. lars are often raised and go to the NV ist from Alaska visiting communities. MN lice were investigat- The building could house up to fire company. the Las Vegas Strip won more ing hate messages that were found 75 people on cots spaced about 6 than $2.1 million after putting $40 Police: 2 beheaded calves spray-painted on the outside of a feet apart to accommodate pan- Barges float bridge to into a Monopoly Millionaire slot found in roadway mosque in the Fargo, N.D., and demic rules. permanent location machine at The Cosmopolitan, the Moorhead metropolitan area. resort-casino said in a statement. BELLINGHAM — Officers were sent to the Moor- Pony swim canceled WELLSBURG — An “On Sunday, April 25 Monopoly WA Bellingham Police head Fargo Islamic Community again because of virus WV Ohio River bridge was Millionaire lived up to its name,” were investigating how two be- Center, which is located in Moor- floated to its permanent location representatives of the company headed calves came to be in the head. Police said the graffiti was CHINCOTEAGUE — connecting roads in eastern Ohio said in the statement. middle of a road. found in several areas on and VA The annual wild pony and northern West Virginia. The winner was not a guest at Lt. Claudia Murphy told The around the building. swim on Virginia’s Chincoteague Four barges slowly transported the Cosmopolitan, the Las Vegas Bellingham Herald officers were Video surveillance from the Island has been canceled for the the Wellsburg Bridge about a mile Review-Journal reported. The called to Hannegan Road for the building captured images of a sus- second year in a row because of from a construction yard to where winner’s name was not released. report of a traffic hazard. Officers pect wearing a camouflage jacket the coronavirus pandemic. it was to be lifted onto existing arrived and located two dead and dark ski mask. The Washington Post reported trestles, the West Virginia Depart- Youth motorsports calves without their heads in the that the continued presence of the ment of Transportation said. program expanding road, she said. Guard sends helo to town virus and restrictions on gather- The $131 million tied-arch Police have no information over flooding concerns ings were behind the organizers’ bridge will connect state Route 2 DETROIT — An acade- about the death of the animals and decision to cancel the July event. in Wellsburg with state Route 7 in MI my for life skill develop- are seeking help from the public. ANCHORAGE — The Chincoteague and nearby Assa- Brilliant, Ohio. ment for youth through interest in AK Alaska National Guard teague Island are known for their Traffic is expected to open on motorsports is expanding into the is stationing a Black Hawk heli- wild horses. The annual pony the bridge by October 2022. Detroit area and has scheduled its From The Associated Press PAGE 16 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 29, 2021 OPINION

Max D. Lederer Jr., Publisher Lt. Col. Marci Hoffman, Europe commander Lt. Col. Richard McClintic, Pacific commander Biden putting out fires as world’s hot spots simmer BY DAVID IGNATIUS platform for American power. margins. Biden has seemed in his first 100 Washington Post Writers Group Nobody loves a superpower in decline. days to be rushing back into the nuclear deal EDITORIAL WASHINGTON Countries around the world are wondering that President Donald Trump abandoned. Terry Leonard, Editor resident Joe Biden’s first 100 days how far they can push Biden’s America. Chi- Rejoining the agreement makes sense, but it [email protected] in foreign policy have been more nese diplomats lectured their American isn’t an Iran policy. Biden should think big- about undoing than doing — fixing counterparts in Anchorage, Alaska, last ger — and push back at a bullying regime Robert H. Reid, Senior Managing Editor the messes he inherited but not yet month. Russia provocatively moved troops that’s unpopular at home and feared abroad. [email protected] P building a new strategy. Meanwhile, a rest- to the Ukraine border. Saudi Arabia and the Why not start in Lebanon, with a hefty in- Tina Croley, Managing Editor for Content less world is testing Biden, pushing at the United Arab Emirates have secret back- vestment to rebuild a strong Lebanese [email protected] margins, and it won’t wait long for answers. channel contacts with Iran, even as they re- Armed Forces that can finally reduce Hez- Sean Moores, Managing Editor for Presentation The best snapshot of Biden’s disorderly quest more U.S. weapons. bollah’s power? Qatar is said to be ready to [email protected] world is the global threat assessment pre- As Biden enters his second 100 days, he bail out the Lebanese financial system; a sented April 14 by Director of National Intel- needs a clearer strategy for projecting pow- new government, at U.S. insistence, can be- Joe Gromelski, Managing Editor for Digital ligence Avril Haines and CIA Director Wil- er. I’m not talking about starting new “end- gin tackling corruption; and an American-fi- [email protected] liam J. Burns. It’s a worrying document, less wars,” but about working better with nanced and -trained Lebanese military can summarizing intelligence that China, Rus- countries that are willing to fight for them- gradually restore sovereignty. BUREAU STAFF sia, Iran and North Korea “have demon- selves. Finally, there’s the “great power competi- strated the capability and intent to advance Let’s start with Afghanistan, where Biden tion” problem of Russia and China. OK, so Europe/Mideast their interests at the expense of the United is moving quickly to withdraw the remain- let’s compete. Russia figuratively banged its Erik Slavin, Europe & Mideast Bureau Chief [email protected] States and its allies.” ing 2,500 U.S. troops. I’ve been worried that shoe on the table (as the Soviet Union did in +49(0)631.3615.9350; DSN (314)583.9350 The report is 27 pages of bad news. Our ad- we will leave behind a country that will im- testing the new President John F. Kennedy) Pacific versaries perceive a weakened America and plode under a Taliban onslaught, requiring by moving troops to the Ukraine border, but Aaron Kidd, Pacific Bureau Chief are pressing to take advantage. China sees “cold hearts and strong stomachs” as a des- after public and private warnings from [email protected] an “epochal geopolitical shift” away from perate population pleads for help. But Saad Washington, Moscow pulled back. Chinese +81.42.552.2511 ext. 88380; DSN (315)227.7380 the United States and is preparing to fight Mohseni, the head of Moby Group, the big- diplomats were icy in Anchorage, yet they Washington wars in space, at sea and on land. Russia, as gest media company in the country, told me don’t want a hot confrontation, either. Joseph Cacchioli, Washington Bureau Chief usual, is weak in everything except “new Tuesday that this scenario is unnecessarily America’s high card is technology. We’re [email protected] weapons that present increased threats.” bleak. Afghanistan won’t simply collapse still leading that race, but China is gaining. (+1)(202)886-0033 Brian Bowers, Assistant Managing Editor, News Iran “will take risks that could escalate ten- back into the dark ages of Taliban rule. The smartest thing Biden can do is invest in [email protected] sions” in the Middle East. North Korea “will “The Americans don’t realize they’ve owning the high-tech future. Social spend- be a WMD threat for the foreseeable fu- transformed a whole nation,” Mohseni ar- ing for an already overheating consumer CIRCULATION ture.” gues. He rattles off some statistics: The pop- economy can wait. Biden’s response has so far mostly been a ulation is now 50% urban; 80% of the people Even after the Trump wrecking ball, Mideast repair job, understandably so. He wants to watch television; 70% have a cellphone; the America is still the global convener. That Robert Reismann, Mideast Circulation Manager [email protected] retreat from vulnerable positions such as literacy rate has gone from 10% in 2001 to was obvious with last week’s virtual summit [email protected] Afghanistan and strengthen defensible ones more than 50% today. If Afghanistan gets on climate change, attended by both Chinese DSN (314)583-9111 such as the security relationships partner- through the first bloody months after Amer- and Russian presidents. Biden has shown in Europe ships with Japan and India. He seeks to re- ica’s departure, the Taliban will have to Afghanistan that he understands the limits Karen Lewis, Community Engagement Manager store the international partnerships the make concessions, he contends. That’s the of U.S. power. The challenge for the next 100 [email protected] Trump administration had trashed — from bet we should make, with money and train- days — and beyond — is to remind ourselves [email protected] +49(0)631.3615.9090; DSN (314)583.9090 NATO to the Paris climate accord. Most of ing and other support. and the world of this country’s strength and all, he wants to rebuild the U.S. economy as a Iran is another country probing at the staying power. Pacific Mari Mori, [email protected] +81-3 6385.3171; DSN (315)227.7333 CONTACT US Kick meddlesome Russia out of the Iran nuclear talks Washington BY ELI LAKE ly after the completion of the negotiations. The argument for including Russia in the tel: (+1)202.886.0003 Bloomberg Opinion While there, Soleimani cemented a sepa- initial negotiations was based on an as- 633 3rd St. NW, Suite 116, Washington, DC 20001-3050 egotiations over Iran’s nuclear rate agreement between Russia and Iran to sumption that Russia and the U.S. had a Reader letters program just got more interest- aid Syrian dictator Bashar Assad in his common interest in preventing Iran from [email protected] ing. And if President Joe Biden country’s civil war. At the time, the U.S. obtaining a nuclear weapon. In addition, wants them to succeed, he and its allies were supporting the moderate the Obama administration did not believe it Additional contacts N should insist they proceed with one fewer factions of Assad’s resistance. Zarif says could coerce Iran into a nuclear deal with- stripes.com/contactus member. Soleimani’s visit was meant to “demolish out a united front. If Russia and China were OMBUDSMAN The news from Vienna this week is about our achievement,” meaning the nuclear to undermine America’s crippling sanc- a recording made in March for an oral his- deal. tions, then Iran would never feel the eco- Ernie Gates tory project. On the recording, which was Zarif’s candor helps explain other con- nomic pressure necessary to join the nucle- The Stars and Stripes ombudsman protects the free flow first leaked to the Persian news channel cessions made by the U.S. and Western ar negotiations. of news and information, reporting any attempts by the Iran International and then The New York countries as the negotiations wound down. This argument has been discredited by military or other authorities to undermine the newspaper’s independence. The ombudsman also responds to concerns Times, Foreign Minister Mohammad Ja- It was Russia, for example, that insisted on the success of the sanctions the U.S. uni- and questions from readers, and monitors coverage for vad Zarif acknowledges that he was often sunsetting a United Nations ban on conven- laterally reimposed on Iran in 2018 and fairness, accuracy, timeliness and balance. The ombudsman welcomes comments from readers, and can be contacted by undermined and overruled by his country’s tional weapons sales to Iran that expired 2019, which caused foreign banks and oil email at [email protected], or by phone at own security forces in negotiating the 2015 last year. The final deal also no longer re- companies to stay away. America’s econo- 202.886.0003. nuclear deal. The disclosure proved a point quired the International Atomic Energy my is just too powerful to risk the wrath of critics of those negotiations have often Agency to certify that Iran’s past nuclear the U.S. Treasury Department. Stars and Stripes (USPS 0417900) is published week- days (except Dec. 25 and Jan. 1) for 50 cents Monday made: Zarif is merely a representative of, work was not part of a weapons program. The question persists: Why is Russia par- through Thursday and for $1 on Friday by Pacific Stars and Stripes, Unit 45002, APO AP 96301-5002. Periodicals not a counterbalance to, Iran’s hard-liners. Perhaps Russia’s foreign ministry believed ticipating in the nuclear negotiations at all? postage paid at San Francisco, CA, Postmaster: Send The most revealing moment of the re- these concessions would be poison pills in It only gives the Kremlin another piece of address changes to Pacific Stars and Stripes, Unit 45002, APO AP 96301-5002. This newspaper is authorized by the cording involves Russia’s opposition to the Washington. unearned leverage with Biden, who cam- Department of Defense for members of the military services 2015 nuclear agreement. Zarif says that As it turns out, they were not. The sep- paigned on taking a hard line against Presi- overseas. However, the contents of Stars and Stripes are unofficial, and are not to be considered as the official views Russia “put all its weight” against the deal arate Iranian-Russian pact did not deter dent Vladimir Putin. of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government. As a DOD newspa- because, as The Times dryly explains, “it President Barack Obama’s administration Iran understands that only America can per, Stars and Stripes may be distributed through official channels and use appropriated funds for distribution to was not in Moscow’s interests for Iran to from pushing skeptical Democrats in Con- provide it the kind of economic relief it be- remote locations where overseas DOD personnel are located. normalize relations with the West.” That is gress to support the deal. Nor did other last- lieves it is owed. Including Russia in the The appearance of advertising in this publication does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense or an extraordinary admission considering minute concessions. current talks in Vienna is just an invitation Stars and Stripes of the products or services advertised. that Russia was one of six countries nego- All of this helps explain why the deal, for more diplomatic mischief. If you don’t Products or services advertised shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, tiating the deal with Iran. from which the U.S. withdrew in 2018, is so believe me, just ask Javad Zarif. religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical To illustrate Russia’s opposition to the weak. But it also raises another important handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. nuclear deal, Zarif points to the late com- question: At this point, what justification is Bloomberg Opinion columnist Eli Lake covers national security and foreign policy. He was senior national security correspondent © Stars and Stripes 2021 mander of Iran’s Quds Force Maj. Gen. there for Russia to be one of the six nations for the Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence Qassem Soleimani’s visit to Moscow short- negotiating with Iran? for The Washington Times, the New York Sun and UPI. stripes.com Thursday, April 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 17 Eugene Sheffer Crossword Frazz Dilbert

