REUTERS NEWS SCHEDULE AT 11 a.m. GMT/6 a.m. ET

Here are the top stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters text service as of 11 a.m. GMT/6 a.m. ET.For a full schedule of news and events, go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect https://www.reutersconnect.com/planning or on Media Express http://mediaexpress.reuters.com/planning-tools/calendar. TOP STORIES

GLOBAL VALE-SA-DISASTER/

Brazilians little moved by Vale overtures in wake of disaster Residents of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais reacted with indifference and in many cases dismissal at a raft of measures mining giant Vale SA pledged to adopt in recent days in the wake of a dam burst that likely killed over 300 people.

VENEZUELA-POLITICS/ Don't deal in Venezuelan gold, White House says, in anti-Maduro push

The White House warned traders on Wednesday not to deal in Venezuelan gold or oil following its imposition of stiff sanctions aimed at forcing socialist President Nicolas Maduro from power. U.S.

USA-WEATHER/ U.S. cold wave lingers, but should lose some of its bite by weekend

The blast of arctic cold that hit the U.S. Midwest this week will linger on Thursday, but it’s pushing east and losing much of its bite. USA-MILITARY-CONGRESS/

Senate hearings to probe unsafe housing of U.S. military families Troubled by widespread health and safety hazards uncovered by a Reuters investigation into U.S. military housing, Congress will hold hearings next month to ensure that “what we’re seeing now can never happen again,” said Michigan Democrat Gary Peters, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

BUSINESS GM-PLANTS/

GM halts operations at 11 Michigan plants after utility's urgent appeal General Motors Co said late on Wednesday it will temporarily suspend operations at 11 Michigan plants and its Warren Tech Center after a utility made an emergency appeal to users to conserve natural gas during extreme winter cold.

NISSAN-GHOSN/ Ghosn still in 'very difficult' conditions in Japan cell: lawyer

Carlos Ghosn remains in very difficult conditions in his Japanese prison cell, Ghosn’s French-based lawyer Jean-Yves Leborgne told French radio station RTL on Thursday. ENTERTAINMENT

PEOPLE-JUSSIE-SMOLLETT/ Chicago police to release images after attack on 'Empire' actor

Chicago police said on Wednesday they would soon release images of “persons of interest” in the assault of “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett in which two men yelled racial and homophobic slurs and wrapped a rope around his neck. MUSIC-BEATLES-FILM/

Goodbye Hello: Unseen Beatles footage becomes movie project for Peter Jackson “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson is making a movie about The Beatles with previously unseen studio footage, the band’s website said on Wednesday - 50 years to the day after the Fab Four performed live together for the final time.

SPORTS FOOTBALL-NFL-SUPERBOWL-PROTEST/

Kaepernick deserves to be in the NFL, says Boldin Colin Kaepernick, who has been unable to find a team to play for in the NFL following his protests during the national anthem, is unlikely to ever take the field again, his former San Francisco 49ers team mate Anquan Boldin said on Wednesday.

GOLF-EUROPEAN-PREVIEW/ Golf: Rose sidesteps controversy ahead of Saudi International debut

World number one Justin Rose tried to steer clear of political controversy at his Saudi International pre-tournament news conference on Wednesday, saying he was not qualified to speak on subjects other than golf in “great detail or authority”. UPCOMING

POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS USA-ELECTION/CASH

President Trump, some Democratic rivals reports campaign fundraising totals for 2019 President Donald Trump will make public the amount of cash he has on hand to start his reelection bid - a total that is expected to out pace any Democratic rival by millions and will allow him to begin to build a campaign juggernaut thanks to the war chest he has amassed thanks to the unprecedented decision to begin running for reelection the day he took office.

31 Jan 17:00 ET / 22:00 GMT SPAIN-POLITICS/POLL

Spain official CIS poll to publish voting intentions Spain's Sociological Research Center (CIS) to deliver opinion poll on Spanish politics including voting intentions.

31 Jan 06:30 ET / 11:30 GMT COLUMN-MILLER/SOCIALSECURITY (PIX)

Social Security expansion to get serious hearing in U.S. House The idea that Social Security benefits should be expanded - not cut - is going mainstream. A new Democratic proposal in the U.S. House of Representatives calls for a small across-the-board bump in benefits, a more generous annual cost-of-living adjustment and a higher minimum benefit for low-income workers. Until the last few years, all Washington could talk about was how to cut Social Security benefits, and by how much.

31 Jan 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT USA-NUCLEAR/RUSSIA

Russia, U.S. fail to break deadlock on nuclear pact - TASS Russia and the United States failed to break a deadlock at eleventh-hour talks to save a landmark Cold War-era arms treaty when their officials met in Beijing on Thursday, Russia's deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

31 Jan 05:30 ET / 10:30 GMT GERMANY-JAPAN/

PREVIEW-Merkel heads to Japan to secure 'alliance of multilateralists' German Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to Japan on Sunday for a three-day trip to forge an "alliance of multilateralists" who want to resist President Donald Trump's "America First" approach and China's pursuit of narrow national interests.

