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

Here are the top stories and upcoming coverage plans for Reuters text service as of 6 a.m. GMT/2 p.m. SGT. For a full schedule of news and events, go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect https://www.reutersconnect.com/planning or on Media Express http://mediaexpress.reuters.com/planning-tools/calendar. TOP STORIES

GLOBAL MEXICO-VIOLENCE-SINALOA

Cartel gunmen chase away security forces, free El Chapo's son Heavily armed cartel fighters surrounded security forces and made them free one of drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's sons, whose brief apprehension triggered intense gunbattles across the city of Culiacan.

SYRIA-SECURITY-TURKEY-USA Turkey agrees with U.S. to pause Syria assault while Kurds withdraw

Turkey agreed on Thursday to pause its offensive in Syria for five days to let Kurdish forces withdraw from a "safe zone" Ankara had sought to capture, in a deal hailed by the Trump administration and cast by Turkey as a complete victory. U.S.

USA-TRUMP-WHISTLEBLOWER White House acknowledges strings attached in Trump withholding Ukraine aid

President Donald Trump's withholding of $391 million in military aid to Ukraine was linked to his request that the Ukrainians look into a claim - debunked as a conspiracy theory - about the 2016 U.S. election, a senior presidential aide said on Thursday, the first time the White House acknowledged such a connection. USA-ELECTION-TRUMP

Trump blasts 'crazy' Nancy Pelosi and Democrats, defends Syria pullout U.S. President Donald Trump defended his Syria pullout at a campaign rally on Thursday and lashed out at "crazy Nancy" Pelosi and other Democrats who are trying to remove him from office through impeachment.

BUSINESS USA-AUTOS-LABOR

UAW will keep GM strike going while members vote on new contract The United Auto Workers union said on Thursday workers at General Motors Co will stay off the job while they vote on a proposed contract that delivers higher pay for full-time workers and better terms for temporary workers, but allows the automaker to close three U.S. plants.

USA-BANKS-RATES-EXCLUSIVE Exclusive: Wall Street banks see green light from Fed on reserves - sources

Wall Street banks believe they are getting a green light from supervisors to hold more Treasury debt and less cash after last month's volatility in overnight lending markets, three industry sources told Reuters. ENTERTAINMENT

FILM-JOJO-RABBIT Hitler satire 'Jojo Rabbit' mixes dark humor with plea for tolerance

New Zealand movie director Taika Waititi says he likes a challenge and his satire of Adolf Hitler and Nazi culture may be his riskiest and most successful yet. TELEVISION-HBOMAX

WarnerMedia's HBO Max to stream films of 'Spirited Away' producer HBO Max, the forthcoming streaming service from AT&T Inc's WarnerMedia, will screen films from Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation producer behind the Academy Award-winning movie "Spirited Away".

SPORTS GOLF-TIGER

Tiger targeting Tokyo Olympics Golfing great Tiger Woods is targeting the Tokyo Olympics as he seeks to add another glittering chapter to his storied career.

SOCCER-ENGLAND-RACISM Soccer: Social media facilitates racist abuse, says Leicester's Morgan

Leicester City skipper Wes Morgan has said racist abuse in football has got worse since he started his career and the rise of social media makes it easier to target players. UPCOMING

BUSINESS / ECONOMICS TESLA-PORSCHE/NURBURGRING (PIX)

Tesla Nurburgring run revs up debate over veracity of speed records. Tesla's attempts to humble Porsche with a new lap record on Germany's legendary Nordschleife racetrack have reignited a controversy about the value of lap times, as the circuit steps in to quash claims of cheating.

18 Oct 02:00 ET / 06:00 GMT NETHERLANDS-PENSIONS/ (PIX) (GRAPHIC)

ANALYSIS-Going Dutch? Low interest rates rattle "world's best" pension system When Frans Kolkman hung up his police badge in 2017, he was looking forward to a comfortable retirement. Two years later he's among millions of Dutch pensioners facing a cut and fearing there may be worse to come.

18 Oct 02:00 ET / 06:00 GMT USA-TRADE/CHINA-ALUMINUM (PIX)

How A Tiny Aluminum Maker Won Protection When Donald Trump was elected president, the sprawling aluminum smelter that hugs the Ohio River here was operating at less than half its capacity and most of its skeleton crew of 270 remaining workers were fearful about their future.

18 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT USA-OPIOIDS/LITIGATION

Drug company CEOs to meet with judge to talk opioid settlement - source The chief executives of the three largest U.S. drug distributors and a drugmaker are expected to appear before a federal judge to discuss a multibillion dollar proposal to resolve thousands of lawsuits alleging they fueled the U.S. opioid crisis.

18 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT USA-FED/KAPLAN

Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Kaplan speaks before group in Washington Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert Kaplan participates in moderated question-and-answer session before event, "Reinventing Bretton Woods Committee -- The Disentanglement of the Global Economy," in Washington.