ACROSS 60 Token of 27 Eldest March 1 Sashimi fish immunity on sister 4 First bed “Survivor” 29 Benevolence 8 Gush 61 Bagel topper 30 Cain’s brother 12 — de mer 31 Exceptional Pearls Before Swine Pearls Before 13 Sleek, in DOWN 33 Spots for yachts car lingo 1 “— Blue?” 35 Objectivist Rand 14 Others (Lat.) 2 Actor Linden 38 Harpy 15 Prairie State 3 Imagined 40 Tony-winning 17 Dweeb 4 Cooking oil actress/singer 18 E.T.’s craft 5 Old Oldsmobile Idina — 19 Ice cream 6 Showy flower 43 Persian Gulf parlor orders 7 Boatswain, emirate 21 Pester casually 45 “A mouse!” 24 PBS funder 8 Summer footwear 46 “The Thin

Non Sequitur 25 Equi- 9 Entreaty Man” dog 26 Branch 10 Green land 47 Mark Harmon 28 “Enigma 11 Bankrolls TV series Variations” 16 Conditions 48 Gas container composer 20 Formerly 49 “— Lang Syne” 32 School session known as 53 Menagerie 34 Stephen of 21 Chart toppers 54 Author Tolstoy “Still Crazy” 22 Cruising 55 Superman 36 Japanese 23 Goof up foe Luthor noodles Answer to Previous Puzzle

Candorville 37 Doctor’s order 39 Workout venue 41 Not ’neath 42 “Way cool!” 44 Haystack find 46 West Indies island 50 Up-to-date 51 Read quickly 52 Modern wet blanket Carpe Diem 56 Funny Fey 57 Medicinal plant 58 Director Spike 59 Requests Beetle Bailey Bizarro PAGE 18 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 29, 2021 KENTUCKY DERBY Carmouche to be 1st Black jockey since ’13 BY STEPHEN WHYNO more than 3,400 races and earned $118 mil- Race Track outside Chicago and injuring Associated Press lion since beginning to ride professionally in him and his horse. Long before Kendrick Carmouche started 2000. He came back from a broken leg three “Consequently, white trainers and owners riding horses growing up in Louisiana, Black years ago and set himself up for his first Ken- would be (more) reluctant to ride Black jock- jockeys were synonymous with the sport. tucky Derby mount by riding 72-1 long shot eys on their horses due to instances like Black riders were atop 13 of the 15 horses Bourbonic to victory in the Wood Memorial that,” Goodlett said. in the first Kentucky Derby in 1875 and won on April 3. Bourbonic will leave from the Brien Bouyea, communications director 15 of the first 28 editions of the race. Every- 20th post in Saturday’s race at Churchill for the National Museum of Racing and Hall thing has changed since: Carmouche on Sat- Downs. of Fame, said many Black jockeys left for urday will be the first Black jockey in the He’s also a rarity in a sport now dominated Europe because of better working condi- Kentucky Derby since 2013 and is just one of by jockeys from Latin America. tions and never returned. Manny Ycaza a handful in the past century. “Obviously there haven’t been many in re- came from Panama and blazed a trail for La- Carmouche is now one of the few remain- cent decades, but if you go back to the early tin American jockeys. ing Black jockeys in the U.S. Much like Mar- years of the Derby, the late 1800s, early Along the way, participation by Black peo- lon St. Julien in 2000, Patrick Husbands in 1900s, Black jockeys dominated the Ken- ple in the Kentucky Derby ebbed and NYRA PHOTOS, COAGLIANESE / AP 2006 and Kevin Krigger in 2013, his pres- tucky Derby,” NBC Sports analyst Randy flowed. Kendrick Carmouche will ride Bourbonic ence in horse racing’s biggest event is a re- Moss said. “Guys like Isaac Murphy and Husbands was well-aware of his unique in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. minder of how the industry marginalized Jimmy Winkfield.” place in history when he rode Seaside Re- Black jockeys to the point they all but disap- Carmouche joins St. Julien as the only treat in the 2006 Derby and feels a connec- cause he said in this interview that no race- peared from the sport. U.S.-born Black jockeys in the Derby since tion to Carmouche this year because “the track was being prejudiced to him. ... Now “As a Black rider getting to the Kentucky 1921, which was even then long after the era stepping stone that he’s doing for his culture he’s coming in to ride in the Kentucky Der- Derby, I hope it inspires a lot of people be- dominated by Murphy, Winkfield and oth- is the same stuff I was trying to do for my by. It’s like he’s shining a light out there.” cause my road wasn’t easy to get there and I ers. culture.” Husbands said Carmouche becoming the never quit,” Carmouche said. “What I’ve Chris Goodlett, a historian at the Ken- Knowing the history of Black jockeys, first Black jockey to win the Kentucky Der- been wanting all my career is to inspire peo- tucky Derby Museum, cited a combination Husbands is inspired by Carmouche’s jour- by since 1902 “would be a blessing. It would ple and make people know that it’s not about of Jim Crow laws and segregation in the U.S., ney. bring tears to a lot of people’s eyes.” color. It’s about how successful you are in intimidation by white riders and decisions “When I saw the interview with him two “From my perspective, if I win this race, life and how far you can fight to get to that by racing officials, owners and trainers for years ago, it bring water to my eyes in terms man, it would touch a lot of people,” Car- point.” the decline of Black jockeys in the early 20th of how his wife is white, he’s Black and he’s a mouche said. “A lot of people will be crying, Carmouche is a success story in his own century. One example was white counter- little bit scared of his kids on his streets,” a lot of people will be happy and a lot of hap- right. He is the son of a jockey who has won parts riding Winfield into the rail at Harlem Husbands said. “It brought me home be- py tears.” Thursday, April 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 19 SCOREBOARD/SPORTS BRIEFS

