REUTERS NEWS SCHEDULE AT 6 a.m. GMT/2 p.m. SGT

The United States said on Wednesday that it was removing Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program, a move long threatened and expected after Ankara began accepting delivery of an advanced Russian missile defense system last week.

USA-TURKEY-SECURITY-DEAL/ U.S. officials wonder: Did Turkish leader's coup memories drive Russia arms deal?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - For some U.S. officials, the Trump administration’s failure to persuade Turkey not to buy a Russian air defense system may have its roots in a coup attempt against President Tayyip Erdogan three years ago this week. U.S.

USA-POLICE-GARNER/ Protesters vent anger at NY mayor, U.S. DOJ after chokehold decision

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Several hundred people took to the streets of New York on Wednesday to protest the U.S. Department of Justice’s decision not to bring charges against a New York City policeman in the chokehold death of an unarmed black man in 2014. USA-LEAD-CALIFORNIA/

California settles decades-long lawsuit over lead paint, but outcome is bittersweet OAKLAND, Calif. (Reuters) - When Californian counties and cities first sued paint makers in 2000, they wanted the companies to pay billions to remove dangerous old lead paint from hundreds of thousands of homes.

BUSINESS FACEBOOK-CRYPTOCURRENCY-SENATE/

U.S. lawmakers challenge Facebook over Libra cryptocurrency plan WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers bashed Facebook on Wednesday over its planned cryptocurrency, saying the company had not shown it could be trusted to safeguard the world financial system and consumers’ data.

NETFLIX-RESULTS/ Netflix shares plunge as global growth falls short, U.S. customers shrink

Netflix Inc said on Wednesday it lost U.S. streaming customers for the first time in eight years and missed targets for new subscribers overseas, an announcement that jarred investors ahead of looming competition. ENTERTAINMENT

PEOPLE-KEVINSPACEY/ Massachusetts prosecutors drop Kevin Spacey sex assault case

BOSTON (Reuters) - Massachusetts prosecutors on Wednesday dropped a criminal case accusing former “House of Cards” star Kevin Spacey of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man at a Nantucket bar in 2016 after the alleged victim refused to testify. SPORTS

MOTOR-WSERIES/ Superlicence points from 2020 to mark a sea-change for W Series

LONDON (Reuters) - W Series founder Catherine Bond Muir admits there were times when she wondered whether she had wasted years of her life setting up the all-female single-seater championship, but not any more. GOLF-PGA-MCILROY/

McIlroy: Open's return to Northern Ireland 'bigger than me' Despite competing on home soil in Northern Ireland, Rory McIlroy said there’s no added pressure to win this week’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

UPCOMING POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

TURKEY-POLITICS/TRIAL (PIX) Turkish court tries opposition CHP official over insults to Erdogan

A Turkish court holds a second hearing in the trial of Canan Kaftancioglu, a prominent figure in the Turkish opposition CHP party whose candidate defeated President Tayyip Erdogan's AKP in the Istanbul mayor election. Kaftancioglu is accused of insulting Erdogan in tweets sent six years ago. 18 Jul 02:00 ET / 06:00 GMT

UKRAINE-ELECTION/ (TV) Zelenskiy's second act: Ukraine leader set to win snap parliamentary election

The party of Ukraine's new president looks set to win Sunday's snap parliamentary election, repeating Volodymyr Zelenskiy's shock victory in the April presidential race that has upended politics in the war-scarred nation. 18 Jul 03:00 ET / 07:00 GMT

USA-ELECTION/WARREN Elizabeth Warren unveil news policy position

Elizabeth Warren unveils a new policy position. 18 Jul 09:00 ET / 13:00 GMT

USA-TRUMP/COHEN (PIX) (TV) Documents in Michael Cohen case to be unsealed

A judge ordered that additional docs related to the prosecution of former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen be released. 18 Jul 11:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

SPAIN-NORTHKOREA/USA Man accused of breaking into North Korean embassy in Madrid appears in L.A. court

A former U.S. Marine accused of taking part in a robbery at the North Korean embassy in Madrid is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles. Spanish authorities have requested the extradition of the U.S. citizen, Christopher Philip Ahn, 38. 18 Jul 14:00 ET / 18:00 GMT

JAPAN-COMPANIES/POLITICS Reuters Corporate Survey for July

A monthly poll of about 500 midsize and large Japanese corporations, conducted for Reuters by Nikkei Research. 19 Jul 19:00 ET / 23:00 GMT

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY SOUTHKOREA-JAPAN/LABORERS-MOON (TV)

S.Korea's Moon meets with party leaders, to discuss Japan export curbs S.Korean President Moon Jae-in meets with five parties' leaders to discuss Seoul's stance on Japan's export curbs.

