REUTERS NEWS SCHEDULE AT 6 a.m. SGT/10 p.m. GMT
Here are the top stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters text service as of 6 a.m. SGT/10 p.m. GMT. For a full schedule of news and events, go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect https://www.reutersconnect.com/planning.
TOP STORIES
GLOBAL
HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/GLOBAL-CASUALTIES
Coronavirus claims 1.5 million lives globally with 10,000 dying each day
Over 1.5 million people have lost their lives due to COVID-19 with one death reported every nine seconds on a weekly average, as vaccinations are set to begin in December in a handful of developed nations.
IRAN-NUCLEAR/USA
Iran likely to hold off on retaliation over scientist's killing -U.S. envoy
Iran is unlikely to retaliate over the assassination of a prominent nuclear scientist before the inauguration of Joe Biden in case it jeopardizes any future sanctions relief, the top U.S. envoy on Iran told Reuters on Thursday.
U.S.
HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/USA
As COVID-19 cases soar, U.S. luminaries aim to increase public confidence in vaccines
The number of hospitalized U.S. coronavirus patients surpassed 100,000 on Thursday, as former presidents volunteered to get vaccinated on television if needed to boost confidence in the safety of inoculations that promise to slow the raging pandemic.
HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/USA-CONGRESS
$908 bln coronavirus aid bill draws conservative backing in U.S. Congress
A bipartisan, $908 billion coronavirus aid plan gained momentum in the U.S. Congress on Thursday as conservative lawmakers expressed their support and Senate and House of Representatives leaders huddled.
BUSINESS
USA-ECONOMY
U.S. weekly jobless claims fall; services sector activity slows
The number of Americans filing first-time claims for jobless benefits fell last week, but remained extraordinarily high amid widespread business restrictions to slow a rising tide of new COVID-19 infections and lack of additional fiscal stimulus.
OPEC-OIL
OPEC+ agrees slight easing of oil cuts from January
OPEC and Russia on Thursday agreed to slightly ease their deep oil output cuts from January by 500,000 barrels per day but failed to find a compromise on a broader and longer term policy for the rest of next year.
ENTERTAINMENT
FILM-WARNER BROS
Warner Bros disrupts theater business with same-day streaming
AT&T Inc's Warner Bros studio will debut all of its 2021 films in theaters and on the HBO Max streaming service on the same day, the company said on Tuesday, an unprecedented shift that hammered shares of struggling cinema operators.
FILM-MANK
Netflix film 'Mank' dives into 'Citizen Kane' screenwriter controversy
The new movie "Mank," which starts streaming on Netflix on Friday, takes audiences back to Hollywood's golden era of the 1930s with a look at the making of one of the film industry's most-celebrated gems.
SPORTS
SOCCER-EUROPA-ARS-RAV/REPORT
Night of cheer as fans return and Arsenal win big
Arsenal's fans had waited nine long months to return to the club's north London stadium but the 2,000 people sprinkled across the red seats had to wait only nine minutes to enjoy the thrill of celebrating a goal in the flesh on Thursday.
MOTOR-F1-SAKHIR
FIA probes Grosjean's crash as track changes made
Formula One's governing body opened an investigation into Romain Grosjean's Bahrain Grand Prix crash on Thursday as the French driver hailed those who helped him escape the fireball.
UPCOMING
POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
MYANMAR-MONK/SNAKES (PIX) (TV)
Myanmar monk offers sanctuary for snakes to thwart blackmarket sales
A Buddhist monk in Myanmar has turned his Yangon monastery into a sanctuary of sorts - for big snakes - to prevent them from harming people and to keep them off the black market. U WilLatha, 69, takes in snakes captured in homes and streets in the city, often by firefighters, and gives them shelter until they're ready to be released safely to the wild.
