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U.S. allies will use the opportunity of Patrick Shanahan’s first NATO ministers meeting this week to see whether the acting defense secretary will be as supportive of the military alliance as his predecessor was, defense officials and experts said.

USA-SOUTHKOREA-TROOPS/ South Korea pushes back at Trump claims about more money for troop agreement

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea’s presidential Blue House pushed back on Wednesday against comments by U.S. President Donald Trump that suggested Seoul had agreed to pay $500 million more towards maintaining U.S. troops in the country. U.S.

USA-SHUTDOWN/ Trump dislikes border security deal but Republicans urge support

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was unhappy with a deal struck by congressional negotiators on border security that denied him funds for his promised U.S.-Mexican border wall, but did not reject it outright as fellow Republicans urged his support. USA-MEXICO-EL-CHAPO-SUPERMAX/

'El Chapo' likely heading for Colorado prison where no one has escaped Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the Mexican found guilty in a U.S. court on Tuesday of running a criminal enterprise that smuggled drugs into the United States, is likely headed to a “supermax” prison where repeating his past escapes would be nearly impossible.

BUSINESS VENEZUELA-POLITICS-CITGO-EXCLUSIVE/

Exclusive: Venezuela's self-declared president Guaido to nominate own Citgo board - sources Advisers to Venezuela’s self-declared president Juan Guaido have proposed he appoint six executives to a transitional board for U.S. refiner Citgo Petroleum Corp, Venezuela’s most important foreign asset, four people close to the talks said.

USA-TRADE-CHINA/ Mnuchin hopes for 'productive' trade meetings in China

BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Wednesday he hopes for “productive” trade meetings in China this week, as the two countries seek to hammer out an agreement amid a festering dispute that has seen both level tariffs at each other. ENTERTAINMENT

PEOPLE-21-SAVAGE/ Rapper 21 Savage granted bond, to be released - lawyer

Rap artist 21 Savage, who has been in custody in Georgia for nine days on immigration charges, was granted bond on Tuesday and will be released from custody on Wednesday, his attorney said. FILMFESTIVAL-BERLIN-FAREWELL-TO-THE-N/

Catherine Deneuve's new film explores Islamist radicalisation BERLIN (Reuters) - Tolerance and non-judgemental understanding may be the best way to try to save radicalized young Europeans who want to go and join militant Islamists in Middle Eastern conflicts, veteran French actress Catherine Deneuve said on Tuesday.

SPORTS NORTHKOREA-SOUTHKOREA/OLYMPICS

Diplomatic gold? Joint N.Korea-S.Korea Olympic bid faces long odds SEOUL/BERLIN, (Reuters) - If North and South Korea succeed in their long-shot bid to host the 2032 Summer Olympics, any athletic feats at the Games may be overshadowed by the political achievements needed to make it happen.

TENNIS-NEWYORK/ Tennis: Querrey downs Harris to advance at New York Open

American Sam Querrey fired his 13th ace on match point to dispatch rising South African talent Lloyd Harris 7-6(2) 6-2 in the first round of the New York Open on Tuesday. UPCOMING

POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AUSTRIA-POLITICS/

Weekly Austrian cabinet meeting 13 Feb 02:30 ET / 07:30 GMT

VENEZUELA-POLITICS/USA (TV) Trump's Venezuela envoy testifies to U.S. House panel amid crisis

U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, testifies in Democratic-led House of Representatives, as Washington presses for change of government in South American nation. 13 Feb 11:00 ET / 16:00 GMT

SPAIN-POLITICS/CATALONIA Trial of jailed Catalan separatist leaders continues

Catalan separatist leaders attend the second day of their trial in connection with the banned 2017 independence drive. The prosecution will address procedural matters. It is unclear whether the defendants will begin to testify. 13 Feb 04:00 ET / 09:00 GMT

PORTUGAL-RIGHTS/EXPLOITATION (PIX) Portugal steps up efforts to tackle labour trafficking but resources are scarce

One behind the other, four police cars drive purposefully down a dirt track in southern Portugal and stop in the middle of a field. Officers jump out and tell the Dutch owner of the raspberry farm they are investigating labour trafficking. 13 Feb 09:00 ET / 14:00 GMT

SPAIN-POLITICS/BUDGET (PIX) (TV) Spain's parliament to vote on 2019 budget proposal

Spain's lower house of parliament convenes to vote on the minority Socialist government's 2019 draft budget proposal. 13 Feb 03:00 ET / 08:00 GMT

TURKEY-POLITICS/ERDOGAN Turkish President Erdogan makes speeches amid election campaigning

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will make a speech to Turkish shopkeepers and traders in Ankara amid campaigning for March 31 local elections (1100 GMT). He will also speak at a rally in Ankara's Mamak district (1300 GMT). 13 Feb 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

USA-HOUSE/CANNABIS U.S. House panel to discuss cannabis banking

U.S. House Financial Services Committee's Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions Subcommittee discusses how and whether to allow cannabis-related businesses access to traditional banks. 13 Feb 14:00 ET / 19:00 GMT

CONFLICTS / WAR / PEACE USA-MILITARY/SENATE (PIX)

Prompted by Reuters reports, Senate holds hearings on U.S. military housing The Senate Armed Services Committee holds a hearing exploring military housing conditions, with testimony from private contractors and DOD brass. The hearings were prompted by the Reuters series Ambushed at Home and come amid a growing chorus of criticism from military families.

