New York

NEW YORK (AP) — After hearing from 40 witnesses over 2½ months, Judge Arthur Engoron sounded almost wistful as he presided over the last day of testimony in former President Donald Trump’s civil business fraud trial.

“In a strange way, I’m gonna miss this trial,” he said Wednesday.

Things aren’t over yet in the case, in which New York Attorney General Letitia James has accused Trump of inflating his wealth on financial statements used to secure loans and make deals.

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The UN General Assembly on Tuesday afternoon adopted a resolution demanding an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza.

Member states voted down two amendments making specific reference to "extremist group Hamas," with 153 supporting the draft resolution, 10 against and 23 countries abstaining.

The resolution demands an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire," the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and "ensuring humanitarian access."

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 12 (Reuters) - The United Nations on Tuesday demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war after more than three-quarters of the 193-member General Assembly backed the move, which had been vetoed by the United States in the Security Council last week.

The United States does not have a veto in the General Assembly. It voted against the resolution, along with Israel and eight other countries. The resolution was adopted to a round of applause with 153 votes in favor, while 23 countries abstained from the vote.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Palestinians are hoping that a vote Tuesday in the U.N. General Assembly on a nonbinding resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire will demonstrate widespread global support for ending the Israel-Hamas war, now in its third month.

After the United States vetoed a resolution in the Security Council on Friday demanding a humanitarian cease-fire, Arab and Islamic nations called for an emergency session of the 193-member General Assembly on Tuesday afternoon to vote on a resolution making the same demand.

NEW YORK (AP) — Even before anyone has cast a vote in a 2024 presidential primary, the attention of many political journalists has shifted to Jan. 20, 2025.

There has been a flurry of recent stories about the implications of a potential second presidency for Donald Trump, and his team’s planning for Inauguration Day and beyond. Polls show his continued dominance over Republican rivals and the likelihood of a close general election.

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 11 (APP): With authoritarianism rising, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for promoting and respecting human rights “every day, for everyone, everywhere” to build peace and dignity for all.

“Civic space is shrinking and the media is under attack from all sides. Gender equality remains a distant dream and women’s reproductive rights are being rolled back,” the UN chief said in a message to mark Human Rights day.

UNITED NATIONS, December 11. /TASS/: The emergency special session of the UN General Assembly on Palestine will be resumed on December 12, the press service of the General Assembly’s President said.

"President of the UN General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis, has just informed Member States that he will convene the 45th plenary meeting of the tenth Emergency Special Session (ESS) of the General Assembly on Tuesday, 12 December 2023," the press service informed.

The meeting was initiated at the request of Egypt and Mauritania, it noted.

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is set to convene an emergency special session on Gaza on Tuesday, said Monica Grayley, the UNGA president's spokesperson.

"President of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis, has just informed member states that he will convene the 45th plenary meeting of the tenth Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly on Tuesday, Dec. 12," the spokesperson said on Sunday.

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump said Sunday he has decided against testifying for a second time at his New York civil fraud trial, posting on social media a day before his scheduled appearance that he “very successfully & conclusively” testified last month and saw no need to do so again.

The former president, the leading contender for the 2024 Republican nomination, had been expected to return to the witness stand Monday as a coda to his defense against New York Attorney General Letitia James ' lawsuit.

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 09 (APP): Denouncing Israel’s relentless attacks on the Palestinian people and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, Pakistan has called for holding the Israeli occupation forces accountable for war crimes in the besieged enclave.

“We strongly and unequivocally condemn the indiscriminate use of force by Israel,” Ambassador Muhammad Usman Iqbal Jadoon, acting permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations told the UN General Assembly on Friday.