4 Dec 20:00 ET / 01:00 GMT
EUROPE-WEBSUMMIT/
Web Summit, Europe's largest tech event, takes place online
Web Summit, Europe's biggest technology conference, takes place entirely online due to the coronavirus outbreak. It will be able to host 100,000 attendees online on its own conference platform and around 800 speakers will join the event, including Zoom chief executive Eric Yuan and Captain America star Chris Evans.
4 Dec
BRITAIN-EU/ (PIX) (TV)
Brexit trade deal: Negotiators try to clinch a deal
British and European Union negotiators are trying to clinch a last-minute trade deal just weeks before the United Kingdom casts off from the bloc in its most significant economic and political shift since losing a global empire. Reuters will have full multimedia coverage of any deal including: - BRITAIN-EU/ Fast moving snaps and trunk - BRITAIN-EU/TRUST - Sidebar on how the deal came together and what it means for the future relationship. - BRITAIN-EU (INSTANT VIEW) - BRITAIN-EU/REACTION: leader quotes - BRITAIN-EU/CHARTS: Brexit in 5 charts - BRITAIN-EU/TIMELINE: - BRITAIN-EU/DEAL: summary of a deal. - BRITAIN-EU/EXPLAINER - Fast Q&A style analysis. - BRITAIN-EU/PEOPLE: Brexit is finally done. What does it mean for ordinary Brits or EU citizens?
4 Dec
USA-BIDEN/ (TV)
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden delivers remarks on jobs
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden delivers remarks in Wilmington, Del., on final jobs report of 2020.
4 Dec
BRITAIN-EU/TALKS (PIX) (TV)
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier could be in London for further Brexit talks
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier could be in London for further Brexit talks
4 Dec
VENEZUELA-SANCTIONS/
Venezuela pushes private firms into foreign trade in response to sanctions: sources
Venezuela's government is encouraging private firms to sign import and export deals with companies in Asia and the Middle East as part of an effort to limit the impact of U.S. sanctions, according to four sources with knowledge of the matter.
4 Dec
HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/POLAND
Poland to announce details of COVID-19 vaccination programme
Poland will announce details of how it plans to roll out its COVID-19 vaccination programme, after saying on Wednesday that it had ordered 45 million vaccine doses.
4 Dec
BELARUS-UN/RIGHTS
UN rights boss Bachelet addresses Human Rights Council on situation in Belarus
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet speaks on the situation in Belarus, rocked by mass protests since the controversial Aug 9 presidential election, at a meeting of the Human Rights Council.
4 Dec 04:10 ET / 09:10 GMT
FRANCE-MACRON/ (TV)
France's Macron gives interview to 'Brut'
French President Emmanuel Macron gives an interview to Brut. In focus: police violence, secularism, and Islamism, climate policy, the 'COVID generation', and the death of former president Valery Giscard D'Estaing
4 Dec 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT
CRIME / LAW / JUSTICE
AUSTRALIA-ABUSE/PELL-MEDIA (PIX) (TV)
Court rules whether to dismiss contempt case against Australian media reporting on Cardinal Pell's sex abuse case
Victoria Supreme Court judge hands down ruling on whether to dismiss charges against Australian media for breaching a court suppression order on reporting of ex-Vatican treasurer George Pell's 2018 conviction for child sexual assault.
4 Dec 22:30 ET / 03:30 GMT
IKEA AB-POLAND/DISCRIMINATION
Court in Krakow holds hearings in a case against IKEA HR manager charged with religious discrimination
A regional court in the Polish city of Krakow will continue proceedings in a case that has been brought by prosecutors against an HR manager at IKEA charged with religious discrimination for firing an employee who called homosexuality "an abomination" on the company's internal website.
