REUTERS AMERICA NEWS PLAN FOR THURSDAY AUGUST 18/FRIDAY AUGUST 19

08/18/2016 17:22

REUTERS AMERICA EVENING NEWS PLAN FOR THURSDAY AUGUST 18/FRIDAY AUGUST 19

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

Top stories as of 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

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OLYMPICS

Brazil police consider charging US swimmers with vandalism, false testimony

RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazilian police are considering charging a group of U.S. Olympic swimmers with vandalism and giving false testimony, Rio's police chief said on Thursday, accusing them of lying about an incident that has marred South America's first Games. (OLYMPICS-RIO/LOCHTE (UPDATE 5, PIX, TV), moved at 4:40 p.m., by Rodrigo Viga and Jeb Blount, 819 words) See also: Top official Hickey out of hospital, being questioned -OCI (OLYMPICS-RIO/HICKEY-RELEASE (UPDATE 1), moved at 3:47 p.m., 86 words)

U.S. get second chance after baton bungle

RIO DE JANEIRO - The United States will get a second chance to qualify for the women's 4x100 meters final after appealing against their disqualification in their heat after a bungled handover. (OLYMPICS-RIO-ATHLETICS-W-RELAY100M/ (UPDATE 1, PIX), moved at 12:12 p.m., by Nick Mulvenney, 427 words) See also: Eaton holds decathlon lead, Mayer moves up after pole vault (OLYMPICS-RIO-ATHLETICS-M-DECATHLON/ (UPDATE 1, PIX), moved at 3:56 p.m., by Scott Malone, 290 words) and Serbian women knock out U.S. favorites (OLYMPICS-RIO-VOLLEYBALL-W/ (UPDATE 1, PIX, TV), moved at 4:08 p.m., by Anthony Boadle, 384 words)

More than half of free tickets unused at Rio Games -organizers

RIO DE JANEIRO - More than half of the almost 300,000 tickets given away to school children for the Rio Olympics went unused, organizers said on Thursday, after struggling with many empty venues throughout the Games. (OLYMPICS-RIO/TICKETS (TV), moved at 1:43 p.m., by Karolos Grohmann, 375 words) See also: Residents try to cash in on Games they don't see (OLYMPICS-RIO/ENGENHO (PIX), moved at 3:50 p.m., by Angus MacSwan, 445 words)

TOP STORIES

U.S. to phase out federal use of private prisons

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Justice Department announced plans on Thursday to phase out its use of privately-operated prisons, calling them less safe and less effective than government-run facilities. (USA-PRISONS/ (UPDATE 3), moved at 4 p.m., by Susan Heavey and Julia Edwards, 673 words)

California wildfire challenges fight to stem its progress

LOS ANGELES - Firefighters faced searing temperatures and steep terrain on Thursday as they toiled to contain a fast-moving Southern California wildfire that has forced tens of thousands of people from their homes. (CALIFORNIA-FIRE/ (UPDATE 2, TV, PIX), moved at 1:32 p.m., by Alex Dobuzinskis, 427 words)

About 86,500 people filed for federal aid after Louisiana floods

BATON ROUGE, La. - Some 86,500 people have filed for federal aid after deadly flooding hit Louisiana in the past several days and damaged some 40,000 homes, Governor John Bel Edwards told a news conference on Thursday. (USA-WEATHER/ (UPDATE 2, PIX), moved, 379 words)

Turkey's Erdogan links coup suspects, PKK to bomb attacks

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused followers of a U.S.-based Islamic cleric he blames for last month's coup attempt of being complicit in attacks by Kurdish militants in Turkey's southeast which killed 10 people. (TURKEY-BLAST/ (UPDATE 6, TV, PICTURE), moved at 4:25 p.m., 642 words)

Trump to take 'optimistic' message to voters, new manager says

WASHINGTON - Donald Trump's new campaign manager promised on Thursday the volatile Republican presidential candidate would stick to a more disciplined and uplifting message to voters in the final dash to Election Day without crimping his freewheeling style. (USA-ELECTION/ (PIX, TV, GRAPHIC), moved at 11:18 a.m., by John Whitesides and Susan Heavey, 547 words)See also: Dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov calls Trump 'totalitarian opportunist' (USA-ELECTION/CLINTON-BARYSHNIKOV (PIX, TV), moved at 3:53 p.m., 226 words)

OTHER U.S. NEWS

In wake of riots, Milwaukee looks inward for solutions

MILWAUKEE - After violent riots, Milwaukeeans in the blighted inner city are searching for their own way out of despair, saying they cannot rely on government-led economic development projects to remedy chronic crime and unemployment. (WISCONSIN-POLICE/ (PIX), moved at 1:35 p.m., by John McCrank and Brendan O'Brien, 689 words)

Witness in N.Y. cleric killing ID'd someone other than suspect

NEW YORK - A potential witness in the New York City shooting deaths of a Muslim cleric and his assistant picked out someone during a police lineup who was not the suspect now facing murder charges, a prosecutor said on Thursday. (NEW YORK-SHOOTING/ (PIX), moved at 2:03 p.m., by David Ingram, 313 words)

