MLB WAR FACES Baseball tries to turn Trump approval sets Victoria Pedretti page on scandal ahead US talks with Taliban embraces role as of spring training back in motion TV horror queen Back page Page 3 Page 14 US downgrades efforts against extremists in West Africa » Page 8 stripes.com Volume 78, No. 214 ©SS 2020 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas Sanders edges past Buttigieg in NH vote Associated Press MANCHESTER, N.H. — Ber- nie Sanders won New Hamp- shire’s presidential primary, edging moderate rival Pete But- tigieg and scoring the first clear victory in the Democratic Party’s chaotic 2020 nomination fight. In his Tuesday night win, the 78-year-old Sanders, a self-de- scribed democratic socialist, beat back a strong challenge from the 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Ind . The dueling Democrats represent different generations, see divergent paths to the nomination and embrace conflicting visions of America’s future. As Sanders and Buttigieg cel- ebrated, Amy Klobuchar scored an unexpected third-place finish that gives her a road out of New Hampshire as the primary season moves on to the string of state-by- state contests that lie ahead. Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden posted disappointing fourth and AP fifth place finishes, respectively, and were on track to finish with Russian and Syrian military gather with civilians next to an American military convoy stuck in the village of Khirbet Ammu, Syria, on zero delegates from the state. Wednesday. Syrian media and activists say a Syrian was killed in a clash between American troops and government supporters. SEE PRIMARY ON PAGE 9 Standoff in Syria US troops return fire at pro-Assad fighters; regime claims 1 dead BY CHAD GARLAND under small arms fire from unknown individuals,” Stars and Stripes ‘ After Coalition said Col. Myles B. Caggins III, a spokesman for the troops issued a U.S.-led coalition that is aiding local Kurdish and American troops returned fire after being shot at Arab forces battling Islamic State. by militiamen and civilians in northeastern Syria series of warnings The Americans defended themselves, Caggins on Wednesday, the U.S. military said, in a fight that and de-escalation said in a statement posted online. The statement the Assad regime said left one civilian dead. did not say whether anyone was killed or injured, One civilian was also wounded after Syrians attempts, the but a later statement said one American was slight- loyal to President Bashar Assad tried to block a patrol came under ly wounded and has returned to duty. PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS/AP convoy of several American vehicles at an army “The situation was de-escalated and is under checkpoint near the town of Qamishli, state media small arms fire. Democratic presidential ’ investigation,” Caggins said. “The Coalition patrol and observers reported. candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, Col. Myles B. Caggins III returned to base.” “After Coalition troops issued a series of warn- coalition spokesman I-Vt., speaks to supporters in ings and de-escalation attempts, the patrol came SEE SYRIA ON PAGE 7 Manchester, N.H., on Tuesday . PAGE 2 F3HIJKLM •STARS AND STRIPES• Thursday, February 13, 2020 BUSINESS/WEATHER EXCHANGE RATES Judge OKs T-Mobile’s Sprint deal; worries remain Military rates Switzerland (Franc)............................0.9762 Euro costs (Feb. 13) ..........................$1.1193 Thailand (Baht) ..................................... 31.09 Dollar buys (Feb. 13) ........................€0.8934 Turkey (Lira) .........................................6.0444 British pound (Feb. 13) ........................$1.33 (Military exchange rates are those BY TALI ARBEL T-Mobile has promised not to of the leading parties, New York Japanese yen (Feb. 13) ...................... 107.00 available to customers at military banking South Korean won (Feb. 13) ..........1,151.00 Associated Press raise prices for three years and Attorney General Letitia James, Commercial rates facilities in the country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Germany, the said that “efficiencies” it gets from said that Tuesday’s ruling “marks Bahrain (Dinar) ....................................0.3770 Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For British pound .....................................