North America

March 17 (Reuters) - European Central Bank supervisors see no contagion for euro zone banks from recent sector turmoil, a source said on Friday, after U.S. lenders threw First Republic Bank (FRC.N) a $30 billion lifeline and tapped record amounts from the Federal Reserve.

Large U.S. banks on Thursday swooped in to rescue the San Francisco-based lender, which was caught up in market volatility triggered by the collapse of two other mid-size U.S. banks.

WASHINGTON, March 17 (Reuters) - A Republican U.S. senator's accusation on Thursday that Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had lied during a tussle over the future of the Social Security program obscured behind-the-scenes talks between the White House and lawmakers that have been underway for months, according to sources.

NEW YORK, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Wall Street's major averages advanced on Thursday, bolstered by solid gains in tech-related stocks and bank shares.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 371.98 points, or 1.17 percent, to 32,246.55. The S&P 500 added 68.35 points, or 1.76 percent, to 3,960.28. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased 283.23 points, or 2.48 percent, to 11,717.28.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 16 (Xinhua) -- As the share price of San Francisco-based First Republic Bank fell and its credit was downgraded, 11 U.S. large banks said on Thursday they would make uninsured deposits worth 30 billion U.S. dollars into First Republic Bank to shore it up.

The deposits came from Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, BNY Mellon, PNC Bank, State Street, Truist and U.S. Bank.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Senate voted Thursday to legalize medical marijuana in the state, delivering a breakthrough endorsement after years of resisting access to cannabis for people suffering from a series of debilitating illnesses.

The measure was passed by the Senate on a 26-11 vote, sending it the House, which has supported medical cannabis measures in the past. Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered a number of improvements in access to mental health care on Thursday to reduce suicides in the military, but held off on endorsing more controversial recommendations to restrict gun and ammunition purchases by young troops, sending them to another panel for study.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Besieged Republican Rep. George Santos arrives on the House floor most days to deliver short speeches — celebrating women-owned small businesses, a special high school in his district or raising concern about various countries in crises.

At other times he can be seen dashing through the halls of the U.S. Capitol as lawmakers do, from one meeting to the next. He once passed out doughnuts to the press corps staking out his office.

TORONTO (AP) — A 16-year-old wounded his mother with a firearm and then killed two police officers before taking his own life in western Canada early Thursday, officials told The Associated Press.

A police official and a senior government official said the male suspect shot and wounded his mother in Edmonton, Alberta. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as each was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 16 (APP): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has praised the “exemplary” service of Major General Zia Ur Rehman of Pakistan who has completed his assignment as Force Commander of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), a world body’s spokesman said Thursday.

Gen Reman has been replaced by Major General Md Fakhrul Ahsan of Bangladesh, Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at the regular noon brief at UN Headquarters in New York.

PORTLAND (Oregon), March 15 (NNN-XINHUA) — Two people were killed on Wednesday in a shooting at a hotel in Portland in the US state of Oregon, police said.

Port of Portland Police responded to the shooting at the Embassy Suites hotel near Portland International Airport (PDX) around 2 am. A man and a woman were confirmed dead, police said, adding their identities have not been confirmed.

“There is no ongoing threat to the PDX airport or the surrounding area at this time,” police said in a statement. No information about the suspect has been released.