REUTERS AMERICA NEWS PLAN FOR MONDAY SEPT 12

09/12/2016 9:54

REUTERS AMERICA MORNING NEWS PLAN FOR MONDAY SEPT 12

LATEST AND PLANNED U.S. NEWS COVERAGE (ALL TIMES ET)

TOP STORIES

Clinton's bout of pneumonia raises worries for Democrats

WASHINGTON - Democrat Hillary Clinton's bout of pneumonia, kept secret until she nearly collapsed on Sunday, has raised an element of uncertainty about her health going into the final weeks of presidential campaigning and risks feeding a narrative from rival Donald Trump about her stamina. (USA-ELECTION/ (PIX, TV, GRAPHIC), moved 4 a.m., by Steve Holland and Alana Wise, 892 words)

North Korea ready for another nuclear test any time - South Korea

SEOUL - North Korea is ready to conduct an additional nuclear test at any time, South Korea's Defence Ministry said on Monday, three days after the reclusive North's fifth test drew widespread condemnation. (NORTHKOREA-NUCLEAR/TUNNEL (UPDATE 6, PIX, TV, GRAPHIC), moved at 8:11 a.m., by Ju-min Park and Jack Kim, 762 words)

CAMPAIGN

Trump says Fed keeping rates low because of pressure from Obama

WASHINGTON - Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said on Monday that U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen was keeping interest rates low because of political pressure from the Obama administration. (USA-ELECTION/TRUMP-RATES (UPDATE 1), moved at 9:10 a.m., 248 words)

WASHINGTON

Atlanta Fed's Lockhart: "Serious discussion" over rate rise warranted

ATLANTA - Current economic conditions warrant a "serious discussion" of whether to raise interest rates at next week's Fed meeting, Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Dennis Lockhart said on Monday in remarks that may raise the likelihood of Fed action. (USA-FED/LOCKHART, moved at 8:07 a.m., 268 words) See also: Fed's Kashkari sees cure for slow growth in immigration, tax reform (USA-FED/KASHKARI, moved at midnight, 321 words)

FDA staff flags concerns about Pfizer's quit-smoking drug study

U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientists have expressed concerns about a post-marketing study of Pfizer Inc's drug Chantix, which is aimed at helping smokers quit, according to documents posted on the regulator's website on Monday. (PFIZER-CHANTIX/FDA (URGENT), moved at 9:10 a.m., 148 words)

INSIGHT

Occupation: Migrant. One African's 12-year quest for Europe

AGADEZ - European politicians worry about the influx of what they call "economic migrants" from Africa, saying more must be done to improve living standards there to stem the flow. (EUROPE-MIGRANTS/AFRICAN (INSIGHT, PIX, TV), moved at 4 a.m., by Edward McAllister, 1697 words)

For one Zika patient, lingering symptoms and few answers

SAN JUAN - It began with what felt like a punch in the throat. I assumed it was irritation from the cigar I'd smoked on my deck that afternoon in mid-June. But the sensation hung on. Within three days, I had a 102-degree Fahrenheit (38.9 degrees Celsius) fever, chills and bed-drenching night sweats.(HEALTH-ZIKA/PATIENT (INSIGHT, PIX, GRAPHICS, RTV), moved at 7 a.m., by Nick Brown, 1799 words) See also: Thai authorities downplay Zika risk, worried by tourism impact (HEALTH-ZIKA/THAILAND (TV, PIX), moved at 3:25 a.m., by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Aukkarapon Niyomyat, 643 words)

OTHER U.S. NEWS

Miss Arkansas crowned Miss America 2017 in pageant's 96th year

Savvy Shields, a college student from Arkansas, won the annual Miss America pageant on Sunday after impressing judges with a jazz dance routine and her answer to a question about her take on presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. (USA-MISSAMERICA/ (UPDATE 1, PIX, TV), moved at midnight, 398 words)

NHC says 80 pct chance of cyclone near Leeward Islands

A low-pressure system located about 900 miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands has an 80 percent chance of developing into a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Monday. (STORM-ATLANTIC/NHC, moved at 1:57 a.m., 69 words)

A raised fist, more kneeling players as NFL anthem protest spreads

SAN FRANCISCO - Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters raised his fist and several Miami Dolphins players knelt during performances of the U.S. national anthem on Sunday, the latest gestures in the National Football League to draw attention to racial inequality. (NFL-ANTHEM/ (UPDATE 4, PIX), moved at 9:30 p.m., by Curtis Skinner, 520 words)

