MILITARY FACES OLYMPICS House lawmakers Jennifer Coolidge US gymnast back 2nd destroyer shows she’s more than Lee takes gold in in ’22 Navy budget just a ‘comic actress’ women’s all-around Page 4 Page 13 Page 24

Report: Afghanistan faces ‘existential crisis’ amid Taliban rise ›› Page 3

stripes.com

Volume 80 Edition 75 ©SS 2021 CONTINGENCY EDITION FRIDAY,JULY 30, 2021 Free to Deployed Areas

VIRUS OUTBREAK Active-duty doctor among 2 sailors to die from COVID-19

BY CAITLIN DOORNBOS Stars and Stripes WASHINGTON — Two sailors — including an active-duty doctor — have died within the last week of complications from the corona- virus, the Navy announced in a statement Wednesday. Capt. Corby Ropp, 48, died Fri- day due to coronavirus-related complications at Duke University Hospital in Durham, N.C., accord- ing to the Navy. Ropp served as the department leader of ophthalmology and re- fractive surgery at the Navy Med- icine Readiness and Training Command at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of our shipmate and ophthal- mologist, Capt. Ropp,” said Capt. Reginald Ewing III, commander JOSE RODRIGUEZ/U.S. Army of NMRTC Camp Lejeune. “Our A soldier looks out of the loading ramp of a C-27 aircraft while he and his fellow soldiers wear face masks and maintain social distance. The thoughts and prayers are with Pentagon on Wednesday reversed its May guidance that allowed fully vaccinated service members to go without masks at DOD facilities. Capt. Ropp’s family, coworkers and friends during this extremely difficult time.” On Monday, Petty Officer 1st Class Allen Hillman, a master-at- arms assigned to Navy Reserve Volunteer Training Unit in Boise, Idaho, died while hospitalized Walking back on masks with the coronavirus. Cmdr. Megan Fine, commander of the Navy Operational Support Pentagon returns to required face coverings at many RELATED Center in Boise, said in the state- Tokyo again breaks 1-day ment that Hillman “was a big part DOD locations as Biden mulls new vaccination plan of our community.” record for COVID cases “We are deeply saddened by the BY COREY DICKSTEIN The directive from Deputy Defense Secre- Page 8 loss of our friend and shipmate Stars and Stripes tary Kathleen Hicks on Wednesday walks back MA1 Hillman,” Fine said. “We will The Pentagon on Wednesday announced it guidance issued in May that allowed service continue to support his family and would once again require all individuals to members and others who had been fully vacci- DODEA students will be shipmates during this difficult wear face coverings when indoors at Defense nated against the virus to forgo mask-wearing offered free meals through time.” Department facilities in locations deemed high at DOD facilities worldwide. It comes one day risk by federal health officials for the spread of new school year SEE SAILORS ON PAGE 5 coronavirus. SEE MASKS ON PAGE 6 Page 9 PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, July 30, 2021 BUSINESS/WEATHER Robinhood makes its debut on Wall Street EXCHANGE RATES Military rates South Korea (Won) 1144.82 Associated Press 60.5 million shares of its stock in Robinhood convince them to em- Switzerland (Franc) .9069 Euro costs (July 30) $1.16 Thailand (Baht) 32.87 NEW YORK — Robinhood is an initial public offering, with brace its stock, just as it helped a Dollar buys (July 30) 0.8210 Turkey (NewLira) 8.4938 British pound (July 30) $1.36 selling its own stock Thursday on trading expected to begin on the generation of investors take on Japanese yen (July 30) 107.00 (Military exchange rates are those available Wall Street, the very place the on- Nasdaq under the ticker symbol trading stocks, options and crypto- South Korean won (July 30) 1121.00 to customers at military banking facilities in the Commercial rates country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Ger­ line brokerage has rattled with its “HOOD.” currencies? many, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bahrain(Dinar) .3770 For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., pur­ stated goal of democratizing fi- It was priced late Wednesday at Robinhood’s revenue soared Britain (Pound) 1.3978 chasing British pounds in Germany), check with Canada (Dollar) 1.2474 your local military banking facility. Commercial nance. $38 a share, the low end of its ex- 245% last year to $959 million. It China(Yuan) 6.4596 rates are interbank rates provided for reference Denmark (Krone) 6.2583 Through its app, Robinhood has pected range of $38 to $42, indicat- then hit $522 million in the first Egypt (Pound) 15.6798 when buying currency. All figures are foreign introduced millions to investing ing tepid investor interest. three months of 2021 alone, more Euro .8414 currencies to one dollar, except for the British Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7710 pound, which is represented in dollars­to­ and reshaped the brokerage in- Still, it’s a huge moment for the than quadrupling from the year- Hungary (Forint) 301.39 pound, and the euro, which is dollars­to­euro.) Israel (Shekel) 3.2445 dustry, all while racking up a long fast-growing company based in ago level. Japan (Yen) 109.76 INTEREST RATES list of controversies in less than Menlo Park, Calif., which is re- Robinhood doesn’t charge trad- Kuwait(Dinar) .3004 Norway (Krone) 8.5609 Prime rate 3.25 eight years. serving many of the shares for its ing commissions or require cus- Philippines (Peso) 50.29 Interest Rates Discount rate 0.75 Poland (Zloty) 3.85 Federal funds market rate 0.10 Robinhood Markets and three own customers, rather than just tomers to carry big balances — Saudi Arabia (Riyal) 3.7503 3­month bill 0.05 of its executives are selling up to big professional investors. Can one reason why it’s so popular. Singapore (Dollar) 1.3533 30­year bond 1.91 WEATHER OUTLOOK FRIDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST FRIDAY IN EUROPE SATURDAY IN THE PACIFIC

Misawa 74/71

Kabul Seoul 92/57 84/76 Baghdad 110/80 Osan Tokyo Drawsko Kandahar Mildenhall/ 85/76 83/71 101/71 Pomorskie Busan Lakenheath 71/55 80/77 62/55 Iwakuni Kuwait City 80/77 Bahrain Zagan Sasebo Guam 109/87 97/93 Brussels Ramstein 74/58 81/76 69/58 74/55 84/81 Riyadh Lajes, 111/83 Doha Azores Stuttgart 110/91 70/67 79/55 Pápa Aviano/ 88/65 Vicenza 83/66

Naples 90/74 Okinawa Morón 82/79 96/69 Sigonella Rota 104/71 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 80/69 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 97/84 84/77 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ...... 11 Comics ...... 14 Crossword ...... 14 Faces ...... 13 Opinion ...... 16 Sports ...... 17-24 Friday, July 30, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 WAR/MILITARY SIGAR: Afghanistan faces grim future

BY PHILLIP WALTER ty forces as they fight the Taliban. WELLMAN Most Afghan army units refuse Stars and Stripes to conduct missions without sup- KABUL, Afghanistan — Af- port from Afghan special oper- ghanistan faces an “existential cri- ations forces, SIGAR said. When sis” after a continuing rise in Tali- special operations forces do ar- ban attacks that began well ahead rive, they’re often misused to per- of the withdrawal of U.S. troops form tasks intended for conven- from the country, a government tional forces, like route clearance watchdog agency said Thursday. and checkpoint security, the re- Each quarter since the U.S. and port said. Taliban signed a peace deal in All Afghan aircraft have also be- February 2020 has shown a come strained since the departure marked increase in enemy attacks of most international troops be- compared to the same periods in cause of increased requests for previous years, a report by the close air support, intelligence, re- Special Inspector General for Af- connaissance missions and aerial ghanistan Reconstruction said. J.P. LAWRENCE/Stars and Stripes resupply, SIGAR said. The air- NATO data on the increases had Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. special envoy for Afghan reconciliation, signs a peace deal with the Taliban, along withcraft are flying at least 25% over been kept from the public since Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the militant group’s top political leader, in Doha, Qatar, on Feb. 29,2020. their recommended maintenance December 2019, the report said. intervals, which could have dire Between March and May, ene- Last year, the U.S. said the Tali- airstrikes against the Taliban and ment, which could face an existen- consequences, the report added. my forces conducted nearly 10,400 ban verbally agreed to curb vio- could continue doing so, at least tial crisis if it isn’t addressed and The report came after the Unit- attacks, over 1,000 more than were lence, and warned the insurgents until the U.S. combat mission in reversed,” SIGAR inspector gen- ed Nations said earlier this week recorded during that time last would face consequences if they Afghanistan ends Aug. 31. The an- eral John Sopko said in a letter ac- that May and June saw the highest year, and 3,000 more than the didn’t. But the relentless attacks nouncement came just days be- companying Thursday’s report. number of civilian war deaths and same time in 2019, the report said. did nothing to stop the drawdown fore chairman of the Joint Chiefs Since the Taliban launched its injuries in Afghanistan for those Each of the last four quarters of international forces, which is of Staff, Army Gen. Mark Milley, most recent offensive in May, the two months since systematic doc- saw more than 10,000 enemy at- nearly complete. said the Taliban had taken control Afghan army has “appeared sur- umentation began in 2009. tacks, according to the data, which On Sunday, U.S. Central Com- of about half of Afghanistan’s prised and unready, and is now on NATO said was based on reporting mand leader Marine Gen. Frank roughly 400 districts. its back foot,” Sopko said. by Afghan forces and could be McKenzie told reporters in Kabul “The overall trend is clearly un- The report pointed to several [email protected] higher. that the military had stepped up favorable to the Afghan govern- problems plaguing Afghan securi- Twitter: @pwwellman Blinken talks of relocating Afghan allies in Kuwait

BY ISABEL DEBRE Kuwait, U.S. Secretary of State terpreters, drivers and other that process and notably in relo- a United Nations report. Associated Press Antony Blinken did not an- workers who helped U.S. forces cation planning for those brave Afghan allies have complained DUBAI, United Arab Emir- nounce any deal or disclose crit- during the two-decade war and Afghans and their families.” of a bureaucratic nightmare as ates — The United States is nego- ical details about the process, now find themselves at risk of The evacuation planning, they try to obtain the special im- tiating with Kuwait and other such as who would be eligible for retribution by the Taliban. which could affect tens of thou- migrant visas offered to foreign countries whether they can host relocation or where they would “The United States is commit- sands of Afghans, comes as the nationals deemed to be in need of Afghans who supported the be housed. ted to helping those who helped Taliban gain more ground protection because of their coop- American war effort and could As American troops complete us during our time in Afghanis- throughout Afghanistan, seizing eration with the U.S. govern- face Taliban revenge attacks if their withdrawal from Afghanis- tan over the last 20 years,” Blin- swaths of the countryside and ment. they stay in Afghanistan, Amer- tan, the Biden administration ken said at a joint press confer- fueling fears of a violent future. There are more than 18,000 vi- ica’s top diplomat said Thursday. has come under heavy pressure ence with his Kuwaiti counter- Civilian casualties surged in the sa applications pending, some During a visit to tiny, oil-rich to quickly evacuate Afghan in- part. “We’re actively engaged in first half of the year, according to for as long as nearly three years. Admiral: Virus has little impact on Talisman Sabre BY ALEX WILSON vaccines and all the precautions necessary first time on Australian soil on July 16. Stars and Stripes [were taken.]” “Every Talisman Sabre since 2005 has had The coronavirus pandemic has proved lit- Several person-to-person events and plan- an experimentation,” Engdahl said. “This tle hindrance to Talisman Sabre, the biennial ning sessions among U.S. and allied military Talisman Sabre was no different in terms of military exercise in Australia involving the commanders were reconfigured to prevent experimentation and high-end warfare op- United States and its allies, one U.S. admiral spreading the coronavirus respiratory dis- portunities to explore different things.” said during a conference call with reporters ease. The exercise involves a combined task Tuesday. “The fantastic thing is the flexibility of force of 17,000 U.S., Australian, New Zeal- Rear Adm. Chris Engdahl, commander of both of these militaries and our partners that and, Japanese, South Korean and British Expeditionary Strike Group 7, said certain we can move to virtual environment and con- troops. Engdahl’s command, which includes components of Talisman Sabre, which began nect in that fashion,” Engdahl said. “Based the amphibious assault ship USS America, in late June and runs through mid-August, on what we’re doing here, [there has been] homeported at Sasebo Naval Base, Japan, have been adjusted in light of COVID-19, but almost minimal impact to the value of the bi- and 70 fixed-wing aircraft and 50 helicop- the pandemic also provided unplanned train- national and bilateral engagement between ters, are taking part in the drills. ing opportunities. the U.S. and Australia.” Highlights from this year’s Talisman “U.S. forces have maintained the commit- Engdahl also called attention to two Chi- Sabre include a task force of Marine Corps ment and the capability to operate through nese spy ships loitering in the region, which gunners practicing expeditionary base oper- the COVID-19 environment for a long time he also said had “very little effect on this ex- ations, amphibious landing operations, night now,” he said. “There’s a very large land ercise.” infiltration exercises and a variety of other component in Australia, which is part of this Dealing with the coronavirus and Chinese scenarios. ALYSSA CHULUDA/U.S. Marine Corps exercise — as well as a large maritime com- surveillance weren’t the only novel experi- U.S. Army paratroopers jump onto a drop ponent — so the government of Australia and ences at this year’s Talisman Sabre. The U.S. [email protected] zone during the Talisman Sabre exercise the Australia Defense Force ensured that Army also fired a live Patriot missile for the Twitter: @AlexMNWilson in Queensland, Australia, on Wednesday. PAGE 4 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, July 30, 2021 MILITARY House lawmakers back 2nd destroyer plan BY CAITLIN DOORNBOS the year. The Navy had previously com- service would need an additional the budget, such as research and Stars and Stripes The proposed budget called for mitted to building two new de- $1.66 billion on top of its proposed development. WASHINGTON — House law- just one new destroyer alongside stroyers in 2022 as part of multi- $211.7 billion budget to fund the Saving the Navy’s top unfunded makers on Wednesday proposed a guided-missile frigate, two at- year contracts with Ingalls Ship- second destroyer. priority has happened in other maintaining the plan to build a tack submarines, a fleet-replen- building and General Dynamics Canceling one of the contracts budgets. Last year, Congress second guided-missile destroyer ishment oiler, two towing, salvage Bath Iron Works. However, the would cost the service a $33 mil- funded a submarine that was next year after the Navy cut the and rescue ships and an ocean- service proposed canceling one of lion breached-contract penalty originally on the Navy’s list of un- ship from its 2022 budget re- surveillance ship. the scheduled destroyers to save for doing so, Adm. Mike Gilday, funded priorities. quest. “[President Joe Biden’s] bud- money in its 2022 budget. the chief of naval operations, said “While I'm frustrated that this The House Armed Services get arrived with an unexpected The Navy relies on destroyers June 22 during a Senate Armed is the second year that Congress Committee’s subpanel on sea- cut in the program of record for for some of its key missions such Services Committee hearing. has had to restore a major un- power and projection forces rec- one of our core battle force plat- as freedom-of-navigation oper- The second destroyer topped funded priority that was unex- ommended adding an additional forms, the DDG 51 destroyer,” ations. As House lawmakers the Navy’s unfunded priorities pectedly removed from the bud- destroyer to the Navy’s proposed said Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., worked on the markup Wednes- list for the upcoming year. Acting get, doing so is the right decision shipbuilding plans in a budget the subcommittee chairman. “In day, the guided-missile destroyer Navy Secretary Thomas Harker for our fleet and for the industrial markup Wednesday of the 2022 spite of these challenges, we once USS Benfold steamed through the during the June 22 hearing called base,” Courtney said. National Defense Authorization again have developed a mark that Taiwan Strait to challenge Chi- canceling the second destroyer a

Act, the law that sets the Penta- makes an independent assess- na's claims to the waterway. “very hard choice” necessary to [email protected] gon’s spending and priorities for ment of our shipbuilding needs.” Navy officials have said the make room for other priorities in Twitter: @CaitlinDoornbos Coast Guard Sector Guam rebrands itself during commissioning

BY ALEX WILSON through fisheries patrols, enhanced Stars and Stripes surveillance and enforcement ef- The U.S. Coast Guard renamed forts with U.S. partners in the West- its Guam outpost the Coast Guard ern Pacific whose own capacities Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam are limited. during a rare, triple commissioning “Coastal nations worldwide seek of fast-response cutters there to strengthen their coastal forces Thursday. and to whom do they look? They look The service’s commandant, to our Coast Guard as a key strategic Adm. Karl Schultz, announced the partner,” Schultz said during rebranding of Sector Guam during Thursday’s ceremony. “Many the commissioning of the cutters small nations lack the capacity to Frederick Hatch, Myrtle Hazard protect their vast waters, to protect and Oliver Henry. and thwart those threats from sea “This change signifies a different and to protect their rich maritime TRAVIS MAGEE/U.S. Navy operational construct than how and natural resources.” The Coast Guard fast­attack cutters Myrtle Hazard, Oliver Henry and Frederick Hatch were commissioned we’ve operated beforehand. Today, Rear Adm. Matthew Sibley, com- together during a ceremony on Guam on Thursday. these [cutters] are so capable that mander of Coast Guard District 14, we bring expeditionary capability explained the roles the cutters are important island for the U.S. It also and environmental protection. use of a multipronged deployment to the region that we haven’t had be- expected to fill. presents a unique area of operations They can reach speeds up to 28 of ships from its navy, coast guard fore,” he said during the live- “Coast Guard Sector Guam has for the Coast Guard to conduct exer- knots and remain at sea for five and maritime militia “to subvert streamed event. already started routinely deploying cises and utilize new assets. days, giving them a range of more other nations’ sovereignty and en- Schultz in October 2019 said that these fast-response cutters over The fast-response cutters are de- than 2,500 nautical miles, according force unlawful claims,” the report placing the three cutters in Guam is 1,400 nautical miles from Guam to signed for missions beyond the tra- to the Coast Guard. said. a response to “coercive and antag- counter foreign intelligence collec- ditional search-and-rescue work for In December, the Navy, Marine The report suggested that a more onistic behavior from China.” tion, combat illegal unregulated and which the Coast Guard is best Corps and Coast Guard issued Ad- robust Coast Guard presence in the During the ceremony, the admi- unreported fishing, execute search- known. Armed with four, .50-cali- vantage at Sea, a tri-service naval Western Pacific could provide joint ral echoed former national security and-rescue cases and deliver vital ber machine guns and a remote- strategy responding to China’s “re- force commanders greater flexibil- adviser Robert O’Brien, who said in support to remote island nations,” controlled, 25-mm cannon, the $65 visionist approach that aims at the ity in responding to China’s “gray October that the Guam-based cut- he said during the ceremony. million vessels may also be used for heart of the United States’ maritime zone” confrontations that remain ters are expected to help police Chi- Sibley said the cutters’ homeport, drug interdiction, defense oper- power.” below the threshold of armed con- na’s illegal fishing in the region Guam, is more than a strategically ations, maritime law enforcement Beijing’s strategy hinges on the flict. US Navy sends warship through Taiwan Strait for 7th time this year

BY ALEX WILSON lease Wednesday. mile waterway that separates Chi- Sherman’s visit to China this week. are monitoring China’s stance on Stars and Stripes The Benfold’s passage marks the na and Taiwan. Its warships made Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokes- Taiwan. A Japanese Ministry of Another U.S. Navy destroyer seventh Taiwan Strait transit this 13 transits throughout 2020, Lang- person Zhao Lijian, during a press Defense report released July 13 steamed through the Taiwan Strait year by a Navy vessel, 7th Fleet ford said. conference Monday, said Beijing said the country is focused on the on Wednesday amid increasing at- spokesman Lt. Mark Langford told The Chinese government rou- had “expressed strong dissatisfac- island with “a sense of crisis.” tention on the contentious water- Stars and Stripes in an email tinely condemns as provocative the tion” with the U.S. over issues such “Stabilizing the Taiwan situation way. Wednesday. presence of Navy destroyers in the as Taiwan and the South China Sea. is important for Japan’s national The guided-missile destroyer The guided-missile destroyer strait. Beijing considers Taiwan a security and stability of the inter- USS Benfold passed through the USS Curtis Wilbur made the Na- Wednesday’s trip was the first breakaway province and has con- national community,” the report strait in a “routine” transit that vy’s past two trips through the through the strait by the Benfold sistently maintained that the island said. “demonstrates the U.S. commit- strait on June 22 and May 18. since July 2018. should be reunited with the main- ment to a free and open Indo-Pacif- The Navy routinely steams Its passage comes just after U.S. land, possibly by force. [email protected] ic,” the U.S. Navy said in a news re- through the approximately 110- Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Meanwhile, the U.S. and Japan Twitter: @AlexMNWilson Friday, July 30, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 5 MILITARY Over 370 National Guard troops fighting wildfires

