npr--2020-11-22--What Are Trump's Foreign Policy Goals For His Final Months In Office?

What Are Trump 's Foreign Policy Goals For His Final Months In Office ?
NPR 's Leila Fadel speaks with Robert Malley of the International Crisis Group about the foreign policy decisions the president might make as his time in office comes to an end .
As President Trump continues his fight to overturn the U.S. election , he and his administration are also working to cement his foreign policy decisions .
This is especially true in the Middle East , where President Trump implemented some of his most controversial decisions , like moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expect on the foreign policy front in the final weeks of Trump 's presidency and what the next president may inherit , we 're joined by Robert Malley .
He 's the president of the International Crisis Group , which is an organization committed to preventing deadly conflict around the world .
He also served as White House coordinator for the Middle East , North Africa and the Gulf region under President Obama .
ROBERT MALLEY : Thanks for having me .
FADEL : So the president 's critics have made it no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign policy decisions President Trump may make in his last two months in office .
And you 've described this - his approach as a scorched-earth policy .
What 's the president focusing his attention on in these last few weeks ?
And what are you watching ?
MALLEY : I 'm not sure the president is focusing all that much .
But I think what we are seeing is that across the board , there are areas where the administration wants to solidify its legacy and others in which it wants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's not that unusual for president to do some things during the lame duck period .
In fact , it 's often a time when presidents do things that are harder to do at an earlier period .
MALLEY : But we 've never seen , at least in my experience , a president so brazenly taking steps that he knows are contrary to the intent of his successor and doing them with the motivation of complicating his successor 's task .
FADEL : This past week , Mike Pompeo became the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israeli settlements in the West Bank - settlements that the U.N. and International Court of Justice deem illegal .
How significant was that ?
What was the message there ?
MALLEY : Well , the message - there was both a symbolic message .
He went on the Golan Heights , which was occupied by Israel .
He went to a West Bank settlement - things that had been unprecedented for U.S. secretary of state to have done .
Clearly , this message there is , these territories are part of Israel .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were some decisions that were taken that are designed to erase the distinction between Israel proper and the settlements .
Now , at some level , that does n't change all that much because Joe Biden will be president in two months ' time , and he can reverse that policy and say , no , we believe settlements are occupied territory , and they need to be part of the negotiation between Israelis and Palestinians .
But at the same time , it does change the landscape because Israeli negotiators who at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will know that an administration had at one point recognized de facto their sovereignty over the settlements , and a future administration may do the same thing .
So why would they compromise now in terms of the territorial component of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ?
So it does change the landscape to some extent , even though President-elect Biden is going to be able to reverse a number of these decisions , and I suspect he will .
FADEL : Another complication - the war in Yemen .
A Saudi-led coalition there has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years now .
The administration indicated it may designate Yemen 's Houthi movement as a terrorist organization in its final days .
What 's the end goal there ?
MALLEY : Again , hard to decipher , I mean , they - why they wait till the last weeks other than to make it harder for a Joe Biden presidency to pick up and try to resume diplomacy and try to resolve this terrible conflict , which is the worst humanitarian situation , according to the U.N. today .
And , you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harmful is twofold .
No .
1 , from a humanitarian standpoint , once you designate the Houthis as a terrorist organization , it means nobody can have any financial interaction with them .
And the Houthis control maybe 30 % of the territory .
They are governing a majority of the Yemeni people .
They control the capital .
They control the main ports .
They control the only airport in the northwest of the country .
So if you ca n't do business with the Houthis , you 're saying , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do business with Yemenis to a large extent .
So for humanitarian organizations , for commerce , it 's going to - could have a devastating impact .
But also politically , you know , it 's going to become much harder to get involved in mediation , which is necessary .
At some point , you 're going to have to find a solution .
The U.S. and others are going to have to be at the table to try to resolve the conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognized government of Yemen .
MALLEY : And the more you try to marginalize the Houthis , the more you send them the signal that they 're not going to be welcomed to the table , the harder you make it to resolve the conflict , and , in fact , the more you push the Houthis into Iranian arms .
So it 's not just a counterproductive policy in terms of what it 's leaving to Joe Biden .
It 's counterproductive in terms of U.S. interests in terms of reaching a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ famine .
FADEL : Right .
Before we let you go , the world 's been watching as President Trump and his campaign are really trying to overturn the election results , the president also continuing to spread false information about the election being rigged .
Given your work in diplomacy , how is this undermining the way this election might look to leaders abroad ?
And will it affect the U.S. and its relations with other countries ?
MALLEY : Well , I think one thing that it is going to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. diplomats try to argue about respecting the will of the people , respecting the results of the elections , allowing the process to run its course .
They will all be able to point to or at least think about what happened here .
Again , that 's something that 's going to be - that will be indelible .
This is a legacy that 's going to be very hard to erase .
Now , the fact that Joe Biden will have succeeded President Trump despite President Trump 's attempts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message , a contrary message , in which U.S. diplomats will be able to say , yes , we are a very imperfect democracy .
We 're not here to give you lessons because we have done everything right .
We 're talking to you from experience because we , too , have lived through these difficult times about - in terms of our own elections .
So it 's a mixed - you know , it 's kind of a double-edged sword .
The image that the U.S. has liked to project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , about a functioning democracy has been tarnished .
And autocrats around the world are going to be able to say , who are you to give us any lessons ?
Look what you just did .
Look what you went through .
But on the other hand , the fact that we will have recovered , that President Trump will no longer be in the White House , that the election ultimately worked without military interference , without anyone being able truly to challenge the will that was expressed at the polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And that will be the lesson that I suspect U.S. diplomats are going to have to emphasize , even as they acknowledge the very , very deep imperfections of our system .
FADEL : That 's Robert Malley .
He 's the president of the International Crisis Group .
He was also the White House coordinator on the Middle East , North Africa and the Gulf region under President Obama .
Robert Malley , thank you so much for your time .

What Are Trump's Foreign Policy Goals For His Final Months In Office?
NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Robert Malley of the International Crisis Group about the foreign policy decisions the president might make as his time in office comes to an end.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
As President Trump continues his fight to overturn the U.S. election, he and his administration are also working to cement his foreign policy decisions. This is especially true in the Middle East, where President Trump implemented some of his most controversial decisions, like moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
To understand what we can expect on the foreign policy front in the final weeks of Trump's presidency and what the next president may inherit, we're joined by Robert Malley. He's the president of the International Crisis Group, which is an organization committed to preventing deadly conflict around the world. He also served as White House coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf region under President Obama.
Robert Malley, welcome.
ROBERT MALLEY: Thanks for having me.
FADEL: So the president's critics have made it no secret that they're worried about the foreign policy decisions President Trump may make in his last two months in office. And you've described this - his approach as a scorched-earth policy. What's the president focusing his attention on in these last few weeks? And what are you watching?
MALLEY: I'm not sure the president is focusing all that much. But I think what we are seeing is that across the board, there are areas where the administration wants to solidify its legacy and others in which it wants to complicate the task before President-elect Biden. It's not that unusual for president to do some things during the lame duck period. In fact, it's often a time when presidents do things that are harder to do at an earlier period.
FADEL: Right.
MALLEY: But we've never seen, at least in my experience, a president so brazenly taking steps that he knows are contrary to the intent of his successor and doing them with the motivation of complicating his successor's task.
FADEL: This past week, Mike Pompeo became the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Israeli settlements in the West Bank - settlements that the U.N. and International Court of Justice deem illegal. How significant was that? What was the message there?
MALLEY: Well, the message - there was both a symbolic message. He went on the Golan Heights, which was occupied by Israel. He went to a West Bank settlement - things that had been unprecedented for U.S. secretary of state to have done. Clearly, this message there is, these territories are part of Israel. And at the same time, there were some decisions that were taken that are designed to erase the distinction between Israel proper and the settlements.
Now, at some level, that doesn't change all that much because Joe Biden will be president in two months' time, and he can reverse that policy and say, no, we believe settlements are occupied territory, and they need to be part of the negotiation between Israelis and Palestinians.
But at the same time, it does change the landscape because Israeli negotiators who at some point will sit down with Palestinians will know that an administration had at one point recognized de facto their sovereignty over the settlements, and a future administration may do the same thing. So why would they compromise now in terms of the territorial component of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
So it does change the landscape to some extent, even though President-elect Biden is going to be able to reverse a number of these decisions, and I suspect he will.
FADEL: Another complication - the war in Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition there has been fighting Iranian-backed Houthi rebels for four years now. The administration indicated it may designate Yemen's Houthi movement as a terrorist organization in its final days. What's the end goal there?
MALLEY: Again, hard to decipher, I mean, they - why they wait till the last weeks other than to make it harder for a Joe Biden presidency to pick up and try to resume diplomacy and try to resolve this terrible conflict, which is the worst humanitarian situation, according to the U.N. today.
And, you know, the reason it would be so harmful is twofold. No. 1, from a humanitarian standpoint, once you designate the Houthis as a terrorist organization, it means nobody can have any financial interaction with them.
And the Houthis control maybe 30% of the territory. They are governing a majority of the Yemeni people. They control the capital. They control the main ports. They control the only airport in the northwest of the country. So if you can't do business with the Houthis, you're saying, in fact, that you can't do business with Yemenis to a large extent. So for humanitarian organizations, for commerce, it's going to - could have a devastating impact.
But also politically, you know, it's going to become much harder to get involved in mediation, which is necessary. At some point, you're going to have to find a solution. The U.S. and others are going to have to be at the table to try to resolve the conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, but also between the Houthis and the internationally recognized government of Yemen.
FADEL: Right.
MALLEY: And the more you try to marginalize the Houthis, the more you send them the signal that they're not going to be welcomed to the table, the harder you make it to resolve the conflict, and, in fact, the more you push the Houthis into Iranian arms. So it's not just a counterproductive policy in terms of what it's leaving to Joe Biden. It's counterproductive in terms of U.S. interests in terms of reaching a settlement, diminishing Iranian influence and avoiding famine.
FADEL: Right. Before we let you go, the world's been watching as President Trump and his campaign are really trying to overturn the election results, the president also continuing to spread false information about the election being rigged. Given your work in diplomacy, how is this undermining the way this election might look to leaders abroad? And will it affect the U.S. and its relations with other countries?
MALLEY: Well, I think one thing that it is going to do is going to make it hard when U.S. diplomats try to argue about respecting the will of the people, respecting the results of the elections, allowing the process to run its course. They will all be able to point to or at least think about what happened here. Again, that's something that's going to be - that will be indelible. This is a legacy that's going to be very hard to erase.
Now, the fact that Joe Biden will have succeeded President Trump despite President Trump's attempts to the contrary - that will be another message, a contrary message, in which U.S. diplomats will be able to say, yes, we are a very imperfect democracy. We're not here to give you lessons because we have done everything right. We're talking to you from experience because we, too, have lived through these difficult times about - in terms of our own elections.
So it's a mixed - you know, it's kind of a double-edged sword. The image that the U.S. has liked to project, perhaps sometimes in an exaggerated way, about a functioning democracy has been tarnished. And autocrats around the world are going to be able to say, who are you to give us any lessons? Look what you just did. Look what you went through.
But on the other hand, the fact that we will have recovered, that President Trump will no longer be in the White House, that the election ultimately worked without military interference, without anyone being able truly to challenge the will that was expressed at the polls - that will be a positive lesson. And that will be the lesson that I suspect U.S. diplomats are going to have to emphasize, even as they acknowledge the very, very deep imperfections of our system.
FADEL: That's Robert Malley. He's the president of the International Crisis Group. He was also the White House coordinator on the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf region under President Obama.
Robert Malley, thank you so much for your time.
MALLEY: Thank you.
(SOUNDBITE OF HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE'S "BALLICKI BONE")
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npr--2020-11-22--What It's Like Battling The COVID-19 Surge, As Told By Frontline Doctors

