USA

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Standing or stopping is now banned on pedestrian bridges on the Las Vegas Strip where visitors often pause to take photos amid the glittery casino lights or to watch street performers.

Violators of the ordinance that took effect Tuesday could face up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine.

Ohio (AP) —Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced proposals this month that transgender advocates say could block access to gender-affirming care provided by independent clinics and general practitioners, leaving thousands of adults scrambling for treatment and facing health risks.

WASHINGTON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - An Atlas Air Boeing 747-8 (BA.N), opens new tab cargo plane made an emergency landing in Miami late Thursday shortly after departure after suffering an engine fire.

The plane with five crew members safely returned and no injuries were reported.

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday welcomed an operation led by Qatar and France to deliver additional and much-needed medicines and medical supplies to the civilian population in Gaza and to deliver vital medicines to hostages currently held in Gaza.

"The entry of these critical supplies and humanitarian aid to Gaza is encouraging, however, much more aid needs to come into the Gaza Strip," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for Guterres.

The UN chief commended Qatar and France for all their efforts, Dujarric added.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- The United States and China should shoulder their responsibility for history, the people and the world and usher in a brighter future for their relations, China's top envoy in Washington has said.

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng made the remarks at a reception in the Chinese embassy Tuesday commemorating the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations and celebrating the 2024 Chinese New Year.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Turkey’s first astronaut along with a Swede and Italian launched Thursday to the International Space Station on a chartered SpaceX flight.

The Falcon rocket blasted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in late afternoon, carrying the three men, all with military pilot experience and representing their homelands. Their escort on the trip: A retired NASA astronaut who now works for the company that arranged the private flight.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Taiwan’s top diplomat in Washington has a message for both the island’s Chinese adversaries and its American friends: Don’t worry that Taiwan’s new president-elect will worsen relations with Beijing and possibly draw the U.S. into a conflict.

President-elect Lai Ching-te plans to keep the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, Alexander Tah-Ray Yui told The Associated Press on Thursday in his first interview with an international news organization since he arrived in the U.S. in December.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress sent President Joe Biden a short-term spending bill on Thursday that would avert a looming partial government shutdown and fund federal agencies into March.

The House approved the measure by a vote of 314-108, with opposition coming mostly from the more conservative members of the Republican conference. Shortly before the vote, the House Freedom Caucus announced it “strongly opposes” the measure because it would facilitate more spending than they support.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday unveiled $82 million for North Carolina to help connect 16,000 new households and businesses to high-speed internet, delivering an election-year pitch about policies he says are “just getting started” at improving the United States.

Biden, the Democratic incumbent who is campaigning to win a second term, coupled his economic message with a few jabs at his predecessor, Donald Trump, currently the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination and his most likely future challenger.

UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Families of the children and teachers killed in the Uvalde, Texas, school massacre are renewing demands for criminal charges after a scathing Justice Department report again laid bare numerous failures by police during one of the deadliest classroom shootings in U.S. history.

“I’m very surprised that no one has ended up in prison,” said Velma Lisa Duran, whose sister Irma Garcia was one of the two teachers killed in the May 24, 2022, shooting. “It’s sort of a slap in the face that all we get is a review ... we deserve justice.”