BY ROSE L. THAYER and record high temperatures. standing the weather trends af- 264 missions, the Guard said. Two of the largest fires burn- Stars and Stripes More than 36,500 fires have fecting wildfires, we’ve been Additional troops and aircraft ing now are in California and More than 370 National Guard burned a total of 2.8 million preparing since March.” are on standby as officials ex- Oregon. The Bootleg Fire en- troops from seven states are acres, roughly the size of Dela- Oregon, Montana, Washing- pect military support to peak in compasses more than 413,000 fighting wildfires in the western ware and Rhode Island com- ton, Idaho, Nevada, California mid-August. acres in southern Oregon and is portion of the United States as bined, according to the National and Wyoming have contributed Ducich said they remain in about 53% contained, according multiple large-scale blazes have Guard Bureau, the Washington soldiers and airmen to help com- close coordination with state and to the U.S. Forest Service. The destroyed homes and forced headquarters that is monitoring bat fires across the West. The federal agencies to keep up with Dixie Fire in Plumas County, thousands of residents to evac- Guard support. latter three states have contrib- the need to scale troop and Calif., has grown to more than uate. “We are continually evaluat- uted a total of four C-130 trans- equipment levels up or down as 221,500 acres and is about 23% More than a dozen states are ing and evolving our readiness,” port planes outfitted with fire- needed. More than 2,100 hand contained. now battling wildfires, which ig- said Brig. Gen. Nick Ducich, vice fighting equipment. crews from nine states are also nited earlier this month as the director of operations for the Na- As of Wednesday, the crews available to construct fire lines [email protected] region faces a historic drought tional Guard Bureau. “Under- had made 253 drops and flown on the ground, the Guard said. Twitter: @Rose_Lori New software could allow more time for combat decisions

BY CAITLIN DOORNBOS they’re available immediately.” sooner,” he said. Stars and Stripes While VanHerck said the soft- VanHerck said he hopes to field The military is finding new ware could make a significant im- the software “sooner than later so ways to use technology to help pact, the information being ana- that we can collaborate and create commanders make better, faster lyzed has already been available. decision space and deterrence op- decisions on the battlefield with “It’s not new information, it’s in- tions for our senior leaders right software that brings together and formation that today is just not now.” analyzes information such as ra- analyzed and processed until later “I believe, in the near future, dar data from across the world, in the time cycle,” he said. “All that we can kind of build the bike Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck, we’re doing is taking it and shar- while we ride it,” he said. “We can the commander of U.S. Northern ing it and making it available soon- use a new paradigm — a new way Command, said Wednesday. er.” going forward — and field these NORTHCOM just finished its Though the information already capabilities across the combatant third global information dom- exists, VanHerck said using soft- commands today and develop the inance experiment, which ware to synthesize data allows de- tactics, techniques and proce- brought together all 11 U.S. com- JACKIE SANDERS/Office of the Secretary of Defense cision-makers extra time to take dures that oftentimes take us batant commands this month to Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of U.S. Northern Com­ preventative actions. years to develop through develop- practice sharing information mand, shown at the Pentagon in March, said Wednesday the military “All too often we end up reac- mental testing [and] operational across the world, VanHerck told is finding ways to use technology on the battlefield. ting to a competitor’s move, and in testing.” reporters at the Pentagon. this case it actually allows us to

Participants used software tools velop such technology. those ships available so any op- create deterrence, which creates [email protected] designed to analyze, synthesize Still, “humans still make all the tions you create, you’ll know if stability by having awareness Twitter: @CaitlinDoornbos and share information across all decisions” in the technology used combatant commands to help for the global information dom- commanders work together to inance experiments, VanHerck make better and faster combat de- said. The AI in that software col- cisions. lects and digests important infor- Some of the tools use artificial mation from across the world on intelligence, something that De- which commanders need to base fense Secretary Lloyd Austin re- their decisions. cently called “one of the [Defense] “Certainly, machines can pro- department’s top tech moderniza- vide options,” VanHerck said. tion priorities.” “For example, if you … develop He said in a July 13 speech that deterrence options that utilize he sees AI as key to prevent future force structure such as airplanes conflicts as China — the primary or ships, the data can have the in- “pacing threat” for the United formation of the readiness, the States — increases its efforts to de- availability or the capability of Sailors: Service members’ vaccination status before deaths remains unknown

FROM PAGE 1 least one dose of the vaccine. The Navy did not say whether Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin the sailors had been vaccinated for months has been considering against the coronavirus. whether to mandate the vaccines As of July 21, 26 service mem- once they receive full approval bers had died from the coronavi- from the Food and Drug Adminis- rus and 1,832 were hospitalized, tration, acting Navy Secretary according to the Pentagon. The Thomas Harker said in June. sailors’ deaths bring the total to at Federal law prevents vaccines least 28. under emergency-use authoriza- In total, about 205,910 troops tion from becoming mandatory have tested positive for the coro- unless the president finds it neces- navirus since the beginning of the sary. pandemic, according to the Penta- gon. More than 1.2 million active- duty, Reserve, and National [email protected] Guard troops have received at Twitter: @CaitlinDoornbos PAGE 6 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, July 30, 2021 MILITARY Sailors allowed to defer up to 120 leave days BY WYATT OLSON service said. Stars and Stripes Sailors are allowed to retain Sailors who missed vacation the special leave they have ac- opportunities during the corona- crued during the current fiscal virus pandemic may carry up to year until Sept. 30, 2024, the Navy 120 days of unused leave for an- said. Leave accrued after Sept. 30 other three years, the Navy an- is not protected by the policy. nounced Wednesday. The memo made no mention of COLBEY LIVINGSTON/U.S. Navy The leave time — twice the car- leave policy for the Marine A sailor aboard the guided­missile cruiser USS San Jacinto goes on liberty following the ship's return last ryover amount allowed in normal Corps. August to Naval Station Norfolk, Va. times — must have been accrued Enlisted sailors who have more during the current fiscal year, than 120 days of leave can “sell The Office of the Secretary of vice to set its own accrual car- The Air Force last week an- which ends Sept. 30, according to back leave,” the Navy said. “This Defense approved leave carry- ryover policy for the current fis- nounced a very similar leave ac- a Navy memo. is limited to once in a career and over for all the services during cal year. crual policy for the current fiscal The pandemic has made it dif- counts towards the 60 day career the previous fiscal year that end- The Navy’s policy was ap- year. ficult for many sailors to take limit.” ed Sept. 30, 2020, due to the pan- proved by the Assistant Secreta-

time off and necessitated the Spe- Officers are not authorized to demic. ry of the Navy for Manpower and [email protected] cial Leave Accrual policy, the sell back leave. The Pentagon has left each ser- Reserve Affairs. Twitter: @WyattWOlson Masks: DOD requires face coverings for vaccinated personnel FROM PAGE 1 — had been fully vaccinated. An- category. Another 537 were listed While CDC officials and Biden after the national Centers for Dis- other 233,565 troops were partial- within the substantial transmis- have said in recent days that the ease Control and Prevention is- ly vaccinated, according to the da- sion rate category. vast majority of cases, about 90%, sued new guidance encouraging ta. Defense Secretary Lloyd Aus- A CDC map of county statuses have spread among those not vac- vaccinated Americans to don tin announced July 16 that more showed high or substantial trans- cinated against the coronavirus, masks indoors in certain locations than 70% of the active-duty force mission across most of the U.S. officials have warned they have where the coronavirus is spread- had been at least partially vacci- southeast, where vaccination seen more so-called breakthrough ing rapidly. nated, but the Pentagon has not rates trail other parts of the coun- cases of the virus infecting fully “Deputy Secretary Hicks has provided updated data on active- try. But at least some counties re- vaccinated individuals. directed that all individuals, re- duty troops since then. porting significant or high rates of CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Wa- gardless of vaccination status, The U.S. military has reported infection appeared to be present lensky said breakthrough infec- wear masks in indoor settings at 208,603 troops have tested posi- in all 50 states. Updated informa- tions remain rare and the “vac- Department of Defense installa- tive for the virus since the pan- tion on local transmission rates cines work just as we thought they tions and facilities in areas of sub- MICHAEL LESLIE/U.S. National Guard demic began. Pentagon data re- and other coronavirus-related da- would.” However, where health stantial or high transmission, as Senior Master Sgt. Anita Blue leased Wednesday showed more ta is available online. officials once thought vaccinated defined by the CDC, to protect wears a mask and listens to a than 5,000 active cases. Twenty- In the Defense Department individuals were unlikely to against rising [coronavirus] speaker Aug. 19 at Camp Mabry eight service members have died memorandum announcing the spread the disease, new data cases,” said Jamal Brown, a Pen- in Austin, Texas. from complications of the virus. changes on Wednesday, Hicks shows they can spread the new tagon spokesman. “[Wednes- The White House official said said military installations and oth- variant to others, she said. day’s] announcement applies to please, please” get their shots. new rules were meant to encour- er DOD facilities should post signs “With the delta variant, we can all service members, federal per- Biden was expected to an- age an increase in vaccination at their locations and information now see in outbreak investigations sonnel, contractors, and visitors nounce Thursday afternoon that rates in the country, setting an ex- on their websites outlining cur- in these recent weeks … that you when indoors at all properties most federal employees show ample for employers to set their rent guidance, including whether can actually now pass it to some- owned by the department in those proof that they had been fully vac- own get-vaccinated or tested reg- fully vaccinated individuals must one else,” Walensky said Wednes- areas, in accordance with updated cinated against the coronavirus or ularly policies, the AP reported. wear masks indoors in that loca- day on CNN. “For every 20 [fully CDC guidelines.” agree to regular testing, stringent Regardless, federal officials tion “as soon as possible.” vaccinated] people, one or two of The Defense Department social distancing requirements, want unvaccinated and vaccinat- Defense Department personnel them could get a breakthrough, change on mask requirements masking up and restrictions on ed individuals to return to mask- who do not comply with current they may only get mild disease, came just one day before Presi- their travel, The Associated Press wearing indoors in those locations orders regarding face masks but we wanted them to know they dent Joe Biden was expected to is- reported, citing an unnamed ad- deemed by the CDC to have sub- could be punished, defense offi- could bring that mild disease sue new rules for federal employ- ministration official. The official stantial or high coronavirus trans- cials have said. home, they could bring it to oth- ees, potentially including military said those who chose not to get mission rates. Hicks directed service mem- ers.” troops, related to the virus as in- vaccinated would not be at risk of The CDC has defined those ar- bers and DOD civilian employees The Department of Veterans fection rates increase and the losing their jobs. eas of the country, broken down to “continue to comply with CDC Affairs on Monday announced it White House pushes for more eli- AP reported it was not clear by individual county, as display- guidance regarding areas where would require its medical workers gible Americans to get vaccinated. ahead of Biden’s announcement if ing substantial coronavirus trans- masks should be worn, including to receive coronavirus vaccines. The president has placed blame he would lump active-duty mili- mission rates if more than 50 within airports.” The department, the first federal on unvaccinated adults for in- tary troops and federal contract cases per 100,000 persons were re- The change comes as federal agency to mandate vaccination for creasing transmission rates pri- workers into the new require- ported in the previous seven days. health officials expressed increas- any of its personnel, gave employ- marily with the highly infectious ments. Those reporting more than 100 ing concerns about the highly ees until Sept. 20 to be fully vacci- delta variant of the coronavirus. Pentagon data updated on cases per 100,000 persons are transmissible delta variant of the nated. “The pandemic we have now is Wednesday showed about 48% of deemed to have high transmission virus spreading throughout the a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” the military’s total active-duty, rates. On Wednesday, the CDC re- country and increasing hospitali- The Associated Press contributed to this report. Biden said Wednesday, urging un- National Guard and Reserve force ported 1,608 of 3,219 U.S. counties zation rates in many areas of the [email protected] vaccinated Americans to “please, — or 1,027,730 service members fell into the high transmission rate United States. Twitter: @CDicksteinDC Friday, July 30, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 7 OLYMPICS 2 US military community members aid golf contest BY SETH ROBSON In another golf tournament, the ball Stars and Stripes might have struck a fan. But with spectators KASUMIGASEKI COUNTRY CLUB, banned from most Olympic events it ended Japan — Incoming, wayward golf balls up in a decent lie, although trees made for a didn’t faze two members of the U.S. military challenging second shot onto the green. community working at the Olympic golf Superstars such as Masters champion competition in Saitama prefecture this Hideki Matsuyama and The Open cham- week. pion Collin Morikawa are used to walking Patrick Bowman, the professional at the past throngs of fans on their way to the tee Air Force-run Tama Hills Golf Course in box. On Thursday, only a few photogra- Tokyo, and Jon Stillabower, operations phers and course officials watched them manager at the Marine Corps’ Taiyo Golf play. Course on Okinawa, spent Thursday walk- U.S. Air Force planes passed overhead; ing the fairways at Kasumigaseki Country the country club is about 12 miles north of Club. Yokota Air Base, the headquarters in west- They plan to do the same for the next ern Tokyo for U.S. Forces Japan. three days, using radios to call in informa- Bowman, who saw Tiger Woods win the tion on players’ shots and order of play to Zozo Championship PGA Tour at the Accor- international broadcasters. dia Golf Narashino country club in nearby During the first round on Thursday, Bow- Chiba prefecture in 2019, said he wished his man tracked a group that included Kalle Sa- friends could have been at the Olympic SETH ROBSON/Stars and Stripes mooja of Finland, Jhonattan Vegas of Vene- competition. Tokyo Olympics volunteers Patrick Bowman, left, the golf professional at the Air zuela and Thomas Detry of Belgium. “I don’t take any of this for granted,” he Force­run Tama Hills Golf Course, and Jon Stillabower, operations manager at the Stillabower watched Thomas Detry of said. “But at the same time, I wish everyone Marine Corps’ Taiyo Golf Course on Okinawa, pose at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Slovakia, Mito Pereira of Chile and Renatro was here with us.” Saitama prefecture, Japan, on Thursday. Paratore of Italy. Plenty of people go to PGA tournaments, On the first hole, Bowman took up a posi- Stillabower said. “But it’s different going to selves despite hot, humid conditions. @OlympicGolf. Excited to get back out tion about 280 yards down the fairway to the Olympics and seeing not just the PGA Justin Thomas finished in even par. Xan- there tomorrow and begin the chase.” watch the drives land but had to duck when players but players from around the world der Schauffele tweeted after his round:

Vegas’ first shot hit nearby trees and came representing their countries.” “Left a few shots out there today but overall [email protected] down a few feet away. The U.S. players seemed to enjoy them- pleased with my 68 (-3) in round one here at Twitter: @SethRobson1 PAGE 8 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, July 30, 2021 VIRUS OUTBREAK Tokyo breaks another one-day case record BY JOSEPH DITZLER On Okinawa, the Marine Corps Stars and Stripes had four people test positive for TOKYO — The coronavirus COVID-19 on Thursday, accord- wave in Japan’s capital city broke ing to a Facebook post by Marine its one-day record for new infec- Corps Installations Pacific. tions again Thursday, one week Okinawa prefecture on Thurs- into the city’s pandemic-delayed day also reported its highest one- Olympic Games. day caseload, thus far, 392 newly Another 3,865 people tested infected people, surpassing 347 positive in Tokyo, the most ever new cases Wednesday and the on one day, and a day after reac- previous peak, 354 cases Tues- hing the previous peak of 3,177, day, according to NHK and pre- according to public broadcaster fectural Gov. Denny Tamaki. A NHK and metro government da- total of 23,940 people on Okinawa ta. Three people died of CO- have been infected since March VID-19 in the city, NHK reported. 2020 and 235 have died, including The fifth wave of the coronavi- two Thursday, according to NHK rus in the city has set a caseload and prefectural data online. record three days in a row. “It is not an exaggeration to say The Tokyo Olympics on Thurs- that we are experiencing the day reported 24 new COVID-19 worst situation,” Tamaki said at a patients, including three foreign news conference Wednesday. athletes, the highest daily total The coronavirus surge on Oki- since the organizing committee nawa, home to the largest concen- started keeping track July 1, ac- tration of U.S. troops in Japan, is cording to The Mainichi newspa- particularly strong among teens, per. That brought the total of Tamaki said. In central Okinawa, Olympic cases to 193. employees of bars and restau- The surge is also growing in the rants are most affected, followed city’s three neighboring prefec- by construction workers. tures, where new infections also AKIFUMI ISHIKAWA/Stars and Stripes Tamaki, who received the first broke pandemic records Wednes- Another 3,865 people tested positive for the coronavirus in Tokyo on Thursday. shot of the two-shot Moderna vac- day, NHK reported Thursday. cine Tuesday, urged his constitu- The national government may de- tama prefecture announced 1,870, miles south of Tokyo, had six peo- suka Naval Base, 38 miles south of ency to get vaccinated. Vaccines clare an emergency in those pre- and Chiba, to the east, reported ple test positive: four after close Tokyo, reported that an unvacci- are in short supply on the island, fectures as soon as Friday. 577. contact with other individuals and nated child care provider at the and Tamaki said he has asked To- Kanagawa prefecture, home to The U.S. military in Japan on two after falling ill with COVID-19 Duncan Street Child Develop- kyo for enough to inoculate the is- the headquarters for the U.S. Ar- Thursday and late Wednesday an- symptoms, according to a base ment Center had tested positive land’s population. my and Navy in Japan and home- nounced 11 new COVID-19 pa- news release. The base has nine earlier in the day. An infant room port of the 7th Fleet, reported tients, including four on Okinawa people under medical supervi- at the center was closed Thurs- Stars and Stripes reporter Mari Higa contributed to this report. 1,051 new COVID-19 patients and seven in Kanagawa. sion. day, according to a Facebook post [email protected] Wednesday. North of Tokyo, Sai- Naval Air Facility Atsugi, 26 On Wednesday evening, Yoko- by the base. Twitter: @JosephDitzler Virus cases dip in South Korea as its military tightens restrictions BY DAVID CHOI positive before entering quaran- base’s gates. A defense ministry AND YOO KYONG CHANG tine, while the other infection was official told Stars and Stripes on Stars and Stripes discovered during an isolation, Thursday that there may be some CAMP HUMPHREYS, South USFK said. exceptions, such as attending a fu- Korea — The Korea Disease Con- Meanwhile, South Korea’s Min- neral. trol and Prevention Agency re- istry of National Defense has South Korean service members ported 1,674 new COVID-19 pa- tightened its social distancing stationed in metropolitan areas tients on Thursday, hundreds less measures, which have been par- are also restricted from leaving than the pandemic-record 1,896 ticularly restrictive when com- the barracks-area with a few ex- cases announced the previous pared to regulations governing the ceptions, while those in less-pop- day. roughly 28,500 U.S. troops sta- ulated regions where there have The U.S. military, meanwhile, tioned in the country. been no infections for the past sev- had five people test positive for the According to the defense minis- en days may leave with a com- coronavirus respiratory disease try’s regulations, only 10% of mander’s approval. after arriving on the peninsula be- troops from a military unit will be Nearly 1,500 of South Korea’s ASHLEY MCLAUGHLIN/U.S. Marine Corps tween July 20 and Sunday, U.S. allowed to take leave, and only 550,000 active-duty troops have Over 80% of U.S. Forces Korea troops and civilian employees have Forces Korea announced Thurs- within the country. An additional tested positive for COVID-19, ac- been vaccinated for the coronavirus, and less than 1% of its day. 5% of troops may also be allowed cording to the defense ministry. active­duty service members have tested positive for COVID­19. One of the new patients is a ser- to take leave at the commander’s USFK similarly extended its vice member who landed at Osan discretion. own “enhanced” COVID-19 miti- are prohibited from visiting the civilian employees have been in- Air Base aboard the Patriot Ex- All private gatherings have gation measures until Aug. 27. greater Seoul-area except for mis- oculated and less than 1% of its ac- press military charter flight from been suspended or canceled for Unit-level commanders are gen- sion-essential duties. tive-duty service members tested the United States on July 20, a two weeks, and service members erally able to implement their own Seoul continues to report a high- positive for COVID-19. The com- news release said. The others — are banned from attending in-per- rules in addition to USFK policies, er number of infections than any mand has maintained that it “re- three service members and a fam- son religious gatherings outside of and all service members are in- other area in the country. The cap- mains at a high level of readiness,” ily member of a USFK contractor their military base. structed to follow local guidelines. ital city recorded 515 new cases despite the recent surge of infec- — arrived at Incheon Internation- Troops stationed at a South Ko- U.S. troops are allowed to leave Thursday, down from its record tions in the surrounding commu- al Airport on July 21, 22 and Sun- rean base are also prohibited from their bases, but regardless of their high of 638 daily cases earlier this nities. day. meeting outside visitors and hav- vaccination status are banned month. Four of those individuals tested ing overnight stays outside the from visiting bars and clubs and Over 80% of USFK troops and [email protected] Friday, July 30, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 9 VIRUS OUTBREAK Pfizer data shows vaccine still strong 6 months after jab The Washington Post is ... more profound for mild WASHINGTON — Executives cases, but there is a clear waning of the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer also for hospitalizations and se- predicted Wednesday that vac- vere disease.” cine boosters would soon be need- In Israel, Health Ministry offi- ed, a declaration that came on the cials late Wednesday recom- same day the company published mended administering booster data showing that its coronavirus shots to older adults. The director shots remained robustly protec- general of the Health Ministry is tive six months after vaccination, expected to accept that recom- providing nearly complete pro- mendation in coming days and tection against severe disease. will decide whether the target Hours later, Israeli health offi- group will include people older cials moved toward making boost- than 65 or older than 75. JULIE MITCHELL/AAFES ers available for older residents. Despite a lack of regulatory ap- Students at overseas Department of Defense Education Activity schools, like these in Netzaberg, Germa­ Pfizer’s paper, which has not proval for boosters in the United ny, in 2016, will be eligible for free lunches through June 2022, the Army and Air Force Exchange Serviceyet undergone peer review, States or Europe and the absence announced. showed a slight drop in efficacy of definitive data, the Israeli ex- against any symptomatic cases of perts concluded that the peril COVID-19, the illness caused by posed by the apparent waning of the novel coronavirus, from 96% vaccine efficacy over time, along- Free meals to be given at DODEA protection in the first two months side a spike in infections, out- after vaccination to 84% after four weighs the risk of pursuing a schools through new school year months. booster shot policy for the elderly. Company officials also present- The Israeli officials said protec- BY JENNIFER H. SVAN The meals are also available to 17,700 meals per day during the ed data showing that a third shot tion against serious illness for Stars and Stripes students learning virtually, said 2020-21 school year, including could boost disease-fighting anti- those older than 60 who were vac- KAISERSLAUTERN, Germa- Chris Ward, an AAFES spokes- “grab and go” meals for students bodies many times higher than cinated in January dropped from ny — Defense Department man. in remote classes. the level achieved by the standard 97% to about 81%. For those older schools overseas will continue to DODEA schools overseas first To participate, students must two-dose regimen. They said on a than 60 vaccinated in March, it offer free meals to students offered free meals in November have a DODEA student ID num- quarterly earnings call that they fell to about 84%. They said effica- through June 2022, school offi- after gaining USDA approval to ber and meal account through planned to seek authorization for cy remained at 93% for people ag- cials said Thursday. participate in the program, which AAFES, the Navy Exchange or a booster by mid-August, reiterat- es 40 to 59 years. The U.S. Department of Agri- was started to provide relief to Marine Corps Community Servic- ing the company’s belief that a The data released Wednesday culture granted the extension, families during the coronavirus es. No action is required to receive third dose would be needed to en- by Pfizer, when viewed across the said Stephen Smith, a spokesman pandemic. USDA subsidizes the free school meals for students who hance immunity within a year of entirety of the six-month period for Department of Defense Edu- meals for all children, regardless already have an account, AAFES vaccination. covered in the paper, showed the cation Activity–Europe. of household income. said. “There is very good protection vaccine was 91% protective over- Officials with the Army and Air “This is a tremendous benefit to Parents may set up accounts at in the beginning, and then there’s all. The findings come from the Force Exchange Service, which military families,” Air Force Chief their local military exchange cus- waning. And when you come clos- continuation of a large clinical provides meals at 76 school cafe- Master Sgt. Kevin Osby, the Ex- tomer service area. er to six months, [waning] which trial that began last summer, so terias throughout Europe and the change’s senior enlistment advis- is even more profound with delta they do not include the period

