By Nathan Layne (Reuters) -A Minnesota judge on Friday sentenced former police officer Kimberly Potter to two years in the fatal shooting of Black motorist Daunte Wright during a traffic stop, a lighter sentence than the roughly seven years in prison s…
U.S. Surgeon General Murthy and his family test positive for COVID
(Reuters) – U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and his family have tested positive for COVID-19, he said on Friday. “My 5 year old son, my wife Alice, and I have all tested positive for COVID-19. Our son has a runny nose and low grade fever but is other…
Three trapped, nine missing after flames engulf Greece-Italy ferry
By Lefteris Papadimas and Angelo Amante CORFU, Greece, (Reuters) -Nine passengers were missing after a blaze engulfed a ferry sailing from Greece to Italy early on Friday and firefighters battled to rescue people trapped on the ship, authorities said. …
U.S. existing home sales surge; investors pushing out first-time buyers
By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON(Reuters) -U.S. home sales unexpectedly increased in January, but investors paying in cash are squeezing out first-time buyers from the housing market amid record low inventory and higher prices. The surge in sales of previo…
Storm Eunice batters Europe, killing at least 8
By Paul Sandle and Muvija M LONDON (Reuters) -An Atlantic storm battered northwestern European on Friday with record winds of up to 122 miles per hour, killing at least eight people, knocking out power for tens of thousands and shredding the roof of Lo…
After subway attacks, New York to increase patrols, expand outreach to mentally ill
By Julia Harte NEW YORK (Reuters) -New York will seek to make the city’s subway system safer by increasing police patrols and expanding outreach to the mentally ill, Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams said on Friday, responding to a series of r…
U.S. unveils tool to direct green investment to disadvantaged communities
By Valerie Volcovici WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House on Friday launched a beta version of a tool that will be used to determine where to invest bilions of federal dollars to bring clean energy and infrastructure to disadvantaged communities, a k…
Hong Kong ‘cannot afford to lose’ fight against surging COVID
By Joyce Zhou and Twinnie Siu HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Friday that it would take up to three months to stabilise a worsening COVID-19 pandemic that has overwhelmed health facilities and forced the postponement of an upc…
Hong Kong’s future unclear as leadership election, lacking front-runner, is delayed by COVID
By James Pomfret HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong on Friday postponed an election for a new leader until May to battle a raging COVID outbreak, but unlike previous years, there’s still no front-runner for the job, adding to uncertainty about the city’s …
Japan PM Kishida’s border easing as COVID deaths spike draws ire online
By Rocky Swift and Elaine Lies TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s plan to relax the strictest COVID-19 border controls among wealthy nations has pleased nobody, with businesses and student groups worried it might not be enough wh…