MLB MILITARY FACES White Sox think Army to test-fire Netflix takes on rookie Robert is two land-based sightless dating set for stardom hypersonic missiles with ‘Love Is Blind’ Back page Page 3 Page 14 Drastic anti-virus measures taken in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Italy » Page 9 stripes.com Volume 78, No. 229 ©SS 2020 THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas SUPER TUESDAY US targets Taliban in first airstrike following deal BY PHILLIP WALTER WELLMAN Stars and Stripes KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. military launched its first airstrike Wednesday against the Taliban since signing a peace deal with the group Saturday. The strike in southern Helmand province targeted Taliban fight- ers who were attacking an Af- ghan forces checkpoint, said Col. Sonny Leggett, a spokesman for the U.S. military in Afghanistan. The Taliban also staged 43 attacks on Afghan forces in Helmand on Tuesday, Leggett said on Twitter, while Afghan offi- cials reported attacks and deaths in other parts of the country. Earlier this week, the militant group said it would resume at- tacks against Afghan military targets, after the expiration of a weeklong partial cease-fire that CHRIS CARLSON/AP led to the U.S.-Taliban deal. “To be clear- we are commit- Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a primary election night campaign rally Tuesday in ted to peace, however we have the Los Angeles with his wife, Jill Biden, left, and his sister Valerie. responsibility to defend our [Af- ghan] partners,” Leggett said on Twitter. “Afghanistan & US have complied w/ our agreements; however, Talibs appear intent on Biden roars back into race squandering this opp.” The airstrike Wednesday was the first U.S. attack on Taliban former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg forces in 11 days, Leggett said. Former VP scores 9 wins; announced he was dropping out of the race. The peace deal between the Bloomberg poured more than $500 million of U.S. and the Taliban calls for per- his personal fortune into his campaign that cen- manent cease-fire talks with the Sanders takes California tered on racking up wins in Tuesday’s contests. Afghan government, but does not The massive investment netted him a single win explicitly require the Taliban to BY STEVE PEOPLES AND WILL WEISSERT in American Samoa. Bloomberg announced he stop fighting the Afghan security Associated Press was endorsing Biden. forces. Suddenly, the Democratic Party’s presiden- However, U.S. officials have WASHINGTON — A resurgent Joe Biden tial field, which featured more than a half- said the Taliban agreed to fight scored victories from Texas to Massachusetts dozen candidates a week ago, transformed into less during talks leading to the on Super Tuesday, revitalizing a presidential a two-man contest. deal. bid that was teetering on the edge of disaster Biden and Sanders, lifelong politicians with “Taliban leadership prom- just days earlier. But his rival Bernie Sanders starkly different visions for America’s future, ised the int’l community they MATT ROURKE/AP seized the biggest prize with a win in California battled for delegates as 14 states and one U.S. would reduce violence and not that ensured he — and his embrace of demo- Democratic presidential candidate territory held high-stakes elections that marked increase attacks,” Leggett said. cratic socialism — would drive the Democrats’ Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., arrives the most significant day of voting in the party’s “We call on the Taliban to stop nomination fight for the foreseeable future. at an election night rally in Essex 2020 presidential nomination fight. needless attacks and uphold their Following Biden’s Super Tuesday bounce, Junction, Vt., on Tuesday . SEE RACE ON PAGE 10 commitments.” SEE AIRSTRIKE ON PAGE 7 PAGE 2 F3HIJKLM •STARS AND STRIPES• Thursday, March 5, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER EXCHANGE RATES Military rates Switzerland (Franc)...........................0 .9566 Flydubai slams Boeing for loss of business Euro costs (March 5) ....................... $1.1432 Thailand (Baht) .................................... 31.33 Dollar buys (March 5) ......................€0.8747 Turkey (New Lira) .............................. 6.0951 British pound (March 5) ......................$1.32 (Military exchange rates are those Associated Press jet fuel. for certain compensation in lieu Japanese yen (March 5) ....................105.00 available to customers at military banking The state-owned flydubai said of the grounding of the jets, but South Korean won (March 5) ........1,157.00 facilities in the country of issuance DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Commercial rates for Japan, South Korea, Germany, the its growth strategy was severely said details of the agreement are Bahrain (Dinar) ................................... 