Los Angeles human trafficking sweep leads to nearly 300 arrests

NEW YORK - Nearly 300 people have been arrested in a human trafficking sweep in Los Angeles, where authorities discovered ten victims who had been forced into prostitution, police said on Thursday. (USA-TRAFFICKING/ARRESTS, moved at 4:54 p.m., by Sebastien Malo, 262 words)

White supremacist stabs black man in Olympia, Washington

A man who claimed to be affiliated with a white supremacist group stabbed a black man in Olympia, the capital of Washington state, and told police he was lashing out at Black Lives Matter protesters, authorities said on Thursday. (WASHINGTON-HATECRIME/ (REPEAT), moved at 2:53 p.m., by Alex Dobuzinskis, 351 words)

Seven Chicago officers face firing for role in 2014 shooting of teen

CHICAGO - Chicago's police superintendent has recommended that seven officers be fired after they were accused of lying about the details of a black teenager's fatal shooting by a white officer in 2014, a police spokesman said on Thursday. (CHICAGO-POLICE/ (PIX), moved at 2 p.m., 346 words)

California lawmaker to withdraw zero emissions vehicle bill

SAN FRANCISCO - A California lawmaker on Thursday said she will withdraw a bill that would have required 15 percent of new car sales be zero emission vehicles by 2025 due to opposition from automakers, the oil industry and labor. (CALIFORNIA-EMISSIONS/BILL (UPDATE 1), moved at 2 p.m., 209 words)

Zika virus identified in Miami Beach -Miami Herald report

The Zika virus has been identified in Miami Beach, one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, the Miami Herald reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with discussions between state and local health officials. (HEALTH-ZIKA/MIAMI (UPDATE 1), moved at 4:22 p.m., 269 words)

Rejection of Massachusetts cemetery plan prompts federal probe

Federal prosecutors will investigate a decision by a Massachusetts town to deny a request by an Islamic group to establish a Muslim cemetery there, the U.S. attorney's office said on Thursday. (MASSACHUSSETS-CEMETERY/, moved at 1:28 p.m., moved, 393 words)

U.S. village in Alaska votes to relocate due to climate change

NEW YORK - A Native American village in the U.S. state of Alaska has voted to relocate its entire population of some 600 people due to the threat of rising seas, officials said on Thursday. (USA-CLIMATECHANGE/RELOCATION (UPDATE 1), moved at 1 p.m., by Sebastien Malo, 512 words)

Pennsylvania governor nominates replacement for convicted attorney general

NEW YORK - Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf on Thursday nominated the state's inspector general to serve as attorney general, after former Attorney General Kathleen Kane resigned her post following her conviction for perjury. (PENNSYLVANIA-KANE/ (PIX), moved at 1:48 p.m., by Joseph Ax, 400 words)

MIDDLE EAST

Islamic State suicide bombings hit Libyan forces in Sirte

SIRTE - Suicide bombings against Libyan forces battling to oust Islamic State from their former North African stronghold of Sirte killed at least 12 fighters and wounded about 60 there on Thursday, a hospital spokesman said. (LIBYA-SECURITY/ (PIX, TV), moved at 3:47 p.m., 245 words)

MSF says evacuating staff from Yemen hospitals after Saudi-led air strikes

DOHA - Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said it was evacuating its staff from hospitals in northern Yemen on Thursday after a Saudi-led coalition air strike hit a health facility operated by the medical aid group killing 19 people. (YEMEN-SECURITY/MSF (UPDATE 1), moved at 4:05 p.m., 365 words)

WORLD

UN welcomes Russian words on Aleppo truce, trucks "ready to move"

GENEVA - Russia said on Thursday it would support a 48-hour ceasefire in Aleppo, a move the U.N. Syria envoy said would allow aid to reach besieged areas soon, as long as all sides respect the temporary truce. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA-UN (UPDATE 5, TV, PIX), moved at 3:45 p.m., by Stephanie Nebehay, 508 words)

Pistorius case set for next week; defense says "enough is enough"

JOHANNESBURG - Oscar Pistorius' lawyers will argue that "enough is enough" when his case resumes in court on Aug. 26 to hear an appeal by state prosecutors against his six-year murder sentence on the grounds it is too lenient. (SAFRICA-PISTORIUS/, moved, 218 words)

For elite N.Korean defector, a job and bodyguards await in South

SEOUL - Thae Yong Ho, the most senior North Korean diplomat to flee to the South, is likely to have round-the-clock protection and make a comfortable living at a think-tank run by Seoul's intelligence service, say elite defectors who followed a similar path. (NORTHKOREA-DEFECTOR/ (TV, PIX, GRAPHIC), moved, 873 words)

Austrian politicians call for a ban on full body veil

VIENNA - Austrian conservative politicians called for a ban on full body veils on Thursday, saying the veils would hinder women to integrate into the mainly Catholic Austrian society. Public debate about a ban on full body veils was ignited in several European countries after three French Mediterranean cities banned body-covering Muslim burkini swimwear, saying the burkini defies French laws on secularism. (RELIGION-BURQA/AUSTRIA, moved, 361 words)

