Portal:Current events/2020 May 8

May 8, 2020 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Insurgency in Balochistan
- A roadside bombing in Kech, Pakistan, struck a patrol vehicle, killing six soldiers, including an army major. The Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack. (The New York Times)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Coronavirus recession
- The U.S. unemployment rate hits 14.7%, the highest since the Great Depression, mainly due to job losses from the COVID-19 pandemic. (The Washington Post)
Microsoft announces a $1.5 billion investment in Italy, as part of its expansion of cloud computing services around the world. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Visakhapatnam gas leak
- The death toll from a styrene gas leak in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, rises to 13. (The Weather Channel)
Aurangabad railway accident
- A train kills 16 migrant workers who were sleeping on the tracks in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India. According to initial inquiries, the engineer tried to stop the freight train when he saw the workers. (Reuters)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait
  - Kuwait announces a total curfew lasting from May 10–30, as part of new measures to prevent the spread of the virus. This comes after the Health Ministry confirmed 641 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily increase to date. (Gulf News)

International relations

Macuto Bay raid, United States–Venezuela relations
- Venezuelan Chief Prosecutor Tarek William Saab formally requests the extradition of U.S. citizen Jordan Goudreau and two dissident Venezuelans, JJ Rendón and Sergio Vergara, over their involvement in the armed incursion earlier this week, known as "Operation Gideon". (Reuters)

Law and crime

Former Ethiopian minister of communication Bereket Simon is sentenced to six years in prison for corruption and mismanagement of public funds. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

The Supreme Court of Malawi rejects a bid from President Peter Mutharika and upholds a lower court ruling that annulled last year's elections, paving the way for a new election that will be held on July 2. (Al Jazeera)