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRO SOCCER DEALS BRIEFLY Saturday’s schedule MLS Tuesday’s transactions EASTERN CONFERENCE BASEBALL SOUTHWEST Major League Baseball Alabama A&M (3­0) vs. Ark.­Pine Bluff WLTPts GF GA American League (4­0) at Jackson, Miss. BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Optioned OF Montreal 1 0 1 4 6 4 Ryan McKenna to alternate training site. NCAA FCS Playoffs Atlanta 1 0 1 4 3 1 Recalled INF Pat Valaika from alternate training site. Optioned RHP Jay Flaa to al­ Canadian travel First Round New England 1 0 1 4 3 2 ternate training site. Saturday, April 24 NYCFC 1 1 0 3 6 2 CHICAGO WHITE SOX— Recalled OF Luis South Dakota St. 31, Holy Cross 3 Inter Miami CF 1 1 0 3 4 4 Gonzalez and RHP Alex McRae from alter­ S. Illinois 34, Weber St. 31 nate training site. Placed OF Luis Robert Delaware 19, Sacred Heart 10 D.C. United 1 1 0 3 2 2 on the 10­day IL. Jacksonville St. 49, Davidson 14 Nashville 0 0 2 2 4 4 KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Signed RHP James Madison 31, VMI 24 Mike Shawaryn to a minor league con­ Orlando City 0 0 2 2 1 1 tract. Optioned RHP Jake Newberry to al­ restrictions may North Dakota 44, Missouri St. 10 North Dakota St. 42, E. Washington 20 Columbus 0 0 1 1 0 0 ternate training site. Recalled 1B Ryan Sam Houston 21, Monmouth 15 Philadelphia 0 1 1 1 1 2 McBroom from the alternate training site. NEW YORK YANKEES— Recalled RHP Mi­ Quarterfinals Toronto FC 0 1 1 1 4 6 May 1 and 2 chael King from alternate training site. South Dakota St. (6­1) vs. S. Illinois (6­3) Chicago 0 1 1 1 3 5 Optioned RHP Deivi Garcia to alternate Delaware (6­0) vs. Jacksonville St. (10­2) Cincinnati 0 1 1 1 2 7 training site. Acquired LHP Wandy Peralta and a player to be named later from San James Madison (6­0) vs. North Dakota New York 0 2 0 0 3 5 alter NHL playoffs (5­1) Francisco in exchange for OF Mike Tauch­ man. Recalled SS Tyler Wade from alter­ North Dakota St. (7­2) vs. Sam Houston WESTERN CONFERENCE (7­0) nate training site. Associated Press one-year contract that could be SEATTLE MARINERS — Claimed INF Jack Semifinals WLTPts GF GA Saturday, May 8 Mayfield off waivers from Los Angeles An­ The NHL is preparing contin- worth up to $6.5 million, including gels and optioned to alternate training TBD LA Galaxy 2 0 0 6 6 4 gency plans if virus restrictions in incentives, a person familiar with Championship site. Transferred INF Shed Long Jr. from Seattle 1 0 1 4 5 1 the 10­day IL to 60­day IL. Canada prevent travel between the deal told The Associated Sunday, May 16 National League At Toyota Stadium LAFC 1 0 1 4 3 1 Press. Frisco, Texas CHICAGO CUBS — Activated RHP Ryan provinces or back and forth to the Sporting KC 1 0 1 4 3 2 Tepera. Semifinal winners Vancouver 1 0 1 4 3 2 CINCINNATI REDS — Optioned OF Mark U.S. during the playoffs. The person spoke on the condi- San Jose 1 1 0 3 4 3 Payton to alternate training site. NHL Commissioner Gary Be- tion of anonymity Wednesday be- TENNIS MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Placed 3B Da­ Real Salt Lake 1 0 0 3 2 1 niel Robertson on the 7­day injured list ret­ ttman on Tuesday called the situa- cause the agreement, which in- BMW Open Austin 1 1 0 3 3 3 roactive to April,26. Recalled OF Corey tion “wildly unpredictable.” cludes a $2 million signing bonus Houston 1 1 0 3 3 3 Ray, C Luke Maile and RHP Patrick Weigel Tuesday from alternate training site. Placed C Man­ The NHL put off the thorny is- and a little more than $3 million At MTTC Iphitos Portland 1 1 0 3 2 2 ny Pina on the 10­day IL. Munich Colorado 0 1 1 1 1 3 NEW YORK METS— Recalled SS Jose Pe­ sue of cross-border travel before guaranteed, had not been an- Purse: Euro 419,470 FC Dallas 0 1 1 1 1 3 raza from alternate training site. Surface: Red clay PITTSBURGH PIRATES — Activated OF the season began by having all nounced by the reigning Super Men’s Singles Minnesota 0 2 0 0 1 6 Ka’ai Tom. Optioned INF Rodolfo Castro. Bowl champions. Round of 32 seven Canadian teams play in the Note: Three points for victory, one point SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Recalled OF NFL Network was first to report Mackenzie McDonald, United States, for tie. Skye Bolt from alternate training site. same division for the entire regu- def. Dusan Lajovic (6), Serbia, 6­4, 6­4. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS— Placed C Yadier the deal. Pablo Cuevas, Uruguay, def. Tennys Saturday’s games Molina on the 10­day IL. Recalled C Ali San­ lar season and first two rounds of Sandgren, United States, 7­6 (4), 0­6, 6­1. Chicago at New York chez from alternate training site. the playoffs. Nothing has been de- The Bucs were already assured Jan­Lennard Struff (7), Germany, def. Sporting Kansas City at Real Salt Lake BASKETBALL Andrej Martin, Slovakia, 6­4, 6­3. Columbus at Montreal National Basketball Association cided about how to handle a poten- of returning all 22 starters from Nikoloz Basilashvili (5), Georgia, def. Los Angeles FC at Houston ORLANDO MAGIC — Signed F Moritz their 31-9 victory over the Kansas Thiago Monteiro, Brazil, 6­2, 6­3. Atlanta at New England Wagner to a contract for remainder of the tial problem. Dominik Koepfer, Germany, def. Philipp Cincinnati at Orlando City season. “Where we play is going to de- City Chiefs in the NFL title game Kohlschreiber, Germany, 4­6, 6­4, 6­3. New York City FC at Philadelphia FOOTBALL Men’s Doubles Austin at Minnesota National Football League pend on COVID, obviously — we in February. Bringing back Round of 16 Portland at FC Dallas BUFFALO BILLS — Re­signed OL Ike Brown ensures Tom Brady will Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen (3), Belgi­ D.C. United at San Jose Boettger. hope to keep everybody healthy — um, def. Jonathan Erlich, Israel, and Divij Sunday’s games CHICAGO BEARS— Exercised LB Roquan pursue an eighth Super Bowl ring Sharan, India, 6­3, 6­2. Smith’s fifth­year option. and it’s going to depend on govern- Luke Saville and John Peers (2), Austra­ Miami at Nashville LAS VEGAS RAIDERS— Signed TE Carson ment regulations in terms of with the entire “band” of offensive lia, def. Harri Heliovaara and Emil Ruusu­ LA Galaxy at Seattle Williams. playmakers assembled around vuori, Finland, 6­3, 6­4. Colorado at Vancouver MIAMI DOLPHINS — Traded G Ereck where we’re going to be able to Guido Pella and Federico Coria, Argenti­ Friday, May 7 Flowers to Washington. the 43-year-old quarterback last na, def. Andrey Golubev, Kazakhstan, and PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Exercised DB travel our players and our teams Andrea Vavassori, Italy, 6­4, 3­6, 10­8. San Jose at Real Salt Lake Minkah Fitzpatrick’s fifth­year option. and where we can’t,” Bettman season. Saturday, May 8 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS — Waived DL Jo­ Estoril Open siah Coatney. said. “If we can’t travel in Canada, Manfred: MLB expansion Philadelphia at Chicago WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM — Exer­ Toronto FC at New York either as among the provinces or Tuesday cised DT Da’Ron Payne’s fifth­year option. fee could be $2.2 billion At Clube de Tenis do Estoril  D.C. United at Columbus Acquired G Ereck Flowers and the 258th from the U.S. to Canada and back, Estoril, Portugal New England at Nashville pick in the 2021 NFL draft from Miami in ex­ Montreal at Vancouver NEW YORK — Major League Purse: Euro 419,470 change for the 244th pick in the 2021 NFL we’ll make whatever adjustments Houston at FC Dallas draft. Baseball would consider expan- Surface: Red clay New York City FC at Orlando City we have to do to get the playoffs Men’s Singles HOCKEY Los Angeles FC at LA Galaxy National Hockey League sion fees in the range of $2.2 bil- Round of 32 Minnesota at Colorado completed.” Richard Gasquet, France, def. Juan Igna­ ANAHEIM DUCKS — Recalled D Trevor lion for new franchises, though cio Londero, Argentina, 6­3, 7­5. Sunday, May 9 Carrick from San Diego (AHL). Reassigned The earliest a Canadian team Marco Cecchinato, Italy, def. Lloyd Har­ Atlanta at Miami D Kodie Curran to San Diego (AHL). would need to play a counterpart there are no current plans to add ris, South Africa, 6­3, 6­4. Seattle at Portland ARIZONA COYOTES— Named Liz Monta­ teams. Pedro Martinez, Spain, def. Alexander Austin at Sporting Kansas City no senior vice president of business oper­ in the U.S. under this season's Bublik (5), Kazakhstan, 6­3, 6­0. ations and strategy. Baseball Commissioner Rob Cameron Norrie, Britain, def. Joao Sou­ AP SPORTLIGHT BOSTON BRUINS — Recalled LW Trent postseason format would be in sa, Portugal, 6­1, 6­3. Frederic from minor league taxi squad. Manfred spoke Tuesday during BUFFALO SABRES — Recalled Ukko­Pek­ June, though there has been spec- Pierre­Hugues Herbert, France, def. April 29 SporticoLive’s online discussion Gilles Simon, France, 7­5, 6­3. ka Luukkonen from minor league taxi ulation about the first two rounds Marin Cilic (6), Croatia, def. Carlos Alca­ 1961 — ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” de­ squad. of its estimates to baseball fran- raz Garfia, Spain, 6­3, 1­6, 6­4. buts. COLORADO AVALANCHE— Signed D Jus­ of the North Division playoffs hap- tin Barron to a three­year, enry­level con­ chise valuations. The company es- Corentin Moutet, France, def. Marcos Gi­ 1970 — Los Angeles Lakers guard Jerry pening in a quarantined bubble. ron, United States, 6­4, 6­7 (7), 6­4. West hits a 60­foot desperation shot at the tract. timated the average MLB fran- Albert Ramos­Vinolas (7), Spain, def. buzzer to tie Game 3 of the NBA Finals COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS — Recalled That could even be in the U.S., Fernando Verdasco, Spain, 6­3, 6­3. against the New York Knicks. The Knicks RW Liam Foudy from Cleveland (AHL). Re­ chise value is $2.2 billion, led by Men’s Doubles outscore the Lakers 9­6 in the overtime for called G Matiss Kivlenieks from minor where 23 of 24 teams now have league taxi squad. the New York Yankees at $6.75 Round of 16 a 111­108 win. fans in attendance. Cristian Garin, Chile, and David Vega 1985 — Tony Tubbs captures the WBA DALLAS STARS — Reassigned F Ty Del­ billion. Hernandez, Spain, def. Edouard Roger­ heavyweight title with a unanimous 15­ landrea to Texas (AHL). Another possibility is moving Vasselin and Fabrice Martin (1), France, round decision over Greg Page in Buffalo, DETROIT RED WINGS— Recalled G Kaden Colorado and Miami paid $95 6­2, 6­7 (5), 10­5. N.Y. Fulcher and C Hayden Verbeek from Grand the North winner to a U.S. hub city Rapids (AHL). Reassigned G Kevin Boyle to million each to join in 1993, and Nicholas Monroe and Frances Tiafoe, 1986 — Roger Clemens set a major for home games when the playoffs United States, def. Pedro Sousa and Fre­ league record by striking out 20 batters as Grand Rapids (AHL). Recalled C Joe Veleno Arizona and Tampa Bay paid $130 derico Ferreira Silva, Portugal, 6­4, 6­2. the Boston Red Sox defeated the Seattle from minor league taxi squad. reach the semifinals, which is Hugo Nys, Monaco, and Tim Puetz, Ger­ Mariners 3­1. FLORIDA PANTHERS — Recalled LW Gri­ million to join in 1998. many, def. Jamie Murray and Lloyd Glass­ 1990 — Pat Riley becomes the winnin­ gori Denisenko and C Aleksi Heponiemi guaranteed to have three Ameri- pool, Britain, 6­3, 6­3. gest coach in NBA playoff history as the from minor league taxi squad. Manfred has said repeatedly NEW JERSEY DEVILS— Recalled C Fabian can teams and one from Canada. Santiago Gonzalez, Mexico, and Marce­ Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston that MLB will not consider expan- lo Demoliner, Brazil, def. Matwe Middel­ Rockets 104­100. Riley’s 100th victory put Zetterlund from Binghamton (AHL). Re­ That hub city could then be used koop, Netherlands, and Marcelo Arevalo­ him ahead of Red Auerbach. called D Connor Carrick and LW Nolan sion until the Oakland Athletics Gonzalez (4), El Salvador, 6­2, 3­6, 10­5. 1998 — For the first time in the 124­year Foote from minor league taxi squad. for part of the Stanley Cup Final if history of the Kentucky Derby, a redraw is PHILADELPHIA FLYERS — Recalled Egor and Tampa Bay Rays get new ball- GOLF ordered during the post­position draw. Zamula from minor league taxi squad. a Canadian team qualifies. parks. The Athletics have pro- Churchill Downs officials allowed ESPN to SAN JOSE SHARKS — Reassigned LW control the announcing of the draw. Com­ Ivan Chekhovich, C Alexander True and Cs Canada has so far lagged behind posed a stadium in the Howard World rankings mentator Chris Lincoln called the No. 15 Fredrik Handemark and Joel Kellman to in vaccinating people against CO- pill twice while picking the draft order for San Jose (AHL). Terminal area of downtown Oak- Through April 25 post positions. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING — Reassigned D VID-19 compared to the U.S. Can- land, and the Rays have said they 2000 — Lennox Lewis knocks down Mi­ Dmitry Semykin to Orlando (ECHL). Re­ 1. Dustin Johnson USA 10.63 chael Grant three times in the first round called D Cal Foote from minor league taxi ada has fully vaccinated 2.71% of will pursue splitting seasons be- 2. Justin Thomas USA 8.99 and knocks him out at 2:53 of the second at squad. people, while the U.S. is just under 3. Jon Rahm ESP 8.87 Madison Square Garden in New York to re­ WINNIPEG JETS— Reassigned C Dominic tween the Tampa Bay area and tain his WBC and IBF heavyweight titles. Toninato to Manitoba (AHL). 29%. Montreal starting in 2028, after 4. Xander Schauffele USA 7.27 The combined weight of 497 pounds made SOCCER 5. Bryson DeChambeau USA 7.20 it the heaviest title fight ever. Major League Soccer That disparity has prevented the expiration of their lease at 6. Collin Morikawa USA 7.18 2003 — Indiana outscores Boston 5­0 in ORLANDO CITY SC — Acquired a 2021 in­ the NHL from relaxing virus pro- overtime for a 93­88 victory, cutting the ternational roster spot from Toronto in ex­ Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, 7. Patrick Reed USA 6.15 Celtics’ first­round series lead to 3­2. It’s change for $200,000 in general allocation tocols for teams that reach a cer- Fla. 8. Tyrrell Hatton ENG 5.97 the first overtime shutout in NBA playoff money. 9. Webb Simpson USA 5.78 history. National Women’s Soccer League tain threshold of vaccination. No plans for those cities have — Acquired F Allie 10. Brooks Koepka USA 5.48 2007 — Phoenix guard Steve Nash has 23 NJ/NY GOTHAM FC assists, one shy of the NBA playoff record, Long from OL Reign in exchange for Source: Brown returning been finalized. 11. Patrick Cantlay USA 5.39 to help Phoenix to a 113­100 victory over $80,000 in allocation money and a 2022 Manfred has mentioned as pos- 12. Tony Finau USA 5.34 the Los Angeles Lakers. second­round draft pick. COLLEGE to Bucs on 1-year deal 13. Rory McIlroy NIR 5.26 2010 — The NCAA’s Board of Directors sible expansion candidates: Char- approve a 68­team format for the men’s MARYLAND — Announced G Ian Marti­ 14. Hideki Matsuyama JPN 5.23 basketball tournament beginning next nez has transferred from University of TAMPA, Fla. — Receiver Anto- lotte, N.C.; Las Vegas; Montreal; 15. Viktor Hovland NOR 5.08 season. It’s the first expansion since 2001 Utah to men’s basketball program. nio Brown has agreed to return to Nashville, Tenn.; Portland, Ore.; 16. Daniel Berger USA 4.68 when the tourney went from 64 to 65 TENNESSEE — Named Joy McCorvey as­ teams. sistant women’s basketball coach. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a and Vancouver, British Columbia. PAGE 20 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 29, 2021 NHL