What It 's Like Battling The COVID-19 Surge , As Told By Frontline Doctors NPR 's Leila Fadel speaks with three doctors — Comilla Sasson , Ivan Melendez and Lynn Paxton — about what they 're seeing on the frontlines of the latest surge in coronavirus cases .
The coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc in nearly every part of the country .
Just yesterday , the U.S. reported more than 177,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases and over 1,400 deaths .
For days now , the number of new daily cases has been in the six-figure range , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That 's because there 's a general lag between a rise in cases and a rise in hospitalizations and deaths .
This comes amid a busy holiday travel season , which has public health officials worried about more surges and overwhelmed hospitals .
But the numbers only tell part of the story .
We wanted to get a sense of what the surge looks like for the doctors and public health officials who are battling it , so we 've called on three to share their experiences .
Joining me now are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few weeks traveling through the Midwest helping hospitals deal with COVID-19 surges .
COMILLA SASSON : Thanks so much for having me .
FADEL : Ivan Melendez is the health authority for Hidalgo County .
That 's in Southern Texas on the U.S.-Mexico border .
And it 's one of the hardest-hit areas in Texas .
Dr. Melendez , nice to have you .
IVAN MELENDEZ : Thank you so much .
FADEL : And Dr. Lynn Paxton .
She 's the district health director for Fulton County in Georgia .
That 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and some surrounding suburbs .
Dr. Paxton , welcome to you as well .
LYNN PAXTON : Thanks for including me in the conversation .
FADEL : So we 're going to start with Dr. Sasson .
You 're just getting back from a few weeks on the road .
You were in the Dakotas , Montana , Oklahoma - those states among the hardest hit right now .
As briefly as you can , tell us what you were doing in those places and what you saw .
SASSON : I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was going out to critical-access hospitals and trying to help them prepare for the surge .
Oftentimes , we would come one or two days or maybe a week before the surge actually hit - so just really getting folks to understand what their capabilities are , how to treat high volumes of patients and higher acuity patients than they 're used to .
But most importantly , I think , just really dusting off the plans that many folks had had in March and April , but , you know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of looked good , like we were going to be having everything under control , and so just really kind of reigniting hopefully those plans that people had put into place .
I think the hardest part was , is that once we got there , you know , our case positivity rate in one of our communities went from 3 % to 42 % within ... SASSON : ... Just a few days .
And so the volume of patients that we 're seeing in those communities is massive .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out , I think , is what was really the most difficult thing for folks to comprehend .
FADEL : Transfer out to the larger hospitals .
SASSON : Yep , exactly .
And , you know , a lot of these hospitals are used to saying , hey , look , if we 've got sick patients , at any time , we can transfer them to a higher level of care .
And when we were in the Dakotas , when we were in Montana , there really was no place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I personally spent hours on the phone - 16 hospitals I called , and not a single one could take our patient , so we ended up having to keep that patient at our hospital .
And so it 's just a huge mind-shift , culture change , for the workers there , because I think , again , no one really knew what to expect until we started hearing - seeing those real surge volumes .
FADEL : Wow .
Dr. Melendez , your area - also really hard hit on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently surpassed 1 million cases , so we 're talking about a lot of people getting sick .
Can you tell us what you 're seeing in the hospital and what the surge looks like where you are ?
MELENDEZ : It 's better than it was in July , but it 's up about 20 % from about three weeks ago .
So we 're also seeing after the holiday season , the opening of the schools , the reopening of the bars and restaurants , the winter visitors coming from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of course , our porous border along the Rio Grande River - the numbers again increasing in the last several weeks .
FADEL : Dr. Paxton , how about you ?
Your county has a lot of people - over a million residents .
And in your role , you oversee a number of hospitals and clinics .
Can you tell us about what you 're seeing where you are ?
Is there something from this past week that sticks out to you ?
PAXTON : Daily numbers of reported cases are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about two to three weeks ago , steadily increasing to about 150 .
We got - then we had - like , yesterday , I think we had about 340 or so .
So we are seeing an - you know , an almost exponential rise in cases in Fulton County .
FADEL : You all represent such different clinical and geographic settings , and so you have really unique perspectives on just how bad this pandemic has gotten .
And you 're seeing , quite honestly , what most Americans are n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let you go , what 's the one thing you think needs to happen now ?
If you could advise President Trump or President-elect Biden to do one thing based on what you 've witnessed , what would it be ?
And , Dr. Sasson , let 's start with you .
SASSON : So the one intervention that I think could absolutely change the way in which we have folks access care is to really quantify for people what it means to be sick with COVID-19 and when you need to seek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of public education saying , do n't come to the hospital , do n't overwhelm us until you 're really sick .
And I think what we 've needed to do now is shift the conversation and really talk about , hey , look , here 's when you do need to come to the hospital and get care .
And that 's what we 've done in our - primarily in our Native American communities .
And we 've shifted that conversation to say , hey , look , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to get worse sometime between day five and day 11 .
If you get to the point where you ca n't walk to the bathroom , or you 're feeling very winded even after walking for just one minute , ca n't sing your ABCs , then come see us .
And so we get these people in much , much sooner .
And what we 've been able to do is to stop that hyperactive immune response .
And we 've been able to treat them with steroids and other medications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most importantly , give them oxygen because that 's really most of the reason that a lot of people get very , very sick .
So to me , that 's the No .
1 intervention we can do - is to tell people not to not come access the health care system , but when to access the health care system and make sure that we 're quantifying in a way that makes sense .
MELENDEZ : You know , even though our population is 1.2 million people , I 've lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and so I 've intubated previous school teachers .
I 've played messages from family members who have passed away , essentially corpses of my neighbors , my mom 's best friend , my uncle .
So it 's become a very personal thing for us here .
We 've had over five physicians die , over 20 nurses die , and very personal .
And so when you see the people in the community continuing to act in ways that are not helping mitigation , despite being fatigued from COVID physically for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emotional and a spiritual kick because you ask yourself , what are these sacrifices worth ?
In the Rio Grande Valley of Texas , on the border , we are traditionally the No .
1 or No .
2 area in the entire country in diabetes mellitus , obesity , hypertension , use of hemodialysis , poverty .
Forty to 45 % of our people are uninsured or underinsured .
Our average age is 29 years of age , where people believe they 're just indestructible , infallible .
And most of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( ph ) and threesies ( ph ) , which means mom and sister , grandparent and grandson .
So our No .
1 mode of our 40,000 people transmission have been family .
So I asked myself , why do we have the highest mortality rate ?
Is it because we 're the sickest ?
And the answer is , yeah , because we 're the sickest .
And then I ask myself , what about other ethnic similar demographic populations all along the border , and I guess Native Americans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why were we the worst among the worst ?
And it hit me - hit me - is that we were ill-prepared as a community standard baseline state of health .
Getting the baseline of the population to be not as obese and have better control of diabetes would have placed our population in a much better starting point to , you know , fend off this pandemic .
So I would recommend strongly and I would elicit from those public servants that we elected to refocus some of our resources into having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the population so that we could be in a much better baseline state of health and avoid starting way behind the line when the next pandemic or the next wave comes along .
FADEL : Wow .
Dr. Paxton , what about your final thoughts ?
PAXTON : This pandemic has basically just laid bare all of the long-standing discrepancies and inequities that have been existing in our public health system for decades .
We want to think beyond COVID because at some point , COVID will be in our rearview mirror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to come along .
But we all know that these basic discrepancies , the high rates of high blood pressure and diabetes and heart disease and obesity that , you know , are affecting so many of the people in our community - they 're still going to be there , and we still need to work on that .
So we 're trying to capitalize on some of the resources that we have now as a direct result of COVID and thinking forward to , how can we use these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of other illnesses that are having such a devastating but hidden , more hidden , effect on our communities ?
I mean , COVID can - has been rather dramatic .
But , you know , heart disease and diabetes have been killing people in our communities for decades .
And we have an opportunity to really , really address that .
But we need the political will to do that .
FADEL : That was Dr. Lynn Paxton , district health director for Fulton County , GA. , Dr. Comilla Sasson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Ivan Melendez , the health authority for Hidalgo County , Texas .
Thank you all so much for joining us today .
PAXTON : Thanks very much for having us .
SASSON : Thanks so much .
MELENDEZ : Thank you so much , guys .
Keep your heads up .
We 're all in it together .

