MILITARY FACES NFL PLAYOFFS Twin suicide Murray-Coppola Defenses peaking bombings rock collaboration at right time for Baghdad a matter of trust conference finalists Page 3 Page 14 Page 24 US jobless claims drop but remain historically high at 900,000 ›› Page 10 stripes.com Volume 79 Edition 198 ©SS 2021 CONTINGENCY EDITION FRIDAY,JANUARY 22, 2021 Free to Deployed Areas Biden to seek extension of nuclear treaty with Russia BY JOHN HUDSON The Washington Post President Joe Biden is seeking a five-year extension with Russia on the only remaining treaty lim- iting the world’s two largest nu- clear arsenals just days before it expires, said two senior U.S. offi- cials. At the same time, his adminis- tration is preparing to impose Heading new costs on Russia pending a newly requested intelligence as- sessment of its recent activities. The officials said Biden is ruling out a “reset” in bilateral relations with Moscow as many new U.S. presidents have done since the into the end of the Cold War. “As we work with Russia, so, too, will we work to hold Russia accountable for their reckless and aggressive actions that we’ve seen in recent months and years,” High North said a senior U.S. official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensi- tive security matter. Army plans new ‘Arctic brigade’ The decision to seek a five-year treaty extension, which Russia as sea levels and competition rise supports but the Biden adminis- tration hadn’t settled on until BY JOHN VANDIVER now, reflects the rapidly ap- Stars and Stripes proaching deadline for Washing- STUTTGART, Germany — The Army wants a new Arctic-fo- ton to renew the New START cused brigade and other operational forces to bolster its position pact Feb. 5, the officials said. in the High North, the service’s top general said this week, signal- President Donald Trump tried ing a push into an area where Russia has ramped up military oper- to conclude a shorter extension ations. with Moscow in the final months Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville said the Army recently of his presidency, but he failed to completed a new Arctic strategy, which was needed to better “de- reach an agreement after his nu- ter conflict,” as melting sea ice raises the prospect of increased SEE NUCLEAR ON PAGE 8 competition over natural resources and new commercial shipping routes. RELATED “It starts with recognizing where our national interests are and we certainly have national interests in the Arctic,” McConville A U.S. Army paratrooper marches after landing Dems take control said Tuesday during a meeting at the Association of the U.S. Ar- at a drop zone during a training event near Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, on Dec. 17. of Senate, confirm SEE ARCTIC ON PAGE 7 JACKSON RICKER/U.S. Marine Corps 1st Cabinet pick Page 9 PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, January 22, 2021 BUSINESS/WEATHER EU fines video game companies EXCHANGE RATES Military rates So. Korea (Won) 1101.32 Associated Press in violation of the bloc’s antitrust and of the opportunity to shop Switzerland (Franc) .8858 Euro costs (Jan. 22) $1.19 Thailand (Baht) 29.92 LONDON — The European rules. around for the most suitable offer Dollar buys (Jan. 22) 0.8018 Turkey (NewLira) 7.3735 British pound (Jan. 22) $1.34 Union has issued fines to a U.S. The companies used so-called in the EU,” Executive Vice-Presi- Japanese yen (Jan. 22) 101.00 (Military exchange rates are those available video game platform and five geo-blocking practices to prevent dent Margrethe Vestager, the South Korean won (Jan. 22) 1072.00 to customers at military banking facilities in the Commercial rates country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Ger­ game makers after they blocked players from activating and play- bloc’s competition watchdog, said. many, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bahrain(Dinar) .3769 For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., pur­ players from buying cheaper co- ing games sold either on DVD or Valve, which was fined 1.6 mil- Britain (Pound) .7285 chasing British pounds in Germany), check with Canada (Dollar) 1.2615 your local military banking facility. Commercial pies of the games in other coun- by download, the commission lion euros, refused to cooperate China(Yuan) 6.4634 rates are interbank rates provided for reference Denmark (Krone) 6.1233 tries in the bloc. said. Steam activation keys pre- with the investigation, the com- Egypt (Pound) 15.7401 when buying currency. All figures are foreign The EU’s executive Commis- vented games from working out- mission said. Euro .8231 currencies to one dollar, except for the British Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7519 pound, which is represented in dollars­to­ sion said Wednesday that it fined side the Czech Republic, Poland, The game makers — Bandai Hungary (Forint) 294.12 pound, and the euro, which is dollars­to­euro.) Israel (Shekel) 3.2717 Valve Corp., which owns the Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Es- Namco, Capcom, Focus Home, Japan (Yen) 103.58 INTEREST RATES Steam online PC game distribu- tonia, Latvia and Lithuania, it said. KochMedia and ZeniMax — coop- Kuwait(Dinar) .3028 Norway (Krone) 8.4401 Prime rate 3.25 tion platform, and the game mak- “Such practices deprive Eu- erated and received discounts on Philippines (Peso) 48.03 Interest Rates Discount rate 0.75 Poland (Zloty) 3.73 Federal funds market rate 0.09 ers a total of $9.5 million because ropean consumers of the benefits their penalties, the commission Saudi Arab (Riyal) 3.7518 3­month bill 0.08 they restricted cross-border sales of the EU Digital Single Market said. Singapore (Dollar) 1.3230 30­year bond 1.84 WEATHER OUTLOOK FRIDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST FRIDAY IN EUROPE SATURDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 31/22 Kabul Seoul 50/22 48/31 Baghdad 60/34 Tokyo Drawsko Osan Kandahar Mildenhall/ 50/34 47/42 60/22 Pomorskie Busan Lakenheath 45/31 43/30 54/44 Iwakuni Kuwait City 55/45 Bahrain Brussels Zagan Sasebo 61/43 63/56 Ramstein 50/35 60/50 Guam 44/36 47/34 84/76 Riyadh Lajes, 62/39 Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 64/59 52/35 68/58 Aviano/ 54/47 Vicenza 50/42 Naples 59/53 Okinawa Morón 74/60 58/43 Sigonella Rota 66/51 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 61/52 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 83/71 60/48 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ...... 13 Comics .........................16 Crossword ................... 16 Faces .......................... 14 Opinion ........................ 15 Sports .................... 19-24 Friday, January 22, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 MILITARY Guard helicopter crash kills 3 during drill in NY Associated Press The helicopter flew out of the ly serve and protect both here and MENDON, N.Y. — Three Na- Army Aviation Support Facility at abroad, and I extend prayers and tional Guard members on a train- Rochester International Airport, condolences from all New York- ing flight were killed Wednesday and was assigned to C Company of ers to the family, loved ones and when their helicopter crashed in a the 1st Battalion, 171st General fellow soldiers of these honorable farmer’s field in western New Support Aviation Battalion, ac- heroes,” he said in a statement. York. cording to Eric Durr, public af- Monroe County Sheriff Todd The craft, a UH-60 Black Hawk fairs director of the New York Baxter said at a news conference medical evacuation helicopter, State Division of Military and Na- that witnesses who called 911 re- crashed around 6:30 p.m. in Men- val Affairs. ported hearing the sounds of an don, N.Y., a rural town south of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo engine sputtering and said the air- Rochester, officials said. said flags on state buildings would craft was flying very low. The circumstances were under be lowered to half-staff on Thurs- There were no survivors of the HADI MIZBAN/AP investigation. The Federal Avia- day to pay tribute to the troops. crash, he said. Security forces work at the site of a deadly bomb attack in Baghdad, tion Administration said it would “National Guard members are Baxter called the three guard Iraq, on Thursday. take part. our citizen soldiers who voluntari- members “great Americans.” Twin suicide blasts rock central Baghdad Associated Press At the Vatican, Pope Francis BAGHDAD — Twin suicide denounced the attack in Baghdad bombings ripped through a busy as a “senseless act of brutality” market in the Iraqi capital Thurs- and urged Iraqis to keep working day, killing at least 32 people and to replace violence with fraterni- wounding dozens, officials said. ty and peace. The telegram of The rare suicide bombing hit condolences sent to the Iraqi NEW the Bab al-Sharqi commercial ar- president was particularly heart- ea in central Baghdad amid felt, given Francis is due to visit RESOLUTION? heightened political tensions Iraq in early March to try to en- over planned early elections and courage the country’s Christian NEW YOU! a severe economic crisis. Blood communities that have been dev- was splattered on the pavement astated by ISIS persecution. of the busy market amid piles of Thursday’s twin suicide bomb- STUDENT clothes and shoes as survivors ings marked the first in three took stock of the disarray in the years to target Baghdad’s bus- SUCCESS aftermath. tling commercial area. A suicide No one immediately took re- bomb attack took place in the SCHOLARSHIP sponsibility for the attack, but same area in 2018 shortly after Iraqi military officials said it was then-Prime Minister Haidar al- the work of the Islamic State.