Tensions Prompt Concern in Persian Gulf Provocative Actions by US, Iran Could Spark Unintended Escalation
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MUSIC WORLD NATION AC/DC back with Turkey seeking Some prisoners at 1st album since to mend fences Gitmo find hope founder's death with West, Saudis in Biden victory Page 12 Page 10 Page 4 QB Book leads No. 2 Fighting Irish to win over UNC ›› College football, Page 24 stripes.com Volume 79 Edition 160B ©SS 2020 CONTINGENCY EDITION SUNDAY,NOVEMBER 29, 2020 Free to Deployed Areas Tensions prompt concern in Persian Gulf Provocative actions by US, Iran could spark unintended escalation BY LOUISA LOVELUCK AND MUSTAFA SALIM The Washington Post BAGHDAD — The Iraqi gov- ernment is on edge as the Trump presidency enters its final weeks, fearing that a last-minute confron- tation between the United States and Iran could erupt on Iraqi soil. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi is under pressure from U.S. officials to escalate his government’s crackdown on Iran- backed militias in Iraq, whose rockets have repeatedly targeted diplomatic and military sites used by Americans over the past year. President Donald Trump has now told his advisers he is prepared to order a devastating response if any Americans are killed in at- PHOTOS BY ELLIOT SCHAUDT/U.S. Navy, above, AND VAHID SALEMI/AP, right tacks attributed to Iran. Above: The USS Nimitz launches an F/A-18 in the Indian Ocean last With tensions running high, week. The U.S. ordered the carrier to the Persian Gulf after an Iranian there are concerns here that pro- nuclear scientist was slain. Right: Protesters burn pictures of Presi- INSIDE vocative actions by either side dent Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden in a gathering in could spark unintended conflict. Tehran on Saturday. Iran threatens “As a government, I think the Iraqis are just wishing they could in an apparent targeted attack in but causing no casualties among retaliation for close their eyes and have these Tehran. Iranian officials implicat- Americans or Iraqi security two months fly by. The potential ed Israel in the killing, raising the forces. ambush slaying for escalation is high,” said Sajad prospect that Iran or its proxies in An armed group identifying it- Jiyad, an Iraq expert and fellow at the Middle East might retaliate self as Ashab al-Kahf said that it of top nuclear the Century Foundation. against Western targets. had fired the barrage in response scientist Tensions in the region spiked Last week, a militia fired rock- to a raid a night before in the city further on Friday after a promi- ets toward the U.S. Embassy in of Fallujah, which led to the arrest Page 3 nent Iranian nuclear scientist, Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was killed Zone, breaching a month-old truce SEE CONCERN ON PAGE 3 States scramble to provide pandemic relief amid Senate stalemate Associated Press “While the United States of ing the last of a federal relief package The Democratic governors of Colorado SANTA FE, N.M — Faulting inaction in passed in the spring as an end-of-year dead- and New Mexico convened special legisla- Washington, governors and state lawmak- America is on fire, the Trump line approaches and the fall COVID-19 tive sessions in the closing days of Novem- ers are racing to get pandemic relief to administration has left states to surge threatens their economies anew. ber to address the virus-related emergency. small business owners, the unemployed, Democrats have been the most vocal in crit- Earlier this week, the New Mexico Legisla- renters and others whose livelihoods have fight this virus on their own” icizing President Donald Trump and the ture passed a bipartisan relief bill that will been upended by the widening coronavirus GOP-controlled Senate for failing to act, but deliver a one-time $1,200 check to all unem- outbreak. Julie Brown many Republican lawmakers are also In some cases, elected officials are spend- New Mexico governor sounding the alarm. SEE RELIEF ON PAGE 5 PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Sunday, November 29, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER S&P 500 ends with record high EXCHANGE RATES ASSOCIATED PRESS Positive developments on the ed 16.4% and Pfizer rose 1.9%. The Military rates Poland (Zloty) 3.75 Saudi Arab (Riyal) 3.7506 vaccine front have driven double- two companies earlier this month Euro costs (Nov. 30) $1.16 Singapore (Dollar) 1.3388 Dollar buys (Nov. 30) 0.8170 So. Korea (Won) 1,106.19 NEW YORK — The S&P 500 digit gains in the major indexes released results showing their British pound (Nov. 30) $1.30 Switzerlnd (Franc) 0.9064 rose to a record high Friday as in- this month as investors look for- COVID-19 vaccine candidates Japanese yen (Nov. 30) 102.00 Thailand (Baht) 30.30 South Korean won (Nov. 30) 1,076.00 vestors continue to look