Pacific, said breakfast and lunch er, said in a statement. [email protected] [variant],” Pfizer chief executive when the delta variant had will be free at the DODEA schools. AAFES served an average of Twitter: @stripesktown Albert Bourla said. “The waning emerged and become dominant. Variant discovered in Colombia is beginning to show up in Fla. BY LATESHIA BEACHUM international travel between Col- nt causes more severe disease or “The only time it becomes im- [of infections] to 30% or to 60%; we The Washington Post ombia and Miami, which serves as evades the efficacy of vaccines. portant is if it gives virus selective don’t want to see that,” he said. “It A coronavirus variant discov- a gateway to Latin America. Yet the agency has designated the advantage, which we’ve seen with has to be more fit than the delta ered in Colombia is showing up A person who replied to an variant to be under investigation delta variant,” he said. “We’ll see variant. It would have to be more among patients in South Florida, email sent from The Washington as it continues to conduct lab test- with this one ... What we have to transmissible.” increasing infections and putting Post to Migoya’s office said he was ing to better understand the im- see is two weeks from now, or four It doesn’t take much time for health officials on alert as calls unavailable to comment. pact mutations have on the coro- weeks from now, is this going to do variants to spread, especially grow louder for unvaccinated in- Health experts will keep B.1.621 navirus. another trick and wind up being among unvaccinated people, said dividuals to get inoculated. on their radar as the fall season The European Centre for Dis- more?” Preeti N. Malani, chief health offi- Carlos Migoya, CEO of Jackson looms and as parts of the country ease Control and Prevention has Sellick noted how quickly the cer and a professor of medicine in Health System, told WPLG in still lag in their vaccination ef- also chosen to assign the variant as delta variant went from account- the Division of Infectious Diseas- Miami earlier this week that the forts, experts told The Post. one of interest, as evidence could ing for just more than 10% of cases es at the University of Michigan. B.1.621 variant has accounted for The earliest documented sam- suggest significant impact, but al- at the beginning of June to more Malani pointed to drug compa- about 10% of coronavirus patients, ples of B.1.621 were noted in Janu- so noting that much of the data is than 80% of cases by mid-July. ny Biogen’s annual leadership trailing behind delta, the now ary, and at least 16 cases have preliminary and marked with The Centers for Disease Control conference in February 2020, dominant variant in the United been recently reported in the many questions. and Prevention is monitoring from which the coronavirus States that’s been ravaging the na- United Kingdom, where health of- In the U.S., the variant has yet to more than 10 other variants in ad- spread across Massachusetts and tion’s unvaccinated, and the gam- ficials have noted that the major- be named one of interest or con- dition to B.1.621 that’s popping up the country, as an example of how ma variant. B.1.621 has yet to re- ity of cases linked to the variant cern, accounting for just more in South Florida. quickly variants can spread. ceive a Greek-letter designation were the result of international than 2.1% of cases as of July 17, Only time will provide more in- “If you have a lot of unvaccinat- as more prominent variants have. travel. noted John Sellick, a professor at formation about B.1.621, Sellick ed people gathering and then Migoya told the news station Public Health England noted the Jacobs School of Medicine and said. they’re going back home, you that he speculated B.1.621 is likely last week that there is currently no Biomedical Sciences at the Uni- “If this thing is really more could have very rapid transmis- rising in South Florida because of evidence to indicate that the varia- versity at Buffalo. transmissible and goes from 2% sion in few weeks,” she said. PAGE 10 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, July 30, 2021 NATION Senate to begin work on infrastructure bill Associated Press outcome showed that bipartisan- WASHINGTON — The Senate ship in Washington can work and has voted to begin work on a near- he believed GOP support would ly $1 trillion national infrastruc- only grow. “That’s pretty darn ture plan, acting with sudden good for a start,” he said. speed after weeks of fits and starts That group had labored with the once the White House and a bipar- White House to salvage the deal, a tisan group of senators agreed on first part of Biden’s big infrastruc- major provisions of the package ture agenda. Swelling to more that’s key to President Joe Biden’s than 700 pages, the bill includes agenda. $550 billion in new spending for Biden welcomed the accord as public works projects. one that would show America can In all, 17 Republican senators “do big things.” It includes the joined the Democrats in voting to most significant long-term invest- launch the debate, but most re- ments in nearly a century, he said, mained skeptical. The GOP sen- on par with building the transcon- ators were given a thick binder of tinental railroad or the Interstate briefing materials during a pri- highway system. vate lunch, but they asked many “This deal signals to the world questions and wanted more de- that our democracy can function,” tails. Biden said ahead of the vote According to a 57-page GOP Wednesday night. “We will once summary obtained by The Associ- again transform America and pro- ated Press, the five-year spending pel us into the future.” package would be paid for by tap- After weeks of stop-and-go ne- J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE/AP ping $205 billion in unspent CO- gotiations, the rare bipartisan Senate negotiators from both parties speak to reporters just after a vote to start work on a nearly $1 VID-19 relief aid and $53 billion in showing on a 67-32 vote to start trillion bipartisan infrastructure package, at the Capitol, on Wednesday. unemployment insurance aid formal Senate consideration some states have halted. It also re- showed the high interest among proceed for consideration and ul- grams and services including Portman, of Ohio, announced the lies on economic growth to bring senators in the infrastructure timately pass this bill, meaning child care, tax breaks and health bipartisan group’s agreement on in $56 billion, and other measures. package. But it’s unclear if enough support from both parties. care that touch almost every cor- the $1 trillion package earlier Giving Wednesday night’s vote Republicans will eventually join The outcome will set the stage ner of American life. Republicans Wednesday at the Capitol, flanked a boost, Senate GOP leader Mitch Democrats to support the final for the next debate over Biden’s strongly oppose that bill, which by four other Republican senators McConnell announced late in the passage. much more ambitious $3.5 trillion would require a simple majority, who had been in talks with Demo- day he would vote to proceed, Senate rules require 60 votes in spending package, a strictly parti- and may try to stop both. crats and the White House. though whether he will support the evenly split 50-50 chamber to san pursuit of far-reaching pro- Lead GOP negotiator Sen. Rob After voting, Portman said the the final bill remains uncertain. Alaskan quake US economy accelerated at shakes up coast solid 6.5% rate last quarter Associated Press ta variant. The U.S. is now averag- WASHINGTON — Fueled by ing more than 60,000 confirmed with lengthy jolt vaccinations and government aid, new cases a day, up from only the U.S. economy grew at a solid about 12,000 a month ago. Should a Associated Press 6.5% annual rate last quarter in surge in viral infections cause PERRYVILLE, Alaska — A powerful earthquake another sign that the nation has many consumers to hunker down that struck just off Alaska’s southern coast caused achieved a sustained recovery again and pull back on spending, it prolonged shaking and prompted tsunami warnings from the pandemic recession. The would weaken the recovery. that sent people scrambling for shelters. total size of the economy has now For now, the economy is show- Residents reported only minor damage, but offi- surpassed its pre-pandemic level. ing sustained strength. Last cials said that could change after sunrise and people Thursday’s report from the month, America’s employers add- get a better look. Commerce Department estimat- ed 850,000 jobs, well above the av- The National Tsunami Warning Center canceled ed that the nation’s gross domestic erage of the previous three the warnings early Thursday when the biggest wave, product — its total output of goods months. And average hourly pay of just over a half foot, was recorded in Old Harbor. A SARAH KNAPP, HOMER NEWS/AP and services — accelerated in the rose a solid 3.6% compared with a tsunami warning that had also been issued for Ha- People evacuate the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska, April-June quarter from an al- year earlier, faster than the pre- waii was also canceled, and officials said there was no on Wednesday, after a tsunami warning was issued ready robust 6.3% annual growth pandemic annual pace. threat to Guam, American Samoa or the Common- following a magnitude 8.2 earthquake. rate in the first quarter of the year. “The fundamentals for consum- wealth of Northern Mariana Islands. The quarterly figure was less than ers and businesses are still very The warning for Alaska covered nearly a 1,000- On the Kenai Peninsula, a steady stream of cars analysts had expected, but the good,” said Gus Faucher, chief mile stretch from Prince William Sound to Samalga were seen evacuating the Homer Spit, a jut of land economy was likely held back economist at PNC Financial, who Island, Alaska, near the end of the Aleutian Islands. extending nearly 5 miles into Kachemak Bay that is a mainly by supply shortages in said he had so far seen no effects The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was draw for tourists and fishermen. goods, components and labor. from a rise in confirmed cases. magnitude 8.2 and hit 56 miles east southeast of Per- In King Cove, up to 400 people took shelter in the For all of 2021, the economy is Consumer confidence has reac- ryville, Alaska, at about 8:15 p.m. Wednesday. The school gym. expected to expand perhaps as hed its highest level since the pan- quake was about 29 miles below the surface of the “We’re used to this. This is pretty normal for this much as 7%. If so, that would be demic struck in March 2020, a key ocean, according to USGS. area to get these kind of quakes, and when the tsuna- the strongest calendar-year reason why retail sales remain Patrick Mayer, the superintendent of schools for mi sirens go off, it’s just something we do,” school growth since 1984. And it would solid as Americans shift their the Aleutians East Borough, was sitting in his kitchen principal Paul Barker told the Anchorage newspa- mark a sharp reversal from last spending back to services — from in the community of Sand Point when shaking from per. “It’s not something you ever get used to, but it’s year’s 3.5% economic contraction restaurant meals and airline trips the quake started. part of the job living here and being part of the com- — the worst in 74 years — as a re- to entertainment events and shop- “It started to go and just didn’t stop,” Mayer told munity.” sult of the pandemic. ping sprees. Businesses are also the Anchorage Daily News. “It went on for a long time Several other earthquakes, some with preliminary Yet overhanging the rosy eco- showing renewed faith in the and there were several aftershocks, too. The pantry is magnitudes of 6.2 and 5.6, occurred in the same area nomic forecasts is the possibility economy, with orders for manu- empty all over the floor, the fridge is empty all over within hours of the first one, the U.S. Geological Sur- of a resurgent coronavirus in the factured goods pointing to solid the floor.” vey reported. form of the highly contagious del- corporate investment. Friday, July 30, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 11 AMERICAN ROUNDUP

In emergency, small-plane pilot lands on interstate MILTON — A pilot FL brought his small plane down on the shoulder of Interstate 10 after running out of fuel, offi- cials said. No one was injured when the plane made an emergency landing around 7:30 p.m. Sunday near Mil- ton in Florida’s Panhandle, the Florida Highway Patrol said in a news release. Witnesses told troopers that the plane was circling just before landing on the interstate. He is making his own arrangements to remove the plane, the agency said. The Federal Aviation Adminis- tration and the National Transpor- tation Safety Board were notified. 3 people rescued after surviving 3 hours in water BAYPORT — Three NY people were rescued af- ter spending hours in the waters off Long Island. Suffolk County police said they received a distress call from a boa- ter at about 2 a.m. Sunday report- ing three people missing from the boat. County police marine bureau of- ficers located the boat about one mile offshore in Bayport and DAVID CRIGGER, BRISTOL HERALD COURIER/AP searched the area along with other officers in a police helicopter. The three missing people were The perfect space located about a mile from the boat, Rising Bristol Tennessee High School senior RJ Wells, right, works with his father, Chuck, to paint his parking space in the senior parking lot, where they had drifted while Tuesday, in Bristol, Tenn. Wells is painting his space with the logo and slogan of his favorite brand of clothing, Vineyard Vines. Each senior is swimming. They had been in the assigned a parking spot can personalize the space after submitting the design for approval. water about three hours, and only one wore a flotation device, ac- THE CENSUS about 9:30 p.m. to force the 39- cording to police. Museum puts bust of year-old man out, but was stabbed The three — identified as Mi- Confederate on display The amount of money, in dollars, arbitrators awarded to a several times. The man later was chael Fusco, 33, of Patchogue; To- 10M Detroit-area man who spent more than 16 years in prison shot as he charged and tried to stab ni Arango, 28, of North Massape- NASHVILLE — The before two murder convictions were overturned. Mubarez Ahmed insisted he a deputy, MLive.com reported. qua; and Leo Lopez-Garcia, 28, of TN Tennessee State Mu- was wrongly convicted of a 2001 double homicide in Detroit. The Wayne Coun- The man’s name was not imme- Huntington Station — were taken seum is allowing the public to view ty prosecutor’s office in 2018 acknowledged the convictions were fueled by diately released. ashore and evaluated by the Say- the busts of three military leaders, false testimony and other problems. Ahmed was released from prison that year MLive.com reported that the ville rescue squad. including a former Confederate and sued Detroit police, saying his rights were violated. A panel of three arbitra- dog’s name is Kuno. It was being tors awarded $9.95 million, attorney Wolf Mueller said. Ahmed and attorneys general and early Ku Klux Klan treated by a veterinarian for its for Detroit had agreed that the decision would be binding on both sides. 80 dogs, 2 monkeys and leader. wounds. a bird seized from home This month, officials removed a Nathan Bedford Forrest bust that The white 2020 Kia Soul was sto- swim away and one died, the Cape Deputy: Woman took LAKE WYLIE — At had been displayed inside the Ten- len from a Chick-fil-A on South Cod Times reported. 7-month-old to break-in SC least 80 dogs were tak- nessee Capitol since 1978. The Memorial Parkway last week, The International Fund for Ani- en out of a South Carolina home busts of Union Navy Adm. David Huntsville police said. mal Welfare released the five sur- MARION — A North because they were living in very Farragut and U.S. Navy Adm. Al- The restaurant has two identical viving, stranded dolphins back in- NC Carolina woman is ac- poor conditions, deputies said. bert Gleaves also were moved. Kia Souls. The one that was stolen to the ocean. The group gave the cused of taking her 7-month-old Two monkeys and a bird were According to Gov. Bill Lee’s of- has a large Chick-fil-A logo on it animals a full health assessment son to a break-in, where she was also removed Monday from prop- fice, the busts are on display and and Alabama tag 47A5R36, police and tagged them with tracking de- found with a number of items and erty in Lake Wylie, the York Coun- available to be viewed at the Ten- said. vices before releasing them. pills, a sheriff’s deputy said. ty Sheriff’s Office said in a state- nessee State Museum in Nashville. Police posted photos of the Cape Cod is a hot spot for dol- Deputy Robert Watson of the ment. Forrest was a Confederate cav- vehicle on social media, and are phins becoming stranded and McDowell County Sheriff’s Office “The smell about knocked me alry general who amassed a for- asking anyone with information to Wellfleet is a hot spot within a hot said multiple charges were filed over. There were feces every- tune before the Civil War as a contact them. spot, said Stacey Hedman, global against Jenny Annette Skidmore where,” sheriff’s spokesman Memphis slave trader and planta- marketing strategy manager for Reel, 28, of Marion, including Trent Faris told reporters outside tion owner. Later, he was a leader Several dolphins stranded the group, in a livestreamed video breaking and entering and child the home. of the Klan as it terrorized Black on beaches survive of the release. abuse, news outlets reported. The dogs are mostly smaller ani- people, reversing Reconstruction According to the sheriff’s office, mals and were living inside and efforts and restoring white power PROVINCETOWN — Deputy fatally shoots man deputies responded to a home in outside the home, deputies said. in the South. MA Nine dolphins were after police dog stabbed Marion on June 21 after a report of The animals have been taken to stranded on beaches on Cape Cod a break-in. The sheriff’s office said the county animal shelter to deter- Police on the lookout on Monday but most survived and GOBLES — A man who deputies found Reel at the scene mine how healthy they are and if for stolen delivery car either swam away or were re- MI stabbed a police dog and found she had stolen medica- they can be adopted, authorities leased back into the water by a lo- was shot to death by a sheriff’s tion, a power saw, coins, knives, said. HUNTSVILLE — Po- cal wildlife group. deputy in southwestern Michigan. socks and jewelry. Deputies say A man in the home was charged AL lice in north Alabama A mother and her calf were Deputies were called to a home she had her son with her, and she with ill treatment of and hoarding are seeking the public’s help in stranded in Brewster and seven in Gobles about 7:30 p.m. Monday had pills in her possession, the of animals and deputies said more finding a Chick-fil-A delivery ve- dolphins became stranded in Well- for a reported assault, the Van Bu- sheriff’s office said. charges are possible after a veter- hicle that was stolen from a restau- fleet. The calf died. Two of the dol- ren County sheriff’s office said. inarian examines the animals. rant. phins in Wellfleet managed to The police dog was sent inside From wire reports PAGE 12 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, July 30, 2021 NATION Facing Census hold, GOP group removes request for records Associated Press The redistricting data is set to be A Republican advocacy group made public by Aug. 16 following a on Wednesday withdrew its re- five-month delay from its original quest for a court order seeking the deadline due to the pandemic. The immediate release of Census Bu- delay sent states scrambling to re- reau records after the agency’s vise redistricting deadlines, and chief scientist warned their disclo- two states, Ohio and Alabama, sure could push back the already sued the Census Bureau in an un- delayed release of redistricting successful effort to get it to release GERRY BROOME/AP data used for drawing congres- the data before August. Students begin moving in for the fall semester at North Carolina State University in Raleigh on July 31, sional and legislative districts. Fair Lines sued the Census Bu- 2020. By the end of the U.S. head count last year, the Census Bureau lacked data for almost a fifth of the Fair Lines America Foundation reau in a public records lawsuit for nation’s occupied college dorms, nursing homes and prisons, requiring the agency to make 11th­hour calls withdrew its request for a prelimi- information about how the census to facilities to collect resident information or use a last­resort statistical technique to fill in the gaps. nary injunction in a public records count was conducted on people liv- lawsuit against the statistical ing in dormitories, prisons, nurs- population figures used for divvy- most difficult places to count peo- Abowd said that if the Census agency. Earlier this week, Census ing homes and group homes. ing up congressional seats among ple during the 2020 census be- Bureau is required to release addi- Bureau Chief Scientist John Those facilities are called “group the states. cause the pandemic forced colleg- tional records as part of the Fair Abowd had said in a court declara- quarters” by the bureau. Fair The withdrawal is only being es to shutter dorms and send stu- Lines lawsuit, it will need as much tion that the records’ disclosure Lines says it’s concerned about the made on the preliminary injunc- dents home. Also, nursing homes as six months to recalibrate a new could cause an additional delay of accuracy of the group quarters tion motion, not the public records and other facilities restricted ac- statistical tool meant to protect up to six months in the redistrict- count and wants to make sure lawsuit. cess in an effort to protect vulner- people’s privacy so that they can’t ing data’s release. anomalies didn’t affect the state Group facilities were among the able residents from the virus. be identified through the data. Virus’s surge stalls plans to stop Title 42 expulsions The Washington Post surge he has described as seasonal law. administration’s thinking, accord- adults and children arriving in the WASHINGTON — A spike in cor- is growing larger this summer while Officials said last month that the ing to four U.S. officials who spoke dangerous heat, Biden administra- onavirus infections in Mexico and coronavirus caseloads rise. Repub- government was preparing to end on the condition of anonymity be- tion officials said this week they will along the southern U.S. border has licans have hammered Biden’s the return-to-Mexico policy, with- cause they were not authorized to reinstate fast-track deportations for shelved Biden administration plans moves to ease Trump-era restric- out providing a timetable, though discuss internal deliberations. families, while quietly acknowledg- to phase out the controversial public tions as a threat to public health. But several media outlets reported that The administration now fears it ing the Title 42 policy will remain in health law used to return more than the president is also taking fire from Title 42 would no longer be used on will be blamed for a pandemic re- use. 1 million migrants to Mexico, ac- immigrant advocates who have de- families after July 31. But the explo- surgence made worse by the border Immigrant advocacy groups ex- cording to U.S. officials working on nounced the expulsion program sive spread of the delta variant in re- influx. coriated Biden after the Depart- border policy. known as Title 42 and challenged it cent weeks, and a huge influx of With Rio Grande Valley Border ment of Homeland Security said The delay points to President Joe in court because it prevents most Central American families crossing Patrol stations and migrant shelters late Monday that it will use expedit- Biden’s deepening predicament at asylum seekers from applying for into the Rio Grande Valley of South stretched beyond capacity, and ed removal authority to send back the border, where the migration humanitarian protection under U.S. Texas, have recalibrated the Biden large groups with 300 or more “certain family groups.” Officials: Indianapolis FedEx gunman fired indiscriminately at his former workplace