18 Oct 09:00 ET / 13:00 GMT USA-FED/GEORGE

Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank President George speaks on U.S. economy Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Esther George speaks on the U.S. economy before the "Energy and the Economy: Markets in Transition" conference hosted by the Federal Reserve Banks of Kansas City and Dallas, in Denver, Colo.

18 Oct 10:05 ET / 14:05 GMT USA-FED/KASHKARI

Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank provides livestream of President Kashkari speaks bank summit Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis provides livestream of President Neel Kashkari's fireside chat before the closed Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Annual Leadership Summit in Bloomington, Minn.

18 Oct 10:30 ET / 14:30 GMT AFRICA-LEADERS/

FACTBOX-What limits? How African leaders cling to power for decades Guinea erupted in protest this week over proposals to draft a new constitution that could allow President Alpha Conde to run for a third term in 2020. If Conde tries to stay, he would be copying from an established playbook on the continent, where incumbent presidents have sought, often successfully, to remain in power by massaging, bending or outright breaking laws often meant to ensure democratic handovers of power.

18 Oct 11:00 ET / 15:00 GMT USA-FED/ENERGY (PIX)

Fed weighs risks to U.S. energy industry of transition to lower carbon fuels Federal Reserve officials debate the outlook for the global crude oil market and the impact of cheap renewable power with Whiting Petroleum, Oil States International, Xcel and Prisma Energy executives.

18 Oct 14:00 ET / 18:00 GMT USA-FED/KAPLAN

Fed's Kaplan participates in moderated q&a Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert Kaplan. a supporter of the Fed's policy easing this year but who lately has counseled a patient approach, gives his final remarks on monetary policy, the economy and energy before the Fed's self-imposed blackout ahead of its regularly scheduled policy meetings.

18 Oct 17:10 ET / 21:10 GMT POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

BRITAIN-EU/IRELAND (PIX) (TV) (GRAPHIC) What exactly is at stake along the troublesome Irish Brexit border

The city of Londonderry's proximity to the Irish border and witnessing of an increase in violence in recent months, particularly among Irish nationalist youths, serves as a reminder to EU leaders of what exactly is at stake when it comes to fears over how the treatment of Northern Ireland in any Brexit deal could threaten an imperfect and fragile peace. 18 Oct 03:00 ET / 07:00 GMT

USA-TRUMP/WHISTLEBLOWER-WORRIES 'I don't see how that helps:' White House aide's words on Ukraine deal worries Trump allies

A top White House aide's suggestion that President Donald Trump wanted a political favor from Ukraine in exchange for military aid upended the administration's impeachment strategy and left Republican allies flummoxed and frustrated. After weeks in which the president has argued that the impeachment probe against him was illegitimate because he had not improperly sought political favors, the comment seemed to undermine the core arguments that Trump and his advisers have made against the effort to oust him from office. 18 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

EUROPE-MIGRANTS/ITALY (PIX) (TV) More bodies recovered from migrant shipwreck returned to Lampedusa

More bodies from a migrant shipwreck that took place on October 7 are brought back to the island of Lampedusa. 18 Oct 11:30 ET / 15:30 GMT

USA-DEMOCRATS/POLL Reuters/Ipsos poll: support for candidates for Democratic 2020 nomination

Following the Oct. 15 debate, the Reuters/Ipsos poll will measure support for candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. 18 Oct 13:00 ET / 17:00 GMT

CRIME / LAW / JUSTICE USA-GUNS/TECHNOLOGY (PIX)

A gun with a chip: How the U.S. Army may revamp the firearms market The long-delayed marriage of information technology to firearms may be near, as the U.S. Army is asking companies for high-tech battlefield solutions to create the soldier's rifle of the future, known as the Next Generation Squad Weapon. The technology could also finally make the smart gun a reality, reducing deadly accidents at home.

18 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT USA-OPIOIDS/LITIGATION- JUDGE

Profile of judge overseeing opioid litigation We will take a look at the aggressive tactics Judge Polster in Ohio has used in trying to get the parties to settle.

18 Oct 07:00 ET / 11:00 GMT ARTS / CULTURE / ENTERTAINMENT

NIGERIA-CHILDREN/UNICYCLE (PIX) (TV) Meet Olalekan Kuyoro teaching disadvantaged kids the art of unicycling

29-year-old Nigerian, Olalekan Kuyoro runs an after school club, where children are taught the art of unicycling. The club takes in children between the ages of 7-15 training them on various cycling techniques. He believes the club is an avenue to keep the kids out of trouble. 18 Oct 06:00 ET / 10:00 GMT

DISASTERS / ACCIDENTS PG&E-FIRES/

PG&E executives defend power shutdown to California regulators PG&E executives will defend their handling of a widely-criticized power shutdown in Northern California aimed at preventing wildfires at an emergency meeting of the state's utility regulator.

18 Oct 19:00 ET / 23:00 GMT

Also Read: India criticises Malaysia, Turkey for statements on Kashmir

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