May 1 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the New York Times business pages. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- Twenty-first Century Fox Inc is in talks with Blackstone Group LP, the giant investment firm, to make an offer for Tribune Media and its stable of television stations, people briefed on the negotiations said on Sunday night, a move that would potentially forestall a rival bid for Tribune. http://nyti.ms/2oOfAUO

- Congressional leaders reached a bipartisan agreement on Sunday to fund the government through September, according to aides from both parties, effectively ending any suspense about the possibility of a government shutdown next weekend. http://nyti.ms/2oO7gEv

- During their "very friendly conversation", the administration said in a late-night statement, Mr. Trump invited Mr. Duterte, an authoritarian leader accused of ordering extrajudicial killings of drug suspects in the Philippines, to visit him at the White House. http://nyti.ms/2oO4r6s

- Starting on Sept 9, NBCUniversal will turn one of its smallest cable properties, Sprout, into a network called Universal Kids, said Deirdre Brennan, who will oversee the effort. http://nyti.ms/2oNQW6O

- The Turkish government expanded its crackdown on dissent and free expression over the weekend, purging nearly 4,000 more public officials, blocking access to Wikipedia and banning television matchmaking shows. http://nyti.ms/2oNXrXb (Compiled by Shalini Nagarajan in Bengaluru)