BY MARK BERMAN even after months of deep inves- raising fears about possible bias The Washington Post tigations ... the why is still un- fueling the carnage. The gunman who killed eight known,” Taylor said at a news But the FBI believes that “the people at a FedEx facility in Indi- briefing. “That’s something that shooter did not appear to have anapolis in April opened fire in only the shooter honestly knows, been motivated by bias or a de- “an act of suicidal murder” and and we know we can’t get any- sire to advance an ideology,” said did not appear to be driven by thing from him.” Paul Keenan, special agent in racial bias, officials said, though Still, officials said their investi- charge of the bureau’s Indianapo- police said they had not identified gation, which included more than lis field office. “We didn’t find it a conclusive motive for the at- 120 interviews and an examin- was a bias crime.” tack. ation of the attacker’s digital Keenan said investigators had This announcement came media footprint, ruled out some found that the gunman had more than three months after the potential motivations. viewed some “World War II, Na- gunman — identified by police as Investigators found no evi- zi-type propaganda,” but de- 19-year-old Brandon Hole — at- dence of any workplace grievanc- scribed it as a small fraction of tacked the facility where he had es, saying the gunman, who his overall digital history. “There once worked, firing inside and worked at the facility for a few was no indication there was any outside before taking his own life. months in 2020, just stopped animosity towards the Sikh com- Authorities said they had spent showing up for work. They also munity, or any other group for months conducting an expansive found no connection between him that matter,” he said. investigation in search of a mo- and any of the victims. In a statement, Amrith Kaur, tive and “trying to find out the Four of the eight people slain in the Sikh Coalition’s legal director, why,” said Randal Taylor, chief the April 15 massacre were Sikh, described being “disappointed” of the Indianapolis Metropolitan and police had previously report- that police and the bureau “still Police Department. ed finding white supremacist have not detailed how they ruled “Unfortunately, sometimes, sites on the attacker’s computer, out bias as a possible motive.” Friday, July 30, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 13 FACES A depth of character Jennifer Coolidge shows she’s more than a comedic actress in ‘The White Lotus’

BY ROBERT LLOYD Cage’s drinking, drugging step- Los Angeles Times mother in Werner Herzog’s 2009 In “The White Lotus,” Mike “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New White’s HBO series about the en- Orleans,” but rarely. In the titled rich in hell in paradise, Jen- “American Pie” movies, in which nifer Coolidge plays Tanya McQu- she portrays a sort of nontoxic oid, who has come to the show’s Mrs. Robinson to Eddie Kaye Tho- eponymous tropical resort to scat- mas’ Paul/Ben, she plays her ter her mother’s ashes in the scenes straight, amused but not HBO/TNS ocean. She is not an easy person, necessarily amusing, a fantasy Jennifer Coolidge plays Tanya McQuoid, a guest at a tropical resort, and Murray Bartlett the concierge in but she is also the most sympathet- rendered in flesh and blood. the HBO series “The White Lotus.” Coolidge shows she’s more than a comedic actress in the series. ic of the series’ moneyed charac- Whether appearing as herself ters. Her self-centeredness is of a or in character, Coolidge radiates characters but in how she inhabits the part of Tanya was created, is Mother Mother Mother! My different stripe, being shaped by glamour, though the nature of that them. She is a house full of secret often funny in it. But it’s delicate mother told me I would never be a pain. glamour changes with the part: It passages, passages she seems to work to ensure that Tanya is not ballerina — and that was when I It’s the kind of part sometimes may be casual, aspirational, over- be stumbling on herself from mo- laughable, that leaves her her dig- was skinny. My poor mother. She referred to as a breakthrough role, done, off-kilter. (She is not afraid ment to moment and line to line. nity even when things get tempo- just couldn’t handle her jealousy. one that awakens the world to a to look bad.) When she forgoes Her statements can sound like rarily undignified. She had to take me down. What’s talent it might have been slow to makeup, as when Paulette fa- questions and her questions like “My poor mother, she died in weird is I miss my mother, even recognize, missed, misunder- mously goes to demand her dog statements. For a Jennifer Coo- June, and she loved the ocean; just though she was a big jerk!” stood, forgotten or thought capa- back from an abusive ex in “Legal- lidge character, the world is a con- loved it.” In Sunday’s third epi- “Big jerk” invites a laugh, but it ble of only one thing — and which ly Blonde,” it is clearly a choice, a tinual revelation, so delightful, so sode (of six), Tanya begins her eu- is also the voice of a hurt child, a might open a new chapter in a ca- deviation from the baseline. One frightful! Her eyes, which turn to logy dreamily. She has gone out on person who has never really reer, or at least collect an award or looks back in time to find her like slits when she smiles or frowns, a boat to scatter her ashes, on grown up. Coolidge speaks these two. Coolidge might not be a — Joan Blondell, maybe, or Mae widen; her voice builds from which unhappy honeymooners lines as if the words are being household name, but she is a sig- West crossed with Gracie Allen, a breathy to full-bodied. Shane (Jake Lacy) and Rachel ripped from her chest. Finally at- nificant presence in two exceed- less fragile Monroe, a less French Other “B” words come to mind: (Alexandra Daddario) have coin- tempting to scatter her mother’s ingly successful screen franchis- Bardot. She can come on like brimming, bursting, bouncy, cidentally, unknowingly booked ashes, and finding herself un- es, famous as “Stifler’s mom” in gangbusters, but even when she bountiful, big. If you were going to for a romantic dinner. She has ready, she lets out an agonized cry, the “American Pie” series, and as creeps in on cat feet, you notice abstract her, iconographically, been drinking. It’s a long speech discomfiting her fellow passen- the manicurist Paulette in the “Le- her; she fills a room. At her most you’d draw waves of cascading by television terms; I have no idea gers and the crew and, undoubted- gally Blonde” movies, a character outlandish, you take her seriously; hair, two horizontal lines for eyes, how close it is to the script as writ- ly, more than a few viewers at she put on again, in 2018, for Ar- at her most eccentric, you sense a pair of pillowy lips and a vertical ten — there is a lot of information home. iana Grande’s “Thank U, Next” the sincerity. line denoting cleavage, which is in it, crucial to our understanding Only half of the series’ episodes music video. Watching her, you feel like any- almost a theme in her body of of Tanya — but however it came have been released. Coolidge has “The White Lotus” reminds us thing could happen. There is work. Like some goddess of the about, it’s a remarkable scene, other sorts of scenes left to play, that Coolidge is an actress, not just something just a little dangerous spring or harvest, she embodies possibly the rawest passage in the some just as devastating, if not as a “comic actress,” a phrase that in the friendliest of her perform- abundance, generosity. whole series, a shard of Greek nakedly; some full of light. really just means nobody thinks to ances, even in a conventional Strictly speaking, “The White tragedy driven into a comedy of There might yet be hope for Ta- cast her in drama. It has hap- three-camera sitcom — some- Lotus” is a comedy, if a somewhat (bad) manners. nya. But for Jennifer Coolidge, pened, as in her turn as Nicolas thing that resides not just in her bitter one, and Coolidge, for whom “l, and. ... I just ... oh, Mother good things seem certain.

Bob Odenkirk in stable condition ney Saul Goodman, is in production on its ZZ Top’s Dusty Hill dies at 72 after ‘heart-related incident’ sixth and final season. Associated Press “Better Call Saul” star Bob Odenkirk is in Spanish judge recommends ZZ Top’s Dusty Hill, the long-bearded stable condition and recuperating after his Shakira face tax fraud trial bassist for the million-selling Texas blues collapse Tuesday on the New Mexico set of A Spanish judge investigating alleged tax rock trio known for such hits as “Legs” and the “Breaking Bad” spinoff, a spokesperson “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” has died at age for the actor said Wednesday. fraud by Colombian musician Shakira rec- 72. The representative said Odenkirk had ommended on Thursday that the case go to In a Facebook post Wednesday, guitarist suffered a “heart-related incident.” trial after concluding there is evidence that Billy Gibbons and drummer Frank Beard Odenkirk “and his family would like to the pop star could have avoided her fiscal said Hill died in his sleep. They didn’t give a express gratitude for the incredible doctors obligations to the state. cause of death, but a July 21 post on the and nurses looking after him, as well as his Judge Marco Juberías wrote that his band’s website said Hill was “on a short de- cast, crew and producers who have stayed three-year probe found there existed “suffi- tour back to Texas, to address a hip issue.” KIICHIRO SATO/AP by his side,” the statement continued. “The cient evidence of criminality” for the case to Born Joe Michael Hill in Dallas, he, Gib- Dusty Hill, of ZZ Top, performs in June Odenkirks would also like to thank every- go to a trial judge. bons and Beard formed ZZ Top in Houston 2010 in Chicago. one for the outpouring of well wishes and Prosecutors charged the singer in De- in 1969, naming themselves in part after ask for their privacy at this time as Bob cember 2019 with not paying 14.5 million blues singer Z.Z. Hill and influenced by the “Shake Your Hips” that paid tribute to the works on his recovery.” euros ($16.4 million) in taxes in Spain be- British power trio Cream. Their debut re- Chicken Ranch, a notorious brothel outside Odenkirk’s son, Nate Odenkirk, was more tween 2012 and 2014, when she lived mostly lease, “ZZ Top’s First Album,” came out in of the Texas town of La Grange. succinct in posting the news to Twitter: in the country despite having an official res- 1970. Three years later, they broke through ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock and “He’s going to be okay.” idence in Panama. commercially with “La Grange,” a funky Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, introduced by “Better Call Saul,” a prequel to “Breaking blues song in the style of Slim Harpo’s Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. Bad” that features Odenkirk as shady attor- The Associated Press PAGE 14 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, July 30, 2021 Eugene Sheffer Crossword Frazz Dilbert

ACROSS 55 Corn spike 24 — de mer 1 Removes 56 Nanny’s 26 Depart via jet 6 Abysmal charge 28 Big name in 9 Cacophony 57 Road twists California wine 12 Florida city 30 Arcing tennis Pearls Before Swine Pearls Before 13 Punk-rock DOWN shot subgenre 1 “— good deed” 32 Sea measures 14 Disney deer 2 Calendar abbr. 33 Flamenco cheer 15 Perfume 3 Tiredness 34 Actor Harrison ingredient 4 Dieter’s target 36 Papa Hemingway 16 Ninny 5 Ganges 38 Type of checking 18 Nile birds garments 39 Actress De 20 Hotel chain 6 Happened to La Garza 21 Fuel stat 7 You love (Lat.) 40 Ulan — 23 NBC weekend 8 Speck 42 Power glitch Non Sequitur show 9 Considers 45 Architect 24 Daydreaming 10 Foolish Saarinen type 11 Bottom 46 Sticky 25 Egg (Fr.) 17 Every 60 minutes substances 27 “Enigma 19 Golf great 48 Squealer Variations” Sam 50 Golf prop composer 21 Clear the deck? 51 Fourth-yr. 29 Spanish dish 22 Pod veggie students 31 Totally in favor of Answer to Previous Puzzle 35 Mountain air? Candorville 37 Harvard rival 38 Bigwig 41 “Kidnapped” monogram 43 Singer Ritter 44 “Frozen” snowman 45 “Stop already!” 47 Like skim milk 49 Alex Haley book Carpe Diem 52 Rock’s Brian 53 MGM motto start 54 Pyle from Mayberry Beetle Bailey Bizarro Friday, July 30, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 15 PAGE 16 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, July 30, 2021 OPINION

Max D. Lederer Jr., Publisher Lt. Col. Marci Hoffman, Europe commander Lt. Col. Michael Kerschbaum, Pacific commander Space exploration returns to center stage Michael Ryan, Pacific chief of staff BY ARTHUR I. CYR President Dwight D. Eisenhower initiated turn him safely to Earth, Kennedy was always Special to Stars and Stripes the satellite communications effort. Predict- careful to include. The great media attention he Eagle has landed.” ably, he emphasized established communica- devoted to the brief edge-of-space flights of EDITORIAL Astronaut Neil Armstrong tions corporations. This reflected his funda- Messrs. Bezos and Branson reflects, among Terry Leonard, Editor transmitted that striking mental faith in business executives, along other things, the appreciation by these two of [email protected] “T statement back to Earth on with Republican Party preferences, philo- showmanship as a component of entrepre- July 20, 1969, from the surface of the moon. sophical and practical. neurship, at least as they practice that art. Robert H. Reid, Senior Managing Editor Armstrong and fellow Apollo astronauts Ed- The Kennedy administration largely con- They also with high drama demonstrated [email protected] win “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins tinued that course. The new proposed COM- the possibility of commercial passenger trav- Tina Croley, Managing Editor for Content achieved President John F. Kennedy’s dra- SAT (Communications Satellite) Corp. was el as well as commercial investment in space. [email protected] matic commitment to reach the moon before privately chartered, not a government agen- Such activities would be literally far-out as the end of the decade. cy. well as extremely high-tech. Sean Moores, Managing Editor for Presentation [email protected] Now, mega-entrepreneurs Jeff Bezos and Intense controversy followed, with angry Branson relentlessly promotes low-cost air Richard Branson have just taken dramatic if protests within the president’s Democratic travel. Musk pursues revolutionary innova- Joe Gromelski, Managing Editor for Digital brief flights to the edge of outer space. They Party about handouts and welfare for big tions in transportation. Bezos has built mas- [email protected] have confirmed their dedication to taking business. Reflecting party dynamics of that sive e-commerce to stratospheric heights. All risks, this time physically and not just finan- time, conservative but populist Southern plus three succeed through extraordinary, imagi- BUREAU STAFF cially. The pair also personify the commercial Western Democrats were among the most native innovation. potential of space exploration. Tourism is one outraged. Nonetheless, Congress overwhelm- Beyond personalities, the sustained devel- Europe/Mideast obvious course to pursue, but there are many ingly approved legislation creating COMSAT. opment of our nation’s space exploration re- Erik Slavin, Europe & Mideast Bureau Chief [email protected] others. This in turn facilitated rapidly growing collab- flects our history of business-government +49(0)631.3615.9350; DSN (314)583.9350 Meanwhile, with considerably less fanfare, oration among major communications corpo- partnerships. Give JFK credit for appreciat- Pacific that other prominent business personality rations and a vast array of other firms in cre- ing that in launching us into space — success- Aaron Kidd, Pacific Bureau Chief Elon Musk has made a major space deal. In ating the pervasive global satellite systems of fully. [email protected] mid-April, NASA signed a contract with today. A fundamental question involves our mili- +81.42.552.2511 ext. 88380; DSN (315)227.7380 Musk’s SpaceX Corp. to construct the vehicle As one example, in 1973 a consortium of tary. Eisenhower in 1959 achieved a major Washington to land astronauts on the moon for the first major commercial banks agreed to transfer treaty restricting Antarctica to peaceful activ- Joseph Cacchioli, Washington Bureau Chief time since the last Apollo mission in 1972. funds electronically, opening the door to to- ities, and expressed the hope that outer space [email protected] Kennedy was crucial in creating the strong day’s enormous fast-moving global banking would be treated similarly. President Lyndon (+1)(202)886-0033 Brian Bowers, Assistant Managing Editor, News foundation of business-government partner- system. The initial SWIFT (Society for World- Johnson achieved a 1967 treaty on peaceful [email protected] ship in space exploration through the 1962 leg- wide Interbank Financial Telecommunica- uses of space, but recently President Donald islation on communication satellites. We auto- tion) system, initiated in 1973, has operated Trump committed the nation to a military CIRCULATION matically recognize JFK’s role in launching since 1977. Over the decades, satellite along Space Force. Mideast the mammoth moon project. Collectively, we with land-based systems have become inte- Learn more: Walter McDougall, “The Robert Reismann, Mideast Circulation Manager almost universally ignore his leadership in gral to vast voice and data communications of Heavens and the Earth.” [email protected] creating the global satellite-based communi- all kinds. [email protected] cations network that is vital to how we live, Great drama was inherent in the Apollo DSN (314)583-9111 Arthur I. Cyr is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage work and communicate today. program to land a man on the moon — and re- College and author of “After the Cold War.” Europe Karen Lewis, Community Engagement Manager [email protected] [email protected] +49(0)631.3615.9090; DSN (314)583.9090 Capitol Police officer did his new country proud

