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NATION VIRUS OUTBREAK FACES Trump to pardon Tests, military All is not what it over 100 people nurses on way to seems in Marvel’s in final hours hard-hit Arizona new ‘WandaVision’ Page 6 Page 9 Page 18 Wins by Bucs, Chiefs set up enticing championship matchups ›› Page 24 stripes.com Volume 79 Edition 195 ©SS 2021 TUESDAY,JANUARY 19, 2021 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas FBI vetting Guard troops amid fears of insider attack BY LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press WASHINGTON — U.S. de- fense officials say they are wor- ried about an insider attack or other threat from service mem- bers involved in securing Presi- dent-elect Joe Biden’s inaugura- tion, prompting the FBI to vet all of the 25,000 National Guard troops coming into Washington for the event. The massive undertaking re- INSIDE flects the ex- traordinary se- Heavily curity concerns fortified that have gripped Wash- capitols ington following the deadly Jan. 6 around insurrection at the U.S. Capitol US see by pro-Trump protests rioters. And it Page 4 underscores fears that some of the very people assigned to protect the city over the next sev- eral days could present a threat INTEGRATING AI to the incoming president and other VIPs in attendance. Pentagon aims to spread artificial intelligence across military services Army Secretary Ryan McCar- thy told The Associated Press on Sunday that officials are con- BY GOPAL RATNAM Center in October, said the small office can be scious of the potential threat, and CQ-Roll Call more effective in seeding artificial intelligence he warned commanders to be on WASHINGTON technologies across the department by being a the lookout for any problems fter spending the past few years dem- “catalyst for success for others” rather than de- within their ranks as the inaugu- onstrating how artificial intelligence veloping those tools by itself. ration approaches. So far, howev- tools can boost U.S. military efforts, the “What we’re trying to do is generate scale er, he and other leaders say they office responsible for overseeing such across the department to transform the depart- A have seen no evidence of any programs at the Defense Department is shifting ment in three primary ways: transform the war- threats, and officials said the vet- its focus to helping military services and agencies fighting aspects of the department, transform the ting hadn’t flagged any issues figure out how to incorporate the technologies in support enterprises in the department … and then that they were aware of. their systems. transform the business practices,” Groen said in “We’re continually going Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael Groen, who be- through the process, and taking came director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence SEE SPREAD ON PAGE 3 second, third looks at every one of the individuals assigned to this Top: The PowerEgg X autonomous personal AI camera can beconfigured as a waterproof drone with operation,” McCarthy said in an pontoons. Right: Tech. Sgt. John Rodiguez patrols with a Ghost Robotics Vision 60 prototype during interview after he and other mil- the Advanced Battle Management System exercise on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Sept. 3, 2020. PHOTOS BY DAVID MCNEW/TNS, top, AND ZACHARY RUFUS/U.S. Air Force, right SEE ATTACK ON PAGE 4 PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Tuesday, January 19, 2021 BUSINESS/WEATHER China economy grows in 2020 EXCHANGE RATES Military rates So. Korea (Won) 1105.58 Associated Press ta showed Monday. That was up tories, shops and offices to reo- Switzerlnd (Franc) .8909 Euro costs (Jan. 19) $1.18 Thailand (Baht) 30.14 BEIJING — China eked out from the previous quarter’s 4.9% pen. Dollar buys (Jan. 19) 0.8051 Turkey (NewLira) 7.4955 British pound (Jan. 19) $1.40 2.3% economic growth in 2020, and stronger than many forecast- Exports have been boosted by Japanese yen (Jan. 19) 101.00 (Military exchange rates are those available likely becoming the only major ers expected. demand for Chinese-made masks South Korean won (Jan. 19) 1072.00 to customers at military banking facilities in the Commercial rates country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Ger economy to expand as shops and In early 2020, activity contract- and other medical goods. many, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bahrain(Dinar) .3770 For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., pur factories reopened relatively ed by 6.8% in the first quarter as The growing momentum “re- Britain (Pound) .7372 chasing British pounds in Germany), check with Canada (Dollar) 1.2765 your local military banking facility. Commercial early from a shutdown to fight the ruling Communist Party took flected improving private con- China(Yuan) 