4 Dec 03:00 ET / 08:00 GMT
BUSINESS / ECONOMICS
ITALY-DEBT/FITCH
Fitch Ratings scheduled review of Italy sovereign debt ratings
Rating agency Fitch Ratings scheduled review of Italy sovereign debt ratings
4 Dec
MEXICO-AUTOS/
Mexico's INEGI statistics agency publishes auto production, export data
Mexico's INEGI statistics agency publishes auto production, export data
4 Dec
HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/AIRLINES
Lights, camera, flights: entertainment industry in spotlight as business travel plummets
Airlines desperate to fill premium seats left empty by the coronavirus crisis are making a beeline for industries still on the road like a resurgent film industry. Most companies have slashed spending on corporate travel, leaving airlines without a crucial source of profitable revenue as business traffic remains 85% down on pre-crisis levels.
4 Dec
BRITAIN-ECONOMY/AUTOS
UK new car registrations data released
Britain's car industry body releases monthly new car sales figures.
4 Dec 04:00 ET / 09:00 GMT
USA-FED/EVANS
Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Evans speaks to virtual bankers' group event
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans participates in virtual moderated question-and-answer session before the Michigan Bankers Association.
4 Dec 09:00 ET / 14:00 GMT
USA-FED/BOWMAN
Federal Reserve Board Governor Bowman speaks to virtual ICBA event
Federal Reserve Board Governor Michelle Bowman speaks on "Community Banking and FinTech" before virtual Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) ThinkTECH Policy Summit.
4 Dec 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT
ASTONMARTIN-STROLL/
Aston Martin chairman and investor Lawrence Stroll speaks at online event
Billionaire investor and chairman of Aston Martin Lawrence Stroll speaks at online event as the carmaker seeks to turn around a turbulent performance amid challenges from Brexit, COVID-19 and a 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.
4 Dec 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT
SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY
HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/BULGARIA-VACCINES
Bulgaria's government to approve national COVID-19 vaccination plan
Bulgaria, which has imposed a a three week lockdown until Dec 21 as it struggles to limit the fast spread of coronavirus infections, is preparing for a massive vaccination against the novel coronavirus of its 7 million people. The first patch of 125,000 COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and BioNTech, are expected in the end of the year or in early 2021, officials have said. On Friday, the centre-right government is expected to approve its national vaccination plan.
4 Dec
THAILAND-FOSSIL/WHALE (PIX) (TV)
Thai archeaologists clean rare whale skeleton fossil
Thai archeaologists clean the dust off a whale skeleton, thought to be between 3,000 and 5,000 years old and belong to a Bryde's whale. Scientists hope the 12m (39ft) long skeleton, only partially fossilised and well preserved, could shed more light on sea levels and biodiversity in the past.
4 Dec
HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/RUSSIA-VOLUNTEERS (PIX)
INSIGHT-Russian state employees describe pressure to join vaccine trials
Some Russian state employees are coming under heavy pressure to sign up for trials of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, an effort that medical ethicists say may run afoul of ethical norms for voluntary participation in such tests.
4 Dec 05:00 ET / 10:00 GMT
HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/NORWAY-VACCINE
Norway Health Minister informs on COVID-19 vaccination plans
Norway's Health Minister Bent Hoeie holds a press conference on the theme of Covid-19 vaccinations
4 Dec 05:30 ET / 10:30 GMT
HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/FDA-HAHN (TV) (TV)
Reuters interviews FDA chief Stephen Hahn on COVID-19 vaccines
U.S. Food and Drug Administration chief Dr. Stephen Hahn to discuss the agency's review of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna in an exclusive interview with Reuters.
4 Dec 08:00 ET / 13:00 GMT
CONFLICTS / WAR / PEACE
ETHIOPIA-CONFLICT/SUDAN (TV)
How a family fled from Ethiopia's war to Sudan
Profile of a family that fled from the war in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region to eastern Sudan, where nearly 50,000 refugees have sought shelter.
4 Dec
ETHIOPIA-CONFLICT/ (PIX) (TV)
Relief agencies prepare aid convoys, clashes continue in north Ethiopia
Relief agencies in Ethiopia are preparing convoys to truck aid into Tigray, where clashes are still being reported after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared victory over rebellious forces in the northern region.
4 Dec 03:00 ET / 08:00 GMT