Pacific BY JAMES HOHMANN Three key witnesses during Trump’s first because he was injured, but he was en route to Mari Mori, [email protected] The Washington Post +81-3 6385.3171; DSN (315)227.7333 impeachment were immigrants. Marie Yova- the Capitol by 8 a.m. He worked 15 consecu- arbarians who ransacked the U.S. novitch was born in Canada to parents who tive days, through the inauguration, disre- CONTACT US Capitol on Jan. 6 called Aquilino fled the Soviet Union. Alexander Vindman’s garding a doctor’s pleas. Gonell a “traitor” and told him he’s father brought him and his twin brother to “My sense of duty for the country, for the Washington “not even an American.” Those Brooklyn from Ukraine, which was then be- Constitution, at that time was bigger than even tel: (+1)202.886.0003 B slanderous words wounded the Capitol Police hind the Iron Curtain. Fiona Hill is a coal min- my love for my wife and my son,” he said. 633 3rd St. NW, Suite 116, Washington, DC 20001-3050 sergeant, an immigrant from the Dominican er’s daughter who grew up in northern En- Gonell only stopped working when his right Reader letters Republic, as badly as the pole someone at- gland and caught a lucky break that put her on foot swelled so much that it wouldn’t fit in his [email protected] tacked him and fellow officers with, which a path to Harvard. All three have discussed shoe and his limp became so painful he could Additional contacts was flying a U.S. flag. But Gonell is a bigger pa- how these backgrounds shaped their grati- hardly stand. Surgeons fused fractured bones stripes.com/contactus triot than Donald Trump and all the insurrec- tude for the United States, allowing them to in his foot. He recently learned he’ll need sur- tionists incited by the then-president — com- clearly see how un-American it was for gery on his left shoulder. He also suffered in- OMBUDSMAN bined. He is the one who truly understands — Trump to shake down the Ukrainian govern- juries to both hands and his left calf. Now, he’s Ernie Gates and embodies — what makes America great. ment to advance his personal interests. They back on duty, but to his chagrin, deskbound Gonell and his mother arrived at JFK Inter- testified before Congress when other material until he can complete more physical therapy. The Stars and Stripes ombudsman protects the free flow of news and information, reporting any attempts by the national Airport in New York from their Ca- witnesses declined to do so. Immigrants have always been a key ingre- military or other authorities to undermine the newspaper’s ribbean homeland in 1992. He swore oaths to On Tuesday, Gonell joined their impressive dient in America’s secret sauce, even as independence. The ombudsman also responds to concerns and questions from readers, and monitors coverage for protect and defend the Constitution when he ranks. He described experiencing hand-to- whether to welcome them has remained a per- fairness, accuracy, timeliness and balance. The ombudsman signed up for the Army, became a U.S. citizen hand combat like “something from a medieval sistent dividing line in our politics. welcomes comments from readers, and can be contacted by email at [email protected], or by phone at and joined the Capitol Police. The 43-year-old battle,” scarier than any of the 545 days he Relatives from the Dominican Republic 202.886.0003. proved six months ago that he made these served in Iraq. The invaders, chanting started frantically calling and texting Gonell promises without reservation. “Trump sent us,” used hammers, knives, ba- around 2 p.m. on Jan. 6 because they saw the Stars and Stripes (USPS 0417900) is published week- days (except Dec. 25 and Jan. 1) for 50 cents Monday The sergeant was the first of four front-line tons and shields. Gonell was punched, pushed, Capitol turmoil on television. “It was not until through Thursday and for $1 on Friday by Pacific Stars and law enforcement officers to appear Tuesday kicked, shoved and bear-sprayed. around 4:26 p.m., after giving CPR to one of the Stripes, Unit 45002, APO AP 96301-5002. Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco, CA, Postmaster: Send during the opening hearing of the House select The immigrant policeman was willing to die rioters who breached the Capitol in an effort to address changes to Pacific Stars and Stripes, Unit 45002, committee to investigate the events of Jan. 6. to defend the West Terrace of the Capitol. At save her life, that I finally had a chance to let APO AP 96301-5002. This newspaper is authorized by the Department of Defense for members of the military services His testimony felt like an antidote to xenopho- one point that afternoon, as rioters crushed my own family know that I was alive,” he re- overseas. However, the contents of Stars and Stripes are bia, Narcan for nativism. Anyone who fears him, he thought he would. “I could feel myself counted. unofficial, and are not to be considered as the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government. As a DOD newspa- the newest wave of immigrants would be reas- losing oxygen and recall thinking to myself, Gonell called what happened that day an at- per, Stars and Stripes may be distributed through official channels and use appropriated funds for distribution to sured — even inspired — just by watching Go- ‘This is how I’m going to die,’ ” Gonell testified. tempted coup. “And if it had been in another remote locations where overseas DOD personnel are located. nell’s testimony. With the presidential electors finally certi- country, the U.S. would have sent help,” he The appearance of advertising in this publication does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense or As Americans by choice, many immigrants fied, and the citadel of our democracy se- said. Stars and Stripes of the products or services advertised. have a deeper sense of duty than the native- cured, Gonell drove home around 4 a.m. on What went without saying is that America Products or services advertised shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, born. Ever since Alexis de Tocqueville so Jan. 7 to his wife, 9-year-old son and dog. His cannot count on other countries to send help religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical sagely observed our national character, out- wife tried to hug him, but he kept her away be- when our own democracy is in peril. We’re go- handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. siders and newcomers have often seen Amer- cause his uniform was covered in chemicals. ing to have to figure this one out on our own. © Stars and Stripes 2021 ica’s strengths and weaknesses with the great- Showering reactivated those chemicals, burn- est clarity. ing his skin. She told him not to go back to work James Hohmann is a Washington Post opinion columnist. stripes.com Friday, July 30, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 17 SCOREBOARD/NHL

SOCCER DEALS TENNIS MLS Atlanta Open Wednesday’s transactions ball injury list. Activated WR Javon McKin- Teams make ley from the PUP list. Wednesday EASTERN CONFERENCE BASEBALL GREEN BAY PACKERS — Placed TE Do- At Atlanta Station Major League Baseball minique Dafney on the PUP list. Traded an WLTPts GF GA Atlanta American League undisclosed draft pick to Houston for WR Purse: $555,995 BOSTON RED SOX — Recalled C Connor Randall Cobb. Surface: Hardcourt outdoor New England 10 3 3 33 30 19 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Placed DE Al- big hauls in Wong from Worcester (Triple-A East). Nashville 6 1 8 26 24 14 Quadin Muhammad and CBs T.J. Carrie Men’s Singles CLEVELAND INDIANS — Optioned RHP Round of 16 Orlando City 7 4 4 25 23 19 Cam Hill to Columbus (Triple-A East). and Xavier Rhodes on the reserve/CO- HOUSTON ASTROS — Placed RHP Rafael VID-19 list. Signed DT Braden Smith to a Taylor Fritz (5), United States, def. Steve Philadelphia 6 4 6 24 20 16 Montero on the active roster. Designated contract extension. Signed DE Damontre Johnson, United States, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1. Columbus 6 3 6 24 16 12 RHP Austin Pruitt for assignment. Moore. Jordan Thompson, Australia, def. Peter free agency JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — Placed WR Gojowczyk, Germany, 7-6 (6), 6-4. NYCFC 7 5 2 23 26 15 LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Placed 1B Jared Walsh on the 10-day IL, retroactive to July Jamal Agnew, DT Taven Bryan and K Al- Brandon Nakashima, United States, def. CF Montréal 6 5 4 22 20 18 27. Optioned RHP Andrew Wantz to Salt drick Rosas on the non-football injury list. Milos Raonic (1), Canada, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (4). BY LARRY LAGE D.C. United 6 7 2 20 21 18 Lake (Triple-A West). Recalled C Matt Activated DB Luq Barcoo from the re- Reilly Opelka (4), United States, def. Associated Press serve/COVID-19 list. Bjorn Fratangelo, United States, 7-6 (3), 7-6 New York 5 6 3 18 18 17 Thaiss from Salt Lake. Selected the con- tract of RHP Austin Warren from Salt Lake. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — Placed RB Dar- (4). NHL teams combined for a se- Atlanta 2 5 8 14 14 18 NEW YORK YANKEES — Recalled RHP Al- win Thompson on the reserve/COVID-19 Men’s Doubles Round of 16 Toronto FC 3 8 4 13 20 32 bert Abreau and CF Estevan Florial from list. ries of splashes in free agency, ma- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A East). LAS VEGAS RAIDERS — Placed RBs Jalen Matt Reid and Alexei Popyrin, Australia, Cincinnati 3 7 4 13 17 29 Traded LHP Justin Wilson and RHP Luis Richard and Theo Riddick on the reserve/ def. Frederik Nielsen, Denmark, and Andre naging to make major moves de- Chicago 3 9 3 12 17 27 Cessa to Cincinnati for a player to be COVID-19 list. Goransson, Sweden, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 11-9. LOS ANGELES RAMS — Placed RB Cam spite the salary cap staying flat for a Inter Miami CF 2 8 3 9 10 23 named later. Ken Skupski and Luke Bambridge (1), SEATTLE MARINERS — Designated RF Akers on the non-football injury list. Britain, def. Nicholas Monroe, United third straight year. MIAMI DOLPHINS — Signed G Tyler Marz. States, and Lloyd Glasspool, Britain, 6-3, WESTERN CONFERENCE Jake Hager for assignment. TEXAS RANGERS — Agreed to terms with Placed OL D.J. Fluker, WRs DeVante Parker 6-7 (6), 10-6. Over the first 12 hours of the and Preston Williams and LB Elandon Ro- WLTPts GF GA RHP Jack Leiter on a minor league con- Benoit Paire, France, and Treat Conrad signing period Wednesday, teams tract. berts on the PUP list. Placed T Larnel Cole- Huey, Philippines, def. Harri Heliovaara man on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Seattle 9 2 5 32 25 12 TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Recalled RHP Pa- and Emil Ruusuvuori, Finland, 7-6 (2), 7-6 in the league signed 160-plus play- trick Murphy from Buffalo (Triple-A East). NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — Claimed QB (2). Sporting KC 9 3 3 30 28 17 Sent LF Corey Dickerson to Buffalo on a re- Jake Dolegala off waivers from Green Bay. Matthew Ebden and John-Patrick Smith ers to contracts worth more than LA Galaxy 8 6 1 25 23 26 hab assignment. Activated OT Trent Brown and LB Kyle Van (4), Australia, def. Cameron Norrie, Britain, Noy from the PUP list. $783 million. Colorado 7 4 3 24 21 16 National League and Taylor Fritz, United States, 6-2, 7-6 (1). ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Traded 2B NEW ORLEANS SAINTS — Signed WR Five players were given con- LAFC 6 5 5 23 22 19 Eduardo Escobar to Milwaukee for OF Chris Hogan. Charleston 125 Minnesota 6 5 4 22 17 19 Cooper Hummel and 2B Alberto Ciprian. NEW YORK GIANTS — Activated RB tracts for six or seven years and an- Sandro Platzgummer from the reserve/ Wednesday Real Salt Lake 5 4 5 20 24 16 CHICAGO CUBS — Sent RHP Rowan Wick non-football injury list. Placed LB Reggie to Iowa (Triple-A West) on a rehab assign- At Family Circle Tennis Center other dozen unrestricted free Portland 6 7 1 19 18 22 Ragland on the non-football injury list. Charleston, S.C. ment. Placed TE Rysen John on the reserve/CO- agents landed deals that were four Houston 3 4 8 17 17 20 CINCINNATI REDS — Designated RHPs Purse: $115,000 VID-19 list. Released TE Kelvin Benjamin. Surface: Red clay FC Dallas 3 7 5 14 18 23 Ashton Goudeau, Josh Osich and Edgar PHILADELPHIA EAGLES — Placed S An- or five years long. Garcia for assignment. Sent 1B Alex Blan- Women’s Singles San Jose 3 7 5 14 17 25 drew Adams, DE Matt Leo and LB Alex Sin- Here's a look at some of the big- dino to Louisville (Triple-A East) on a re- gleton on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Round of 16 Vancouver 3 7 5 14 16 25 hab assignment. Activated RHP Luis Ces- Placed T Le’Raven Clark and S Rodney Emma Navarro, United States, def. Alexa gest deals on Day 1: sa and LHP Justin Wilson.y Austin FC 3 7 4 13 10 15 McLeod on the PUP list. Placed OL Landon Glatch, United States, 6-3, 6-3. COLORADO ROCKIES — Acquired RHPs Dickerson on the non-football injury list. En Shuo Liang, Taiwan, def. Allie Kiick, Philipp Grubauer: The expansion Note: Three points for victory, one point Noah Davis and Case Williams from Cin- Signed CB Steven Nelson. United States, 4-6, 6-0, 6-2. Seattle Kraken pulled off the biggest sur- for tie. cinnati in exchange for RHP Mychal Giv- SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS — Signed QB Trey Lauren Davis (2), United States, def. Re- ens. Recalled RHP Antonio Santos from Al- Wednesday’s game Lance. Placed WR Jauan Jennings and S Ja- becca Marino, Canada, 6-4, 6-2. prise, signing Grubauer to $35.4 million, burqueque (Triple-A West). Selected the quiski Tartt on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Hanna Chang, United States, def. Han Minnesota 2, Los Angeles FC 2, tie contract of RHP Jesus Tinoco from Albur- SEATTLE SEAHAWKS — Placed WR Na-lae, South Korea, 6-4, 6-3. six-year deal. The 29-year-old Grubauer queque. Activated RHP Jhoulys Chacin Friday’s games D’Wayne Eskridge and RB Travis Homer on Varvara Lepchenko (4), United States, from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Placed the PUP list. Placed G Pier-Olivier Lestage def. Tori Kinard, United States, 6-2, 6-3. had an NHL-high seven shutouts last Columbus at New York City FC RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez on reserve/CO- on the non-football injury list. Jamie Loeb, United States, def. Katrina season for the Presidents' Trophy-win- Atlanta at Orlando City VID-19 list. Optioned RHP Justin Lawrence TENNESSEE TITANS — Signed CB Briean Scott, United States, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. Portland at LA Galaxy to Alburqueque. Boddy-Calhoun. Placed CB Chris Jones on ning Colorado Avalanche. He was 30- MIAMI MARLINS — Traded CF Starling Saturday’s games the reserve/COVID-19 list. Generali Open Marte to Oakland in exchange for LHP Je- WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM — 9-1 last season with a 1.95 goals-against San Jose at Seattle sus Luzardo. Acquired OF Bryan De La Cruz Placed DE Jalen Jelks on injured reserve. Wednesday average and a .922 save percentage. New England at New York and RHP Austin Pruitt from Houston in ex- Signed DE Bunmi Rotini. At Tennis Stadium Kitzbuhel D.C. United at Cincinnati change for RHP Yimi Garcia. Selected the HOCKEY Kitzbuhel, Austria Dougie Hamilton: Desperate to CF Montréal at Miami contracts of RHP Preston Cuilmet and LF National Hockey League Purse: Euro 419,470 FC Dallas at Sporting Kansas City Corey Bird from Jacksonville (Triple-A ARIZONA COYOTES — Acquired a 2024 Surface: Red clay make the playoffs for the second time in a East). Transferred RF Garrett Cooper from Real Salt Lake at Houston fourth-round draft choice from San Jose in Men’s Singles decade, the New Jersey Devils made a Colorado at Austin FC the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. exchange for F Lane Pederson. Signed Fs Round of 16 NEW YORK METS — Selected the con- Minnesota at Vancouver Dmitrij Jaskin and Ryan Dzingel and G Car- Jozef Kovalik, Slovakia, def. Jiri Vesely, big investment to shoot for a turnaround. tract of RHP Akeem Bostick from Syracuse ter Hutton to one-year contracts. Signed F Sunday’s games (Triple-A East). Designated RHP Jerad Czech Republic, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. Liam Kirk to a three-year contract. Signed Filip Krajinovic (3), Serbia, def. Carlos Hamilton made the most of his opportu- Chicago at Philadelphia Eickoff for assignment. F Liam O’Brien to a one-year contract. Ac- Nashville at Toronto FC PITTSBURGH PIRATES — Traded LHP Tyl- Taberner, Spain, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. nity as one of the best players available by quired a 2022 first-round draft choice, a Arthur Rinderknech, France, def. Holger er Anderson to Seattle in exchange for C conditional 2024 third-round draft choice Wednesday, Aug. 4 Carter Bins and RHP Joaquin Tejada. Re- Vitus Nodskov Rune, Denmark, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 signing a $63 million, seven-year deal. and D Conor Timmins from Colorado in ex- (4). Nashville at New England called RHP Max Kranick from Indianapolis change for G Darcy Kuemper. The 28-year-old defenseman had 42 Atlanta at CF Montréal (Triple-A East). Gianluca Mager, Italy, def. Albert Ra- DALLAS STARS — Signed D Ryan Suter to mos-Vinolas (4), Spain, 7-6 (3), 1-6, 7-5. D.C. United at Columbus FOOTBALL a four-year contract. Signed G Braden points in 55 games with Carolina last Toronto FC at Philadelphia National Football League Pedro Martinez, Spain, def. Roberto Bau- Holtby and Ds Andreas Borgman and Alex- tista Agut (2), Spain, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-5. Miami at Orlando City ARIZONA CARDINALS — Placed DE J.J. ander Petrovic to one-year contracts. season and has 341 career points with New York City FC at Chicago Watt on the active/physically unable to Daniel Altmaier, Germany, def. Marco Signed F Luke Glendening to a two-year Cecchinato, Italy, 6-4, 6-4. Boston, Calgary and the Hurricanes. Cincinnati at New York perform (PUP) list. Placed WR Rico Gafford contract. Houston at Austin FC and G Deion Calhoun on the reserve/CO- Mikael Ymer, Sweden, def. Alexander Er- NASHVILLE PREDATORS — Signed F An- ler, Austria, 6-2, 6-3. Brayden Point:The salary cap pre- FC Dallas at Seattle VID-19 list. thony Richard to a one-year, two-way con- Sporting Kansas City at Los Angeles FC ATLANTA FALCONS — Placed DE Dante Casper Ruud (1), Norway, def. Mario Vi- vented Tampa Bay from keeping its team tract. Signed Fs Michael McCarron and An- lella Martinez, Spain, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4. Real Salt Lake at LA Galaxy Fowler on the reserve/COVID-19 list. thony Ridhard and D Matt Tennyson to San Jose at Portland Placed OTs Matt Gono and Kaleb McGary Men’s Doubles together this summer, but the two-time two-year, two-way contracts. Signed G Round of 16 Saturday, Aug. 7 and DT Deadrin Senat on the PUP list. David Rittich to a one-year contract. defending Stanley Cup champions se- BALTIMORE RAVENS — Placed QB Lamar Signed F Mikael Granlund to a four-year Lucas Miedler and Alexander Erler, Aus- Atlanta at Columbus Jackson on the reserve/COVID-19 list. contract. Signed F Zachary L’Heureux to a tria, def. Pablo Cuevas, Uruguay, and Thia- cured a key player for the rest of the dec- Orlando City at Cincinnati Placed DB Anthony Averett on the non- three-year contract. Signed F Matt Luff to go Seyboth Wild, Brazil, 7-6 (4), 6-3. Houston at Minnesota football list. Re-signed QB Kenji Babar. a one-year, two-way contract. Men’s Doubles ade. Point, the Lightning's top center, New York City FC at Toronto FC BUFFALO BILLS — Placed LT Dion Daw- NEW JERSEY DEVILS — Signed G Jonath- Quarterfinals signed a $76 million, eight-year exten- Austin FC at FC Dallas kins and OL Ike Boettger on the reserve/ an Bernier to a two-year contract. Signed Matwe Middelkoop, Netherlands, and Sporting Kansas City at Colorado COVID-19 list. Placed DE Jerry Hughes on D Dougie Hamilton to a seven-year con- Roman Jebavy (3), Czech Republic, def. sion that keeps him under contract Real Salt Lake at Portland the non-football list. tract. Igor Zelenay, Slovakia, and Andre Bege- mann, Germany, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 11-9. through 2030. Sunday, Aug. 8 CAROLINA PANTHERS — Signed WR NEW YORK RANGERS — Signed D Patrik Krishawn Hogan. Placed S Lano Hill and TE Nemeth to a three-year contract. Signed D Nikola Cacic, Serbia, and Tomislav Brkic Phillip Danault: The Los Angeles New York at Chicago Stephen Sullivan on the reserve/COVID-19 Jarred Tinordi and F Dryden Hunt to two- (1), Bosnia-Herzegovina, def. Andrei Vasi- Philadelphia at New England list. Placed DT Phil Hoskins on the PUP list. year contracts. Signed F Gregg McKegg to levski, Belarus, and Rafael Matos, Brazil, Kings signed Danault to a a $33 million, Nashville at Miami CHICAGO BEARS — Placed S Eddie Jack- a one-year contract. 7-6 (6), 2-6, 10-8. Los Angeles FC at San Jose son on the non-football injury list. Placed COLLEGE six-year deal. The two-way forward CF Montréal at D.C. United OL Germain Ifedi on the PUP list. Placed TE LA SALLE — Named Martu Loncarica Belgrade 125 Vancouver at LA Galaxy Jake Butt on the reserve/retired list. head field hockey coach. should help a franchise that has made Signed WRs Justin Hardy and Jon’Vea NICHOLS — Announced head women's Wednesday the playoffs just twice since winning the NWSL Johnson. Waived DB Rojesterman Farris basketball coach MaryLynn Skarzenski At Novak Tennis Center and WR Khalil McClain. has resigned. Belgrade Stanley Cup in 2014, failing to advance WLTPts GF GA CINCINNATI BENGALS — Placed DT Larry OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN — Named Tere- Purse: $115,000 Ogunjobi on the PUP list. sa DeBoard athletic director for student- Surface: Red clay both times. Portland 7 3 1 22 17 7 DETROIT LIONS — Placed LB Jalen athlete well-being, James Hayes director Women’s Singles Jaden Schwartz: Seattle chose to Reeves-Maybin on the reserve/COVID-19 of club sports and David Scott director for Gotham FC 5 1 4 19 12 6 Round of 16 list. Placed G Evan Brown on the non-foot- gameday operations. Kristyna Pliskova, Czech Republic, def. make subtle moves in the expansion Washington 5 3 3 18 14 11 Varvara Gracheva (3), Russia, 7-6 (5), 6-4. draft, adding role players instead of Chicago 5 5 2 17 12 17 GOLF Rebecca Sramkova, Slovakia, def. Ja- North Carolina 5 4 2 17 15 8 queline Adina Cristian, Romania, 6-3, 3-6, spending a lot of money on bigger names. 19. Sei Young Kim 13 $579,182 6-4. Houston 5 5 1 16 13 12 LPGA Tour money leaders 20. Austin Ernst 15 $562,444 Anna Blinkova (1), Russia, def. Susan The expansion franchise spent a chunk of Orlando 4 4 4 16 14 15 21. In Gee Chun 15 $548,324 Bandecchi, Switzerland, 6-4, 7-6 (3). its cap space by signing Grubauer, but Reign FC 4 6 1 13 10 13 Through July 25 22. Ally Ewing 15 $533,961 Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova, Slovakia, Trn Money def. Jule Niemeier, Germany, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 had money left to improve up front and on Louisville 3 5 2 11 7 15 23. Shanshan Feng 8 $520,964 1. Nelly Korda 13 $1,856,649 (5). Kansas City 0 7 4 4 5 15 24. Yealimi Noh 15 $520,153 Tara Wurth, Croatia, def. Irina Bara (7), the back end with a pair of five-year con- 2. Yuka Saso 3 $1,160,376 25. Matilda Castren 10 $507,854 Romania, 6-3, 6-1. Note: Three points for victory, one point 3. Lydia Ko 14 $1,073,133 tracts. Schwartz signed for $27.5 million for tie. 26. Amy Yang 14 $505,087 Martina Trevisan (5), Italy, def. Ulrikke 4. Patty Tavatanakit 11 $1,009,172 27. Megan Khang 15 $483,510 Eikeri, Norway, 6-1, 6-1. and the Kraken are banking on him scor- Saturday’s games 5. Nasa Hataoka 14 $990,493 28. So Yeon Ryu 13 $479,403 Andrea Petkovic (4), Germany, def. Jes- sika Ponchet, France, 7-5, 6-2. ing 20-plus goals as he has four times in Orlando at North Carolina 6. Ariya Jutanugarn 14 $955,991 29. Hannah Green 11 $473,441 Louisville at Reign FC Arantxa Rus (2), Netherlands, def. Olga 7. Minjee Lee 12 $940,894 30. Angel Yin 14 $454,477 Danilovic, Serbia, 6-2, 6-4. his career. Sunday’s games 8. Inbee Park 13 $938,159 31. Brittany Altomare 16 $394,631 Women’s Doubles Alexander Wennberg:With an av- Kansas City at Portland 9. Lexi Thompson 13 $867,069 32. Celine Boutier 15 $393,079 Round of 16 Washington at Chicago 10. Hyo Joo Kim 12 $815,312 33. Xiyu Lin 13 $392,502 Ekaterina Yashina and Alena Fomina, erage value of $4.5 million, Seattle Gotham FC at Houston 11. Jin Young Ko 12 $803,185 34. Jennifer Kupcho 15 $383,632 Russia, def. Elena Milovanovic and Lola Radivojevic, Serbia, 7-5, 6-3. seems to believe his career-high 17 goals Saturday, Aug. 7 12. Jeongeun Lee6 15 $726,475 35. Amy Olson 15 $380,275 Quarterfinals last season with Florida was more indica- North Carolina at Gotham FC 13. Lizette Salas 15 $694,564 36. Georgia Hall 14 $361,350 Olga Govortsova and Lidziya Marozava Portland at Washington 14. Leona Maguire 13 $687,909 37. Lauren Stephenson 15 $347,925 (2), Belarus, def. Isabella Shinikova, Bulga- tive of his potential. Wennberg had six Houston at Reign FC 15. Danielle Kang 14 $680,545 38. Mina Harigae 13 $338,936 ria, and Susan Bandecchi, Switzerland, 6-4, 6-3. underwhelming seasons of production Sunday, Aug. 8 16. Brooke M. Henderson 16 $666,968 39. Wei-Ling Hsu 15 $337,353 17. Moriya Jutanugarn 14 $657,726 Tereza Mrdeza and Tena Lukas, Croatia, previously with the Columbus Blue Jack- Kansas City at Louisville 40. Pajaree Anannarukarn 15 $322,780 def. Ulrikke Eikeri, Norway, and Panna Ud- Orlando at Chicago 18. Jessica Korda 13 $630,480 41. Giulia Molinaro 13 $318,767 vardy (3), Hungary, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 10-4. ets. PAGE 18 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, July 30, 2021 NFL/COLLEGE FOOTBALL ESPN attempting to ‘destabilize’ Big 12, commissioner says

