FOOD: Hello Fresh a predictable option in Germany Page 23 MLB: Ban puts game in The ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise returns sticky situation Page 48 Ranking 20 years of ‘F&F’ films, Page 15 TRAVEL: Pokemon manhole Review, Page 17 covers come to Tokyo Page 25 stripes.com Volume 80 Edition 50 ©SS 2021 FRIDAY,JUNE 25, 2021 $1.00 White House to help Afghan allies Officials: US plans to move thousands who aided military BY AAMER MADHANI AND ELLEN KNICKMEYER Associated Press The Biden administration plans to evacuate tens of thousands of Afghan interpreters and others who worked with U.S. forces dur- ing the war while their applica- tions for U.S. entry are processed, according to officials familiar with the matter. A senior administration official said planning has accelerated in recent days to relocate Afghans, and their families who assisted Americans during the nearly 20- year war to other countries or U.S. territories. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to dis- cuss unannounced plans. The administration intends to carry out the evacuation later this summer, likely in August, accord- SEE AFGHAN ON PAGE 3 RELATED Turkish, US officials discuss security plans MARIAM ZUHAIB/AP for Afghan airport Former Afghan interpreters hold banners during a protest against the U.S. government and NATO on April 30 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Amid Page 3 mounting pressure to act, officials say the U.S. is likely to move Afghans who supported U.S. military operations in August. Austin, Milley push back against lawmakers’ extremism, diversity challenges BY COREY DICKSTEIN service members be taught so-called criti- race theory is, and what the relevance is Stars and Stripes cal race theory, Defense Secretary Lloyd here with the [Defense] Department,” Aus- The Pentagon’s top leaders on Wednes- Austin told the House Armed Services tin told Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who ques- day offered full-throated defenses of their Committee. The typically stoic Pentagon tioned the military’s use of critical race the- handling of extremism and diversity issues leader grew emotional at times as several ory. “We don’t teach critical race theory, we amid challenges from House Republicans Republican lawmakers questioned the don’t embrace critical race theory, and I skeptical of efforts to root out radicals and stand-down that he ordered in February to think that’s a spurious conversation.” racists in the military force. discuss extremism and accused the mili- Austin testified Wednesday before the The Pentagon is not looking to punish tary of embracing critical race theory. troops for their political beliefs or mandate Milley Gaetz “I don’t know what the issue of critical SEE PUSH BACK ON PAGE 8 PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 25, 2021 BUSINESS/WEATHER EUROPE GAS PRICES EXCHANGE RATES Country Super E10 Super unleaded Super plus Diesel Military rates South Korea (Won) 1132.50 Germany $3.335 $3.764 $4.019 $3.562 Azores .. .. $3.919 .. Switzerland (Franc) .9178 Euro costs (June 25) $1.17 Change in price ­0.9 cents +0.1 cents No change ­0.1 cents Change in price .. .. No change .. Thailand (Baht) 31.87 Dollar buys (June 25) 0.8162 Turkey (NewLira) 8.6850 Netherlands .. $4.187 $4.484 $4.196 Belgium .. $3.157 $3.387 $3.249 British pound (June 25) $1.36 Japanese yen (June 25) 108.00 Change in price .. ­4.9 cents ­5.4 cents ­0.7 cents Change in price .. No change No change No change (Military exchange rates are those available South Korean won (June 25) 1108.00 to customers at military banking facilities in the U.K. .. $3.663 $3.918 $3.461 Turkey .. .. $3.804 $4.102* Commercial rates country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Ger­ Change in price .. +0.1 cents No change No change Change in price .. .. No change No change many, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bahrain(Dinar) .3770 For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., pur­ Britain (Pound) 1.3928 chasing British pounds in Germany), check with Canada (Dollar) 1.2301 your local military banking facility. Commercial China(Yuan) 6.4684 rates are interbank rates provided for reference PACIFIC GAS PRICES Denmark (Krone) 6.2230 Egypt (Pound) 15.6702 when buying currency. All figures are foreign Country Super E10 Super unleaded Super plus Diesel Euro .8369 currencies to one dollar, except for the British Japan .. $3.809 .. $3.349 South Korea $3.139 .. $3.819 $3.369 Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7641 pound, which is represented in dollars­to­ pound, and the euro, which is dollars­to­euro.) Change in price .. No change .. No change Change in price ­1.0 cents .. No change No change Hungary (Forint) 293.56 Israel (Shekel) 3.2435 Okinawa $3.129 .. .. $3.349 Guam $3.139 $3.569 $3.819 .. Japan (Yen) 