What It's Like Battling The COVID-19 Surge, As Told By Frontline Doctors
NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with three doctors — Comilla Sasson, Ivan Melendez and Lynn Paxton — about what they're seeing on the frontlines of the latest surge in coronavirus cases.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
The coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc in nearly every part of the country. Just yesterday, the U.S. reported more than 177,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases and over 1,400 deaths. For days now, the number of new daily cases has been in the six-figure range, and the data suggests things will likely get worse. That's because there's a general lag between a rise in cases and a rise in hospitalizations and deaths. This comes amid a busy holiday travel season, which has public health officials worried about more surges and overwhelmed hospitals.
But the numbers only tell part of the story. We wanted to get a sense of what the surge looks like for the doctors and public health officials who are battling it, so we've called on three to share their experiences. Joining me now are Comilla Sasson. She spent the last few weeks traveling through the Midwest helping hospitals deal with COVID-19 surges.
Welcome.
COMILLA SASSON: Thanks so much for having me.
FADEL: Ivan Melendez is the health authority for Hidalgo County. That's in Southern Texas on the U.S.-Mexico border. And it's one of the hardest-hit areas in Texas.
Dr. Melendez, nice to have you.
IVAN MELENDEZ: Thank you so much.
FADEL: And Dr. Lynn Paxton. She's the district health director for Fulton County in Georgia. That's the district that serves most of Atlanta and some surrounding suburbs.
Dr. Paxton, welcome to you as well.
LYNN PAXTON: Thanks for including me in the conversation.
FADEL: So we're going to start with Dr. Sasson. You're just getting back from a few weeks on the road. You were in the Dakotas, Montana, Oklahoma - those states among the hardest hit right now. As briefly as you can, tell us what you were doing in those places and what you saw.
SASSON: I was actually leading a COVID crisis response team that was going out to critical-access hospitals and trying to help them prepare for the surge. Oftentimes, we would come one or two days or maybe a week before the surge actually hit - so just really getting folks to understand what their capabilities are, how to treat high volumes of patients and higher acuity patients than they're used to.
But most importantly, I think, just really dusting off the plans that many folks had had in March and April, but, you know, we had that lag time where everything kind of looked good, like we were going to be having everything under control, and so just really kind of reigniting hopefully those plans that people had put into place.
I think the hardest part was, is that once we got there, you know, our case positivity rate in one of our communities went from 3% to 42% within...
FADEL: Wow.
SASSON: ...Just a few days. And so the volume of patients that we're seeing in those communities is massive. And then the lack of ability to transfer out, I think, is what was really the most difficult thing for folks to comprehend.
FADEL: Transfer out to the larger hospitals.
SASSON: Yep, exactly. And, you know, a lot of these hospitals are used to saying, hey, look, if we've got sick patients, at any time, we can transfer them to a higher level of care. And when we were in the Dakotas, when we were in Montana, there really was no place to send those folks.
You know, I personally spent hours on the phone - 16 hospitals I called, and not a single one could take our patient, so we ended up having to keep that patient at our hospital. And so it's just a huge mind-shift, culture change, for the workers there, because I think, again, no one really knew what to expect until we started hearing - seeing those real surge volumes.
FADEL: Wow. Dr. Melendez, your area - also really hard hit on the Southern border with Mexico. Texas recently surpassed 1 million cases, so we're talking about a lot of people getting sick. Can you tell us what you're seeing in the hospital and what the surge looks like where you are?
MELENDEZ: It's better than it was in July, but it's up about 20% from about three weeks ago. So we're also seeing after the holiday season, the opening of the schools, the reopening of the bars and restaurants, the winter visitors coming from the North, from the Midwest - and, of course, our porous border along the Rio Grande River - the numbers again increasing in the last several weeks.
FADEL: Dr. Paxton, how about you? Your county has a lot of people - over a million residents. And in your role, you oversee a number of hospitals and clinics. Can you tell us about what you're seeing where you are? Is there something from this past week that sticks out to you?
PAXTON: Daily numbers of reported cases are going from somewhere around 70, maybe about two to three weeks ago, steadily increasing to about 150. We got - then we had - like, yesterday, I think we had about 340 or so. So we are seeing an - you know, an almost exponential rise in cases in Fulton County.
FADEL: You all represent such different clinical and geographic settings, and so you have really unique perspectives on just how bad this pandemic has gotten. And you're seeing, quite honestly, what most Americans aren't able to see. So before we let you go, what's the one thing you think needs to happen now? If you could advise President Trump or President-elect Biden to do one thing based on what you've witnessed, what would it be? And, Dr. Sasson, let's start with you.
SASSON: So the one intervention that I think could absolutely change the way in which we have folks access care is to really quantify for people what it means to be sick with COVID-19 and when you need to seek care. I think we've done a lot of public education saying, don't come to the hospital, don't overwhelm us until you're really sick. And I think what we've needed to do now is shift the conversation and really talk about, hey, look, here's when you do need to come to the hospital and get care.
And that's what we've done in our - primarily in our Native American communities. And we've shifted that conversation to say, hey, look, if you've got COVID-19, you're going to get worse sometime between day five and day 11. If you get to the point where you can't walk to the bathroom, or you're feeling very winded even after walking for just one minute, can't sing your ABCs, then come see us.
And so we get these people in much, much sooner. And what we've been able to do is to stop that hyperactive immune response. And we've been able to treat them with steroids and other medications to help them get better - and most importantly, give them oxygen because that's really most of the reason that a lot of people get very, very sick.
So to me, that's the No. 1 intervention we can do - is to tell people not to not come access the health care system, but when to access the health care system and make sure that we're quantifying in a way that makes sense.
FADEL: Yeah. Dr. Melendez, your thoughts?
MELENDEZ: You know, even though our population is 1.2 million people, I've lived here the majority of my life, and so I've intubated previous school teachers. I've played messages from family members who have passed away, essentially corpses of my neighbors, my mom's best friend, my uncle. So it's become a very personal thing for us here. We've had over five physicians die, over 20 nurses die, and very personal.
And so when you see the people in the community continuing to act in ways that are not helping mitigation, despite being fatigued from COVID physically for nine months, it's also an emotional and a spiritual kick because you ask yourself, what are these sacrifices worth?
In the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, on the border, we are traditionally the No. 1 or No. 2 area in the entire country in diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, use of hemodialysis, poverty. Forty to 45% of our people are uninsured or underinsured. Our average age is 29 years of age, where people believe they're just indestructible, infallible. And most of our admissions that we're seeing are twosies (ph) and threesies (ph), which means mom and sister, grandparent and grandson. So our No. 1 mode of our 40,000 people transmission have been family.
So I asked myself, why do we have the highest mortality rate? Is it because we're the sickest? And the answer is, yeah, because we're the sickest. And then I ask myself, what about other ethnic similar demographic populations all along the border, and I guess Native Americans, et cetera? Why did we - why were we the worst among the worst? And it hit me - hit me - is that we were ill-prepared as a community standard baseline state of health.
Getting the baseline of the population to be not as obese and have better control of diabetes would have placed our population in a much better starting point to, you know, fend off this pandemic. So I would recommend strongly and I would elicit from those public servants that we elected to refocus some of our resources into having access to primary care for the majority of the population so that we could be in a much better baseline state of health and avoid starting way behind the line when the next pandemic or the next wave comes along.
FADEL: Wow. Dr. Paxton, what about your final thoughts?
PAXTON: This pandemic has basically just laid bare all of the long-standing discrepancies and inequities that have been existing in our public health system for decades. We want to think beyond COVID because at some point, COVID will be in our rearview mirror. But then again, something else is going to come along.
But we all know that these basic discrepancies, the high rates of high blood pressure and diabetes and heart disease and obesity that, you know, are affecting so many of the people in our community - they're still going to be there, and we still need to work on that. So we're trying to capitalize on some of the resources that we have now as a direct result of COVID and thinking forward to, how can we use these to help bring down these high rates of other illnesses that are having such a devastating but hidden, more hidden, effect on our communities?
I mean, COVID can - has been rather dramatic. But, you know, heart disease and diabetes have been killing people in our communities for decades. And we have an opportunity to really, really address that. But we need the political will to do that.
FADEL: That was Dr. Lynn Paxton, district health director for Fulton County, GA., Dr. Comilla Sasson, emergency medicine physician in Colorado, and Dr. Ivan Melendez, the health authority for Hidalgo County, Texas.
Thank you all so much for joining us today.
PAXTON: Thanks very much for having us.
SASSON: Thanks so much.
MELENDEZ: Thank you so much, guys. Keep your heads up. We're all in it together.
(SOUNDBITE OF ELAQUENT'S "MY APOLOGIES")
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npr--2020-11-22--Somalia's Strongest Tropical Cyclone Ever Recorded Could Drop 2 Years' Rain In 2 Days