BY RALPH D. RUSSO year, $1 billion deal in 2019 with Associated Press ESPN. Big 12 Commissioner Bob “The claims in the letter have no Bowlsby accused ESPN of encou- merit,” ESPN said in a statement. raging other conferences to pick Texas and Oklahoma informed apart the league so Texas and Ok- the Big 12 this week they would not lahoma can move to the Southeast- be renewing an agreement that ern Conference more quickly and binds them to the league and its without paying a massive buyout. eight other members until 2025. “I have absolute certainty that The grant of media rights runs they (ESPN) have been involved in concurrently with the Big 12’s bil- manipulating other conferences to lion-dollar television contracts go after our members,” Big 12 with ESPN and Fox. Commissioner Bowlsby told The On Tuesday, Texas and Oklaho- JUSTIN REX/AP Associated Press on Wednesday ma submitted a request to the SEC Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has asked for a trade and is facing sexual assault and after sending a cease-and-desist to join that league in 2025. To join harassment lawsuits, did not speak to the media following the Texans’ first practice Wednesday. letter to the network. the conference earlier than that The letter addressed to ESPN could cost the schools tens of mil- executive Burke Magnus, Presi- lions of dollars — unless the Big 12 dent of Programming and Content, were to fall apart because some of said the Big 12 had become aware the other members left as well. the network had taken actions “to “ESPN is incentivizing other QBs dominate discussion not only harm the Big 12 Confer- conferences to destabilize the Big ence but to result in financial bene- 12,” Bowlsby added. fits for ESPN.” In addition to the SEC and AAC, ESPN, which owns the SEC Net- ESPN owns the rights to all Atlan- work, signed a $3 billion deal with tic Coast Conference athletics and as league’s camps open the SEC last year that will give the shares the rights to the Big Ten and network the broadcast rights to all Pac-12 with Fox. the conference’s football games Bowlsby told AP that Texas and BY DENNIS WASZAK JR. starting in 2024. Oklahoma have been working on a Associated Press The network also has a contract move to the SEC for months, doing Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson appeared on the with the Big 12, though it shares so while taking part in Big 12 strat- field at their teams’ first training camp practices. Lamar those rights with Fox. Those deals egy meetings where proprietary Jackson was absent from his after testing positive for expire in 2025. information was shared. COVID-19. Zach Wilson is still away and without a con- In the letter, Bowlsby said that Bowlsby said he suspects ESPN tract. ESPN has “actively engaged in was involved behind the scenes It was all about the quarterbacks in the NFL on discussions with at least one other when Texas and Oklahoma were Wednesday — those present and the few who weren’t. conference regarding that confer- in discussions with the SEC, but he In Green Bay, Rodgers worked out with the Packers ence inducing additional Mem- has no proof of that. and then detailed some of the unresolved issues that bers of the Big 12 Conference to “This whole thing has been a caused friction between him and the franchise. leave the Big 12 Conference.” complete articulation of decep- The reigning league MVP, who previously skipped Bowlsby declined to name the tion,” he said. organized team activities and mandatory minicamp, conference in an interview with SEC university presidents and said during a nearly six-minute long response that he MATT LUDTKE/AP AP, but a person with knowledge of chancellors are scheduled to meet wanted to have a voice in the team’s decision-making Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers the situation said the commission- tomorrow, but it is unclear if they process and believed the organization didn’t treat de- said he wants a greater voice in the team’s decision­ er was referring to the American will vote on extending invitations parting high-character veterans with enough respect. making process. Athletic Conference. The person to Oklahoma and Texas. Eleven of He also was hoping for a commitment from Green Bay spoke on condition of anonymity the 14 members would need to vote beyond this year, but didn’t receive that. ens after his positive test for the coronavirus. That because the Big 12 didn’t authorize in favor of inviting a new member, “I felt like if you can’t commit to me past 2021 and I’m comes after he also missed a game last season because the release of that information. and it appears that won’t be a prob- not part of your recruiting process in free agency, if I’m he tested positive. The American agreed to a 12- lem. not a part of the future,” the 37-year-old Rodgers said, In Florham Park, N.J., the Jets were still waiting to get “then instead of letting me be a lame-duck quarterback, their rookie quarterback under contract. if you want to make a change and move forward, then go Wilson, the No. 2 overall draft pick in April, is the only ahead and do it.” first-round draft pick to not have a deal done after San Both the three-time NFL MVP and Packers general Francisco signed quarterback Trey Lance earlier in the manager Brian Gutekunst insisted they’re solely fo- day. cused on this season. Wilson’s contract is slotted to be worth $35.15 million “I’m just going to enjoy this year,” Rodgers said, “and over four years and includes a $22.9 million signing bo- then revisit that conversation at the end of the season.” nus. But it appears the sides — the Jets and general man- In Houston, the Texans face similar uncertainty at the ager Joe Douglas and Wilson’s agents — are working quarterback spot, but for much different reasons. out offset language, a sticking point in the negotiations. Watson was on the field despite having asked for a In Oxnard, Calif., Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott trade in January before 22 women filed lawsuits alleg- left practice with soreness in his right arm and is day to ing that he sexually assaulted or harassed them in day because of a shoulder strain. March. Houston police and the NFL are investigating “I really just decided not to push things too far,” said the allegations, but no charges have been filed. Prescott, who was examined on the sideline by head ath- The trade request still stands for Watson, who report- letic trainer Jim Maurer during practice before going ed for camp solely to avoid being fined $50,000 a day. into the locker room and having an MRI. “Better to be The quarterback chatted with teammates and coaches cautious and smart about it.” during breaks in the action, but declined an interview LM OTERO/AP request through a team spokesman. Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby is shown on the giant screen as he AP pro football writers Arnie Stapleton and Barry Wilner, and AP sports “It’s a day-to-day endeavor,” GM Nick Caserio said. writers Steve Megargee, Steve Reed, Kristie Rieken and Noah Trister, and AP speaks during Big 12 media days on July 14 in Arlington, Texas. In Owings Mills, Md., Jackson was absent for the Rav- freelance writer Ben Ross contributed to this report. Bowlsby says ESPN has been working to “destabilize” the Big 12. Friday, July 30, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 19 MLB

Scoreboard Escobar, American League Gallo lead East Division WLPct GB big names Boston 63 40 .612 _ Tampa Bay 60 42 .588 2½ New York 53 47 .530 8½ getting dealt Toronto 50 48 .510 10½ Baltimore 35 65 .350 26½ Associated Press Central Division The trade deadline is Friday and WLPct GB several teams are making last-min- Chicago 60 42 .588 _ ute moves. Cleveland 50 49 .505 8½ All-Star slugger Joey Gallo is Detroit 49 55 .471 12 Kansas City 44 56 .440 15 headed to the Bronx to give the Minnesota 43 60 .417 17½ New York Yankees some much- West Division needed punch from the left side. WLPct GB Third baseman Eduardo Escobar, Houston 63 40 .612 _ a first-time All-Star this year, was Oakland 57 46 .553 6 obtained by the Milwaukee Brew- Seattle 55 48 .534 8 ers, who lead the National League Los Angeles 51 50 .505 11 Central. Texas 36 66 .353 26½ Miami is buried in last place in National League the NL East, but after trading two of East Division its top players, will make an impact CHRIS O’MEARA/AP WLPct GB on the AL East. The New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge connects for an RBI single off Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Pete New York 54 46 .540 _ The Yankees reached a deal to Fairbanks during the 10th inning of the Yankees’ 3­1 win Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Fla. Philadelphia 50 50 .500 4 get Gallo from the Texas Rangers, Atlanta 50 52 .490 5 a person familiar with the trade Washington 46 54 .460 8 told The Associated Press. The per- ROUNDUP Miami 44 58 .431 11 Central Division son spoke on condition of anonym- WLPct GB ity Wednesday night because the move had not yet been announced Milwaukee 60 42 .588 _ Cincinnati 53 49 .520 7 and was subject to approval of St. Louis 51 51 .500 9 medical records of the players in- Late-scratch Judge hits Chicago 50 53 .485 10½ volved. Pittsburgh 38 63 .376 21½ “Wow, a guy that can hit it out of West Division any ballpark. I don’t think he gets WLPct GB enough credit for the type of de- San Francisco 63 38 .624 _ fense that he plays,” Aaron Judge go-ahead single for Yanks Los Angeles 62 41 .602 2 said after the Yankees won 3-1 in 10 San Diego 59 45 .567 5½ Colorado 44 58 .431 19½ innings at Tampa Bay. Associated Press in the eighth. the ninth in New York’s victory Arizona 32 71 .311 32 Gallo, 27, should provide a pow- ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Aa- Raisel Iglesias (7-4) blew a save over visiting Atlanta. Wednesday’s games erful boost for the heavily right- ron Judge went from being a late opportunity for the fifth time Tigers 17, Twins 14: Jeimer Cleveland 7, St. Louis 2 handed Yankees. With switch-hit- Toronto 4, Boston 1, 7 innings, 1st game scratch to hitting a tiebreaking when he gave up a tying single to Candelario and Eric Haase each Boston 4, Toronto 1, 7 innings, 2nd game ting center fielder Aaron Hicks Detroit 17, Minnesota 14 single in a two-run 10th inning to Brendan Rodgers. drove in three runs and visiting Oakland 10, San Diego 4 hurt, second baseman Rougned help the New York Yankees beat Indians 7, Cardinals 2:Franmil Detroit outscored Minnesota de- Houston 11, Seattle 4 Odor and outfielder Brett Gardner N.Y. Yankees 3, Tampa Bay 1, 10 innings the Tampa Bay Rays for the sec- Reyes homered twice, the first a spite giving up seven homers and Baltimore 8, Miami 7 have been the only left-handed hit- Arizona 3, Texas 2 ond straight day, 3-1 on Wednes- second-inning blast that bounced not hitting any. Kansas City 3, Chicago White Sox 2, 10 in­ ters to see substantial playing time. day night. out of Progressive Field and al- Orioles 8, Marlins 7: Ryan nings Gallo is hitting .223 with 25 L.A. Angels 8, Colorado 7 Judge was taken out of the li- most dinged a bicyclist pedaling McKenna drew a bases-loaded Milwaukee 7, Pittsburgh 3 homers, 55 RBIs and a major N.Y. Mets 2, Atlanta 1 neup about 30 minutes before the on a street, and host Cleveland walk from Steven Okert to force in Cincinnati 8, Chicago Cubs 2 league-leading 74 walks. The 6- scheduled first pitch. Although no beat St. Louis. the winning run in the ninth in- L.A. Dodgers 8, San Francisco 0 foot-5 slugger has also been a Gold Washington at Philadelphia, ppd. announcement was made about Reyes’ leadoff homer in the sec- ning, and host Baltimore got home Thursday’s games Glove right fielder for Texas, but why, the All-Star right fielder ond glanced off the pedestrian runs from Trey Mancini and Pe- N.Y. Yankees at Tampa Bay presumably would play left for the Chicago White Sox at Kansas City struck out in the fifth pinch-hitting bridge in left field and landed on dro Severino in the comeback vic- Baltimore at Detroit Yankees, who have Judge as their for Estevan Florial. the plaza area between the ball- tory over depleted Miami. Toronto at Boston regular right fielder. Oakland at L.A. Angels Judge returned to the team park and Rocket Mortgage Field- Athletics 10, Padres 4 : Sean Washington at Philadelphia, 2  The Brewers acquired Escobar Atlanta at N.Y. Mets Tuesday after going on the CO- house. The ball traveled an esti- Manaea took a perfect game into Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs from the Arizona Diamondbacks L.A. Dodgers at San Francisco VID-19 injured list July 16. mated 446 feet. the sixth inning and Matt Chap- Milwaukee at Pittsburgh on Wednesday for two prospects. Dodgers 8, Giants 0: Walker . man hit a three-run homer to help Colorado at San Diego The 32-year-old Escobar is bat- Buehler pitched three-hit ball Reds 8, Cubs 2: Joey Votto Oakland win at San Diego. Friday’s games ting .246 with 22 homers. The Kansas City (TBD) at Toronto (Stripling over seven dominant innings for homered twice for the second con- Astros 11, Mariners 4: Yuli 3­6) switch-hitter should be a valuable Baltimore (Harvey 5­10) at Detroit (Sku­ visiting Los Angeles to extend his secutive day, going deep in his Gurriel singled, doubled and bal 6­9) and versatile piece for the first- mastery of San Francisco. fifth straight game to match a Cin- homered to drive in three runs in Boston (Pérez 7­6) at Tampa Bay (Flem­ place Brewers, who are trying to ing 7­5) The Dodgers had lost three cinnati record in a victory at Chi- Houston’s victory at Seattle. N.Y. Yankees (Taillon 6­4) at Miami lock down the NL Central. (Thompson 2­3) straight against their division ri- cago. Brewers 7, Pirates 3:Lorenzo Seattle (Gilbert 4­2) at Texas (Allard 2­8) The Marlins sent right-handed vals and were three games behind Tyler Mahle (8-3) tossed six Cain and Luis Urias hit two-run Cleveland (Mejía 1­6) at Chicago White reliever Yimi García to the Hous- Sox (Lynn 10­3) the first-place Giants in the NL scoreless innings for the Reds, doubles, Adrian Houser pitched Minnesota (Berríos 7­5) at St. Louis (Le­ ton Astros, and traded outfielder Blanc 0­2) West before Buehler’s gem on his who beefed up their bullpen again five scoreless innings and Mil- Oakland (Bassitt 10­3) at L.A. Angels Starling Marte to the Oakland Ath- 27th birthday. by acquiring right-hander Mychal waukee won at Pittsburgh. (Sandoval 3­4) letics. Houston (Valdez 6­2) at San Francisco Angels 8, Rockies 7 : Shohei Givens from Colorado before the Diamondbacks 3, Rangers 2: (Gausman 9­4) The Astros sent outfielder Bryan Chicago Cubs (Williams 4­2) at Wash­ Ohtani hit his major league-high game. Madison Bumgarner pitched ington (Scherzer 7­4) De La Cruz and right-hander Aus- 37th home run, a three-run shot Blue Jays 4­1, Red Sox 1­4: four-hit ball over seven innings to Philadelphia (Nola 7­6) at Pittsburgh tin Pruitt to Miami. First-place (Crowe 2­5) that helped Los Angeles beat vis- Rookie starter Tanner Houck win for the first time in 2½ months Cincinnati (Gray 2­6) at N.Y. Mets (Car­ Houston began Thursday with a rasco 0­0) iting Colorado. struck out seven over four innings and Arizona won at Texas after Milwaukee (Burnes 6­4) at Atlanta six-game lead over Oakland in the (Toussaint 1­1) Phil Gosselin had a tiebreaking and host Boston beat Toronto to both teams scratched their top hit- L.A. Dodgers (Gonsolin 2­1) at Arizona AL West. single in the eighth inning for the split a doubleheader. ters from the starting lineups. (Gallen 1­5) Oakland gave up left-hander Je- Colorado (Gray 6­6) at San Diego Angels, who trailed early but Mets 2, Braves 1: Pinch-hitter Royals 3, White Sox 2 (10):Mi- (Weathers 4­2) sús Luzardo for Marte. The Mar- scored five in the fourth and an- Brandon Drury had a tiebreaking chael A. Taylor’s two-out single in Calendar lins will cover nearly all of Marte’s other in the fifth for a 7-3 advan- homer in the seventh inning and the 10th inning drove home Hun- Aug. 12 — New York Yankees vs. Chicago remaining contract for 2021, and he tage. The Rockies rallied with right fielder Michael Conforto ter Dozier from second base to lift White Sox at Dyersville, Iowa. can become a free agent after this Aug. 22 — Los Angeles Angels vs. Cleve­ three runs in the seventh and one threw out a runner at the plate in host Kansas City past Chicago. land at Williamsport, Pa. season. PAGE 20 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, July 30, 2021 OLYMPICS SCOREBOARD

