MILITARY NATION FACES Pentagon-financed Climate report Actress Melchior two-legged robot is a ‘code red stands out among completes 5k jog for humanity’ ‘Squad’ supervillains Page 5 Page 8 Page 14 Manning, Woodson, Johnson enshrined at Canton ›› Pro Football HOF, Page 24 stripes.com Volume 80 Edition 82 ©SS 2021 TUESDAY,AUGUST 10, 2021 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas AFGHANISTAN VIRUS OUTBREAK Austin to seek Biden OK to order COVID shot for troops BY CAITLIN DOORNBOS Stars and Stripes WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Mon- day said he will seek President Joe Biden’s permission by mid-Sep- tember to require all troops re- ceive the coronavirus vaccine re- gardless of whether the shots ob- tain full federal approval. “I want you to know that I will seek the president's approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or im- mediately upon the U.S. Food and Drug [Administration] licensure, whichever comes first,” Austin wrote in his message. “Public re- porting suggests the Pfizer-BioN- Tech vaccine could achieve full FDA licensure early next month.” ABDULLAH SAHIL/AP Biden said last week during a Smoke rises from damaged shops after fighting Sunday between Taliban and Afghan security forces in Kunduz, northern Afghanistan. news conference that he expects the FDA will approve the vaccines by the early fall. The FDA has already autho- rized the vaccine for use during Another capital in Taliban hands public health emergencies as it completes the final phases of clin- ical trials. The shots are “rigorous- ly tested” on tens of thousands of Aibak falls after Afghan security forces, officials retreat study participants before reac- BY PHILLIP WALTER WELLMAN Government forces withdrew from the city hing emergency-use authoriza- AND ZUBAIR BABAKARKHAIL of about 10,000 people to avoid civilian casual- tion, according to the FDA. Stars and Stripes ties and destruction to homes and infrastruc- Though the military requires KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban cap- ture, Haji Raz Mohammad, another provincial troops to receive many vaccina- tured another provincial capital in Afghanis- council member said by telephone. tions, federal law prohibits the tan on Monday, the sixth to fall to the group in Afghanistan’s defense and interior minis- Pentagon from mandating those recent days as the last American troops with- tries were unable to immediately comment on without full FDA approval. How- draw from the country, officials said. the situation. ever, the president can bypass the Insurgents overtook Aibak, the capital of The fall of Aibak came a day after the Tali- restriction by issuing a waiver if northern Samangan province, around noon af- ban seized three other provincial capitals and he determines “that complying ter government officials and security forces re- added to growing fears that the insurgents may with such requirement is not in treated, provincial council member Moham- take over the country once international forces the interests of national security,” mad Hashim Sarwary told Stars and Stripes. leave later this month. according to the law governing “Aibak was surrounded by the Taliban for Afghan forces launched a counteroffensive HAMED SARFARAZI/AP emergency-use products and the more than two weeks, but today they captured in neighboring Kunduz on Monday, hoping to Afghan security personnel patrol after taking it without any fighting,” Sarwary said in a back control of parts of the city of Herat fol- phone interview. SEE FALLS ON PAGE 4 lowing fighting with Taliban forces on Sunday. SEE ORDER ON PAGE 3 PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Tuesday, August 10, 2021 BUSINESS/WEATHER Judge: Norwegian cruises can ask for vaccine proof EXCHANGE RATES Military rates South Korea (Won) 1146.79 Associated Press Ron DeSantis. The state’s attorney, Pete Patter- Switzerland (Franc) 0.9174 Euro costs (Aug. 10) $1.15 Thailand (Baht) 33.43 MIAMI — A federal judge on In a nearly 60-page ruling, the son, previously said the law’s aim Dollar buys (Aug. 10) 0.8288 Turkey (NewLira) 8.6392 British pound (Aug. 10) $1.35 Sunday night granted Norwegian judge said Florida failed to “pro- is to prevent discrimination Japanese yen (Aug. 10) 107.00 (Military exchange rates are those available Cruise Line’s request to tempora- vide a valid evidentiary, factual, against passengers who don’t get South Korean won (Aug. 10) 1116.00 to customers at military banking facilities in the Commercial rates country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Ger­ rily block a Florida law banning or legal predicate” for banning vaccinated. many, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bahrain (Dinar) 0.3770 For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., pur­ cruise companies from asking vaccination proof. Williams also “We welcome today’s ruling Britain (Pound) 1.3870 chasing British pounds in