6.4932 rates are interbank rates provided for reference Denmark (Krone) 6.1629 the coronavirus while the United the then-unprecedented step of sumption expenditure as well as Egypt (Pound) 15.7203 when buying currency. All figures are foreign States, Japan and Europe strug- shutting down most of its econo- buoyant net exports,” said Rajiv Euro .8284 currencies to one dollar, except for the British Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7533 pound, which is represented in dollarsto gled with rising infections. my to fight the virus. The follow- Biswas of IHS Markit in a report. Hungary (Forint) 298.20 pound, and the euro, which is dollarstoeuro.) Israel (Shekel) 3.2224 Growth in the three months ing quarter, China became the He said China is likely to be the Japan (Yen) 110.11 INTEREST RATES ending in December rose to 6.5% first major country to grow again only major economy to grow in Kuwait(Dinar) .3033 Norway (Krone) 8.5890 Prime rate 3.25 over a year earlier as consumers with a 3.2% expansion after the 2020 while developed countries Philippines (Peso) 48.06 Interest Rates Discount rate 0.75 Poland (Zloty) 3.75 Federal funds market rate 0.09 returned to shopping malls, res- party declared victory over the and most major emerging mar- Saudi Arab (Riyal) 3.7512 3month bill 0.09 taurants and cinemas, official da- virus in March and allowed fac- kets were in recession. Singapore (Dollar) 1.3309 30year bond 1.85 WEATHER OUTLOOK TUESDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST TUESDAY IN EUROPE WEDNESDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 28/19 Kabul Seoul 55/27 27/11 Baghdad 71/48 Tokyo Drawsko Osan Kandahar Mildenhall/ 24/8 45/21 72/37 Pomorskie Busan Lakenheath 32/29 54/42 40/27 Iwakuni Kuwait City 45/25 Bahrain Brussels Zagan Sasebo Guam 71/55 74/64 Ramstein 36/31 49/36 47/42 36/32 86/77 Riyadh Lajes, 77/49 Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 62/59 40/36 77/60 Aviano/ 37/32 Vicenza 42/25 Naples 55/47 Okinawa Morón 68/55 60/46 Sigonella Rota 58/37 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 61/45 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 94/83 48/39 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ...... 14 Comics .........................16 Crossword ................... 16 Faces .......................... 18 Opinion ........................ 15 Sports .................... 19-24 Tuesday, January 19, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 MILITARY Taliban call on Biden to honor troop withdrawal BY ELTAF NAJAFIZADA U.S. reduced its troop levels from Bloomberg News 4,500 to 2,500 at President Donald The Taliban have called on Pres- Trump’s direction, despite opposi- ident-elect Joe Biden to honor a tion from both Republican and U.S. agreement to withdraw all Democratic lawmakers who’ve American forces from Afghanis- warned of the potential impact on tan by May in order to secure intra- counter-terrorism operations. Afghan peace talks and end the Naeem cheered the reduction on RAHMAT GUL/AP two-decade-long war. Twitter, saying the move was a Newly graduated Afghan National Army march during their graduation ceremony after a threemonth “Steps must now be taken to end “good advancement.” training program at the Afghan Military Academy in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Monday. The Taliban have the war, not to prolong it, and the While it’s unclear whether Bi- urged Presidentelect Joe Biden to honor a U.S. agreement to withdraw all American forces from agreement was made for the pur- den will withdraw all U.S. troops by Afghanistan by May in order to secure peace talks. pose,” Mohammad Naeem, a se- the May deadline, his nominee for nior spokesman in the Taliban’s national security adviser, Jake Sul- Group, said the May 1 troop with- al troops or both,” Watkins said nalists, government employees political office in Doha, Qatar, said livan, told CNN early this month drawal deadline is the biggest Monday. and independent human rights ad- on Monday, referring to their ac- the new administration would sup- early challenge for the peace proc- Areduction in U.S. troops — who vocates. In the latest unclaimed cord with the U.S. signed last Feb- port “diplomacy” with the Taliban, ess and the most urgent decision provide air support to Afghan gun attack in the capital Kabul, two ruary that paves the way for a com- urging the insurgent group to cut for the incoming Biden team. forces — won’t affect the ability of female Supreme Court judges plete withdrawal of American ties with al-Qaida and other terror- “If the Biden administration ig- Afghan forces to push back against were killed on Sunday on their way troops by May in exchange for Ta- ist organizations, ensure a reduc- nores the deadline set down in the the Taliban, according to a spokes- to work, according to a statement liban security guarantees.