FACES VIRUS OUTBREAK MILITARY Superhero film from College football Navy cancels fall Netflix among new coaches cope with E-4 exams due to streaming options season of uncertainty concerns over virus Page 14 Back page Page 5 US says blast hits convoy in Iraq; border attack claim false » Page 4 stripes.com Volume 79, No. 83 ©SS 2020 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2020 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas VIRUS OUTBREAK Taliban warn against attacks on prisoners Global cases top 20M set to be freed BY KATHY GANNON Associated Press ISLAMABAD — Ahead of an upcoming release of Taliban de- tainees held in Afghan prisons, the insurgent group warned the government in Kabul on Tues- day against any attacks on those released, saying such incidents would jeopardize the peace talks. A Taliban spokesman told The Associated Press there have been at least 11 such attacks in the past several months — in- stances when freed Tal- iban figures were killed, harassed and Shaheen re-arrested by government forces. Kabul officials denied unwar- ranted attacks on freed Taliban. The prisoner release is part of a deal the insurgents signed with the United States earlier this year. A final 400 Taliban prisoners re- main in government prisons. Over the weekend in Kabul, an Afghan traditional council, known as the Loya Jirga, agreed to free the final 400 imprisoned Taliban, paving the way for an early start to negotiations between Afghani- stan’s warring sides. The council agreed to an “im- Grim milestone reached as Russia announces it has approved vaccine mediate” release of Taliban pris- oners but by Tuesday, they had BY NICOLE WINFIELD, ELAINE KURTENBACH Johns Hopkins University tally that also showed total A medical worker not been freed. Negotiations be- AND MARK STEVENSON confirmed cases globally surpassing 20 million. performs a COVID-19 tween Kabul’s political leadership Associated Press It took six months or so to get to 10 million cases test at a test center and the Taliban are expected to after the virus first appeared in central China late at Vnukovo airport begin within weeks — and will be ROME — The number of confirmed coronavirus last year. It took just over six weeks for that number outside Moscow, held in the Mideast state of Qatar, cases worldwide topped 20 million, more than half to double. Russia, on Friday. where the Taliban maintain a po- of them from the United States, India and Brazil, as An AP analysis of data through Aug. 9 showed the Authorities in Russia litical office. The Taliban said the Russia on Tuesday became the first country to ap- U.S., India and Brazil together accounted for nearly say they are about talks could begin within a week of prove a vaccine against the virus. two-thirds of all reported infections since the world to approve a COVID- the final prisoner releases. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that one of hit 15 million coronavirus cases on July 22. 19 vaccine, with Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen warned that at- his two adult daughters had already been inoculated Health officials believe the actual number of peo- mass vaccinations tacks on newly freed prisoners with the cleared vaccine, which he described as ef- ple infected with the virus is much higher than the planned as early as tally kept by Johns Hopkins University, given testing October 2020, using will drive them back to the bat- fective. “She’s feeling well and has a high number of tlefield despite orders from their antibodies,” Putin said. limitations and that as many as 40% of those with the shots that are yet to virus show no symptoms. complete clinical trials. leaders “to stay at home, with Russia has reported more than 890,000 cases, their families.” the fourth-highest total in the world, according to a SEE CASES ON PAGE 10 PAVEL GOLOVKIN/AP SEE TALIBAN ON PAGE 4 PAGE 2 F3HIJKLM •STARS AND STRIPES• Wednesday, August 12, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER EXCHANGE RATES McDonald’s sues ousted CEO over alleged relationships Military rates Switzerland (Franc)........................... 0.9137 Euro costs (Aug. 12) .............................$1.15 Thailand (Baht) .................................... 31.08 Dollar buys (Aug. 12) ........................€0.8269 Turkey (Lira) ........................................ 7.2374 BY DEE-ANN DURBIN behavior from employees that According to the lawsuit, Mc- British pound (Aug. 12) ....................... $1.28 (Military exchange rates are those Japanese yen (Aug. 12) .....................108.00 available to customers at military banking Associated Press does not reflect our values,” said Donald’s received an anonymous South Korean won (Aug. 12) .........1,154.00 facilities in the country of issuance Commercial rates for Japan, South Korea, Germany, the McDonald’s President and CEO tip in July that Easterbrook had Bahrain (Dinar) ................................... 