Somalia 's Strongest Tropical Cyclone Ever Recorded Could Drop 2 Years ' Rain In 2 Days The strongest tropical cyclone ever measured in the northern Indian Ocean has made landfall in eastern Africa , where it is poised to drop two years ' worth of rain in the next two days .
Tropical Cyclone Gati made landfall in Somalia on Sunday with sustained winds of around 105 mph .
It 's the first recorded instance of a hurricane-strength system hitting the country .
At one point before landfall , Gati 's winds were measured at 115 mph .
`` Gati @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been recorded in this region of the globe ; further south than any category 3-equivalent cyclone in the North Indian Ocean , '' said Sam Lillo , a researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 's Physical Sciences Laboratory .
Its intensification from about 40 mph to 115 mph was `` the largest 12-hour increase on record for a tropical cyclone in the Indian Ocean , '' Lillo added .
One reason Gati intensified so quickly is because the size of the cyclone itself is quite small , Lillo said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low wind shear also contributed to the rapid strengthening , Accuweather reported .
`` With climate change we 're seeing warmer ocean temperatures and a more moist atmosphere that 's leading to a greater chance of rapid intensification for tropical cyclones like Gati , '' meteorologist and climate journalist Eric Holthaus told NPR .
`` Gati 's strength is part of that broader global pattern of stronger storms . ''
And those storms are leading to a lot more rain .
Northern Somalia usually gets about 4 inches of rain per year ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Administration show Gati could bring 8 inches over the next two days — `` two years worth of rainfall in just two days , '' Holthaus said .
Some isolated areas could see even more than that .
`` The system may impact Socotra , Somalia , Yemen and western Oman from [ Sunday ] night into Monday and potentially Tuesday , with the main threat being heavy rain and flash flooding , '' said AccuWeather 's lead international meteorologist , Jason Nicholls , told the site .
A United Nations alert warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the marine shipping lane that links Somalia and the Gulf states .
Gati is much more intense than the previous strongest storm to hit Somalia — a 2018 cyclone that brought winds of 60 mph .

Somalia's Strongest Tropical Cyclone Ever Recorded Could Drop 2 Years' Rain In 2 Days
The strongest tropical cyclone ever measured in the northern Indian Ocean has made landfall in eastern Africa, where it is poised to drop two years' worth of rain in the next two days.
Tropical Cyclone Gati made landfall in Somalia on Sunday with sustained winds of around 105 mph. It's the first recorded instance of a hurricane-strength system hitting the country. At one point before landfall, Gati's winds were measured at 115 mph.
"Gati is the strongest tropical cyclone that has been recorded in this region of the globe; further south than any category 3-equivalent cyclone in the North Indian Ocean," said Sam Lillo, a researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Physical Sciences Laboratory.
Its intensification from about 40 mph to 115 mph was "the largest 12-hour increase on record for a tropical cyclone in the Indian Ocean," Lillo added.
One reason Gati intensified so quickly is because the size of the cyclone itself is quite small, Lillo said. The warm water in the area coupled with low wind shear also contributed to the rapid strengthening, Accuweather reported.
"With climate change we're seeing warmer ocean temperatures and a more moist atmosphere that's leading to a greater chance of rapid intensification for tropical cyclones like Gati," meteorologist and climate journalist Eric Holthaus told NPR. "Gati's strength is part of that broader global pattern of stronger storms."
And those storms are leading to a lot more rain. Northern Somalia usually gets about 4 inches of rain per year; data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show Gati could bring 8 inches over the next two days — "two years worth of rainfall in just two days," Holthaus said. Some isolated areas could see even more than that.
"The system may impact Socotra, Somalia, Yemen and western Oman from [Sunday] night into Monday and potentially Tuesday, with the main threat being heavy rain and flash flooding," said AccuWeather's lead international meteorologist, Jason Nicholls, told the site.
A United Nations alert warned the storm posed an immediate threat to the marine shipping lane that links Somalia and the Gulf states.
Gati is much more intense than the previous strongest storm to hit Somalia — a 2018 cyclone that brought winds of 60 mph.


npr--2020-11-22--Public Officials Campaign To Keep People Home For Thanksgiving

Public Officials Campaign To Keep People Home For Thanksgiving Across the country , public officials are urging people to stay home and stay safe during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday amid a dramatic rise in new cases of COVID-19 in nearly every state .
Experts warn that the holiday week will be a crucial time for fighting the virus , and that even limited family gatherings could result in devastatingly high numbers of newly infected people .
Hospitals are already reaching capacity around the country , as the country hit the grim milestone of 12 million confirmed cases .
Last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prevention strongly recommended people stay home for Thanksgiving .
`` Celebrating virtually or with the people you live with is the safest choice this Thanksgiving , '' the CDC advised .
From Oregon to Illinois to Maryland , governors have instituted stricter statewide restrictions ahead of the holiday .
Democratic California Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced a curfew for most of the state that went into effect Saturday night , as cases in California have tripled over the past month .
In Virginia , Democratic Gov .
Ralph Northam said that the makeshift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other states convinced him to take action .
`` We have Thanksgiving coming up .
We have the flu season coming up .
If Virginians would do the right thing — and by the way , this is in your hands , Virginia — you know what to do .
If we do the right things , we will keep the numbers down , '' Northam told reporters , according to The Roanoke Times .
In the Midwest , five Democratic and two Republican governors , from Michigan , Kentucky , Wisconsin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , teamed up to make a video , sharing a bipartisan message of restraint and safety in the weeks ahead .
`` With Thanksgiving around the corner , remember : be smart , follow recommendations from medical experts , '' said Michigan 's Democratic Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer .
`` Getting together with your family via Zoom to ensure your loved ones stay safe is the right thing to do , '' said Gov .
Andy Beshear of Kentucky .
Beshear , a Democrat , recently announced new restrictions that took effect over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state .
But not all state leaders are touting Thanksgiving restrictions and restrained celebration .
In a thread posted to Twitter on Friday , South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem , a Republican , encouraged residents to enjoy the holiday , while practicing personal responsibility , like hand washing — stopping short of advising against large gatherings .
Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas , posted an image to Twitter this weekend , with the words `` COME AND TAKE IT '' — a popular Texas saying historically referring to a battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a silhouette of a Thanksgiving turkey instead of the usual cannon underneath .