U.S. utility solar enjoys building boom in 2nd qtr but residential slows

U.S. solar installations rose 43 percent in the second quarter, according to a new report, as sharp gains in large projects for utilities offset slowing growth in residential systems in top solar market California. (USA-SOLAR/, moved at midnight, 401 words)

MIDDLE EAST

Syria ceasefire approaches with Assad emboldened, opposition wary

BEIRUT - An emboldened President Bashar al-Assad vowed on Monday to take back all of Syria, hours before the start of a ceasefire brokered by the United States and Russia, which Assad's opponents described as stacked in his favor. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA (PIX, TV), moved at 8:20 a.m., by Tom Perry, 977 words)

Jailed Kurdish militant says conflict with Turkey could be settled in six months - brother

DIYARBAKIR - A three-decade conflict between the Turkish state and Kurdish militants could be resolved within six months if talks were to be revived, the jailed rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan said, according to remarks by his brother on Monday. (TURKEY-KURDS/OCALAN (TV), moved at 9:11 a.m., 499 words)

Gulf states condemn law letting 9/11 families sue Saudi Arabia

DUBAI - The Saudi-dominated Gulf Cooperation Council on Monday condemned a law passed by the United States Congress last week that would allow the families of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks to sue the kingdom's government for damages. (USA-SEPT11/GCC, moved at 4:39 a.m., 155 words)

Haj pilgrims begin rite which caused deadly crush

JAMARAT - Nearly 2 million Muslim pilgrims performed a symbolic stoning of the devil on Monday, the riskiest part of the annual haj pilgrimage, a year after the ritual's worst disaster in decades. (SAUDI-HAJ/ (PIX, TV), moved at 6:47 a.m.,by Dahlia Nehme, 496 words)

WORLD

Car bomb targets government buildings in eastern Turkey's Van

DIYARBAKIR - Suspected Kurdish militants detonated a car bomb near local government offices in Turkey's southeastern city of Van on Monday, wounding scores of people, a day after two dozen mayors from Kurdish-run municipalities were stripped of office. (TURKEY-SECURITY/KURDS (UPDATE 2, TV), moved at 5:37 a.m., 305 words)

Chinese air force carries out long-range drills in Pacific

BEIJING - Chinese bombers, fighters and early warning and aerial refueling aircraft on Monday flew through the Bashi Channel that separates Taiwan and the Philippines to exercises in the Western Pacific, the air force said. (CHINA-DEFENCE/, moved at 3:43 p.m., 262 words)

Duterte says he wants U.S. special forces out of southern Philippines

MANILA - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday called for the withdrawal of U.S. military from a restive southern island, fearing an American troop presence could complicate offensives against Islamist militants notorious for beheading Westerners. (PHILIPPINES-USA/DUTERTE, moved at 6:44 a.m., by Manuel Mogato, 347 words)

Italian quake town may sue Charlie Hebdo over "lasagne" cartoon

ROME - An Italian town is pursuing legal action against French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo for a cartoon showing victims of an earthquake there as types of pasta, and another suggesting the mafia was to blame for the death toll of almost 300. (ITALY-QUAKE/CHARLIEHEBDO, moved at 8:20 a.m., by Isla Binnie, 302 words)

Gunmen attack hospital in southern Afghanistan

KABUL - Two gunmen entered a hospital in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on Monday, setting off a gunbattle with security forces before both were killed, officials said. (AFGHANISTAN-HOSPITAL/ (UPDATE 1), moved at 6:39 a.m., 122 words)

Austrian election re-run comes unstuck in postal ballot setback

VIENNA - Austria on Monday delayed a re-run of a knife-edge presidential election as faulty seals on postal ballots scuppered its second attempt to organize a ballot that could give western Europe its first far-right head of state in decades. (AUSTRIA-ELECTION/ (UPDATE 3), moving shortly, by Kirsti Knolle, 274 words)

Afghan president expresses hope for peace deal with notorious warlord

KABUL - Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Monday a peace agreement with one of the country's most notorious Islamist warlords is close to being concluded, offering hope of progress towards ending decades of conflict. (AFGHANISTAN-HEKMATYAR/ (REFILE), moved at 4:42 a.m., 405 words)