ROUNDUP Scoreboard

East Division Lafreniere, GP WLOT Pts GF GA Washington 49 32 13 4 68 171 144 Rangers slip Pittsburgh 50 32 15 3 67 170 138 N.Y. Islanders 49 29 15 5 63 136 114 Boston 48 28 14 6 62 139 119 past Sabres N.Y. Rangers 50 26 18 6 58 167 132 Philadelphia 49 22 20 7 51 140 177 Associated Press New Jersey 49 15 27 7 37 127 174 NEW YORK— Alexis Lafre- Buffalo 50 13 30 7 33 122 174 niere scored the go-ahead goal Central Division in the third period, and the New GP WLOT Pts GF GA York Rangers beat the Buffalo x-Carolina 49 32 10 7 71 161 119 Sabres 3-1 on Tuesday night. x-Florida 51 32 14 5 69 166 141 Mika Zibanejad and Brendan x-Tampa Bay 49 33 14 2 68 167 129 Smith also scored and Igor Nashville 51 27 22 2 56 141 146 Shesterkin made 36 saves as Dallas 49 21 16 12 54 140 129 Chicago 49 22 22 5 49 139 158 New York improved to 9-2-0 in Detroit 51 17 25 9 43 115 159 its last 11 home games. Ryan Columbus 51 16 25 10 42 122 170 Strome added two assists. West Division Sam Reinhart scored and Uk- GP WLOT Pts GF GA ko-Pekka Luukkonen made 38 x-Vegas 47 34 11 2 70 160 103 saves for Buffalo, which has lost x-Colorado 46 31 11 4 66 162 112 three of four. x-Minnesota 47 31 13 3 65 151 123 Midway through the third pe- St. Louis 46 21 19 6 48 135 143 riod, Strome’s aggressive fore- Arizona 49 21 23 5 47 132 156 San Jose 48 19 24 5 43 131 167 PHOTOS BY GENE J. PUSKAR / AP check created a turnover be- Los Angeles 46 18 22 6 42 124 137 hind the Sabres’ net, which led Above: The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Mike Matheson, right, and Boston Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron battle for Anaheim 49 14 28 7 35 106 160 to Lafreniere’s 10th goal of his possession of the puck in the corner during the Bruins’ 3­1 win Tuesday in Pittsburgh. Below: Pittsburgh’s North Division rookie season. The sequence Sidney Crosby is sandwiched between Boston’s Curtis Lazar, left, and Chris Wagner. GP WLOT Pts GF GA started after Rangers defense- Toronto 48 30 13 5 65 159 130 man Ryan Lindgren aided Shes- Edmonton 46 28 16 2 58 150 126 terkin to keep the game tied at 1. Winnipeg 48 27 18 3 57 149 135 “He did a great job calling for Montreal 47 21 17 9 51 136 136 the pass,” Strome said of Lafre- Calgary 48 21 24 3 45 128 139 Bruins keep Penguins in Vancouver 42 19 20 3 41 114 132 niere. “I heard him so when I Ottawa 49 18 27 4 40 133 171 spun, I saw him. Great shot by x-clinched playoff spot him. He’s elevated his game. Monday’s games You can see the confidence. I Montreal 2, Calgary 1 Ottawa 2, Vancouver 1 mean, realistically he would on- St. Louis 4, Colorado 1 ly be about halfway through his check, tighten East race Dallas 4, Carolina 3, OT Nashville 4, Florida 1 first NHL season.” Edmonton 6, Winnipeg 1 Los Angeles 4, Anaheim 1 Panthers 7, Predators 4:Jo- BY WILL GRAVES San Jose 6, Arizona 4 nathan Huberdeau had two Associated Press Tuesday’s games N.Y. Rangers 3, Buffalo 1 goals and three assists, and PITTSBURGH — It looked like a playoff game. It Boston 3, Pittsburgh 1 Florida rallied for a victory at felt like a playoff game. Next month, it very well could Washington 1, N.Y. Islanders 0 Columbus 1, Detroit 0, SO Nashville to clinch a playoff be. New Jersey 6, Philadelphia 4 Tampa Bay 7, Chicago 4 berth. Tuukka Rask turned aside 25 shots and the Boston Florida 7, Nashville 4 Aleksander Barkov scored Bruins edged the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 on Tues- Carolina 5, Dallas 1 twice and had and assist for the day night to tighten the playoff race in the hyper- Wednesday’s games Vancouver at Ottawa Panthers. competitive East Division. St. Louis at Minnesota Capitals 1, Islanders 0: Da- Boston’s victory means the top four teams in the Toronto at Montreal Edmonton at Winnipeg niel Sprong scored 1:29 in for his East — the Bruins, the Penguins, Washington and the Colorado at Vegas Anaheim at Los Angeles third goal in two games, Vitek New York Islanders — are separated by six points Arizona at San Jose Vanecek made 18 saves and with just over two weeks to go in the regular season. Thursday’s games Washington shut out New York “We addressed some things before the game,” Bos- Buffalo at Boston Dallas at Tampa Bay to win its first home game with ton forward David Krejci said. “We know where Detroit at Carolina N.Y. Islanders at N.Y. Rangers fans this season and sweep a we’re at in the standings. We talked about some stuff. Philadelphia at New Jersey three-game series. I thought, for the most part, we stuck to the game Pittsburgh at Washington Vancouver at Toronto Devils 6, Flyers 4: Yegor plan.” Florida at Chicago St. Louis at Minnesota Sharangovich scored the go- Rask’s stellar play and goals by Krejci, Brad Mar- Calgary at Edmonton ahead goal at 12:36 of the third chand and Taylor Hall helped the Bruins bounce playoff berth with a win and a loss by the Rangers to Friday’s games period and host New Jersey back from a shutout loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday and Buffalo. Neither happened, meaning any potential Winnipeg at Montreal San Jose at Colorado snapped a 10-game winless offer a glimpse of what lies ahead. Boston blocked 21 celebration will have to wait after the Bruins kept the Los Angeles at Anaheim streak with a wild victory over shots, kept the crease in front of Rask largely clutter NHL’s most potent attack in check to earn their fifth Vegas at Arizona Philadelphia. free and turned aside three Penguins power plays win in eight meetings with Pittsburgh. Saturday’s games Buffalo at Boston Blue Jackets 1, Red Wings 0 early, then basically shut down Pittsburgh late. The Penguins came into the game averaging 4.00 Tampa Bay at Detroit N.Y. Rangers at N.Y. Islander (SO): Patrik Laine and Oliver “I think the past couple of games have been play- goals in April. They left it having been pushed around New Jersey at Philadelphia Bjorkstrand scored in a shoo- off-type hockey,” Rask said. “Both teams are defend- by Boston, which didn’t hesitate to initiate contact all Pittsburgh at Washington Columbus at Carolina tout and host Columbus ing the ice out there. ... I think today, we played a very over the ice and Pittsburgh found little room to work Ottawa at Montreal Vancouver at Toronto snapped a nine-game losing smart and patient game. We got rewarded. Moving down low. San Jose at Colorado St. Louis at Minnesota streak with a win over Detroit. forward, we have to be comfortable playing those Krejci finally broke a scoreless tie with 1:50 left in Florida at Chicago Lightning 7, Blackhawks 4 : types of games.” the second period when he took a feed from Charlie Dallas at Nashville Vegas at Arizona Alex Killorn had a power-play Jeff Carter spoiled Rask’s bid for his 52nd career McAvoy, sliced through the Penguins zone and Los Angeles at Anaheim goal and scored into an empty shutout with his 11th of the season — and third since ripped a pretty backhand past Jarry to give the Calgary at Edmonton Scoring leaders net, and Tampa Bay won at Chi- joining the Penguins at the trade deadline — with 2:21 Bruins the lead. cago to clinch a playoff berth for left, but it wasn’t enough. Tristan Jarry made 28 Marchand, long an issue for Pittsburgh, doubled Through Tuesday the fourth straight season. saves for Pittsburgh as the Penguins saw their four- the advantage with his 26th goal 9:11 into the third GP GAPTS Hurricanes 5, Stars 1: Jor- game winning streak come to a halt. period. Hall, whose arrival at the trade deadline Connor McDavid, EDM 46 28 53 81 dan Staal scored two power- “The whole night it seemed like we were a step be- sparked a turnaround that thrust the Bruins out of a Leon Draisaitl, EDM 46 23 43 66 Nathan MacKinnon, COL 42 19 41 60 play goals and Central Division- hind in terms of winning puck battles,” Pittsburgh midseason funk, collected his fifth of the season and Mitchell Marner, TOR 48 17 42 59 leading Carolina won at playoff- forward Teddy Blueger said. fourth with Boston just over three minutes later to Patrick Kane, CHI 48 15 43 58 chasing Dallas. The Penguins could have clinched a 15th straight seal it. Auston Matthews, TOR 44 34 24 58 Thursday, April 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 21 NBA

