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MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

The Biden administration is anticipated to announce immediately that it’s going to ship a brand new weapon to Ukraine – cluster bombs.

ROB SCHMITZ, HOST:

These cluster munitions have been round for many years, they usually’ve been efficient in fight, however they’re additionally controversial, and many countries have pledged to not use them.

MARTIN: We have been questioning why that is taking place now, so we’re joined by NPR nationwide safety correspondent Greg Myre in Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv. Greg, thanks a lot for being right here.

GREG MYRE, BYLINE: Sure factor, Michel.

MARTIN: So may you simply give us a brief rationalization of what cluster munitions are and why they’re so controversial?

MYRE: So a cluster bomb might be dropped from a aircraft, although the Ukrainians would probably be firing them from the bottom in an artillery shell. And whereas the cluster bomb is within the air, it breaks open and releases dozens and even tons of of little bomblets. And this may be very efficient when used towards troops unfold out over an enormous space as a result of there’s not only one explosion. All these little bomblets are meant to blow up over an unlimited area the scale of a metropolis block or so. However, some bomblets are duds. They do not detonate. They’re small. They stay on the bottom. They can turn into embedded slightly below the floor. So years later, after a struggle is over, civilians can stroll by way of these areas and step on the bomblets, inflicting them to blow up and inflicting damage or loss of life. For this cause, human rights teams say they should not be used actually for a similar cause they opposed landmines.

MARTIN: But have they already been used on this struggle?

MYRE: Yes, they’ve. Russia has used them extensively in Ukraine to a lesser diploma, in line with analysis by Human Rights Watch. And greater than 120 nations, together with most NATO members, pledged to not use them underneath a 2008 conference. But Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. should not a part of that settlement. The U.S. has used them up to now. I keep in mind them way back to the primary U.S. struggle in Iraq in 1991. It regarded like a very dangerous golfer had left dozens of massive divots all around the course. And that immediately grabbed your consideration as a result of if you noticed this, you knew some unexploded bomblets have been lurking close by.

MARTIN: So why is that this so vital to Ukraine, and why now?

MYRE: Yeah, the principle cause this appears to be taking place now could be Ukraine is urgent this main offensive, and it is operating low on artillery shells. Ukraine is making an attempt to interrupt by way of Russian traces within the east and the south, the place the Russian troops are deeply entrenched. And the cluster munitions might be a really helpful weapon as a result of you possibly can hit a bigger patch of territory with simply one in all these weapons, in comparison with a standard artillery shell. The U.S. has a big provide of them on the shelf, so it might presumably give them to Ukraine fairly shortly. And U.S. officers have advised NPR that the dud charge has come down considerably. Mine-clearing teams used to speak about charges of 20% or extra. The U.S. says it’s going to solely be sending these with a dud charge of round 2% or much less. Some critics, although, do query the Pentagon’s declare that the speed is basically this low.

MARTIN: Greg, earlier than we allow you to go, are you able to give us a fast replace on the standing of Ukraine’s offensive?

MYRE: Yeah, the Ukrainian army gave a really particular reply this week, stated Ukraine had retaken 9 villages and 62 sq. miles for the reason that offensive started a month in the past. Now, these figures are little or no modified during the last week or two, and it is a lot slower and extra restricted than many anticipated.

MARTIN: That is NPR’s Greg Myre in Kyiv. Greg, thanks.

MYRE: Sure factor, Michel.

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MARTIN: For the primary time, the Food and Drug Administration has given its full approval to a drug that’s proven to decelerate Alzheimer’s illness.

SCHMITZ: That means many extra seniors may have entry as a result of Medicare can pay for it.

MARTIN: NPR’s Jon Hamilton covers mind science and is right here with us to inform us extra about it. Jon, good morning.

JON HAMILTON, BYLINE: Good morning.

MARTIN: So what do folks have to know most about this drug?

HAMILTON: Well, for starters, it’s known as Leqembi. Its generic identify is lecanemab. It’s administered by an intravenous infusion each different week. And if you give it to folks within the early phases of Alzheimer’s, it seems to decelerate the lack of reminiscence and considering by about 27%. That all sounds fairly good. But this impact is basically fairly modest, and the query a whole lot of docs have proper now could be whether or not this drug will actually make a distinction to most sufferers and their households. So I really requested Dr. Sanjeev Vaishnavi. He’s a neurologist on the University of Pennsylvania. Here’s what he stated about Leqembi.

SANJEEV VAISHNAVI: It’s not a house run. It’s not one thing that is going to cease the illness or reverse it. But it might decelerate development of the illness and will give folks extra significant or high quality time with their households.

MARTIN: So how does this drug work?

HAMILTON: Right. So Leqembi is what’s often called a monoclonal antibody. These are antibodies which can be made within the lab, they usually’re programmed to go after a particular goal within the physique. This drug is designed to seek out and take away a substance within the mind known as amyloid beta. In folks with Alzheimer’s, amyloid beta tends to kind these clumps and finally these sticky plaques. They construct up between mind cells. Scientists assume that someplace alongside the way in which on this course of, one thing damages mind cells and results in dementia. They assume Leqembi works by interfering with that course of.

MARTIN: So the FDA has now given its full approval to this drug. Would you simply inform us what precisely meaning and why does that matter?

