Violence Threatens Afghan Deal Attending Military Schools in the U.S
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Volume 78, No. 230B ©SS 2020 CONTINGENCY EDITION Sunday, March 8, 2020 stripes.com Free to Deployed Areas CORONAVIRUS Outbreak’s impact on US military increasing Stars and Stripes The coronavirus outbreak widened its impact on the U.S. military as more troops in more countries were quarantined and the Army banned soldiers in Italy from moving to new assignments or attending training schools. On Friday, the Pentagon said a U.S. soldier as- INSIDE signed to Op- eration Inherent Spread Resolve in the of virus Middle East was isolated after pos- strands sible contact with someone infected cruise with COVID-19. In Norway, al- ships most two dozen Page 4 U.S. soldiers par- ticipating in a large exercise were isolated after possibly encountering a Norwe- gian service member who tested positive for the virus, the Marine Corps said Friday. In Italy, a U.S. sailor stationed at Naval Support Activity Naples RAHMAT GUL/AP tested positive for virus Fri- Blood and shoes are seen on the ground Saturday in the aftermath of Friday’s deadly attack on a memorial ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan. day, in the first confirmed case linked to a U.S. service member in Europe. In addition, the Army has banned soldiers based in Italy a from taking new assignments or Violence threatens Afghan deal attending military schools in the U.S. “Effective immediately, all PCSing soldiers and families on Taliban offensives provoke concern, confusion over terms orders from Italy will stop move- ment,” U.S. Army Garrison Italy commander Col. Dan Vogel said BY J.P. LAWRENCE ‘ Things have already “There definitely is ambiguity between Saturday in a Facebook video. Stars and Stripes the text of the agreement and what U.S. of- “They are delayed for the next 60 reached the point where ficials seem to be saying they expect from days or until further notice.” KABUL, Afghanistan — During the first the Taliban,” said Andrew Watkins, a senior Likewise, those who were to at- week of the U.S. peace deal with the Taliban, the U.S. is obliged to Afghanistan analyst at International Crisis tend professional military educa- the militant group resumed its offensives draw clear lines. Group, a nonprofit think tank based in Brus- tion in the U.S. will not be able to against Afghan troops, provoking an outcry ’ sels. “Things have already reached the point attend unless the course is for six among U.S. officials who say the violence is Andrew Watkins where the U.S. is obliged to draw clear lines.” months or longer. In those cases, a threat to the agreement and causing confu- senior Afghanistan analyst sion over its terms. at International Crisis Group SEE VIOLENCE ON PAGE 5 SEE IMPACT ON PAGE 3 MILITARY NATION MUSIC Judge: Amazon Herpes-infected 71-year-old James Taylor ‘likely to succeed’ monkeys cause for reflects on his early days in Pentagon case concern in Florida in audiobook memoir Page 5 Page 9 Page 12 LeBron, Lakers win showdown with Bucks » Back page PAGE 2 •STARS AND STRIPES• Sunday, March 8, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER EXCHANGE RATES Military rates Switzerland (Franc)............................0.9326 Roller-coaster week ends with stocks sinking Euro costs (March 9)........................$1.1633 Thailand (Baht) ..................................... 31.43 Dollar buys (March 9) ......................€0.8596 Turkey (Lira) .........................................6.0940 British pound (March 9) ......................$1.33 (Military exchange rates are those Associated Press It’s the latest lurch in a wild Adam Taback, chief investment Japanese yen (March 9) ....................104.00 available to customers at military banking South Korean won (March 9) .........1161.00 ride that has sent stocks flipping officer for Wells Fargo Private Commercial rates facilities in the country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Germany, the NEW YORK — A dizzying, bru- Bahrain (Dinar) ....................................0.3766 between huge gains and losses. Bank, said of the last hour of Fri- Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For British pound .....................................$1.3028 tal week of trading dropped one nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., Investors are trying to guess day’s trading. Canada (Dollar) ...................................1.3414 last round of harrowing swings purchasing British pounds in Germany), how much economic damage the Earlier in the day, the S&P 500 China (Yuan) ........................................6.9277 check with your local military banking on investors Friday. Denmark (Krone) ................................6.5823 coronavirus will ultimately in- had been down 4%. Even more facility. Commercial rates are interbank After skidding sharply through Egypt (Pound) ................................... 15.6402 flict, and they’re shifting by the alarming was another breathtak- Euro .......................................... $1.1348/.8812 rates provided for reference when buying the day as fear pounded mar- minute as the number of new in- ing drop in Treasury yields to re- Hong Kong (Dollar) .............................7.7695 currency. All figures are foreign currencies kets, steep drops for stocks and Hungary (Forint) .................................295.20 to one dollar, except for the British pound, fections piles up on one hand and cord lows. Israel (Shekel) .................................... 