May 8, Friday, 2020 (1:30 p.m.) Newsline

  1. Japan’s government says it may lift the nationwide state of emergency regarding the coronavirus outbreak before the planned end date of May 31 in many of the 34 prefectures that are not under special alert.
  2. U.S. unemployment surged to a record high last month as the coronavirus pandemic battered the world’s largest economy.
  3. The United Nations has called for 6.7 billion dollars in additional funds to help vulnerable countries and territories cope with the coronavirus pandemic.