Nov 30, 2017

Scoop: Perry heads to Middle East this week

Perry at a news conference in Washington. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin / AP

Energy secretary Rick Perry leaves Thursday for a three-country trip to the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates, according to a department official.

Why it matters: This is Perry's first trip to the region as secretary, where he will meet his energy counterparts. The visit could highlight the geopolitical tension present with the U.S. shale oil surge competing with Saudi Arabia and other OPEC producers for market share. The Middle East is ground zero for a lot of issues in the energy space – especially oil and natural gas but also less high-profile areas like advanced nuclear power and technologies that capture carbon emissions from fossil fuels.

What we're watching: To what degree Perry talks about the initial public offering planned by Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil company of Saudi Arabia. President Trump tweeted in early November he wants the company to post the IPO on the New York Stock Exchange. Separately, Perry is expected to speak at a conference on carbon technology in the United Arab Emirates.

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Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 1 a.m. ET: 722,435 — Total deaths: 33,997 — Total recoveries: 151,991.
U.S.: Leads the world in cases. Total confirmed cases as of 1 a.m.. ET: 142,502 — Total deaths: 2,506 — Total recoveries: 4,856.
Federal government latest: President Trump says his administration will extend its "15 Days to Slow the Spread" guidelines until April 30.
Public health updates: Fauci says 100,000 to 200,000 Americans could die from virus.
State updates: Louisiana governor says state is on track to exceed ventilator capacity by end of this week — Cuomo says Trump's mandatory quarantine comments "panicked" some people into fleeing New York
World updates: Italy on Sunday reports 756 new deaths, bringing its total 10,779. Spain reports almost 840 dead, another new daily record that bring its total to over 6,500.
What should I do? Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk
Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it.

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The big picture: COVID-19 had killed over 2,400 people in the U.S. by Sunday night. That's far fewer than in Italy, where over 10,000 people have died — accounting for a third of the global death toll. The number of people who've recovered from the virus in the U.S. exceeded 2,600 Sunday evening.

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