3.4915 which is represented in dollars-to-pound, bond yields suddenly eased up in central banks and governments The 10-year Treasury yield Japan (Yen) ...........................................105.20 and the euro, which is dollars-to-euro.) the last hour. By the end of trad- offer stimulus on the other. falls when investors are worried Kuwait (Dinar) .................................... 0.3054 INTEREST RATES ing, the S&P 500 had more than Norway (Krone) ...................................9.2476 All the uncertainty has left about a weaker economy and in- Philippines (Peso)................................. 50.71 Prime rate ................................................4.25 halved its loss for the day to 1.7% markets churning. flation, and it sank below 0.70% at Poland (Zloty) ......................................... 3.78 Discount rate .......................................... 1.75 Saudi Arabia (Riyal) .......................... 3.7531 Federal funds market rate ...................1.58 and even locked in a gain for the “It’s anyone’s guess at this one point. It had never in history Singapore (Dollar) ............................. 1.3777 3-month bill .............................................0.49 week. point why it rallied into the close,” been below 1%. South Korea (Won) .......................... 1190.23 30-year bond ...........................................1.22 WEATHER OUTLOOK SUNDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST SUNDAY IN EUROPE MONDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 49/36 Kabul 55/32 Seoul 56/37 Baghdad 76/54 Kandahar 55/37 Osan Tokyo Mildenhall/ Drawsko 62/38 55/43 Lakenheath Pomorskie Busan 51/48 45/33 52/44 Iwakuni 53/45 Kuwait Bahrain Zagan Sasebo City 68/65 Brussels 45/35 Guam 73/62 50/43 Ramstein 59/47 80/77 Lajes, 46/39 Riyadh Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 78/57 79/55 62/59 48/30 46/35 Aviano/ Vicenza 48/32 Naples 56/47 Okinawa Morón 71/67 69/44 Sigonella Rota 54/42 The weather is provided by the Djibouti Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 84/73 66/44 64/58 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ...15 Comics ....................14 Crossword ...............14 Music .................12-13 Opinion ...................16 Sports ................ 17-24 Sunday, March 8, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• PAGE 3 VIRUS OUTBREAK Soldier isolated in Mideast after possible contact BY WYATT OLSON Barbara Starr, Pentagon cor- Stars and Stripes respondent for CNN, tweeted Fri- day that, according to a defense A U.S. soldier assigned to Op- official she did not identify, the eration Inherent Resolve in the soldier had been to Italy on per- Middle East has been placed in sonal leave from Kuwait and was isolation after possible contact isolated upon returning to the with someone infected with the station. coronavirus, the Pentagon said Italy has taken the worst hit /U.S. Marine Corps Friday. DEVIN J. ANDREW from the virus in Europe, which The soldier’s isolation came as began first spreading in China in A U.S. Marine fires an M98A2 Javelin during an exercise in preparation for Exercise Cold Response 20 a “precautionary measure,” Navy January and has since infected near Setermoen, Norway, on March 3 . Nearly two dozen U.S. soldiers in Norway have been quarantined Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesman for after testing positive for the coronavirus. U.S. Central Command, said in a people from around the world. statement. As of Friday, 148 people had died The soldier has undergone in Italy, the second-largest death 23 US soldiers quarantined after testing, which will be processed toll after China, where more than by Landstuhl Regional Medical 3,000 have perished. Center in Germany, Urban said. Italy has suspended all schools likely virus exposure in Norway In accordance with the guid- and universities after the virus ance issued by the U.S. Centers made its way to all 22 regions of for Disease Control and Preven- the country. B Y WYATT OLSON “We remain in close coordina- sleeping and ablution facilities,” tion for COVID -19, the disease The 31st Fighter Wing at Avia- caused by the virus, those the sol- no Air Base in Italy said Friday it Stars and Stripes tion with the Norwegian military said a Norwegian Armed Forces and public health authorities to statement issued Friday. “The dier had recent contact with have had placed 134 people in isolation Almost two dozen U.S. soldiers ensure the well-being of our per- person should be isolated until also been screened, Urban said. or self-quarantine who showed in Norway for a large-scale ex- sonnel and local population,” the she/he is no longer suspected to “We have no confirmed cases symptoms that could be caused ercise are in quarantine isola- Marine Corps said. be infected, or no longer a pos- of COVID-19 among our person- by the coronavirus. None had yet tion after possibly encountering Since the first coronavirus in- sible transmitter of the disease.