18 Jul 03:00 ET / 07:00 GMT SPORTS

SOCCER-NATIONS/CHEERS (PIX) Soccer-The highs and lows of emotion of fans watching their teams during the Africa Cup of Nations AFCON as the goals are scored

As a preview to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations a visually led story of fans in cities and villages around Africa reacting as their team scores or concedes a goal. From screams of joy, nail biting penalty shoot out stress to tears of dejection the fans face say it all as they watch the games in small crowded hot bars to organized fan zones. 18 Jul 05:00 ET / 09:00 GMT

BUSINESS / ECONOMICS USA-TRADE/CHINA-RVS (PIX)

The all-American RV Industry isn't immune to Trump's tariffs One of America’s least globalized industries—recreational vehicles—hasn’t escaped President Donald Trump’s relentless trade wars. Although they are assembled and manufactured in the United States, their parts come from around the world. The resulting tariff-driven price increases to both manufacturers and consumers have sent the industry into a tailspin.

18 Jul 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT VERIZON-MEDIA/ (PIX) (GRAPHIC)

Verizon resurrects media business as safe haven on the internet After Verizon Communications Inc, which owns media brands Yahoo, AOL and social media site Tumblr, declared its media properties nearly worthless last year with a $4.6 billion write down, the division of the U.S. telecoms giant is resurrecting the businesses as an antidote to the cesspool of the internet.

18 Jul 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT FANNIE-FREDDIE/REFORM

U.S. housing finance regulator signals Fannie, Freddie reform timeline slipping The head of the U.S. housing finance regulator on Wednesday signaled the administration's timeline for overhauling mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is slipping and could take as long as four to five years. Mark Calabria said a hotly-awaited government blueprint for removing the companies from conservatorship was "essentially done" but was now expected in August or September.

18 Jul 07:30 ET / 11:30 GMT UNITEDHEALTH-RESULTS/

UnitedHealth Group reports second-quarter earnings UnitedHealth Group is set to report second-quarter earnings on Thursday, when the health insurer is expected to comment on prospects for its business after the Trump government killed a proposed rule aimed at ending Medicare drug rebates. Investors will watch for comments on whether UnitedHealth will change its decision to only offer employers benefit plans that pass on the discounts at the pharmacy counter, and what policy changes it is bracing for, as healthcare becomes a central theme in debates leading up to the 2020 presidential election.

18 Jul 08:30 ET / 12:30 GMT USA-FED/BOSTIC

Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Bostic participates in armchair chat Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic participates in an armchair chat before the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce Power Breakfast, in Clarksville, Tenn.

18 Jul 09:30 ET / 13:30 GMT SCHLUMBERGER-COO/ (PIX)

Investors look to tech whiz to set a new course at Schlumberger Oilfield services bellwether Schlumberger NV on Friday is forecast to post modestly higher profits for its second quarter, but investors will be listening closely to what CEO heir apparent and tech expert Olivier Le Peuch has to say about its future direction.

18 Jul 11:00 ET / 15:00 GMT USA-FED/WILLIAMS

New York Federal Reserve Bank President Williams speaks at CEBRA event Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams speaks before the Central Bank Research Association (CEBRA) 2019 Annual Meeting, in New York.

18 Jul 14:15 ET / 18:15 GMT CRIME / LAW / JUSTICE

SOUTHEASTASIA-CRIME/ (TV) UNODC to announce report on transnational organized crime in Southeast Asia

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) holds a news conference in Bangkok to release a new report on “Transnational Organized Crime in Southeast Asia: Evolution, Growth and Impact”. The announcement will be joined by Senator Prajin Juntong, Ambassador of Australia Allan McKinnon, Chargé d'Affaires of the United States Peter Haymond and UNODC Regional Representative Jeremy Douglas. 18 Jul 07:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

PEOPLE-JEFFREY EPSTEIN/ (PIX) (TV) U.S. judge to decide on financier Epstein's bail request

A U.S. judge said to issue a decision on whether Jeffrey Epstein, the American financier charged with sex trafficking underage girls, should be freed from jail and allowed to await trial under house arrest at his Manhattan mansion. 18 Jul 11:30 ET / 15:30 GMT

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