REUTERS NEWS SCHEDULE AT 6 a.m. GMT/1 a.m. ET

Indian and Pakistani troops traded fire briefly along the contested border in Kashmir on Thursday morning, a day after the two nuclear powers both downed enemy jets, with Pakistan capturing an Indian pilot.

NORTHKOREA-USA/ North Korea's Kim says ready to denuclearize, discussing concrete steps

HANOI (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Thursday he was willing to give up his nuclear weapons and he would not be holding a second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Vietnam if he were not. U.S.

TRUMP-WALL/ Trump border wall prototypes torn down to make way for new barrier

The prototypes for President Donald Trump’s contest for a border wall near San Diego, California, were torn down on Wednesday, to make way for a new section of actual border fencing. USA-GUNS-CONGRESS/

U.S. House approves expanded background checks for gun sales WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would expand background checks for gun sales to include firearm purchases at gun shows and over the internet, a measure likely to face Senate and White House opposition.

BUSINESS USA-TRADE-CHINA-HOUSE/

U.S. trade chief sees long-term China challenges, continued tariff threat WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will need to maintain the threat of tariffs on Chinese goods for years even if Washington and Beijing strike a deal to end a costly tariff war, President Donald Trump’s chief trade negotiator told lawmakers on Wednesday.

USA-ECONOMY/ Consumers, weak exports seen curbing U.S. fourth-quarter growth

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy probably slowed in the fourth quarter, held back by softer consumer spending and weak exports, which could leave 2018 growth just shy of the Trump administration’s 3 percent annual target. ENTERTAINMENT

PEOPLE-MICHAEL-JACKSON/ Michael Jackson's legacy under microscope in new sex abuse film

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Almost 10 years after his sudden death, Michael Jackson’s legacy is under fresh scrutiny in a documentary about alleged child sex abuse that has been met with outrage by the singer’s family. FILM-STARWARS/

Disney bets on a new planet to wow 'Star Wars' fans at U.S. parks LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When the “Star Wars” galaxy is brought to life at Walt Disney Co’s U.S. theme parks later this year, fans will not step onto the iconic landscapes of Hoth or Tatooine.

SPORTS SOCCER-ENGLAND/

Liverpool and City march on as Spurs fall further behind MANCHESTER,(Reuters) - The Premier League title battle appears a two-horse race after leaders Liverpool and champions Manchester City both won on Wednesday while third-placed Tottenham fell to a second straight defeat.

GOLF-PGA/SPONSORSHIPS Players welcome PGA Tour's new gambling sponsorship rules

The PGA Tour's decision to allow players to be sponsored by certain types of gambling companies was welcomed by golfers on Wednesday who are now free to reach lucrative agreements with casinos and fantasy sports firms. UPCOMING

POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS USA-TRUMP/RUSSIA-IMPEACHMENT

EXPLAINER-Impeachment decoded: A look at how to remove a U.S. president Investigations involving President Donald Trump by a special counsel and U.S. lawmakers have raised the possibility that Congress could consider seeking to remove him from office using the impeachment process set out in the Constutition.

28 Feb 07:00 ET / 12:00 GMT BRITAIN-EU/

Brexit minister answers questions in parliament Britain's Brexit minister Stephen Barclay and his team of junior ministers answer questions from lawmakers in parliament.

28 Feb 04:30 ET / 09:30 GMT USA-TRUMP/RUSSIA-COHEN (PIX) (TV)

After public grilling, ex-Trump lawyer Cohen to testify on Russia in private President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen will talk behind closed doors on Thursday to a congressional panel investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. election, capping an explosive week of testimony in which he leveled new allegations of wrongdoing at his former boss.

28 Feb 01:00 ET / 06:00 GMT VENEZUELA-POLITICS/ (PIX) (TV)

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido to meet Brazil´s President Jair Bolsonaro Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido to meet with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo as part of a tour of several nations to drum up international pressure on President Nicolas Maduro to step down.

28 Feb 11:30 ET / 16:30 GMT SENEGAL-ELECTION/ (PIX) (TV)

Senegal election results expected to show incumbent victory Senegal to announce provisional election results that are expected to show a strong victory for President Macky Sall, though opposition candidates say the vote will likely go to a second round.

28 Feb 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT BRITAIN-EU/BARNIER-AUSTRIA (PIX) (TV)

EU's Barnier meets Austrian Chancellor Kurz The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, meets Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, followed by a joint news conference.

28 Feb 07:00 ET / 12:00 GMT USA-ELECTION/BIDEN

As Biden weighs 2020 bid, Democrats ask: "Does he meet the moment?" Former Vice President Joe Biden said this week he is "very close" to deciding whether to make a 2020 White House bid and will run only if he thinks he can win the Democratic Party's nomination. He's not alone in questioning if he is the man for the moment.

28 Feb 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT UKRAINE-ELECTION/ECONOMY (PIX) (TV) (GRAPHIC)

Subsidy cuts imperil Ukrainian leader's re-election bid Anger over gas price rises could tip the balance in the March 31 election against Petro Poroshenko, whose market-oriented reforms have helped stabilise a country battling Russian-backed separatism and encouraged Western investors wary of pervasive corruption.