31 Jan 09:00 ET / 14:00 GMT SAUDI-KHASHOGGI/TURKEY-INVESTIGATION (PIX) (TV)

U.N. Special rapporteur holds talks in Turkey over Khashoggi investigation U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Agnes Callamard holds week-long talks in Turkey as part of an inquiry into the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

1 Feb MONGOLIA-POLLUTION/

Mongolia’s smog sparks exodus amid political deadlock Mongolia has closed down its schools and encouraged families to flee to the countryside after a political crisis left the government unable to do anything to ameliorate soaring rates of smog in the capital Ulaanbaatar, where half the country’s population lives.

1 Feb MYANMAR-JOURNALISTS/APPEAL (TV)

Lawyer of two Reuters reporters to appeal their case with Myanmar supreme court Lawyer of two Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, sentenced to seven years in jail on charges of breaking the Official Secrets Act, launches an appeal with Myanmar's supreme court after the high court in Yangon rejected their first appeal.

1 Feb MYANMAR-JOURNALISTS/RIGHTS (TV)

Human Rights Watch issues report on curbs on free speech Human Rights Watch is organising a news conference to release their new report “Dashed Hopes: Criminalisation of Free Expression in Myanmar.”

1 Feb 22:30 ET / 03:30 GMT SOUTHKOREA-JAPAN/COMFORTWOMEN (PIX) (TV)

Funeral of 'comfort women' campaigner to be held in front of Japanese embassy People pay respects to the body of Kim Bok-dong, one of the two dozen known surviving South Korean “comfort women”, a Japanese euphemism for women who were forced into prostitution and sexually abused at Japanese military brothels before and during World War Two, at her funeral in front of Japan's embassy in Seoul.

1 Feb 20:30 ET / 01:30 GMT CONFLICTS / WAR / PEACE

USA-MILITARY/LEGACY (PIX) (TV) (GRAPHIC) SPECIAL REPORT: When the military leaves, the legacy of pollution left behind

Examining the legacy of contamination at a former Naval Base in California, and the complications that arise when the military leaves. And: The cost to the public for a cleanup now decades long. 31 Jan 07:30 ET / 12:30 GMT

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/PROTESTS (PIX) (TV) Palestinians hold weekly border protest against Israel

Palestinians hold weekly protest along Gaza border with Israel to demand an end to Israeli blockade and the right of return to land from which their ancestors fled or were forced to flee in 1948 during Israel's founding. 1 Feb

KENYA-ATTACKS/AMBULANCES How app helped Kenya's fleet of private ambulances rescue attack victims

When militants attacked an upscale Nairobi hotel complex on Jan 15, a disparate fleet of private ambulances swung into action, coordinated by a tech start-up known as the "uber for ambulances". 1 Feb

DISASTERS / ACCIDENTSCANADA-CRASH/ Truck driver Jaskirat Singh Sidhu sentenced for Canada bus crash that killed 16

The sentencing hearing begins for a truck driver, Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, convicted in the deaths of 16 people, after his rig collided with a bus carrying a junior hockey team last summer. 1 Feb

CRIME / LAW / JUSTICE USA-MEXICO/EL CHAPO (PIX) (TV)

Closing arguments continue in U.S. trial for "El Chapo" Closing arguments continue at Brooklyn, New York federal court for alleged Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. He is accused him of trafficking massive quantities of cocaine, heroin and other drugs into the United States as leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, named for his home state in northern Mexico.

31 Jan 09:30 ET / 14:30 GMT MYANMAR-JOURNALISTS/POLICE (TV)

Myanmar policeman who exposed entrapment of Reuters reporters may be freed A police officer who testified that police framed two Reuters reporters and who had been sentenced to a year in jail for violating Myanmar’s Police Disciplinary Act, could be released as early as Friday.

1 Feb 20:30 ET / 01:30 GMT EU-MONEYLAUNDERING/LIST

EU expected to publish updated list of countries with lax controls on terror financing, money laundering The European Commission is expected to publish its updated list of countries that pose a threat to the bloc's financial system because of lax controls over money laundering and terror financing.

1 Feb BUSINESS / ECONOMICS

SPRINT CORP-RESULTS/ (PIX) Sprint Corp reports third quarter results

Sprint Corp is expected to report a rise in quarterly revenue helped by its efforts to undercut larger competitors on price. 31 Jan 07:30 ET / 12:30 GMT

SERBIA-GDP/ Serbia's Stats Office to release flash GDP estimate for Q4 2018

31 Jan 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT AMAZON.COM-RESULTS/ (PIX)

Amazon reports fourth-quarter results Amazon.com Inc is expected to report a rise in fourth-quarter sales and profit as the world's largest online retailer benefited from strong demand for its products during the crucial holiday season and continued growth in its cloud computing and advertising businesses. Investors will be on the lookout for the company's current-quarter forecast.