Germany), check with Canada (Dollar) 1.2547 your local military banking facility. Commercial passengers for proof of coronavi- said the cruise line company “has that allows us to sail with 100% China (Yuan) 6.4818 rates are interbank rates provided for reference Denmark (Krone) 6.3221 rus vaccination before they demonstrated that public health fully vaccinated guests and crew Egypt (Pound) 15.7208 when buying currency. All figures are foreign board a ship. will be jeopardized if it is re- which we believe is the safest and Euro 0.8501 currencies to one dollar, except for the British Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7812 pound, which is represented in dollars­to­ U.S. District Judge Kathleen quired to suspend its vaccination most prudent way to resume Hungary (Forint) 300.21 pound, and the euro, which is dollars­to­euro.) Israel (Shekel) 3.2172 Williams granted the prelimina- requirement.” cruise operations amid this glob- Japan (Yen) 110.12 INTEREST RATES ry injunction in a lawsuit chal- Norwegian also contends that al pandemic,” Frank Del Rio, Kuwait (Dinar) 0.3008 Norway (Krone) 8.9114 Prime rate 3.25 lenging the state’s “vaccine pass- the law is an unconstitutional in- president and CEO of Norwegian Philippines (Peso) 50.44 Interest Rates Discount rate 0.75 Poland (Zloty) 3.88 Federal funds market rate 0.10 port” ban, which was signed into fringement on the First Amend- Cruise Line, said in a statement Saudi Arabia (Riyal) 3.7505 3­month bill 0.06 law in May by Republican Gov. ment’s free speech guarantee. Sunday. Singapore (Dollar) 1.3554 30­year bond 1.93 WEATHER OUTLOOK TUESDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST TUESDAY IN EUROPE WEDNESDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 66/63 Kabul Seoul 91/54 83/71 Baghdad 105/80 Drawsko Osan Tokyo Kandahar 83/70 85/74 Mildenhall/ Pomorskie Busan 102/64 Lakenheath 71/59 69/55 84/77 Iwakuni Kuwait City 82/79 Bahrain Brussels Zagan Sasebo Guam 110/92 96/92 Ramstein 68/58 81/76 70/59 72/53 83/80 Riyadh Lajes, Stuttgart 109/78 Doha Azores Pápa 72/69 75/56 106/89 Aviano/ 85/61 Vicenza 86/64 Naples 93/73 Okinawa Morón 82/79 96/69 Sigonella Rota 108/71 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 79/64 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 99/86 85/76 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ...... 11 Classified .................... 13 Comics .........................16 Crossword ................... 16 Faces .......................... 14 Opinion ........................ 15 Sports .................... 17-24 Tuesday, August 10, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 MILITARY Carlos Del Toro OK’d as Navy secretary BY CAITLIN DOORNBOS the service, according to his biog- Pentagon leadership,” he said. “As He takes over for former acting lenges and opportunities facing Stars and Stripes raphy on the academy’s alumni as- an immigrant who has dedicated Navy Secretary Thomas Harker, our Navy, from addressing the WASHINGTON — Carlos Del sociation website. He also spent his life to public service, Carlos ex- who served as assistant Navy sec- pacing challenge of China and Toro, a Navy veteran and CEO for five years as a civilian employee emplifies the retary under former President Do- modernizing our capabilities, to an engineering and consulting for the Navy, including as senior core values of nald Trump. Harker was sworn in investing in our most valuable as- firm, was confirmed by the Senate military assistant to the director honor, courage as acting Navy secretary on Jan. 20 set — our people.” as the 78th Navy secretary, De- for programs analysis and evalua- and commitment under Biden. “We remain the preeminent fense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. tion. in defense of our At a Senate hearing on July 13, force in the world because of lead- The Senate on Saturday con- Austin said in a statement issued country.” Del Toro said he supports the em- ers like Carlos, and I have no doubt firmed Del Toro as the Navy’s top Saturday that Del Toro’s “lifelong Del Toro pre- phasis on new technologies in the our Navy and our nation will be civilian leader two months after pursuits and deep experience ad- viously served as Defense Department’s 2022 bud- well served,” Austin said. President Joe Biden nominated vancing America’s national secu- a White House get proposal to help challenge the Del Toro was the last of the three Del Toro him for the position. Del Toro, who rity make him well-prepared” for fellow and spe- expanding Chinese military, say- service branch secretaries to be immigrated to the United States in his new job as Navy secretary. cial assistant to the director of the ing “we can no longer take U.S. na- confirmed after the Senate con- 1962 with his family, is now the “Carlos rose through the ranks White House Office of Manage- val superiority for granted” as Chi- firmed Christine Wormuth as Ar- first Navy secretary born in Cuba.