| |  |  | The Reuters Daily Briefing | Friday, August 5, 2022 by Sharon Kimathi | Hello Here's what you need to know. U.S. says China's firing of missiles over Taiwan is unjustified escalation, Russia says it's ready to discuss a prisoner swap after basketball player Brittney Griner gets jail, and U.S. prosecutors charge four Kentucky police officers in Breonna Taylor killing. | | | | | Today's biggest stories  The Rocket Force under the Eastern Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducts conventional missile tests into the waters off the eastern coast of Taiwan, from an undisclosed location in this handout released on August 4, 2022. World China's firing of missiles during military drills around Taiwan was an unjustified escalation, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today, as Beijing said it would sanction House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi for visiting the island.
Russia and the United States said they were ready to discuss a prisoner swap after a Russian court sentenced basketball star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison for a drugs offense yesterday.
Three grain ships left Ukrainian ports under a safe passage deal today while the first inbound cargo vessel since Russia's invasion was due in Ukraine later in the day to load, and Kyiv called for the pact to be extended to other goods such as metals.
Adverse weather across top rice suppliers in Asia, including the biggest exporter India, is threatening to reduce the output of the world's most important food staple and stoke food inflation that is already near record highs.
North Korea said all of its fever patients have recovered, marking the end of its first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, but challenges linger with economic hardships deepening and an unvaccinated population exposed to future resurgences, analysts said.
|  Protesters celebrate after the announcement that the FBI arrested and brought civil rights charges against four current and former Louisville police officers for their roles in the 2020 fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor, in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S., August 4, 2022. REUTERS/Amira Karaoud U.S. U.S. prosecutors charged four current and former Louisville, Kentucky, police officers with civil rights violations for their roles in the botched 2020 raid that killed Breonna Taylor, a Black woman who was in her home, in a case that sparked nationwide protests.
The United States has declared monkeypox a public health emergency, the health secretary said, a move expected to free up additional funding and tools to fight the disease.
U.S. conspiracy theorist Alex Jones should pay parents of a child killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre at least $4.1 million for falsely claiming the shooting was a hoax, a Texas jury said.
Democratic U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema said she agreed to "move forward" on a $430 billion drug pricing, energy and tax bill, subject to a Senate arbiter's approval of the bill, which Democrats intend to pass over Republican objections.
Four people were found dead at two separate residences in the small Nebraska farming town of Laurel when police responded to reports of explosions and fires at the homes, authorities said. | | | | | | | | | | | Video of the day  South Korea launches first lunar orbiter on SpaceX rocket South Korea launched its first lunar orbiter as it doubles down on its space programs, aiming to land a probe on the moon by 2030. | | | | And finally… Young Cuban ballplayers dream of U.S. major leagues  Juan Reinaldo Pérez, president of the Cuban Baseball Federation, told Reuters the continuing pipeline of talent - including those that leave Cuba - still fuels hope for the future of Cuban baseball. | | | Thanks for spending part of your day with us. | | | | | |