13 Feb 14:00 ET / 19:00 GMT MIDEAST-CRISIS/SUMMIT (PIX) (TV)

U.S. co-hosts Iran-focused global summit in Poland The U.S. co-hosts a global summit focused on the Middle East and Iran. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the meeting would focus on Middle East stability and security and Iran's role in the region. Tehran denounced the summit as “a circus” and summoned Poland’s envoy to protest Warsaw's hosting of the event.

13 Feb 12:00 ET / 17:00 GMT BUSINESS / ECONOMICS

PORTUGAL-BONDS/ Portugal to auction up to 1 bln euros of bonds

Portugal's IGCP debt agency auctions 10- and 15-year bonds with a maximum total amount on offer of 1 billion euros 13 Feb 05:30 ET / 10:30 GMT

USA-SHUTDOWN/ U.S. President Donald Trump could still torpedo a bipartisan deal

U.S. President Donald Trump could still torpedo a bipartisan deal to avert another government shutdown, with Congress racing to enact the accord that would provide some money for border fencing but fall far short of the president's initial demands. 13 Feb 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

CISCO SYSTEMS-RESULTS/ (PIX) Q2 2019 Cisco Systems Inc Earnings Release

Cisco Systems Inc is expected to report a rise in second-quarter revenue, as the network gear maker benefits from growth in its newer businesses such as cyber security and application software. Investors will be keeping an eye on its forecast. 13 Feb 16:00 ET / 21:00 GMT

AIG-RESULTS/ (PIX) AIG to report Q4 2018 earnings

American International Group Inc plans to report fourth quarter results after markets close on Wednesday (2-13) as investors await news on whether the insurer is any closer to turning a profit in its general insurance business. 13 Feb 16:00 ET / 21:00 GMT

USA-SOYBEANS/DOWDUPONT (PIX) FOCUS-How a Philippines regulator stymied DowDuPont's U.S. seed launch

A Philippines regulator poses an unexpected obstacle to DowDuPont's launch of a new line of genetically engineered soybeans in the United States as the company aims to challenge Bayer AG's decades-long dominance of the market. Delays in the Philippines - the No. 1 market for U.S. soymeal - means a full launch of Enlist soybeans will be delayed until 2020. 13 Feb 01:00 ET / 06:00 GMT

USA-FED/HARKER (PIX) Fed's Harker on prospects for a return to U.S. rate hikes

Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Patrick Harker, a centrist at the U.S. central bank, will give his economic outlook and discuss what it would take for him to back a return to interest-rate hikes. He speaks at the Jewish Business Network Power Lunch, in Philadelphia, Pa. 13 Feb 12:00 ET / 17:00 GMT

EU-SINGAPORE/TRADE EU lawmakers to vote on EU-Singapore free trade deal

EU lawmakers vote on trade agreement with Singapore, a sign of the EU's deeper push for open market accords with Asian countries 13 Feb 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

SPRINT-M&A/TMOBILE (PIX) House panel holds hearing on T-Mobile and Sprint merger

U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology conducts hearing on proposed merger 13 Feb 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

USA-FED/MESTER Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Mester speaks at global economy conference

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Loretta Mester speaks on the economic outlook and monetary policy before the 2019 Economic Conference hosted by the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics, in Lexington, Ky. 13 Feb 08:50 ET / 13:50 GMT

SWEDEN-ECONOMY/RATES Sweden-Riksbank rate

The central bank is seen keeping its benchmark rate unchanged at -0.25 pct and sticking to its forecast that the next hike will come in H2 13 Feb 03:30 ET / 08:30 GMT

USA-DIRECTORS/DIVERSITY (PIX) Diversity in 'the mancave': Women make gains in boardrooms as minorities lag

In U.S. corporate boardrooms, diversity is making uneven progress: Women increasingly are pulling up a chair while African Americans and Latinos still get few new seats at the table. 13 Feb 01:00 ET / 06:00 GMT

ARTS / CULTURE / ENTERTAINMENT FILMFESTIVAL-BERLIN/ELISA AND MARCELA (PIX) (TV)

Netflix film "Elisa & Marcela" screens in competition in Berlin Isabel Coixet's "Elisa & Marcela", which is based on the true story of two women who married in Spain in 1901, is the first Netflix-acquired film to screen in competition at the Berlin Film Festival.

13 Feb 07:55 ET / 12:55 GMT (PIX) (TV) (GRAPHIC)

FRANCE - BTF non-competitive bids 13 Feb 05:00 ET / 10:00 GMT