$1.2961 NEW YORK — A federal judge a more powerful network will lead a loss for every American who re- nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., Canada (Dollar) ...................................1.3253 has cleared a path for T-Mobile to purchasing British pounds in Germany), to lower prices down the road. T- lies on their cellphone.” China (Yuan) ........................................6.9690 check with your local military banking buy Sprint for $26.5 billion, citing Denmark (Krone) ................................6.8527 Mobile also argued that the com- Gigi Sohn, a former Federal facility. Commercial rates are interbank T-Mobile’s track record in pro- Egypt (Pound) ....................................15.7149 bined T-Mobile and Sprint could Communications Commission Euro ........................................ $1.0904/0.9171 rates provided for reference when buying moting competition, even as legal build a better next-generation, 5G adviser who is now a fellow at Hong Kong (Dollar) .............................7.7699 currency. All figures are foreign currencies to one dollar, except for the British pound, scholars and consumer advocates cellular network than either com- Georgetown’s law school, said Hungary (Forint) ................................. 311.77 Israel (Shekel) .....................................3.4228 which is represented in dollars-to-pound, warn about higher phone bills. pany could alone. that while consumers are often Japan (Yen) ........................................... 110.05 and the euro, which is dollars-to-euro.) Judge Victor Marrero said he But over a dozen state attorneys promised benefits from merg- Kuwait (Dinar) .....................................0.3048 INTEREST RATES Norway (Krone) ...................................9.2081 believed that the new T-Mobile general had sued to block the deal, ers, “what they are left with each Philippines (Peso).................................50.55 Prime rate ................................................4.75 would continue to compete with saying that one fewer phone com- time are corporate behemoths” Poland (Zloty) ..........................................3.90 Discount rate ..........................................2.25 Saudi Arabia (Riyal) ...........................3.7509 Federal funds market rate ...................1.58 Verizon and AT&T, the industry pany would cost Americans bil- that can raise prices and destroy Singapore (Dollar) ..............................1.3859 3-month bill .............................................1.54 giants whose size it now rivals. lions of dollars in higher bills. One competition. South Korea (Won) ..........................1,179.24 30-year bond ...........................................2.05 WEATHER OUTLOOK THURSDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST THURSDAY IN EUROPE FRIDAY IN THE PACIFIC Misawa 47/40 Kabul 41/34 Seoul 48/39 Baghdad 62/39 Kandahar 50/46 Osan Tokyo Mildenhall/ Drawsko 54/37 54/48 Lakenheath Pomorskie Busan 45/37 39/32 55/43 Iwakuni 54/49 Kuwait Bahrain Zagan Sasebo City 60/57 Brussels 42/33 Guam 57/40 49/40 Ramstein 59/48 80/77 Lajes, 45/36 Riyadh Doha Azores Stuttgart Pápa 60/32 64/50 63/60 44/33 46/33 Aviano/ Vicenza 46/33 Naples 57/47 Okinawa Morón 71/68 62/54 Sigonella Rota 57/41 The weather is provided by the Djibouti Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 78/74 61/51 58/55 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, February 13, 2020 •STARS AND STRIPES• F3HIJKLM PAGE 3 WAR US, Taliban meet again Trump gives conditional approval to sign peace deal The Washington Post reduced and for how long, according to the Afghan official. However he did not pro- American and Taliban negotiators were vide further details. People knowledgeable meeting Wednesday in Doha, Qatar, fol- about the negotiations said the reduction lowing a conditional decision from Presi- would probably be seven to 10 days. dent Donald Trump to sign a peace deal with the militants, according to officials. The State Department, in a statement, One U.S. official and an Afghan official said “U.S. talks with the Taliban in Doha briefed on the matter Wednesday said continue around the specifics of a reduc- Trump gave his conditional approval to tion in violence.” sign a peace deal with the Taliban if the Pompeo told Afghan leaders in phone insurgents can demonstrate their commit- calls Tuesday that “notable progress” had ment to reducing violence in Afghanistan. been made in the peace talks. Afghan gov- ernment officials have previously said a “Trump has endorsed the deal and said RAHMAT GUL/AP it must be signed,” the Afghan official said, cease-fire is a precondition to talks with explaining that when Secretary of State the Taliban, but both Afghan President National army soldiers stand guard after a suicide attack Tuesday near the military Mike Pompeo called Afghan leaders Tues- Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdul- academy in Kabul, Afghanistan . day, he said the peace talks “deadlock” had lah Abdullah expressed optimism about been broken. a potential “reduction in violence,” after violence