Spanish police try out drones to patrol beaches

MADRID - Spanish police have started using drones to help patrol some of the country's most popular beaches at a time when tourist arrivals are reaching record highs. (SPAIN-DRONES/ (PIX), moved, 401 words)

HEALTH AND SCIENCE

Exxon, GT find way to cut carbon emissions for chemicals -Science

HOUSTON - Exxon Mobil and Georgia Tech researchers published findings of a breakthrough in the journal Science on Thursday, saying they had devised a way to slash carbon emissions from chemicals manufacturing by using reverse osmosis instead of heat to separate molecules. (EXXON MOBIL-CHEMICALS/EMISSIONS, moved at 2:01 p.m., 303 words)

Study in mice shows Zika virus also attacks adult brain cells

CHICAGO - U.S. researchers have found that Zika can attack special populations of brain cells in adult mice in the part of the brain involved in learning and memory, raising new questions about how the virus may be impacting millions of adults who have been infected with the virus. (HEALTH-ZIKA/ADULTS, moved at noon, by Julie Steenhuysen, 616 words)

Two children per hour seen at U.S. ERs for stroller, carrier injuries

About 361,00 children were seen in U.S. emergency departments between 1990 and 2010 for injuries sustained while riding in a stroller or carrier, according to a new study. (HEALTH-PEDIATRICS/STROLLER-INJURIES, moved at 4:46 p.m., by Andrew M. Seaman, 483 words) See also: Virtual reality treadmills help prevent falls in elderly (HEALTH-VRTRAINING/FALL-PREVENTION, moved at 3:40 p.m., by Lisa Rapaport, 672 words)

Artificial intelligence can find, map poverty, researchers say

LONDON - A new technique using artificial intelligence to read satellite images could aid efforts to eradicate global poverty by indicating where help is needed most, a team of U.S. researchers said on Thursday. (GLOBAL-POVERTY/ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, moved at 4:09 p.m., by Umberto Bacchi, 398 words)

ENTERTAINMENT AND LIFESTYLE

Obamas' first date inspires romantic movie 'Southside with You'

LOS ANGELES - We've heard their playlists, watched them dance together, and now Americans can see Barack and Michelle Obama on their first date in a film that follows the future president wooing his future wife over the course of a day. (FILM-SOUTHSIDEWITHYOU/ (TV), moved at 4:17 p.m., by Piya Sinha-Roy, 422 words)

Twitter suspended 360,000 accounts for 'promotion of terrorism'

Twitter Inc has shut down 360,000 accounts for threatening or promoting terrorist acts since the middle of 2015, the company said in a blog post on Thursday. (TWITTER-TERRORISM/ (UPDATE 1), moved at 1:40 p.m., 209 words)

BUSINESS AND MARKETS

Wall St inches up with energy gain, Wal-Mart

NEW YORK - U.S. stocks ended up slightly on Thursday as Brent oil's rise above $50 a barrel boosted energy shares and an upbeat outlook lifted Wal-Mart to a 14-month high. (USA-STOCKS/ (UPDATE 6), moved, 454 words) See also: World stock markets climb on labor data, oil gains (GLOBAL-MARKETS/ (WRAPUP 8, PIX), moved, 491 words)

Oil rises; Brent over $50/bbl on OPEC freeze talk, weaker dollar

NEW YORK - Oil prices rose on Thursday for a sixth straight day, with Brent crude rising above $50 for the first time in six weeks as the world's biggest producers prepared to discuss a possible freeze in production levels.(GLOBAL-OIL/ (UPDATE 8), moved, 526 words)

Wal-Mart draws more shoppers, raises fiscal-year outlook

Wal-Mart Stores Inc reported higher-than-expected quarterly earnings on Thursday, saying employee wage increases led to an improved shopping experience that helped draw more customers to its U.S. stores. (WALMART-RESULTS/ (UPDATE 5, PIX), moved at 2:49 p.m., by Nandita Bose, 541 words)

Harley-Davidson to pay $12 mln fine over motorcycle emissions

WASHINGTON - Harley-Davidson Inc agreed to pay a $12 million civil fine and stop selling illegal after-market devices that cause its motorcycles to emit too much pollution, the U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday. (USA-HARLEY-DAVIDSON/LAWSUIT (UPDATE 3, PIX), moved at 1:59 p.m., 563 words)

T. Rowe Price sues Valeant over "fraudulent scheme"

T. Rowe Price Group Inc has sued Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc, alleging that investors in the Canadian drugmaker lost billions of dollars as a result of the company's "fraudulent scheme." (VALEANT-LAWSUIT/ (UPDATE 2), moved at 4:34 p.m., 333 words)

Gawker.com to shut down as Univision buys other sites

U.S. internet publisher Gawker Media Group Inc said on Thursday that it would shut down its news and gossip website Gawker.com next week after Univision Holdings Inc successfully bid for the internet publisher's six other websites. (GAWKER-BANKRUPTCY/GAWKER.COM (UPDATE 2), moved at 4:33 p.m., by Jessica DiNapoli, 372 words)

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08/18/2016 17:22