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

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and his closest rival Atiku Abubakar made their final appeal for votes on the last day of campaigning on Thursday ahead of a tight contest in a presidential election on Saturday that was delayed by a week. US-POPE-ABUSE/

Pope opens child sex abuse conference, promising 'concrete' remedies VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis opened a landmark Vatican conference on the sexual abuse of children by priests on Thursday by saying the Church would “listen to the cry of the little ones seeking justice”.

U.S. US-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.

US-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

US-SPACE-SPACEX-BOEING-EXCLUSIVE/ Exclusive: SpaceX, Boeing design risks threaten new delays for U.S. space program

SEATTLE (Reuters) - NASA has warned SpaceX and Boeing Co of design and safety concerns for their competing astronaut launch systems, according to industry sources and a new government report, threatening the U.S. bid to revive its human spaceflight program later this year. US-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.

ENTERTAINMENT US-PEOPLE-JUSSIE-SMOLLET/

'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.

US-AWARDS-BRITS/ The 1975, DJ Harris triumph at UK BRIT music Awards; Pink honored

LONDON (Reuters) - Pop rock band The 1975 and DJ Calvin Harris were the main winners at the BRIT Awards on Wednesday, each scooping two prizes at Britain’s annual pop music honors. SPORTS

US-ICEHOCKEY-NHL-ROUNDUP/ NHL roundup: Kane, Blackhawks keep rolling

Patrick Kane scored his second goal of the game at 2:42 of overtime and the visiting Chicago Blackhawks won for the 10th time in 12 games, topping the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 on Wednesday. US-TENNIS-DUBAI/

Shy Osaka must learn to deal with limelight, says Kvitova Two-times Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova says Naomi Osaka’s shyness is a problem for her as she struggles to deal with the increased scrutiny in the wake of her success at the Grand Slams and her rise to the top of the world rankings.

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

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 fiancée 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

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

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

MYANMAR-RAKHINE/INVESTMENT (PIX) (TV) Myanmar holds a government-backed “Invest in Rakhine” conference

Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi delivers a speech on the second day of the “Invest in Rakhine” conference attended by foreign ambassadors and investors. Rakhine State saw a military-led crackdown in 2017, following attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents that prompted hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee westwards into neighboring Bangladesh. Feb 22

USA-CZECH/ Czech foreign ministry to discuss cyber-security, trans-Atlantic issues with Pompeo, Bolton

Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek to meet Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton, as well as Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development Mark Green. Topics for discussion will include cybersecurity, bilateral and transatlantic relations. Feb 22

NORWAY-HUNGARY/ Norway foreign minister visits Budapest

Norwegian foreign minister Ine Eriksen Soereide visits her Hungarian counterpart in Budapest. Joint news conference scheduled for 1615 CET (1515 GMT). Soereide will also visit the rector of the Central European University, founded by George Soros. Feb 22

USA-TRUMP/CONGRESS U.S. House Democrats move to block Trump's emergency declaration on border

Democrats in U.S. House of Representatives plan to introduce resolution to end President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration on border security, according to aides to Rep. Joaquin Castro. Feb 22

CANADA-QUEBEC/IMMIGRATION (PIX) Lawyers challenge Quebec government plan to suspend 18,000 immigration applications

Quebec immigration lawyers will ask a judge to halt plans by the Canadian province to suspend 18,000 applications from new arrivals. Feb 22

CRIME / LAW / JUSTICE USA-MARYLAND/ARREST

U.S. Coast Guard officer who planned mass attack has hearing A U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant who described himself as a white nationalist and threatened to carry out a mass attack will have a hearing on a motion to detain him until his trial.

21 Feb, 19:00 ET / 00:00 GMT VENEZUELA-POLITICS/EVIDENCE (PIX) (TV)

One witness, little evidence: How Venezuelan justice targets the opposition Jose Rengel, an opposition leader in the outskirts of Caracas, has spent three weeks in a cramped detention cell after a single witness accused him of leading a riot that burned down a office. But the building still stands. Lawyers and rights groups say Venezuela's justice system fabricates evidence and invents circumstance to target the opposition, newly energized under Juan Guaido.

Feb 22 BUSINESS / ECONOMICS

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

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

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. The U.S. bank renovated two floors at its Mission Street office in San Francisco last month, replacing many offices with diner-style booths, designated quiet zones and long, communal tables for the roughly 250 investment bankers and other employees there. 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/EU EU trade ministers discuss potential negotiations with U.S.

EU ministers responsible for trade hold an informal meeting in Bucharest to discuss the possible start of trade negotiations with the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump has sought better terms of trade with the EU, whose negotiators have said they would discuss industrial goods including autos, but not agricultural products. Feb 22

AIRSHOW-INDIA/ (PIX) (TV) Aero India

Feb 22 SAFRICA-RESTAURANT (PIX) (TV)

Reuters speaks to owner of the world's best restaurant Reuters speaks to chef Kobus, after winning the world's best restaurant award in Paris.

Feb 22 GLOBAL-ECONOMY/WEEKAHEAD

Global Economy Weekahead A weekly look at key economic events for the global economy in the coming seven days.

Feb 22 EUROPE-BARLEY/SOWING

EU spring barley sowing Look at the start of the spring barley sowing season in western Europe as field work begins at the end of winter. A drought-hit rapeseed sowing campaign last year has raised expectations that farmers may shift some land to spring crops.

Feb 22 SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY

VIRGINGALACTIC-ROCKETS/ (PIX) (TV) Virgin Galactic performs test flight

Virgin Galactic’s carrier airplane WhiteKnightTwo carrying space tourism rocket plane SpaceShipTwo will perform a test flight from Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California. Feb 22

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 FASHION-MILAN/VERSACE (PIX) (TV)

Versace presents latest line at Milan Fashion Week Italian fashion house Versace unveils its autumn/winter 2019 womenswear creations in Milan.

Feb 22 SPORTS

SOCCER-RUSSIA/ (PIX) Soccer Russian Football Union elects president

Russia's Football Union elects a new president after Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko resigned from the post last year. Feb 22

RELIGION POPE-ABUSE/SUMMIT-BRIEFING (TV)

Daily Vatican briefing on sexual abuse summit 21 Feb, 08:30 ET / 13:30 GMT