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CHINA-IRAN/ China's desire for close Iran ties unchanged, Xi says ahead of Saudi prince's visit
BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s desire to develop close ties with Iran will remain unchanged, regardless of the international situation, President Xi Jinping told the speaker of Iran’s parliament, ahead of Thursday’s visit to Beijing by Saudi Arabia’s crown prince. U.S.
JNJ-SUBPOENAS/ Johnson & Johnson receives federal subpoenas related to baby powder litigation
Johnson & Johnson said Wednesday it has received subpoenas from the U.S. Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) related to litigation involving alleged asbestos contamination in its signature Baby Powder product line. USA-MARYLAND-ARREST/
U.S. arrests Coast Guard officer who planned mass attack: prosecutors WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. authorities have arrested a U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant who described himself as a white nationalist and amassed a cache of weapons to “murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country,” according to court documents.
BUSINESS USA-TRADE-CHINA-DEAL-EXCLUSIVE/
Exclusive: U.S., China sketch outlines of deal to end trade war - sources WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and China have started to outline commitments in principle on the stickiest issues in their trade dispute, marking the most significant progress yet toward ending a seven-month trade war, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.
SAMSUNG ELEC-TECH/FOLDABLE Blown away by innovation or price? Samsung's foldable phone opens up debate
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has wowed the smartphone industry with the first mainstream foldable screen, accompanied by a nearly $2,000 price tag that generated heated debate as to whether it may prove too expensive to revive slumping sales. ENTERTAINMENT
PEOPLE-JUSSIE-SMOLLETT/ 'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett charged with faking racist attack
Actor Jussie Smollett was charged on Wednesday with lying to police when he claimed he was attacked and beaten on the streets of Chicago by two masked men shouting racist and homophobic slurs, police said on Wednesday as they sought his arrest. PEOPLE-GWYNETH-PALTROW/
Gwyneth Paltrow counter-sues Utah man over ski collision, seeks $1 LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow on Wednesday counter-sued a retired optometrist who has taken her to court over a 2016 ski slope collision in Utah, saying he caused the crash and was seeking to exploit her fame and fortune three years later.
SPORTS TENNIS-DELRAY/
Isner powers past Lacko to reach Delray quarters Second seed John Isner used his powerful serve to overpower Lukas Lacko 6-4 6-3 and reach the quarter-finals of the Delray Beach Open in Florida on Wednesday.
SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-ATM-JUV/ Ronaldo reminds Atletico of Champions League haul
Cristiano Ronaldo was singled out by Atletico Madrid fans on Wednesday as Juventus lost 2-0 in the Champions League last 16 but the former Real Madrid forward was quick to point out his stellar record in the competition. UPCOMING
POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS USA-TRUMP/RUSSIA-STONE (PIX) (TV)
Former Trump adviser Stone ordered to appear in court over Instagram posts Roger Stone, former political adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, is ordered to appear in court this week over Instagram posts that chastised and appeared to threaten judge presiding over his criminal trial.
21 Feb 14:30 ET / 19:30 GMT CZECH-NUCLEAR/
Czech PM to present plans for building and financing new nuclear power plant Prime Minister Andrej Babis is expected to reveal the latest government thinking on financing new nuclear power stations. The government is trying to push the process ahead despite protests by minority shareholders at state-controlled CEZ, which may be tasked to build the plant.
21 Feb 04:00 ET / 09:00 GMT SLOVAKIA-POLITICS/ (PIX) (TV)
Slovaks protest to mark first anniversary of journalist murder Thousands of Slovaks are expected to rally on the anniversary of killing of investigative reporter Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnírova. The killing on February 21, 2018 rocked the central European country, stoking anger over public corruption and sparking the biggest street protests since the fall of communism.
21 Feb 11:00 ET / 16:00 GMT USA-ELECTION/NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina elections board to hear fourth day of testimony in unsettled U.S. House contest Republican candidate Mark Harris is expected to testify on Thursday during the fourth day of a hearing into alleged election irregularities in a still-unsettled U.S. House race in North Carolina.
21 Feb 09:00 ET / 14:00 GMT RUSSIA-MILITARY/ (PIX) (TV) (GRAPHIC)
INSIGHT- Despite Putin's swagger, Russia struggles to modernise its navy Vladimir Putin calls improving the Russian navy's combat capabilities a priority. The unfinished husks of three guided-missile frigates that have languished at a Baltic shipyard for the past three years show that's easier said than done.
21 Feb 03:00 ET / 08:00 GMT BRITAIN-EU/PARLIAMENT
Breaking point? Brexit defections show British political system on the brink Brexit has torn the fabric of Britain's political system, say a group of 11 lawmakers behind a dramatic series of defections that have sent shockwaves through one of the world's oldest and most stable parliaments.
21 Feb 08:00 ET / 13:00 GMT SINGAPORE-POLITICS/ (PIX)
Singapore court sentences activist over "illegal public assembly" on Skype Singapore court set to sentence human rights activist Jolovan Wham for Skyping a foreign activist without a permit.
21 Feb 01:30 ET / 06:30 GMT EU-BRITAIN/SLOVENIA
British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt visits Slovenia British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt visits Slovenia, meets with his counterpart Miro Cerar. Hunt and Cerar will hold a joint news conference after the meeting.