110.73 INTEREST RATES Kuwait(Dinar) .3011 Change in price ­1.0 cents .. .. No change Change in price ­1.0 cents +1.0 cents No change .. Norway (Krone) 8.5044 Prime rate 3.25 Philippines (Peso) 48.67 Interest Rates Discount rate 0.75 *DieselEFD **Midgrade Poland (Zloty) 3.79 Federal funds market rate 0.09 Saudi Arabia (Riyal) 3.7504 3­month bill 0.05 For the week of June 25 ­ July 1 Singapore (Dollar) 1.3426 30­year bond 2.11 WEATHER OUTLOOK FRIDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST FRIDAY IN EUROPE SATURDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 66/58 Kabul Seoul 86/68 74/66 Baghdad 108/76 Osan Tokyo Drawsko Kandahar Mildenhall/ 71/65 76/66 98/61 Pomorskie Busan Lakenheath 68/56 72/68 63/57 Iwakuni Kuwait City 71/68 Bahrain Zagan Sasebo Guam 109/88 91/83 Brussels Ramstein 67/58 76/68 67/51 68/59 84/81 Riyadh Lajes, 108/81 Doha Azores Stuttgart 103/94 68/66 69/56 Pápa Aviano/ 82/69 Vicenza 89/64 Naples 84/72 Okinawa Morón 82/79 97/65 Sigonella Rota 102/68 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 83/64 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 99/85 81/74 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ..... 36 Classified .................... 37 Comics ................... 38-39 Crossword ............. 38-39 Faces .......................... 35 Opinion ....................... 40 Sports .................... 41-48 Friday, June 25, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 WAR ON TERRORISM Afghan: Details of refugee movement beginning to take shape FROM PAGE 1 cording to the official. ing to a second official familiar The official added that the ad- with the deliberations but not au- ministration is looking to work thorized to discuss it publicly. with Congress to find quick fixes Both officials added that no to make the application process country or countries for the more efficient, including eliminat- planned temporary relocation ing duplicative paperwork and ad- have been settled on. Evacuating justing requirements that do not Afghans to a U.S. territory, howev- impact national security. er, is seen as complicated because The move to accelerate plans to it could lead to the visa applicants relocate Afghans who helped the having greater legal rights as they U.S. effort comes as Biden is set to are vetted. meet on Friday with Afghan Presi- The White House has begun dent Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah briefing lawmakers on the out- Abdullah, chairman of the High lines of the plans. Council for National Reconcilia- The administration has begun tion. to identify a group of interpreters Rep. Michael McCaul, the top to be relocated outside of Afghan- Republican on the House Foreign istan before the United States Affairs Committee, said on Twit- completes its drawdown by Sep- ter the evacuation plan was “great tember, said a senior administra- news,” but urged Biden to push his tion official. effort to “secure a safe 3rd country Those individuals have already to host them into high gear.” begun the process of applying for McCaul, of Texas, added that special immigrant visas available Biden “has the ability to save tens to Afghans who have worked with of thousands of lives if he takes the U.S. The official stressed that steps to implement this evacua- administration relocation efforts tion immediately.” would comply with U.S. consular Rep. Seth Moulton, a Massachu- law and would be coordinated setts Democrat who has been with Congress. pushing the administration to The White House is planning for move more quickly on the issue, a variety of scenarios including said Thursday that he had not yet “additional relocation or evacua- seen details of the White House tion options” if necessary, the offi- plan. cial said. “As a Marine, I want to see a With U.S. and NATO forces fac- specific plan,” Moulton said. “I ing a Sept. 11 deadline to leave Af- want to see an operational plan to ghanistan, the Biden administra- know how this is going to unfold tion has faced increased pressure AFGHAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE PRESS OFFICE/AP and have confidence that it will be from lawmakers, veterans and A U.S. flag is lowered as American and Afghan soldiers attend a handover ceremony from the U.S. Army tosuccessful.” others to evacuate thousands of the Afghan National Army, at Camp Anthonic in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, in May. Advocates applauded the news, Afghans who worked as interpret- saying that the backlog of special ers or who otherwise helped U.S. Despite unusual bipartisan sup- government in the face of dimin- lence from Taliban and from the immigrant visa applications was military operations there in the port in Congress, the administra- ished U.S. military presence. In many heavily armed U.S.-allied too great to overcome even with past two decades.