0.3766 Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For — Dubai’s budget carrier flydubai impacted by the grounding of the confidential. British pound .................................... $1.2816 nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., said Wednesday that it has suf- Canada (Dollar) .................................. 1.3373 purchasing British pounds in Germany), troubled Max, which was involved “This agreement has contribut- China (Yuan) ....................................... 6.9665 check with your local military banking fered considerable losses due to in two crashes that killed 346 ed towards this year’s results, but Denmark (Krone) ............................... 6.7225 facility. Commercial rates are interbank the grounding of Boeing’s Max 737 Egypt (Pound) ................................... 15.6402 rates provided for reference when buying people. The planes were grounded in no way can it compensate for Euro ........................................ $1.1117/0.8995 currency. All figures are foreign currencies aircraft around the world as it an- to one dollar, except for the British pound, around the world, impacting cus- the loss of business opportunity or Hong Kong (Dollar) ............................ 7.7703 which is represented in dollars-to-pound, nounced revenue last year dipped tomers like flydubai, which has 11 market share experienced by the Hungary (Forint) ................................ 302.07 and the euro, which is dollars-to-euro.) Israel (Shekel) .................................... 3.4538 to $1.6 billion. of the aircraft grounded and more airline,” he said in a statement . Japan (Yen) .......................................... 107.19 The airline managed to squeeze than 220 on order. The low-cost carrier has opera- Kuwait (Dinar) .................................... 0.3061 INTEREST RATES Norway (Krone) .................................. 9.2749 a profit of nearly $54 million, but Flydubai’s Chief Executive Offi- tions out of both of Dubai’s airports, Philippines (Peso)................................ 50.60 Prime rate ................................................4.25 the company said it was able to do cer Ghaith Al-Ghaith said the air- including Dubai International Air- Poland (Zloty) ......................................... 3.86 Discount rate .......................................... 1.75 Saudi Arabia (Riyal) .......................... 3.7527 Federal funds market rate ...................1.58 so because of lower operating costs line had concluded its own interim port, which is ranked the world’s Singapore (Dollar) ............................. 1.3844 3-month bill .............................................0.93 — a result of a drop in the price of settlement agreement with Boeing busiest for international travel. South Korea (Won) ......................... 1,185.11 30-year bond ...........................................1.63 WEATHER OUTLOOK THURSDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST THURSDAY IN EUROPE FRIDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 41/30 Kabul 52/41 Seoul 46/33 Baghdad 78/51 Kandahar 59/41 Osan Tokyo Mildenhall/ Drawsko 49/25 56/36 Lakenheath Pomorskie Busan 45/36 45/36 53/33 Iwakuni 53/34 Kuwait Bahrain Zagan Sasebo City 73/60 Brussels 48/37 Guam 78/53 46/39 Ramstein 55/40 86/76 Lajes, 45/37 Riyadh Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 81/58 78/59 64/55 46/38 52/40 Aviano/ Vicenza 48/37 Naples 51/41 Okinawa Morón 67/58 88/72 Sigonella Rota 64/44 The weather is provided by the Djibouti Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 96/77 66/47 61/50 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ..... 11 Classified .................. 13 Comics ...................... 15 Crossword ................. 15 Faces ........................ 14 Opinion ..................... 16 Sports ...................17-24 Thursday, March 5, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• F3HIJKLM PAGE 3 MILITARY Army to fire two hypersonic test shots this year BY COREY DICKSTEIN opment, which includes hyper- Stars and Stripes sonic missiles, extended range HANNAH HALL/U.S. Marine Corps cannon artillery and the Army’s WASHINGTON — The Army precision strike missile program. U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, drink the blood of a king cobra as part of jungle plans to test-fire two land-based survival training during exercise Cobra Gold 2020 at Ban Chan Khrem, Thailand . hypersonic missiles this year as The hypersonics program it works toward fielding the high- would see $800 million of that speed munitions by 2023, the ser- request. The Army has already vice’s top civilian said Tuesday. poured about $1.3 billion into that PETA urges Marine Corps to Army Secretary Ryan McCar- specific weapon, McCarthy said. thy told the House Armed Ser- The Army, Air Force and Navy vices Committee that funding for are all working on programs