28 Feb 02:30 ET / 07:30 GMT VENEZUELA-POLITICS/UN (TV)

U.N. Security Council due to vote on U.S. draft resolution on Venezuela The United States has asked the United Nations Security Council to vote on Thursday on a draft resolution calling for free and fair presidential elections in Venezuela and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, diplomats said Russia is likely to oppose the draft, diplomats said.

28 Feb 09:30 ET / 14:30 GMT MYANMAR-UN/ (TV)

U.N. Security Council to be briefed on Myanmar 28 Feb 15:00 ET / 20:00 GMT

NORTHKOREA-USA/TRUMP-NEWSER (PIX) (TV) Trump holds news conference after second summit with North Korea's Kim

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a news conference after concluding his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. 28 Feb 04:00 ET / 09:00 GMT

CONFLICTS / WAR / PEACE CHINA-DEFENCE/

Regular Chinese Defence Ministry briefing Regular monthly briefing, where topics ranging from military corruption to the South China Sea may be raised.

28 Feb 02:00 ET / 07:00 GMT CRIME / LAW / JUSTICE

MASSACHUSETTS-CRIME/HARVARD U.S. charges Arizona man with threatening Harvard's black commencement

An Arizona man is scheduled to plead guilty on Thursday to having threatened online in 2017 to bomb Harvard University and shoot students attending its first black commencement ceremony. Federal prosecutors in Boston allege that Nicholas Zuckerman posted threatening messages on Harvard's Instagram account after the event was announced, including "“#bombharvard and end their pro-black agenda." 28 Feb 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

USA-TRUMP/POWDER Daniel Frisiello to be sentenced for sending threatening letters to Trump's sons

Daniel Frisiello is scheduled to be sentenced after pleading guilty to charges that he mailed threatening letters containing a suspicious powder to several prominent people, including U.S. President Donald Trump's sons. 28 Feb 15:00 ET / 20:00 GMT

BUSINESS / ECONOMICS JC PENNEY-RESULTS/

J C Penney Co Fourth Quarter Results The struggling department store operator is expected to post a drop in same-store sales for the holiday quarter as it battles decreasing store traffic and fierce online competition. J C Penney has been actively cutting costs by shuttering stores and is trying to efficiently control its inventory to avoid excess discounting. Investors and analyst will be looking out for the company's 2019 forecast.

28 Feb 07:30 ET / 12:30 GMT USA-ECONOMY/ROBOTS (PIX) (GRAPHIC)

U.S. companies put a record number of robots to work in 2018 U.S. companies installed more robots last year than ever before, as cheaper and more flexible machines put them within reach of businesses of all sizes and in more corners of the economy beyond their traditional foothold in car plants.

28 Feb 01:00 ET / 06:00 GMT USA-FED/KAPLAN

Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Kaplan participates in moderated Q&A Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert Kaplan participates in moderated question-and-answer session before the Real Estate Council of San Antonio, in San Antonio, Texas.

28 Feb 13:00 ET / 18:00 GMT USA-FED/CLARIDA

Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Clarida speaks before NABE conference Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Richard Clarida speaks on "A View from the Federal Reserve Board" before the National Association for Business 35th Annual Economic Policy Conference, in Washington.

28 Feb 08:00 ET / 13:00 GMT CANADA-CRUDE/

Alberta premier appears before a Canadian Senate committee Alberta premier Rachel Notley appears before a Canadian Senate committee on Thursday to voice her concerns over proposed new legislation that would change how major energy projects including pipelines are assessed.

28 Feb 10:00 ET / 15:00 GMT INDIA-ECONOMY/INFRASTRUCTURE (PIX)

India-Infrastructure output India is likely to release monthly data on infrastructure in the evening on Feb 28 after 5.00 pm (India local time). Officially no time is fixed.

28 Feb 07:00 ET / 12:00 GMT USA-FED/HARKER

Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President Harker speaks before Philadelphia Inquirer event Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Patrick Harker speaks on the economic outlook before the Philadelphia Inquirer 2019 Influence of Finance Awards, in Philadelphia, Pa.

28 Feb 12:15 ET / 17:15 GMT COLUMN-MILLER/TAXATION (PIX)

Illinois budget debate raises key questions on taxing retirement income Greetings from Illinois, a state that never tops the rankings of places to retire. We have one of the great American cities, but also polar vortexes and an enormous state budget deficit - and now there is renewed talk about taxing retirement income to help close the gap. Illinois is one of the few states that have an income tax but do not tax any retirement income.

28 Feb 06:00 ET / 11:00 GMT COOP BANK-RESULTS/

Britain's Co-op Bank reports full year results Britain's Co-operative Bank reports full-year results as it struggles to turnaround years of losses and scandals. The lender was rescued from collapse in 2017 by a consortium of US hedge funds.

28 Feb 02:00 ET / 07:00 GMT