10 things you need to know today: May 20, 2020

1. Mnuchin warns some economic damage could be permanent unless states reopen

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday that the U.S. economy might suffer "permanent damage" from the coronavirus crisis if states wait too long to let businesses reopen. He said if people remain unemployed for extended periods their careers might never recover. In a joint appearance, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that the economy could face long-term damage unless authorities use further aggressive policies to boost the economy through the crisis. Powell suggested that the Fed might have to expand its purchases of municipal bonds so that state and local governments don't slow the recovery by laying off workers. Powell said the economy won't recover completely until the public health emergency ends.

The Washington Post The New York Times

2. WHO members agree to review coronavirus response

World Health Organization member nations on Tuesday ignored President Trump's letter demanding "major, substantive improvements" within 30 days, but agreed to conduct an "impartial, independent" review of the WHO's coronavirus response. Trump threatened in his Monday letter to permanently cut off U.S. funding to the organization, accusing it of failing to do enough to warn the world about the early outbreak in China last year. Trump said in his letter that a review by his administration found the WHO made "grossly inaccurate or misleading" claims about the coronavirus, and "consistently ignored credible" early reports about the outbreak, "including reports from The Lancet medical journal" in December. The Lancet released a statement saying Trump's claim was "factually incorrect," noting its first articles on the coronavirus were published Jan. 24.

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The New York Times The Lancet

3. 2 dams fail in Michigan, forcing 10,000 evacuations

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency in Midland County after two dams breached following heavy rains. Whitmer warned that downtown Midland, a city of 40,000 and the home of Dow Chemical, could be under 9 feet of water by Wednesday afternoon. "If you have a family member or loved one who lives in another part of the state, go there now," Whitmer said. "If you don't, go to one of the shelters that have opened across the county." About 10,000 people were evacuated from areas that could face flooding despite Whitmer's stay-at-home order imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus. "This is truly a historic event that's playing out in the midst of another historic event," Whitmer said.

Detroit Free Press CNN

4. All 50 states now starting to reopen economies

All 50 states have started reopening their economies and easing coronavirus lockdowns as of Wednesday. Governors and public health officials caution that areas where restrictions are being lifted are at risk of a new wave of infections, however, because the numbers of cases and deaths in the U.S. continue to rise. As of late Tuesday, there were more than 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S., and more than 91,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Public health officials in some states have faced allegations of bungling or even fudging coronavirus statistics to make the situation look better than it is. The data scientist who developed Florida's coronavirus dashboard, for example, said this week that she was fired for refusing to tweak data to "drum up support for the plan to open."

The Washington Post The Associated Press

5. Senate panel advances Ratcliffe nomination as intelligence chief

The Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday advanced President Trump's nomination of Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) to be the next director of national intelligence. The vote was 8-7, along party lines. Ratcliffe faced bipartisan criticism over his propensity toward right-wing conspiracies last year, and Trump eventually withdrew his nomination. Ratcliffe was more dismissive of so-called "deep state" conspiracies during his nomination hearing this time around, and all eight Republicans on the committee voted in his favor. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he'd bring Ratcliffe's nomination for a full Senate vote as soon as possible.

Bloomberg

6. Court says New York can't cancel Democratic primary

The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday ruled that New York's Board of Elections can't call off the presidential primary scheduled for June 23. The ruling will put former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and several other Democrats back on the ballot even though all but Biden have suspended their campaigns. The board decided in late April to cancel the Democratic primary because it determined Biden was the only candidate left. Sanders protested the decision, and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang led a lawsuit to get the primary reinstated. Sanders suspended his campaign and endorsed Biden, but encouraged supporters to keep voting for him so his progressive ideas could gain influence in the Democratic Party.

BuzzFeed News Politico

7. Trump administration extends closure of Canada, Mexico borders

The Trump administration on Tuesday extended the closure of the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico land borders until June 22. "The president has made it clear that we must continue to keep legitimate, commercial trade flowing while limiting those seeking to enter our country for non-essential purposes," Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of Homeland Security, said in a statement announcing the decision. "Non-essential travel will not be permitted until this administration is convinced that doing so is safe and secure." He said Canada and Mexico agreed to the extension, which doesn't affect air, rail, or sea travel. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that the decision was part of a mutual agreement, saying the 30-day extension was "the right thing" to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

USA Today

8. Shutdowns lead to record drop in carbon dioxide emissions

Daily global carbon dioxide emissions were down by 17 percent at the height of coronavirus stay-at-home orders in early April compared to last year's daily average, returning to levels last seen in 2006 as shutdowns reduced pollution, according to a study published Tuesday. Scientists estimate an annual decrease of 4 to 7 percent. Forty-three percent of the decrease stemmed from reduced surface transportation, including cars, trucks, and buses. All sectors examined had a decrease in emissions, except the residential sector, which saw a growth of 2.8 percent, likely from people staying home. "Globally, we haven't seen a drop this big ever," said Corinne Le Quéré, a climate-change professor at Britain's University of East Anglia, and the study's lead author.

NBC News

9. Johnson & Johnson to stop selling talc powder in U.S.

Johnson & Johnson announced Tuesday that it would stop selling its talcum-based Baby Powder in the United States and Canada. The company said the move was prompted by declining demand "due in large part to changes in consumer habits," but it came as the company faced more than 19,000 lawsuits over the product. Johnson & Johnson said "misinformation around the safety of the product and a constant barrage of litigation advertising" also factored into the decision. Plaintiffs in the lawsuits claim that after years of use, Johnson & Johnson's talcum-based baby powder caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma due to contamination with asbestos, a known carcinogen. The company has won some of those lawsuits, but lost others, with a jury in 2018 awarding 22 plaintiffs $4.69 billion.

The Wall Street Journal Reuters

10. Annie Glenn, John Glenn's widow, dies of COVID-19 complications

Annie Glenn, the widow of former astronaut and senator John Glenn, died Tuesday of COVID-19 complications at a Minnesota nursing home. She was 100. Annie and John Glenn had been married for 73 years when he died in 2016 at age 95. Annie Glenn had avoided public attention until emerging in midlife as an inspiration to people with disabilities by overcoming a chronic stutter that limited her public life as her husband burst onto the national scene. "Annie Glenn was certainly our most beloved Ohioan," said Gov. Mike DeWine, who served with John Glenn in the U.S. Senate. "There wouldn't have been a John Glenn without Annie Glenn. Theirs is an inspiring love story. She represented all that is good about our country."

USA Today