forward to ward to progress in gaining con- were highly effective in tests. The Turkey (Lira) 7.8714 Commercial rates (Military exchange rates are those avail the distribution of a COVID-19 trol over the pandemic that shares got a boost after a compet- able to customers at military banking fa Bahrain(Dinar) 0.3770 cilities in the country of issuance for Ja vaccine and relief for the global plunged the global economy into ing vaccine suffered a setback. Britain (Pound) 0.7486 pan, South Korea, Germany, the Nether Canada (Dollar) 1.3020 lands and the United Kingdom. For nonlo economy. its deepest slump since the 1930s. The University of Oxford and China(Yuan) 6.5756 cal currency exchange rates (i.e., The benchmark index rose 8.70 Meanwhile, retailers were hop- AstraZeneca this week released Denmark (Krone) 6.2463 purchasing British pounds in Germany), Egypt (Pound) 15.6400 check with your local military banking fa points, or 0.2%, led by gains in ing that their slumping sales get a positive test results about their Euro 0.8374 cility. Commercial rates are interbank technology companies, and closed boost from shoppers on Black Fri- vaccine. But researchers have Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7509 rates provided for reference when buying Hungary (Forint) 303.03 currency. All figures are foreign curren at an all-time high of 3,638.35. The day but early indications are that questioned how Oxford and Astra- Israel (Shekel) 3.3234 cies to one dollar, except for the British Japan (Yen) 104.25 pound, which is represented in dollarsto Nasdaq also closed at a record store traffic was light. Zeneca calculated the effective- Kuwait(Dinar) 0.3058 pound, and the euro, which is dollarsto euro.) helped by gains in Apple, Tesla, Health care companies also ness of their vaccine. AstraZeneca Norway (Krone) 8.8771 Philppines (Peso) 48.09 Zoom and other tech companies. posted solid gains. Moderna jump- shares were flat. WEATHER OUTLOOK SUNDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST SUNDAY IN EUROPE MONDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 44/34 Kabul Seoul 52/32 41/24 Baghdad 66/58 Tokyo Drawsko Osan Kandahar Mildenhall/ 42/25 58/42 67/42 Pomorskie Busan Lakenheath 40/37 46/37 51/34 Iwakuni Kuwait City 55/41 Bahrain Brussels Zagan Sasebo Guam 75/50 78/74 Ramstein 32/29 54/47 42/36 37/25 86/79 Riyadh Lajes, 76/54 Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 60/54 35/32 77/69 Aviano/ 38/28 Vicenza 44/31 Naples 59/51 Okinawa Morón 72/65 61/47 Sigonella Rota 57/50 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 64/57 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 82/74 62/58 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ...... 11 Books .......................... 14 Comics .........................15 Crossword ................... 15 Music .......................... 12 Opinion ........................ 19 Sports ................... 20-24 Sunday, November 29, 2020 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 MIDEAST Iran to prioritize ‘punishment’ after killing of scientist Associated Press Iran striking back against the U.S., TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s su- Israel’s closest ally in the region, preme leader on Saturday de- as it did earlier this year when a manded the “definitive puni- U.S. drone strike killed a top Ira- shment” of those behind the kill- nian general. The U.S. military ac- ing of a scientist who led Tehran’s knowledged moving an aircraft military nuclear program, as the carrier back into the region, while Islamic Republic blamed Israel an Iranian lawmaker suggested for a slaying that has raised fears throwing out U.N. nuclear inspec- of reignited tensions across the tors in response to the killing. Middle East. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatol- After years of being in the shad- lah Ali Khamenei called Fakhriza- VAHID SALEMI/AP ows, the image of Mohsen Fakhri- deh “the country’s prominent and Protesters burn U.S. and Israeli flags as the others hold placards condemning inspections by the U.N. zadeh suddenly was to be seen ev- distinguished nuclear and defen- nuclear agency and the country's nuclear talks with world powers Saturday in Tehran. erywhere in Iranian media, as his sive scientist.” widow spoke on state television Khamenei, who has the final say grade levels of 90%, though ex- Hard-line Iranian media has be- Atomic Energy Agency, who have and officials publicly demanded on all matters of state, said Iran’s perts warn Iran now has enough gun circulating memorial images provided an unprecedented, real- revenge on Israel for the scien- first priority after the killing was low-enriched uranium for at least showing Fakhrizadeh standing time look at Iran’s nuclear pro- tist’s slaying. the “definitive punishment of the two atomic bombs if it chose to alongside a machine-gun-cra- gram since the deal.