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09/01/2016 14:10

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TOP STORIES

Some Hispanic Trump backers pull support after immigration speech

CINCINNATI - Some Hispanic backers of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump pull their support after he stands by his hard-line immigration stance and says anyone in United States illegally would be subject to deportation if he were president. (USA-ELECTION/ (UPDATE 1, PIX, TV, GRAPHIC), expect by 1900 GMT/3 PM ET, by Emily Stephenson, 400 words)

+ See also:

- USA-ELECTION/MEXICO, moved, 347 words)

Rocket explodes on launch pad in blow to Elon Musk's SpaceX

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Explosion destroys Falcon 9 rocket belonging to Elon Musk's SpaceX and its satellite cargo during routine test firing, two days before it was to blast off and place satellite in orbit. (SPACE X-BLAST/ (UPDATE 4, PIX, TV, GRAPHICS), moving shortly, by Irene Klotz, 800 words)

EU ruling on Apple's Irish tax is 'total political crap' - CEO

DUBLIN/BRUSSELS - Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook describes EU ruling that it must pay huge tax bill to Ireland as "total political crap," but France joins Germany in backing Brussels as transatlantic tensions grow. (EU-APPLE/COOK (UPDATE 4, GRAPHIC, PIX, TV), moved, by Conor Humphries and Alastair Macdonald, 921 words)

Powerful 7.1-magnitude quake off coast of New Zealand -USGS

WASHINGTON - Powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.1 strikes off New Zealand, U.S. Geological Survey said, but there are no immediate reports of injury or damage. (QUAKE-NEWZEALAND/ (UPDATE 1), moved, 130 words)

EXCLUSIVE-U.S. set to approve sales of Boeing fighters to Qatar, Kuwait, sources say

DOHA/BERLIN - United States is poised to sell $7 billion worth of Boeing fighter jets to Qatar and Kuwait after years of delays, and it may start notifying U.S. lawmakers as early as next week, four U.S.- and Gulf-based sources familiar with matter told Reuters. (QATAR-USA/JETS (EXCLUSIVE, PIX), moved, by Tom Finn and Andrea Shalal, 498 words)

U.S., others agreed 'secret' exemptions for Iran after nuclear deal - think tank

WASHINGTON - United States and its negotiating partners agree "in secret" to allow Iran to evade some restrictions in landmark nuclear agreement to meet deadline for it to start getting relief from economic sanctions, according to think tank report. (IRAN-NUCLEAR/EXEMPTIONS (UPDATE 1, PIX), moved, by Jonathan Landay, 894 words)

Romanian hacker 'Guccifer' sentenced to 52 months in U.S. prison

WASHINGTON - Romanian hacker nicknamed "Guccifer" who helped expose existence of private email domain Hillary Clinton used when she was U.S. secretary of state is sentenced to 52 months in prison by federal court in Alexandria, Va. (USA-CYBER/GUCCIFER (UPDATE 2, TV), moved, by Dustin Volz, 303 words)

SPECIAL REPORT

In a Lebanese village, civil war scars fade slowly

BRIH, Lebanon - Story of Brih contains stark lesson for Syria and Iraq: Even when peace comes, divisions persist for decades. (LEBANON-BRIH/ (SPECIAL REPORT, PIX, GRAPHIC, TV), moved, by Tom Perry, 2,114 words)

UNITED STATES

U.S. factory activity contracts in August; layoffs remain low

WASHINGTON - U.S. factory activity contracts for first time in six months as new orders and production tumble, but low level of layoffs continue to point to pickup in economic growth. (USA-ECONOMY/ (WRAPUP 3, PIX), moved, by Lucia Mutikani, 734 words)

California's zero-emission vehicle program is stuck in neutral

SAN FRANCISCO - Toyota's zero-emission vehicle sales in California amount to drop of hydrogen in ocean of gasoline. (CALIFORNIA-ELECTRICCARS/ (INSIGHT, PIX, GRAPHIC), moved, by Rory Carroll and Alexandria Sage, 1,467 words)

Florida braces for first hurricane in a decade

TAMPA, Fla. - Florida prepares for what could be first hurricane to strike state in more than decade as Tropical Storm Hermine picks up strength, blasting its way toward state's northern Gulf Coast. (STORM-ATLANTIC/ (UPDATE 5, PIX, TV, GRAPHICS), expect by 2000 GMT/4 PM ET, by Letitia Stein, 400 words)

Obama visits Midway Atoll, a symbol of his climate, Asia legacy

HONOLULU - President Obama is set to visit Midway Atoll, remote coral reef that serves as reminder of modern global climate challenges and dominance United States has held in Pacific since its World War Two victory there. (USA-OBAMA/MIDWAY (UPDATE 2, PIX, GRAPHIC), expect by 0200 GMT/10 PM ET, by Roberta Rampton, 600 words)

AMERICAS

Venezuelan opposition floods Caracas in vast anti-Maduro protest

CARACAS - Dressed in white and chanting "this government will fall," hundreds of thousands of opposition supporters flood Venezuela's capital to press for end to President Nicolas Maduro's rule. (VENEZUELA-POLITICS/ (UPDATE 5, PIX, TV), expect by 2100 GMT/5 PM ET, by Diego Oré and Brian Ellsworth, 600 words)

MIDDLE EAST

U.N. hopes for Aleppo truce, U.S.-Russia talks seek wider ceasefire

GENEVA - Talks between senior U.S. and Russian officials on broad cease-fire in Syria are likely to last into weekend while fighting intensifies, U.N. Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura says. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA-UN (UPDATE 2, TV), moved, by Tom Miles and Stephanie Nebehay, 430 words)

Syrian opposition says Aleppo battle hides 'cleansing' of siege towns

GENEVA - Russian air cover and Iranian-backed militias are enabling Syria's government to keep fighting in Aleppo, distracting world from planned "cleansing" of besieged areas across Syria, opposition negotiator tells Reuters. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA-KODMANI (INTERVIEW), moved, by Tom Miles, 374 words)

AFRICA

Over 1,000 arrested as post-election riots rage in Gabon

LIBREVILLE - Three people are killed and up to 1,100 are arrested in Gabon, government says, in second day of rioting over announcement of President Ali Bongo's re-election and his main rival's accusation that vote is rigged. (GABON-ELECTION/ (UPDATE 4, PIX), moved, by Gerauds Wilfried Obangome, 818 words)

ASIA

China pressures Hong Kong to squash independence calls ahead of poll -sources

HONG KONG - China pressures Hong Kong government to disqualify six candidates who advocate independence from crucial city-wide election, as part of campaign to bolster its interests and win seats for its allies, two sources with knowledge of matter say. (HONGKONG-ELECTION/CHINA (TV, PIX, GRAPHIC), moved, by James Pomfret and Venus Wu, 715 words)

09/01/2016 14:10