Public Officials Campaign To Keep People Home For Thanksgiving
Enlarge this image toggle caption Steve Helber/AP Steve Helber/AP
Across the country, public officials are urging people to stay home and stay safe during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday amid a dramatic rise in new cases of COVID-19 in nearly every state.
Experts warn that the holiday week will be a crucial time for fighting the virus, and that even limited family gatherings could result in devastatingly high numbers of newly infected people. Hospitals are already reaching capacity around the country, as the country hit the grim milestone of 12 million confirmed cases.
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommended people stay home for Thanksgiving. "Celebrating virtually or with the people you live with is the safest choice this Thanksgiving," the CDC advised.
From Oregon to Illinois to Maryland, governors have instituted stricter statewide restrictions ahead of the holiday. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a curfew for most of the state that went into effect Saturday night, as cases in California have tripled over the past month. In Virginia, Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam said that the makeshift morgues he had seen set up in other states convinced him to take action.
"We have Thanksgiving coming up. We have the flu season coming up. If Virginians would do the right thing — and by the way, this is in your hands, Virginia — you know what to do. If we do the right things, we will keep the numbers down," Northam told reporters, according to The Roanoke Times.
In the Midwest, five Democratic and two Republican governors, from Michigan, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and Minnesota, teamed up to make a video, sharing a bipartisan message of restraint and safety in the weeks ahead.
"With Thanksgiving around the corner, remember: be smart, follow recommendations from medical experts," said Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
"Getting together with your family via Zoom to ensure your loved ones stay safe is the right thing to do," said Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky. Beshear, a Democrat, recently announced new restrictions that took effect over the weekend following a rise of cases in the state.
YouTube
But not all state leaders are touting Thanksgiving restrictions and restrained celebration. In a thread posted to Twitter on Friday, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican, encouraged residents to enjoy the holiday, while practicing personal responsibility, like hand washing — stopping short of advising against large gatherings.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, posted an image to Twitter this weekend, with the words "COME AND TAKE IT" — a popular Texas saying historically referring to a battle fought in the 19th century — with a silhouette of a Thanksgiving turkey instead of the usual cannon underneath.


npr--2020-11-22--Americans Could See A Vaccine By Mid-December, Says Operation Warp Speed Adviser

Americans Could See A Vaccine By Mid-December , Says Operation Warp Speed Adviser Moncef Slaoui , the chief scientific adviser for Operation Warp Speed , says that some Americans could start receiving a COVID-19 vaccine by the second week of December .
Slaoui 's comments follow the announcement on Friday that Pfizer and its partner , BioNTech , have asked the Food and Drug Administration to grant an emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine — which has been found to be 95 % effective .
A second vaccine from the biotech company Moderna is expected to be submitted for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our plan is to be able to ship vaccines to the immunization sites within 24 hours from the approval , so I would expect maybe on day two after approval on the 11th or the 12th of December , '' Slaoui told CNN on Sunday .
While millions of people in the U.S. could be vaccinated in the weeks and months following an emergency use authorization , Slaoui said it will be well into 2021 before the nation would be able to achieve herd immunity .
`` Normally , with the level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 70 % or so of the population being immunized would allow for true herd immunity to take place , '' he said .
`` That is likely to happen somewhere in the month of May , or something like that , based on our plans . ''
In an interview with NPR last week , Slaoui said there would be enough doses to immunize `` about 20 million people by the month of December '' and `` 40 million doses between the two vaccines . ''
`` But then what 's important to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` is we have four more vaccines in the pipeline — in our portfolio — two of which are in the middle of their phase three trials with already about 10,000 subjects recruited in each one of their trials . ''
Slaoui 's comments on Sunday echo what Dr. Anthony Fauci , the country 's top infectious disease expert , told NPR 's Morning Edition this past Tuesday .
Fauci said that Americans with the `` highest priority '' — such as health care workers and those most at risk of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards the end of December .
Cases of the coronavirus continue to rise at an alarming rate in nearly every state in the U.S .
There have been more than 12 million confirmed cases of the virus and more than 255,000 people have died in total across the nation .
On Saturday alone , there were an additional 177,552 new confirmed cases and 1,448 deaths , according to data from Johns Hopkins University .

Americans Could See A Vaccine By Mid-December, Says Operation Warp Speed Adviser
Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Moncef Slaoui, the chief scientific adviser for Operation Warp Speed, says that some Americans could start receiving a COVID-19 vaccine by the second week of December.
Slaoui's comments follow the announcement on Friday that Pfizer and its partner, BioNTech, have asked the Food and Drug Administration to grant an emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine — which has been found to be 95% effective. A second vaccine from the biotech company Moderna is expected to be submitted for emergency authorization soon as well.
"Our plan is to be able to ship vaccines to the immunization sites within 24 hours from the approval, so I would expect maybe on day two after approval on the 11th or the 12th of December," Slaoui told CNN on Sunday.
While millions of people in the U.S. could be vaccinated in the weeks and months following an emergency use authorization, Slaoui said it will be well into 2021 before the nation would be able to achieve herd immunity.
"Normally, with the level of efficacy we have, 95%, 70% or so of the population being immunized would allow for true herd immunity to take place," he said. "That is likely to happen somewhere in the month of May, or something like that, based on our plans."
In an interview with NPR last week, Slaoui said there would be enough doses to immunize "about 20 million people by the month of December" and "40 million doses between the two vaccines."
"But then what's important to keep in mind," he said, "is we have four more vaccines in the pipeline — in our portfolio — two of which are in the middle of their phase three trials with already about 10,000 subjects recruited in each one of their trials."
Slaoui's comments on Sunday echo what Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious disease expert, told NPR's Morning Edition this past Tuesday. Fauci said that Americans with the "highest priority" — such as health care workers and those most at risk of the virus — will likely receive a vaccine towards the end of December.
Cases of the coronavirus continue to rise at an alarming rate in nearly every state in the U.S. There have been more than 12 million confirmed cases of the virus and more than 255,000 people have died in total across the nation. On Saturday alone, there were an additional 177,552 new confirmed cases and 1,448 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.


npr--2020-11-22--Elephant Rescued After Falling Into A Well In Indian Village

Elephant Rescued After Falling Into A Well In Indian Village It took more than 12 hours , but an elephant in India 's southern state of Tamil Nadu has been rescued after plunging into a well .
The elephant had wandered into the village of Dharmapuri from a nearby forest when it fell into the well , which an official for the Indian Forest Service estimated to be about 50 feet deep .
The well did not have a barrier and had been obscured by bushes .
Locals from the village alerted authorities about the trapped animal early on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well for the elephant to eat , as rescuers worked throughout the night to free it , the BBC reports .
Forest officials brought in a crane to retrieve the elephant .
Footage of the rescue showed the elephant strapped in by belts and suspended upside down as the crane lifted it to safety .
Doctors helped rescuers sedate the animal after it attacked pipes they were using to pump water out of the well , a district forest officer told Reuters .
The area where the rescue happened has had some experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have fallen down wells in the past year , according to Reuters .
Uncovered wells and ditches have posed a threat to the animals , noted Parveen Kaswan of the Indian Forest Service in a Twitter post on Thursday .
The animals , he said , need expansive land to survive as they forage for food and water .
Authorities monitored the elephant for roughly three hours after the rescue .
`` It was found to be healthy and active , '' said the district forest officer , according to a Reuters report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for her will , '' Kaswan said .

Elephant Rescued After Falling Into A Well In Indian Village
Enlarge this image toggle caption Reuters Reuters
It took more than 12 hours, but an elephant in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu has been rescued after plunging into a well.
The elephant had wandered into the village of Dharmapuri from a nearby forest when it fell into the well, which an official for the Indian Forest Service estimated to be about 50 feet deep. The well did not have a barrier and had been obscured by bushes.
Locals from the village alerted authorities about the trapped animal early on Thursday. They dropped banana leaves down the well for the elephant to eat, as rescuers worked throughout the night to free it, the BBC reports.
Forest officials brought in a crane to retrieve the elephant. Footage of the rescue showed the elephant strapped in by belts and suspended upside down as the crane lifted it to safety. Doctors helped rescuers sedate the animal after it attacked pipes they were using to pump water out of the well, a district forest officer told Reuters.
The Guardian YouTube
The area where the rescue happened has had some experience saving trapped elephants. Two other elephants have fallen down wells in the past year, according to Reuters. Uncovered wells and ditches have posed a threat to the animals, noted Parveen Kaswan of the Indian Forest Service in a Twitter post on Thursday. The animals, he said, need expansive land to survive as they forage for food and water.
Open wells & ditches in elephant migratory routes are huge problems for these animals. Since they are long ranging creatures, migrate to long distances for food & water.
Least we can do is cover such wells or keep safety wall. Imagine it was a 50 feet deep well. pic.twitter.com/DowUTy6aKZ — Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) November 20, 2020
Authorities monitored the elephant for roughly three hours after the rescue. "It was found to be healthy and active," said the district forest officer, according to a Reuters report.
"Credits to the elephant also for her will," Kaswan said.


npr--2020-11-22--FDA Grants Emergency Authorization For A 2nd COVID-19 Antibody Treatment

