REUTERS NEWS SCHEDULE AT 10 a.m. GMT/6 a.m. ET

Over the span of just a few hours, U.S. President Donald Trump upended his own policy on Syria with a chaotic series of pronouncements, blindsiding foreign allies, catching senior Republican supporters off guard and sending aides scrambling to control the damage.

HONGKONG-PROTESTS/ Hong Kong leader says no plan to use emergency powers for other laws

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong's embattled leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday the government had no plans at present to use colonial-era emergency powers to introduce more new laws, after a long weekend of violent protests saw widespread defiance of a ban on face masks.

U.S.

USA-TRUMP-WHISTLEBLOWER/ U.S. ambassador to EU faces questions in Trump impeachment probe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress's impeachment investigation into U.S. President Donald Trump turns on Tuesday to the U.S. ambassador to the European Union and the role he may have played in trying to get Ukraine to probe Trump's political rival, Joseph Biden.

USA-ELECTION-BIDEN/

Biden vows free community college, help for schools serving minorities U.S. Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden would make community college free and invest $70 billion in historically black colleges and universities as well as those serving other under-represented groups, his campaign said Tuesday.

BUSINESS USA-TRADE-CHINA-EXCLUSIVE/

U.S. expands blacklist to include China's top AI startups ahead of trade talks WASHINGTON/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The U.S. government widened its trade blacklist to include some of China's top artificial intelligence startups, punishing Beijing for its treatment of Muslim minorities and ratcheting up tensions ahead of high-level trade talks in Washington this week.

LSE-M-A-HKEX/ Hong Kong bourse pulls the plug on $39 billion play for London Stock Exchange

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong's bourse on Tuesday scrapped its unsolicited $39 billion approaches for the London Stock Exchange Group (LSE) after failing to convince LSE management to back a move that could have transformed both global financial services giants.

ENTERTAINMENT

FILM FESTIVAL-LONDON-THE-TWO-POPES/ 'Two Popes' filmmakers hope Pope Francis is amused

LONDON (Reuters) - Director Fernando Meirelles is a fan of Pope Francis but says his new film, which tries to get into the head of the Argentine pontiff, also shows some of his weaknesses. SPORTS

CHINA-BASKETBALL-NBA/ NBA stirs U.S. hornet's nest, faces China backlash over Hong Kong tweet

WASHINGTON/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - An increasing number of U.S. lawmakers voiced anger on Monday over the NBA's response to a Houston Rockets official's tweet backing Hong Kong democracy protests, raising U.S.-China tensions as talks to end a 15-month trade war resumed.

TENNIS-AUS OPEN-MURRAY/

Murray to make Grand Slam singles return at Australian Open Former world number one Andy Murray will play at next year's Australian Open in what will be his first Grand Slam singles appearance since undergoing hip surgery, organizers confirmed on Tuesday.

UPCOMING SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY

ZIMBABWE-HEALTH/ (PIX) Zimbabwe court to rule on whether doctors strike is legal

Zimbabwe's Labour Court expected to rule on whether an ongoing strike by public sector doctors is legal. The doctors defied a government ultimatum to return to work on Monday. 8 Oct 09:30 ET / 13:30 GMT

BUSINESS / ECONOMICS USA-FUNDS/INDEX-CLIMATE CHANGE (PIX) Biggest US index funds oppose most climate proposals in shareholder votes

The far-reaching impacts of climate change on companies have investors pressing corporate leaders for action to minimize environmental damage and maximize disclosure of risks to the business. While votes on climate-related shareholder resolutions often take center stage at corporate annual meetings, they seldom draw support from the two top U.S. index fund firms, BlackRock Inc and Vanguard Group. 8 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

USA-FUNDS/INDEX (PIX) SPECIAL REPORT-Passive investors: U.S. index funds control trillions but rarely challenge management

Index funds now control half the U.S. mutual fund market, giving firms including BlackRock and Vanguard unrivaled power to demand better returns and corporate citizenship from their portfolio companies. But the index firms rarely use that clout. Instead, they overwhelmingly back executives' decisions and pay at indexed firms - including the worst performers, a Reuters analysis of their proxy votes finds. 8 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

IRELAND-BUDGET/ (PIX) (TV) Ireland to prepare for the worst with 'no-deal Brexit' budget

Ireland's finance minister will present a "no-deal" Brexit budget for 2020 on Tuesday, detailing how he will keep firms afloat and allow the state's finances to return to the deficit if Britain leaves the European Union in a chaotic manner. 8 Oct 08:00 ET / 12:00 GMT

