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 VENEZUELA-POLITICS/

Venezuela's Guaido courts Russia; powers divided on Maduro Global jostling intensified on Thursday between countries that want Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in power and those trying to force him to resign, as opposition leader Juan Guaido made overtures to his rival’s allies Russia and China.

MYANMAR-JOURNALISTS/ Jailed Reuters journalists appeal to Myanmar's top court as rights group decries 'fear'

Lawyers for two Reuters reporters jailed in Myanmar for breaking a colonial-era official secrets law appealed to the Supreme Court on Friday against their conviction, as a rights group said the government wielded repressive laws against peaceful critics. U.S.

USA-WEATHER/ Polar vortex `just sort of evaporates' and U.S. Midwest warms up

The polar vortex that locked the U.S. Midwest in sub-zero weather and led to the deaths of at least 21 people will give way to milder, snow-melting temperatures this weekend. USA-ABUSE-TEXAS/

Catholic leaders in Texas name around 300 priests accused of abuse Roman Catholic leaders in Texas on Thursday identified around 300 priests and others accused of sexually abusing children.

BUSINESS USA-FED-ECONOMY/

Fed policy turn not good news for Trump as risks mount The Federal Reserve’s policy twist on Wednesday might seem just what the White House ordered, with a hold put on what President Donald Trump termed “loco” interest rate hikes, and an openness to ending the monthly runoff of up to $50 billion from the U.S. central bank’s balance sheet.

TESLA-CHINA/ Tesla begins sales of cheaper Model 3 car variant in China

U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc said it will start taking orders in China on Friday for a lower-priced version of its Model 3 car, as it seeks to accelerate China sales hit by trade friction between Washington and Beijing. ENTERTAINMENT

PEOPLE-JUSSIE-SMOLLETT/ Assault reported by 'Empire' actor condemned by family as 'hate crime'

The family of television actor Jussie Smollett, who plays a gay character on the hip-hop musical drama “Empire,” spoke out on Thursday to condemn the assault he reported suffering in Chicago at the hands of two men yelling racial and homophobic slurs. FASHION-DIOR-MODELS/

"Mr Dior? He was like family," 1950s model recalls When Odile Kern stepped into a Parisian lift sometime in 1953, she found herself standing next to luxury couturier Christian Dior - and in an instant her life changed.

SPORTS BASKETBALL-NBA-ROUNDUP/

NBA roundup: LeBron returns, lifts Lakers in OT LeBron James returned to action and scored 24 points to help the Los Angeles Lakers to a 123-120 overtime win against the host Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.

FOOTBALL-NFL-SUPERBOWL-LOSANGELES-FEA/ NFL: Super Bowl win would seal Rams return to Los Angeles

A Los Angeles Rams victory in the Super Bowl on Sunday would go a long way to healing the damage caused by the team’s 1995 move to St. Louis, which it called home for two decades. UPCOMING

POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS GERMANY-ARMENIA/ (PIX) (TV)

Germany's Merkel receives Armenian Prime Minister for bilateral talks German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hold a joint news conference in Berlin following their closed door meeting.

1 Feb 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT FRANCE- PROTESTS/DEBATE (PIX) (TV)

French President Macron meets Overseas mayors as part of the "Great National Debate" French President Macron meets Overseas mayors at the Elysee Palace in Paris as part of the "Great National Debate"

1 Feb 09:00 ET / 14:00 GMT USA-TRUMP/RUSSIA-STONE (PIX) (TV)

Trump ally Stone to appear in court for hearing on Mueller case Trump's longtime political ally Roger Stone will appear in court Friday afternoon for a status conference in the criminal case against him brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. It will be the first time Stone, 66, will appear before Judge Amy Berman Jackson, the same lawyer presiding over the Paul Manafort case.

1 Feb 14:00 ET / 19:00 GMT GERMANY-EGYPT/ (PIX)

German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier visits Egypt German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier visits Egypt and meets Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Altmaier will sign economic and energy policy agreements there.

2 Feb USA-PROTEST/ (PIX)

White nationalists have been denied a permit to hold a rally the day before the Super Bowl White supremacists including the Klan have applied and been denied a permit to hold a rally the day before the game at Stone Mountain.