Scoreboard ROUNDUP

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division Thunder WLPct GB x-Brooklyn 42 20 .677 — top Celtics Philadelphia 40 21 .656 1½ New York 34 28 .548 8 Boston 32 30 .516 10 to end skid Toronto 26 36 .419 16 Southeast Division Associated Press WLPct GB BOSTON — Lu Dort scored 24 Atlanta 34 28 .548 — points, Darius Bazley added 21 Miami 32 30 .516 2 points and 10 rebounds, and the Charlotte 30 31 .492 3½ Oklahoma City Thunder snapped Washington 27 34 .443 6½ Orlando 18 43 .295 15½ a 14-game skid with a 119-115 win Tuesday over the Boston Celtics. Central Division Isaiah Roby and Ty Jerome WLPct GB each finished with 15 points for the Milwaukee 38 23 .623 — Thunder, who won their first game Indiana 29 32 .475 9 Chicago 26 35 .426 12 since March 31 against Toronto. Cleveland 21 40 .344 17 Oklahoma City committed 27 Detroit 19 43 .306 19½ turnovers but went 13-for-30 from Western Conference three-point range to beat back a fu- rious late charge by Boston. Southwest Division Jaylen Brown had 39 points for WLPct GB the Celtics, who have lost four of Dallas 34 27 .557 — PHOTOS BY CHRIS O’MEARA /AP five. Memphis 31 29 .517 2½ Above: Brooklyn Nets forward Blake Griffin, left, drives against Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam. Mavericks 133, Warriors 103: San Antonio 31 29 .517 2½ Griffin had 17 points in the Nets’ 116­103 win Tuesday in Tampa, Fla., as the Nets clinched a playoff spot.Luka Doncic scored 39 points and New Orleans 27 34 .443 7 Houston 15 47 .242 19½ Below: Brooklyn forward Jeff Green shoots over Toronto center Khem Birch. short-handed Dallas rolled to a win Northwest Division at Golden State. Warriors guard Stephen Curry WLPct GB scored 27 points with five more x-Utah 44 17 .721 — Denver 40 21 .656 4 three-pointers, extending his NBA Portland 33 28 .541 11 Nets march past Raptors, record for three-pointers in a Oklahoma City 21 41 .339 23½ month to 90 in April after he reac- Minnesota 19 44 .302 26 hed 85 on Sunday night to pass Pacific Division James Harden’s 82 set in Novem- WLPct GB earn East’s 1st playoff spot ber 2019. Phoenix 43 18 .705 — Bucks 114, Hornets 104:Gian- L.A. Clippers 43 20 .683 1 nis Antetokounmpo had 29 points L.A. Lakers 36 25 .590 7 Durant leads Brooklyn’s 116-103 comeback win and 12 rebounds, Brook Lopez Golden State 31 31 .500 12½ BY JOHN DENTON Sacramento 25 36 .410 18 it,” said Brooklyn coach Steve added 22 points and Milwaukee x-clinched playoff spot Associated Press Nash, whose Nets made 13 of 19 won at Charlotte to avoid a sweep Tuesday’s games TAMPA, FLA. — Kevin Durant shots in the fourth quarter. of the teams’ regular-season se- Portland 133, Indiana 112 scored seven of his 17 points in the Brooklyn won for a third ries. Milwaukee 114, Charlotte 104 Oklahoma City 119, Boston 115 fourth quarter, Jeff Green had 22 straight time and the fourth time Trail Blazers 133, Pacers 112: Brooklyn 116, Toronto 103 Minnesota 114, Houston 107 points and the Brooklyn Nets in five games to prevent Toronto Anfernee Simons scored 27 points Dallas 133, Golden State 103 clinched a playoff spot Tuesday from pulling off the season sweep. on nine three-pointers, two shy of Wednesday’s games night by rallying late to beat the The Raptors, who were led by Damian Lillard’s franchise re- Atlanta at Philadelphia Orlando at Cleveland Toronto Raptors 116-103. Kyle Lowry’s 24 points, had their cord, and Portland rolled at Indi- Charlotte at Boston Chicago at New York Trailing 90-84 early in the five-game home winning streak ana to end its five-game losing L.A. Lakers at Washington fourth period, Brooklyn used a end. One of those victories was a streak. San Antonio at Miami New Orleans at Denver game-turning 16-2 run to grab 114-103 defeat of the Nets last Timberwolves 114, Rockets Portland at Memphis L.A. Clippers at Phoenix control. Later, Durant hit a three- week. 107: Karl-Anthony Towns scored Utah at Sacramento pointer with 1:47 remaining and On Tuesday, Toronto got out- 31 points and Minnesota won at Thursday’s games glared at the Toronto bench after scored 31-24 in the fourth quarter Houston. Brooklyn at Indiana Dallas at Detroit putting his team up 111-101. after making just 7 of 21 shots. Anthony Edwards added 19 Golden State at Minnesota Milwaukee at Houston Durant, who was playing his “I don’t think 116 is an outland- points and nine rebounds for the New Orleans at Oklahoma City second game after returning from ish number for that (Brooklyn) 24 hours after beating Cleveland Timberwolves. Toronto at Denver a thigh injury, added 10 rebounds team, but we’ve just got to score a 112-96 in Tampa on Monday. Friday’s games Atlanta at Philadelphia in 33 minutes for his eighth dou- little bit more,” Toronto coach Back-to-back sets of games have San Antonio at Boston ble-double. Nick Nurse said. “The opportuni- been a problem all season for the Washington at Cleveland Orlando at Memphis “Just all of the adversity that ties were there.” Raptors, who are 2-12 on the sec- Portland at Brooklyn Milwaukee at Chicago we’ve fought through this year Newly signed guard Mike ond night of consecutive games. Utah at Phoenix with injuries, protocols, trade sit- James scored all of his 11 points in Nash said he’s come to grips Sacramento at L.A. Lakers uations and guys being in and out the fourth quarter as the Nets ral- with the Nets not having James Leaders of the lineup, I’m very proud of ev- lied from an 83-80 deficit to start Harden, Durant and Irving on the Through Tuesday erybody in the organization top to the final period. Blake Griffin shot floor together prior to the playoffs, Scoring bottom,” Durant said. 6-for-11 and scored 17 points off if even then. Remarkably, Brook- GFG FT PTS AVG Kyrie Irving finished with nine the bench. lyn’s trio of superstars have Beal, WAS 52 579 360 1632 31.4 points, six rebounds and four as- “It seemed like there was a lot of played just seven games together Curry, GS 54 552 302 1684 31.2 sists. Seven other Nets scored in back and forth for the majority of all season because of injuries and Doncic, DAL 56 567 297 1600 28.6 double figures on the night Brook- the game, but we were able to COVID protocols. Rebounds lyn became the first Eastern Con- wear them down by the end of the “We recognize now that we’re GOFF DEF TOT AVG ference team to lock up a playoff game,” said Joe Harris, who had not going to have the luxury of a Capela, ATL 54 261 532 793 14.7 spot. 16 points. run of games with everyone avail- CHARLES KRUPA /AP Gobert, UTA 60 203 606 809 13.5 “Tonight was a night where our It was just the 19th time all sea- able, and we may not have that to Oklahoma City Thunder forward Valanciunas, MEM 52 211 430 641 12.3 connectivity really showed be- son that Durant has been on the start the playoffs,” Nash said. “It’s Luguentz Dort, left, drives to the Assists cause Toronto put us under du- floor with Irving because of inju- been like an avalanche of relent- basket against Boston Celtics GAST AVG ress. When things weren’t going ries. The Nets are 12-7 in those less injuries, games and travel and guard Evan Fournier during the Westbrook, WAS 54 593 11.0 our way we could have started to games. it’s just part of the challenge for Thunder’s 119­115 win Tuesday Young, ATL 54 516 9.6 splinter, but our guys stuck with Toronto was in action less than this team.” in Boston. PAGE 22 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 29, 2021 HIGH SCHOOL: DODEA EUROPE/NFL DRAFT Two marksmanship teams claim titles Stuttgart, Kaiserslautern finish atop JROTC fields