RUSSIA-OFZ/AUCTION Russia's FinMin announces OFZ bond auctions

Russia's Finance Ministry announces OFZ bond auctions for Wednesday 8 Oct 12:00 ET / 16:00 GMT

USA-FED/EVANS Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Evans participates in moderated q&a

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans participates in a moderated question-and-answer session before a Chicago Rotary Club luncheon, in Chicago, Ill. 8 Oct 13:35 ET / 17:35 GMT

USA-FED/POWELL Federal Reserve Chairman Powell speaks at NABE conference in Denver

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks on "A View from the Federal Reserve" before the National Association for Business Economics 61st Annual Meeting, in Denver. 8 Oct 16:30 ET / 20:30 GMT

USA-FED/KASHKARI Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank President Kashkari participates in a town hall

Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari participates in a town hall moderated and hosted by St. Cloud State University, in St. Cloud, Minn. 8 Oct 17:00 ET / 21:00 GMT

ECONOMY-COMPETITIVENESS/ World Economic Forum releases annual competitiveness rankings

9 Oct 18:01 ET / 22:01 GMT POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

USA-TRUMP/WHISTLEBLOWER (PIX) (TV) U.S. Congressional impeachment probe into Trump's Ukraine moves turns to the ambassador

Congress's impeachment investigation into U.S. President Donald Trump's effort to get Ukraine to probe political rival Joseph Biden moves forward Tuesday when three Democratic-led committees hear testimony from the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, a major Trump donor. Gordon Sondland, will testify to House committees focusing on a whistleblower's allegations that Trump leveraged $400 million in aid to secure a promise from Ukraine's president to investigate former vice president Biden. 8 Oct 09:30 ET / 13:30 GMT

TUNISIA-ELECTION/KAROUI (PIX) Why is a Tunisian presidential candidate in detention? One of the candidates in Tunisia's presidential election has spent the campaign in a prison cell awaiting a verdict in a corruption case. The bizarre situation threatens to plunge Tunisia into constitutional confusion.

Oct 9 HUNGARY-LOCAL ELECTION/PREVIEW (PIX) (TV)

Hungary prepares for local elections, the opposition could take capital Hungary prepares for local elections that could see an opposition politician take the office of mayor in Budapest, reducing the political dominance of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party in the country.

Oct 9 USA-ELECTION/LOUISIANA

Louisiana's Democratic governor fights for re-election in a Republican-leaning state Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, a moderate Democrat who supports gun rights and opposes abortion, is fighting for a second term in office in a conservative-leaning state. He faces two Republican rivals on Saturday, with voters given a choice between him, U.S. Representative Ralph Abraham and businessman Eddie Rispone in the state's open primary.

Oct 9 CLIMATE-CHANGE/CITIES (TV)

Mayors from the world's largest and most influential cities meet for the C40 Mayors Summit Global mayors from the world's largest and most influential cities will convene with CEOs, philanthropists, campaigners, scientists and citizens at the landmark C40 Mayors Summit in Copenhagen.

Oct 9 ECUADOR-PROTESTS/ (PIX) (TV)

National strike planned against Ecuador austerity measures Protesters plans a national strike to pressure Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno's government over economic austerity measures that have caused the worst unrest in years.

Oct 9 CRIME / LAW / JUSTICE

USA-COURT/LGBT (PIX) (TV) Supreme Court hears major LGBT rights case

Supreme Court hears major LGBT rights case on whether federal employment law that outlaws discrimination on the basis of sex covers sexual orientation and gender identity 8 Oct 10:00 ET / 14:00 GMT

USA-CRIME/AVENATTI (PIX) Status hearing in a criminal case against Michael Avenatti

A status hearing is scheduled in the criminal case accusing lawyer Michael Avenatti, who became nationally-known as a critic of Donald Trump, of stealing from his former client Stormy Daniels. 8 Oct 14:30 ET / 18:30 GMT

ARTS / CULTURE / ENTERTAINMENT FILM FESTIVAL-LONDON/KNIVES OUT (PIX) (TV)

Daniel Craig expected to hit the red carpet for ''Knives Out'' Actor Daniel Craig is expected on the red carpet in London for the European premiere of ''Knives Out'' - a murder mystery from Star Wars director Rian Johnson. Craig plays a detective investigating the murder of a wealthy novelist, the film also stars Ana De Armas and Jamie Lee Curtis.

8 Oct 13:00 ET / 17:00 GMT CONFLICTS / WAR / PEACE

UKRAINE-CRISIS/WITHDRAWAL (TV) Troop withdrawal due to begin in Ukraine's rebel-held east

Ukrainian and rebel armies expected to start the withdrawal of troops from the village of Petrivske and the town of Zolote in Ukraine's breakaway Donbas region. Oct 9