NEW: US embassy officials in Saudi Arabia feel endangered by surging virus. They thought State Dept. leaders & Amb. Abizaid were putting employees at risk, so secretly got info to Congress. Trump is sensitive about MBS & Saudi ties. w/ @MarkMazzettiNYT. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/01/us/politics/coronavirus-us-embassy-saudi-arabia.html

2. More than 50 US mission employees in Saudi Arabia fell ill from the virus. A driver for top diplomats died. More than 20 people were quarantined after a birthday BBQ. The country's hospitals are overwhelmed. Some mission employees want full evacuation. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/01/us/politics/coronavirus-us-embassy-saudi-arabia.html

3. Saudi Arabia reports about 4,000 new cases daily. It's one of the world's fastest-growing caseloads & astounding given country's population size. Yet the Saudis have ended lockdown. US did ordered departures from other Middle East missions months ago. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/01/us/politics/coronavirus-us-embassy-saudi-arabia.html