One of the experimental drugs that President Trump received while he was battling the coronavirus has been approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration .
The drug , made by the biotech company Regeneron , is the second antibody treatment to win emergency use approval from the FDA .
The treatment combines two antibodies — casirivimab and imdevimab — and administers them together by IV .
In a clinical trial of about 800 people , the combination was shown to significantly reduce virus levels within days of treatment .
In its authorization on Saturday , the FDA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in people 12 years and older who are at high risk of developing more severe symptoms .
It 's not for patients who are hospitalized because of COVID-19 or who require oxygen therapy because of the virus .
`` The emergency authorization of these monoclonal antibodies administered together offers health care providers another tool in combating the pandemic , '' said Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni , acting director of the FDA 's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research .
`` We will continue to facilitate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therapies . ''
Both Regeneron 's drug and another approved treatment , made by Eli Lilly , are synthetic versions of human antibodies that mimic the immune system 's ability to fight off harmful pathogens .
They bind to the coronavirus and prevent it from invading cells .
The White House celebrated the `` promising results '' and noted that the administration has spent close to half a billion dollars to support large-scale manufacturing of Regeneron 's antibody treatment for delivery to U.S. hospitals .
`` Due to advancements in quality care , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients , and life-saving vaccines rapidly advancing toward approval faster than ever before , the United States has never been more prepared to confront the coronavirus and save millions of lives as we are now , '' White House spokesman Michael Bars said in a statement .
Regeneron 's drug , called REGEN-COV2 , `` is designed to mimic what a well-functioning immune system does by using very potent antibodies to neutralize the virus , '' Regeneron 's chief scientific officer , Dr. George Yancopoulos , said in a statement .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cocktail were identified in the clinical trial analyses to date . ''
Both Eli Lilly and Regeneron applied for FDA authorization in October .
Eli Lilly 's product got the green light first , and its first batch has been distributed to hospitals around the United States .
Regeneron 's product will now be available to boost the supply , and the company estimates that 300,000 doses will be given to patients at no cost , though together there still wo n't be nearly enough to serve all the people who could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet gotten full FDA approval , which entails much more rigorous reviews that take longer to complete .
Emergency use authorizations are granted during public health emergencies when a treatment could be effective .
On Thursday , the FDA granted emergency use authorization for baricitinib , which when used with remdesivir has shown to be effective in battling more severe cases of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization or a ventilator .

FDA Grants Emergency Authorization For A 2nd COVID-19 Antibody Treatment
Enlarge this image toggle caption Susan Walsh/AP Susan Walsh/AP
One of the experimental drugs that President Trump received while he was battling the coronavirus has been approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration. The drug, made by the biotech company Regeneron, is the second antibody treatment to win emergency use approval from the FDA.
The treatment combines two antibodies — casirivimab and imdevimab — and administers them together by IV. In a clinical trial of about 800 people, the combination was shown to significantly reduce virus levels within days of treatment.
In its authorization on Saturday, the FDA made clear that the drug is only for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in people 12 years and older who are at high risk of developing more severe symptoms. It's not for patients who are hospitalized because of COVID-19 or who require oxygen therapy because of the virus.
"The emergency authorization of these monoclonal antibodies administered together offers health care providers another tool in combating the pandemic," said Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, acting director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "We will continue to facilitate the development, evaluation and availability of COVID-19 therapies."
Both Regeneron's drug and another approved treatment, made by Eli Lilly, are synthetic versions of human antibodies that mimic the immune system's ability to fight off harmful pathogens. They bind to the coronavirus and prevent it from invading cells.
The White House celebrated the "promising results" and noted that the administration has spent close to half a billion dollars to support large-scale manufacturing of Regeneron's antibody treatment for delivery to U.S. hospitals.
"Due to advancements in quality care, information for medical personnel to better treat patients, and life-saving vaccines rapidly advancing toward approval faster than ever before, the United States has never been more prepared to confront the coronavirus and save millions of lives as we are now," White House spokesman Michael Bars said in a statement.
Regeneron's drug, called REGEN-COV2, "is designed to mimic what a well-functioning immune system does by using very potent antibodies to neutralize the virus," Regeneron's chief scientific officer, Dr. George Yancopoulos, said in a statement. "We are encouraged that no variants resistant to the cocktail were identified in the clinical trial analyses to date."
Both Eli Lilly and Regeneron applied for FDA authorization in October. Eli Lilly's product got the green light first, and its first batch has been distributed to hospitals around the United States. Regeneron's product will now be available to boost the supply, and the company estimates that 300,000 doses will be given to patients at no cost, though together there still won't be nearly enough to serve all the people who could qualify for them.
Neither drug has yet gotten full FDA approval, which entails much more rigorous reviews that take longer to complete. Emergency use authorizations are granted during public health emergencies when a treatment could be effective.
On Thursday, the FDA granted emergency use authorization for baricitinib, which when used with remdesivir has shown to be effective in battling more severe cases of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization or a ventilator.
NPR's Richard Harris contributed to this report.


npr--2020-11-22--Trump Requests Georgia Recount, Meaning 5 Million Votes Will Be Tabulated A 3rd Time

Georgia 's nearly 5 million votes in the presidential race will be counted for a third time , as President Trump 's campaign has formally asked for a recount because his loss is within the legal margin for that request .
Of the 4,998,482 ballots cast in the race between Trump and President-elect Joe Biden , the president lost by 12,670 votes , or about 0.26 percentage points .
State law allows a losing candidate within 0.5 percentage points to ask for a recount within two business days of certification .
While thousands of workers spent most of the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a newly required statewide risk-limiting audit , this recount will be different .
The law calls for a recount to be conducted by retabulating every ballot through a scanner , the same way they were originally counted in the days following the Nov. 3 election .
Trump 's campaign and his allies have launched a continuous stream of attacks against the election integrity in states that he lost , including Georgia , where the voting laws and procedures have been enacted and governed by fellow Republicans .
In a statement announcing the recount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include signature matching of absentee ballots , despite repeated explanations from Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger 's office that fulfilling such a request is illegal and impossible .
`` Let 's stop giving the People false results , '' the Trump campaign said without offering any evidence .
`` There must be a time when we stop counting illegal ballots . ''
There is no evidence that illegal ballots have been counted in Georgia .
The president , the chair of the Georgia Republican Party and every member of the state 's 2021 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attacks on Raffensperger , Gov .
Brian Kemp and how elections are run in Georgia .
Both of Georgia 's Republican U.S. senators , Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue , called on Raffensperger to resign last week in an evidence-free letter alleging massive failures .
Loeffler and Perdue are both on the ballot for Jan. 5 runoffs that will determine control of the Senate .
Kemp , in a brief statement Friday , said that the law required him to certify results but also suggested Raffensperger conduct a random audit of absentee-ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Trump and other Republicans that widespread absentee-ballot fraud plagued Georgia and other states in which Trump lost .
A spokeswoman with the Biden campaign said the recount should show for a third time that the president-elect won the Peach State 's 16 electoral votes .
`` As the Secretary of State said , there is no reason to believe there are widespread errors or fraud and the Trump campaign has no evidence to back up their baseless claims , '' Jaclyn Rothenberg said in a statement .
`` With regards to signature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rules set forth months before the election and all signatures have already been matched . ''
In an interview with GPB News , Raffensperger , the state 's top election official , said last week that the November election was one of the smoothest in recent history and that the historic audit conducted in less than a week should give extra confidence in the outcome , even if he personally wished Trump had won .
`` I 've been saying that half of America will be happy and half of America will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raffensperger said .
`` And I would be disappointed when I put on my Republican hat , but these will be the results and it will be what it is because that is the will of the Georgia voter . ''
The recount process is expected to take several days , with officials in Atlanta 's Fulton County estimating anywhere from five to nine days of eight-hour shifts , with multiple scanners to get through more than half a million votes .
The machine recount is unlikely to change the results .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audit , which confirmed Biden 's victory over Trump and was within 0.10 % of the original number of ballots counted .