Medals table ROWING Men’s basketball Women’s volleyball Boxing Men’s Pair Thursday, July 29 Group A Group A 28 of 28 events GOLD—Croatia (Martin Sinkovic, Valent Thursday 196 of 196 total events Sinkovic) Country WLPts Country WLPts Men SILVER—Romania (Marius Cozmiuc, Ci­ Middle (69-75kg) Nation GSBTot prian Tudosa) France 2 0 4 Serbia 3 0 9 Round of 16 BRONZE—Denmark (Frederic Vystavel, Czech Republic 1 1 2 Brazil 3 0 8 Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Ukraine, def. Yui­ United States 14 14 10 38 Joachim Sutton) United States 1 1 2 South Korea 2 1 5 to Moriwaki, Japan, 5­0. China 15 7 9 31 Euri Cedeno Martinez, Dominican Re­ Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls Iran 0 2 0 Japan 1 2 3 ROC 8 11 9 28 public, def. Francisco Daniel Veron, Argen­ GOLD—Ireland (Fintan Mc Carthy, Paul Dominican Republic 0 3 2 tina, 3­2. Group B Japan 15 4 6 25 O’Donovan) Kenya 0 3 0 Arman Darchinyan, Armenia, def. Andrej SILVER—Germany (Jonathan Rommel­ Australia 8 2 10 20 Country WLPts Csemez, Slovakia, 5­0. mann, Jason Osborne) Group B Eumir Marcial, Philippines, def. Younes Italy 2 7 10 19 BRONZE—Italy (Stefano Oppo, Pietro Australia 2 0 4 Nemouchi, Algeria, stopped by referee for Britain 5 7 6 18 Ruta) Country WLPts injury. Germany 1 1 2 Germany 3 3 7 13 Women’s Pair Hebert Sousa, Brazil, def. Tuoheta Er­ Italy 1 1 2 Italy 3 0 9 bieke, China, 3­2. Netherlands 2 7 4 13 GOLD—New Zealand (Grace Prender­ Nigeria 0 2 0 United States 3 0 8 Abilkhan Amankul, Kazakhstan, def. Fa­ South Korea 4 3 5 12 gast, Kerri Gowler) nat Kakhramonov, Uzbekistan, 5­0. SILVER—ROC (Vasilisa Stepanova, Elena ROC 2 1 5 France 3 5 3 11 Group C Darrelle Valsaint Jr, Haiti, def. David Oriabinskaia) Turkey 1 2 4 Tshama Mwenekabwe, Congo, 4­1. Canada 2 3 5 10 BRONZE—Canada (Caileigh Filmer, Hill­ Country WLPts China 0 3 1 Gleb Bakshi, ROC, def. Troy Isley, United ary Janssens) Brazil 1 3 3 7 Argentina 0 3 0 States, 3­2. Switzerland 1 3 2 6 Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls Slovenia 2 0 4 Sunday’s matches Super Heavy (+91kg) Taiwan 1 2 3 6 GOLD—Italy (Valentina Rodini, Federica Spain 2 0 4 Round of 16 Cesarini) Argentina 0 2 0 Italy 3, ROC 0 (25­23, 25­19, 25­14) Hungary 2 1 2 5 United States 3, Argentina 0 (25­20, 25­ Bakhodir Jalolov, Uzbekistan, def. Ma­ SILVER—France (Laura Tarantola, Claire Japan 0 2 0 hammad Abdullayev, Azerbaijan, 5­0. Slovenia 2 1 1 4 Bove) 19, 25­20) Serbia 3, Dominican Republic 0 (25­18, Satish Kumar, India, def. Ricardo Brown, Romania 1 3 0 4 BRONZE—Netherlands (Marieke Keijser, Sunday’s games Jamaica, 4­1. Ilse Paulis) 25­12, 25­20) Czech Republic 1 2 1 4 Czech Republic 84, Iran 78 Turkey 3, China 0 (25­21, 25­14, 25­14) Frazer Clarke, Britain, def. Tsotne Roga­ va, Ukraine, 4­1. New Zealand 1 2 1 4 SHOOTING Italy 92, Germany 82 Japan 3, Kenya 0 (25­15, 25­11, 25­23) Trap Men Australia 84, Nigeria 67 Brazil 3, South Korea 0 (25­10, 25­22, 25­ Mourad Aliev, France, def. Siyovush Serbia 1 1 2 4 Zukhurov, Tajikistan, 5­0. GOLD—Jiri Liptak, Czech Republic France 83, United States 76 19) Ukraine 0 0 4 4 Richard Torrez Jr, United States, def. SILVER—David Kostelecky, Czech Re­ Monday’s games Tuesday’s matches Chouaib Bouloudinats, Algeria, 5­0. public Croatia 2 0 1 3 Slovenia 118, Argentina 100 ROC 3, Argentina 0 (25­19, 25­15, 25­13) Dainier Pero, Cuba, def. Cristian Camilo Georgia 1 2 0 3 BRONZE—Matthew John Coward Holley, United States 3, China 0 (29­27, 25­22, 25­ Salcedo Codazi, Colombia, 5­0. Britain Spain 88, Japan 77 Austria 1 1 1 3 21) Ivan Veriasov, ROC, def. Maxime Yeg­ Trap Women Wednesday’s games Serbia 3, Japan 0 (25­23, 25­16, 26­24) nong Njieyo, Cameroon, 5­0. Spain 0 2 1 3 Italy 3, Turkey 1 (25­22, 23­25, 25­20, 25­ Kamshybek Kunkabayev, Kazakhstan, GOLD—Zuzana Rehak Stefecekova, Slo­ Germany 99, Nigeria 92 Indonesia 0 1 2 3 United States 120, Iran 66 15) def. Yousry Rezk Mostafa Hafez, Egypt, vakia Brazil 3, Dominican Republic 2 (25­22, 17­ 5­0. Mongolia 0 1 2 3 SILVER—Kayle Browning, United States Australia 86, Italy 83 France 97, Czech Republic 77 25, 13­25, 25­23, 12­15) Kazakhstan 0 0 3 3 BRONZE—Alessandra Perilli, San Marino South Korea 3, Kenya 0 (25­14, 25­22, 26­ Women Thursday’s games Fly (48-51kg) Kosovo 2 0 0 2 SWIMMING 24) Men’s 100m Freestyle Slovenia 116, Japan 81 Thursday’s matches Round of 16 Spain 81, Argentina 71 Thursday’s medalists GOLD—Caeleb Dressel, United States Italy 3, Argentina 0 (25­21, 25­16, 25­15) Buse Naz Cakiroglu, Turkey, def. Tursu­ SILVER—Kyle Chalmers, Australia Saturday’s games South Korea 3, Dominican Republic 2 (25­ noy Rakhimova, Uzbekistan, 3­2. CANOE SLALOM Jutamas Jitpong, Thailand, def. Irish BRONZE—Kliment Kolesnikov, ROC Iran vs France 20, 17­25, 25­18, 15­25, 15­12) Women’s Canoe Serbia 3, Kenya 0 (25­21, 25­11, 25­20) Magno, Philippines, 5­0. Men’s 200m Breaststroke Italy vs Nigeria Nina Radovanovic, Serbia, def. Ornella GOLD—Jessica Fox, Australia Australia vs Germany ROC 3, China 2 (25­17, 23­25, 20­25, 27­25, GOLD—Izaac Stubblety­Cook, Australia 15­12) Havyarimana, Burundi, 5­0. SILVER—Mallory Franklin, Britain United States vs Czech Republic Huang Hsiao­Wen, Taiwan, def. Giorda­ BRONZE—Andrea Herzog, Germany SILVER—Arno Kamminga, Netherlands Brazil 3, Japan 0 (25­16, 25­18, 26­24) BRONZE—Matti Mattsson, Finland Sunday, August 1 United States 3, Turkey 2 (25­19, 25­20, na Sorrentino, Italy, 5­0. FENCING 17­25, 20­25, 15­12) Ingrit Lorena Valencia Victoria, Colom­ Women’s Foil Team Men’s 800m Freestyle Argentina vs Japan bia, def. Chungneijang Mery Kom Spain vs Slovenia Saturday’s matches GOLD—ROC (Inna Deriglazova, Adelina GOLD—Robert Finke, United States Hmangte, India, 3­2. SILVER—Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy Tuesday, August 3 Dominican Republic vs Kenya Tsukimi Namiki, Japan, def. Graziele Zagidullina, Larisa Korobeynikova, Marta United States vs ROC Martyanova) BRONZE—Mykhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine Sousa, Brazil, 5­0. Quarterfinals Argentina vs Turkey Stoyka Zhelyazkova Krasteva, Bulgaria, SILVER—France (Anita Blaze, Astrid Women’s 200m Butterfly Serbia vs Brazil Guyart, Pauline Ranvier, Ysaora Thibus) Thursday, August 5 def. Virginia Fuchs, United States, 5­0. GOLD—Yufei Zhang, China Japan vs South Korea Chang Yuan, China, def. Charley­Sian BRONZE—Italy (Erica Cipressa, Arianna Semifinals China vs Italy Errigo, Martina Batini, Alice Volpi) SILVER—Regan Smith, United States Davison, Britain, 5­0. BRONZE—Hali Flickinger, United States Saturday, August 7 Monday, August 2 GYMNASTICS Gold Medal Women’s All-Around Women’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Serbia vs South Korea Bronze Medal United States vs Italy Beach volleyball scores GOLD—Sunisa Lee, United States GOLD—China (Muhan Tang, Yifan ROC vs Turkey SILVER—Rebeca Andrade, Brazil Zhang, Jie Dong, Bingjie Li, Junxuan Yang, China vs Argentina Thursday BRONZE—Angelina Melnikova, ROC Yufei Zhang) Women’s field hockey Japan vs Dominican Republic Men SILVER—United States (Arabella Sims, Brazil vs Kenya Pool D JUDO Paige Madden, Kathryn Mc Laughlin, Men -100 kg Group A Wednesday, August 4 United States (Philip Dalhausser; Nicho­ Brooke Forde, Allison Schmitt, Kathleen las Lucena), def. Argentina (Julian Amado Ledecky) Quarterfinals GOLD—Aaron Wolf, Japan Country WLTPts GF GA Azaad; Nicolas Capogrosso), 21­19, 18­21, SILVER—Guham Cho, South Korea BRONZE—Australia (Mollie O’Callaghan, 15­6. Meg Harris, Brianna Throssell, Tamsin Men’s water polo BRONZE—Jorge Fonseca, Portugal Netherlands 4 0 0 8 15 1 BRONZE—Niiaz Iliasov, ROC Cook, Ariarne Titmus, Emma McKeon, Ma­ Group A Pool B dison Wilson, Leah Neale) Germany 3 0 0 6 8 3 Women -78 kg Country WLTPts GF GA Czech Republic (Ondrej Perusic; David TABLE TENNIS Britain 2 2 0 4 9 5 Schweiner), def. Mexico (Josue Gaston GOLD—Shori Hamada, Japan Women’s Singles Ireland 1 2 0 2 4 8 Greece 2 0 1 5 26 24 Gaxiola Leyva; Jose Luis Rubio Camargo), SILVER—Madeleine Malonga, France 17­21, 21­16, 16­14. BRONZE—Anna­Maria Wagner, Germa­ GOLD—Meng Chen, China India 0 3 0 0 2 11 Italy 2 0 1 5 39 19 Latvia (Martins Plavins; Edgars Tocs), ny SILVER—Yingsha Sun, China South Africa 0 3 0 0 1 11 Hungary 2 1 0 4 48 22 def. ROC (Viacheslav Krasilnikov; Oleg BRONZE—Mayra Aguiar, Brazil BRONZE—Mima Ito, Japan Stoyanovskiy), 13­21, 21­19, 15­11. Group B United States 2 1 0 4 46 28 Japan 0 3 0 0 33 41 Women Country WLTPts GF GA South Africa 0 3 0 0 6 64 Pool D United States (Kelly Claes; Sarah Spon­ Tennis Women’s rugby Australia 4 0 0 8 11 1 Group B cil), def. Kenya (Brackcides Khadambi; Argentina 3 1 0 6 8 6 Country WLTPts GF GA Gaudencia Makokha), 21­8, 21­6. Thursday Group A New Zealand 2 2 0 4 6 4 Men’s Singles Pool A Spain 2 2 0 4 5 7 Spain 3 0 0 6 37 22 Quarterfinals Country WLTPts Canada (Melissa Humana­Paredes; Sa­ Croatia 2 1 0 4 44 26 Karen Khachanov (12), ROC, def. Ugo China 1 3 0 2 6 14 rah Pavan), def. Switzerland (Joana Hei­ Humbert (14), France, 7­6 (4), 4­6, 6­3. New Zealand 2 0 0 4 Japan 0 4 0 0 5 9 Serbia 2 1 0 4 45 26 drich; Anouk Verge­Depre), 21­13, 24­22. Netherlands (Raisa Schoon; Katja Novak Djokovic (1), Serbia, def. Kei Nish­ Britain 1 1 0 2 Australia 1 2 0 2 29 37 ikori, Japan, 6­2, 6­0. Saturday, July 24 Stam), def. Germany (Karla Borger; Julia ROC 1 1 0 2 Montenegro 1 2 0 2 29 31 Sude), 24­22, 21­16. Pablo Carreno Busta (6), Spain, def. Da­ Netherlands 5, India 1 niil Medvedev (2), ROC, 6­2, 7­6 (5). Kenya 0 2 0 0 Ireland 2, South Africa 0 Kazakhstan 0 3 0 0 16 58 Pool C Alexander Zverev (4), Germany, def. Jer­ emy Chardy, France, 6­4, 6­1. Group B Sunday’s games Sunday’s games China (Xia Xinyi; Wang Fan), def. Argen­ tina (Ana Gallay; Fernanda Pereyra), 21­ Women’s Singles Germany 2, Britain 1 Country WLTPts Italy 21, South Africa 2 14, 21­13. Semifinals Australia 3, Spain 1 Greece 10, Hungary 9 Brazil (Agatha Bednarczuk; Eduarda China 4, Japan 3 Belinda Bencic (9), Switzerland, def. Ele­ France 2 0 0 4 United States 15, Japan 13 Santos Lisboa), def. Canada (Heather Ban­ New Zealand 3, Argentina 0 Montenegro 15, Australia 10 sley; Brandie Wilkerson), 21­18, 21­18. na Rybakina (15), Kazakhstan, 7­6 (2), 4­6, Canada 1 1 0 2 6­3. Monday’s games Spain 13, Serbia 12 Fiji 1 1 0 2 Croatia 23, Kazakhstan 7 Marketa Vondrousova, Czech Republic, Netherlands 4, Ireland 0 def. Elina Svitolina (4), Ukraine, 6­3, 6­1. Brazil 0 2 0 0 Australia 6, China 0 Tuesday’s games Baseball Men’s Doubles Britain 4, South Africa 1 Semifinals Group C Argentina 3, Spain 0 United States 20, South Africa 3 Spain 8, Montenegro 6 Group A Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig, Croatia, def. New Zealand 2, Japan 1 Country WLTPts Germany 2, India 0 Serbia 19, Kazakhstan 5 Michael Venus and Marcus Daniell, New Italy 6, Greece 6 Country WLPct Zealand, 6­2, 6­2. Australia 2 0 0 4 Wednesday's games Hungary 16, Japan 11 Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic (1), Croa­ Japan 1 0 1.000 United States 2 0 0 4 Netherlands 5, South Africa 0 Australia 11, Croatia 8 tia, def. Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sand­ Mexico 0 0 .000 gren, United States, 6­4, 6­4. China 0 2 0 0 Britain 4, India 1 Thursday’s games Spain 2, New Zealand 1 Dominican Republic 0 1 .000 Women’s Doubles Japan 0 2 0 0 Germany 4, Ireland 2 Hungary 23, South Africa 1 Semifinals Australia 1, Japan 0 Spain 16, Kazakhstan 4 Group B Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Sinia­ Thursday’s matches Argentina 3, China 2 Italy 12, United States 11 kova (1), Czech Republic, def. Elena Vesni­ France 12, Fiji 5 Thursday’s games Croatia 13, Montenegro 8 Country WLPct na and Veronika Kudermetova, ROC, 6­3, Canada 33, Brazil 0 Greece 10, Japan 9 3­6, 10­6. United States 28, China 14 Spain 2, China 0 Serbia 14, Australia 8 South Korea 1 0 1.000 Viktorija Golubic and Belinda Bencic, Australia 48, Japan 0 Netherlands 1, Britain 0 Saturday’s games United States 0 0 .000 Switzerland, def. Laura Pigossi and Luisa Britain 14, ROC 12 Argentina 2, Japan 1 Stefani, Brazil, 7­5, 6­3. Australia 1, New Zealand 0 Montenegro vs Kazakhstan Israel 0 1 .000 New Zealand 29, Kenya 7 Australia vs Spain Mixed Doubles Fiji 26, Canada 12 Friday’s games United States vs Hungary Wednesday’s game Quarterfinals France 40, Brazil 5 Croatia vs Serbia South Africa vs Germany Japan 4, Dominican Republic 3 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Andrey Australia 26, China 10 Ireland vs India Italy vs Japan Rublev, ROC, def. Ben Mclachlan and Ena United States 17, Japan 7 South Africa vs Greece Thursday’s game Shibahara, Japan, 7­5, 6­7 (0), 10­8. New Zealand 26, Britain 21 Saturday’s games Monday, August 2 ROC 35, Kenya 12 South Korea 6, Israel 5 (10 Innings) Ashleigh Barty and John Peers, Austra­ China vs New Zealand Hungary vs Italy lia, def. Maria Sakkari and Stefanos Tsitsi­ Friday’s matches Japan vs Spain Greece vs United States Friday’s games pas, Greece, 6­4, 4­6, 10­6. Argentina vs Australia Serbia vs Montenegro Elena Vesnina and Aslan Karatsev, ROC, Fiji vs Brazil India vs South Africa Mexico vs Dominican Republic Spain vs Croatia United States vs Israel def. Lukasz Kubot and Iga Swiatek, Po­ Canada vs France Germany vs Netherlands Japan vs South Africa land, 6­4, 6­4. China vs Japan Ireland vs Britain Australia vs Kazakhstan Novak Djokovic and Nina Stojanovic, Australia vs United States Saturday’s games Serbia, def. Kevin Krawietz and Laura Sie­ Britain vs Kenya Monday, August 2 Wednesday, August 4 Japan vs Mexico gemund, Germany, 6­1, 6­2. New Zealand vs ROC Quarterfinals Quarterfinals South Korea vs United States Friday, July 30, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 21 OLYMPICS US looks to extend dynasty in women’s 8 BY JIM VERTUNO gold with the U.S. eight boat in 2012 Associated Press and 2016 and is one of only two mem- TOKYO — For more than a dec- bers of the current crew in Tokyo ade and across three Olympics, with any Olympic experience. “I there was no greater force in wom- definitely think we are ready for the en’s rowing than the American eight final.” boat. The Americans sent an early Three consecutive Olympic gold message they may be ready to re- medals. Eleven years undefeated at claim their dominance by cruising major international meets. through their opening heat and But all dynasties eventually end. straight into the final. With another Once upon a time, East Germany victory on Friday, the U.S. would be- dominated the event. Then it was the come the first country to win four Romanians cruising the waters be- consecutive gold medals in the fore the Americans took over. women’s eight. And while the U.S. crew that lines “It was the first time in two years up in Friday’s Tokyo Olympics final that many teams have lined up inter- still ranks among the medal favor- nationally and gone head to head,” ites, its swagger and reputation as Musnicki said. “I think the message unbeatable were wobbled and bro- we sent was the same message ev- FERNANDO VERGARA/AP ken since its Olympic title in 2016, as ery other boat in the event sent: United States midfielder Samantha Mewis goes for the ball during a soccer match against Australia on other countries started winning. We’re here to race. Let’s go.” Tuesday in Kashima, Japan. The U.S. plays the Netherlands on Friday in a quarterfinal. Romania won the world cham- Assume reigning world cham- pionship in 2017, a particularly gall- pion champion New Zealand has ing defeat as the Americans didn’t been warned and is ready. even medal. New Zealand stormed The Kiwis’ boat rallied from third to the title in 2019. to first in the final stretch to win its Hello again: US, Netherlands “Yes, we were dominant for many opening heat and advance to the fi- years, but everyone forgets that nal. Despite the tougher-than-ex- each year is largely a new squad, pected finish, New Zealand was and with that comes unknowns,” more than a second faster than the ready for quarterfinals clash said Meghan Musnicki, who won U.S. that day. Teams faced each other in the 2019 World Cup final in France BY ANNE. M. PETERSON we get there, winning is the most phant in that one for the team’s Associated Press important thing. So, yes, fans and second straight Olympic bronze On to the rematch. outsiders looking in are probably medal, spoiling Brazil’s shot to The United States plays the like, ‘Oh, this is so different.’ medal on home soil. Netherlands on Friday in the You’ve never seen the U.S. do There are many of the same quarterfinals of the Olympic this,” defender Crystal Dunn said. faces in Japan. On Canada’s side, women’s soccer tournament — “But at the same time, it’s about there’s Christine Sinclair, soccer’s bringing together the two teams executing a game plan, moving on all-time international scorer that played in the World Cup final from one round to another. And among men and women. Brazil two years ago in France. whatever tactics, plans that we has Marta, the six-time FIFA The U.S. women won that one have that we’re given, it’s our job Player of the Year. 2-0 and afterward the crowd as players to trust and believe in Britain vs. Australia, Kashima: chanted “Equal Pay!” in support ourselves and each other and live The Australians advanced to the of the team’s legal fight for equity to fight another day.” knockout round as one of the top with the men’s national team. Instead, it’s the Netherlands third-place teams after the group This time, there won’t be any that has become a high-scoring stage. This is the Matildas’ fifth CHARLIE RIEDEL/AP crowds and the case is before the juggernaut. The Dutch scored 21 trip to the Olympics and third time U.S. vaulter Sam Kendricks is out of the Games after a positive test Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals goals in the group stage — smash- they’ve made it through to the and Australia is quarantining athletes he came in contact with. back home in the United States, ing the previous record of 16 set by quarterfinals. with no ruling expected in the the United States in 2012. Britain finished atop Group E. near future. And obviously there’s Dutch striker Vivianne Miede- In a quirky rule, Britain’s Olympic US pole vaulter test sends greater weight on a World Cup fi- ma has an Olympic-record eight teams must include Scotland, nal than an Olympic quarterfinal. goals, and that’s only from the Wales, England and Northern Ire- But the game in Yokohama has group stage. land, and all four teams must be in Australians into isolation taken on significance because the Miedema, who plays profes- agreement to participate. For that BY EDDIE PELLS on the training track this week, normally indomitable Americans sionally for Arsenal, is just 25 and reason, the only other Olympics Associated Press and Australia announced it had showed vulnerabilities in the already the all-time scoring leader that has included a Team GB is TOKYO — The fragile nature of put its entire 54-person team (41 group stage: Notably a 3-0 loss to for the Netherlands with 81 goals London 2012. an Olympics during the pandemic athletes and 13 officials) in isola- Sweden in the Olympic opener. in 99 appearances. She is also the Sweden vs. Japan, Saitama: came into sharp focus Thursday tion and subjected it to testing af- After a 6-1 rebound win over top career scorer in the Women’s The Swedes won all three of their when the entire Australian track ter three athletes reported having New Zealand, the U.S. played to a Super League in England. games in Group G to advance, in- team spent time in a brief quaran- casual contact with Kendricks. scoreless draw against Australia, The United States has played cluding that 3-0 victory over the tine after American pole vaulter Hours after that, the Australian which, while uncharacteristic for the Netherlands since the World Americans in their opener. Swe- Sam Kendricks pulled out of the Olympic Committee announced the offensively dominant Ameri- Cup final, winning by an identical den famously knocked the United Tokyo Games because of a posi- the trio had tested negative and all cans, got the team through to the 2-0 scoreline in Breda last Novem- States out of the 2016 Games in the tive COVID-19 test. but those three had been cleared. knockout stage. ber. The Americans were unde- quarterfinals. The team went on to The news about Kendricks — a The three athletes remained in The United States hadn’t been feated in 44 straight matches be- the final, but lost the gold medal to two-time world champion and the isolation, allowed to resume prac- shut out since 2017 before this fore the loss to Sweden. Germany. American record holder — de- tice under strict distancing proto- Olympics, and now the team has In the other quarterfinal match- Japan, as host, made the quar- prived the meet of one of its high- cols. Australia said everyone was been blanked twice in less than es on Friday: terfinals as one of the top third- profile athletes, then rippled expected to be able to compete. two weeks. Canada vs. Brazil, Rifu: Anoth- place finishers. The Nadeshiko across the sport, which was sched- “Once again, abundant caution “I think a lot of people under- er rematch, but this time of the won the silver medal at the Lon- uled to open less than 24 hours af- and our strict protocols continue stand that we’re here to compete third-place game at the Rio de Ja- don Games, but did not make the ter the announcement. to keep the team safe,” Australian and win a gold medal and however neiro Games. Canada was trium- field in 2016. He was one of dozens of athletes team leader Ian Chesterman said. PAGE 22 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, July 30, 2021 OLYMPICS Golden: Lee just holds off Andrade