BY KENT HARRIS Senior Maria Tortorelli, a two-time Eu- Stars and Stripes ropean champion, was 11th overall with a The top two high school marksmanship score of 1,169 and was perfect in the prone programs in Europe continue to hold their competition. Teammate Leila Ybarra fin- own against the top JROTC competition in ished with the same overall score and was 13th the United States. based on other criteria. Kate Swett, second in Stuttgart, which has won eight straight Europe this year, finished 37th with a score of DODEA Europe marksmanship titles, de- 1,161. Freshman Nole Smith was 53rd with a fended its Army JROTC precision class title 1,154 total. earlier this month in a virtual competition, Smith said Wednesday that she was ERIC SAN PEDRO / For Stars and Stripes edging Fountain-Fort Carson of Colorado by thrilled with her team’s finish and happy with Hannah San Pedro, left, and Jonathan Stricker shoot during the kneeling portion of six points. The score also earned the Panthers her own efforts in light of her relative inexpe- Kaiserslautern’s participation in the Air Force JROTC precision class national quartet a No. 3 finish in the all-service rank- rience with the air rifles used in the competi- competition. The Raiders retained their title from a year ago. ings and a chance to compete in the Junior tions. Olympics this summer at Camp Perry, Ohio. “I had never even touched a gun before, so manship competitor in Europe, was led by ju- The top two programs were both Marine Kaiserslautern, second to Stuttgart in Eu- I was kind of nervous about” trying out the nior Aiden Malcolm (1,150, 64th). Other team Corps JROTC entrants. Granbury High rope the past two seasons, retained the Air sport, she said. “I thought about volleyball, members included junior Jonathan Stricker School of Texas won that service event and Force JROTC precision class title with a 30- but then that got canceled (due to COVID-19 (1,147, 69th), freshman Hannah San Pedro finished first overall with a total score of point victory margin over Cherokee High restrictions). So I was in JROTC and thought (1,145, 76th) and junior Vivian Dougherty 4,709. Second-place East Coweta High School of Georgia. The Raiders finished 15th I’d give it a try.” (1,134, 98th). School of Georgia scored 4,657 — just four in the all-services rankings. Fellow freshman Regina Angeles, who The four shooters were third, fourth, sixth more than Stuttgart. The Navy winner was Stuttgart tallied the second-best prone po- served as alternate for the team, said much of and ninth in the Air Force competition. Cienega High School of Arizona, which was sition score on the second day of the two-day the credit goes to longtime coach Raul Pinon, Two other DODEA Europe programs seventh overall. competition, scoring 794 of a potential 800. who pushes his shooters to improve every competed. Ansbach finished 35th and Alcon- Granbury’s Sarah Folsom was the top indi- The Panthers were better in standing on the time they head to the range. bury 42nd among the 49 programs that qual- vidual finisher with a total of 1,187. second day than the first (758 to 746) but were “He doesn’t sugarcoat it,” she said, laugh- ified. Collin Robertson (1,125, 122nd) was the better on kneeling on the first day (778 to ing. Cougars’ top scorer and Christopher Pardo [email protected] 784). Kaiserslautern, the newest JROTC marks- (1,179, 184th) led the Dragons. Twitter: @kharris4stripes Decision: 49ers paid a steep price to acquire the No. 3 pick

FROM PAGE 24 he said. “I look at it as there are some spe- Alabama’s Mac Jones is squarely in conten- cial players or special people. I don’t care tion. when Drew Brees comes out, whether it’s “We do this for a living, and I think people 30 years from now, 30 years ago or today, should be proud of us that we won’t let that Drew is going to be pretty good. So is Philip affect our decision,” Shanahan said. “Then Rivers. So are all these guys.” it’s up to us to live with the consequences.” Shanahan said it would be great to find a If this pick doesn’t work out the conse- passer such as Brees with the mobility of quences for Shanahan and Lynch could be Lamar Jackson, but that there’s no clear- significant based on the heavy price they cut answer to which one is best. paid to move up in the draft. “That’s what’s so exciting about this San Francisco dealt the No. 12 pick in this year,” he said. “I do see five guys. But no year’s draft, first-round picks in 2022 and one’s ever a slam dunk.” ’23, as well as a 2022 third-rounder to Miami The Niners made this trade because they for the third selection where they could be wanted an upgrade over Jimmy Garoppolo, assured of one of the top passers in a quar- who has been a capable quarterback when terback-rich draft. healthy but has also missed 23 games be- Shanahan said it’s a “little dramatic” to cause of injuries the past three seasons. call this one of the most consequential deci- Shanahan and Lynch were adamant at sions in franchise history, but it’s difficult to the time of the trade that the plan was for find many bigger ones. Garoppolo to remain the starter in 2021. “We decided we needed a starting quar- That stance has appeared to soften with terback. So we traded two ones to get a start- Shanahan saying he “can’t guarantee that ing quarterback,” Shanahan said. “That’s anybody in the world will be alive Sunday, how much it costs to do these type of things. so I can’t guarantee who will be on our ros- Or you just sit there and wait and keep your ter on Sunday.” fingers crossed and hope things work out.” Garoppolo is owed $24.1 million this sea- The three likely possibilities offer differ- MICHAEL AINSWORTH, LEFT, AND BRUCE KLUCKHOHN, RIGHT/AP son but none of that salary is guaranteed, ent attributes and Shanahan said he be- Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, left, and North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance, making it easy for the Niners to get out of the lieved all of them have what it takes to be the right, are two other options for the 49ers with the No. 3 pick in Thursday’s NFL Draft. deal if they want. Garoppolo does have a no- kind of quarterbacks teams can win with in trade clause, which gives him say in where the NFL. Shanahan attended in person, as well as young quarterbacks such as Patrick Ma- he plays next if San Francisco chooses to go Shanahan said he had a preference at the Zoom interviews where the QBs tried to homes and Josh Allen, Shanahan has al- a different direction. time of the deal in March but nothing “was show their mastery of the offense on iPads. ways maintained that the ability to win from “He’s taking part in our virtual meetings, set in stone.” He has been impressed with While Fields and Lance offer much more the pocket is paramount. plans on being at the workouts,” Lynch said. Jones, Fields and Lance through the eval- in the running game and have the athleti- “There’s lots of different ways you can do “Jimmy’s been completely professional, as uation process that included pro days that cism of some of the current successful it. I don’t look at it as trends in the league,” he always has been with us.” Thursday, April 29, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 23 MLB