Trump Requests Georgia Recount, Meaning 5 Million Votes Will Be Tabulated A 3rd Time
Enlarge this image toggle caption Megan Varner/Getty Images Megan Varner/Getty Images
Georgia's nearly 5 million votes in the presidential race will be counted for a third time, as President Trump's campaign has formally asked for a recount because his loss is within the legal margin for that request.
Of the 4,998,482 ballots cast in the race between Trump and President-elect Joe Biden, the president lost by 12,670 votes, or about 0.26 percentage points. State law allows a losing candidate within 0.5 percentage points to ask for a recount within two business days of certification.
While thousands of workers spent most of the last week hand-counting every vote as part of a newly required statewide risk-limiting audit, this recount will be different.
The law calls for a recount to be conducted by retabulating every ballot through a scanner, the same way they were originally counted in the days following the Nov. 3 election.
Trump's campaign and his allies have launched a continuous stream of attacks against the election integrity in states that he lost, including Georgia, where the voting laws and procedures have been enacted and governed by fellow Republicans.
In a statement announcing the recount, the Trump campaign demanded that it include signature matching of absentee ballots, despite repeated explanations from Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office that fulfilling such a request is illegal and impossible.
"Let's stop giving the People false results," the Trump campaign said without offering any evidence. "There must be a time when we stop counting illegal ballots."
There is no evidence that illegal ballots have been counted in Georgia.
The president, the chair of the Georgia Republican Party and every member of the state's 2021 Republican U.S. House delegation have contributed to the attacks on Raffensperger, Gov. Brian Kemp and how elections are run in Georgia. Both of Georgia's Republican U.S. senators, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, called on Raffensperger to resign last week in an evidence-free letter alleging massive failures. Loeffler and Perdue are both on the ballot for Jan. 5 runoffs that will determine control of the Senate.
Kemp, in a brief statement Friday, said that the law required him to certify results but also suggested Raffensperger conduct a random audit of absentee-ballot signatures, playing into a conspiracy pushed by Trump and other Republicans that widespread absentee-ballot fraud plagued Georgia and other states in which Trump lost.
A spokeswoman with the Biden campaign said the recount should show for a third time that the president-elect won the Peach State's 16 electoral votes.
"As the Secretary of State said, there is no reason to believe there are widespread errors or fraud and the Trump campaign has no evidence to back up their baseless claims," Jaclyn Rothenberg said in a statement. "With regards to signature matching, both parties were aware of the rules set forth months before the election and all signatures have already been matched."
In an interview with GPB News, Raffensperger, the state's top election official, said last week that the November election was one of the smoothest in recent history and that the historic audit conducted in less than a week should give extra confidence in the outcome, even if he personally wished Trump had won.
"I've been saying that half of America will be happy and half of America will be sad with these results," Raffensperger said. "And I would be disappointed when I put on my Republican hat, but these will be the results and it will be what it is because that is the will of the Georgia voter."
The recount process is expected to take several days, with officials in Atlanta's Fulton County estimating anywhere from five to nine days of eight-hour shifts, with multiple scanners to get through more than half a million votes.
The machine recount is unlikely to change the results. It is also more accurate than the hand-count audit, which confirmed Biden's victory over Trump and was within 0.10% of the original number of ballots counted.


npr--2020-11-22--Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Toomey Says Trump Should Accept Election Loss

Updated at 11:23 a.m .
ET Following yet another legal setback for the Trump campaign , Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania called on President Trump to accept the outcome of the Nov. 3 election and move forward with the transition process in order to protect his presidential legacy .
`` President Trump has exhausted all plausible legal options to challenge the result of the presidential race in Pennsylvania , '' Toomey said in a lengthy statement .
His Saturday night statement came soon after a federal judge dismissed a Trump campaign lawsuit challenging the results in Pennsylvania by alleging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters to fix errors on their mail-in ballots .
The Trump campaign has vowed to the appeal the ruling .
President-elect Joe Biden won the state by more than 80,000 votes .
The state 's deadline to certify those results is Monday .
Toomey — who is retiring rather than running for reelection in two years — added his congratulations to Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris , saying he will `` seek to work across the aisle '' with them despite their policy disagreements .
`` Make no mistake about it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Vice President Pence were not re-elected .
I endorsed the president and voted for him , '' he said , applauding the Trump administration for its tax policy and three appointments to the Supreme Court .
But , he added : `` To ensure that he is remembered for these outstanding accomplishments , and to help unify our country , President Trump should accept the outcome of the election and facilitate the presidential transition process . ''
For his part , Trump tweeted his disapproval of Toomey , calling him `` no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was flagged by Twitter for its baseless claims about election fraud .
What other Republicans have said While most Republican Senate and House lawmakers have not yet formally recognized Biden as the winner of the presidential election , Sens .
Susan Collins of Maine , Ben Sasse of Nebraska , Mitt Romney of Utah and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have all issued statements recognizing Biden 's victory .
Romney recently issued a blistering rebuke of Trump after the president invited Republicans in Michigan 's House and Senate to the White House , days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to certify its election results .
`` It is difficult to imagine a worse , more undemocratic action by a sitting American President , '' Romney tweeted .
But those senators are in the minority .
Lamar Alexander of Tennessee , another Republican senator who wo n't seek another term , said in a statement Friday : `` If there is any chance whatsoever that Joe Biden will be the next president , and it looks like he has a very good chance , the Trump Administration should provide the Biden team with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meetings necessary to ensure a smooth transition so that both sides are ready on day one . ''
Sen. Kevin Cramer , R-N.D. , told NBC 's Meet the Press on Sunday that he believes the president 's continued legal quest is appropriate .
`` I do n't see this as an attack on our democracy , '' he said .
`` Everyone ought to just relax and let it play out in the legal way .
We 'll be just fine . ''
However , he said it is `` past time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the transition process with the Biden team .
`` I 'd rather have a president that has more than one day to prepare , should Joe Biden end up winning this , '' Cramer said .
But the third-ranking House Republican , Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming , has called on Trump to respect the `` sanctity of our electoral process . ''
`` If the President can not prove these claims or demonstrate that they would change the election result , he should fulfill his oath to preserve , protect and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she said in a statement Friday .
Former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie , a Republican , called the conduct of Trump 's legal team a `` national embarrassment , '' speaking Sunday on ABC 's This Week .
`` I 've been a supporter of the president 's .
I voted for him twice .
But elections have consequences , and we can not continue to act as if something happened here that did n't happen , '' Christie , an ally of Trump , said .

Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Toomey Says Trump Should Accept Election Loss
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Wong/Getty Images Alex Wong/Getty Images
Updated at 11:23 a.m. ET
Following yet another legal setback for the Trump campaign, Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania called on President Trump to accept the outcome of the Nov. 3 election and move forward with the transition process in order to protect his presidential legacy.
"President Trump has exhausted all plausible legal options to challenge the result of the presidential race in Pennsylvania," Toomey said in a lengthy statement.
His Saturday night statement came soon after a federal judge dismissed a Trump campaign lawsuit challenging the results in Pennsylvania by alleging that election officials in Democratic-leaning counties allowed voters to fix errors on their mail-in ballots. The Trump campaign has vowed to the appeal the ruling.
President-elect Joe Biden won the state by more than 80,000 votes. The state's deadline to certify those results is Monday.
Toomey — who is retiring rather than running for reelection in two years — added his congratulations to Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, saying he will "seek to work across the aisle" with them despite their policy disagreements.
"Make no mistake about it, I am deeply disappointed that President Trump and Vice President Pence were not re-elected. I endorsed the president and voted for him," he said, applauding the Trump administration for its tax policy and three appointments to the Supreme Court.
But, he added: "To ensure that he is remembered for these outstanding accomplishments, and to help unify our country, President Trump should accept the outcome of the election and facilitate the presidential transition process."
For his part, Trump tweeted his disapproval of Toomey, calling him "no friend of mine." The tweet was flagged by Twitter for its baseless claims about election fraud.
What other Republicans have said
While most Republican Senate and House lawmakers have not yet formally recognized Biden as the winner of the presidential election, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Mitt Romney of Utah and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have all issued statements recognizing Biden's victory.
Romney recently issued a blistering rebuke of Trump after the president invited Republicans in Michigan's House and Senate to the White House, days ahead of the deadline for that state to certify its election results.
"It is difficult to imagine a worse, more undemocratic action by a sitting American President," Romney tweeted.
But those senators are in the minority.
Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, another Republican senator who won't seek another term, said in a statement Friday: "If there is any chance whatsoever that Joe Biden will be the next president, and it looks like he has a very good chance, the Trump Administration should provide the Biden team with all transition materials, resources, and meetings necessary to ensure a smooth transition so that both sides are ready on day one."
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., told NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday that he believes the president's continued legal quest is appropriate.
"I don't see this as an attack on our democracy," he said. "Everyone ought to just relax and let it play out in the legal way. We'll be just fine."
However, he said it is "past time" for the White House to cooperate in the transition process with the Biden team.
"I'd rather have a president that has more than one day to prepare, should Joe Biden end up winning this," Cramer said.
But the third-ranking House Republican, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, has called on Trump to respect the "sanctity of our electoral process."
"If the President cannot prove these claims or demonstrate that they would change the election result, he should fulfill his oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," she said in a statement Friday.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, called the conduct of Trump's legal team a "national embarrassment," speaking Sunday on ABC's This Week.
"I've been a supporter of the president's. I voted for him twice. But elections have consequences, and we cannot continue to act as if something happened here that didn't happen," Christie, an ally of Trump, said.


