Wednesday,  May 20th, 2020

Michigan becomes the fourth state in the U.S. to pass 5,000 deaths from COVID-19. As of this date, the state has 5,017 reported deaths and 52,350 total cases. (MLive.com)

WHO members agree to review coronavirus response despite Trump During the World Health Organization’s annual meeting in Geneva on Tuesday, representatives of the member nations agreed to conduct an “impartial, independent” and “comprehensive evaluation” of the organization that would review “experience gained and lessons learned from the WHO-coordinated international health response to COVID-19.” On Monday, President Trump made public a letter he sent to WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, which accused the agency of protecting China and threatened to cut off U.S. funding. The other WHO member nations pushed back against this on Tuesday, with a spokesperson for the European Commission saying now is “the time for solidarity, not the time for finger pointing.” Source: The New York Times

Top officials warn of ‘permanent damage’ to economy, need for major policy effort Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Tuesday the U.S. economy could sustain “permanent damage” if state shutdown measures continue for months longer. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell agreed the economic outlook is dire amid the coronavirus pandemic, and suggested large-scale federal and state policy efforts will be necessary to slow the downturn and ignite recovery. Powell said the Fed may expand its program to buy municipal debt. “We may need to do more, and Congress may, as well,” he said. Mnuchin deflected blame on the administration’s handling of the crisis, saying the government has provided “enormous amounts” of support to states. He said if shutdown measures continue, some unemployed Americans may no longer have jobs to return to. Source: The Washington Post

Global carbon dioxide emissions see historic drop The worldwide drop in carbon emissions due to coronavirus shutdowns could be the largest in recorded history, scientists say. As of early April, daily global carbon dioxide emissions decreased by 17 percent compared to last year’s levels, corresponding with emission levels of 2006, according to a study published Tuesday. Scientists estimate an annual decrease of 4 to 7 percent. Researchers analyzed 69 countries, representing 97 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, and found 43 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. The decline isn’t likely to significantly combat climate change, as carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for a long time. Source: NBC News

The End