21 Feb 09:00 ET / 14:00 GMT GERMANY-RUSSIA/ (TV)
Economy ministers of Germany and Russia speak at conference in Berlin Germany's Economy Minister Peter Altmaier and his Russian counterpart, Maxim Oreshkin, attend German Commerce Chamber's Russia conference in Berlin, alongside senior lobbyists and industry executives.
21 Feb 04:00 ET / 09:00 GMT BUSINESS / ECONOMICS
ALPHABET-GOOGLE/CLOUD Google's cloud unit has big ambitions, but few takers
Google has a new cloud computing boss and big plans to someday produce more revenue from that business than advertising. Now comes the hard part: winning over big-spending customers. 21 Feb 04:00 ET / 09:00 GMT
COLUMN-MILLER/SCHLESINGER (PIX) How personal finance guru Jill Schlesinger got smart about money
Jill Schlesinger got her start on Wall Street, and that is where she learned a lot of what she knows about the financial world. But she has built a career dishing out personal finance advice by pulling back the curtain on myths about investing, and showing how average people can make a solid plan for retirement. 21 Feb 07:00 ET / 12:00 GMT
USA-FED/BOSTIC Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Bostic discusses economy and monetary policy
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic speaks on the economic outlook and monetary policy before the Terry Third Thursday, in Atlanta, Ga. 21 Feb 07:50 ET / 12:50 GMT
BAE-RESULTS/ (PIX) BAE Systems publishes 2018 results
Britain's biggest defence company BAE Systems announces 2018 results, forecast to be flat. 21 Feb 02:00 ET / 07:00 GMT
HUAWEI TECH-CANADA/ Huawei Chairman, President speak in Canada
Huawei Chairman Liang Hua and President Eric Li speak in Toronto about the company's future plans in Canada including future R&D investment. The Huawei executives may face questions about Canada's arrest of Meng Wanzhou, daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei, last December, and whether the development affects the company's commitment to its Canadian operations. 21 Feb 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT
MEXICO-OIL/REFINERY (PIX) (TV) WIDER IMAGE - Wild cats, boas: Obstacles in Mexican president's refinery race
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's race to build a refinery in record time, on land recently alive with mangrove, big cats and boa constrictors, has run into the rough after a government agency fined a contractor for illegal deforestation. 21 Feb 07:00 ET / 12:00 GMT
BARCLAYS-RESULTS/ (PIX) Barclays publishes annual results for 2018
Britain's Barclays publishes its annual results for 2018, amid a long-running tussle with an activist investor who wants to see the bank cut back its underperforming investment bank. 21 Feb 02:00 ET / 07:00 GMT
SWEDEN-ECONOMY/IMF IMF assessment of Swedish economy
Craig Beaumont of the International Monetary Fund holds a press conference as the IMF completes its annual visit to Sweden, a so-called Article IV consultation. Presser 1300 21 Feb 04:00 ET / 09:00 GMT
JPMORGAN-OFFICE REDESIGN/ JPMorgan redesigns investment bank, other offices in four U.S. cities
JPMorgan Chase & Co is redesigning its space in San Francisco, Dallas, Phoenix and Columbus, Ohio, moving investment bankers out of individual offices and onto "hot desks" to promote productivity and save money. 21 Feb 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT
AUSTRALIA-ECONOMY/RBA RBA chief Lowe semi-annual testimony to parliament
Appearance by Philip Lowe, RBA Governor, before the House of Representatives' Standing Committee on Economics, Sydney. Likely to be grilled on the economic outlook after the bank cut its forecasts for growth and inflation, and the fallout from sliding home prices as banks tighten lending standards. Politics an added twist with a federal election likely in May. 22 Feb 17:30 ET / 22:30 GMT
USA-TRADE/CHINA-MINISTRY (TV) China's Commerce Ministry holds news conference
China's Commerce Ministry holds a regular news conference as trade talks between the U.S. and China resume this week in Washington with time running short to ease their bruising trade war. 21 Feb 02:00 ET / 07:00 GMT
SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY ARTS / CULTURE / ENTERTAINMENT
FASHION-MILAN/FENDI (PIX) (TV) Fendi presents Lagerfeld's last line at Milan Fashion Week Italian fashion house Fendi unveils the last line Karl Lagerfeld designed for the luxury label before his death earlier this week.
21 Feb 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT AWARDS-OSCARS/ (PIX) (TV)
Topsy-turvy season gives Oscars a best picture cliffhanger Hollywood's awards season reaches a climax at Sunday's Oscars with a cliffhanger over the top prize after a topsy-turvy best picture race marked by the fading of early favorites and the tantalizing question of whether Netflix can trump traditional movie studios.
21 Feb 07:00 ET / 12:00 GMT BELGIUM-CHOCOLATE/ (PIX) (TV)
Brussels hosts its annual chocolate fair Brussels' chocolate fair opens for three days with a special fashion show where models wear chocolate-made dresses
21 Feb 14:00 ET / 19:00 GMT RELIGION
POPE-ABUSE/SUMMIT-BRIEFING (TV) Daily Vatican briefing on sexual abuse summit
21 Feb 08:30 ET / 13:30 GMT
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