npr--2020-11-22--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak On Sept. 28 , the world marked a tragic milestone : 1 million deaths from COVID-19 .
That 's according to a tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University .
And public health experts believe the actual toll – the recorded deaths plus the unrecorded deaths – is much higher .
While the number of cases has slowed in many countries that were hit hard early on by coronavirus , the number of new cases continues to increase .
Since early July , new daily cases averaged over 200,000 worldwide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January .
At over 11 million cases , the United States leads the world 's COVID-19 crisis .
In late spring and early summer , new COVID-19 cases were largely driven by cases in the Americas .
While the U.S. has consistently had the most new daily cases of coronavirus in the region , Brazil 's new daily cases increased rapidly between May and August .
However , in September , several countries that had previously flattened their curve saw a resurgence in cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , daily case counts have risen swiftly since June , without signs of slowing down .
Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time .
The first chart compares each continent to each other , while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region .
To compare country outbreaks , the chart below graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each country 's totals to date .
This type of visualization highlights a state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In countries like Israel , which is seeing a second wave of case growth after an initial wave in April , the line forms a V-shape , as the initially bent curve spikes upwards again .
Click here to see the state-by-state breakdown of cases in the United States .
This story was originally published on @ @ @ @ @

Coronavirus world map: We've now passed the 600 million mark for infections
Editor's note: This page is no longer being updated. The last update was Sept. 5, 2022. For current data about COVID-19 cases and deaths around the world, Johns Hopkins University and Our World in Data are useful resources.
In late January 2020 only a few dozen COVID-19 infections had been identified outside of China. A year later, the world tallied its first 100 million cases. It took the globe just 7 more months to pass the 200 million mark— then another 5 months to hit 300 million, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Now the virus has spread to every corner of the globe and has been blamed for more than 6 million deaths.
The United States, India and Brazil in that order have had the most COVID cases and the three nations collectively account for almost half of all recorded infections so far in the pandemic.
Explore the chart below to find a country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January 2020.
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Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time. The first chart compares each continent to each other, while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region.
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This story was originally published on March 30, 2020.


npr--2020-11-22--Coronavirus Is Surging: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

Coronavirus Is Surging : How Severe Is Your State 's Outbreak ?
More than 12 million people in the U.S. have had confirmed coronavirus infections and more than 250,000 have died of COVID-19 .
Tens of thousands of new cases are reported daily nationwide .
In the graphics below , explore the trends in your state .
View the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , curve charts , a table of state-by-state trends over four weeks , or a map of total cases and deaths .
The map above shows the risk of infection in each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capita .
The consortium of researchers and public health experts who developed these risk levels advises states in the red category to issue stay-home orders .
They advise orange states to consider stay-home orders , along with increased testing and contact tracing .
Yellow states need to keep up social distancing and mask usage , and all states should continue testing and contact tracing .
To compare state outbreaks , the chart above graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each state 's totals to date .
This type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth or decline relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In New York , the curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
New cases fell from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to under 900 a day most of the summer , before starting to rise in the fall .
Explore the map above to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country for both new confirmed cases and reported deaths from COVID-19 .
New York was the original epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. As of mid October , California , Florida and Texas surpass New York for total cases to date , though New York still has the highest death total .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
To show trends , the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state , week over week for the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of red have growing outbreaks ; those in shades of green , are declining .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local media reports .
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies .
This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases and or update their methodologies .
For example , in early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in the state 's daily numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reconcile the historical data .
On June 25 , New Jersey included 1,854 previously-unreported probable deaths in its totals , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
On Sept. 2 , Massachusetts changed its methodology for counting probable cases , which lowered its overall case and death numbers .
The JHU team maintains a list of such changes .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Tracking the coronavirus around the U.S.: See how your state is doing
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Note: This page was last updated on Feb. 1, 2023. It will no longer be updated. For current data on COVID cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Feb. 1, there have been more than 101 million confirmed coronavirus infections in the U.S. and more than 1 million people have died of COVID-19. In the graphics below, explore the trends in your state.
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The above charts show average new cases per 100,000 people for each state over the last 12 months.
Note: Actual cases may be substantially higher, since many who test positive with at-home tests don't report their cases.
For additional data about COVID-19 in the U.S, including cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
To show trends, the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state, week over week for the last 28 days. States marked in shades of red have growing outbreaks; those in shades of green, are declining.
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Methodology
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Health Organization; national, state and local government health departments; 1point3acres; and local media reports.
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies. This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds. There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department's website. Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships.
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases, process testing backlogs or update their methodologies. The JHU team maintains a list of such changes.
This story was originally published on March 16, 2020. Elena Renken was a co-author on that version. Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story. Carmel Wroth edited this story.


npr--2020-11-23--Israeli Prime Minister Secretly Flew To Saudi Arabia, Israeli Media Reports

Updated at 8:30 a.m .
ET Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly flew to Saudi Arabia on Sunday with his Mossad spy chief Yossi Cohen to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , multiple Israeli media outlets reported .
Saudi Arabia 's government has denied the reports .
It is the first such meeting between Israeli and Saudi leaders to be reported widely in Israeli media , and could be a signal that Israel , Saudi Arabia and the Trump Administration are coordinating their stance on Iran before President-elect Joe Biden takes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has denied that the reported meeting with Netanyahu took place , saying `` the only officials present were American and Saudi . ''
Biden has said he 'd consider reviving the Iran nuclear deal , which President Trump left at Israel 's urging .
Israel and Saudi Arabia , which share covert ties , both see Iran as an adversary .
Netanyahu 's office declined comment on the reported trip , but the prime minister may have dropped hints about it in a speech he delivered Sunday .
`` We must not return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must continue the uncompromising policy to ensure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon , '' Netanyahu said .
`` Thanks to our firm stance against a nuclear Iran – and thanks to our opposition to a nuclear deal with Iran – many Arab countries fundamentally changed their approach to Israel . ''
Hours after Netanyahu delivered the speech , an online flight tracker recorded a private plane , one reportedly used by Netanyahu before , flying Sunday evening from Tel Aviv to Neom in Saudi Arabia and returning about five hours later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirming the visit .
Israeli journalists noted that Israel 's military censor , which often bans publication of news sensitive to Israel 's national security , approved the reports for publication .
It is unclear if Israeli and Saudi officials also discussed opening formal diplomatic relations in the reported meeting , following in the footsteps of Saudi Arabia 's neighbors , the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain .
Pompeo , who has been touring Israel and Gulf Arab states touting the Trump administration 's pressure campaign on Iran , announced his meeting Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new high-tech city Neom , but did not mention if Netanyahu was present .
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem declined comment .
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz , a political rival of Netanyahu , criticized that the alleged visit was leaked to Israeli media , though it was unclear if he was confirming the reports .
`` The leak of the covert flight of the prime minister is an irresponsible step .
I do n't act that way .
I never acted that way and I will never act that way and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel need to be concerned , '' Gantz said in a meeting with his political party , according to a statement from his party 's office .

Israeli Prime Minister Secretly Flew To Saudi Arabia, Israeli Media Reports
Enlarge this image toggle caption Maya Alleruzzo/AP Maya Alleruzzo/AP
Updated at 8:30 a.m. ET
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly flew to Saudi Arabia on Sunday with his Mossad spy chief Yossi Cohen to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, multiple Israeli media outlets reported. Saudi Arabia's government has denied the reports.
It is the first such meeting between Israeli and Saudi leaders to be reported widely in Israeli media, and could be a signal that Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Trump administration are coordinating their stance on Iran before President-elect Joe Biden takes office.
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister has denied that the reported meeting with Netanyahu took place, saying "the only officials present were American and Saudi."
Biden has said he'd consider reviving the Iran nuclear deal, which President Trump left at Israel's urging. Israel and Saudi Arabia, which share covert ties, both see Iran as an adversary.
Netanyahu's office declined comment on the reported trip, but the prime minister may have dropped hints about it in a speech he delivered Sunday.
"We must not return to the old nuclear agreement. We must continue the uncompromising policy to ensure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon," Netanyahu said. "Thanks to our firm stance against a nuclear Iran — and thanks to our opposition to a nuclear deal with Iran — many Arab countries fundamentally changed their approach to Israel."
Hours after Netanyahu delivered the speech, an online flight tracker recorded a private plane, one reportedly used by Netanyahu before, flying Sunday evening from Tel Aviv to Neom in Saudi Arabia and returning about five hours later.
Israeli media cited anonymous Israeli officials confirming the visit. Israeli journalists noted that Israel's military censor, which often bans publication of news sensitive to Israel's national security, approved the reports for publication.
It is unclear if Israeli and Saudi officials also discussed opening formal diplomatic relations in the reported meeting, following in the footsteps of Saudi Arabia's neighbors, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Pompeo, who has been touring Israel and Gulf Arab states touting the Trump administration's pressure campaign on Iran, announced his meeting Sunday with bin Salman in Saudi Arabia's new high-tech city Neom, but did not mention if Netanyahu was present. The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem declined comment.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, a political rival of Netanyahu, criticized that the alleged visit was leaked to Israeli media, though it was unclear if he was confirming the reports.
"The leak of the covert flight of the prime minister is an irresponsible step. I don't act that way. I never acted that way and I will never act that way, and I think in that context the citizens of Israel need to be concerned," Gantz said in a meeting with his political party, according to a statement from his party's office.


npr--2020-11-23--Coronavirus Is Surging: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?