31 Jan 16:00 ET / 21:00 GMT UPS-RESULTS/ (PIX)

UPS fourth-quarter earnings Estimated time. Expected before market open (BMO).

31 Jan 08:30 ET / 13:30 GMT BRAZIL-AGRICULTURE/TRADE (PIX)

Interview with Brazil Agriculture Ministry international affairs secretary Brazil's Secretary of International Affairs Orlando Leite Ribeiro at the Agriculture Ministry will discuss efforts to resolve trade barriers in place with the EU, Russia and the US, prospects for expanding trade with new markets and the trade war between the United States and China.

31 Jan 07:00 ET / 12:00 GMT SERBIA-INDUSTRIALOUTPUT/

Serbia's Stats Office releases industrial production data for Dec 2018 Serbia's Stats Office to release industrial production data for Dec 2018

31 Jan 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT SERBIA-TRADEFIGURES/

Serbia's Stats Office to release foreign trade data for Dec 2018 31 Jan 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

AZERBAIJAN-RATES/ Azerbaijan's central bank to announce its decision on a key refinancing rate

Azerbaijan's central bank to announce its decision on a new refinancing rate 1 Feb

MEXICO-ECONOMY/POLL Mexico central bank issues monthly poll of private economists

Mexico's central bank will issue its monthly poll of private sector economists forecasts on key indicators like inflation, GDP and the peso exchange rate. 1 Feb

GRAINS-AGRITEL/ Consultancy Agritel holds Paris Grain Day conference

Speakers include head of trading at French agricultural group InVivo and a USDA economist. 1 Feb

AUSTRALIA-ECONOMY/RATES RBA board meets facing pressure to backtrack on policy and ease

Australia's central bank holds its first policy meeting of the year next facing a world re-shaped, and not for the better. Unwelcome economic news at home and abroad are challenging the RBA's dogged optimism on growth and its much-repeated insistence the next move in interest rates will be up. Investors have already veered to price in a real chance of a rate cut this year, and are well aware the bank has never moved just once in an easing episode. With the market so primed, any hint of a dovish turn next week will see bond yields plummet, and the local dollar with them. 1 Feb

GLOBAL-ECONOMY/WEEKAHEAD Global Economy Weekahead

A weekly look at key economic events for the global economy in the coming seven days. 1 Feb

CHINA-SWINEFEVER/FARMERS (PIX) (TV) Swine fever outbreak may bury China's small pig farmers

African swine fever has travelled thousands of kilometres in China, striking mainly small farms in the world's biggest pork-producing country and triggering unprecedented upheaval in its $1 trillion hog sector. 1 Feb

ARTS / CULTURE / ENTERTAINMENT FILM-ALITA BATTLE ANGEL/ (TV)

Manga comic "Alita: Battle Angel" gets big screen outing World premiere of James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez's Alita: Battle Angel. Stars of the film walk the red carpet. Starring Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Jackie Earle Haley and Keean Johnson

31 Jan 12:30 ET / 17:30 GMT BRITAIN-EU/TRAVEL

EU states to agree visa-free travel for Britons even after no-deal Brexit Envoys of 27 EU states staying on together are meeting in Brussels on Friday to adopt a decision that would give Britons visa-free travel to the bloc after Brexit, based on reciprocity, even if Britain were to crash out without a divorce agreement.

1 Feb SPORTS

FOOTBALL-NFL-SUPERBOWL/ADS (PIX) (TV) Football - NFL - Super Bowl advertisers spend big hoping for super impact

Super Bowl advertisers spend upwards of $5 million to pitch to the year's biggest television audience on Sunday. Makers of cars, snack chips and technology roll out creative, timely, humorous approaches to grab viewers during the U.S. football championship matchup between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams. 31 Jan 12:00 ET / 17:00 GMT

FOOTBALL-NFL-SUPERBOWL/LOSANGELES Football - NFL - Los Angeles faces Rams enthusiasm gap

The Rams are headed to the Super Bowl but you might not know it from walking around Los Angeles, a city that is still getting used to having a successful team after going two decades without any team at all. 31 Jan 17:00 ET / 22:00 GMT

AUSTRIA-DUTCH/SKATING (PIX) (TV) Dutch canal skating race finds second home on Austrian lake

It is more than a decade since canals in the northern Netherlands froze enough to hold the traditional 11 Cities Tour, an annual speed skating race running from town to town. Tired of waiting, frustrated Dutch skaters have set up an alternative on a lake in the Austrian Alps. with a circuit that matches the original's roughly 200 km (124 miles). 1 Feb