Bullets trump rehab as Asia quickens "failing" war on drugs

BANGKOK/YANGON - The Philippines has launched a bloody "war on drugs" that has killed at least 2,400 people in just two months, while neighboring Indonesia has declared a "narcotics emergency" and resumed executing drug convicts after a long hiatus. (ASIA-DRUGS/ (UPDATE 1, PIX), moved at 2 a.m., by Andrew R.C. Marshall and Antoni Slodkowski, 1003 words)

Protests over river water dispute turn violent in Indian IT hub

BENGALURU - India's technology hub of Bengaluru deployed riot police and banned public gatherings on Monday to rein in protests as a water dispute turned violent, with cars and buses set on fire and people pelted with stones. (INDIA-PROTESTS/BENGALURU (UPDATE 1, PIX, TV), moved at 8:36 a.m., by Akshay Lodaya, 369 words)

With eye on West, Belarus holds slightly freer election

MINSK - Lawmakers loyal to hardline Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko retained power in an election on Sunday, but the opposition's win of a seat for the first time in 20 years could help the ex-Soviet nation further improve ties with the West. (BELARUS-ELECTION/PARLIAMENT (UPDATE 3, PIX, TV), moved at 8:50 a.m., by Andrei Makhovsky, 611 words)

Chinese gay activist challenges homosexuality "disorder" textbooks

BEIJING - A gay Chinese student activist on Monday lodged a suit against the Ministry of Education over school textbooks describing homosexuality as a mental disorder, the latest step by China's small but growing gay rights movement. (CHINA-RIGHTS/TEXTBOOK (TV, PIX), moved at 7:36 a.m., by Natalie Thomas, 440 words)

South Africa's Zuma repays some state money in home improvement scandal

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa President Jacob Zuma has taken out a home loan to repay state money spent on non-security upgrades to his private residence, his office said on Monday, after a scandal over lavish improvements including a swimming pool and amphitheater. (SAFRICA-ZUMA/ (UPDATE 1), moved at 8:44 a.m., 207 words)

HEALTH AND SCIENCE

New wheelchair lets you cruise through town standing

YOQNEAM - Israeli technology start-up UPnRIDE Robotics is launching an innovative upright, self-stabilizing wheelchair at a medical conference in Germany next month and the company hopes the device will hit the market next year. (HEALTH-TECHNOLOGY/ (PIX, TV), moved at 8:27 a.m., by Ari Rabinovitch, 395 words)

ENTERTAINMENT AND LIFESTYLE

Oxford English Dictionary gains splendiferous moobs

You know, some yogalates could tackle those splendiferous moobs. Confused? Then turn to the Oxford English Dictionary which has included the words among more than 1,000 revisions and updates for its latest update. (LIFE-DICTIONARY/, moved at 8:46 a.m., by Peter Hobson, 226 words)

Nose to nose with the actors: Spain's micro-theater has global appeal

MADRID - Six people stand almost shoulder-to-shoulder in a black room - the entire audience for a play unfolding just an arm's length away. With minimal set and a cast of only two, this is theater stripped to its bare bones. (SPAIN-CULTURE/ (PIX), moved at 7:19 a.m., by Catherine Bennett, 391 words)

BUSINESS AND MARKETS

Jobless recovery looms for white-collar US oil workers

SPRING, Texas - Recruiters warn that many white-collar jobs in the U.S. oil industry may not return even when the tentative recovery gains momentum. (USA-OIL/JOBS (PIX, TV), moved at 7 a.m., by Ernest Scheyder, 958 words)

Hanjin ship unloads in U.S. as fresh funds pledged

SAN FRANCISCO/SEOUL - A Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd vessel is finishing unloading in California and scheduled to leave port on Monday, shipping industry officials said, as shareholders and executives associated with the South Korean firm pledged funds to help resolve the turmoil created by its collapse. (HANJIN SHIPPING-DEBT/ (UPDATE 1, PIX, GRAPHIC), moved at 4:44 a.m., by Jim Christie and Joyce Lee, 798 words)

World's reinsurers predict premium respite at Monaco meeting

MONACO - Global reinsurance firms gathered in Monaco are hopeful premiums will stabilize in the coming year, although they expect competition to remain tough and returns low. (INSURANCE-REINSURANCE/PRICES, moved at 5:18 a.m., by Carolyn Cohn, 341 words)

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09/12/2016 9:54