Scoreboard ROUNDUP

American League East Division WLPct GB Boston 15 9 .625 _ Tampa Bay 12 12 .500 3 Guerrero slugs Jays past Nats Toronto 11 11 .500 3 Baltimore 10 13 .435 4½ New York 10 13 .435 4½ He hits 3 homers, has 7 Central Division RBI, in Toronto’s 9-5 win WLPct GB Kansas City 14 8 .636 _ Associated Press Chicago 12 10 .545 2 DUNEDIN, Fla. — Vladimir Cleveland 11 11 .500 3 Guerrero Jr. hit three home runs, Detroit 8 16 .333 7 Minnesota 7 15 .318 7 including a grand slam and solo West Division shot off Washington ace Max WLPct GB Scherzer, and had seven RBIs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Na­ Oakland 15 9 .625 _ Seattle 13 11 .542 2 tionals 9­5 on Tuesday night. Houston 12 11 .522 2½ Guerrero’s slam in the third put Los Angeles 11 11 .500 3 the Blue Jays ahead 4­3 and ended Texas 10 14 .417 5 Scherzer’s scoreless streak at 19 National League innings. East Division Guerrero made it 7­3 with his WLPct GB drive in the fifth and added a two­ New York 9 9 .500 _ run, seventh­inning shot off Kyle Atlanta 11 12 .478 ½ Finnegan to complete his first Philadelphia 11 12 .478 ½ three­homer game. Miami 10 13 .435 1½ Scherzer (1­2) joined Ivan Nova Washington 8 12 .400 2 as the only pitchers to have al­ Central Division lowed a homer to both Guerrero WLPct GB Jr. and his father, Hall of Famer Milwaukee 14 9 .609 _ Vladimir Guerrero. Scherzer al­ MIKE CARLSON / AP Pittsburgh 12 11 .522 2 St. Louis 12 11 .522 2 lowed seven runs — five earned — Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gestures rounding third base after hitting his third home run against the Cincinnati 11 12 .478 3 and eight hits over five innings. Washington Nationals during the seventh inning of the Blue Jays’ 9­5 win Tuesday in Dunedin, Fla. Chicago 10 13 .435 4 “I’m feeling very blessed right West Division now,” Guerrero said. “Hitting two fourth straight. Houser began the day 2­for­28 WLPct GB homers against a legend like that, 12 A.J. Minter pitched a perfect (.071) with 21 strikeouts in his ca­ Los Angeles 15 9 .625 _ it’s unbelievable what I’m feeling eighth. Nico Hoerner’s one­out reer at the plate. With two outs and San Francisco 15 9 .625 _ right now.” single off Jacob Webb in the ninth no one on base in the second, he Arizona 12 11 .522 2½ Come-from-behind wins this season Tommy Milone (1­0) was the by the Boston Red Sox, tops in the was the Cubs’ second hit, but lined the first pitch from Daniel San Diego 13 12 .520 2½ winner. Webb struck out Willson Contre­ Castano over the wall in center Colorado 9 14 .391 5½ major leagues this season. Rays 4, Athletics 3:Brett Phil­ ras and David Bote to end the field. Tuesday’s games SOURCE: Associated Press Pittsburgh 2, Kansas City 1 lips hit a two­run homer in the game. Tigers 5, White Sox 2: Miguel Cleveland 7, Minnesota 4 sixth, helping send visiting Oak­ Cardinals 5, Phillies 2: Carlos Cabrera and Niko Goodrum Boston 2, N.Y. Mets 1 N.Y. Yankees 5, Baltimore 1 land to its second loss in 16 games. and seven hits over seven innings, Martínez (1­4) allowed two runs — homered, José Ureña threw seven Toronto 9, Washington 5 1 Tampa Bay 4, Oakland 3 Joey Wendle’s two­out single in issuing no free passes one start af­ one earned — and two hits in 7 ⁄3 innings for his first win in two Houston 2, Seattle 0 the seventh tacked on another run ter walking six. innings for his first win as a starter years, and Detroit overcame a Texas 6, L.A. Angels 1 Detroit 5, Chicago White Sox 2 for Tampa Bay and ended its 0­ The Red Sox improved to an AL since 2018. season­high five errors to win at Atlanta 5, Chicago Cubs 0 St. Louis 5, Philadelphia 2 for­26 stretch with runners in East­leading 15­9, including a ma­ Paul Goldschmidt and Tommy Chicago. Milwaukee 5, Miami 4 Arizona 5, San Diego 1 scoring position. jor league­most 12 comeback vic­ Edman hit two­run doubles and The Tigers matched their high­ Colorado 7, San Francisco 5, 10 innings Phillips’ first homer of the sea­ tories. Matt Barnes fanned Pete Nolan Arenado doubled twice as est error total since they commit­ Cincinnati 6, L.A. Dodgers 5 Alonso and J.D. Davis during a 1­ host St. Louis won for the fourth ted five against the White Sox in Wednesday’s games son came off Frankie Montas Minnesota at Cleveland (2­2). Jeffrey Springs (1­0) got the 2­3 ninth for his fifth save. David time in five games. Alex Reyes Chicago on Aug. 31, 2014. Kansas City at Pittsburgh win in relief. Diego Castillo gave Peterson (1­3) was the loser. picked up his sixth save. Diamondbacks 5, Padres 1: Boston at N.Y. Mets N.Y. Yankees at Baltimore up a home run to Sean Murphy in Indians 7, Twins 4: Franmil Rangers 6, Angels 1: Joey Gal­ Merrill Kelly gave Arizona anoth­ Washington at Toronto Oakland at Tampa Bay the ninth before earning his fifth Reyes homered twice, including a lo ended the longest home run er strong pitching performance L.A. Angels at Texas Detroit at Chicago White Sox save. 452­foot drive that landed in the drought of his career at 20 games and Carson Kelly hit a two­run Seattle at Houston Yankees 5, Orioles 1: Corey left­field bleachers about six rows with the Texas slugger’s hardest homer against visiting San Diego. Miami at Milwaukee Cincinnati at L.A. Dodgers Kluber (1­2) won for the first time in front of the scoreboard as Cle­ hit of the season, an early tie­ The Diamondbacks have won Chicago Cubs at Atlanta Philadelphia at St. Louis since April 20, 2019, to gain his veland won at home. breaking two­run shot, and Texas seven of eight, improving to 12­11 San Diego at Arizona first victory as a Yankee, and Kyle José Ramírez drove in two runs, beat visiting Los Angeles. for the season. It’s the first time Colorado at San Francisco Thursday’s games Higashioka had two hits and including a first­inning homer Nick Solak homered twice to they’ve been above .500 this year. N.Y. Yankees (Montgomery 1-1) at Balti- homered again as he gains playing that helped the Indians to a win take the Rangers’ team lead with Rockies 7, Giants 5 (10):Ryan more (López 1-3) time from Gary Sánchez. over their AL Central rival for the seven as they stopped a second McMahon and C.J. Cron hit back­ Oakland (Bassitt 2-2) at Tampa Bay (Yar- brough 1-2) Aaron Judge and Giancarlo second straight night. four­game losing streak, their to­back home runs in the 10th in­ Seattle (Kikuchi 0-1) at Houston (TBD) Boston (Pérez 0-1) at Texas (Gibson 2-0) Stanton also homered — New Pirates 2, Royals 1: Pinch­hit­ longest of the season. ning and Colorado finally won on Detroit (Boyd 2-2) at Chicago White Sox (Cease 0-0) York is 9­0 when they go deep in ter Wilmer Difo delivered the go­ Astros 2, Mariners 0: Cristian the road, beating San Francisco. Philadelphia (Nola 2-1) at St. Louis (Kim the same game, including the ahead single off Scott Barlow in Javier combined with two reliev­ Garrett Hampson also went 1-0) Chicago Cubs (Alzolay 0-2) at Atlanta playoffs. The Yankees stopped a the seventh, and host Pittsburgh ers on a two­hitter, and host Hous­ deep for the Rockies, and Charlie (TBD) L.A. Dodgers (Bauer 3-0) at Milwaukee four­game skid at Camden Yards stopped Kansas City’s five­game ton beat Seattle. Blackmon added two hits and two (Peralta 2-0) and at 10­13 moved into a tie with winning streak. Javier (3­0) allowed two hits in RBIs. Colorado (Senzatela 1-3) at Arizona (Weaver 1-2) Baltimore for last in the AL East. The Pirates (12­11) have won seven innings — both by Kyle Reds 6, Dodgers 5: Joey Votto Friday’s games Kluber allowed one run and six three straight games and 11 of 16 Seager — struck out six and walk­ hit a go­ahead double, Jesse Wink­ Detroit at N.Y. Yankees 2 Atlanta at Toronto hits with five strikeouts in 6 ⁄3 in­ since a 1­6 start, moving back ed three. He extended his score­ er homered and drove in two runs, Houston at Tampa Bay nings. above .500 for the first time since less streak to 17 innings over three and Cincinnati rallied for the sec­ Boston at Texas Cleveland at Chicago White Sox Red Sox 2, Mets 1: Garrett Ri­ it was 1­0. starts and lowered his ERA to ond straight night to win at Los Kansas City at Minnesota Baltimore at Oakland chards finally found the strike Braves 5, Cubs 0: Ian Ander­ 0.87. Angeles. L.A. Angels at Seattle zone and punched out 10, and Bob­ son (2­0) allowed one hit in seven Brewers 5, Marlins 4: Adrian The defending World Series St. Louis at Pittsburgh Miami at Washington by Dalbec hit his first homer this innings, lowering his ERA to 2.48, Houser pitched effectively into champion Dodgers have dropped N.Y. Mets at Philadelphia Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati season as Boston won at New and Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a long the sixth inning and hit his first ca­ six of eight, including three L.A. Dodgers at Milwaukee York. home run off Trevor Williams reer home run, leading host Mil­ straight for the first time since Colorado at Arizona San Francisco at San Diego Richards (1­2) allowed a run (2­2) as visiting Chicago lost its waukee past Miami. 2019. PAGE 24 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 29, 2021 Eight-year gap SPORTS Carmouche first Black jockey in Derby since 2013 ›› Page 18

NFL DRAFT

Head coach Kyle Shanahan, right, and the San Francisco 49ers are in the market for a successor to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, left, after trading three first­round picks and a third­round pick to the Miami Dolphins for the No. 3 selection in Thursday’s NFL Draft.

RICK SCUTERI/AP Difficult decision 49ers face consequential choice at QB

BY JOSH DUBOW first-round picks to move up to No. 3 in Associated Press the NFL Draft on Thursday night. SANTA CLARA, Calif. While the public sentiment among yle Shanahan gets advice about what the 49ers fans is pointing to Ohio State’s San Francisco 49ers should do with the Justin Fields and North Dakota No. 3 draft pick wherever he goes these State’s Trey Lance as the top two days. choices after Trevor Lawrence and Niners fans he runs into at restaurants, Zach Wilson are projected to go off Lynch Kparents of his kids’ friends, referees at youth soccer the board at Nos. 1 and 2, Shanahan games or longtime pals are happy to let the 49ers coach said he won’t be swayed by public opinion and that know which quarterback they believe he and general manager John Lynch should take after trading three SEE DECISION ON PAGE 22

With Trevor Lawrence going No. 1 and Zach Wilson expected to go No. 2, the 49ers should have their choice of the remaining quarterbacks: Ohio State’s Justin Fields, right, North Dakota State’s Trey Lance or Alabama’s Mac Jones.

JOHN BAZEMORE/AP

Nets first in East to lock up playoff berth ›› NBA, Page 21