2 Feb VENEZUELA-POLITICS/ (PIX)

European countries set to recognize Venezuela's Guaido, massive anti-Maduro protest Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Britain are due to recognize self-declared president Guaido if Maduro has not called fresh elections by Saturday, pushing his government into further isolation from the West as tens of thousands of protesters are due to take to the streets in the latest bid to drive him from power.

2 Feb DISASTERS / ACCIDENTS

VALE SA-DAVIS/ Brazil Mines and Energy Ministry press briefing on dam disaster

Brazil Mines and Energy Ministry is expected to hold a briefing on what mining officials have learned from visiting the site of a tailings dam burst in Minas Gerais state after inspecting the state of Vale SA's mining complex there. The dam burst last week and is likely to have killed more than 300 people. 1 Feb 08:00 ET / 13:00 GMT

CRIME / LAW / JUSTICE JOHNSON&JOHNSON-CANCER/

Missouri Supreme Court suspends second talc cancer trial in weeks The Missouri Supreme Court on Thursday halted an upcoming trial in a case brought by women who claim talc supplied by Imerys SA unit Imerys Talc America for use in Johnson & Johnson products gave them cancer, saying it wanted to consider Imerys' jurisdictional challenge.

1 Feb 20:30 ET / 01:30 GMT BUSINESS / ECONOMICS

CIGNA-RESULTS/ Q4 2018 Cigna Corp Earnings Release

Health insurer Cigna Corp will report fourth-quarter results on Friday, the first time investors will get a glimpse of its performance as a combined entity with Express Scripts, which it bought for $52 billion last year. Investors will focus on the company's forecast for the year as well as comments on broader trends in the health insurance industry. 1 Feb 08:30 ET / 13:30 GMT

MERCK & CO-RESULTS/ (PIX) U.S. drugmaker Merck to report Q4 results

Drugmaker Merck & Co Inc is expected to report higher fourth-quarter sales on Friday, fueled by market-share gains of its cancer immunotherapy Keytruda. Investors will focus on quarterly Keytruda revenue and the company's full-year forecast, as well as any comments about business development and future M&A plans. 1 Feb 08:30 ET / 13:30 GMT

CHEVRON-RESULTS/ (PIX) Chevron releases fourth quarter 2018 earnings and revenue

Chevron releases results for its fourth quarter of 2018 before the market opens. 1 Feb 09:00 ET / 14:00 GMT

USA-FED/KAPLAN Fed's Kaplan speaks on policy, economy

Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert Kaplan gives his first public remarks after the Fed's January policy meeting, in a moderated question-and-answer session before the Texas Lyceum Public Conference, in Austin, Texas. Kaplan has said he believes the central bank should be 'patient' on rate hikes for another quarter or two. 1 Feb 09:45 ET / 14:45 GMT

CHEVRON-RESULTS/ Chevron quarterly earnings to shed light on exposure to Venezuela

Chevron reports results for the fourth quarter on Friday but investors will be listening for how the fallout of U.S. sanctions on Venezuela will affect this year's operations. The company is the last remaining U.S. oil major with production operations in the South American country is a large buyers of its heavy oil 1 Feb 08:30 ET / 13:30 GMT

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY USA-CLIMATECHANGE/CALIFORNIA (GRAPHIC)

INSIGHT-A climate problem even California can't fix: tailpipe emissions For three decades, California has tried harder than any government on earth to control tailpipe pollution, with policies promoting cleaner fuels, carpooling, public transportation and its signature strategy - the electric vehicle. But tailpipe pollution here still rising - a cautionary tale that holds lessons for policy makers across the globe.

1 Feb 07:00 ET / 12:00 GMT ARTS / CULTURE / ENTERTAINMENT

PEOPLE-MICHEL LEGRAND/FUNERALS (PIX) (TV) Funeral of Oscar-crowned French composer Michel Legrand who died at 86

Celebrities are expected to attend funeral of French composer and pianist Michel Legrand who died at the age of 86 last Saturday, after a career in which he won three Oscars and was celebrated for his soundtracks for screen musicals featuring Catherine Deneuve 1 Feb 05:30 ET / 10:30 GMT