USA

11 October 2022; MEMO: The Chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee has called for a "freeze" on cooperation with Saudi Arabia, after the Kingdom defied Washington's demand to increase oil production and, instead, agreed with other oil-producing countries to cut production.

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 11 (APP): Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” (developing countries and China), Monday called for emergency measures to overcome the recent “shocks” to the world economy, including the coronavirus pandemic and the spike in commodities prices that have disproportionately impacted the poorest countries.

WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - The United States is speeding up the shipment of sophisticated NASAMS air defenses to Ukraine, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday, after a devastating missile barrage from Russia.

U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelenskiy in a phone call on Monday to support the country's air defenses as residents took cover from strikes in Kyiv.

WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday cut its global growth forecast for 2023 amid colliding pressures from the war in Ukraine, high energy and food prices, inflation and sharply higher interest rates, warning that conditions could worsen significantly next year.

The Fund said its latest World Economic Outlook forecasts show that a third of the world economy will likely contract by next year, marking a sobering start to the first in-person IMF and World Bank annual meetings in three years.

WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden is re-evaluating the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia after OPEC+ announced last week that it would cut oil production, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday.

"I think the president's been very clear that this is a relationship that we need to continue to re-evaluate, that we need to be willing to revisit," Kirby said in an interview with CNN. "And certainly in light of the OPEC decision, I think that's where he is."

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 10 (Reuters) - The United Nations General Assembly voted on Monday to reject Russia's call for the 193-member body to hold a secret ballot later this week on whether to condemn Moscow's move to annex four partially occupied regions in Ukraine.

The General Assembly decided, with 107 votes in favor, that it would hold a public vote - not a secret ballot - on a draft resolution that condemns Russia's "illegal so-called referenda" and the "attempted illegal annexation." Diplomats said the vote on the resolution would likely be on Wednesday or Thursday.

NEW YORK, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The thousands of newly arrived asylum seekers in New York City, the most populous city in the United States, are facing multifaceted challenges in taking roots amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Antonio Ovando, who arrived in New York City less than a week ago, was expecting some people from the city to bring some clothes on Sunday afternoon when he joined his family members and fellow asylum seekers around the entrance of a hotel in Staten Island.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A lawyer for former president Donald Trump who signed a letter stating that a “diligent search” for classified records had been conducted and that all such documents had been given back to the government has spoken with the FBI, according to a person familiar with the matter.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Prosecutors dropped charges against Adnan Syed on Tuesday in the 1999 killing of Hae Min Lee, a case that was chronicled in the first season of the hit podcast “Serial.”

Emily Witty, a spokeswoman for the city of Baltimore’s state’s attorney’s office, said in an email that her office had dropped its case against Syed and would release further details about its decision later Tuesday.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The president of the Los Angeles City Council resigned from the post Monday after she was heard making racist comments and other coarse remarks in a leaked recording of a conversation with other Latino leaders.

Council President Nury Martinez issued an apology and expressed shame.