HAMILTON: So again in January, the FDA gave Leqembi one thing known as an accelerated approval. It’s a type of a conditional approval. That was based mostly purely on its capacity to take away amyloid from the mind. That meant docs may really prescribe the drug, however Medicare usually would not pay for it as a result of the drug had not proven that it had really slowed down the illness. And by the way in which, this drug is dear. It prices about $26,500 a yr. So now this full approval means the FDA now believes the drug actually does assist sufferers. And it additionally implies that Medicare can pay. That is essential as a result of Medicare covers folks 65 and older. And in different phrases, we’re speaking in regards to the overwhelming majority of individuals with Alzheimer’s.

MARTIN: So does that imply that everyone who qualifies is now going to have the ability to get this drug, like, I do not know, tomorrow?

HAMILTON: Well, not precisely. I imply, even with full approval, many of those folks nonetheless will not have entry to Leqembi. This drug is just for people who find themselves within the very early phases of Alzheimer’s and have elevated ranges of amyloid. So even with that restriction, although, this drug may doubtlessly attain one million folks or extra, and, sadly, it has unwanted effects.

MARTIN: What are the unwanted effects you are speaking about?

HAMILTON: Leqembi may cause bleeding or swelling within the mind. That appears to be associated to the method of eradicating amyloid, which might really trigger irritation. So in different phrases, the method that’s serving to the mind can even trigger harm. So when folks first begin taking this drug, they’re required to get periodic mind scans to search for hassle.

MARTIN: That is NPR’s Jon Hamilton. Jon, thanks.

HAMILTON: Thank you.

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MARTIN: President Biden made some main guarantees to the extra progressive wing of his occasion on his technique to the White House.

SCHMITZ: He stated he’d forgive pupil loans, finish new drilling on federal lands and make two years of group school free for all. So far, his report on delivering on these guarantees has been blended. And within the run as much as 2024, some progressive voters and activists need Biden to do extra and do it quicker.

MARTIN: Deepa Shivaram covers the White House for NPR and is with us as soon as once more to inform us extra about this story. Good morning.

DEEPA SHIVARAM, BYLINE: Hey, Michel.

MARTIN: So let’s begin with pupil loans. The Supreme Court blocked Biden’s debt reduction plan final week – clearly, a disappointment for individuals who have been relying on that, even perhaps budgeting for that. But how are progressive voters responding to that? And I’m significantly enthusiastic about in the event that they blame Biden or the courtroom for his or her disappointment about all this.

SHIVARAM: Yeah, there’s undoubtedly just a little little bit of a sentiment amongst some progressive voters that Biden overpromised on forgiving pupil debt. You heard the president say that he is aware of persons are dissatisfied, however he rejected that he gave folks false hope, and he is making an attempt to put the blame on Republicans. But what has additionally stood out to progressive teams that I spoke with is that Biden bounced again with one other plan instantly. It’ll take longer, however they have been glad that Biden did not simply throw his palms up on this concern, they usually assume he ought to apply that very same technique to another points as effectively. Here’s Joseph Geevarghese. He’s with a gaggle known as Our Revolution. It’s a political group which was began by supporters of Senator Bernie Sanders.

JOSEPH GEEVARGHESE: It’s a blended bag. The president’s made a down cost, however he is bought to struggle like hell within the remaining time frame to indicate voters that he is doing every thing in his energy to ship on the pocketbook points that matter to him.

MARTIN: So a blended bag. Deepa, does that recommend that it’ll lower into assist for the president in 2024?

SHIVARAM: That is a matter of enthusiasm. I talked to Adam Green, who’s the co-chair of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. It’s a gaggle that backed lawmakers like Senator Elizabeth Warren. But he says Biden is doing one thing efficient, and that is the technique of drawing contrasts together with his personal agenda and the agenda of right-wing Republicans.

ADAM GREEN: It’s essential that Joe Biden, on behalf of all Democrats, picks very high-intensity fights with Republicans on issues like economics, abortion and democracy. He actually must clarify what the battle traces are in order that common individuals who reside busy lives say, oh, I really care about that. It’s value my time to vote.

SHIVARAM: And we already know that with abortion particularly, public opinion on the difficulty is not consistent with what Republicans are calling for. And that is a message that Biden can be taking to the path in 2024.

MARTIN: So say extra about that. Where do progressive teams assume Biden can nonetheless take extra aggressive motion?

SHIVARAM: There’s some unfinished enterprise – issues like little one care, common pre-Ok that Biden’s going to run on once more. But local weather motion is an enormous concern the place a whole lot of voters really feel like Biden has backed out on what he promised in 2020. For instance, the president campaigned on guarantees to finish new drilling on federal lands as a way to rein in emissions. But he authorized a brand new enterprise in Alaska known as the Willow Project earlier this yr. Millions of individuals petitioned towards it, and local weather activists see it as a complete about-face and a disappointment for individuals who voted for Biden based mostly on his local weather agenda. But I’ll add right here that Biden has already picked up quite a lot of endorsements from environmental and conservation teams, and he is campaigning laborious on his report on investing in clear power tasks.

MARTIN: That is NPR’s Deepa Shivaram. Deepa, thanks.

SHIVARAM: Thank you.

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