The county that encompasses Manhattan added more than 17,000 residents in the year ended last July after losing almost 111,000 during the height of urban population decline stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Census Bureau released the latest estimates Thursday. Manhattan’s New York County was among several large, urban U.S. counties that either gained residents between July 2021 and July 2022 or stemmed the rate of losses compared with the same period a year earlier. The reversal was particularly notable in Sunbelt counties. International migration played a big part in the trend, but not every urban center is on the upswing. Los Angeles County lost 90,000 in the 12-month period.

Russia’s top security agency says an American reporter for The Wall Street Journal has been arrested on espionage charges. The Federal Security Service said Thursday that Evan Gershkovich was detained in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg while allegedly trying to obtain classified information. The Wall Street Journal said it “vehemently denies the allegations” and is seeking Gershkovich’s immediate release. The FSB didn’t say when the arrest took place. Gershkovich could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of espionage. He is the first American reporter to be arrested on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War. A Moscow court quickly ruled to keep Gershkovich behind bars pending the investigation.

King Charles III has become the first monarch to speak before Germany’s parliament. Charles is on his first foreign trip since becoming U.K. king. Charles and queen consort Camilla arrived in Berlin on Wednesday. Crowds of well-wishers and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier greeted the couple at the capital’s iconic Brandenburg Gate. They later attended a banquet in their honor at the presidential palace. The three-day visit has a decidedly political purpose. The U.K. government is trying to mend frayed ties with its continental partners following Brexit. The king also plans to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday.

Authorities say a train hauling ethanol and corn syrup derailed and caught fire in Minnesota and residents within 1/2 mile of the crash were ordered to evacuate from their homes. Kandiyohi County Sheriff Eric Tollefson says in a statement that the BNSF train derailment was reported about 1 a.m. Thursday in Raymond, about 100 miles west of Minneapolis. BNSF said 22 cars derailed and four caught fire, but there were no injuries. BNSF says there was no other hazardous material in the cars. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CNN that about 14 cars were carrying hazardous materials. BNSF said ethanol was the only hazardous material. Several federal agencies are responding to the crash and Gov. Tim Walz plans to visit the site Thursday.

Well, it was nice while it lasted. For nearly a year, the average used vehicle in the United States had been gradually edging toward affordable again for millions of people. The relief felt belated and relatively slight, but it was welcome nonetheless. From an eye-watering peak of $31,400 in April of last year, the average price had dropped 14% to $27,125 early this month. Now, with the supply of used vehicles failing to keep up with robust demand, prices are creeping up again. So many buyers have been priced out of the new-car market that fewer trade-ins are landing on dealer lots. Deepening the shortage, fewer used vehicles are coming off leases or being off-loaded by rental car companies.