FROM PAGE 24 Lee admitted she was getting “in her ceived a 13.666 instead. Not that she partic- Everything was on the table. Gold includ- head” a little bit while prepping for her bar ularly cared. She wasn’t even sure she ed. Lee took it with a brilliant set on uneven routine, the one that’s currently the hardest would make it to Tokyo until she won the all- bars, a nervy performance on beam and a in the world. She didn’t exactly look nerv- around at the Pan American Champion- floor exercise that made up for in execution ous. The 15.300 the judges rewarded her for ships two months ago. She was in tears as what it might have lacked in aggression. a series of intricate connections and releas- she watched her country’s flag raised dur- Her total of 57.433 points was just enough es tied Andrade’s near-perfect Cheng vault ing an Olympic gymnastics ceremony for to top Andrade, who earned the first gym- for the highest score of the night. the first time. nastics all-around medal by a Latin Amer- Yet it wasn’t Lee’s brilliance that made “This medal represents all Brazil,” she ican athlete but missed out on gold when the difference but her guts. She nearly said. she stepped out of bounds twice during her came off the balance beam while executing The gold, however, remains in possession floor routine. a wolf turn — basically a seated spin — of the Americans. Lee’s victory marked the Russian gymnast Angelina Melnikova needing to suction cup her toes to the 4-inch fifth straight by a U.S. woman, with the past added bronze to the gold she won in the slab of wood to stay on. Her score of 13.833 three all being women of color. team final. American Jade Carey, who moved her in front of Andrade heading into Biles and 2012 gold medalist Gabby Dou- joined the competition after Biles pulled the floor exercise. glas are Black. Lee’s parents are Hmong, an out, finished eighth. Going first, Lee opted for a routine with ethnic group who have historically lived in Biles’ decision to sit out led to the jarring three tumbling passes instead of four, hop- the mountains of Southeast Asia. Lee’s par- sight of the gymnast considered the great- ing better execution would override any po- ents emigrated from Laos to Minnesota, est of all time cheering on Lee and the rest of tential tenths she surrendered by not doing which has the largest concentration of the 24-woman field from the stands with the a fourth pass. Her 13.700 was steady, but it Hmong in the U.S. A large group of friends gold that’s been hers for so long now in play left an opening for Andrade. and family gathered in Minneapolis to for everyone else. The 21-year-old Brazilian, two years re- watch her make history. She hopes the im- Still, Lee did her best to not think about moved from a third surgery to repair a torn age of a Hmong standing in front of the the stakes. She FaceTimed with her father ACL in her knee, had the best floor score of world and on top of her sport resonates in a John — who was paralyzed from the chest the contenders during qualifying. Yet she community she sometimes feels can be too down during a freak accident in Minnesota bounded out of bounds with both feet at the restrictive. GREGORY BULL / AP just days before the 2019 national cham- end of her first tumbling pass. And her right “I want people to know that you can reach The United States’ Sunisa Lee performs pionships — before the meet, just like al- foot stepped off the white mat and onto the your dreams and you can just do what you on the uneven bars during the women’s ways. He told her to relax. So she did. Or at surrounding blue carpet. want to do,” she said. “Because you never all­around gymnastics final Thursday at the least, she tried. Needing a 13.802 to win, Andrade re- know what’s going to happen in the end.” Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Friday, July 30, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 23 OLYMPICS Dressel swims to first individual gold Finke rallies to surprising win in 800 free; Ledecky anchors relay past Aussies to silver BY PAUL NEWBERRY done with now.” Associated Press The bronze was claimed by Rus- TOKYO — Caeleb Dressel sian swimmer Kliment Kolesni- climbed atop the lane rope, a look kov (47.44), who added to his silver of wonder in his eyes. He gazed all in the 100 backstroke. around the Tokyo Aquatics Cen- The first three gold medals of tre, eager to soak up every last mo- Dressel’s career were all in the re- ment of something he’s never done lays — two in Rio, another in the before. 4x100 free relay at the Tokyo Win an individual gold medal at Games. the Olympics. Now, he’s got one of his own. The most dominant swimmer of “It is a lot different. I guess I the post-Michael Phelps era filled thought it would be, I just didn’t in the last hole on his resume, win- want to admit to it,” he said. “It’s a ning a gold all by himself with two lot tougher. You have to rely on furious laps of the pool Thursday. yourself, there’s no one to bail you Dressel, whose three previous out.” golds were all on relays, lived up to After Phelps retired, Dressel the hype at an Olympics where emerged as the world’s dominant several U.S. stars have faltered. swimmer. He turned in staggering “I knew that weight was on my performances at the last two world shoulders,” he said after a nail-bit- championships, earning seven ing victory in the 100-meter frees- gold medals at Budapest in 2017, tyle over defending champion followed by a six-gold, two-silver Kyle Chalmers of Australia. performance at Gwangju in 2019. Katie Ledecky got another shot As important as those meets MATTHIAS SCHRADER/AP at Ariarne Titmus, but this time were, they’re not the Olympics. Caeleb Dressel of the United States celebrates winning the men’s 100­meter freestyle final at the neither won gold. China knocked Dressel knew he needed an indi- Olympics on Thursday. Dressel had won three Olympic gold medals in relays. off the Americans and the Austra- vidual gold to solidify his legacy. lians with a world-record per- From his perch on the lane rope, Stubblety-Cook rallied on the final formance in the 4x200-meter he cherished the significance of “It is a lot different. You have to lap to pass Arno Kamminga of the freestyle relay. his victory. Netherlands, who went out fast but All three teams went faster than “These moments are a lot differ- rely on yourself, there’s no one to couldn’t quite hang on. the previous mark, but it was Chi- ent than worlds,” Dressel conced- The winning time was an Olym- na that earned the second world ed. bail you out.” pic-record 2:06.38, giving the team record of the Tokyo Games despite Dressel’s gold was the second of Caeleb Dressel from Down Under its fifth gold of a blistering anchor leg from Le- the morning for the Americans, Gold medal winner in the 100-meter freestyle the swimming competition — and decky. who got a surprise victory from its first men’s breaststroke gold “I wasn’t as nervous maybe and Bobby Finke in the Olympic debut of 7:41.50 set by Australia at the both the 200 and 400 free individu- since Ian O’Brien at the 1964 To- knew I was going to let it go and go of the men’s 800 free. 2019 world championships. al titles, the Terminator led off for kyo Games. for it each lap of that race,” said Also winning golds: Australia’s Ledecky took the final leg for the Australia but was a bit sluggish; Stubblety-Cook was surprised Ledecky, who went faster than Izaac Stubblety-Cook in the men’s Americans, diving into the water she was more than a second slower as anyone to be standing on the top anyone but couldn’t quite catch 200 breaststroke and China’s in third place — nearly 2 seconds than her gold medal performance step of podium. the Chinese, winding up with her Zhang Yufei in the women’s 200 behind Li and also trailing Austra- in the 200. “I was happy enough just to be second silver of the Games. butterfly. lia’s Leah Neale. She quickly Ledecky had finished second to here,” he said. “Honestly, I’m just Dressel was golden. As is his Zhang returned to swim a leg on zipped by Neale and closed the gap Titmus in the 400 and didn’t even pretty lost for words at the mo- style, the 24-year-old Floridian the 4x200 free relay, joining Yang significantly on Li, but couldn’t win a medal in the 200, finally ment. It’s still all sinking in.” dived into the pool and popped out Junxuan, Tang Muhan and closer quite catch her at the end. claiming her first Tokyo gold in Kamminga was under world-re- of the water with the lead. He was Li Bingjie for a winning time of China’s surprising win denied the debut of the women’s 1,500 cord pace through the first 150 me- still ahead at the lone flip, and grit- 7:40.33. both Ledecky and Ariarne Titmus free. ters, but he faded to the silver in tily turned away Chalmers’ bid for That broke the previous record another gold medal. After winning She got another silver in the re- 2:07.01. The bronze went to Fin- a second straight gold. lay, but certainly had nothing to be land’s Matti Mattsson in 2:07.24. Dressel’s winning time was an ashamed of. Her split time of Dressel’s victory pulled the Olympic record of 47.02 seconds 1:53.76 was the fastest of the race. Americans ahead of the Aussies — a mere six-hundredths ahead of She simply ran out of time to catch with six golds in Tokyo. They also Chalmers, who had to settle for a Li as the Americans finished in lead the overall medal tally with silver this time. 7:40.73. Australia took the bronze 21, nine ahead of their rivals. “I wasn’t worried about any- in 7:41.29. Zhang had a remarkable ses- thing,” Dressel said. “During the Finke pulled out his victory with sion. race there’s only so much you can a dazzling burst on the final lap. She turned in a dominating per- do. Whatever’s going to happen is Making the final turn in fourth, formance to win China’s first going to happen. I stuck to my race he turned on the speed at the end of swimming gold of the Tokyo plan so if it got me first, OK, if it got the 16-lap race, passing all three Games in the 200 butterfly. Her me second, OK.” swimmers ahead of him to take the Olympic-record time of 2:03.86 The two have developed quite a gold. Finke’s final 50 was 26.39 — put her more than a body length rivalry. Chalmers won at the 2016 nearly 2 seconds faster than any- ahead of the pair of Americans, Rio de Janeiro Games, where one else. Regan Smith and Hali Flickinger. Dressel was sixth, but the Ameri- “I had no idea I was going to do The U.S. swimmers dueled back can won the last two world cham- that,” said Finke, whose winning and forth for the silver, with Smith pionships, with Chalmers finish- time of 7:41.87 was just 0.24 ahead pulling ahead at the end to touch in ing second in 2019. of Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri, 2:05.30. Flickinger earned the “We do enjoy racing against MATTHIAS SCHRADER/AP with Mykhailo Romanchuk of Uk- bronze in 2:05.65. each other and we do bring the Regan Smith of the United States celebrates her second­place finish raine (7:42.33) taking the bronze. About an hour later, Zhang re- best out of each other,” Chalmers in the 200­meter butterfly final on Thursday. Smith rallied past Mirroring Finke’s finish, albeit turned to the pool to win another said. “It’s almost a relief to get it teammate Hali Flickinger, who took third. over a much shorter distance, gold in the freestyle relay. PAGE 24 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, July 30, 2021 Questions linger SPORTS Camps open with status of Watson, Rodgers unresolved ›› NFL, Page 18

United States gymnast Sunisa Lee performs on OLYMPICS the floor exercise Thursday during the women’s all­around final at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

GREGORY BULL/AP

America’s new golden girl With Biles watching from stands, Lee takes top all-around gymnast

BY WILL GRAVES Associated Press TOKYO — Sunisa Lee wanted Inside: to quit during quarantine. US has a big day in the pool, Page 23 It all had become too much. The lingering pain from a broken foot. The deaths of two family mem- bers from COVID-19. Her father’s ner” echoed across Ariake Gym- to get better the more she trained slow recovery from an accident nastics Centre. Gold medal — she arrived in Japan figuring that left him paralyzed. around her neck. A watch party her best shot was at a silver medal. The urge eventually passed. It back home among the Hmong- Sure, she’d beaten good friend and always does. Still, less than two American community in her na- reigning Olympic champion Si- months ago the 18-year-old gym- tive Minnesota raging. A victory mone Biles during the final day of nast hobbled around the podium she never envisioned not yet sink- the U.S. Olympic Trials last at the U.S. championships, getting ing in. month, but that was an anomaly, by more on grit than anything else. “It’s crazy,” Lee said after win- right? Tokyo seemed far away. The top ning the Olympic all-around title Then Biles opted out of the all- of the Olympic podium, even fur- following a tight duel with Brazil’s around competition to focus on ther. Rebeca Andrade. “It doesn’t seem her mental health following an Then suddenly, there she was like real life.” eight-year run atop the sport. GREGORY BULL/AP on Thursday night as a tinny ver- Even though the pain in Lee’s All­around champion Lee shows off her gold medal. sion of “The Star-Spangled Ban- foot eased — funny how it seemed SEE GOLDEN ON PAGE 22

Big names switching teams as trade deadline looms ›› MLB, Page 19