North America

NEW YORK (AP) — Former NBA Commissioner David Stern suffered a sudden brain hemorrhage Thursday and had emergency surgery.

The league made the announcement about Stern’s condition in a statement, saying its thoughts and prayers were with the 77-year-old Stern’s family.

Stern served exactly 30 years as the NBA’s longest-tenured commissioner before Adam Silver replaced him on Feb. 1, 2014. Stern has remained affiliated with the league with the title of commissioner emeritus and has remained active in his other interests, such as sports technology.

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump’s order to expand the scope of potential anti-Semitism complaints on college campuses is raising the stakes of an already tense battle over how to define discrimination against Jews.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Revelations that the FBI committed serious errors in wiretapping a former Trump campaign aide have spurred bipartisan calls for change to the government’s surveillance powers, including from some Republicans who in the past have voted to renew or expand those authorities.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Judiciary Committee abruptly postponed a historic vote late Thursday on articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, shutting down a 14-hour session that dragged with partisanship but had been expected to end with the formal charges being sent to the full House for a vote next week.

12 Dec 2019; MEMO: US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to prohibit federal funding for colleges and universities that allow anti-Semitism, but the move drew some criticism for potentially limiting free speech.

The order would extend protections against discrimination under the 1964 Civil Rights Act to people subjected to anti-Semitism on college campuses.

United Nations, Dec 12 (AFP/PTI) The United States on Wednesday warned North Korea of consequences if it makes good on threats of a spectacular weapons test in the New Year, while offering flexibility if it stays in talks.

Frustrated by the lack of sanctions relief after three summits with President Donald Trump, North Korea has vowed an ominous "Christmas gift" if the US does not come up with concessions by the end of the year.

LOS PALACIOS (Cuba), Dec 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A lack of fuel, in large part due to the US blockade, is forcing Cubans to return to horse and ox power for farming, transport and everyday travel.

In Los Palacios, 100km of the west of the capital Havana, Heriberto Piloto bellows at his oxen Montezuelo”and Pasajero as they plough a tobacco field at the La Juanita farm.

Once the fields were ploughed by tractors, plus some animal help, but now beasts of burden are the only option, meaning the job of ploughman has made a comeback too in Cuba’s fields.

12 December 2019; AFP: Hours after sharing a podium at 196-nations climate talks with Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, the head of Greenpeace International found herself locked out of the building Wednesday along with hundreds of other observers ejected from the talks.

Jennifer Morgan, who has been attending the troubled UN negotiations for 25 years, said the expulsion was without precedent.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Americans for Free Trade, a coalition of more than 150 associations united against tariffs, on Wednesday urged U.S. President Donald Trump to reach a "phase one" deal with China.

"We urge you to reach a Phase One deal with China and take the necessary steps to resolve the ongoing trade dispute," the coalition wrote in a letter to Trump and strongly encouraged the administration to suspend implementation of the so-called "Tranche 4B tariffs" on Chinese goods scheduled for Dec. 15 if a "phase one" deal is not finalized before then.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday approved a bill to impose sanctions on Turkey because of its military operations in Syria and the purchase of Russia air defense system.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the bill "Promoting American National Security and Preventing the Resurgence of ISIS Act" in a vote of 18 to 4, sending the bill to the full Senate.