England (AP) — When Nikki Haley was a South Carolina legislator, she backed budgets boosted by federal aid. Running for governor, she criticized a “bailout culture” and dependence on Washington.

She once called the Confederate battle flag a heritage symbol and sidestepped calls to remove it from statehouse grounds. After a racist massacre in Charleston, Haley moved to take it down.

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.

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.

NEW YORK (AP) — A man who served 14 years in prison for a deadly 1990s shooting was exonerated Thursday after prosecutors said they now believe the killer was an acquaintance he has implicated for decades.

“I lost 14 years of my life for a crime that I didn’t commit,” Steven Ruffin told a Brooklyn judge after sighing with emotion.

Although Ruffin was paroled in 2010 and has since built a career in sanitation in Georgia, he said that getting his manslaughter conviction dismissed and his name cleared “will help me move on.”

MOSCOW (AP) — More than 1,000 people rallied in the Russian region of Bashkortostan on Friday, continuing a series of protests triggered by the conviction and sentencing of a local activist and handing a new challenge to the Kremlin.

BRUSSELS, January 19. /TASS/: The European Union intends to introduce new sanctions against Russia by the second anniversary of the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, a EU spokesperson told reporters.

"Yes, I can confirm that member-countries and the top diplomat intend to mark the second anniversary with new sanctions against Russia," he said, stressing that the EU is working on this matter.

"We are working on them and hope to achieve the result," the spokesperson added.

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.

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 19 (Reuters) - At a dinner in the Swiss ski resort of Davos this week, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani hosted business and political leaders to showcase Iraq's improved security and finances.

As the private event was about to end, two attendees told Reuters, news reached some guests that Iran had fired ballistic missiles at what it said was an Israeli "spy headquarters" in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.

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.

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.

BEIRUT, January 19. /TASS/: Israeli Air Force planes carried out massive strikes at Hezbollah outposts in south Lebanon.

A source in the civil defense of the city of Marjaayoun told TASS that four air-based missiles were launched at Shia militants’ positions at the Jabal Blat heights.

"Several powerful explosions occurred, that were heard in the port of Tyre and the Bint Jbeil area," the source said. "Thick smoke rose from the bombing location; it is probable that an ammunition depot was hit during the attack."

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Friday it had tested a purported underwater nuclear attack drone in response to a combined naval exercise between South Korea and the United States and Japan this week, as it continues to blame its rivals for raising tensions in the region.

The alleged drone test came days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared he would scrap his country’s long-standing goal of a peaceful unification with South Korea and that his country would rewrite its constitution to define South Korea as its most hostile foreign adversary.