0.3770 Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For McDonald’s says it’s suing British pound .................................... $1.3113 Chris Kempczinski, who was pro- engaged in a sexual relationship nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., Canada (Dollar) .................................. 1.3299 Stephen Easterbrook, the CEO moted following Easterbrook’s with another employee. After an purchasing British pounds in Germany), China (Yuan) ....................................... 6.9450 check with your local military banking it ousted last year over an inap- departure, in a message to em- investigation, McDonald’s con- Denmark (Krone) ............................... 6.3190 facility. Commercial rates are interbank Egypt (Pound) ................................... 16.0008 propriate relationship with an ployees Monday. firmed that relationship as well as rates provided for reference when buying Euro ....................................... $1.1784/0.8486 currency. All figures are foreign currencies employee, alleging Monday that McDonald’s fired Easterbrook two other relationships in the year Hong Kong (Dollar) ............................ 7.7503 to one dollar, except for the British pound, Hungary (Forint) ................................ 292.35 he covered up relationships with last November after he acknowl- before he was fired. which is represented in dollars-to-pound, Israel (Shekel) .................................... 3.4036 and the euro, which is dollars-to-euro.) three other employees and de- edged exchanging videos and McDonald’s is now attempting Japan (Yen) .......................................... 106.37 stroyed evidence. text messages in a non-physical, to block Easterbrook from exer- Kuwait (Dinar) .................................... 0.3059 INTEREST RATES Norway (Krone) .................................. 8.9778 The company now wants to re- consensual relationship with an cising his stock options and said it Philippines (Peso)................................ 48.92 Prime rate ................................................3.25 claim millions of dollars in com- employee. Easterbrook told the will seek compensatory damages. Poland (Zloty) ......................................... 3.73 Discount rate ..........................................0.25 Saudi Arabia (Riyal) .......................... 3.7499 Federal funds market rate ...................0.09 pensation paid to Easterbrook. company that there were no other It’s unclear how much Easter- Singapore (Dollar) ............................. 1.3716 3-month bill ............................................. 0.10 “McDonald’s does not tolerate similar instances. brook might have to pay. South Korea (Won) ......................... 1,183.90 30-year bond ...........................................1.25 WEATHER OUTLOOK WEDNESDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST WEDNESDAY IN EUROPE THURSDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 78/71 Kabul 91/71 Seoul 84/76 Baghdad 105/78 Kandahar 105/82 Osan Tokyo Mildenhall/ Drawsko 85/76 85/80 Lakenheath Pomorskie Busan 89/66 74/57 83/76 Iwakuni 83/79 Kuwait Bahrain Zagan Sasebo City 95/92 Brussels 79/63 Guam 106/88 89/68 Ramstein 84/79 83/80 Lajes, 89/64 Riyadh Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 103/81 105/89 72/69 85/66 83/68 Aviano/ Vicenza 84/68 Naples 89/72 Okinawa Morón 84/81 85/64 Sigonella Rota 94/68 The weather is provided by the Djibouti Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 102/90 74/66 82/74 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ..... 11 Classified .................. 13 Comics ...................... 15 Crossword ................. 15 Faces ........................ 14 Opinion .................16-17 Sports .................. 18-24 Wednesday, August 12, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• F3HIJKLM PAGE 3 MILITARY Guam-based bomber trains with Japanese BY SETH ROBSON gles from the Japan Air Self-De- The bomber practiced com- Stars and Stripes fense Force, the service said in a municating and operating with new release. a variety of Reagan aircraft, TOKYO — A Guam-based B- “Opportunities to train along- including F-18 Hornets, EA-18 1B Lancer recently flew along- side our joint partners and allies Growlers and E-2D Advanced side 14 Japanese fighter jets in the region are an invaluable Hawkeyes, strike group spokes- before drilling with multiple USS experience for our Airmen,” the man Lt. Cmdr. Sean Brophy told Ronald Reagan strike group air- squadron’s commander, Lt. Col. Stars and Stripes via telephone craft near Japan, the Air Force Lincoln Coleman, said in the on Tuesday. announced Monday. Before arriving on Guam, the A pair of Lancers and 170 air- release. “Not only are we able men from the 37th Expedition- to highlight our continued com- bombers conducted intercept