New York

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen is scheduled to testify Monday before a Manhattan grand jury investigating hush-money payments made on the former president’s behalf, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. They were not authorized to speak publicly about grand jury proceedings and did so on condition of anonymity.

NEW YORK, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Oil prices declined on Thursday, notching a three-day losing streak, as traders focused on recession risks.

The West Texas Intermediate for April delivery dropped 94 cents, or 1.23 percent, to settle at 75.72 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for May delivery lost 1.07 dollars, or 1.29 percent, to close at 81.59 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.

The above market reactions came after data showed U.S. initial jobless claims came in higher than expected for the week ending March 4.

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has been invited to testify before a New York grand jury that has been investigating hush money payments made on his behalf during his 2016 presidential campaign, according to one of his lawyers.

Trump attorney Joseph Tacopina confirmed Thursday that the Manhattan district attorney’s office has invited the former president to testify next week as prosecutors near a decision on whether to proceed with what could be the first criminal case ever brought against a former U.S. president.

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 09 (APP): Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Thursday met the President of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Korosi, ahead of Friday’s high-level meeting to commemorate the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

Co-convened by the General Assembly president and the Pakistani foreign minister, the meeting will discuss ways and means to deal with growing Islamophobia, as highlighted in the 2020 Assembly resolution designating March 15 as an international day to combat the phenomenon.

NEW YORK (AP) — In May 2018, the nation’s top Republicans needed help. So they called on the founder of Fox News, Rupert Murdoch.

President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell were trying to stop West Virginia Republicans from nominating Don Blankenship, who had been convicted of violating mine safety standards during a lethal accident in one of his coal mines, to challenge the state’s incumbent senator, Democrat Joe Manchin.

UNITED NATIONS, March 8. /TASS/: The grain deal needs to be extended beyond March 18, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said at a meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in Kiev on Wednesday, according to a transcript of the meeting released by the UN.

"I want to underscore the critical importance of the rollover of the Black Sea Grain Initiative on 18 March and of working to create the conditions to enable the greatest possible use of export infrastructures through the Black Sea, in line with the objectives of the initiative," he said.

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 07 (APP): Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari flew into New York Tuesday morning to begin a 5-day visit during which he will preside over a conference on ‘Women in Islam’, which is set to take place Wednesday on the sidelines of the 67th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

He was received at New York’s John F Kennedy International airport by Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram, Deputy Permanent Representative Aamir Khan, Consul General Ayesha Ali, and officials of the Pakistan Mission to the UN.

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 07 (APP): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned Monday’s suicide attack on a Balochistan Constabulary van in the Dhadar tehsil of the Kacchi district in Bolan, according to his spokesman.

“He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a prompt recovery to those injured,” Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Nine people, eight of them policemen, were martyred in the attack. Thirteen people were injured.

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s former spokesperson Hope Hicks met Monday with Manhattan prosecutors who are investigating hush-money payments made to women on the ex-president’s behalf — the latest member of the Republican’s inner circle to be questioned in the renewed probe.

Hicks and her lawyer, Robert Trout, spent several hours inside the Manhattan district attorney’s office and, afterward, were seen walking to a waiting SUV. They didn’t say anything to reporters as they got in the vehicle.

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News is on an unlikely collision course with two leading contenders for the Republican presidential nomination over the rights of journalists.

In defending itself against a massive defamation lawsuit over how it covered false claims surrounding the 2020 presidential election, the network is relying on a nearly 60-year-old Supreme Court ruling that makes it difficult to successfully sue media organizations for libel.